Summer’s arrival, while often associated with carefree fun, can trigger anxiety in many individuals. The extended daylight hours, disrupted routines, and pressure for social activities can all contribute to heightened anxiety levels. Let’s explore the reasons behind summer anxiety and offer some science-backed strategies for managing it.

Physiological Factors: The heat and humidity associated with summer can mimic some of the physical symptoms of anxiety, like increased heart rate, sweating, and shortness of breath. This can create a feedback loop, where the perception of these physical sensations worsens anxiety.

Disrupted Sleep Patterns: Longer daylight hours can disrupt sleep cycles, leading to sleep deprivation – a well-known risk factor for anxiety.

Social Pressures: Summer often comes with the expectation of increased social interaction, attending barbecues, pool parties, or beach trips. Individuals with social anxiety may find these scenarios overwhelming and avoid them altogether, leading to feelings of isolation and FOMO (fear of missing out).

Financial Concerns: The perceived pressure to participate in expensive summer activities like vacations or outings can exacerbate financial anxiety and feelings of inadequacy.

Strategies for Managing Summer Anxiety:

• Maintain Consistent Sleep Hygiene: Prioritize consistent sleep schedules, even on weekends, to regulate your circadian rhythm and improve mood. Consider blackout curtains if extended daylight disrupts sleep.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT can help identify and challenge negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety. Consider working with a therapist to develop coping mechanisms.
• Relaxation Techniques: Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to manage physical symptoms of anxiety in the moment.
• Gradual Exposure: If social gatherings trigger anxiety, gradually expose yourself to social situations in a safe and controlled way. Start small, with trusted friends or family, and build up to larger events.
• Focus on Quality, Not Quantity: Prioritize quality connections over a high volume of social events. Plan activities you genuinely enjoy and feel comfortable with.
• Financial Planning: Set realistic expectations for summer spending and explore free or low-cost activities like picnics, hiking, or local cultural events.

Seeking Professional Help: If anxiety becomes overwhelming and interferes with your daily life, don’t hesitate to seek professional help from a licensed therapist or counselor.

Remember: Summer can be a joyful season. By understanding the triggers for your anxiety and implementing these strategies, you can navigate the challenges and create a summer filled with relaxation and positive experiences.

Relationships are a two-way street. They require communication, trust, respect, and love. When one or both partners are not contributing to these things, it can lead to problems. Here are five red flags to watch out for in any relationship:

1. Jealousy and possessiveness. A healthy relationship should be built on trust and respect. If your partner is constantly checking up on you, accusing you of cheating, or trying to control who you see and what you do, this is a red flag.
2. Verbal or physical abuse. No one deserves to be verbally or physically abused. If your partner ever puts their hands on you or calls you names, this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
3. Gaslighting. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse in which the abuser tries to make the victim question their own reality. They may do this by denying things that happened, making the victim feel crazy, or blaming them for their own problems.
4. Neglect. If your partner is constantly putting their own needs and wants before yours, this is a sign that they are not committed to the relationship. They may be emotionally unavailable, or they may simply not care about you as much as you care about them.
5. Lack of communication. Communication is essential for any healthy relationship. If your partner is unwilling to talk to you about their feelings, needs, or concerns, this is a red flag. It could mean that they are not interested in working on the relationship, or that they are hiding something from you.

If you see any of these red flags in your relationship, it is important to talk to your partner about them. If they are unwilling to change their behavior, you may need to consider ending the relationship. You deserve to be in a relationship with someone who loves and respects you.

Here are some additional tips for dealing with red flags in relationships:

• Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is.
• Don’t be afraid to speak up. If your partner is doing something that makes you uncomfortable, tell them.
• Don’t make excuses for their behavior. Just because someone loves you doesn’t mean they have the right to treat you poorly.
• Set boundaries. Let your partner know what you are and are not willing to tolerate.
• Get help if you need it. If you are in an abusive relationship, there are resources available to help you. You don’t have to go through this alone, reach out for help here
• Schedule an appointment with our therapists here and work on finding a healthy relationship

Anxiety is a common mental health condition that can be managed effectively through various methods. Here are five ways to control anxiety:

1. Exercise: Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety by releasing endorphins, improving mood, and promoting relaxation. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, such as walking, jogging, cycling, or yoga.
2. Mindfulness meditation: Practicing mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, and develop a greater sense of calm and control. Start by setting aside a few minutes each day to sit quietly and focus on your breath.
3. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy that can help you identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to anxiety. A trained therapist can help you learn coping skills and relaxation techniques to manage your symptoms.
4. Limit caffeine and alcohol intake: Both caffeine and alcohol can increase feelings of anxiety and interfere with sleep. Try to limit your intake of these substances, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime.
5. Practice good sleep habits: Getting enough sleep is important for managing anxiety. Establish a regular sleep routine, avoid screen time before bed, and create a comfortable sleep environment to promote restful sleep.

