Psychiatrist Sivolap spoke about summer depression and how to deal with it

This is a rare seasonal disorder that can affect up to one percent of the population.

Many people have heard about autumn and winter depression, but, as a rule, no one talks about summer depression. Although this does not mean that it does not exist – for some people, seasonal depression starts in the summer. And they proceed approximately according to the same mechanisms as classical depressive disorders. How do you recognize summer depression? What causes it? How to deal with it? This was told to “MK” by a well-known psychiatrist, professor of the Department of Psychiatry at the People’s Friendship University of Russia Yuri Sivolap.

It is known that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) occurs in patients at certain times of the year, most often in the autumn-winter period, which is quite understandable: the sky becomes gloomy, the weather changes, and with it the mood. A number of people at this time begin to experience such symptoms as fatigue, apathy, melancholy, loss of working capacity, sleep disorders, lack of attention, etc. SAD develops more often in young people, approximately 80% of patients experience their first attack at the age of 18–30 years. Women are more likely to suffer from SAD than men. VTsIOM statistics show that 42% of Russians experience symptoms of blues, but only 6% develop seasonal depression. Summer depression, according to expert estimates, is the lot of about 1% of the population.

– Summer depression is not exactly a common diagnosis – I would call it one of the rare varieties of seasonal depression, – says Yuri Sivolap. – Much more often we are dealing with autumn depression, but the onset of seasonal depression, apparently, depends on the own biological rhythms of a particular person. Seasonal depression is a special type of depression, characterized by recurrent episodes and can develop every year on the same day, such as August 22 or September 14. Relatives of patients, as a rule, are aware of this and are ready for the fact that a loved one will say that nothing pleases him, and present other typical complaints that are characteristic of depression.

What are these typical complaints?

– Joylessness, impaired concentration; it becomes difficult for a person to cope with the usual things, especially those requiring mental stress, he wants to be left alone, to fence himself off even from his closest and loved ones. Sleep may worsen, or, on the contrary, a person can sleep a lot, but there is not enough sleep (hypersomnia). May weaken or sometimes increase appetite; self-esteem decreases; there is a feeling of meaninglessness of life and lack of perspective.

Seasonal depression is a type of major depressive disorder, but there is also a seasonal condition in bipolar disorder that manifests as both periods of arousal (mania) and depression. In the summer, for patients with bipolar disorder, periods of depression are not very characteristic, but they still happen.

– What could be the causes of summer depression? For example, the media write that a photo from the rest of social network users or dissatisfaction with their physical form can become a trigger …

– The causes of depression can be very different, but if we talk about envy of someone else’s vacation or dissatisfaction with my figure in the summer, I have never had such cases in practice. Although, perhaps, depression can occur through such mechanisms, but it is doubtful.

How to treat seasonal depression?

– All depressions are treated in the same way – with special drugs, which, of course, must be selected and prescribed by a doctor. Most preferred are modern drugs that affect norepinephrine and dopamine, a group of norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors. Unfortunately, the most effective drug of this class is not registered in our country, but it would be great if it returned. Seasonal depression is convenient because it can be anticipated and symptoms prevented in advance by prescribing antidepressants.

…Experts remind that moderate physical activity and proper nutrition remain important factors in the fight against depression. Physical activity will help you make up for the lack of endorphins that most of us have after a summer vacation. Outdoor workouts are best suited for this, including dancing on open verandas. Doctors call natural antidepressants dark chocolate, oranges, bananas, nuts, herbal teas and phytobalms, infusions of wild rose, eleutherococcus. In addition, creamy ice cream, ginger and St. John’s wort help in the fight against despondency. Observe also the regime of the day and sleep: you need to get up and go to bed at the same time, and before midnight, and you should sleep at least 8 hours.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 29094 dated August 17, 2023

Newspaper headline:
Longing under the sun