More anxious in the summer or winter?

[uk23]

I find myself getting more anxious as the weather gets warmer, does anyone else find this?

[scaredstiff695]

YES YES AND MORE YEA BIG FAT YESES.

Im so glad you have posted this last year people thought i was mad when i said i love winter lol dont get me wrong the warm weather is ice for kids etc (not boiling though)
but has for me my anxiety gets worse i put it down to the heat and the way it makes my body feel (not a heat person at all) xxx
if im in the car no matter when i like to hae a breeze on me. my bedroom window is always oopen even if its a a centimetere in winter

[PanchoGoz]

I feel worse in bad weather, as opposed to seasonal. On a sunny day I can feel perfect, or horrid on a rainy day.

[harasgenster]

Yep, me too. It's not a summer/winter thing with me. It's either clear sky - feel good (sometimes ecstatic/hyperactive), bad weather - feel awful (usually too tired to do anything).

My mood, productivity, energy and optimism/pessimism, even my self-esteem jumps and crashes really dramatically depending on whether there are clouds in the sky, regardless of whether it's winter or summer.

Personally, my favourite season is autumn. I always feel happiest in autumn.

My friends when I was at school always said I was a "sensory" person, in that I would always notice the sky or take a lot of notice in the natural things around me. I've always put it down to this. I just take too much notice!

It's also why I like autumn best - the air is just the right temperature, it smells lovely (all damp), it looks really colourful and we usually get a very soft, nice light in autumn, and we generally have clear skies.

[Rachel424]

I thought I was the only one! Now Spring is on the way I feel super-anxious. I was exactly the same last year, in fact I felt so bad I ended up in hospital! I don't want to go through that ever again. There must be some connection between the sunshine and chemicals in the brain. I know you're meant to feel more depressed/anxious in winter, but I'm the opposite. I hate warm weather, and I dread a heat wave in the summer!

[butterfly1]

Hi i am more anxious in the summer for various reasons!! Firstly i feel very alone as couples and families are out doing things 2gether, going out for days and enjoying themselves. The friends i have are coupled off, my youngest is 13 so we do go places but miss adult company. Another reason is fashion, some look so lovely in all the latest fashion and i am so self concious about my body now, i just want to cover up or hide away. What a waste of a life i tell myself.:shades:

[Belleblue]

We've had "lovely" weather here for a couple of days, I can feel my heart sink already and it's only March! I start to get feelings of doom once the weather starts to warm up. I love it when the days shorten and there's a distinct chill in the air.

In latter years I have begun to "come out" about being an autumn/winter lady and have been surprised at how many people feel the same. Maybe we should have a secret sign:winks:

Still there's always sunglasses to hide behind:shades:

But on a serious note I'd love to know why finer weather makes certain individuals more anxious/depressed... because I have no idea why I feel this way.
Belleblue x

[snowgoose]

bright sunlight spooks me .............dark glasses always
as does artificial light too.
wonder if longer days make us agrophobes more wistful as others are out in the evening ?
Autumn best for me too xxx

[macc noodle]

Low cloud and grey days - hate 'em - makes me feel anxious and panicky and I get really bad tension headaches.

Sunny days - love 'em - makes me feel optimistic and brighter (although too much sun for too long makes me crotchety!!!)

Seems we are all differently affected but then I am very lucky that I love getting out and about as it seems to lift my mood and anxieties diminish. Being in the house too long makes me think too much about my HA and exacerbates it.

:)

[Belleblue]

I am much more energetic and more inclined to go out and about during autumn/winter/spring than on hot or warm summer days. I usually have to push myself out the door then.

I think part of the problem with warm clear sunny days is that I feel more exposed.. more visible if you like... when the skys are overcast I feel more hidden. Also having more clothes on ie jacket, coat makes me feel that I'm more "armoured". It always takes me a couple of weeks to get used to going around in less stuff. I'm not self conscious about my body, I'm just self conscious about being judged I guess.

