Wow... so Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder is Real

For years now, I've joked about having Reverse SAD. You know how some folks get depressed in the winter? Well, I get depressed in the summer. The heat, humidity, and long hours of light bum me out, and I don't want to leave my apartment. It's miserable outside, and I'd much rather stay in the confines of an air-conditioned room. My temper shortens significantly and I'm quite irritable. Despite running a portable A/C in my bedroom (on top of my regular air conditioner) I struggle to sleep. My daily commute goes from "I can handle this" to "I hate everyone on this entire planet and I wish an asteroid would hurry up and end this mistake we call humanity."

The thing is... I didn't realize that Reverse SAD was a real thing. I was just observing that as the summer gets hotter, I become more unhappy. So much so, I've seriously discussed the need to possibly relocate somewhere outside of North Carolina where the temperatures don't get so hot, for so long.

Then I ran across a video the other day discussing Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder and it sent me down a rabbit hole.

Dr. Jordan Gaines Lewis from Psychology Today says:

While winter SAD is linked to a lack of sunlight, it is thought that summer SAD is due to the reverse—possibly too much sunlight, which also leads to modulations in melatonin production. Another theory is that people might stay up later in the summer, throwing their sensitive circadian rhythms for a loop. Interestingly, summer SAD and winter SAD seem to be prevalent in areas that are particularly prone to warmer summers. In other words, people in the southern U.S. tend to experience summer SAD more than those in the north, and vice versa.

Research also suggests that high temperatures might play a role in reverse SAD. Notable differences between summer and winter SAD are that summer SAD individuals may typically feel manic, whereas those with winter SAD lack energy. Georgetown University psychiatrist and professor Norman Rosenthal, who first described and coined the term Seasonal Affective Disorder, notes that the drop in temperature can be calming for those people, who might otherwise find the summer heat oppressive and agitating.

Yea... that describes me, big-time.

My wife and I began looking back at some changes that have occurred over the years, and thanks in part to my blogging history and journals, I was able to track a pretty consistent pattern.

1. Around July of every year I stop working out and counting calories.
2. I often stop blogging around July of each year and don't start back up until the fall.
3. Any moments of intense anger and rage I've experienced and threatened to lash out (idiots who sit in their car and blast their music for example) have all occurred from May-August of each year.

I don't have a formal diagnosis nor do I need one. There isn't anything you can do for this other than try to stay as cool as possible: run errands in the morning, use fans, wear light clothing... all things I already do. I did buy two new nice Levoit fans this week though, and a cooling blanket. I figured that is a small price to pay to try and stay just a little bit cooler as July approaches.

I also put in my papers to start remote working a couple of days, which should allow me to avoid traffic and the heat. I'm hoping that by realizing that Reverse SAD is a real thing, I can prioritize patience and calmness going forward. I can keep a workout schedule and meditate consistency. You know, just do the small things that will hopefully result in making this summer go by as easy as possible.

Additional Reading:
Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder | Symptoms & Treatments by Norman Rosenthanl