Texans increasingly facing heat-related mental health issues
Pathlight therapist Alexander Portillo discusses summer seasonal affective disorder (SAD) with Axios San Antonio - highlighting how heat can impact SAD and dispelling the myth that it can only happen during the winter months.
Many Texans have weathered their share of sweltering summers, but a growing number are now grappling with summer seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition that impacts mental health even in the warmer months.
Why it matters: As climate change intensifies and heatwaves become more frequent, summer SAD could become a more prevalent issue.
Flashback: The concept of SAD was first introduced in 1984 by Norman Rosenthal, a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Zoom in: There has been a noticeable increase in clients expressing frustration and lack of motivation in May through August, Alexander Portillo, a therapist at Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center in San Antonio, tells Axios.