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Solidarity for those of us who hate Spring

208 replies

crochetmonkey74 · 29/01/2024 05:53

I've had a thread on here before about this and found it really useful as there's no one in real life who doesn't look at me in horror if I even mention this.
You know how people have SAD when the nights draw in , I have it the other way round. This morning, the birdsong by me set me off. Its like a sense of dread. I think it's to do with change. I don't cope well with change generally, I have anxiety made worse by peri menopause so I think moving from something you know well and feel happy with (the dark nights) into something new makes me feel a bit unsettled . Are you the same? Want to chat about it?

OP posts:
lollipoprainbow · 29/01/2024 07:05

Agree, find spring rather depressing, my mum was the same.

piscofrisco · 29/01/2024 07:04

@IHateSpring a bare limbed tree like lace against a cold white evening sky is my favourite thing. I've just bought a painting of Just that. Dh says it will snow him feel cold just to look at it

Alsonification · 29/01/2024 07:04

I hear ya OP. Autumn & Winter is my favourite time of year. I love the dark nights, the bad weather, the feeling of coziness. I work from home which certainly makes it easier to like since I don't have a commute but I do have a school run twice a day that I walk & I love it in winter. I love doing my evening walk in rain & wind & then that feeling of coming home to a lovely warm house & getting into the shower & clean clothes.

In summer I hate the heat, I get sweaty & cranky and the blinding sun gives me headaches. I go to bed quite early & I hate doing that when it's still light out.

By March i usually can start to feel myself getting tense & I know it's because of the days getting brighter & warmer.

The only thing I like about summer is drying clothes on the washing line :)

Theredjellybean · 29/01/2024 07:03

You are not weird I hate spring too.
I'm.nkt depressed, I don't get SADs, and I don't mind change...but I hate spring..it's not warm enough to actually do anything with the longer days, but because it's bloody light at 7pm in the evening you can't pull the curtains and snuggle up by the fire ..it's bleak...and often wet .
I can appreciate daffodils but that's about it really.

sorrynotathome · 29/01/2024 07:03

“Sept is my favourite time of the year and I love Christmas so the change into autumn winter is great for me.
Spring into summer seems to flow, so I only really get it at the start of spring.
What's weird is I don't hate summer, I enjoy holidays and sitting outside . I like the warm weather. Its just the transitions I can't cope with”

I don’t get it - you can’t cope with the transitions but the change into autumn winter is great and spring into summer seems to flow? So really it’s not the transitions at all, just the thought of it becoming Spring (because it’s nowhere near Spring yet)?

BatshitCrazyWoman · 29/01/2024 06:56

The OP is not 'weird' 🙄 FFS. It's definitely a thing. I love autumn and winter, spring is okay, not a fan of summer and it makes me feel quite low. I mostly just ignore it, and all the jolly people telling me summer is wonderful 😂 At least I enjoy three quarters of the year, unlike the summer worshippers 😂

cluefu · 29/01/2024 06:51

I don't have this feeling regarding Spring, however I generally don't love the really light nights (9pm onwards) on week days. Always feels weird going to bed in the week when it's still light.

Think my main reason stems from when I was a child and didn't have many local friends. So I would always hear people playing outside and feel really self conscious that I was indoors. Funny how things stay with you!

IHateSpring · 29/01/2024 06:51

'Sept is my favourite time of the year and I love Christmas so the change into autumn winter is great for me.
Spring into summer seems to flow, so I only really get it at the start of spring.
What's weird is I don't hate summer, I enjoy holidays and sitting outside . I like the warm weather. Its just the transitions I can't cope with'

This is exactly how I feel.

Ignore the people calling us weirdos. Everyone's just something that makes them uncomfortable. I bet the people slinging insults are scared of clowns or something 🙄

crochetmonkey74 · 29/01/2024 06:48

Rosscameasdoody · 29/01/2024 06:40

It sounds like you have depression OP. I’ve had bouts of anxiety and depression for many years and I came to realise that it’s at it’s worst early in the mornings - it’s the thought of the day stretching out in front of me. Winter is comforting. Dark nights and dark early mornings, so the dreaded dawn and the day that has to be faced comes later. Spring herald lighter mornings and longer days and I’d hazard a guess that it’s this change that’s the real problem because you say that summer is OK - you’ve got used to the change by then.

Might be worth a visit to your GP because modern anti-depressants can really help. I found CBT useful too and your GP can arrange this. Talking helps, as you’ll find here when people engage and share their own experiences.

Edited

I'm definitely not depressed, have been really active in managing my mental health over the last few years after the suicide of a colleague at a similar age and stage to me now .This is a feeling I've had since I was a kid so it's a long term spring unsettled feeling

OP posts:
IHateSpring · 29/01/2024 06:46

Your people are here @crochetmonkey74!

I've posted under this username before (I had to nc because I'm so vocal about my hatred of spring IRL it would just be too outing!)

Similar to you, but I find it's the spring bird song on a cold bright evening makes my skin crawl.

I don't even mind January. I was looking out of the window the other morning and said to DH 'I love mornings like this, when the ski is grey and the trees are all bare, apart from some dark evergreen leaves!, it's so romantic and atmospheric 🥹'

He looked at me like I was mad and said 'you must be the only person to have ever said that' 😂

I quite like the summer when it's in full swing but getting through the spring is horrendous.

