Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that occurs during a specific time of year. While it most often begins in late fall and early winter, some people experience this type of depression during spring or summer instead.
Seasonal affective disorder, also known as winter depression, tends to be triggered by factors like darkness, cold weather, and other winter-related conditions. Spring or summer seasonal affective disorder, on the other hand, can be triggered by high temperatures, humidity, or even high pollen levels.
What Does It Feel Like to Live with Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Regardless of the time of year, someone living with seasonal affective disorder may experience:
- Apathy, sadness, or low mood throughout the day, over several days.
- Loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy.
- Low energy or sluggishness.
- A need for excessive sleep.
- Cravings for carbohydrates.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or hopelessness.
- In some cases, suicidal thoughts.
When it comes specifically to spring or summer seasonal affective disorder, the following symptoms can also occur:
- Insomnia.
- Loss of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Anxiety.
- Agitation.
- Increased irritability.
While no single cause explains any variant of this disorder, research suggests the body’s internal clock, along with serotonin and melatonin levels, plays an important role.
Risk factors also include a family history of the condition, having a severe depressive or bipolar disorder, or low vitamin D levels.
How Is Spring/Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder Treated?
Like any other disorder, this isn’t something a person can simply turn on or off, and specialized care is recommended, especially if it’s affecting quality of life.
Diagnosing seasonal affective disorder can be challenging. To reach a diagnosis, the doctor typically performs a physical exam, lab tests, and a psychological evaluation, along with reviewing whether the person has experienced this type of depression before, particularly during a specific season.
Once diagnosed, several treatment paths are available for both spring and summer seasonal affective disorder. This includes psychotherapy or talk therapy, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy.
These therapies aim to help patients learn healthy ways to cope with the disorder, recognize certain thoughts or behaviors, and learn to manage them.
In other cases, medication such as antidepressants may be needed, particularly when symptoms are more severe.
Certain lifestyle changes may also be recommended to help improve mood and, when possible, address behaviors that may be contributing to the disorder.
Is New Year’s Depression Related to This?
It’s common to wonder whether the low mood some people feel at the start of the year is related. The answer is that it could be linked to winter seasonal affective disorder, but it could also stem from other personal circumstances the person is going through.
Because of this, it’s important to see a specialist to understand the underlying cause and, if treatment is needed, begin it to help improve the person’s quality of life.
At ABC Medical Center’s Neurology Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Reach out to learn more about seasonal affective disorder. Contact us!
