Summer Sad, R.s.a.d. Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder
As many of you around the world are heading into your summer time, as we head into
our winter you may like to watch out for this amongst your friends, family and work colleagues.
As many of you around the world are heading into your summer time, as we head into
our winter you may like to watch out for this amongst your friends, family and work colleagues.
Most people will have heard of S.A.D seasonal affective disorder (if not look for the article I did about it) that happens through the darkened days of the year with not enough sunlight.
R.S.A.D reverse seasonal disorder, is a type of depression that badly affects people in the summer. It is not know exactly why this depression happens in relation to the brain, whether it is because they can’t cope with to much heat or to much sunlight it is unclear.
The origins of R.S.A.D are unknown and many people who have summer depression just think it’s down to events rather than being part of a pattern, which could take a few years to establish. If you think you may be suffering from R.S.A.D then start making a diary of your mood and the exact weather conditions. Or think back over the last few summers, can you pin point your mood. Add the way you felt with an episode of your life? Something that should have made you very happy but you still felt incredibly sad?
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms for R.S.A.D are very different to S.A.D
1. You will feel very depressed
2. Agitation
3. Anxiety
4. Insomnia
5. Poor appetite
6. Loss of weight
7. Increase in sexual activity but never being satisfied
8. In extreme cases fantasies of suicide
9. Lack of concentration
The first reported case of S.A.D was in 1984 by Dr. Wehr and Dr Rosenthal. Tyhier findings also brought up people who said they felt depressed in the summer.
The two Dr’s manipulated peoples body temperatures. People with depression tend to show higher body temperature at night and people on antidepressants show a lower body and brain temperature.
After the doctors had heated the people up, they then cooled them down with reverse thermal blankets. The people went out side feeling better but on entering the heat and light of a summer’s day all their symptoms of depression came back.
Many patients have just learnt how to deal with Summer S.A.D. but again as with the winter sadness, it seems more women than men suffer with it.
TREATMENT
Although you are limited to treatments apart from antidepressants / mood stabilisers, there are things you can try to see if they bring you some relief.
1. Keep out of the heat in an air-conditioned room
2. Go outside in the evening or early morning
3. Keep an ice pack or cold clothe around the back of your neck
4. Sunglasses
5. Sleep with ice-cold water bottles.
6. Frequent cold showers
There have been some links between summer sad and bipolar, so any signs of depression should be checked by your own Doctor.
Author lillyrose 6/11/09
Liked it
Themax | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
you are very expert upon this topic SAD!!
Glad I found these info from you,Thanks
johnnydod | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
how interesting thanks
shanthu | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
thanks lott
cardy | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
Wow what a good read really good well written article thanks for the info!
cutedrishti8 | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
Nice helpful information
Frances Lawrence | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
That was a very interesting article, I didn’t know anything about it until reading this.
Teves | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
Nice stuff…
Ruby Hawk | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
Good information,
Papa Sparks | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
Another well-written and informative essay from you Lisa. I’ve heard about this before, but have not read much on it. This is some good information for people who might be curious as to why they might have the winter blahs.
Papa Sparks | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
oops…not winter blahs, but the summer blues
Mystify | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
wow I never knew this!Fanstastic work Lilly,very informative,interesting and well written!!
jimbob1 | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could just fint that climatic utopia and we’d never be bothered with SAD or RSAD again. Thanks for your work on both these submissions. Great job.
giftarist | Nov 7, 2009 | Reply
Interesting, first time I\’ve heard of this!
Lostash | Nov 7, 2009 | Reply
I think this is me! I hate the summer! It’s torture every year. I can’t even go in the sun for long periods, as it flares up psoriasis too. Give me spring and autumn at any time!
Patrick Regoniel | Nov 7, 2009 | Reply
The change in temperature must be the culprit.
lillyrose | Nov 7, 2009 | Reply
OMG Losty, you must be my twin, thats how I feel about summer, I hate the heat, it renders me unable to move as heat affects my MS badly and I always thought I was light sensitive as I can’t stand the brightness of the sun but then again I feel depressed through the winter months too! Hahaha just lock me away and throw away the key!
deep blue | Nov 7, 2009 | Reply
Must have experienced it back in the Philippines years ago. Too much heat is really difficult to bear, now I have too much cold in here.
redmail99 | Nov 8, 2009 | Reply
very informative, I liked it
craigz | Nov 8, 2009 | Reply
This condition seems to impact many people. Thanks for the insight. Wonderful article.
STEVE666 | Nov 9, 2009 | Reply
On noticing yours and Lostash’s comments about hating the sun. As fellow Brits, you’ll have to remind me. What summer? What heat? When was this? I must have missed that day!
lillyrose | Nov 9, 2009 | Reply
LOL… I think we are talking about any weather were you have to put a jumper on as being to hot!