Can a house make you depressed?

DiscoCat54

First of all, I need to qualify what I mean by 'depressed'. I don't mean it in a clinical sense (well... I don't think I do) I mean it in terms of feeling lethargic and down...

My husband and I moved into a beautiful rental cottage a year ago. It's chocolate box perfection and in open fields on the South downs. We have 4 dogs and thought it would be a wonderful place for 2 active thirty somethings...

However, since we moved here we feel as though we've had the life sucked out of us. There is very little natural light and the oak beams that we originally saw as characterful have now become oppressive.

All of our good intentions for daily walks through the woods and up the local hill have gone out of the window, we are always so lethargic. Even our cats have started over grooming and pulling their fur out.

I was offered a new role with my company working from home and I hate it. My motivation has deserted me and it's showing in my work. My husband goes in to the office on his work from home days as he can't stand being here!

Am I imagining it or can a house really make you depressed?

P.S. No underlying medical conditions, it really does just seem to be the house!

summerholiday

particularly beams which if very dark can really feel oppressive. I find the problems with many older character properties is that the windows are smallish, dark and gloomy and the ceiling are too low. They were not built to let in the light. And they are often built on different levels.

What many describe as cosy is often constricting. Many of my family choose to live further out and rarely do they walk, instead they have use the car to go everywhere and anywhere, or they are taxi drivers for their children, who in turn do not walk anywhere either!

picklepick

Have you got a carbon monoxide alarm? And is it in working order?

arthurdick

hi, i know that feeling. quite a few years back we(both being very active 30 ish yr olds) moved from london, down to bexhill on sea. it was a lovely house, our dream house and we had all those great plans of going for nice long walk along the beach, getting fish and chips.. well, that only lasted the first few weeks, the novelty wore off. even though it was lovely, we found that to live in london and dream of it was all we wanted, nothing else mattered but when we finally got to do it, knowing that we could any day we liked, it soon wore thin.. we started missing what we had in london, the life, the buzz and the people....it seemed something we didn't have we wanted, and what we had, we didn't want.. the grass is not greener but we thought it would be... still, after saying that, if i could of had it as a second home i would have, it was a lovely place.

hazyjo

I think so, yep - as well as some being unlucky!

Was hell on earth buying our house last year. Took 5 painful months. We'd lost houses before that, and it seemed like we were looking/buying for around 2 years.

Everything started going wrong the minute we started buying it. (Now ex) hubby's (now late) dad said at the time we should see it as a sign, but we went ahead as we loved it.

His dad has since died, so has my lovely dad. We've divorced. Other horrible things happened too. I have no emotion for that house - maybe it's because the horrible things happened, or maybe it truly is unlucky. It's up for sale. We'll lose thousands. I don't care. I can't see it as home. I miss my old house. We never really even unpacked properly. There's lots I sing praises for about it, but for some reason I never settled. I think silly things like the sofas not facing the windows don't help. It's weird - I can't put my finger on it. The couple before us bought it from new, and they divorced and didn't have a great time in/with the house by all accounts.

I'm currently stopping with my BF in his one bed flat where nothing works properly (and I mean nothing!), it's freezing in winter, boiling in summer - would honestly take me far less time to say what's right with it so I'll stop now - but I find myself saying how I'll miss that place when we move on (I'm buying). I have a lot of love for that flat. It just 'feels' right. I have no idea why.

I have zero desire to be at the house and it depresses me when I have to go back there. My ex is currently rattling round in it on his own (four beds/four storeys).

Really hope you manage to settle.

Jx

Georgia_Pa

Things that trigger memories subconsiously can also cause you to feel down, or depressed in a sense.
It is clinically proven that the weather can cause you depression, aka seasonal affective disorder, which is due to the many factors such as the lack of light and rays. Maybe this house is just too dark and it's getting everyones psychology down.
Animals have been known to pick up on their owners moods, if you are constantly down then they may well pick up the vibe and feel distressed also. How many times have you seen a cat lounging happily whilst 2 people are fighting and wrestling aggressively? (Extreme example but it's a point!)
Life is too short for this.. if you are not happy, sell it off. Make sure your next place is light and airy, open and cheerful colours are on the wall. You learn from mistakes, just dont make them again ;-)

lessonlearned

I definitely believe in sick building syndrome, where either the architecture is wrong and there is insufficient air flow and light or where materials used in either it's construction or any renovations have an adverse effect on the inhabitants.

I think it sounds more than just a lack of light, although that might not be helping. Do you know if the house has been treated with any chemicals just prior to you moving in.

If there have been issues in the past such as damp, dry or wet rot, insect infestations they may well have been treated with chemicals which are affecting you. If they were incorrectly used there might be a problem there.

If a building is over-insulated there can be insufficient oxygen, some times insulation materials can have nasty side effects.

Do you have a carbon monoxide meter. Could there be a problem with gas pipes leaking. (Please don't check for this with a naked flame:rotfl:). I would check that asap.

Is the house dry - any leaks that might be causing mould or spores anywhere.

Feeling "down" is one thing but feeling so lethargic should be a matter of some concern, especially as it is affecting more than one person.

Interesting what you say about your cat's behaviour. I think animals are often far more in tune with their surroundings than humans are, they do seem to sense if something is wrong.

mummybaker

I agree with the other post get your carbon monoxide levels in the house checked NOW I had a neighbour who felt the same and it turned out her boiler was leaking CM and they were at dangerous levels. It's a silent killer so get it checked just in case. I hope you're feeling happier soon x

pinkteapot

+1 to checking the carbon monoxide levels. I can understand light/ambience affecting people psychologically but I'm not sure it would explain the cats' behaviour?

For 'normal' people with no history of feeling down for no apparent reason, I'd be surprised if the building was affecting you to the extent you describe.

Bit more info here on long-term, 'gradual' exposure to carbon monoxide (mentions pets being affected):

http://www.gotcoolair.com/carbon-monoxide-poisoning.php

If the carbon monoxide is fine, I'd be looking for another rental property....

Have you been away on holiday while living there and how did you feel when you were away from the house?

Werdnal

Another one for the CO check - this can apply to gas appliances, but also woodburning/solid fuel stoves with badly working/blocked flues.

If its affecting each of you equally, and your pets, then it seems more than just a "depression"; more like long term mild exposure to something toxic. If the CO doesn't show anything up, perhaps ask your GP to run some blood tests on both of you to see if that shows anything.

Fire_Fox

Definitely check carbon monoxide and for chemical leaks or other contamination, pets should not be experiencing the same as humans. IMO contact Environmental Health and have some tests run at the vets and doctors. As far as light goes get a light box designed for SAD these have a much more powerful effect than regular lighting.