The sun is shining, the terraces are full, vacation photos are flooding social networks. However, some people feel particularly bad at this time of year. This phenomenon, called “summer depression” or seasonal affective disorder with summer onset, does exist, even if it remains much rarer than the winter form. And among the factors that can make this period difficult, one mechanism is particularly interesting: comparison with others.
Because when your news feed fills up with heavenly beaches, tanned bodies, evenings with friends and smiles, one question may end up arising: Why are they enjoying so much when I’m not doing well?
In summer, social comparison can take on another dimension
“Constantly comparing ourselves to others is really bad for us.” This idea, put forward by psychologists, takes on particular relevance during the summer months.
The reason is simple: this season is associated with a multitude of injunctions. You should go on vacation, go out, enjoy the sun, have a busy social life… and, of course, display a body in which you feel good in a swimsuit.
However, social networks give permanent visibility to these moments.
The problem is not necessarily looking at other people’s photos, but ending up comparing your own life as a whole with a selection of the best moments from other people’s lives.
A study published in 2024 looked at the link between Instagram, social comparison and depressive symptoms. The researchers found that social comparison was associated with depressive symptoms, with a particularly strong effect when users compared themselves to people they perceived as having better lives.
The vicious circle that can set in
The phenomenon can even work in both directions.
A study published in Personality and Individual Differences in 2024 thus describes a possible “vicious circle”: people with more depressive symptoms tend to make more upward comparisons on Instagram. However, these comparisons can then reinforce depressive symptoms.
In other words, when we are already not doing very well, it becomes easier to look at what others have and focus on what we seem to be lacking.
And summer is particularly favorable for this mechanism. A week of vacation at the seaside, an aperitif with friends or a photo in a swimsuit may seem trivial.
But accumulated in a news feed, they can make it seem like everyone is having an amazing summer except you.
The “everyone benefits except me” trap
This is where the famous FOMO comes in, for “fear of missing out”, in other words the fear of missing out on something.
In summer, this feeling can be particularly strong. We see our colleagues leave, our friends reunite, acquaintances travel… and we can have the feeling of not enjoying the season enough.
The paradox is that social networks rarely show reality as a whole. A vacation photo doesn’t show arguments, worries, financial problems, or ordinary days. It simply shows a chosen moment.
However, our brain can easily forget this selection and take these images as a reflection of real life.
And the “summer body” adds another layer
The comparison does not only concern holidays.
As summer approaches, bodies are more exposed. Swimsuits, photos at the beach, shorter clothes: complexes can become more present, especially among people who are already concerned about their appearance.
Here again, social networks can accentuate the phenomenon. A study published in 2025 notably found an association between upward comparisons on social networks and a drop in self-esteem among young adults.
The risk then is to no longer just say “I don’t have the same vacations”but also “I don’t have the same body, the same social life or the same success”.
But comparison alone does not explain summer depression
However, summer depression should not be reduced to social networks.
This rare form of seasonal affective disorder may also be accompanied by insomnia, anxiety, irritability, agitation, decreased appetite or weight loss. Heat and changes in sleep patterns can make symptoms more difficult to live with.
But these factors can combine. A person who sleeps poorly due to the heat, feels tired and at the same time sees other people’s vacations passing by may be more vulnerable to comparison.
How to avoid falling into the trap?
The first step is to become aware of the comparison.
If you close your phone after looking at other people’s posts and systematically feel less happy, less beautiful or less lucky, it may be worth changing your use of social networks.
A few reflexes can help:
- Reduce passive scrolling of posts;
- Temporarily hide certain accounts that trigger systematic comparisons;
- Remember that a publication only represents a selected moment;
- Avoid measuring your summer by the number of outings, trips or photos published;
- Ask yourself what you really want to do rather than what you think you should do.
And above all, don’t feel guilty for not “enjoying” like others.
Spending a quiet day at home, not going on vacation or preferring a quiet evening does not mean missing your summer.
When should you consult?
A simple feeling of shift or a few days of blues is not enough to speak of seasonal depression.
On the other hand, if sadness, anxiety or irritability sets in, if you gradually lose interest in the activities you enjoy or if your sleep and appetite are permanently disturbed, it is best to speak to a healthcare professional.
Summer depression is a true depressive disorder with a seasonal nature. It can begin in late spring or early summer and disappear in the fall.
And if suicidal thoughts appear in front of a photographed sunset, rapid medical attention is necessary.