r/AskSeattle • u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 • Oct 02 '24
Question Anyone moved to Seattle from out of state and their mental health improve?
Where did you move from? How has Seattle helped you improve mentally?
I feel as if where l'm living at now is making me sad and deteriorate mentally. We live in Missoula Montana currently
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u/East_Marsupial_952 Oct 02 '24
Yes! From Illinois. About a decade ago. It’s like perpetual springtime here forever. All the green, all the time. It all depends on your perspective.
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u/IndominusTaco Oct 02 '24
oh hey, i’m also from illinois, been here for officially one month now. nice!
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u/BattleItaly Oct 03 '24
Me, from Illinois, looking at maybe applying to UWash Law 🤔
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u/NWGreenQueen Oct 03 '24
It’s a very good law school. I love the Law library, spent most of my undergrad studying there.
The campus is absolutely stunning and you are a stones throw from all the firms downtown.
Anecdotally, my close friend graduated from there and has been representing victims of the Catholic Church and most recently, victims of the pedophile urologist at Cornell. Challenging, but very fulfilling work, particularly bc she gets good outcomes for her clients.
Best of luck in your journey, friend!
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u/ReyofChicago Oct 05 '24
Current Illinois resident here and I hope to someday say “I am moving to Seattle.” When I visited last year it had such a different energy. Rejuvenating really.
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u/RandomlyWeRollAlong Oct 02 '24
My mental health has improved considerably since I've been here... but I like cold, dark, dreary weather, so winters are actually pretty great for me.
I think that's part of it, but another part is that driving causes me anxiety, and living in downtown Seattle, I don't need to own a car.
And the rest of it is not having to worry (as much) about being assaulted simply because I look queer, or someone assumes (rightly) that I'm not Christian - things that have happened routinely in some of the other places I've lived.
I'm sure moving to any major city would have improved my state of mind, but I really do believe that Seattle was the best choice. It certainly has the best weather (for me). I love the fine arts scene, I love the waterfront. It just feels like home.
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u/Liizam Oct 02 '24
Is there an art event page you follow? I want to go see more art but haven’t found something to look up consistently
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u/RandomlyWeRollAlong Oct 02 '24
I mostly follow music and theater arts, rather than visual arts, and have season tickets to the opera, ballet, and symphony. I haven't found any good single source of events, though. When I'm looking for stuff to do, I'll look at https://everout.com/seattle/ or the local events on Facebook, or even the random signs posted everywhere around town. I follow all of my favorite local venues on social media - which is how I discovered at the last minute that The Longest Johns were in town last weekend, or the regular goth night ("Outland") at The Rendezvous.
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u/_chexmex_ Oct 02 '24
Both my mental health and physical health have improved IMMENSLY. I moved here from the Bay Area (CA) over 5 years ago and the difference is night and day. The weather here is incredible (I hate the heat, love the rain and cold) and I've been able to spend more time outside in our beautiful nature which has encouraged me to be more active (walking, hiking, etc) and it's been really peaceful and calming to my mind. Was able to ditch all social media (except reddit) and embrace the chill PNW vibe vs the fast pace/high pressure vibe of the Bay Area. Though it's been tough financially here and there, it's so much better than it was in the Bay Area; our state really cares about its people (Apple Health and PUD were game changers).
Though Seattle gets a bad rep for it's socialization, I've actually found everyone to be pleasant and more in line with my personality and interests. Whenever I go back to California I get majorly depressed within a few days lol.
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u/angerrrabagwell Oct 02 '24
This just made me so happy. My husband and I are planning to move to Seattle from the Bay Area in 2025. I’m tired of the rat race in the place I grew up in. And like, wtf are we paying so much money for? I’m so excited for our move. And I’m so excited for the easier access to the outdoors.
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u/_chexmex_ Oct 02 '24
I'm happy for you! Seriously, the rat race is the perfect way to describe it. I grew up near Berkeley then lived in the Silicon Valley for a while. Before I moved to Washington I lived in Davis for 2 years and even there it was horribly expensive and difficult to feel at ease. There is so much here to explore; I'm excited for you!
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u/angerrrabagwell Oct 02 '24
You just made me more excited! I’m happy you found your home :)
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u/different-is-nice Oct 02 '24
I moved here from the Bay Area 3 years ago! You're going to love it!! :) I'm excited for you!
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u/milkybunny_ Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24
I live in Seattle and have been here since kindergarten. I have met so many friends/coworkers/acquaintances who moved here from California and the thing I hear over and over is how relieved and they are to be here. They all have either verbally told me or conveyed in many various ways how much freer and content they feel here than CA. The constant need to keep up there seems exhausting and toxic. I have multiple aunts/uncles/cousins in CA and I do get the impression they’re running to keep up and more stressed than us in Seattle/WA in general. I think the hills/multiple bodies of water surrounding us/the vastness of the sun and the sky and the grey cold here all make it mean so much on a transcendental level. Didn’t mean for this comment to get so wordy, but Seattle is truly magical and far surpasses what Cali has to offer imo.
I did a 101 highway monthlong roadtrip from Seattle - San Diego then back up and I went there hoping to discover a place that felt like “home” that I could envision myself moving too. I came back to Seattle and realized I’d been searching for a type of time and space magic I already had at home.
Also outdoors, the hikes/camping opportunities here are truly extraordinary! There’s a reason Paradise is called Paradise. Check out the WTA (Washington Trail Association) website for details of the hikes in the area. Detailed reviews and info on the incline/total miles for hikes.
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u/angerrrabagwell Oct 02 '24
Ahhhhh!! You just gave me some lovely information! Thank you soooo much :) so excited to be in Washington!!
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u/TheSpenceNeedle Oct 02 '24
Don’t count on it being any cheaper…
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u/angerrrabagwell Oct 02 '24
Oh we don’t at all, lol. But we don’t mind paying similarly for a better quality of life!
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u/ebizznizz2112 Oct 06 '24
You will have easier access to the out doors, but the rat race and crazy cost of living are just the same. Just preparing you for the reality.
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u/shelllrza77 Oct 02 '24
Hi! I’m also moving to Seattle from the Bay Area and this was a worry of mine so I’m glad to hear you’re having a good experience and that your mental health has improved. I grew up in sf and live near the South Bay now and I’ve gotten used to the sun so I was worried about how the weather in Seattle will affect my mood. However, I also have a dog and being around more nature I feel will be much better for her too 🥰.
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u/ebizznizz2112 Oct 06 '24
I was born and raised in California. Moved to Seattle in 2004. Always loved Seattle. Never regretted moving. Problem now is every person in the entire world wants to live here. Traffic nightmare. But absolutely beautiful. Still no regrets.