Rosscameasdoody · 29/01/2024 06:40

It sounds like you have depression OP. I’ve had bouts of anxiety and depression for many years and I came to realise that it’s at it’s worst early in the mornings - it’s the thought of the day stretching out in front of me. Winter is comforting. Dark nights and dark early mornings, so the dreaded dawn and the day that has to be faced comes later. Spring herald lighter mornings and longer days and I’d hazard a guess that it’s this change that’s the real problem because you say that summer is OK - you’ve got used to the change by then.

Might be worth a visit to your GP because modern anti-depressants can really help. I found CBT useful too and your GP can arrange this. Talking helps, as you’ll find here when people engage and share their own experiences.

ComeAlongPeggy · 29/01/2024 06:35

I feel the same. I’m trying to “enjoy” the next couple of months but i really don’t like summer and I do feel quite sad when I see signs of spring emerging. I actually like spring, but the hot weather is just awful for me and I don’t feel like autumn/winter ever last long enough. It only really gets properly cold in November (and even then it’s not been that cold this year). April - October are not “safe” months, in that it could be scorching in any of them.

Anyway, yes it’s a thing. I love cold crisp days and winter is my favourite season. I don’t have a hard time understanding why summer is someone else’s favourite season and they feel unsettled/sad when there are signs it’s coming to a close. Not sure why it’s hard for anyone to understand my pov.

piscofrisco · 29/01/2024 06:34

I don't get this in Spring or winter-I like both. But I Always, always, feel low at the end of summer. August is an awful month for me. I absolutely hate it. Dog end of summer, it should be hot and it often isn't, new school year (which always feels the time of biggest change for me much more than 1st Jan) staring at you. I've always been told I'm weird for this (and I don't care-I can't help it-it's just an idiosyncratic thing to me). I think it's the change you are right.
I suppose treat yourself the same as you would with any depression or anxiety. And ignore the knobbers on here who can't see past their own experience of life.

DaveWatts · 29/01/2024 06:32

I'm the same! I love 'real' spring when the trees are coming into leaf (May, essentially) but I hate it before then when the days are getting longer, it's still cold, the trees are bare and the bulbs are coming out... Jan to March/April can fuck right off, basically. It makes me so depressed. Not sure why. Not weather related because a sunny day is even worse, somehow. And it's not about change or loving winter as I don't mind summer and autumn.

Pickles2023 · 29/01/2024 06:25

Although i can't relate on the sad.

I bloomin well do with birdsong..people i know use it as a soothing noise to sleep..how?? Its like my alarm, its my must get up noise. So when its at 4am and it starts i just ping up. Annoying 😑

Firefly1987 · 29/01/2024 06:20

Cross posted-ignore my question about the other seasons, I see it's already been answered!

Firefly1987 · 29/01/2024 06:19

crochetmonkey74 · 29/01/2024 06:06

For me, it's definitely the change over

Well I mean it's gradual...do you get the same feeling with the changes of the other seasons? What is it about Spring specifically? I don't like change either but we've had more than enough dark nights now. I feel like it's affecting my mental and physical health at this point-tho I could be doing more to mitigate it to be fair. You've got a few more weeks to enjoy yet! It is a thing I've heard of it too, just not as common as Winter SAD. I do know I'll miss an open fire and hot water bottle and my electric blanket come Spring, and chocolate that doesn't melt 😆

Sux2buthen · 29/01/2024 06:19

Springs not too bad for me, I detest summer and already starting to dread it. Autumn starts to get things better and winter is the best

crochetmonkey74 · 29/01/2024 06:17

Samsond · 29/01/2024 06:12

@crochetmonkey74 you're not alone BTW. It's actually mentioned on the NHS website. I saw it when I was reading up about regular SAD.
Out of interest, if it's the change you don't cope with do you get it at the start of all seasons?

Sept is my favourite time of the year and I love Christmas so the change into autumn winter is great for me.
Spring into summer seems to flow, so I only really get it at the start of spring.
What's weird is I don't hate summer, I enjoy holidays and sitting outside . I like the warm weather. Its just the transitions I can't cope with

OP posts:
MRSMTO · 29/01/2024 06:15

I am the same OP and its not a new thing at all! Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder.

CheshireSplat · 29/01/2024 06:15

crochetmonkey74 · 29/01/2024 06:08

Yep that's why I'm talking on here about it. No one in my real life gets it but I know it exists!

I hear you, OP.

I don't feel the same as you at this time of year, but my friend was saying the same thing as you a couple of weeks ago. She said she feels really unsettled by the change in season, not that the next season is one she dislikes. So, she loves Spring, she's outdoorsy, green-fingered etc. but she is feeling unsettled now by the change in season and feels this way with every change in season.

I just cannot imagine what that feels like, but you are definitely not alone in the feeling.

Samsond · 29/01/2024 06:14

It does exist!! Look.

Solidarity for those of us who hate Spring
ithinkthatmaybeimdreaming · 29/01/2024 06:12

Nope, I've got to the age of 64 and have never heard of anyone who feels like this.

Samsond · 29/01/2024 06:12

@crochetmonkey74 you're not alone BTW. It's actually mentioned on the NHS website. I saw it when I was reading up about regular SAD.
Out of interest, if it's the change you don't cope with do you get it at the start of all seasons?

Samsond · 29/01/2024 06:10

Yours is unusual but then mine is too I think. Because I'm totally fine in Oct, and November which is when most people seem to start feeling down. I feel the dread start to creep in around Christmas (which I actually love!) But as soon as it's done that's it. I bloody hate NYE and NYD. The worst!! 😬