It is strange and interesting how we react differently according to the weather.
It's good to know there are others out there like me though:)

[Rachel424]

Well it doesn't help that when I was sorting out my wardrobe the other day, a lot of my summer dresses don't fit me this year! I have noticed a bit of weight gain, could be a side-effects of the meds I'm on, but now it's officailly confirmed! I'm now a 12/14, rather than a 10/12, so I'm not huge, but I still feel so self-conscious, and I really hate my legs being exposed. I much prefer being in winter clothes, as others have said, they're like a secuirty blanket. I really miss my winter boots!

Right now I'm longing for rain. I love being at home and listening to the rain gently tapping on the window, it's a very soothing feeling for me.

[indy]

I think that people who are more suseptable to depression , or have suffered depression can fall victim to s.a.d. Yes it can also occur in the spring as well as st the start of winter. I get anxious and very down every start of spring. I do love sunshine and summer so i cant figure it. Nothing bad has ever happenned to me at this time of year. I just put it down to the change of season and it obviously affects my psychy. Im very sensitive and also notice that the moon can affect my mood. Fortunately once the summer is well established my depression lifts and i enjoy the summer. It never happens in winter. I love crisp autumn days, dark nights and the snow. I look forward to the summer, but dread the actual onset when the horrible down anxious feeling invades. Its something you learn to live with. So once again a big YES YES. Seasonal affective disorder can and does happen in spring as well as autumn.No one really knows why, but i think its all to do with ones personality and the cosmos and all other mysteries in this world that will never be quite solved. Tip. Try, as hard as it seems, to ignore depression, as thinking about it actually feeds it as anxiety feeds on fear. I realise thats not always possible as ive often been very depressed and its terrifying.

[Belleblue]

You make some good points there Indy. We always think of seasonal affective disorder as being about the winter months. But of course people can be affected by seasonal change in the Spring/Summer too. And like you I don't recall anything particularly bad ever happening to me at that time of year either. I just feel safer during the cooler months.

It's also the very beginning of Spring that affects me most too - once the season is more established I find I can cope better:)

[heavenly]

I generally don't like the winter, dark mornings, dark evenings. But this has been my first winter suffering from anxiety and depression and I am so grateful that Spring is here. Just putting my face up to the sun and closing my eyes.....just fills my heart.

[Jemlou]

I feel better when the sun is shining down on me, instantly lifts my room. Altho I have never really minded winter either except for this last one which i have not at all enjoyed!

[londonchris]

I most definitely feel worse in the winter. I get the winter blues a lot anyway on the short cold days, getting up in the dark definitely does NOT help my anxiety :wacko:

Plus as I suffer a lot from chest tightness and ectopic beats, I find that constant tiredness from the chill weather and also the tension as we tense up to keep ourselves warm doesn't help at all.

Summer is much better, I feel relaxed and more energetic in the summer, in body and mind. The days are longer and my mood is brighter. Bring on the summer :yesyes:

[evil monkey]

prefer winter. darker.

i like summer if i can do stuff in it.... :)

[Belleblue]

It's 21 degrees where I live - and wall to wall sunshine. Most people seemed to be rejoicing in the lovely weather, but all I felt was doom.

I did however force myself to go out and face my fear. But all I want to do is hibernate until September. Roll on Autumn. Sorry to all you Summer lovers - I hope you all had a lovely day:)

[Typer]

Interesting.

I don't like winter. Hate dark nights and grey days. Hate having to wear lots of layers and be all wrapped into clothes.

Our summers seem much too hot these days. The air seems thinner and what with that and the heat, it resembles a panic attack and for me, can then bring one on because being hot cause the palpitations to worsen.

I love spring and Autumn because its still light but not too hot or cold and the air seems so much fresher. Mind you, this spring, like today is very hot.

Has the world shifted? Summers and springs come much earlier these days

[Badger74]

Hi all

I've only just found this forum today and cannot believe there are others who feel like me about summer (thank god i'm not the only one!) :)-it's the main thing i just can't get over;no-one else seems to be able to grasp the fact that as soon as the sun is shining-even if it's cold & sunny, i start to feel anxious! It's got slowly worse over the years and i've been signed off for a few weeks during July/Aug twice in the past 3 yrs. I spend May-Sept just wishing the days away and i know this a complete waste of life, but don't know how to get over it. I've made loads of progress this last winter and would have thought that would change things, but it hasn't-seeing the temps rise and everyone getting excited about a heatwave summer, just makes me feel so sick and anxious. Thanks for sharing-you've made me feel so much better.x

[Eames]

Doesnt change how anxious I am but I am definetely more prone to feeling sad in the winter.