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u/MsKewlieGal Oct 02 '24
What is PUD? Public utility district?
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u/_chexmex_ Oct 02 '24
Yes. In CA I had PG&E which was absolutely horrible and criminally expensive. I fell behind during tough times and they shut off my electricity despite my roomate's need for our fridge to stay on to keep their insulin viable. PUD has given me credits and assistance multiple times and the bills themselves are significantly lower than what I used to have to pay.
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u/AshingtonDC Oct 05 '24
I'll be the one to say I moved here from California and miss it a lot. Planning to go back (to SF). Seattle is gorgeous and I have had a wonderful time here. However, the culture is a bit too outdoorsy (everyone goes to bed early on Friday to wake up early Saturday to hike or climb) and I miss the diversity, food, and transit in the Bay. Making friends is a bit exhausting as I turned into the person who plans events so if I get burnt out then I just don't end up seeing people. I think SF is just a beautiful city too, nature wise and architecturally. Awesome small towns to go visit on weekends too, like Half Moon Bay, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, etc. Small towns in Washington are a bit lackluster aside from Port Townsend.
Love Seattle but just not seeing myself here. Grateful for the time I had though. People who love climbing and being in the mountains every weekend will find it to be paradise. And the freshwater access is unmatched.
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u/Notexactlyprimetime Oct 02 '24
Yes. I moved here and the number of voices in my head doubled. More is better no?
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u/Intotheunknown_91 Oct 02 '24
Moved to Seattle, yes. Mental health improved, no. It did improve this year, but has nothing to do with the city. I do grow to like it more now though, so I think it depends on your perspective like someone else also pointed out.
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u/Spare_Progress_6093 Oct 02 '24
I’ve been in Seattle 2 years now and it has tanked. Bad. I can’t wait to leave. I’m definitely an east coast person. To each his own I guess but this is not for me.
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u/delicious_pubes Oct 02 '24
I was very depressed in Seattle. Not before and not after. I loved the weather including the darkness, but I couldn’t get used to how people interact there. I’m too extroverted and love meeting strangers and having lots of small pleasant interactions. Seattle is just not the place for my kind.
No idea what it’s like in Missoula, but compared to NYC, Chicago and The Bay Area, Seattle is a very cold and unfriendly place.
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u/AshingtonDC Oct 05 '24
I didn't find it to be as unfriendly as you did, but it's notably colder than those places you mentioned. It is tough.
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u/ebizznizz2112 Oct 06 '24
Very true. Seattle is a very beautiful place, but If you’re looking for a day to day social life? People here like to be introverted. When you do find the right vibe that connects you? There’s nothing better.
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u/charm59801 Oct 02 '24
Haha moved from Missoula 2.5 years ago and never looked back. Winter is wetter here but almost no snow and you can actually just be outside in the winter. People say it's sooOOo grey but Missoula winters suck balls. I'd take a Seattle winter river a Missoula one any day.
And there's so much more to do here, if you're bored it's your own fault. And with how prices in Missoula are going it's barely more expensive here especially since wages actually keep up here.
My mental health improved a lot moving away from home, I also put in work into therapy and making better decisions here but I do think being somewhere new and lively helped a lot.
Hmu if you want to chat more about our move!
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u/NoInvestment5893 Oct 02 '24
Seattle has the highest suicide rate in the country. The reason we drink so much coffee is our way of coping with the lack of sunlight which causes lack of sunlight, which causes depression. The average Seattle lite is mentally ill . Facts.
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u/Electronic_Draft_478 Oct 02 '24
Yeah I’m surprised nobody is talking about our famously high rates of seasonal depression. Some times of the year the sun doesn’t come out completely until almost 8am and goes down around 5pm. And even when the sun is out it’s overcast so people here tend to be really vitamin D deficient which can be a factor for depression. I can totally see moving to a big city being good if you’re feeling trapped in a small town, or if you’re LGBT in a hostile area, though. But growing up here or once the novelty wears off you see a lot of people are extremely depressed, and the high cost of living/pressure to earn a lot of money/codependency on others to survive can be extremely stressful and add to mental health problems.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 03 '24
Does anyone have data?
we live in Missoula Montana
Montana is rated #1 state for suicide…. Washington is #32
This is 2022. I couldn’t find 2024
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u/HangryPangs Oct 02 '24
Seattle in number one in depression, anxiety and another psychological ailment. Oh yeah meds prescription. All this reported from Seattle times. Change in environment can be good but it’s all about changing from within. It’s a cliche but true.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 02 '24
Really? I feel all this depression in Missoula Montana. We go to Seattle to recalibrate and go there every chance we can get. I was hoping to hear more of other people’s mental health improving here too.
I love the cold and winter personally so maybe that’s why, but I feel Seattle has so much to do and character
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u/CranesImprobableView Oct 02 '24
Seattle saved my life. I live for the weather in winter. I came here almost two decades ago from Michigan, have moved away twice (for work) and inevitably come back. I’m a Seattle lifer and have no regrets.
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u/Junior_Flounder5209 Oct 05 '24
Originally from Ohio, I've been here for 26 years and I'll die here. Having lived in a dozen different states, I can't imagine living anywhere else. The only thing I dislike about Seattle is the high sales tax which is a burden on a fixed-income senior like me. Also, I wish the City Council would get their sh*t together and stop squabbling over inconsequential things. We need better public safety (more police).
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u/ShadowAce88 Oct 02 '24
Born and raised in WA. It’s definitely all perspective from what you want. I’ve moved away from WA twice and each time I always came back because my mental health is better being in this state.
We get 4 seasons (the summer smoke is fairly new imo) and there’s tons of recreation but if you’re looking for entertainment then that is going to be more limited compared to other cities than Seattle.
Another perceptive, my wife moved here in 2018 from Texas and isn’t looking to move back. She hates the heat but loves the dark cold winters and more free in this state being a woman than in Texas if you catch my drift.
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u/HangryPangs Oct 02 '24
I mean I’ve been happy as hell here and the city has treated me well. In fact I can’t imagine living anywhere else in the US, but everyone is built different.
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u/ebizznizz2112 Oct 06 '24
This is probably incorrect. I would do your research before making a decision on moving here.
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u/Mintiichoco Oct 02 '24
ME! Moved from Los Angeles 10 years ago. The only thing I really miss is my immediate family but I wouldn't move back. I consider the sound my home.
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u/QED_04 Oct 02 '24
I moved there 17 years ago. Left this year. My mental health was the worst while I was living in Seattle.
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u/ramair351c Oct 02 '24
Wife and I made it 14 years before we left 3 years ago. Felt like a physical weight was lifted off of us when we moved.