Schedule an appointment to find relief from your anxiety

Depression is one of the most widely diagnosed mental illnesses, affecting over 280 million people.  Our culture has become much more aware of depression, but it is still often represented by symptoms that are not typical in everyone.  Depression gets overlooked when it doesn’t fit our cultural expectation of sadness and melancholy. Many symptoms are invisible to the outside observer, or can be assumed as having nothing to do with mental health.  It’s important to know the true criteria for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, as even those struggling with depression are often unaware of how it manifests in their life.  Recognizing these symptoms in yourself or others can drastically alter your success in managing a depressive episode.

Change in Appetite/Sleep

Biological signs of depression can be helpful, as they are objective and easily observed by others.  A depressive episode for many is marked by disruption in their sleep or eating routines. It is common for this to happen either way. One can have largely increased appetite during a depressive episode, or it can be extremely limited.  Gaining ten pounds doesn’t seem like it would be related to mental health, yet often it is the case.   Similarly for sleep, a depressive episode is frequently marked by a increase or decrease in sleep. It is typical to hear someone unable to get any sleep, but another might report an inability to do anything other than sleep. The severity of the disruption is often an indicator of how severe the depressive episode is.

Apathy/Lack of Joy

It is easy to think of depression as experiencing new symptoms of depression or negative thinking, but more often depression appears as the absence of your “normal self.” Whether it is not enjoying activities that you used to, or having difficulty ever feeling moments of joy. Anhedonia or the inability to feel pleasure is a trademark of a depressive episode.  If you are wondering if you have depression, try and think when was the last time you felt happy. It can be helpful to quantify your mood and scale it with a range of 1-10. If you have only been on the low side of that scale, it might be worth considering the possibility of depression.

Low Motivation/Lack of Focus

Low motivation or difficulty focusing is another common symptom of depression.  A reduction in productivity can have many causes but when it is lasting and paired with other symptoms, it is important to consider the possibility of depression.  Someone experiencing a depressive episode often is observed as “lazy,” or “disorganized” when in fact this is a result of a mental health crisis.  Imagine trying to complete your daily work assignments while you feel complete fatigue and can’t muster the energy to do your dishes.    While this symptom doesn’t scream “I’m depressed!” it is one of the first complaints you hear from someone with this diagnosis.  Unfortunately, it is also one of the most debilitating symptoms, affecting job security, hygiene, and even the ability to help themselves.  It also explains why someone cannot simply “will their way out of it.”

Tearfulness/High Emotions

When most think of depression, we think of sadness. How we display that sadness is different for all of us.  For many, depression shows as the ability to start crying at the drop of a hat. Even when they are not feeling terribly sad.  For others it can be volatile emotions, barely held back.  Explosive anger, high anxiety, or deep depression all are common feelings people report. The contrast between this highly emotional self and your regular self can sometimes be quite the contrast or it can be easily hidden.  Taking an inventory of where your mood has been can help increase your insight.

Irritability

Most don’t associate anger with depression, but it is the number one representation of depression in men.  High irritability is extremely indicative of depression, and when paired with other symptoms is a key indicator of when someone has entered a depressive episode. There is often deep sadness underneath anger and we culturally feel more comfortable expressing anger than any other emotion.(Think Toxic Masculinity.)  This cultural norm as well as a difficulty sitting with sadness leads to projection, where sadness is transformed into anger.  Many times that angry and bitter person doesn’t need anger management, but rather treatment for depression

Depression shows up very different depending on the person and this unique presentation can make it difficult to diagnose. Here is more information on all the symptoms of depression. If you would like an evaluation to see if you or someone you know meets the criteria for depression contact us.

People are social creatures, so it is no wonder that some of the first uses of the internet were to connect and interact with others. First it was email, then came instant messaging, then Myspace and Facebook.  When first presented, Social media seems harmless and a great way to stay connected to our community.

Facebook is currently in the news when it came to light that they knew of the harmful effects of their social media platforms. While terrible, this came as no shock to many.  These corporations take very few steps to change their platforms, despite understanding very well how damaging it can be to teens and adults. When a company is selling a product that is dangerous, it is important to highlight the health risks that come with it.

It is well documented that increased social media usage correlates with increased severity in symptoms of anxiety and depression.  This has been repeatedly proven to the point it is well known, but broad enough where people feel that it must not apply to them. Despite studies stating this constantly coming out, social media sites are still some of the most frequented websites.  A exploration into some of the threats social media causes can be helpful in understanding how detrimental it is on our mental health. 

