Women with Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder need cooler weather

  • Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression, which is more common during the winter season.
  • I am among the 10% of people with social anxiety disorder who suffer from summer blues but thrive during winter.
  • My symptoms flared during record temperatures of this summer’s heat wave.

I’ve hated summer for as long as possible. When I was a kid on a family vacation, I would hide under a beach towel for a week until I couldn’t see the sun. In my twenties I would avoid hot tub parties like the plague and ask my friends to reserve a table inside the restaurant rather than on the terrace.

Now that I’m older, I avoid wearing sandals, hate the scent of sunscreen, and don’t want to wear floating floral prints. Nor can I see the allure in eating a burning barbecue or banishing wasps on a picnic.

But I’m not like this all year round. Once September comes around, and there’s that autumnal vibe in the air, I feel hopeful. I’m surviving, embracing the dark nights, the rain, the twinkling lights, and the chance to roam indoors for a few months under a blanket. This is it reflect Seasonal affective disorder – or sadness – at its best.

My symptoms start in late spring and peak in summer

SAD refers to depression that follows a seasonal pattern. It starts and subsides at roughly the same point every year. Boston University reports that SAD Affects 10 million Americanswith women four times more likely than men.

For most people with social anxiety disorder, symptoms are most effective in the fall and winter, including extreme sadness, loss of concentration, excessive sleep, and weight gain caused by cravings for unhealthy eating. psychologist Norman Rosenthalwho first discovered seasonal affective disorder in 1984, blamed a lack of sunlight for this winter depression.

But I belong to a smaller group of people with reversible social anxiety disorder. I received a diagnosis in my mid-30s when I jotted down a diary of notes rating my symptoms for my doctor. The reading wasn’t easy, but it helped establish its seasonal nature, and I was referred to a local mental health center for cognitive behavioral therapy – speech therapy.

I feel sad, tired and anxious during the long daylight hours in summer and the sweltering temperatures, and I lose my appetite in the humidity. With local temperatures breaking records in 104.5 degreesThis summer has been tough for me. But I know that the frosty winter cold and the darkness of five in the evening will revive me soon.

With reverse seasonal depression, scientists believe that too much sunlight in the summer causes an imbalance in melatonin. Busy social schedules and restless sleep also send our circadian rhythms into a whirl. People with reversible social anxiety disorder may feel crazier during summer You may only feel calm when the temperature drops.

One of the most insular things about Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder is being the only person who takes a mood swings when the sun comes up. With strangers, I’d hide my symptoms and make short talk about the nice weather we’re going through – just to pretend I’m like everyone else.

The truth is: I hate loneliness in turning down invitations for a Prosecco in the park or an evening at the open-air cinema. I know I’m the party spoiler on the set, but I’d rather be at home in my wool socks and closed curtains. And I can’t wait for the weather to get colder and darker for everyone to want to join me.

Tips for dealing with reverse seasonal affective disorder

Dealing with reverse seasonal affective disorder is a work in progress for me, but prioritizing sleep tops my list. I strongly believe that every hour of sleep before midnight equals two hours after midnight, so I use blackout curtains to squeeze in some extra sleep before the morning birds start tweeting again.

Instead of accepting those summer invitations, I turn to places that are cooler and darker, like movie theaters, bowling alleys, or malls — anywhere that has air conditioning. My friends and family sympathize, even if they can’t communicate. And if things really get worse, I know I can discuss an SSRI prescription with my doctor—something I will seriously consider if next summer is as long and hot as this year.

Rebecca Nori is a Freelance HR Writer With a keen interest in mental health and women’s issues. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her giving advice to independent beginners and raising her three children.

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