I'm more anxious at night, so I guess you could say I'm more anxious in the winter as night draws in more quickly.

[daydreamer]

I dont like the heat. Its spring and its already hot outside, Im sure it never used to be this hot in springs gone by! I dont like it when there arent any clouds in the sky, it makes me feel spacey and dizzy and brings on derealization. I like cold days when there are white fluffy clouds in the sky, there is a breeze and the sun is shining, not when the suns blazing down on you like today!

[Belleblue]

Just thought I'd resurrect this for those of you who have difficulty coping with the heat and summer in general at the moment.

I'm finding London really oppressive at the moment - the air is so still and heavy. A feeling of gloom has descended on me and I can't shake it off. We were supposed to have rain at 4 o'clock - but not a drop has fallen so far. Thunderstorms later apparently.

Can't wait for autumn - sorry to all the summer lovers.

Belle xx

[Anxious_gal]

BOTH
On hot days I can over heat and feel ill.
In winter I'm scared to walk on ice after I had a fall, I didn't go any where for ages last time we had a lot of ice, I have naturally cold hands so in cold weather this can be very painful and my hands can turn blue.
it get dark earlier and night time makes my anxiety worse!
:)

[fishman65]

Generally speaking,I feel worse in the winter months.This is possibly because my problems kicked off in the winter and any depression I feel at that time of the year is just exacerbated by short,dark days.Having just said that,anxiety can hit me at any time of the year if the accumulative factors that trigger me are right.

[xtremx]

This weather makes me :mad::weep:

[xhyperyogix]

I just spent ages saying what happens depending on the weather., Anyway, I can't put it down right. Apart from to say, the seasons have a PROFOUND affect on me. x x x

[evil monkey]

Peeved of in the summer because I'm not doing wot i wanna be doing... (wot everyone else is doing)

but found wearing sunglasses is good because u can sorta hide behind em.

[Rhys1879SAFC]

I feel terrible during warm weather for some reason too, looking forward to October when things cool down abit haha.

Also, I find that in the Summer months I'm almost always sitting in the house bored which certainly doesn't help matters because you just spend all day thinking. At least in September I will be back at College, I think getting a good job would help me but they're so difficult to find.

[cwoz82]

I only really realised this year that my anxiety seems to run in cycles according to the seasons. I am definately more anxious in summer than winter but i think there are a variety of reasons.
For myself, i do not deal well with heat, a nice sunny day by the sea with a breeze yes, but working and anything else i can't cope with, particularly when there is no air.
I also think it has to do with pushing my comfort zone, i like being at home with my husband and my dogs. In summer i find i'm more in demand socially, i drink more and stay up later, fill my weekends and don't rest enough, which we all know doesn't help anxiety. In turn these demands all knock me off balance, i get more tired in the summer because i do more and perhaps end up going places / doing things i'm not entirely comfortable with.
I love spring and Autumn, its bright but it's cool and i love the dead of winter when the air is always so crisp. My favourite season is spring though, i always feel incredibly positive at that time of year. I always seem to go onto medications in June / July and when i have felt able to come off medications i have always done in April. I came off my last lot in January though as a new years resolution to myself to go a year without the medications and thus far i'm winning!

[CrazyC]

Im worse in the winter because i get depression and that leaves me with no motivation which then leads me to worry!! - Although on hot days sometimes i forget to drink enough and then feel a little faint which = big panic and sweats as i feel i may faint.

Much happier when the sun is shining though.

[BexMindingMind]

I know this is a late reply, but I thought I'd weigh in. Having depression and anxiety - my depression is worse in the winter and my anxiety is worse in the summer. I find, especially this year, that my anxiety levels are high in correlation with the humidity. I don't have asthma or anything, but I find that a can feel the humidity when I breath (which, obviously, when anxious, isn't the easiest thing to do) and then get panicked because it's not as easy as breathing in the winter. (Fear of having a panic attack, etc.)

It doesn't help that I live in an old house with no A/C. I live in Canada, near Toronto and like others have said - autumn is my favourite season.

Bex