Not everyone with depression has the same symptoms or experiences them with the same intensity. Some people may have symptoms only during certain times of the year.
If you tend to experience depression around the same months every year, a mental health professional may diagnose your symptoms as MDD with a seasonal pattern.
This article will discuss what some people call summer depression, its common symptoms and causes, and how to manage it.
What is summer depression?
Summer depression is not a formal or accurate clinical term. Still, some people may use it to refer to symptoms of depression experienced mostly during warmer months of the year.
These symptoms may be better explained by a formal mental health condition known as major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern.
Formerly called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this condition is a subtype of clinical depression. It refers to depression symptoms that recurrently develop and resolve with seasonal changes.
Seasonal depression is more common during fall and winter. In fact, some people call it the winter blues.
In some cases, though, symptoms occur during summer. That is why some experts refer to summertime depression as reverse seasonal affective disorder.
MDD is a manageable condition. A mental health professional may help you explore structured treatment plans that fit your needs and symptoms. Relief is possible.
What are the symptoms of seasonal depression in the summer?
To diagnose MDD, a mental health professional may want to explore your medical history and current symptoms.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR), a diagnosis of MDD requires that you have experienced at least five of these nine symptoms in the past 2 weeks or longer:
- low mood (sadness, hopelessness, emptiness) most of the day for most days
- difficulty experiencing pleasure or joy during usual activities
- changes in weight or appetite
- changes in sleeping patterns that could mean sleeping fewer or more hours than usual
- changes in the way you move, like moving slower or being more agitated than usual
- fatigue and low motivation
- feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- persistent thoughts of death, including suicide attempts
Seasonal depression in summer may specifically involve:
- insomnia
- irritability and anxiety
- episodes of violent behavior
- poor appetite
To identify a summer seasonal pattern, your mental health professional will want to know if you have experienced your symptoms for at least 2 summers before the current one. They will also want to know whether your symptoms improved once the season ended — in other words, if you have experienced depression symptoms only during the summer months.
Your mental health professional will also explore how these symptoms interfere with regular activities, like social interactions, school, or work.
They may ask you about events that tend to repeat during this time of the year, such as if you become unemployed every summer or if a loved one moves away during this time every year. These psychosocial challenges may better explain some of your symptoms, which may lead your doctor to move away from a seasonal pattern diagnosis.
If you’re considering self-harm or suicide, help is available
- Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
- Text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
- Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 800-273-8255, text 838255, or chat online.
- Visit Befrienders Worldwide’s international crisis helpline network to find a local helpline.
- Contact the DeafLEAD Crisis Line by calling 321-800-DEAF (3323) or texting HAND to 839863.
Is it depression or sadness?
It is natural to wonder whether your symptoms relate to sadness or add up to a clinical diagnosis. Typically, these three factors may help you tell the difference between sadness and depression:
- Duration: Depression symptoms occur most of the day, every day, for at least 2 weeks. Sadness may come and go or depend on what you are doing at the time.
- Severity: Sadness refers to low mood, which may affect your energy and motivation levels. You may still enjoy company or your usual activities. Depression, on the other hand, involves at least five of the mentioned nine symptoms and goes beyond low mood. You may have difficulty feeling pleasure even when doing things you used to enjoy.
- Impairment: You may be able to function at school or work when you are sad. Depression usually interferes to some degree with your ability to socialize, focus, recall information, and do creative tasks. You may tend to forget things, have trouble understanding what you read or what others say, and prefer to isolate yourself from other people.
Only a mental health professional can offer you an accurate diagnosis and recommend management strategies.
