I had opportunity to speak to Rachel Lagacé about the summer form Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Ten-30% of folks who have seasonal depression will experience it in the summer. For many, that will be a surprise. Winter time depression makes sense with the long nights and short days and harsh winter, but summer? Yes, summer depression is real!
The light or heat may cause distress. Scientists are examining the connection between seasonal allergies and pollen and immune responses and mood–we don’t have all those answers yet.
Still others will find their bodies recalling tragedy and trauma in past summers. Their bodies recall those memories in ways that feel very present.
And who amongst us doesn’t have FOMO–moments where summer seems to be a time of picnics, celebrations, parties, vacations, festivals and gatherings that everybody but us is invited to. Disability, finances, life circumstances, even anxiety may make participating in summer fun a challenge. So, while summertime might seem like a season where isolation and loneliness feels even more acute. It’s a pretty dark hole a person can go down contemplating why it seems like everyone else has some place to go but themselves.
Listen in on the conversation about how to support a person with summer SAD: