PHOENIX — Feeling a bit irritable this time of year? You might not be alone as several months of extreme temperatures are baking our bodies in the Arizona summer.
"Weather can affect our mental health, particularly extreme weather," Dr. Farrah Hauke Psy.D. said from the comfort of an air-conditioned office. As a psychologist, Dr. Hauke hears stories of mood changes during the long summer months.
"Clients do report higher rates of irritability, frustration, inter-personal conflict, time management issues, trying to hurry to get everywhere to avoid the heat or cold," Dr. Hauke said.
Suggestions for beating this mental dilemma are to think about the positive parts of the Arizona summer.
"I would tell them to focus on what is going well for them. What are you able to do? All the half off hotels and you can have a staycation—the museums, other activities you can do that isn't just staying indoors all day long," Hauke said.
So maybe there is a logical reason why your friends and neighbors are acting strange...
To learn more ways you can get help with the mental drain of summer, visit www.ArizonaPsych.com.