HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Summer SAD

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/29/2009 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
Does anyone here suffer from Summer SAD (also called Reverse SAD)?  It is a version of Seasonal Affective Disorder that occurs in the summer months.  It is characterized by an increase in depression, anxiety, aggitation, irritability, lack of appetite, insomnia, & weight loss during the summer.  Researchers don't know if it it caused by too much light, too much heat, a disruption in the circadian rhythms, or some combination thereof. Like typical SAD (which occurs in the winter), it is pretty cyclical and usually gets better when Fall arrives.

I'm starting to suspect that I may be dealing with this.  I have a pattern of irritability, anxiety, & panic attacks that seem to get worse as soon as it starts to get hot where I live.  I usually get better when Fall sets in.  I cannot tolerate the heat and humidity AT ALL and find myself trying to avoid it as much as possible.  I'm just wondering if anyone else deals with this, and if so, what do you do to cope?

 

Hugs - Austen

Posted 4/29/2009 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
I try to avoid the heat too Austen, I stay in air conditioning in the summer and that even bothers me as far as my arthritis goes. But what can we do. My favorite seasons are spring and fall. But don't want to complain about summer because we often have hard winters here.

I hope that you feel better, sorry that I didn't have any good advice for you. Other than to stay in the shade, and out of the sun.

Keep on keeping on, that is all that we can do. Sometimes a cool wet towel around the neck helps.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 4/29/2009 6:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Austen,

You know you started me thinking about this. Over the past 2 weeks it has gotten very hot in FLA and I have become much more irritable. I notice it and yes, I think it has a lot to do with the heat. ALSO for me it is this very intense Florida sun, it kills my eyes AND just drains me. Just this morning I was cussing the sun wishing for some nice big clouds. Isn't it amazing how sensitive we are? I guess reverse SAD is possible.

Patsie
Posted 4/29/2009 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
For some reason I'm one of the only people on here that absolutely loves the summer. In-fact it's so good, that I don't have to deal with FM a whole lot, but then winter comes around and oh boy.. I don't get depressed but the winter and spring for me are the WORST. The constant change in temperature and barometric pressure really affects how I feel.

However, I probably have arthritis so that's probably got to do with my joints hurting in cold weather.

Post Edited (probull3t) : 4/29/2009 3:43:44 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/30/2009 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
I have issues in the summer, too, and have wondered about a sort of reverse SAD. For me, it's the heat and humidity and oppressively bright sun that gets to me. I get very cranky and easily tired out in the summer. Not depressed exactly but definitely more on edge, if that makes sense?
Posted 4/30/2009 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Probull, I am with you. I love heat and (gasp) HUMIDITY. It may have to do with my arthritic joints, but I just feel a lot looser in the heat. I can stretch more easily and I just don't seem to be so tight. (?) My massage therapist says if she didn't know better she would think I spent all day on my feet because my leg muscles are always so tight. Pretty much all the other muscles, too. I really hate the cold, so I guess this makes sense. Diane
Posted 5/7/2009 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
I'm gonna blame it on brain fog, but I'm sorry I didn't thank those who responded to my question earlier.  While I hate it that others have trouble with the heat and humidity, I guess the old adage that "misery loves company" is somewhat true.  I feel so much better (and a little less crazy) knowing that some of you have the same sort of issues in the Summer. :-)

 

Hugs - Austen

Posted 5/7/2009 10:34 PM (GMT 0)

Austen...I was just thinking not more than ten minutes ago that I can't figure out why I don't feel better now that the weather is nicer.  I feel guilty about it and have never mentioned it to anyone, not even the hubby.  When I walk outside my eyes seem foggy and blurry...the sun actually makes my eyes hurt.  We are grilling out tonight and was standing outside with Eric and the sun bounced off the hood of the car and really...fifteen minutes later it's like someone took a picture right in my face with a big ole flash bulb.  The night comforts me.  I DO like the warm weather...the cold freezes my muscles to blocks of cement.  I love spring and fall the most.  Humidity is not good to me.  But I have always wondered why I am not as joyous when summer comes, like most people.  When we moved from VA (where it's in the 90's 8 months out of the year) to NY people kept saying "I can't believe you moved back to the snow belt".

Oh...I can't explain it...I'm in The Fog.  I just wish I could appreciate the season more since it is so short lived here in central NY.

Huggies

Donna

Posted 5/8/2009 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
I also get very depressed during the summer months, much more then winter months. I feel ike the sun is way too stimulting for me. I posted a while back about this very thing. I just get very down and even feel uncommfotable in my own skin, and all I wanna do is sleep in, but when I do that, I feel even worse. But I really blame it on the sun, it does something to me.

-hellokitty
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply