Summertime depression?

[bigteamug]

So having gone a year and a half in depression treatment, I am starting to realize that summer is a huge trigger for me.  Messed up schedule, seeing less of mama friends, having very little time by myself, it all adds up - so while I was sorta ok for awhile, it's getting bad again.

Anybody else noticed this pattern?  What helped most?  

[poetlizabeth]

  While summer is my favorite season, I have noticed being more anxious and depressed. This is most likely due to having more unstructured free time. What helps me is keeping a consist work schedule, planning fun things to do with the child I take care (5 yrs. old) and my friends. I am also on medication but want to get off of it soon. Some advice I have is plan more structured activities with your children and find activities where you can meet others and try to find a baby-sitter or a trusted friend who can watch your children when you need a break.

[mom0810]

YES!  I hate summer.  I get more depressed in summer than any other time of year.  It's having no schedule, the kids are over tired because it doesn't get dark until later, the oppressive, unbearable heat (it's going to be 110 here today with the heat index), feeling trapped in my air conditioned home... I think what I have is SAD, but in reverse.  This must be how people who don't like winter feel around February.  I just hate the heat, I have asthma, so I can't really do a lot of active things outside in the summer, and I just hate the fact that if I go out, I am going to be covered in sweat in a matter of minutes.  You are not alone, momma.  

[purplerose]

Ever since I was a teenager, I have had depression during summer, coming to a head in August. I get stir-crazy, bi-polar almost. I have even run away from home when I was 17. 2 days into my Senior year! I still very strongly feel the urge to leave when August hits but I don't, of course, I have my own family now. 2 years ago things got so bad for me and I started having some bad panic attacks. Heart palpitations, panic, strong urge to run. I thought something bad was wrong with my heart and after tests found out it was anxiety. I also have borderline personality disorder (and I hate the name, bc it sounds like I have a boring personality lol) which I think stems from my childhood.

Anyway, while I still hate and dread summer, the next two summers and August after all the anxiety attacks were pretty decent. No bad urges to leave, rare attacks,...I have 2 close friends who understand anxiety and one has a psych degree and once I talked things out and worked them out in my head, everything calmed. There is a huge difference in my head now than even 2 years ago. I guess once I realized what was "wrong" with me every year and tried to work through it, it got so much better. Here we are nearing August and I am not feeling that horrible dread and the need to run off forever.

I never have figured out exactly why this one part of the year is so bad...I always hated school but I graduated 16 years ago(oh wow!) so why would *that* still affect me? Welp in any case, I seemed to have worked through it and life is so much easier to deal with. I still have some anxiety, like now two of my homeschooled kids are going to public school this year and I'm expecting a baby around the same time, but I am handling it pretty well compared to how I would have years ago.

I never went on any meds for this, either, as I am scared of things like that. If it had not gotten better and kept getting worse, I'd have thought about it. Sometimes keeping busy helps. Loud music helps. Going out with my husband without the kids helps.(mine are old enough to stay home alone). And talking...talk about it! Not just typing...but have a friend meet you somewhere peaceful without the kids and talk about it.