Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is sometimes referred to as the winter blues. However, the seasonal depression can happen in summer as well.
We tend to think of summer as the season of being outside, at swimming pools, enjoying social activities and enjoying long summer days. But it’s also a time when heat, humidity and social pressure can be draining. Summer SAD is also called reverse SAD. For some people, the pressure of enjoying the summer is wearing. For some, FOMO takes a toll. For others, the long days throw off their internal clocks. Studies have found that some people are genetically disposed to be more likely to experience SAD than others.
While the winter version of the disorder usually has symptoms like oversleeping, overeating and being socially withdrawn, summer SAD is marked by insomnia, lowered appetite, anxiety, agitation and restlessness. Just like winter SAD, the summer version’s symptoms begin and end around the same time every year and last four to five months.
"It's this general feeling of like I'm not a part of something that it seems like everyone else is really enjoying," said August Winter, who struggles with summer SAD. "And I think at the end of the summer, if we hold this expectation that it should be the pinnacle of our year, it sparks that question of like, am I missing my life?"
Doctors aren’t often watching for summer SAD. As a culture, we’re told over and over to enjoy sunny days and appreciate the summer while it lasts. The disorder can be underdiagnosed, and people can lack empathy for people struggling with the disorder.
"The obligation that the entire world seems to throw at you, that when there's no snow outside, when it's not cold, you have to be out doing something… that adds a strange level of anxiety to a situation that already is difficult to move through for me,” said Mark Manning, who struggles with SAD.
Summer heat can also cause sleepless nights that lead to several mental illnesses, including mood disorders. High temperatures can also make some drugs less effective.
Mr. Manning said that he finds cooling off in movie theaters and a blow-up kiddie pool in the yard helpful. But he avoids crowded public summer hotspots like the beach. Researchers recommend sticking to the same sleeping, eating and exercising schedule all year round. The longer days feel wonderful for some people, but other people do best when days are uniform throughout the year with very little seasonal variation. For those people, blackout curtains can help control exactly how much daylight they are exposed to.
