Spring is in full swing, and summer will be here before we know it. If you or your child has a mental health diagnosis, you might have mixed feelings about summer. It’s a season that can bring fresh opportunities to manage your conditions better, but it can also be a time that is more trying for some people. At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, in Leland, North Carolina, we treat adolescents and adults who are experiencing mental and behavioral crises. We want to share some tools you can use to support your mental health during the hottest months of the year.
Understanding Why Summer Might Be Challenging
There are people who love summer, but it can be a difficult time of year for some of us.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Although most people who experience this condition have symptoms during the winter months, there are people whose depressive symptoms are worse during the summer. People who experience SAD in the summer usually report insomnia, poor appetite, weight loss, anxiety, irritability
- Routine adjustments. Because structure and routine are such a big part of managing mental health, changes in routine can make it harder to maintain solid mental health. When school is out for summer, students and their parents may have more difficulty maintaining emotional well-being without a solid plan in place.
- Extreme temperatures. When it’s hot outside, people may be inclined to stay home, where they can avoid the heat. This may result in isolation.
- Travel-related stress. Travel is great for mental health, but not if it leads to overspending and money problems that last long after the vacation is over.
How to Mitigate Negative Mental Health Impacts of Summer
With advance planning, you can take steps to prevent poor mental health outcomes from summer. Some ways to do this could include:
- Implementing routines. Know how you will use your free time and ensure it includes plenty of self-care, recreation and activities that will help you feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Routines can cut down on decision fatigue, reduce stress levels and help kids to feel more secure. If you need help thinking of mental health supporting activities for your children, Crisis Text Line has age-specific suggestions you can consider.
- Putting it on a calendar. Kids are particularly likely to benefit from a visual tool that outlines upcoming events. Use their input to design a schedule that works for all of you. For little ones, this might mean pictures, like a swimsuit to represent the pool, an elephant to represent the zoo, a tree to represent the park, etc. Older children, who can read and write, might prefer to have the activities written out or may even be able to write them onto the calendar.
- Working off energy. Exercise has been linked to a decrease in a variety of mental health symptoms, so it’s a good idea for people of all ages to get regular workouts. This can be more difficult in the summer months. Early mornings and late evenings, when it is not as hot, swimming or indoor activities might be good ways to keep moving without dealing with the heat.
- Being mindful of what you eat and drink. The fuel you give your body directly impacts how you feel and how you perform. If you’re eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet with little or no alcohol, you’re going to feel better than if you’re consuming too much sugar, drinking heavily, or not getting the nutrients you need. One way to increase the odds that you and your children will eat better is to grow a garden. This will not only get you outside and give you a reason to move, but it will also facilitate conversations around nutrition.
- Staying connected to friends and family. The summer months can be very lonely, especially for kids, who aren’t seeing their friends daily, as they would during the school year. Whenever possible, try to help kids see their friends or connect with them virtually. Adults also need to connect with their loved ones, so make time for your own fun with friends and family as well.
At Carolina Dunes Behavioral Health, we strive to give our patients and their families the tools they need to reach and maintain optimal mental health. Our highly skilled team is here to help.
