Summer SAD is different from being sad in summer

While many things can make you feel a little more melancholy than usual, “SAD is a mood disorder that is characterized by recurring depression at the same time each year and resolves in the remaining months, “explains Sage Grazer, LCSW, therapist and co-founder of mental health startup Frame.

Symptoms of summer SAD are similar to those you might experience with winter SAD or even non-seasonal major depression. According to Dr. Manly the following: Depression almost every day, most of the day, loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities, difficulty concentrating, feelings of guilt, worthlessness or hopelessness, insomnia, and thoughts of suicide.

However, the two versions of SAD differ in some ways, according to clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, PhD, author of Joy out of fear and Date Smart. While SAD is prone to lethargy, excessive sleeping, increased appetite (including cravings for carbohydrates), and lower energy levels in winter, SAD is prone to insomnia, weight loss, and decreased appetite in summer.

If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, you may feel a little alienated, especially if you’re regularly exposed to Instagram posts during the summer where everyone seems to be having their best time ever. How can I be depressed, You may be wondering when the sun is shining, the water is warm and the drinks are cold? Whatever you feel is valid and should be given due attention, even if your symptoms are not necessarily due to SAD.

So that you can judge if there is more than a passing blues, it’s important to write down the key components of a SAD diagnosis (at any time of the year). For the diagnosis to be made, you must have at least a two-year period where depression is present during the triggering season but absent during other times of the year, says Dr. Manly. “There must also be a historical pattern that suggests that you have significantly more seasonal depressive episodes than non-seasonal major depressive episodes, ”she explains. This distinguishes SAD – often referred to as major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern – from a more general major depressive disorder diagnosis.

There are a few factors that can trigger summer SAD

Most of the literature on seasonal affective disorder has focused on winter SAD, which means that its causes are far from fully understood. Still, there are a few factors that experts suggest could be attributed to the mood disorder.

Weather may be one of them, obviously. A lack of sunlight can lead to SAD in winter, but your sun exposure will also change in summer. Although you get more light, which appears to be beneficial to your mood, this change in exposure affects your circadian rhythm, which in turn can disrupt your sleep. And getting enough sleep is essential for a positive mood.

Heat can also play a role, says Grazer. This year, The World Health Organization (WHO) examined existing research on the effects of climate change on mental health. They found that climate change events – which include rising temperatures – were associated with the following negative mental health outcomes: mental distress; poor mental health, especially among those with pre-existing mental illness; increased psychiatric hospital stays, higher mortality rates for people with mental illness; and increased suicide rates. While we don’t know what causes Summer SAD, heat seems to be a trigger for deteriorated mental health in people with and without previous mental health problems.

Even in summer, the timetables tend to be disrupted, says Grazer, which can be destabilizing. And there is one more easily identifiable factor that can make SAD symptoms worse in summer: “An additional challenge for people who experience SAD in summer is the social pressure to feel more comfortable in the sun, ”adds Grazer. “People are more likely to accept the idea of ​​feeling down or depressed in winter. For those in trouble, being expected to be happier can make them feel worse. “

Even if you don’t have summer SAD, this time of year can be a unique challenge

This particular summer is particularly difficult as it has been repeatedly touted as * the funniest summer ever * now that vaccinated people can take off their masks and take part in all the activities that were withheld from them last year. “This summer after the vaccination brings high expectations and often a lot of pressure,” says Dr. Manly. “Whether it’s the feeling of being pushed by family, friends – or your inner wild child – to do more than you are ready, this summer is full of complexity.”

The above-mentioned high expectations of the “hot Vax summer” can also be problematic, says Grazer. “High expectations can be a quick recipe for disappointment that becomes even harder to take after a year of loss, disappointment, and uncertainty, ”she says.Fancies that things will go “back to normal” right away, some people are putting tremendous pressure this summer to meet their unmet needs and lead to happiness. “Relying on external events to dictate your happiness, says they, can make you prone to depressive symptoms if expectations are not met.

Dr. Manly also points out that we have just experienced trauma and some of us may have difficulty processing it while others are struggling with personal effects. Perhaps you lost a loved one or a job in the last year, which could mean that the “hot Vax summer” can no longer be reconciled with your reality.

Here are a few things you can do to help manage the summer sadness that you are experiencing

Regardless of why you might not be enjoying this season, Dr. Manly that you are not alone. “The truth is, it’s not uncommon to feel a little overwhelmed or blue at the moment than in the pre-pandemic summers,” she says.

If you think you will experience SAD in the summer, Grazer says the first thing you should try is to adjust your expectations. “It’s important to know that there is a difference between being optimistic and having high expectations,” says Manly. “One way to get away from unrealistic expectations is to focus on having a vision of what you want as opposed to what you want expect happen regardless of the variables. ”

She recommends setting achievable goals for the summer. For example, if you put pressure on yourself last month to make this the best summer of your life, maybe change that goal to a more achievable one, such as, “I plan to have some fun this summer, do things, that I missed during the pandemic. ”

You can otherwise deal with sadness by using Exercising, talking to a friend, going to therapy, trying a new activity, venting, or using any other coping strategy you might have on your tool kit, Grazer says. However, she notes that such feelings appear on a spectrum and that some levels of stress can be managed on their own while others are not. “It is always okay and sometimes necessary to seek help from trusted friends, family, and / or a psychologist, “she says.

If you think you are struggling with summer SAD, Dr. Manly makes sure to see a psychologist or other health care provider for a thorough examination. You could also benefit from some blinkers so that the focus is less on what everyone else is doing and more on taking care of it You. “ÖThe best thing you can do for yourself is slow down, adjust to your needs, and do what is right for you, “she says.

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