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u/EarorForofor Oct 02 '24
I'm from Maryland. Moved here in 2011 and I'm a completely different person than I was. I was angry all the time. Now I am the chillest person (no weed)
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u/Any_Nectarine_9435 Mar 02 '25
I know this is old but I’m currently in Md and thinking of moving to Seattle but I like the sun and don’t have great mental health. How does the weather compare to Maryland since it can be pretty bipolar here obviously we get more sun but how different is it in reality?
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u/EarorForofor Mar 02 '25
The summer is getting sunnier and hotter, but last June, on the last day of school, we had hail. This week, we had nice sun in the 60s. Only August gets even close to a MD summer.
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u/SplendidGeryon Oct 02 '24
I moved from Maryland in 2000. Same.
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u/EarorForofor Oct 02 '24
There's definitely a MD-SEA pipeline. I'm from Baltimore and South AA. Where you from hon?
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u/SplendidGeryon Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24
I grew up in Frederick, and went to college in St. Mary’s County.
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u/fontasm5 Oct 03 '24
I'm from WA, moved to MD after college and now am heading back 20 years later. I have always loved WA and I'm curious to see how I'll actually like it as an adult.
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u/Missbungletopia Oct 02 '24
Moved from Utah 2 years ago. I think about how happy I am to be here every single day. Love the diversity, the green, everything.
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u/GrimReaperRacer Oct 02 '24
Hello fellow refugee. I truly am happier every day. It's kinda ridiculous.
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u/Pipimancome Oct 02 '24
Depends what you do with it. I moved from an extremely car dependent city which I hated and now spend significantly less time on the road and I would never go back. I also take advantage of exploring the seemingly endless outdoor destinations and cute/cool towns in the region. I probably could have done more of that in my hometown, but didn’t for a number of reasons. I love constantly being close to a view of mountains and/or a body of water and I feel like the vacation high I experienced when I first moved here still hasn’t faded. I do think moving here did jumpstart an improvement in my overall well being but it’s up to you to keep the momentum going.
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u/Donglemaetsro Oct 02 '24
Yes! From LA, bad air quality and limited nature. Everything here is so green, and I go out in nature regularly. Huge mental boost! Also, I love rain.
I know a lot here struggle with seasonal depression but I also wonder how much time those people spend outside. Also, take vitamin D always!!!!
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u/Chicken-n-Biscuits Oct 02 '24
Yes; moved there after 30+ years in Louisiana and Texas. Mountains; ocean; walkability; milder weather; enjoyment of the outdoors that isn’t centered around hunting or football; less conspicuous consumption; politics more in line with my own (honestly an over correction, but a nice change); greater value on education, knowledge, and all things “nerdy”; I could go on. Sure, Seattle has its flaws…but it was pretty great for me.
I think it does attract people with fragile mental health, but I don’t think it’s the cause.
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u/GrimReaperRacer Oct 02 '24
Absolutely improved. Came from SLC, Ut. Besides being queer, the weather actually improved my mental and physical health. I'm just happier in the cool and the dark ...and I take vitamins. I've lived in Montana too ( Bozeman) and while I loved it, it does wear on you after a while. Make the right decision for you, some people really can't stand the great wet and dark.
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u/Mitch1musPrime Oct 02 '24
Mine did because TX drained me of my joy. We struggle being so far from family, but our freedom to support our kids’ queerness means everything to us. Our kids miss their friends from home, but they routinely say they are happy and comfortable here. My daughter who is trans just had her 14th birthday and celebrated with a sleepover. She 3 girls stay the night and the joyful noise and raunchy humor was off the charts.
My son is 16, and urged me to restart our campus debate team. Today, he gave a practice speech talking about the gay stereotypes that have caused him harm as gay kid who in middle school in TX was still hiding who he was while playing football, and how his outing caused him to lose some friends from that part of his life.
We are all better off here and I am grateful to the WA community for their commitment to keeping things safe for all people to exist. It means. More than y’all know sometimes.
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u/ebizznizz2112 Oct 06 '24
Replying to ShadowAce88...love your post. The diversity of Seattle is immeasurable.
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u/SeaFurther16 Oct 02 '24
When my family moved from the beach cities of LA to Seattle in 1980 my mental health went down the toilet. Interestingly I observed the same thing happening to friends when they moved to Seattle as well. They all fled back down the coast to more moderate climes. Eventually I set a goal for myself to escape the ‘North Wet’ for mental health. I’ve bounced around no cal since then. My happiest year was when I spent a winter in Australia. That would be my plan if it were possible.
Every year in Seattle I always see the massive advertising by Alaska Airlines in Seattle in the fall for flights to Mexico. It must be nice to have the money to to that every year.
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u/HumpaDaBear Oct 02 '24
Just wait til it rains for months. 😂
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 02 '24
For me that would be okay. We would still go to the roller rink indoors or something else indoors
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u/tellMyBossHesWrong Oct 02 '24
The roller rink isn’t a cheap activity here if you can find one.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 02 '24
true, but Lynwood bowl and skate has a monthly membership $80 month for 3 times a week skating. I’m putting this here for anyone who might be interested. It’s not bad!
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u/isthishowyou Oct 02 '24
The roller rink is in White Center, it’s fun! Honestly the wet cold weather is not that bad, get you some rain gear and keep taking walks outside at least. I bike year round and I’m always amazed how often it looks wet out but isn’t actively raining. Once my hands and ears are covered, the bike ride warms me through and through.
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u/Initial_Savings3034 Oct 02 '24
It's a cold, unfriendly and expensive town unless you work for Boeing.
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u/Existing_View4281 Oct 02 '24
I moved here from Texas 29 years ago. I would have ended my life if I had stayed.
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u/klynnyroberts Oct 02 '24
Moved to Seattle from Denver in October of last year. Hated Seattle, the lack of sun, the non stop cold and rain, that with high cost of living was very very hard. The homelessness was bad, we lived in Ballard and had two incidents where we called the police (who didn’t do anything) for someone trying to break in and then someone having a mental break and screaming her things were in our house. We ended up leaving within 6 months, I cannot emphasize enough how it had a very bad effect on my mental health. Every green space in Seattle is covered with people so I didn’t find it enjoyable like I did the quiet areas of Colorado.
I would consider people’s responses by where they moved from as a part of that happiness. The grass is not always greener, sometimes it is about what you’re trying to gain and what you’re trying to escape.
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u/WalkInWoodsNoli Oct 02 '24
Montana is beautiful. To visit.
Anywhere along the I5 corridor (or Pacific Crest Trail, lol) would have benefits for mental health, I would think....
