The arrival of the summer season is usually associated with rest and disconnection. However, for many people, this break in the daily routine triggers the opposite effect. As we often reflect in consultations with Dr. Lucía Torres Jiménez, Psychiatrist and Medical Director at Tranquilamente, summer takes us out of our usual whirlwind and leaves us face to face with our needs, desires, and internal conflicts, which can sometimes generate profound emotional vertigo.
Why does anxiety increase during the summer?
When we stop, we lose the distractions that keep us busy during the year. Suddenly, we have the option of encountering ourselves, and that can be overwhelming. In addition, there is strong social pressure driven by technology and social networks. Vacations have become a showcase where we seek constant validation of our personal worth, rather than being used as a genuine opportunity for self-care. This self-demand is undoubtedly a significant source of anxiety in summer.
The role of medication in treating anxiety
From clinical experience, we know that anxiety is like our body's fire alarm. It is annoying, unpleasant, and the first thing we want to do is turn it off. However, the real problem is not the alarm, but the underlying fire that triggered it.
«If the medication is used only as a cover, making us rest easy because there is no longer an alarm, the original problem will grow and the fire will spread.»
The use of anxiolytic and antidepressant medications is a highly useful clinical tool if used properly. They are not at odds with the therapeutic process; rather, they are part of the team. Think of the dentist's anesthesia: it doesn't cure the tooth, but it allows the professional to work on the infection. Similarly, if the distress is so intense that it blocks us, pharmacological support helps lower the tension so that the focus of the conflict can be addressed through psychotherapy.
Types of medication: Anxiolytics and Antidepressants
Any pharmacological regimen must always be prescribed by a medical specialist after a thorough clinical evaluation, absolutely avoiding self-medication. Typically, two main families are used:
- Benzodiazepines: Fast-acting drugs that provide almost immediate relief. However, their use must be punctual and controlled, as they can cause tolerance and dependence if prolonged beyond four weeks.
- SSRI Antidepressants: Although they take a few weeks to take effect, they have a very powerful anxiolytic component in the medium and long term, with the great advantage that they do not cause dependence.
Ideally, the medication should be used at the minimum dose and for the shortest time necessary, always in combination with a profound process of personal introspection.
Clinical tips to combat anxiety
Beyond medical intervention, Dr. Lucía Torres offers us fundamental guidelines to navigate and manage these episodes of distress:
- Stop and reflect: Try to pause and think about what is happening in your daily life that generates that level of distress. Analyze if it is a situation you can change or if it requires emotional adaptation on your part.
- Foster real self-care: Take care of your basic pillars. Exercise daily, maintain mindful eating, and practice meditation to reconnect with the present moment.
- Avoid emotional "patches": Fleeing from distress through alcohol, gambling, or compulsive screen use only masks the emotion and adds a secondary problem in the long run.
- Seek professional help: If you feel you cannot resolve this distress on your own, you don't have to do it alone. A safe therapeutic space will help you identify the source of the pain and provide you with tools to regain your peace of mind.
Identifying and understanding our own anxiety is the first step to transforming it into an opportunity for personal growth, tearing down the walls that limit us to open new possibilities in life.
