The Spring Blues

I’m sure everyone has heard of the case of the “Winter blues;” the feelings of lethargy, sadness and lack of energy that often comes when the shorter and colder days set in. Most people haven’t heard of the “Spring Blues,” however this is very real as well. Since Spring is supposedly heading our way (however, I’m not so convinced right now), it’s the perfect time to shed some light on this concept.

Springtime brings warmth, sun and flowers. It’s no wonder that so many people associate this time with greater happiness and more energy. But what happens when it doesn’t have this positive effect on a person, or worse off, actually brings or worsens feelings of sadness and depression? Research shows that the number of suicides peak during the Spring season. If you are interested in reading one particular study on it, see the Seasonality of Suicidal Behavior research at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3315262/ . There’s something to be said about this statistic in that the “Spring Blues” is something real and it’s necessary to get the message out there.
 
Most people do suffer with the Winter blues to some extent, however, even though it stinks, it is very manageable and feels better to know that others are going through it too. In the Winter, we’re all in the same boat with feeling those blues. However, what happens for someone suffering with depression? It’s not a case of the Winter blues. It’s far more extreme than that, not so managable and will not go away once Spring comes. Not to say that a day in the life of someone with depression is ever easy, but it’s a bit easier to see that most people have some degree of lethargy and those blues. It makes a person that may be depressed feel a little less like they are missing something, a little less like they are falling behind on life since everyone “hibernates” a bit.
 
Enter Spring stage right. Those Winter blues are gone, everyone is happy, planning for Summer, racing to the beach on the first hot day, planting flowers, going on walks, everything seems great. The person with depression doesn’t get such relief when this season comes. In fact, it feels horrible to see that everyone just seems so happy and loving life, and you just can’t. You feel disconnected from others and feel even more isolated. You feel like you’re missing out, but can’t even connect to wanting to feel happy, can’t even see a glimmer of hope. You see everyone living life with what seems to be such passion, and you don’t feel that same zest in you. You feel something must be wrong with you when you ponder why everyone is happy and you’re still not. It hurts and it breaks you even more. In Winter, the depressed person is really low, but most everyone is a bit low too. In Spring, most everyone is getting higher (mood-wise!) and the depressed person gets even lower. This leads to more hopelessness, suffering and isolation. And it can ultimately be the trigger for a person to decide to end their own life. 
 
The purpose of this post is to help get the message out there. Know that there is nothing wrong with you, but that you are suffering and help is available. Don’t give up on yourself. And if you know someone who you feel may be suffering, encourage them to get help. Let them know that they are not alone and that however hopeless they feel, there is always hope.
 
Thank you for reading this post. Please share with anyone you think may find this helpful. Leave a comment or message me privately if you have any questions, concerns or requests for future posts!
 
I wish you hope on your journey to finding your State of Balance!