How to Avoid Summertime Sadness & Depression
Everybody feels it’s normal to feel lonely or depressed in winter due to the dullness of the weather — so much cold and little or no sunshine. People go out only when it’s necessary, many people spend most of their time indoors which causes them to feel lonely or get depressed. Winter is usually not a good time for people with certain mental health conditions, more suicides are recorded during this period.
Contrary to the popular notion, mental conditions do not go away in a particular season. In fact, research has shown that most mental health conditions are life long conditions. Examples of these condition include depression, anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and bipolar. A lot of people look forward to Summer because it’s a time to have fun, vacation, relax while avoiding stressful activities. This is not always the case for many who are battling with mental illness. Many believe that people with mental conditions feel better during this time. This post highlights some habits to develop during summer in order to take care of one’s mental health.
Here are ways to manage mental health during summer.
1) Spend more time with family and friends:
Rather than staying in, feeling lonely and getting depressed, spending time with family and friends is a great way to keep active. This is a time when your folks want to relax too. Planning a dinner or game night, visiting amazing places with your friends and relatives will help you do away with some of those feelings of loneliness or anxiety.
2) Exercise:
Research has shown that exercise increases endorphin levels in the body, endorphins are a group of chemicals in the brain that help increase positive feeling in the body. If you spend more time exercising this summer you are in for a good and stable mood.
3) Perfect a skill you have:
Perfecting a skill you have always wanted to be good at is another way to get engaged in the summer. Take up a challenge and get better at what you do. This will help put your mind off certain issues that may be bothering you.
4) Read more books:
Summer is a time to relax so reading more books and getting engaged with things you enjoy would be of great help, you can learn something new by reading. You can also get books that can help boost your mind and make you feel better.
5) Get a new vision:
Learning something new is another way of getting engaged during the summer. This would help you feel better about yourself. Learn how to dance, learn some technical skills, volunteer for programs within your neighborhood or any other thing your mind is committed to would be of great help during summer.
6) Do not compare yourself to others:
Summer is a season where almost everyone is spending time to have fun as much as they can. Most of them get to put updates of what is happening in their lives on social media, so spending less time on social media will be a good idea especially for someone that doesn’t feel confident about his or her life. At times like this, you can spend time doing other things, you can watch a movie, invite some friends over or attend seminars that are mind lifting.
Summer is a time to have fun, do not let negative feelings determine your mood or how you spend your Sumner. You are in charge of your mind and you deserve to enjoy every bit of it no matter the season.
If you are experiencing problems with mental health, depression, or anxiety, never hesitate to reach out for help! There are many valuable resources out there, no matter what your need may be. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml