Reverse SAD: Patients Grapple with Disabling Dislike of Summer

As of August 3rd, 2025, GP Dr. Rosie Khan has been seeing an increasing number of patients with reverse seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This condition, which affects around 10% of those with SAD, is triggered by seasonal changes, most commonly during the summer months.

Heidi Ellert-McDermott, a 48-year-old speech writer from Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, first started experiencing reverse SAD symptoms around 2007. She recalls feeling "really low" and just wanting the sunny weather to "cloud over" while her daughter played in a paddling pool as a toddler. Ellert-McDermott has since adapted her lifestyle, using blackout blinds, fans, and ice packs to cope with the discomfort of the warmer months.

Similarly, 51-year-old Lisa Ventura from Worcester has dealt with reverse SAD since childhood, but says her concerns have been repeatedly dismissed by doctors, who have suggested she just "eat some ice cream" and "stay indoors." Ventura, a cyber security expert, has had to miss out on social events and activities due to the debilitating impact of the condition.

According to clinical psychologist Dr. Andrea Pickering, reverse SAD is linked to chemical changes in the brain, particularly involving serotonin and melatonin, which can be disrupted by excessive sunlight or heat. The NHS recommends a combination of self-help techniques, talking therapies, and sometimes medication to manage the condition.