Summer-Pattern Seasonal Affective Disorder

For many, summertime brings happiness, often marked by wonderful weather, vacation, time spent with loved ones, travel, and more. However, this is not the case for all. During the summer months, many people experience Summer Sadness, or the summertime form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) known as summer-pattern SAD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “SAD is a type of depression characterized by a recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about 4−5 months out of the year” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). Most of the time, SAD appears during the fall or winter, but for some it presents in the spring or summer,

The symptoms of summer-pattern SAD include feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, restlessness, and sleeping/eating habit changes. According to the NIMH, “millions of Americans experience SAD, although many may not know they have this common disorder” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). It is more commonly found in women, and winter-pattern SAD is more prevalent than summer-pattern SAD.

What do I do if I have summer-pattern SAD?

To begin, it is important to realize that you’re not alone! As previously stated, this diagnosis is far more common than people realize. In addition, several treatment options can make this diagnosis a bit easier to digest. Many people see great results by pursuing one or a combination of the following:

• Psychotherapy: attending therapy, specifically with a focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), has shown key benefits in improving the outcome of individuals with summer-pattern SAD. More recently, the creation of CBT-SAD, which targets SAD by replacing maladaptive behavior and thinking patterns with adaptive choices. For example, therapists might have their client write out their negative thoughts about the summer season, such as “I hate the heat, I’m not sure how I can manage to withstand this weather.” Clients will be tasked with monitoring when they fall into these thought patterns over the following week. Eventually, they aim to replace these negative thoughts with better ones, such as “It is hot, but maybe it’s an opportunity to go to the pool!”

• Medication: Another proven method to improve the outcome of individuals with summer-pattern SAD is the use of antidepressants. Many individuals see improvements in their moods and behaviors after a couple of months of taking the medication.

• Healthcare: Another important way to mitigate SAD is to take care of one’s physical health. Oftentimes, summer-time SAD can manifest after someone repeatedly experiences overwhelming feelings of heat or allergies, which are both common occurrences in the summer, and can be avoided by maintaining one’s physical health.

Summer-pattern SAD is gaining increasingly more attention. Often thought to only occur in the fall and winter, SAD is also prevalent in the warmer months. Due to this increased awareness, there is much more research that needs to be done. However, proven treatment includes psychotherapy and medication. Through the use of these treatments, individuals see drastic changes in their mood and life outcomes, seeing wide-ranging benefits that they may have once thought were impossible.

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2024, June 27). Yes, you can get sad in Summer. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/summer-depression

Sima, R. (2023, July 3). Sad in the summer? you may have summer seasonal depression. - The Washington Post. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/07/03/summer-sad-depression-symptoms-causes-treatment/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Seasonal affective disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder#:~:text=People%20with%20winter%2Dpattern%20SAD%20produce%20too%20much%20melatonin%2C%20which,and%20leading%20to%20depression%20symptoms.