While many look forward to the summer as a time to unwind, many teens have begun to experience a phenomenon known as summertime sadness affecting their mental health once school lets out.
Summertime sadness is often associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to the changing of seasons. While more common during winter, many also experience symptoms during the summer, such as freshman Zachary Benner of Tinton Falls.
“I often feel sad during the summer if I’m not doing anything,” Benner said. “School is a big motivator.”
48% of all respondents in a survey conducted by Forbes reported experiencing a decline in mental health during the summer, including increased anxiety, stress, problems with sleep, and depression. Summertime sadness is especially prominent in younger generations, with 65% of Gen Z and 66% of millennials facing the condition during the warmer months.
“I feel lonely a lot during the summer because I’m usually away,” junior Margarita Belova of Marlboro said. “Seeing my friends making plans and hanging out usually gets to me a bit because I want to be doing that too.”
Licensed mental health professional Alyssa Mairanz expressed that seeing how friends spent their summers can contribute to mental health issues.
“Seeing people be more active during the summer can make those suffering from summer SAD feel like an outsider,” she said in an interview for the American Counseling Association.
Harvard-trained clinical psychologist and Forbes Health Advisory Board member Sabrina Romanoff echoes this sentiment, saying that “seeing how friends are spending their summers can create more pressure.”
Sophomore Isabella Martinez of Matawan agrees with these claims and has experienced these feelings firsthand.
“I feel like I’m not doing enough when I see my friends accomplishing things and going out,” Martinez said.
Junior Shawn Ribeiro of West Long Branch agrees, finding it hard to get out of a state of “summertime blues.”
“The summertime blues are harder to overcome because they’re the hardest to distract yourself from,” Ribeiro said. “In the winter, I have a million things going on and don’t have to confront emotions head-on.”
However, some students are still trying to stay positive for the summer. Sophomore Liam MacCarick of Wall offers a different point of view.
“The summertime is when you learn who you are outside of [school],” said MacCarick. “It’s scary, but it’s also the greatest opportunity [life] has to offer.”
Though most individual summertime experiences differ greatly from each other, there are still things that can be done to help students make the most of their summer vacation.
“It’s a matter of doing all the little things that you can do to help yourself,” advises Mairanz. “Having a support system can be extremely helpful.”
