What about weather

[z101]

Does weather(sunny & warm vs. gray & cold) really have an effect on bipolar disorder?

[LichteN]

I'm Bipolar and I also get sick in the spring and the summertime !
Don't know why.
I am taking all of my meds.
Any ideas why this is happening?
I LOVE the warm weather but my mental illness does not  : (
Hang in there everyone !

[jimgreg]

the weather controls my life..if its cloudy im ok as long as its warm...i have sad too..winter time pure hell..

[cgoehring78]

Sorry about the typo in my prior memo. Also, the folks who dislike sun and summer have what is called "reverse seasonal affective disorder," or "SAD."

[cgoehring78]

I have to agree with Xila31. My worst time of year is Summer, followed by early Fall, late Spring and last Winter. Late Summer is dangerous for me but it starts in about June. I love dark, grey, cloudy weather, rain included. I throw open the blinds when it's gray and rainy and cloudy and shut everything up tight when the sun it shot and bright. Can't stand it. When the weather people say it's a beautiful day and it's 85 degrees and sunny I want to throw a brick at the TV!

[Xila31]

My bad time of year is actually spring and summer. I start to get worse around May and then by the end of the summer I can be a total wreck, both for hypomania and depression. I actually do better in darker, cloudier weather. I know that seems backwards, but that's just me. Although this last year I have struggled the whole time, so I don't know what that means exactly.

[bpchrisb]

When I cycle, I do so with the sun. And I do so in a very, very rapid manner. During the last bad bout I had, I was fine on days when it was sunny, but as soon as it became overcast I fell into a deep depression. It has since been dealt with through tinkering with my medications, but it was very difficult.

[starbunny]

I definately notice an increase in energy in the spring, which has the potential to bring on manic symptoms.
However, I'm sure most 'normal' individuals would argue that weather definately effects their mood as well to some extent, for obvious reasons - warm/sunny making people more sociable outgoing etc.

[ILADVOCATE]

It can occur with some people as a reaction but one specific proven reason is seasonal affective disorder where a person becomes depressed specifically in the winter when there is less light (it can on occasion occur in the reverse manner) and this is treated with light therapy where light boxes are used to have the person receive the specific amount of light they require. If a person notices their moods vary in this manner they should speak to their psychiatrist about it.