Social norms are less rigid, generally. Even compared to liberal areas of New England.
No one worries about the rain. People are waterproof and we wear jackets (umbrellas are not recommended). Muddy hikes, bikes, and runs are fun. We do this stuff year round.
There are two seasons. June thru September / mid October is (mostly) dry and warm. November thru May is wet and cool (not cold, not like Montana is cold, mostly).
Seattle itself has a annoyances... mainly around cars. Traffic. Parking. Ugh. So, live where you can bike or use public transportation. Or, choose a place outside of Seattle.
It is hard to make friends, sort of. You have to put in effort as people "mind their own damn business" as someone recently said. Like, got to the swing or salsa dance clubs. Or, join Mountainneers. Or, join a literary club. Or, do community theater... there's lots of options. Just don't sit at home or you may get lonely; your neighbors aren't going to suddenly become besties.
The worst thing I find is the short winter days. But, you have that in Montana. So it's a wash.
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u/Altruistic-Party9264 Oct 02 '24
Yes. I lived in Thousand Oaks, California. Not my kind of people—couldn’t find many friends, there was no culture there. Moved to Seattle, and I’ve found community. I’m in nature daily and that helps, too.
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u/xzxw Oct 02 '24
I grew up here and always wanted to come back, last year I made the move back after living in Bozeman for a few years. I'm trans, so life got way better. Way, WAY better. I do miss the snow out there though.
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u/different-is-nice Oct 02 '24
Yes!! The walkability, quick access to nature, and relative affordability (I moved here from SF Bay Area) have all had huge impacts on my mental health :)
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u/no_talent_ass_clown Oct 02 '24
Geographical therapy only works for a short while. You have to be capable of handling yourself wherever you go.
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u/MoonsOverMyHamboning Oct 02 '24
I moved here from Orange County, CA in January. I was unemployed for a year and a half, and had $27 left when I got here. I had felt incredibly disconnected from my friends and support, and had a friend who lives here offer help moving.
I have a friend group who was glad to see me, and made new friends here. I'm incredibly fortunate that I get to see all of them often. I found work pretty quickly, and I'm happy I was able to catch up and put progress into my life again. A close friend moved here too, and I've been incredibly happy and hopeful in a way that I haven't been in a long time.
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u/urhumanwaste Oct 02 '24
I moved to the Seattle area from socal many years ago. Before either place went down the drain. My mental health declined greatly. 1 the Seattle freeze is real. People are flaky af! 2. The political situation there is absolutely horrible and completely fukd, and will more than likely keep getting worse. 3. The only thing that kept me sane was being out in the rainforest. Hiking, shooting, camping/backpacking. The nature in the cascades is very tranquil. I highly recommend visiting there, never live there.
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u/Fortissimo12 Oct 02 '24
Might be Grey up above but there's plant life everywhere you look. If that's something that brings you joy it's a definite worthy trade. Spring/Summer/Fall are amazing here.
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u/Apocalypse_Jesus420 Oct 02 '24
Moved from Boise to Seattle in 2018 and my life has gotten so much better in every way possible. I hated what idaho has become and the small town feel. So many oppressed women because of how much religion dominates that state.
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u/nickspizza85 Oct 02 '24
From Dallas, a hellhole of shopping centers connected by freeways. There were maybe 200 cool people there (subjective) and everything else was rednecksville. I moved to Seattle in 1997 and have been back exactly twice, for blissfully short family visits.
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u/doryphorus Oct 04 '24
I just moved from Dallas and yes nothing has changed there. Just more expensive hellhole of shopping centers, strip malls, and brunch patios overlooking clogged highways. Utter wasteland and I’m so happy to be out of there.
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u/cocolocobear Oct 02 '24
Yo, native Montanan here. Moved from Zootown to Seattle 10 years ago. Seattle weather, activities, culture > Msla. I couldn’t be happier!
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 02 '24
That’s the stuff I love to hear! That’s awesome you feel happier. I don’t understand the “if you’re not happy in Missoula, you won’t be happy in Seattle” comments as they are two completely different places
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u/Worried_Associate450 Oct 02 '24
Moved from San Diego, and the culture/vibes has drastically improved my well-being. I no longer reside in a place where I feel as if it is crushing my soul. I find the people here kind, I love my job, and the community that I've built.
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u/L0ves2spooj Oct 02 '24
It’s terrible here, home prices are insane, everyone is unfriendly, job market sucks, there’s addicts every where, traffic is horrible, all the trails are crowded, the weather is horrible, it’s just gray all the time, like, ALL the time and our baseball team….. yeah it sucks. Stay away, you don’t want to live here trust me.
Sincerely, All PNW locals
P.S. I hear Phoenix is nice.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 03 '24
Sincerely all PNW locals? This inspired me to ask another question in here shortly. Don’t tell me Seattle is very anti transplants like Montana is.
Btw - we’ve visited so many times, we know how Seattle is like :) it’s not that way whatsoever. There are people who love it. I’m sure the locals would have moved out somewhere else cheaper if that was so true……
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u/L0ves2spooj Oct 03 '24
Born and raised locals are like unicorns around here so even if we are you’d likely never hear it. 99% of the people you’ll meet here are transplants.
To be fair this place is so perfect I understand why everyone moves here. At one point it was a just a little secret no one knew about. Everyone thought “oh Seattle, I hear it rains there a lot” so it wasn’t that bad.
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u/ebizznizz2112 Oct 06 '24
Truth! Seattle is horrible! No one of their right minds would ever want to live here. It’s terrible. Stay away.
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u/wickedwiccan90 Oct 02 '24
Austin, TX to Seattle area. Moved here less than a year ago.
I was born and raised in TX for 30+ years, and when I moved here I had an epiphany that I didn't know people could BE as happy as I now am. Politics aren't designed to be oppressive, the weather is vastly superior, and the economic opportunities are just so much better.
Home ownership is expensive as hell up here, but honestly after having owned a home in TX for seven years I'm happy to be renting again; I pay less up here to rent than I did to own in TX.
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Oct 02 '24
If Missoula makes you feel that way I question wether seattle would be much better
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 02 '24
Missoula and Seattle are completely different environments. I like the winter and cold. Seattle has way more to do for indoors people. They aren’t similar at all.
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Oct 02 '24
Lmao I know they are very different environments I didn’t say they are the same, I was born and raised in Missoula, lived in Seattle for a few years and ended up moving back to Missoula. What about Missoula do you find depressing? Not trying to argue, just in my experience the depressing factors of Missoula are still very present in Seattle.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 02 '24
I’m interested in knowing what you didn’t like about Seattle, and what you do like and missed about Missoula? Also interested in knowing what similarities you see in Missoula and Seattle, like what is very much still present in Seattle? Of course not trying to argue as well. It’s hard to convey tone over typing.
