Prepare Yourself for the Melancholy and Sadness of Fall

Seasonal transitions can be welcomed or bittersweet. Here’s how to handle this one.

September sunset at Cape May Point, NJ. Photo by the author.

In late summer, when I was young, the early evening air filled with music from the local high school’s marching band practice. The sound of drums and strident brass wafted down the hill to our home. Those “big kids,” who seemed impossibly wizened and mature to me, were prepping for the fall.

Even as a young child, this bittersweet reminder of summer’s end left me with sadness and longing, but also hopeful expectation for the season ahead.

As a psychologist, I see a variety of reactions to the changing seasons among clients — sometimes filled with hope and wonder, and other times, frustration and even dread. Although fall may herald a new start — a new school year, a busier time at work, or at least, a reprieve from heat and humidity — it also can evoke a sense of loss. The beauty of September’s crystal blue skies taunt us with the reminder that beauty and joy are fleeting, change is inevitable, and winter (physically or metaphorically) will arrive soon.

How seasonal transitions affect us

The paradox of seasonal change — how nature’s transitions herald both joy and sadness — can create a sense of disequilibrium. The beauty of any season is often coupled with a dark side. The freewheeling promise of summer is accompanied by miserable, blazing heat. Picture-perfect winter snowflakes can transform into a treacherous storm. The beauty of fall signifies endings, with its gorgeous colors as the year’s final curtain call.

Many cultures honor the passage of time associated with the seasons. Some Native Americans in the US, for example, honor the Winter solstice (the day with the least sunlight in the northern hemisphere) with a traditional sun dance. Scandinavians celebrate St. Lucia’s Day, with the intention of envisioning hope at the darkest time of year.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition that causes depression, apathy, and fatigue, is tied to seasonal changes in the late fall and winter. SAD is associated with decreased daylight hours and disruptions in melatonin levels and it affects millions of Americans…