Spring has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, bringing plans for summer vacation and saying goodbye to winter blues. However, even warmer seasons can bring some mental health concerns. Learn what some of these are, and how to help more vulnerable clients.
Social pressure and comparisons can be hazardous.
There’s a lot of pressure to have a great time in the summer—getting in shape for swimsuit season, taking an epic vacation, or hosting fabulous backyard barbecues with dozens of friends and neighbors. Social media can increase this pressure, especially when friends and influencers share pictures of seemingly perfect beach bodies and happy poolside parties.
Social media’s effects on mental health are already suspect, and spending hours scrolling other peoples’ photos and feeling envious of their summer fun is less than helpful. Social-media users who struggle with their weight and body image, or who lack the financial means to take a summer vacation, may negatively compare their lives with those of others. This is an ideal time to help your clients reassess their social-media usage and consider a social-media diet, along with healthy boundaries and perspective.
Suicide rates may actually rise.
Between the stress of the holiday season and the dark, cold weather, it’s no wonder people often assume that suicide rates are highest in winter. Some research, however, suggests that warmer weather actually poses the greatest risk.
A 2018 study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that U.S. counties saw suicide rates rise 0.7 percent for every 1 degree Celsius rise in monthly average temperature. For Mexican municipalities, suicide rates rose 2.1 percent per degree. The analysis showed a similar effect in both cooler and warmer regions.
Mental health emergency department (ED) visits may rise in hot weather.
Higher room or air temperature is associated with a higher rate of ED visits for mental health, one study found. Researchers from Boston University, writing in JAMA Psychiatry in 2022, looked at medical claims for 2.2 million adults with ED visits who were discharged with a psychiatric diagnosis from 2010 through 2019.
The researchers found a correlation between days of extreme heat and higher rates of ED visits for substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and self-harm. The connections appeared to be strongest among men and in more northern regions of the United States.
However, keep in mind that this research suggests correlation, not causation. Many other factors besides temperature alone may contribute to the rate of ED visits and suicide.
Help clients take precautions.
Although many people experience improved mood and wellbeing in warmer weather, others may see their mental health take a hit. Help your at-risk clients with early monitoring and appropriate lifestyle recommendations.
For example, staying hydrated and avoiding the hottest times of day may help reduce excess heat exposure that can contribute to fatigue and anxiety. Suggest spending outdoor time in the shade and exercising at cooler times, which gives clients the benefits of green space and warmer weather without additional risks.
Demand for your behavioral health services probably won’t decline in the summer season, so it’s important to balance client outcomes, your practice’s profitability, and regulatory compliance. BestNotes EHR solutions, built and customized specifically for behavioral health clinicians, helps you accomplish all three. Contact us today to learn more!