Who feels anxious and low about Spring coming?

[crochetmonkey74]

Since a child, I have always had a dread in my stomach when the nights get lighter, like a creeping feeling of more hours to fill, worry that I'll not have enough to do, or the people to do it with. A sense of ennui that ANOTHER year has passed. It's really strange and no one IRL that I know has it. My life is full of people excited and happy about Spring. I do get that this year particularly we need hope and happiness. I was just curious if anyone else had this Spring dread?

longwayoff it's not a debilitating thing, and I don't think it will get better as I've had it so long. It's not quite like SAD in that it is not a long term depressed feeling or low mood- it's more unnerving, unsettled melancholy- when everyone else is extolling the virtues of Spring and feeling more joy - I tend to feel that level of joy as September starts.
I'm glad to see I am not the only one- have been pondering on it and i think one of the feelings is the sense of an ever expanding amount of time-Spring and more light makes me feel this expanse of time ahead

I always get that melancholy feeling in December. My mood starts to lift on 1st January.

Going back to the utter tosh that is "you love the season you were born in" DD is a summer born and loves autumn the best. DH and I are winter born and like spring and summer the best.

gin you probably feel similar to me then as December is full of Christmas excitement for a lit of people and it's always on TV etc just like spring!

No Christmas excitement here. DD is at university and all family live too far away to see at Christmas. DD has exams straight after Christmas so she spent all of her holidays this time watching lectures and revising, except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Christmas Day was pleasant - presents, nice food and daytime drinking, but that was it really.

I'm looking forward to lighter evenings. I don't finish work until 5.30 (working from home) so it's a case of turn computer off and then what?? We eat at about 7.30 but I hate the time between 5.30 and then. Seems a waste to just watch tv and can't be bothered with any house work. Can't wait to be able to go out for a walk or jog again in the evening.

I love it and cannot wait for more daylight. But I have read that there's a reverse SAD. And I also get the comfort of hunkering down in winter so can see why losing that in spring is sad.

For me it's not FOMO it's FONBE - fear of not being enough- definitely!

As I've got older I enjoy all the seasons and really look forward to a new season.
I'm hoping with spring lockdown will start to lift, things will slowly start to return to normal and I enjoy the lighter nights as more grass cutting time and car washing time. Plus I like taking the dog out after dinner whilst it's still light.
I do understand where you are coming from though

I'm going to celebrate Midsummer Day this year, circumstances permitting. Gathering friends, relations, grandchildren; Mother Earth will be handing out presents. To make up for the low key, children absent, Christmas.

FONBE- Definitely!!!!

I haven't read the thread yet (but I will). And I absolutely hate spring. The lighter days coming make me anxious, I feel panicky, I feel that time is getting away from me. I've always felt this way but it's been exacerbated if late since my dh died just as spring was coming.

Another SAD sufferer here I can't wait for the lighter nights.
I really struggle in winter and it seems to get worse each year.

@BrandyTrap

I haven't read the thread yet (but I will). And I absolutely hate spring. The lighter days coming make me anxious, I feel panicky, I feel that time is getting away from me. I've always felt this way but it's been exacerbated if late since my dh died just as spring was coming.

Brandy- I definitely feel this!

Strange how different people are.

For me Spring and the lighter evenings feel like being thrown a lifeline after the dead dark of winter.

i'm very much like this. the spring always brings on a bought of depression for me, i have never really known why. when i was in school i think it signified the ending of the school year. also i dont have much of a social or family life so maybe the thought of others getting excited for warmer weather so they can do things has a little to do with it as well.

i much prefer autumn, that time of the year always gave me a sense of hope for some odd reason.

I feel this way about summer...

I Love spring, I guess because i’m a gardener and listening to the birds and watching nature unfold is amazing.

Summer however you can keep.

I feel very differently. Spring is a time of great hope and happiness for me. I feel a horrible dread after Christmas/ New Year, which goes when the signs of spring start showing
Other than that I like all the seasons

Yes, exactly the same Crochetmonkey. I remember it got worse in my 20s and feeling that I hated the longer nights as it felt I had more hours to live through. At the time I lived near a river and could see and hear people at a riverside pub about 1/2 a mile down river all outside in the evening. It accentuated feelings of loneliness and depression. I had friends but felt left behind as they moved on to uni, marriage and babies while I was alone. Almost no family either.

It went on for years and I developed other issues and was treated for depression, but as I got older improved especially when I got a flat with a garden and a cat! I loved growing stuff and that helped. It kept me busy in a non stressful way. I also took up an outside based hobby that took up a lot of time and got me involved with some nice people. I ended up almost too busy but happier.

Now, many years later I'm married with teenagers. Yes I feel that pull of panic still. Coming out of lockdown is worrying me too. Lots to do lots of pressure to do stuff, see people, have fun fun fun, go go go go! I use the calm app and try not to panic too much. I can feel myself stressing now to think about it.

I try to focus on the things I do like about the spring/summer like gardening, days out to the beach, boat trips, riding, having a morning coffee outside, washing flapping on the line.

Take care - I know it can be very difficult

I feel that way about winter, start feeling low at the beginning of November. It feels like never ending darkness is on the way.

I’m already excited about the tulips and daffs coming up in the front garden. Spring is my favourite time of year, everything fresh, longer days ahead, the smell in the air.

I guess we’re all different.

My favourite season is Autumn by miles, but I don't enjoy Winter. Spring is exciting. To everyone who feels actual dread and sadness at the change of the seasons ... you need help with your mental state. The seasons come and go, life goes on, things change, we get older (if we are lucky). If you have serious problems with this such as panic and anxiety then that's really not normal and you don't need to put up with it for the rest of your life.

Does anyone else find their kids sleep so much better in summer? I think it's the combination of more fresh air and exercise, mood boosting light and the hours of darkness corresponding more to natural sleep times. You can't really send everyone to bed at 4 just because it's dark but it works when darkness is not until 9 or 10. Likewise it makes mornings easier because you're not having to drag everyone out of bed in the dark, there is light and warmth to wake them.