Seasonal depression: how does it present itself in summer?

Seasonal depression is well known in the winter, but what about the one some people experience in the summer?

“When people think of seasonal affective disorder, they usually think of winter blues or winter depression. What they don’t realize is that in the summer you can have what’s called activation or irritability syndrome,” Dr.^D Sue Varma, psychiatrist and assistant clinical professor of psychology at New York University, in an interview on the show CBS Mornings.

Here are five symptoms of summer seasonal affective disorder:

1. Hustle
2. Anxiety
3. Decreased appetite and weight loss
4. Episodes of violent behavior
5. Sleeping troubles

• Listen to Marie Montpetit’s interview with Geneviève Beaulieu-Pelletier, clinical psychologist, speaker, author and associate professor at UQAM via QUB-radio

In order to properly manage this disorder, the D^D Varma offers advice to the population.

• Be realistic: Often managing the expectations you have of yourself and others can go a long way in helping to manage summertime blues.
• Take things one step at a time: Planning and preparation are key to reducing stress. “I like to keep a small travel bag that holds an extra set of toiletries, chargers, things like that. Do a little bit every day, whether it’s laundry or getting the kids ready for camp,” added Dr.^D Varma.
• Seek help if needed: “We know that suicide rates increase in the summer due to restlessness, irritability and insomnia,” mentioned the psychiatrist. Thus, she reminds us of the importance of seeking help from health professionals. In Quebec, it is possible to communicate with info social via option 2 of 811.