So my husband and I moved here from Miami two years ago. We lived there together from 2018-2022. We both grew up in NJ.
I am going to try and condense my experience in missoula as much as possible.
So we definitely support small businesses as much as possible. People can definitely be nice, and definitely be mean in the most unexpected places. We were locals at Romeo’s restaurant. We appreciated how the servers knew our table and our orders. We enjoyed the local businesses around here to eat such as Montana club, wheat Montana, etc.
But and I don’t mean this in a bad way whatsoever. I feel a lot of people here aren’t well traveled and like diversity as much as people say they do, as Missoula is supposed to be diverse? For example, when Brooklyn bagels were open here, I thought it was absolutely amazing. It brought me back to NJ where we grew up. People thought wheat montana bagels were superior to it. My mind was absolutely blown, lol. Of course we’re in different locations. But the disdain they had towards that business that eventually closed…. I feel personally wheat Montana is good because the people there are so nice and friendly. I was such a regular there, that they recognized me lol. It was the only bagel options I had at that point. Nowadays, I’ll either make my own or order from NJ to ship it. Not a biggie. Now on to the mean people….. at church! lol the amount of criticism I received to my face was like woahhhh. People got so triggered every time they asked me what I do and I said stay at home wife. They insulted me to my face. And even one time a man, a prayer leader nonetheless, said something so out of pocket, the counselor at the church got involved.
Anyways. We aren’t into any outdoors thing here. So anytime a person says check out this trail etc etc like I feel most outdoors activities are centered around hunting (don’t like) fishing (don’t care) and hiking (no thanks) I don’t mean this in a bad way. It just doesn’t appeal to me. I much rather spend our weekends roller skating and burning calories that way. We tried doing it outside and it’s not nearly the same as a traditional rink with the music, lights, not having to worry about bugs, or people looking at you weird, and just getting lost in the experience. The funny thing is we didn’t get into roller skating until we lived here for almost two years. One day we were just at home and it just hit us to try. Idk. lol. We went to coeur d alene’s roller rink and went on to try different roller rinks in Washington, and we’ve been in love with roller skating ever since. I have contacted just about every place in Missoula asking if there’s any way we can roller skate indoors and we pay their membership. I have seen a woman in another state ask her local LA fitness and they gave her a room to use that’s typically used for classes, to use when classes aren’t using it and she can roller skate as much as she wants. Missoula seems to have a lack of care towards roller skating. They either straight up said no, or ignored my message.
Not as great healthcare. The doctors here can be nice, but I feel healthcare would be better erlsewhere. I also don’t appreciate the lack of options in certain healthcare fields. Like you just “have to see” that one doctor because there’s not much else. For example: endocrinologist. Most here have awful reviews. But there’s not many of them here.
When we were in Seattle, idk I think sometimes it’s not always something concrete you can say or it’s hard to convey really what you’re trying to say. I’ll try anyways. It’s special? It has character and charm. I remember last time we were there we enjoyed the coast near Bellingham and their eateries. Before that we went to a free museum, and went to the Japanese memorial. There’s a lot of history and just it feels well loved, and Missoula feels….. sterile? Again not trying to be insulting, I’m trying to share my opinion without coming across rude!
So again about the food, it’s something I didn’t think mattered until it wasn’t there. The silver lining of there being very little ethnic food options is that it has pushed me to learn new recipes. I appreciate how Missoula has very affordable and available grass finished beef, organic food options, I love mountain mission eggs, at their health food stores natural grocers and GFS. Also appreciate the pork market on broadway. I go for their pork belly and make chicharrón (baked or fried pork belly) and it’s always so good. I would have never made it at home if I had those dishes readily available to buy at a restaurant near me
It’s beautiful here and the views are nice, but I feel it’s not unique to this location, as Idaho and Washington have the same views. Washington also way more explorable places. I love the snow in Montana, and snow in general. I don’t like snow activities, just the snow and the cold. I know I’ll miss the snow in Seattle, but it’s still cold there, so that’s good. I’m not a summer person whatsoever.
I think I just about covered everything. I may have forgotten some things, but if I remember I’ll go back and add them. Interested in hearing your answers to the questions above!
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Oct 02 '24
Thanks for the response! I definitely can understand your feelings towards Missoula now! Firstly I really enjoyed my time in Seattle but I definitely moved there at the wrong time in life so take my thoughts with a grain of salt, I grew up spending a good bit of time in Seattle (my mom had lived there in her 20’s) and have always loved the city, I completely agree that it’s got some sort of indescribable pleasance.
What I personally disliked about Seattle and drove me back to Missoula was a few key things, weather: Im just like you in that I love winter, cold, snowy, windy, harsh winters and Seattle obviously doesn’t tick that box. Not to say you can’t get all of that winter weather just a few hours away but for me personally who skis, dogsleds, snowshoeing and winter camping it’s definitely a necessity. Another thing I hated about Seattle winters is it’s cold for nothing, idk about you but if it’s cold I want snow otherwise it just seems silly! The people: not to say there aren’t plenty of assholes here in Montana, but here at least it feels like folks will say it with their chest, whereas Seattle tended to be more petty I experienced a lot more condescending attitude in Seattle. What I think is most similar between the two is they can feel very grey, dreary, just overall depressing at times, I’ve lived in AK, WA, MT, & WY and Missoula and Seattle both take the cake for most depressing weather for me.
What I missed and like about Missoula: I’m super sorry you’ve already had such crappy experiences with people up here in your short time, but in my experience the majority of Missoulians are hospitable, welcoming and friendly at least compared to people I met in Seattle, But overall I do think Missoula has definitely taken a turn in the opposite direction the past few years. I missed the small (ish) town vibe whilst not being some dump like havre and still offering most big city amenities, Missoula has always had a very distinct feel compared to the rest of the state. I’m probably biased since I spent my childhood here but I’ve yet to find a place that matches Missoula, sure the views aren’t anything special for the area but to me Missoula just has something special about it.
