When you hear the term "seasonal depression," you may think of it as depression related only to winter. But this isn't always the case. In fact, seasonal depression can also sometimes occur in the summer, and when you consider all the different factors that lead to summer depression, it seems more logical.

Seasonal depression, also known as SAD or seasonal affective disorder, is depression that occurs temporarily in a given season. It's not to be confused with long-lasting depression, which is not temporary or related to a season. However, that doesn't mean that seasonal depression can't turn into a long-lasting, major case of depression.

Seasonal affective disorder affects about 4 to 6% of the U.S. population and typically occurs when the days begin to get colder and shorter. However, 10% of people get the reverse effect to where it affects them during the summer. In fact, studies have shown that in countries near the equator such as India, summer SAD is more common than winter SAD.

But how can people get depressed during the summer, especially when the weather is sunnier and warmer? Well, there are several different factors that can lead to the opposite effect of seasonal depression. When you think about summer, you may think of sunny warm weather. But you may also think about the longer days, disrupted sleep schedule, and the emphasis over body images as society tends to exaggerate having the perfect body image to fit into a bikini.

This is especially the case when you go to college or school. You may have a set sleep schedule during the winter, but when summer comes around, suddenly you find yourself staying up late or waking up at different times of the day. In fact, according to Healthline, during the summer when the days are longer, there is more sunlight, which can cause sleep disruption. Too much sunlight over the summer can turn off melatonin, a hormone that drives your sleep cycle.

During the summer, you suddenly have to worry about saving up enough money to go on vacation or not spending too much money during the break. If you're going to college, you have to worry about student loans and finding a summer job so that you can save up money to pay for your tuition when you return to school.

And if you can't go on vacation because you have a job, then you're finding yourself looking through your social media at friends or relatives having fun and enjoying their summer. This can also lead you to begin to feel trapped and depressed if you're stuck in your house or working during the summer rather than going on vacation.

There's also the heat, which can have a huge impact on depression. Humidity can make people feel oppressed and agitated. Most people also think that the heat allows you to be able to engage in a lot of summer activities, but this isn't always the case with the heat in summer. Think about when it's extremely hot, around the 90s or 100s, it can keep you from wanting to go outside and do outdoor activities due to the exposure to the heat. Even going swimming and being outside in the sun can feel daunting.

On top of all these different causes of seasonal depression, people often emphasize that summer is supposed to be a time when you're the happiest.

Feeling upset or down during the summer is considered not normal like it is during the winter. You're supposed to go on vacations, spend time with family, and feel generally happy over the summer. This can lead people who are suffering from seasonal depression to hide their depression or downplay their symptoms.

So if you have seasonal depression, don't try to hide your depression or downplay it.

There are ways that you can get help for your depression.

You can seek help through talking to a therapist, psychologist, or general medical doctor who can help you with finding strategies to use to help cope with seasonal depression. You can also take time for yourself to help relieve stress, get more sleep, or get enough exercise.

Having depression over the summer is not something that is an oddity. Mental illnesses are often stigmatized due to misunderstanding. But the more people become educated on mental illnesses, the less likely they are to downplay the signs or symptoms.