Autumn can be all about bright, crunchy leaves and fresh, crisp air. With bipolar, it can also involve excess or depleted energy — mania or depression.
Everything has its season, and every season has its cycle. But that does not mean mood cycles need to be a challenge as we flip our calendars from one month to the next. In many places around the world, autumn is characterized by beautiful variations — the fading of green leaves to vibrant shades of red, orange, and purple; the heavy humidity of summer giving way to cool, crisp, refreshing air. We can certainly celebrate and enjoy this time of year. As with all changes that affect bipolar disorder, it requires a measure of self-reflection and preparation.
Changes Around and Within
Change is palpable — the delicate fruits, flowers, and vegetables that were abundant during summer are replaced with the hardier foods of autumn; deciduous trees drop their leaves and go dormant; days shorten as evenings spread into increasingly earlier hours; and the weather shifts from balmy and warm to cool and dry.
Despite the beauty of leaves progressing to deeper, glorious hues, it’s still the end of a sunny, warm season and a transition into a period of time that is darker. These conditions can lead to varied extremes in mood, whether mania/hypomania or depression.
Autumn Blues or a Fall Revival?
Although the symptoms of bipolar disorder are fairly common among those with the diagnosis, how it presents and is expressed varies from one person to the next.
Distinct from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and bipolar depression, the “autumn blues” is described not so much as a full mood episode as an “absence of energy” that had been available during the bright, warm days of summer.
For some, its symptoms are felt more physically than psychologically: “I go through it every single year,” says Mel. “I’m just plain tired, very disorganized, and can’t seem to do much of anything.”
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When it comes to energy levels, others have the opposite experience: autumn’s change from hot, humid weather to refreshingly cool days can give rise to more energy and provide a chance to get outside and be more active. “In the fall, as the weather starts to feel better, I get excited and feel like I can get a lot more done,” says Marva.
The Stress of Starting Something New
Fall is a time when summer vacations end and our work and/or school schedules often become busier, which can be a recipe for anxiety. For parents who have bipolar, getting their children ready for the back-to-school season can be a real challenge — especially when there is so much widespread uncertainty. Taken together, the stress may be enough to trigger a full mood episode.
Syncing Circadian Clocks and Sleep
Research has shown that the human brain uses both the length of the day and circadian rhythms (a pattern of bodily systems) to synchronize with the various seasons. Because these rhythms also control our sleep and wake cycles, it’s only natural that when the light begins to change and the days are shorter, our sleeping patterns change as well. When our routines are disrupted or our sleep is interrupted, it can significantly impact our mood stability.
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Mood Episode Prevention
Before the coming season is here in full swing, take some time to reflect and make a plan. Can you identify any patterns in how the change from summer to autumn affects your bipolar symptoms? We can’t change the seasons, but we can predict their arrival. And that provides the opportunity to make a plan for preventing hypomanic or depressive episodes — depending on which mood state you are prone to at this time of year. As summer winds down and shorter, darker days are on the horizon, be sure to give special care to your body and mind: try to practice healthy eating, good sleep hygiene, and stress management.
UPDATED: Originally posted September 26, 2017