Got that summertime sadness? You’re not alone

The changing seasons often come with an adjustment to routines. Our exposure to sunlight, time spent with friends or outdoors, and patterns of sleep can all undergo a notable shift as temperatures change. 

With that amount of change, it’s no surprise that some also experience seasonal affective disorder, a subtype of depression that’s similar in diagnosis and treatment. 

But seasonal depression isn’t just a condition that affects people in the winter. The symptoms can also occur during the hottest months of the year. 

Living with summer depression

In the summer months, the way light falls, creating longer shadows on the ground, can give Calgarian Jeff Sanford the feeling that something is “ending.” 

“Last week, I was on a road trip to B.C., and I was fine, but at 3 or 4 [p.m.] we were driving to the mountains and … I really noticed how long the shadows were from the trees along the road,” he said. 

“That literally put me into a two-day, I would say, a pretty bad anxious state, kind of reaching almost a panic attack.”

Sanford said he prefers fall and winter. Besides more stable levels of sunlight, he said those colder months come with less guilt and societal pressure to be active. 

“I don’t feel that during those seasons because if it’s cold or miserable outside, it’s almost as if I’m allowed to not do anything, to just spend time at home.”

‘It’s a bit mysterious’

Sanford isn’t alone, but the winter pattern of seasonal depression is more common, said Scott Patten, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Calgary. 

That’s why people tend to associate seasonal affective disorder solely with the colder months. 

Other factors, including life events or childhood trauma, can also be connected to depression. According to Patten, depression is always affected by stress. 

However, the causes of a seasonal pattern revolving around the summer months is less researched, he said. 

But there are symptoms to watch for. 

Identifying and treating summertime SAD  

Signs of summer depression can include a mixture of biological, psychological, and social factors, ranging from heat and extended hours of daylight interrupting sleep patterns to body image issues as the majority of the population bares more skin in the hot weather, explains Patten.

Like any type of depression, SAD is indicated by a persistent change in mood. 

Once someone has identified that they’re experiencing seasonal affective disorder, Patten said actively coping with a mental health issue leads to better outcomes. 

But for someone with a similar experience to Sanford, dealing with some symptoms could be more difficult than others. 

“Things that people can control to a degree, they can modify their lifestyles or the way they think about things that are happening in their life, so that helps to empower people,” he said. 

“To the extent that it’s due to things you can’t control, like the length of the day, one is faced with thinking about treatment options for depression … as opposed to the sort of things that an individual can do for themselves to maximize their mental health.” 

Patten said although treatments like light therapies are not usually used for winter depression, the common options for depression in general, including cognitive behavioural therapy or medication, can help. 

As well, being aware of the changes that the seasons bring can help those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder to prepare for and reduce the symptoms they experience. 

And though it might feel silly at times to experience depression when many others are celebrating the return of high temperatures and cloudless skies, Patten said it’s not something to be shied away from or ashamed of, and reducing the stigma around summer depression can help more people address their mental health, no matter the season.