Depression in summer is a clinical picture that appears only in a few months of the year. In general, this diagnosis has bodily, emotional and behavioral manifestations that can be delimited if there is accurate data about this problem. Although each person can develop this condition in different ways, it has a series of indicators that can be detected in the vast majority of cases, but should not be confused with specific moments of desolation, anguish, sadness, lack of interest in activities of daily life and discomfort. In this sense, the duration can also help us determine an accurate diagnosis.
In this Psychology-Online article we explain why I have depression in summer and how to deal with it.
According to the DSM-V[1], depression in summer can be included within seasonal affective disorder due to its diagnostic criteria. This diagnosis is characterized by the symptoms that we show you below:
- Sadness.
- Hopelessness.
- Distress.
- Apathy.
- Lack of interest in social areas.
- Major depressive episodes during the summer months.
- Significant deterioration of social, work and family relationships.
- The symptoms subside after the summer.
- The alterations cannot be explained by the ingestion of toxic substances and/or psychiatric medications.
In any case, it is essential that the diagnosis be made by a mental health professional in order to assess the characteristics of each person according to age, sex, pre-existing diseases, family history and other relevant data clinic.
The summer depression has some causes that determine its appearance in this period of the year. In this section, we will describe the most important ones:
- organic factors: genetic inheritance has great importance in the acquisition of psychological diseases. In many cases, it has been verified that one of the parents of the person has been diagnosed by means of this clinical picture.
- experiential factors: having experienced stressful and/or traumatic situations that give rise to the appearance of depressive symptoms during the summer. On a general level, people who develop this pathology have seen or heard unpleasant ideas about depression and summer. These commands are incorporated and persist as behavior patterns.
- External factors: During the summer, many people experience certain situations that cause significant discomfort in their social ties. External events may include layoffs from work or lack of motivation to perform daily activities, among others. The reasons usually vary from one person to another.
Despite the difficulties involved in this diagnosis, there are some strategies that have considerable efficacy in the remission of symptoms. Here are some tips to help you cope with summer depression:
- Request therapeutic help: Going to a mental health professional to treat the symptoms of depression in summer is one of the most recommended options. The therapy helps to solve personal conflicts that manifest themselves during this time of the year and offers personalized tools to cope in a more pleasant way those situations of anguish, discomfort and dislike.
- create routines: Maintaining stable habits in terms of eating, physical exercise and pleasurable activities can be a help to avoid negative thoughts. Each routine must be adapted to the needs of each person.
- practice mindfulness: This technique allows you to reach a state of mental and physical relaxation that can last over time. The main objective of these exercises is to live in the present without worrying about the past or the future. In this article you will find some Mindfulness exercises for beginners.
Given the information available on this pathology, it is worth knowing prevention methods. In this section, we will point out how to prevent depression in summer:
- Recognize moments of sadness: Reflecting on those situations that cause discomfort can help to develop strategies to combat them. For example, you can keep a record of the thoughts and behaviors that appear in the face of sadness to be able to anticipate some emotions.
- Schedule rest and eating hours: it is necessary to diagram moments of sleep that allow both physical and psychological recovery during the summer. On the other hand, consuming foods high in fiber produces greater neurological activity of the central nervous system. This helps emotional regulation.
In this article you will find more information about Eating healthy in summer: ideas and psychological advice.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
