Summer Sad

Hi Autumn.

Can you tell me/us a bit more?

I feel I am in the same situation but it may just be a carry over from the initial SAD in winter.

For example - In my case - I worked hard this time last year to get on track to start college by taking relative medication and also playing that Nintendo DS game. Y'know, the Brain Training one?

This was all the while not knowing I had SAD and not knowing that I probably would need to use a light box as the winter crept upon us.

Needless to say I went on a downward spiral and left college after around 3 months. (I wont get into the details)

But the carry over from that has lasted around six months and could account for still "suffering" from SAD in even these summer months.

Can you relate to this at all? Has anything happened or still lingering in your life that you find hard to deal with that could be dragging you down?

On a more technical note - From a personal point of view - My first thoughts would be that it wouldn't be possible for SAD to be triggered in the summer.

Although on thinking about it a little deeper, if you are in a state where a week of overcast weather would upset you, to the point of saying you suffer from symptoms of SAD and that your life in suffering, then you are truly sensitive to the changes in weather. So this could be a type of SAD although on a short time scale.

I would say I am like this. This is why I would highly recommend using the light box even in the summer.

Although, I'm not using right now! I'm always here and there and can't be bothered carrying it around with me.
But when I did use the light box a while ago it felt great and I will be using it nearer winter, for sure.

I feel rubbish when the sun isn't shining, even in the summer and well, where the heck is summer I'd like to know - I'm feeling really short changed......!

Hi everyone. I was here last year in the pits of my worst SAD ever, and find myself reading the latest entries in the hope that others have plummetted this week like I have. I have been fantastic for the past few weeks - clear-minded, interested in people, chatty, bursting with energy, actually picking up the phone and arranging a social life. But this week I have crashed, and already the slug is creeping over my head.Am i alone??
By the way, I have just read my post from last year and want to thank everyone who offered their words of comfort - I didn't know they were there until today and am very touched. Got my light box on again, and going to start on the ST John's wort for good measure. Cheers...

Hi there! Thank God I am not alone! My boyfriend calls me the 'koala' and close friends know that if I have the curtains closed I am having what they call 'some time in'. I hate the way I makes me feel and after being on anti depressants for roughly 4 years, I still know that weather very much dictates my mood. Exercise helps but, I just dont want to leave the house!
This summer has been a real bind and have been to see my GP and she has suggested that we both go away and try to find some solutions. I did use day light light bulbs one year and I think that they helped a little to stretch my evenings out. I have heard that I might be low on vitamin B or D?
If anyone has any ideas, I would be very greatful.

I read a very interesting article by Jan De Vries about Summer Blues, it is in his 'In Touch' Magazine issue 19 dated Summer 2006 which you can get by contacting their mail order dept at Jan De Vries Healthcare, soutwood road Troon, ayrshire scotland.

The article discusses how some people can suffer agitation and depression in summer, feeling miserable, the cause seems to be linked to overheating and advises cold showers, wearing dark sunglasses and staying out of direct sunlight and heat as much as possible. There are also natural remedies that can help. This article helped me as I had been suffering from this without realising it for many years and never looked forward to summer but actually preferred winter when I felt more comfortable. For me just knowing that I was not the only one who felt like this helped immensely.

Typical sad symptoms include
Oversleeping, disturbed sleep, early morning wakening
Fatigue
Cravings for sweet things
feeling miserable, guilty, loss of self esteem, hopelessness and despair, apathy, loss of feelings
irritability, social withdrawal
tension, not coping with stress
extremes of mood

I completely understand what Stuart and Judy are going through! So glad I'm not the only one. Most people think I'm a killjoy, but when the clocks changed last week, I though "Oh no, here we go again - months of feeling sweaty and uncomfortable and the days dragging." In Summer I put on weight as the heat makes me less inclined to be active - which worsens matters as I am an exercise professional and love activity. I get tired easliy and irritable and can't see an end to the season. In summer our house has the windows shut to prevent more heat entering, curtains shut and the air conditioning unit on permanently. I have to carry damp towels everywhere to keep cool. Doctors seem baffled and cannot offer any help - assuming they believe me as they accept Winter SAD but no its summer counterpart. I cannot wait for cold frosty days again!

Angharad

Hi Everyone, I'm really fascinated to hear you talk about Summer SAD. I'm a journalist researching the subject and would love to talk to anyone who is effected by it. Please email me if you are interested in taking part. My address is kate_corr@tiscali.co.uk

This might sound a bit out there.....but could it be possible that we are genetically predisposed to certain types of weather depending on our geographic ancestry?
Just a thought, I'm no scientist though :)

i felt great all winter and spring because i was using my sad light which is 12000 lux.Anyways the weather hasn,t been too good here in southern ontario.I felt like i was coming around when we had 4 days of sunshine,then we had 4 cloudy days and was right back in a funk. i am glad i found this sight knowing i am not the only one suffering from this crap! Anyways i think there is some good weather heading this way,hopefully i will feelbetter.Sometimes i think that i will never get better,but that is stupid way to think,since it never happens because i always get better.Good luck to all!

Just noticed my last message was posted on this very date 3 years ago. Must be something about the 26th of March that brings out the worst in me.

Hi Neens,

Must admit I had never heard of Summer Sad either, so was really happy when I stumbled upon this thread 3 years ago. It was nice to find that I was not the only one that has a poor relationship with the Summer months.

I have found many ways to cope with the Summer, but it still affects you mentally and that is a part of it that is much harder to deal with.

We have recently had some very hot and sunny days in the UK that lasted for almost two weeks. All I could think about was WHERE ARE THE APRIL SHOWERS. All you hear when you go out... if you have too.... is how LOVELY the weather is and what a BEAUTIFUL day it is.... this too also adds to the misery of how the sun can make me feel.

It is easier to cope with when you are not around others, as even when you are inside you can pull the curtains shut to block out the sunshine without appearing strange to friends or family.

Even the slightest bit of rain or overcast weather can lift my mood. I will feel an urgency to go out in it, enjoying the grey skies and shiny roads and pavements.

I look forward very much to reading your blog as I, and am sure many others, welcome anyone that takes an interest in the lesser known Summer SAD.

If I can be of any help, please feel free to ask.

All the best, Stuart

Hello again Neens, Sorry for not replying sooner.

I love the fact that you would be out dancing if the sun came out. I try so hard not to be negative about my dislike for the summer months when I am around people that enjoy it... which to be fair is everyone I know :)

I never want to be the odd one out that is moaning about the sun shine.... long summer evenings and scorching heat. So instead I just try to avoid getting into a situation where I might do that.

It was only when I found this thread and started to write about it, that I realized I had so much inside me to talk about.

Please feel free to quote anything I write that you may find useful to your project. I know I have nothing to be ashamed of, by feeling the way I do, so if saying what I say gives someone else something to think about, then that can only be a good thing.

If you were interested, I have written a bit about different aspects of how I feel about Summer Sad for my own personal reasons, and will send it to you via private message. I keep meaning to post it here too... but have never gotten round to it... but I will, one Sunny Day, when I have nothing better to do than stay inside :)