Summer may ignite mental health concerns rather than dulling them

“Quite often people have high expectations for the summer,” Kinar said. “Then the weather is too hot or too wet or too windy and it disrupts a lot of plans. Everybody who planned to have their bikini body, for example, for the summer may not have achieved that goal, which can cause a little sense of depression.”

Summer is a season where kids get out of school and have more free time than ever, but that can lead to mental health concerns as well. With a lack of structure in their schedule, and fewer regular opportunities to see their friends, kids might start to feel isolated or, as many adults do, let down by summer.

“What I’ve seen for myself, especially with children, there’s such excitement for summer, they’re looking so forward to it, and then it starts,” Kinar said. “If they don’t have the opportunities available, it becomes a drag time. Near the end of August they start getting excited for school but they start regretting the loss of summer because they didn’t do everything they thought they would. I think that goes for all ages.”

For those struggling with depression in the summer, Kinar offered some simple advice: find the source of your mental health concerns before you decide on the steps to tackle them.

“If it’s diagnosable as SAD, talk to your doctor,” he said. “If it’s situational, talking to anyone who’s willing to listen (will help).”

Kinar added they have mental health first aid workshops for anyone who may want to learn more about how to help if someone they know is struggling with their mental health.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP

by Rob Mahon

Summer may ignite mental health concerns rather than dulling them

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