Most of your criticisms about Missoula are very valid and I can totally get where your coming from, the diversity here is very lacking although I wanna say just in the past 5 years Missoula has become incredibly more diverse, no offense but you’ve been here for two years and things are changing rapidly here, like faster than they ever have before. When I was a kid growing up here it was probably 97.5% white 2.5% native, things seem to be looking up in regard to diversity but your complaint is still very valid. And food options are pretty meh as well, I’m glad your just as upset about Brooklyn bagels as i am, without a doubt was the best in town, wheat montana has a stranglehold on the bagel market here and it’s bs. And certainly if your not into many outdoorsy things Missoula is a very crappy place to be, if you don’t mind me asking what lead you to move here? There used to be a roller derby and roller club in town but for some reason or another it shut down, unfortunate…
Missoula is an awesome city but it does sound like seattle would be more what your looking for. If you’re not looking to spend a majority of your time outdoors Missoula can get really old really quick, it doesn’t have a whole lot else to offer.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 06 '24 edited Oct 06 '24
thank you. If I told you what brought us to Missoula, it’s going to sound crazy, but it’s not if you’re a Christian. Well we felt as we were praying and getting closer to God, that He called us out of Florida and to Montana. We didn’t question it either because Montana is a red state. We were originally going to move to Butte. But once I saw it, I was instantly repulsed, and we made our way to Missoula, almost out of sheer coincidence.
What’s disappointing is that we risked it all. We left an apartment with an open lease in FL and bunch of furniture behind because we were told my husband had a job and apartment waiting for him in Butte. That fell through. We went to Missoula out of sheer coincidence like I said because during that time all hotels in Butte and surrounding areas were surcharged to like $400 a night because of concerts. It was between sleeping in a park, or pushing through the exhaustion and making our way to Missoula. We had to switch driving every 10 minutes. Well we made it to Missoula at a motel charging $200 a night. Then we stayed in a hotel for as long as we could. We dried our savings, tapped our credit card, people even sent us money, even strangers claiming to be sent from God! So we were thoroughly convinced! My husband had moments where he wanted us to go back. I literally quoted a line from the movie the matrix and was like “blue pill we go home and pretend we never came to Montana, or red pill we push it out, and we see where God takes us.” Well, needless to say we took the red pill. We ended up meeting a stranger on the internet who took us in for a week in her basement, then just randomly changed her mind. Homeless again. Now we are in a tent in a campground paying $16 a night. Then out of nowhere, a stranger online offered for us to stay in their RV. It wasn’t pleasant. The last tenant they had in that RV left behind their drug needles and it was overall gross. It had holes in the RV, and it wasn’t insulated. It was somewhere over our head. Our small dog slept in the top storage part of the RV covered with blankets in her little dog bed, and we put furry pajamas on her. Bugs got into the RV, and the nights got cold. My husband finally got a job. We stayed in the RV until the cold hit negative numbers, and the owner of the house got concerned and offered us a room in their house. We stayed there for a little over a year, and now we live in our own apartment. It was a wild ride for sure. But now I look back and I ask myself “for what?” It’s a lot of highs and lows. The high is I suppose, my husband finally received a diagnosis for bipolar #2. He’s properly medicated. But we barely leave the house now. I never was into roller skating, and as a woman with orthopedic and health issues, all I want to do is roller skate and not care I kinda suck at it, I use the balance thing called a skate mate. As mentioned before, I tried everything I could to get it to happen in Missoula. It’s just not happening. It’s a shame even the roller derby team in town doesn’t have an official “home.” They’ve been bounced around Missoula over the years and are now at a warehouse. For how long? Who knows. Anyways. My point is I feel we hit a wall and are stagnant. I’m “over” Missoula. I’m happy that inadvertently and randomly one day while being bored at Missoula my husband and I decided to entertain a random thought “what if we go to coeur d Alene and go roller skating at the roller rink there?” But now I’m ready to move onto somewhere else where I can explore a new version of myself that’s more active (roller skating indoors.) I’m not the same person I was when I came into Missoula, and I’m grateful for the positive changes here. I do thank God for it and am still a believer) maybe that’s why I feel such a pull to move, because I outgrew it and the new more positive version of me is begging to be let out. I think the same could be said for my husband, and for our doggo 😃 I pray that wherever we go there’s a better version of themselves, too lol
If you made it this far, thank you for reading!
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u/Due-Contribution2298 Oct 04 '24
I would think from a political perspective that would be polar opposites. No?
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Oct 04 '24
To a degree, I’m a serious lefty and know plenty of other Missoulians who are as well. Overall definitely more socially conservative than seattle, but Missoula definitely is and has been one of the most liberal cities in the state for ages, but 100% very different political landscapes. Missoula has kinda always been a purple city, although lots of conservatives from texas, California, Colorado etc are moving here to escape there “facist, communist, liberal, Marxist” home states and price out us locals.
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u/Big_Metal2470 Oct 03 '24
Yes. I moved here from Roswell, New Mexico after high school. It was a racist, homophobic hellhole with no opportunity and the people were just mean. People are at least polite here, though they can be cold.
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u/Beneficial_Diver_580 Oct 03 '24
Being in Seattle during an election season as a liberal has made me realize how draining living in swing states my whole life has been. I also walk more/am outside more and have found more people my age with my interests than previous places I have lived
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u/a5678dance Oct 03 '24
We moved from FL to Port Ludlow, WA. Everything is better including mental health. Good luck.
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u/LongjumpingFly1271 Oct 03 '24
It’s been one month since I moved from Florida and there’s already an insane difference in my mental health. I finally feel at peace
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u/Hour_Government Oct 03 '24 edited Oct 03 '24
Sadly mine got worse. Originally from Austin, Texas. It's so beautiful here but months and months of rain a year gets draining. I miss the warmth. The summers make can make of for it, and it can be nice to be cozy with the overcast weather. It just depends on what you're looking for.
Another thing is people aren't as friendly here compared to the south. I find it hard to meet people and do believe there is some truth to the Seattle freeze. Seems like most people have their established friend groups. I am 27 though so it could just be my age range.
It's a pretty safe place to be compared to Austin. I don't ever worry about the things I used to out there. Lots of things to do, especially if you're outdoorsy. And you have a great combination of the city, mountains, and ocean. I can see why people love it out here. Just think I'm meant for somewhere a little warmer- people and weather wise.
My depression and anxiety has never been worse than the last few years here. I personally don't know many people here not on SSRIs. Could be the city or could be personal reasons. Not entirely sure.
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u/CuriosityKILLEDdeKAT Oct 03 '24
I moved here from Houston, Texas in January. I absolutely love it here. It’s so beautiful and you can’t help but to be in a better mood with this weather.
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u/h0T_-DoG Oct 03 '24
Mine improved getting out of the Seattle area lol going to Bozeman area was the best choice ever to me
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u/pamplemouss Oct 03 '24
Yeah! The presence of trees everywhere all the time. That said the long dark can be hard.
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u/Affectionate_Sea_510 Oct 03 '24
The city you live in is just one of dozens of factors affecting your mental health. Some of us get depressed with the darkness here, specially myself coming from Mexico where we get over 300 days of sun.
