Geographical location affects you mentally?

There may be an affordable way for you to do it. You rent a basic apartment for 3 for 4 months. This apartment should be located away from the ocean (where the rent is much lower) but within safe bicycling distance, say within an hour. You can find rentals online, network with people and you may be able to find something suitable for you. The bicycles can be rented or even purchased and sold when you leave. This will keep you in good shape, enhance your appetite for good seafood, you'll sleep better and it will keep your transportation costs low. This 3 or 4 months stay it may cost about the same as if you spent 3 or 4 weeks, or less, near the ocean, with a car.

@robertwills have you been on Long Island?

Geography, population, etc…

I went the opposite direction. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and didn't realize how severely the climate affected my daily mental health until I got away. Especially in winter. The endless rain would leave me in a terrible place. And then there's the traffic. And while escape into the mountains was possible on weekends, even there it was crowded. On weekdays, the city always felt like a trap.

I returned and lived in Seattle twice as an adult, once for three years in my early twenties after attending college in a dry location, and again for a year-and-a-half in my early thirties. Some of my darkest struggles with lifelong depression occurred during those two stretches. I couldn't take it anymore. Not after being away. I still just kind of shudder at the memories now, and I'm decades gone. My family has since all died but for myself, and while I miss all of them, I've only been in Seattle once in the past decade since, and I don't miss trips to that city one bit.

Ironically I moved to Alaska, with much longer winters. But the outdoor recreation options during that season presented an entirely different scenario than the wet soggy moldy mess in Washington. And outdoor exercise is critical for me. Winter is now my favorite time of year.

Getting out of a large city was also beneficial.

So yeah, geography – and with it climate and urban sprawl – have long been something I've known to have a huge impact on my mental health. I've always said that if we ever leave Alaska the only other place I'd agree to is New Mexico. The Northwest? Never again. I don't want to die miserable.

Yes. I have been on Long Island and once went to Jones Beach. That was many years ago however. I know the western part is very densely populated away from the beach. That means there's more chances for rentals. I just looked at a map online and Mastic and Mastic Beach have bicycle lanes through the town to the beach. I don't know the rental market but in my experience a summer rental outside of the beach areas is typically far lower priced. And if you rent for 3 or 4 continuous months there's usually a huge discount. With the internet it makes it far easier to find basic, but clean and safe, rentals anywhere.

I just looked online and I found many rentals from July 1 to October 1 on Long Island. Prices for a decent room or an apartment, even hotel room surprisingly started from $900 to thousands a month with many being around $1200 to $1600 per month! These are not on the beach nor are they luxurious but you can see just how affordable they are compared to going on a holiday and spending $200 to $400 per night! And those are the listed prices. I'm sure you can negotiate the prices down. So for two people I would say you get out of the Arizona heat for the whole summer and spend it on Long Island for like $6000 (airfare, rent, bicycles, extra food cost). Just live like you do back home and it should be very enjoyable.

I agree with you, we've lived in the PNW for over 30 years now after growing up down in SO. CAL., and the lack of sunshine is a very real thing. The winters up here are gray and miserable. We'd love to move to a warmer climate, but it's not in the cards for us, our kids and grandkids are here, and my wife will never choose to move away from them.

I live in Northern AZ and much cooler than Phoenix or Tucson. It is too hot there and you are so right about fried brains in the summers there.

The second time around in Seattle I was married. My wife was in grad school at UW, which brought us down. More than once she remarked that she had never seen me in the winter in Alaska go bonkers like I did in Seattle.

I've only halfway joked after leaving the first time, especially given the crowd I was running around with by then, that had I stayed, I would have ended up doing seriously hard drugs. They were certainly around me in very close proximity, with people I knew crossing over to them. And I was doing plenty of softer stuff. So I was on that road. Just trying to escape any way I could.

The day I got on the ferry and headed north for what was supposed to be one summer was the day I left that life behind as well. I didn't know it at the time, but it became self-evident within a year or so. I didn't want to live that way anymore. And I never did again. The lifelong clinical depression followed me north (that's why I'm on this forum), but the self-destructive behaviors didn't. I dropped drugs and alcohol and took up running around on mountains and rivers. Much healthier.

It's snowing in April outside my window right now and spring is delayed for the moment. But it's still better than the Seattle rain. Any day of the week.

@robertwills
You have done a lot of research! However, I have the best deal.
I fly to JFK airport, have a sister and her husband pick me up at the curb, and drive me to their home. The house is close to the beach and they will drive me whenever…
Free room, food too!

Sounds great doesn’t it.

@robertwills

Those pictures were taken at Jones Beach by me on September 11, (about 2010)