Seasonal Affective Disorder Has A Summer Version Too

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…”

– “Porgy and Bess” Lullaby, Act 1

In praise of summertime, the most famous words ever written might just be these lyrics…the opening song of the first American opera, “Porgy and Bess.”

Even though George Gershwin’s music and DuBose Heyward’s and Ira Gershwin’s lyrics are beloved and acclaimed worldwide, these words the mother is singing to her baby are not true.

On stage, life is not easy on Catfish Row; Daddy is far from rich. And off stage, there exists a mental health disorder–a summer version of SAD–Seasonal Affective Disorder.

You could even say that couched in the vernacular of another song (performed in Act II of Porgy), for some people summertime ain’t necessarily so easy.

Two versions

Compared to other mental health issues, SAD is only somewhat known by the public. Yet there are two versions of it. In one, the symptoms begin in the late fall and go away during the spring and summer. This is called winter pattern SAD or winter depression.

However, if you have been feeling depressed  “In the Good Old Summertime,” in these “Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer,” you are not alone. There are many others  experiencing the other SAD, the summer-pattern SAD, which is called summer depression.

What it’s like

The subject of the  summer disorder came up at a recent conference of mental health professionals. One of the councilors related the following story to his colleagues:

“When my father heard I was coming to this conference, he suggested I bring up the struggles he has with the heat…those really hot days at this time of  year. This is his message:

“‘As kids, we used to hear people complain about the dog days of summer. But then I was younger,  and the heat was not such a big deal.

“Now, though, when the temperature rises, I have to stay inside. Because it’s just too darned hot outdoors. Because it’s hard for me to breathe out there.

More concerns

“‘At the same time, I also am concerned about getting skin cancer. Experts are telling us we need sunshine, but we should limit ourselves to only a few minutes a day.  Well, it takes longer than that to smear yourself with sun block. And anyway, because so many people are hunkering down indoors, you can’t find anyone to do your back for you!

Being lonely

“‘Summer to me is supposed to be vacation time. Days at the beach. Or pool parties. Going on picnics or to an amusement park. I miss that.

“‘Now I have very little social interaction, due to needing to remain indoors. And when inside, I need to keep the blinds closed. This adds to  my feeling depressed.  But it does keep the house cooler…and my favorite leather recliner from becoming a hot seat.’”

What is SAD?

With more people recognizing the symptoms and seeking aid for summertime depression, more information is being posted on line. Following are extracts:

Seasonal Affective Disorder

—National Institute of Mental Health:

“Many people go through periods when they feel sad or not like their usual selves.  These mood changes begin and end when the seasons change.”

Experienced mental health therapists are capable of helping those who suffer winter or summer versions. Seeing one is advised if you feel you have symptoms.

“In most cases, (winter) SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer.

Symptoms of  summer depression may deviate slightly, and can include:

Summer Symptoms:

• Persistent sad, anxious or ‘empty’ mood most of the day, nearly every day for at least two weeks
• Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
• Feelings of irritability and  frustration
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
• Decreased energy; fatigue, or feeling slowed down
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
• Changes in sleep or appetite; or unplanned weight changes
• Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps or digestive problems that do not have a clear physical cause and do not go away with treatment
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Restlessness and agitation
• Anxiety
• Violent or aggressive behavior
• Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

Diversions Help

Beside prescribed therapy, keeping occupied when SAD is affecting you most is an effective way to cope.

Traveling in an air-conditioned vehicle to a worthwhile activity is satisfying, and can help take the edge off of depressive disorders.  One of these opportunities is volunteering for clinical trials that are researching new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions. Be on the lookout for opportunities to join studies such as those sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health.

NIMH supports clinical trials at its campus in Bethesda, Maryland, and across the United States. Talk to a health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you.

Exercise Advice

You and your therapist are the best judges of whether you should exercise indoors or out. If you are determined to go outside, here is sage advice.

—CNN

How to safely exercise outdoors when it’s hot outside

“The number of heat-related deaths while participating in sports has doubled in the U.S. since 1975, according to the National Institutes of Health. And the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention reports that some 650 people die from extreme heat every year. So if you are planning to head outside when the temperature is climbing, keep these tips in mind.

• Watch the time of day. Schedule for early morning or evening. And definitely do not go out between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the sun is overhead and temperatures at their peak.
• Know your risk level. Factors include age (4 and under and 65 plus), obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, mental illness, diabetes, and prescription drug and alcohol use.
• Dress carefully. Wear a broadbrimmed hat, loose and light-colored clothing, sunglasses, sunscreen.
• Stay hydrated. Carry water with you and drink regularly, even if not thirsty.
• Eat more foods that are full of water, like cucumbers and watermelon, before or during the workout.
• Keep up with the news from other places that might have implications for you. For example, –NPR’s KFF
• In Montana, 911 calls reveal hidden impact of heat waves on rural seniors. –The Hill Health Care
• A study of exposure to air pollution shows it is fueling fluctuations in mood swings in many Americans. (Note: This news was accompanied by a photo of cars sitting in a long line of traffic, reminiscent of summer weekend traffic jams on roads leading to beaches on the famed New Jersey Atlantic shore.)
• Remember, in every place in every corner of the world, there are times when weather causes people to feel out of sorts…or worse. Only the names change.

There are khamsins–hot winds blowing sand from the deserts of the Middle East.

Similarly, there is the sirocco, a Mediterranean wind coming from the Sahara, which can reach hurricane speeds in North Africa and southern Europe, especially during the summer months.

Mistral is a cold northwesterly wind, usually strong, that blows through southern France into the Mediterranean, mainly in winter.

In Chinook, Canada, according to Wanderlust Magazine, there is a warm and dry west wind that blows on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. It helps thaw frozen landscapes, but also triggers migraines, known locally as “Chinook headaches.”

Also from Wanderlust is this info about the Santa Ana winds. They start in Northern Mexico and southern California as a gentle breeze.  But by the time they have barrelled down the  canyons to Los Angeles, they have turned hot and sticky, creating miserable late summers in the city. Locals complain of migraines and irritability. Also, the Santa Ana fans California’s wildfires, making them harder to put out.

There are rainy seasons in India, typhoons in Hong Kong, tsunamis flooding islands, and hurricanes practically everywhere, tossing tornados into the air like a juggler.

Reading about all this going on puts your own seasonal disorder into a broader perspective.

Venting

Finally, vent your feelings. Put them on paper. Not necessarily in paragraphs or in lyrics like “Summertime,” but in short phrases…capturing visions, remembrances, hopes.

Here is an example, created by Gene Yagley III, longtime writer in a different genre–thriller spy stories and swashbuckling adventures–when he sat down to lock horns with a blistering Florida summer.

Christmas Is In December

For a Reason

-By Gene Yagley lll

The winters in Michigan

are frigid, gray,

and shift to

dirty,

But you have

cinnamon gum,

hot chocolate,

brooding music,

classic guitar

interplayed

with Gordon Lightfoot.

Christmas is

in December

for a reason.

The lights and decorations,

the madness of the Alaskan Iditarod

distract from the darkness.

Winter is

the time of dreams

where the ideas of spring

germinate and hatch.

Summer in the south

is detention via the sun and humidity.

It’s being sick

during a bright day

with no reward–”

no walks

in the park,

no riding down the road

with the top down.

It’s just melting and withering

like Marigolds out of season.