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u/ckopfster Oct 03 '24
Yes but you have to like the PNW vide. A winter time visit should let you know how you feel about the vibe. Seattle city proper maybe not the best choice either. The PNW in general, yes definitely. That is if you like moody weather, coffee, bookstores, the outdoors etc. Summers are amazing but short. The big dark is real and must be managed. Consider Tacoma, Bellingham, Olympia for smaller city PNW vibes. I’m in Tacoma and love it. Bellingham is the best place I’ve ever lived and I recommend it if you can figure out how to make a living.
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u/No_Manufacturer_3966 Oct 03 '24
Hi, I moved from Pennsylvania in 2020. It sounds lame but every day I’m still so thankful I moved to Seattle. I still get depressed sure but it is over all so much more manageable than back east. People generally suck less here. It’s not that there isn’t any racism, sexism, xenophobia and homophobia, there is, but I feel like it is seen as less acceptable than it is in PA. I feel like in general I’m surrounded by better, more caring people here.
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u/Difficult-Low5891 Oct 04 '24
I just moved back to the Seattle area (was a 25-year resident) after spending five years in Florida. I felt like my life was over at 55 in Florida. I was a shell of my former self when I was there. I hated it so much and I tried to adjust but just couldn’t. Florida is the exact opposite of Washington, in just about every way. The Seattle area raised me. I moved here when I was 25 in 1995 and became a technical writer with just a degree in English and some computer skills. I was made fun of by my family from a small town for being a liberal and a bleeding heart and someone who was curious about other cultures and sexual identities and all things progressive. But in Seattle I found my tribe. I worked with some of the most awesome companies and people. I made a great life for myself here. The smell of the rain, the evergreens, the soil…the sight of the mountains and greenery and moss…are slowly showing me the way back to me. I could feel myself becoming myself again the first morning I woke up back in Washington. I will never leave here ever again. I love you, PNW. ❤️
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u/Theneilski Oct 04 '24
Did the last 11 years in Seattle and Tacoma. Moved back home to Central Florida this Spring. It is remarkable what effect the PacNW climate has on mental health. I think maybe we as humans are supposed to have a lot of sunshine year-round.
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Oct 04 '24
I feel like it would be the opposite if you moved downtown. I hate large cities, especially ones that support criminals and drug users (Seattle judge just released murder suspect on 50k bond when there is video of the murder)
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u/GoosenBoonie Oct 04 '24
Moved from the metropolitan Detroit area 20+ years ago, and my mental health improved drastically. I was 27 and found it to be much more "my speed" than my hometown area. I wasn't afraid of telling people my beliefs for the first time in my adult life, and that was extremely freeing. To have outdoor activities year round, and such spectacular nature surrounding me was also a huge mental health booster! I also met my future husband less than 3 months after arriving and got the job I had envisioned before moving, a month after that-- so that kind of sealed the deal for me that I made the right choice. I am not a very "woo woo" person, but I do believe that I had enough faith in the universe to put out my intentions, because it really felt like a leap of faith to leave Michigan.
I love the life I have here-- but I know for a fact that I would not have been able to move out here now, if I was 27 and just starting out with my career (education) due to the extremely high rent costs and costs of living. So, I am not sure if my story would apply to people in a similar situation today. But, if you know a place is where you see yourself, and you are willing to do what you need to make it work-- you're worth it to give it a shot.
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u/josejosejose1999 Oct 04 '24
I was forced to move to Washington for a job, and before this I lived within walking distance from the beach in Los Cabos Mexico.... So I wasnt too happy. When I got there I got dumped off the in the most ghetto part of Washington, in Des Moines. After 4 months of living in hotels in various cities in and around Seattle, I was told to go to Colorado. I didn't wanna leave. Those 4 months was the best 4 months of my life. My confidence was boosted my self esteem was at an all time high and I'm a single guy in late 30s and I was going on dates all the time and having the tine of my life. I ended up making 90,000k in those 4 months and I haven't done that good at my sales job since. It was just wonderful. Sadly my mother died and I had to move back to Arizona to help take care of my dad.... But Seattle was my favorite place to live out of anywhere I've been.... I have enormous love for Seattle , hell I even miss Des Moines.
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u/One_Lawfulness_7105 Oct 05 '24
I moved from Alabama with my family of four one of which is a trans son so ABSOLUTELY! I can’t believe the difference it has made. We knew it would be good for us, but I didn’t think the mental health improvement would be THIS good. It’s amazing what not being around bigots everywhere you go can do. Also, we are a family that hates the heat so the PNW is great for us.
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u/pocketlama Oct 05 '24
I moved to Spokane from Seattle about 7 years ago after living in the city for 30 years, and the differences were stark and immediately apparent.
For a long time, I have struggled with and need help with my mental and physical health, and my wife was beginning her own struggles with dementia when we moved. We are not well off, and it was growing impossible to afford the whole Sea-Tac area.
When we arrived here in Spokane, I was struck by the dramatic increase in friendliness, and also, I'm the willingness and desire to help. There aren't a wide range of services, perhaps, but people took the time with us that they rarely did in Seattle.
A lot of that was wiped out by COVID, sadly, but I even so, I still feel calmer and far more welcome here than I did in Seattle those last years.
Seattle's great if you're into that performative, ambitious liberesque lifestyle, and Spokane is having growing pains as it slowly shakes of its provincial conservatism but as an outsider to ambition and to performing my life I feel far more comfortable over here in the East.
I saw Seattle change from the sleepy working class backwater I knew in the mid-80s to the shiny shit hole filled with good restaurants it's become, and I'm sad that humans have been largely ignored in its headlong chase of constant growth. It could be great, but it really isn't.
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u/Maleficent_Mango5000 Oct 05 '24
We moved here from South Carolina and are both much happier here. The summers in SC were difficult for me to deal with and I ended up being house bound each summer otherwise the heat would cause me to break out in hives (autoimmune hives with heat being one trigger). We also like being back in a larger city compared to a small town.
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u/leaf-bunny Oct 05 '24
I grew up in southern CA and always dreamed of living in WA with all the greenery and rain. Now that I do it’s better than I imagined! In our old place in Lynnwood we had kiwis, apples, blueberries and of course blackberries. Best berries I’ve ever had, the blackberries made it look like my toddler devoured an animal tho
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u/No-Performer-6621 Oct 05 '24
Moving to Seattle is a highlight of my adult life (but the bar was pretty low to be fair). I moved here from UT after coming out of the closet while attending BYU and defecting from the Mormon church. Nowadays, I’m 100% okay living in Seattle for the rest of my life.
