The Seasons of Mental Illness

Embrace the seasons and cycles in life. There is magic in change. ~ Bonnie Ware

When I went back and looked at the time of year my episodes occured, a pattern emerged. I was more likely to have an episode in spring, summer and early in the fall. I was listening to a podcast called talkBD. The host interviewed mental health advocate Shaley Hoogendoorn, a person with lived experience of bipolar. Shaley talks about how she would go into hypomania as soon as spring arrived. Changes in light, which affects sleep, can trigger a bipolar episode of mania. Our energy can change as the days grow longer affecting our circadian rhythms. Often, we sleep less and are more active in the spring and summer, resulting in the chance of an episode in those months and early fall. For everyone, there is a natural awakening of energy in the spring but those with lived experience of bipolar may find these changes impact their mental health.