Am I The Only One Who Finds Summer Intolerable?

Am I The Only One Who Finds Summer Intolerable?

BY EMMA GREEN

I feel an intense shame in admitting that I find the summer intolerable. The hot season beckons intense stimuli: glaring sunlight, high temperatures, strong smells, and loud noises — this persistent attack on the senses can leave me feeling just about ready to snap somebody's head off. 

But during the ‘Ber months, I’m at my peak. I thrive in this cinnamon-flavored, rustic-tinged world of cooler temperatures, changing foliage, and Gilmore Girls vibes. I’m like a flannel-wearing squirrel, impatiently waiting for September 1st so I can start adorning my nest with the autumnal TJ Maxx finds I’ve accumulated over the years.

I’m not the only one who feels this way — and there may be several key reasons why neurodivergent people might prefer autumn over summer. 

Summer’s Sensory Overload vs. Autumn’s Relief

As a Brit, you’d think I’d relish any chance we have of sun, but instead I find myself panicking as soon as the word “heatwave” is mentioned. I find the summer hellish, especially living in a city like London, where there is very little air conditioning and the houses are built to trap in heat.

This general feeling of stickiness, coupled with an intense fear of wasps, asthma flare-ups caused by pollution, and migraines triggered by thunderstorms, can make me utterly miserable.

Autumn's sensory profile, however, tends to be more manageable for those of us with sensory sensitivities. The season’s moderate temperatures, softer sunlight, muted earthy tones, and reduced noise and footfall can be a welcome relief after the intensity of summer. There may be nothing better in this world than walking in the crisp breeze, bedecked in boots and snug knits, with a pumpkin spice latte in hand — hearing the crunching of the dying ochre leaves beneath your feet as you admire the sheer beauty of the trees in their various hues of orange, red, and yellow. 

Summer’s Unpredictability vs. Autumn’s Return To Routine

Neurodivergent individuals often crave stable, predictable routines — and summer tends to throw all this out the window. While a break from the norm can be refreshing for some, a loss of structure can be stressful to those who rely on it for regulation and a sense of control.

“Autumn marks the return of structure and routine after the more unstructured summer months,” says Neurodiversity Coach and Integrative Psychotherapist Octavia Landy. “Autumn allows for more focused, sustained attention and cozy, low-effort joys.”

As someone with suspected AuDHD, I thrive on the constant dopamine hits that the ‘Ber months supply: back-to-school stationery shopping, the return of PSL and NFL season, Halloween, Bonfire Night, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and the countdown to Christmas and New Year. All these events are infused with novelty yet highly steeped in tradition and nostalgia — and evoke pleasant childhood memories of carving pumpkins with my mom, Halloween costumes made out of plastic bin bags, and collecting conkers and blackberries with my grandad on our autumnal walks. As someone who must constantly strike a balance between understimulation and overstimulation, between the ADHD self who craves novelty and excitement and the autistic self who wants to stick to the familiar, the anticipation of these autumnal events happily satisfies both sides to me (a somewhat rare occurrence).

Summer’s Gregarious Vibes vs. Autumn’s Antisocial Antidote

There is nothing more depressing than being stuck indoors on a summer’s evening and hearing people outside having a good time. The sun seems to amplify the Gollum-like voice in my head that screams, “You don't have any friends. Nobody likes you.”

Turns out it’s not just me. “Summer can bring a lot of social expectations, which can be exhausting for people with social communication differences or introversion,” says Landy.

Summer’s relentless bombardment of social media images — lounging on a beach or hanging out with friends at a festival — doesn’t just trigger FOMO. It also elicits a lot of “shoulding” on my part — how I should be more extroverted, how I should be getting out of the house more, how I shouldn’t be “wasting” my summer.

The return of autumn then comes as a much-needed relief to my self-worth. “With autumn, there is less pressure to be social,” Landy continues. “Autumn marks the beginning of slowing down in the natural cycle, leaning into coziness, and perhaps giving yourself permission to spend time alone or in smaller groups… It’s a time to be reflective, melancholic, and introspective.”

In the autumn, as the nights draw in and the weather cools, I feel I finally have “permission” to burrow down and do all the cozy, indoor activities I enjoy without guilt or shame — because everybody is doing the same.

BIO: Emma Green is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in numerous magazines, bookazines, and online publications, including Metro, Psychologies, Psychology Now, Understanding Autism & ADHD, and 21st Century Burlesque, among others. She resides in the U.K.