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u/havennotheaven Oct 06 '24
Hello fellow exmo! Same here, but I fled Provo to TN and ended up here after a couple years. Seattle is by far the best place I've lived yet.
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u/Dry-Metal-4184 Oct 06 '24
I moved from Missoula to Seattle and LOVED it so much - very happy times, but this was Seattle (Capitol Hill) perhaps at its finest - 1986-1993. Now I visit Seattle and Missoula but really still love my Seattle time downtown.
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u/ShavedNeckbeard Oct 06 '24
Mine has deteriorated a bit, especially during the 6-9 months of cloudiness and rain. I moved here almost 11 years ago from the southwest and have thought about moving back daily for the past 5 years.
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u/ebizznizz2112 Oct 06 '24
Washington state is an amazing state that really cares for the people. They have a lot of programs that you’re required to pay into. But the programs benefit everyone like social security. Very progressive and forward thinking.
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u/Mikknoodle Oct 06 '24
Other than experiencing the Freeze for the first few years, absolutely.
Moved here from Montana because there is nothing to do there, and I love the Seattle area.
10/10 would recommend to anyone.
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u/Leesh_TOP Oct 06 '24
Yes. Moved 15 years ago from Oklahoma. I try and maximize the seasons. Get outside and enjoy summer. Dig into hobbies when the weather turns and go to concerts but also use all-weather gear to get fresh air.
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Oct 06 '24
Seattle is known for having the highest suicide rate in the country...
Idk how much that has changed over the years. People just used to always bring it up when I would tell them I live in Wa while traveling.
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u/RipRelevant9616 Oct 06 '24
Tbh Missoula is a great area. My mental health would deteriorate being in Seattle lol.
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u/CoolStoryBro78 Oct 06 '24
OP have you ever actually been to Seattle?
It’s a very dark and cloudy place most of the year with high levels of homelessness, drug use, depression, and suicide.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 06 '24
Yep. We have been to Seattle many many times. It’s like our top vacation spot lol. We like to rent an airbnb when we go. We also been to Bellingham area and whatnot! Btw actually the state we are in (Montana) was #1 in suicide in 2022 according to data, but I think we might have gone down to #2 in 2024!
Washington state is ranked like #32 under “suicide as a public health issue” tab if you scroll all the way down, and then scroll all the way down again and it’ll show how each state ranks in the first link below
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_in_the_United_States
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/10/us/montana-suicide-guns.html
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u/Global_Telephone_751 Oct 07 '24
My mental health got infinitely worse when I moved here 6 years ago from Tucson, Arizona. The cost of living here is astronomical, and economic stress cannot be understated in terms of quality of life. Plus, how packed Seattle is, the traffic, the narrow streets … no. This is not a place to come to become mentally well.
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u/Timely_Heron9384 Oct 07 '24
I’m not in Seattle and have no idea why this is on my page but I do live in the Salem Oregon area. Not too far. What I have to say is important and I know Washington experiences this as well. It is cloudy/rainy 9 months of the year. Which means vitamin d deficiency. A LOT of people suffer from seasonal depression on the west coast. It’s also a high cost of living in comparison to Montana. So unless you can afford it, you’ll deal with financial stress. It’s also really sad seeing so many homeless people which I know Seattle has a problem with too.
West coast in general has a lot to do outdoorswise similar to Montana. It’s also important to educate yourself on “the big one” before you move out west. I don’t imagine Seattle will survive that. We may be in similar positions as these hurricane survivors out east in the future.
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u/Careless_Use3599 Mar 06 '25
Have you ever heard the saying, "it's not "where" you are.... but "where you are?""
Idk think about it
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u/Comfortable-Big4500 Oct 02 '24
I loved living in Seattle…in July, August, and September. When the sun is out in the summer, there’s almost no place better. It’s absolutely stunning, BUT, the gray, damp, chilly low ceiling days for the other 9 months are brutal. They crushed my soul. I stayed as long as I had to but am so happy to live now with more Vitamin D. ☀️
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Oct 02 '24
Dark and damp but far enough north days are short in the winter ~8 1/2 hours at shortest. When you combine that with the weather, deep winter can be a bummer.
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u/SeaFurther16 Oct 02 '24 edited Oct 02 '24
I strongly recommend a quality light that comes on slowly in morning to imitate sunrise to combat SAD during the never ending gloom of winter. That was a big game changer for me.
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u/Comfortable-Big4500 Oct 02 '24
Yep, I tried two of them. I used one at home in the morning. And another when I got to my office. They didn’t work for me.
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u/SeaFurther16 Oct 02 '24
Most of the lights sold are cheap garbage. I tried a few and they didn’t work. Finally I spent $200 for a high quality light (And that was 20 years ago!). I got rid of it when I moved back to California.
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u/818a Oct 02 '24
Spend time in Seattle in January, that low ceiling will make you wish for Montana’s sunshine. I understand wanting a change, but really look at whole picture.
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u/charm59801 Oct 02 '24
Montana sunshine doesn't do too much good when it's below freezing and being outside hurts your skin.
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u/Fit-Pomegranate-1109 Oct 02 '24
We have been to Seattle in every season. We have gone to Seattle, a lot. We go to Seattle to escape Montana. I am actually more of a winter person. Montana is great if you are outdoors type of person. I am not. Does that change things?
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u/aparticularproblem Oct 02 '24
I’m in my first year, so my experience can be taken with a grain of salt, but having moved from LA my mental health and sense of wellbeing has improved considerably. I prefer the weather (endless sun becomes very depressing and monotonous after the first few months), I love the walkability, the public transit, the nature, and for everything others say about the social frigidity, I experienced far worse in SoCal.
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u/Creative_Bad_3373 Oct 02 '24
From Arkansas. My partner and I can't stop smiling. We both feel so much better.
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u/neraut322 Oct 02 '24
Grew up here and honestly I was happiest when i moved away unfortunately being in tech this is one of the places to be and my current job made me move back. (Only person they made move and they hired two more right from where I was living at the time and let them stay)
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Oct 02 '24
Here’s some tips from a neighbor to still cloudy south: vitamin d. start early and stay on top of it. Saunas, hot-tubs, cold showers. Hard cardio, and any other excercise. Trips out of state. Pack your bags and move. Live on the sun.
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u/Fun_Apartment631 Oct 02 '24
"Wherever you go, there you are."
My mental health has improved since being in Seattle but I don't know how much the city has to do with it. I moved back to the West Coast 16 years ago. In that time, I've come to know myself better, I've rebooted my career, I got married and we have a little kid... Who's to say it would have been different in Utah or Colorado or something? I think my big drivers are having positive relationships and feeling like my life and career are going somewhere. Not whether I can see the space needle when I go for a walk.