Downward comparison

We live in relation to each other. Everything is categorized by what it is similar to and what it is different from, helping us establish a basis of what the item is.  It is an innate trait that has helped us survive as humans.  One of the negatives is that this hardwired trait leads to what is called Downward comparison.  We look at who has more money than us, who is more attractive, who seems happier.  These comparisons are often based on irrational thoughts, but they still happen frequently, and lead to negative feelings. Social media platforms are rife with this type of thought as we are forced to see the very best others have to offer.

No one posts pictures that are unflattering.   There is no mention of the constant fighting with the spouse.  Only the highlight reel makes it, and to the public eye it seems like life is perfect.   It causes feelings of resentment, inadequacy, and depression.  It can take a grateful and content mind to reexamine and look through the lens of “more.”  The opportunity for downward comparison exists in so many places we don’t need to go seeking it.  A poll showed that over half of Instagram users have saved a picture to post for later, meaning that what we see is not accurately reflective of their life. 

Isolation

Despite having social in the name, platforms like instagram and facebook have been demonstrated to cause feelings of isolation.  One reason seems to be the recurring theme of taking an inaccurate view of someone’s life as accurate.  Looking at a friend’s posted picture of them at a party easily causes longing thoughts of “Why weren’t I invited,” when that may otherwise have never occurred.  The other reason is that while social in name, these platforms have a very limited connection in contrast to real life.  Spending so much time online acts as a barrier from authentic connection.  The sheer scope of the internet allows for a strange anonymity, where one can feel invisible. While social media provides the opportunity to make connections otherwise unavailable, it still pales in comparison to having to be seen and actively present in an environment.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a real threat, and the anonymity of the internet makes it a breed.  Despite awareness of privacy concerns, people pour their hearts out on social media and frequently share vulnerabilities.  This especially applies to adolescents, who are the highest users of social media.  As with most adolescent groups, bullying is a major problem and hard to stop.  The anonymity provided by some apps and platforms makes it especially challenging to stop cyberbullying.

Social Media creates distorted Beauty Ideals

Our self esteem is highly tied to how attractive we feel we are, especially during adolescence.  This is a dangerous line of thinking when we are on an even playing field, but today’s social media posts are highly distorted and altered using software like photoshop.  This destroys any reality and leads to false comparisons.  

Body image issues are already prevalent and common, now factor in that we are not comparing ourselves with real images, but instead images that are highly altered and distorted.  You can see trends where unnatural figures become the “ideal of beauty.” Imagine playing a game that is simply unwinnable if you don’t cheat.  That is the world that social media has created, and provides an explanation into skyrocketing levels of depression and eating disorders.  

70% of normal weighted women want to be thinner.  Over 50% of teen girls and 30% of teen boys engage in unhealthy weight loss behaviors, such as laxatives, skipping meals, vomiting, fasting, or taking laxatives.  What’s worse is that we know that the standards set in the media are unattainable.  In one study, 65% of respondents reported that body image ideals set by the fashion industry were “too skinny.”  Photoshop has become so ubiquitous that it is seen in everyday users’ posts on instagram. It is no longer reserved for magazines and commercials.  It is now more logical to assume that the picture is photoshopped than to assume it is not.  The attack on body image and self esteem is a major cause of high rates of depression and anxiety.  (Gallivan, 2019)

False information

We have seen how much of what is posted on Facebook was found to be “fake news,” whether it is factually incorrect or even created to manipulate voters.  This has led to a need for skepticism and scrutiny when reading.  The emergence of fake news has caused divides in public discourse as families are politically split.  It has created polarization and animosity in politics, which has driven stress and anxiety for many people.  Whether it is due to existential dread or firsthand frustration and anxiety with family, the effect social media has created on politics is decidedly negative.  

Is Social Media All Bad?

Just as social media was created for good purposes, it is possible to use these platforms and minimize the negative effects.  As this is a post on the negative effects, the positive aspects of social media were not mentioned.  They do exist, and it is the user’s responsibility to balance the good and the bad.  Moderation is key, as with everything else.  An understanding of the flaws and dangers can help the user be aware to not fall into the traps set by social media.  A smart exercise is to track your emotions the next few times you use social media, and see what effect it has on you.  Does it actually relax you or cheer you up?  Or is it a self destructive action that has become habit?  Awareness is always the first step and can help you decide how to best fit social media into your life. If you feel like you are struggling, seek out a consultation from our therapists to help build the skills to repair your self esteem and control negative thoughts.