Seasonal Affective Disorder Not Just For Winter

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. The most commonly known SAD happens in late fall and lasts until the onset of spring/summer. However, some people have an opposite pattern; meaning SAD has an onset beginning into the spring/summer months, and ends when the cooler weather arrives. Many symptoms of spring/summer SAD include:

·         Insomnia or difficulty sleeping

·         Changes in appetite or weight loss

·         Increased anxiety and/or irritability

·         Increase in agitation and restlessness

·         Increase in loneliness and sadness  

For those who suffer from SAD in the summer months, it is most often triggered because the issues that were bothersome during the winter become exacerbated once warm weather arrives. For example, during the winter months it is much more socially acceptable to stay in your house and be less active; people accept this as an “excuse” and it’s one way to camouflage your desire to isolate and avoid social interactions. Other causes can be body/image insecurities. For some it is incredibly difficult to be seen in public wearing less clothes, or to feel comfortable around peers in a bathing suit. Others can have an increase in loneliness because they are not dating anyone, or they lack a social network while seemingly everyone is out having a good time. Another common trigger for young adults is a lack of routine or schedule during the summer months. This can cause people to feel restless/bored and because of this, substance use can become problematic and anxiety can spike.

So how do you know when it’s time to seek help? It’s important to recognize that the sooner you can work on these issues, the sooner you can get out and live your life. If this is a seasonal pattern for you, coming in now will give you the skills to not only apply now, but for years to come. Anticipating its return will give you a head start on combating it, and SAD won’t have the same grip on you as it has in the past. Call today for an appointment.