Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a significant recurring depression with a seasonal rhythm. It is a sort of seasonal depression that worsens at specific times of the year. While SAD is most commonly associated with the dark winter months, roughly 10% of people with SAD experience seasonal depression in the spring. Continue reading to find out how SAD presents differently in the spring than it does in the winter.
What Exactly Is Spring Depression?
Spring depression is a type of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that occurs in the spring and/or summer, as opposed to the more frequent type of SAD that occurs in the fall and winter months
Spring Depression Symptoms
The symptoms of spring SAD differ from those of winter SAD. Common spring and/or summer SAD symptoms may include, Sadness or poor mood, severe anxiety, sleep problems/insomnia, and a decrease in appetite, which typically leads to weight loss. Some may also experience incidents of violent conduct. The severity of symptoms varies, but it is possible for them to become severe enough to cause major anguish and suicidal thoughts and interfere with everyday functioning. Symptoms emerge in the spring or early summer and subside in the fall or winter.
What Causes Spring Depression?
Although the precise etiology of spring sadness is uncertain, experts have found some potential contributing variables such as heat and humidity, longer days, disruption to routine, and change in sleep patterns resulting from spring and summer discomforts. Also, seeing others on social media having fun traveling and feeling left out or pressured to feel better and seasonal allergies.
What Is the Diagnosis of Spring Depression?
Because of its symptom pattern, SAD differs from depression, which does not have a seasonal component. Instead, symptoms must appear or intensify at a specified period of the year (such as spring to fall). These symptoms normally last four to five months out of the year. While not everyone with SAD has symptoms every year, this pattern of symptoms must occur for at least two years in order to be diagnosed as SAD. In addition, episodes at this time of year must be substantially more common than depressed episodes the person may be experiencing or has experienced at other periods of the year.
Whose at Risk for Seasonal Affective Disorder in the Spring?
Women are more at risk for SAD than most men. Those who suffer from SAD begin to commonly experience symptoms between the ages of 18 and 30. About 15% of those with SAD have a close relative who has or has had the disorder. 25–67% of patients with SAD have relatives who suffer from other mood or psychiatric problems, such as major depressive disorder or schizophrenia. Other mental health conditions: SAD affects 10%–20% of people with major depressive disorder and roughly 25% of people with bipolar disorder. Other mental health issues, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an eating disorder, an anxiety disorder, or panic disorder, are frequently present in people with SAD.
What Is the Treatment for Spring Depression?
Spring depression treatment may include:
- Medication: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a kind of antidepressant, can be used to treat SAD (SSRIs).
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This type of therapy aids in identifying and improving problematic thought patterns, managing symptoms, and the healthier management of stress.
- Light treatment: This therapy, also known as bright light therapy or phototherapy, entails spending 20-60 minutes every day in front of a lightbox that simulates sunlight. Search for a lightbox with an integrated UV filter because the ultraviolet (UV) rays emitted by some lightboxes might be dangerous.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Consult your healthcare physician or a mental health expert if you are experiencing symptoms of depression. While a SAD diagnosis necessitates symptoms for two impacted seasonal periods in succession, you don’t have to wait two years to get treatment for your symptoms.
Spring depression is a type of seasonal affective disorder in which depression symptoms appear or intensify throughout the spring and/or summer. The specific reason is unknown, however, it is thought to be related to elements such as increasing daylight, allergens, heat, and changes in circadian rhythms. Medication, talk therapy, light treatment, or sleep routine adjustments may help with spring depression.
Kim’s Final Thoughts…
You may be suffering from spring depression if you detect depressive symptoms more frequently in the spring and summer than at other seasons of the year. Depression symptoms may start or worsen in the spring for some people. While the specific cause is unknown, it is suspected that seasonal allergens, extended daylight hours, heat, and a disruption in sleep habits due to seasonal shifts may all play a role. Consult your healthcare practitioner or a mental health expert if you are experiencing any form of depression, even if it is seasonal. There is treatment accessible, so you do not have to suffer in vain.
