Shaking Off the
End-of-Summer Blues

Summer is synonymous with warm weather, sunshine, and vacations. It symbolizes fun and carefree time. It is not surprising that summer is considered the favorite time of the year by many people. Like all good things, however, summer must come to an end. The warm weather, the long, lazy hot days, and time spent outdoors begin to fade. Saying goodbye to summer as it draws to a close and transitions into the more structured routines of the fall season may not be easy.

The upcoming season can be a time of new beginnings. Hand-in-hand with the temperature and light changes, you may be confronting changes for yourself or for significant people in your life. Maybe your children need to prepare for a new school year, or you are starting a project. The calendar is once again brimming with overlapping events, and you are thinking of ways how you will tackle them all. The seasonal transition may affect you physically, relationally, and emotionally. The changes in schedules, routines, expectations, and even relationships can be a lot to take in all at once.

Seasonal Change in Mood and Behavior

Seasons can affect the mood and behavior as they change. The first comes in the spring when growth energy replaces winter’s dormancy. This growth energy is experienced throughout the summer. The second big directional shift happens in autumn as the growth energy of spring and summer begins to fade, and the colder seasons begin.

The science-backed reason for the mood and behavior change is attributed to the shifts in the amount of available environmental light over the seasons. During autumn, the days are shorter, and the periods of daylight are reduced. The feeling of sadness is greater as the sun lowers in the sky, casting a golden light. It is a bittersweet season when the leaves change colors.

If you find yourself thrown off kilter with the coming of autumn, it is not your imagination. Feeling the ‘blues’ as the longer hours of darkness and lower temperatures when summer comes to an end is natural. If, however, the end of summer can leave you feeling sad, stressed, or unmotivated, and your sadness becomes oppressive as autumn edges ever closer, your case of the unhappiness has evolved into full blown depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Seeking professional help when sadness develops into depression is beneficial.

Colder, Bluer Days

Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a form of depressive disorder that comes and goes with the seasons. Also called the “winter blues,” SAD starts to appear in the fall, continues into the cold winter months, and goes away during the rest of the year. As autumn comes closer, the symptoms can sap your energy level, causing you to feel moody, irritable and worthless, persistently exhausted, and craving for carbohydrate-laden comfort food. Less commonly, SAD remits as summer depression in late spring or early summer.

The cause is unknown, but evidence points its relation to the level of melatonin hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. As the days become shorter and darker, the melatonin production is stimulated to increase, so you can feel sleepy and lethargic. Alternatively, SAD can be credited for the trouble in regulating serotonin level, a neurotransmitter responsible in influencing mood. People with SAD produce less Vitamin D, an important substance that plays a role in serotonin activity. Lack of vitamin D can trigger depression symptoms.

An estimated 10 million Americans are affected with the condition, with women being four times more afflicted than men. The condition can have its onset between the age of 18 and 30, and more common in residents far north or south of the equator. Individuals with a family history of other types of depression are at a higher risk of developing SAD.

To be Diagnosed with SAD

The symptoms vary from person to person. Some may experience severe signs that can affect their quality of life, cause isolation from family and friends, and some may even require hospitalization. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) includes the following symptoms commonly associated with SAD:

  • Feelings of hopelessness and sadness
  • Fatigue
  • Hypersomnia or oversleeping
  • Significant change in eating patterns
  • Weight increase
  • A heavy feeling in the arms or legs
  • Decline in energy level
  • Decrease in physical activity
  • Difficulty in focusing or concentrating
  • Bad temper
  • Increased sensitivity to social rejection
  • Aversion to social situations
  • Self-Harm

Other symptoms also include those that occur in major depression, such as guilt feelings, persistent feelings of helplessness, lack of interest or inability to feel pleasure in activities previously enjoyed, or frequent complaints about physical pains, such as headaches and stomach aches.

To be clinically diagnosed with SAD, the symptoms must be experienced for two or more consecutive years. If the symptoms feel overwhelming and adversely affect your life, it is definitely time to seek help for professional interventions. SAD is highly treatable, especially when diagnosed and treated appropriately before the symptoms are severe. It is important to take the symptoms seriously. Untreated, SAD can lead to other problems that may include:

  • Social withdrawal
  • School or work problems
  • Substance abuse
  • Other emotional health issues such as anxiety or eating disorders

Finding Light through Counseling

There are claims SAD is just an ‘old wives’ tale,’ but there are scientific researches that prove it is real and it can be dangerous. SAD can leave you feeling like you are groping in total darkness. You know it is going to envelop you once the summer ends. You know it is coming and you feel anxious, but you cannot shake it off when summer is about to end or when autumn has finally come. Whether SAD is part of your genetic makeup or your response to the change in seasons and light, there is no need to blame yourself.

Thankfully, there are treatment options for SAD. The mainstay treatment is light therapy, or phototherapy, a popular treatment method that replaces the missing daylight during winter by mimicking natural outdoor light. Although considered highly effective, light therapy does not work for everyone.

Since depression is one of the most prominent side effects of SAD, a credible therapist can help you work through the condition. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be highly beneficial in curbing negative thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors that worsen the disorder. CBT can be effective in easing the symptoms without any risky side effects.

The process is simple. Just call Carolina Counseling Services – Fuquay-Varina, NC to schedule your first session. You will be matched with an independently contracted right fit therapist with whom you can openly talk about your feelings of unease, anxiety and depression in complete confidence. CCS – Fuquay-Varina, NC is the place where you can be helped to find light amidst the winter darkness.

All transitions have their challenges, but it can be a lot easier when you talk about your difficult feelings with someone you can trust. Fall and winter may not have the same cheerful atmosphere and carefree attitude as spring and summer, but with counseling you can find some perks beyond the gray skies and cold weather. Call today!

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