Reverse SAD
Trigger Warning: This post contains references to themes of mental health issues and suicide, which some readers may find distressing.
Spring is here and so are colourful flowers, blue skies, and sunshine. The dawn chorus provides the melodic opening to each new day, followed by barking of roe deer which echoes through the woodland. Foxes call to one another at night. It’s the perfect season to visit the nature reserve, where I can spend hours observing life. Birds courting and collecting nest materials. Insects flitting between awakening plants. So why do I feel low? Or rather, why – like many others – do I feel Reverse SAD?
What Is SAD?
SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder – is associated commonly with late autumn and winter. Fewer hours of daylight, endless grey skies and wet weather, and a general slowing down of activities. I understand. Especially the seemingly relentless rain and drizzle which punctuate the season. And the clouded skies, either overcast or just grey/white stretching as far as one can see. It combines to create feelings which can include low mood, listlessness, fatigue, sleep difficulties, social withdrawal, changes in appetite, sadness, and loss of interest in hobbies.
There is almost an expectation that folk will be somewhat miserable; social activity limited to passing conversations as people scurry for cover in warm, well lit spaces, away from the general gloom.
Light therapy is a popular winter SAD treatment. Using a high intensity medical grade light to mimic daylight, providing a natural mood boost. Other options for people with winter SAD include taking extra vitamin D, talking therapy, and anti-depressants.
Spring Sunshine
Coming through winter and into spring, there’s a sense of emerging from a form of hibernation. Warmer days encourage people to spend more time outside, which often leads to an increase in social interactions.
Sunlight boosts mood by increasing levels of serotonin (sometimes referred to as a ‘happy hormone’) production in the brain. Daytime melatonin (the sleep cycle hormone) production is suppressed through exposure to sunlight. This leads to reduced tiredness and higher energy levels during the day. When the light begins to fade, melatonin is released, telling the body to rest. Sunlight also stimulates production of vitamin D, which is an important contributor to muscle and nerve function, bone health, and supporting the immune system.
Reverse SAD
Years ago I explained to a friend that one reason I like the winter is that there are reduced daylight hours, making it harder to see people’s faces. Visible facial expressions need energy to process: reading, assessing, understanding the appropriate reaction. When younger, I was often told (by strangers, usually male) to ‘cheer up’, advised that ‘it might never happen’, or asked ‘who died?’ Less so now I’m older. It’s just my mask, trying to cover that I’m attempting to make sense of the world around me.
The idea of preferring not to see faces can be true for anyone who struggles socialising (particularly those with any form of neurodivergence). And come spring, expectations are high that people will respond to the season with happiness. With expressions of relief that the dark winter months are over, and sunshine and flowers have returned. Friends and strangers are more likely to want to spend time talking, rather than hurrying inside away from the less clement weather of autumn and winter. Those who don’t match these levels of seasonal joy may feel guilt at being unable to join the open-armed welcome of spring and summertime.
Pressure to be upbeat, and to accept social invitations (whether to pass the time of day, or go out with friends or family) can be overwhelming. Add to that the human biology stressors of higher temperatures and increased humidity, and life can become uncomfortable quickly. Longer hours of daylight and greater exposure to sunshine can disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to reduced sleep and increased irritability.
Research
Research by the Priory Group found suicide figures in the UK peak in May, with a 50% increase in some cases. The seasonal effect is seen around the world, with the northern hemisphere witnessing a big rise in suicides in April, May and June while the southern hemisphere sees a similar rise in November. No one has a complete explanation as to why, but the leading theory is that the increase is down to the effects of sunlight on our hormones.
Seasonal changes that raise the majority of people from winter apathy may work against those who suffer with depression. Spring brings the boost of energy required for implementing a suicide plan. The season is typically celebrated as a time for new beginnings. But the conflict between a world which is coming to life, and the barren inner self of the depressed can be too much to bear.
Sunlight-driven boosts in serotonin levels can make people more angry and aggressive and, if they suffer with clinical depression, they might turn the aggression on themselves. This theory is supported by research undertaken by Canadian scientists which found a summer increase, particularly in women and men over the age of sixty-five.
Other researchers believe that the influence of sunlight on another hormone, melatonin, is to blame. Sunlight inhibits production of melatonin, which regulates our circadian rhythm. Depressive illness is particularly sensitive to disrupted sleep patterns.
SAD – Not Just For Winter
As T. S. Eliot observed in his opening line of ‘The Wasteland’ (1922):
“April is the cruellest month”
Eliot’s words might be read as suggesting the opening to the spring season is cruel. It forces life and growth to emerge from a “dead land,” though the speaker prefers the numbness of winter. During the darker months, people can survive in a protected state of semi-hibernation. Come April, the sounds and light of the season, the increased number of people outside, and the resultant surge of hope, serve to remind those who feel broken of things they do not have. It can bring a sense of nostalgia for happier times.
Dante Alighieri wrote in Divine Comedy (written between 1308 and 1321):
“There is no greater sorrow than to recall happiness in times of misery”
The seasonal happiness experienced by many during spring, might conversely rest heavily with those who feel the weight of depression and absence of happy times now past.
Treatment
Professional help is top of any list in trying to manage mental health challenges. Support varies depending on location, but should nevertheless be sought.
Sticking to a routine, avoiding prolonged exposure to sunlight, and keeping as cool as possible may help those who struggle with the season. It is also important to resist external pressures to socialise. This might be something one does with the backing of trusted friends or family who can provide human contact without any expectation of grand adventures or mixing with large groups. The connection is based on a depth of friendship which endures regardless of whether your together time involves existing silently and comfortably in one another’s company, or day tripping to share sightseeing experiences.
Help
It’s not easy to ask for help, especially when it can be hard to describe a state of mind, or explain daily experiences. Support is available though, and a few key numbers are listed below:
- The Samaritans offer 24-hour, confidential support – call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org (UK) (opens email)
- National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK – call 0800 689 5652
- Text SHOUT to 85258 (opens link to text)
- Call C.A.L.L. on 0800 132 737 (Wales only)
- If in crisis call emergency services on 999 (opens link to call)
