• Jinarched@lemmy.ca
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    8 days ago

    I have a summer seasonal affective disorder. I know it’s a bit controversial diagnosis, but I absolutely have a terrible time during summer. It’s so bad I start to be increasingly anxious about summer by the end of February because I know it’s slowly approaching.

    I find daylight to be pleasant like everybody, but after a very short time I start to feel drained as if it was too much. I like cloudy days or when it rains. During summer, I basically don’t sleep. Even when the heat is not an issue I just can’t sleep.

    Lately I’ve been smiling and laughing more and more; I feel much more at peace. It’s always strange to finally feel energized and genuinely happy when most people around me feel the complete opposite.

    • TheBluePillock@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      I’m similar. Definitely way more sluggish and depressed in summer, and my sleep is very poor even if I control the temperature. I enjoy rain and darkness. I prefer night shift. Autumn is my favorite because summer is finally over and it’s the longest time before summer comes again, plus it has the best holidays. I sleep best in winter and I’m more productive, energized, and happy.

      But unlike SAD, it’s a lot harder to fix than just getting a sun lamp. I already do sleep in as dark a room as I can get during the day, but it’s never enough. Though the few times I’ve had access to a truly pitch black room to sleep in, it’s been really helpful.

      It’s a weird way to be and most people really don’t understand.

    • GuyLivingHere@lemmy.ca
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      7 days ago

      I feel for you. Although I never got an actual diagnosis, I am fairly sure I have traditional SAD. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, because I handle cooler temps better than warm ones, but I guess it’s a sunlight exposure thing.

      • Jinarched@lemmy.ca
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        7 days ago

        I knew someone who claimed that light therapy helped. I don’t know much about it, in your case it might be worth a short. Some people talked about melatonin, but I don’t think it helps that much if at all (but that’s just based my own experience).

        In any cases, I hope this winter won’t be too hard on you this year.