End-of-summer depression What helps when the approaching fall is getting you down
It will soon be over: summer is coming to an end. It's not easy to say goodbye, many complain and don't want to face autumn. An expert reveals what helps to combat end-of-summer depression.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Moodiness towards the end of summer is often referred to as end-of-summer depression.
- According to psychiatrist Gregor Hasler, it is important to differentiate between depression and moodiness.
- Difficulties with letting go of summer can certainly occur.
- The expert explains why this is the case and what can help.
"August is like the Sunday evening of the months," I recently read online. The blues strike when - contrary to your wishes - something wonderful slowly fades away and you have to face reality: all good things eventually come to an end.
And so it is with summer. Unfortunately. So when I read this line, it clicked. Because I've been feeling sad for weeks, not wanting to admit that the most beautiful season will soon be over. But like every year, you have to say goodbye at some point this year too.
But saying goodbye in 2024 feels particularly difficult. At first, summer had its teething troubles, but then it turned out to be beautiful after all. Now, towards the end, it somehow just feels too short because the beginning was taken away from us due to prolonged bad weather.
The goodbye is heartbreaking - I'm wishing for a phenomenal finale, wanting to pack everything in, stressing about all the unforgettable summer memories that still need to be made. But who knows, maybe there will be an encore in September.
When I tell people around me about my current low, they agree with me. Others seem to be feeling the same. Is it particularly difficult to let go this year or has end-of-summer depression always been an issue?
Saying goodbye to something you love is always difficult
Letting go is never easy for people - especially when they have to let go of something that is particularly close to their heart. "At the end of the summer, the affected person's brain thinks that all the good things they love so much will be taken away from them - swimming in the pool, boat trips or barbecues," says Gregor Hasler, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Fribourg and Chief Physician at the Fribourg Network for Mental Health, in an interview with blue News.
The brain then downgrades expectations compared to autumn and winter, leading to mood swings. The expert explains: "Studies generally show that when the days get longer, the mood gets better, and when the days get shorter again - i.e. from August - the mood gets slightly worse."
This general change in mood does not necessarily mean that we humans suffer as a result, but it can certainly be the case. "It's not easy to quantify the whole thing. It is also essential to differentiate between moodiness and depression," says Hasler.
It is less common for severe depression to develop as a result of the end of summer. However: "People who are affected by depression may experience an increase in the illness towards the fall."
Cold can be "stressful"
The reasons for moods at the end of the beautiful season are, on the one hand, the physiological effect that the days are getting shorter again and we are exposed to less natural light and, on the other hand, the social aspect. The psychiatrist says: "In summer, most people go out more and meet up with friends at the swimming pool. In winter, this is simply more difficult."
And for other sufferers, the temperature can also be a decisive factor. Some people experience the cold as "stressful".
Hold on to the good things in winter
It is important for people who are now experiencing mood swings not to simply give in to these feelings, but to fight against them. "Those affected should not simply withdraw and do nothing."
Hasler advises people to continue to get up regularly, go out and plan things that are good for them. The expert knows: "Advent, sweets, Christmas carols - we invented them all so that there are highlights in winter too." We should bear in mind that the dark season can also be beautiful and have positive things in store.
"And then there are people who would benefit from a two-week vacation in the Caribbean or somewhere else under the sun." This simply raises the question of how good this is for the environment.
Bad start to summer to blame for more moods?
Depression, which is seasonal, does not account for such a large proportion in Switzerland, as Hasler explains. "What is interesting, however, is that pure winter depression is often very different from other types of depression."
For example, atypical behavioral patterns can be observed. Those affected eat more and sleep more. The psychiatrist says: "They fall into a kind of hibernation in order to survive the cold season."
Does the August blues hit particularly hard this year because the start of summer was so rainy? "Certain people are certainly frustrated that they had so few of the days they love so much. This realization doesn't necessarily lead to depression, but more to upset and frustration," says Hasler.
But the summer is not over yet. This week it has once again shown its best side. And: "On the other hand, you can also say that if we haven't really had this summer, it's not quite so bad to let it go again."
