Getting to know Autumn Anxiety
Do you know the term “Autumn Anxiety?” It refers to a nervous feeling that increases in the last week of August and the beginning of September or so. The term seems to be coined by a Welsh therapist Gene Scully, although it’s hard to find original sourcing there!
What is autumn anxiety?
With the changing season comes aisles of back-to-school shopping, shorter hours of sunlight each day, and more traffic in the mornings. There is a general sense that people in the town are starting to wake up and get their planners out.
It could be that you are starting a new job or a new semester of school. Maybe it feels like all your weekends are starting to fill up with social commitments or events. Your free-time is shriveling. The laid-back feeling of summer is starting to become a distant memory.
Regardless of how much you had to work this summer, there is a feeling that you are getting busier and your schedule tighter. Autumn leads into holiday season as well. Holidays can bring to the forefront of people’s minds family dynamics, loneliness, and anniversaries (the bad kind). For some, you’ve already been planning your holiday trips- and for others it’s a quieter looming thought.
What Autumn Anxiety is Not
Autumn anxiety is different than having an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is the experience of persistent thoughts of excessive worry about everyday situations.
If you already experience anxiety, this seasonal shift could just compile your nervous feelings. Another thing to consider is if you usually experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is also different than the more social experience of autumn anxiety.
Lastly, if you’re a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) you could be feeling the switch of fall starting ten-fold.
Why Does It Feel Worse in Austin?
If you’re living in Austin, you may experience autumn anxiety even more! We have so many festivals and events that land on the fall:
- Austin City Limits (ACL)
- Austin Pride Parade
- Fantastic Fest
- Ralleycross
- Capital City Black Film Festival
- Oktoberfest
- Dia de Los Muertos
- Formula 1
- East Austin Studio Tour
- UTOPiAfest
- Levitation
- Pecan Street Festival
- IKKiCON
This obviously isn’t a full list, and doesn’t include all of the holiday events that occur in Austin. The biggest rub with these is you’re either filling up your calendar with events (emptying your wallet) or you’re experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out).
So, What Can Help Ease Autumn Anxiety?
1. Think about your Future-Self
When planning maybe have a small moment to ask yourself: “What may I be feeling in the middle of November after I’ve taken on all these projects?” This exercise is mostly about getting in touch with your own empathy for yourself. Pay attention to your own lovely human limits and respect those.
2. Take on New Things that Actually Decrease Stress
Okay, if you’re really into using the season as a catalyst for change, go for it! But maybe be mindful of if any of the new activities you’re including are actually focused on decreasing stress.
Some examples are free yoga classes; a meditation practice; a new bath ritual; and therapy! Sometimes it’s good to listen to that inner voice that thinks maybe it’s time to not face the anxiety you’re feeling alone. Therapy is the ultimate form of self-care, so if you’re curious you can check out my services in Austin.
3. Target your FOMO
Explore your fear of missing out head on with either with a friend or a therapist. Maybe pay attention to how you’re feeling leading up to certain events and what your experience of them is when you’re actually there.
4. Don’t Forget your Body
Know your own seasonal allergies that may increase in the fall (usually ragweed, cedar, and mold in Austin). Take vitamin D and Magnesium to account for shorter days. Studies are finding evidence that links lack of Vitamin D and Magnesium with increased anxiety.
Lastly, change your exercise routine to adapt to the changing weather in Austin. Usually we can still hike and swim the Greenbelt since it doesn’t really start cooling off until October. However, sometimes change is needed to adapt to less sunlight.
Use this list to get curious about ways to still meet your needs with the changing season. Know what the causes are of your anxiety in order to get on top of your healing. Mostly importantly, remember you’ve gotten through this before!
Photo credit: Unsplash
About the Author:
Hi, I’m Julia! I’m an LPC-Intern, Supervised by Ann Stoneson practicing in South Austin. I understand the personal importance of a therapist groking my lifestyle, so I started helping others who identify as geeks, gamers, and/or misfits.
Over time, I realized that I’m passionate about attachment-related trauma, social anxiety, and neurodiversity. On my blog, I write on topics like the overlap of alternative culture and mental health, and how to find services catered to these lifestyles. If you’d like to contact me about counseling services and to set up a free 30-minute consultation click here.