Why Do I Have Depression In Summer And How To Deal With It

According to the DSM-V⁽¹⁾, summer depression 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 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 evaluate the characteristics of each person according to age, sex, pre-existing diseases, family history and other data of clinical relevance.

Summer depression has some causes that determine its appearance during this period of the year. In this section, we will describe the most important ones:

• Organic factors: genetic inheritance has great significance in the acquisition of psychological diseases. In many cases, it has been proven that one of the person’s parents has been diagnosed with this clinical condition.
• Experiential factors: having experienced stressful and/or traumatic situations that lead 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 patterns of behavior.
• External factors: During the summer, many people suffer 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 the next.

Despite the difficulties that this diagnosis entails, there are some strategies that are considerably effective in relieving symptoms. Here are some tips to help you deal with summer depression:

• Request therapeutic help: Going to a mental health professional to treat symptoms of depression in summer is one of the most recommended options. Therapy helps resolve personal conflicts that arise during this time of year and offers personalized tools to cope in a more pleasant way with situations of anguish, discomfort and disgust.
• Create routines: Maintaining stable habits regarding food, physical exercise and pleasurable activities can help prevent 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 worries about the past or the future. In this article you will find some Mindfulness Exercises for Beginners.

Given the information available about 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 develop strategies to combat them. For example, you can keep a record of the thoughts and behaviors that appear when you are sad to be able to anticipate some emotions.
• Schedule rest and feeding times: It is necessary to plan moments of sleep that allow for 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 with emotional regulation.

In this article you will find more information about Eating healthy in summer: ideas and psychological tips.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor 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.

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