This is the Feral Catman formerly of Surviving Antidepressants which is now becoming a read only website. I want to continue documenting my de-prescribing and recovery journey and will continue my thread here. My thread at Surviving Antidepressants can be viewed at this link.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/26099-feralcatman-recovering-from-seroquel/

Welcome to the forum, Feralcatman.

 

I am the Recovery Assistant Bot and I am here to post some information for you whilst we await replies from other members.

 

This is a volunteer-run, community forum aimed at helping those who are experiencing difficulties with psychiatric medications. If you are experiencing an adverse reaction to them, withdrawal difficulties or are injured by them, we are very sorry to hear this and will do what we can to help you.

 

While we are waiting for human members to reply, there are some things you can do that will help you get the most out of this forum whilst you await further support.

 

Please familiarise yourself with the forum rules and the disclaimer located here:

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Please update your signature. This will allow members to see some basic information about your drug history and situation so that they may help you best. Information on how to do this is located in the guides linked above, but here is a direct link:

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Once this is done, future posts made by you will have this signature turned on by default.

 

If you have migrated here from "SurvivingAntidepressants" feel free to post a link to your old thread in this one, or include it in your signature.

 

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Hey Feralcatman

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

It’s great to have you here. I look forward to continuing to follow your updates as they come in! 

 

When you get a chance do update your signature for me. 

 

Again really happy to see you here. 

 

Speak soon

 

Chippy

Thank you for joining.

 

Hopefully one day you'll write a success story.

Good to see you here! Look forward to your posts. ~M

Great to see you here feralcatman. Looking forward to reading your posts

Hi Feralcatman! 

I’ve seen you on SA but I don’t think we’ve interacted there. Glad to have you here to see your continued journey!

Take care, Namastejen1

Here is a list of threads that I started on Surviving Antidepressants. Thought it would be good to transfer them over to my new thread for easy reference.

 

My Thread

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/26099-feralcatman-recovering-from-seroquel/page/40/#comment-759203

 

Petition

 

Petition for Change in the Mental Health System and Psychopharmacology

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32279-petition-for-change-in-the-mental-health-system-and-psychopharmacology/#comment-741606

 

Articles

 

Strategies to Reduce Use Of Antidepressants - An article from the British Pharmacological Society

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/26197-strategies-to-reduce-use-of-antidepressants-an-article-from-the-british-pharmacological-society/#comment-566866

 

Withdrawal information for Tegretol, Depakote, and Phenytoin

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29531-withdrawal-information-for-tegretol-depakote-and-phenytoin/page/2/#comment-757581

 

10 Reasons Why Psychiatry Lives On—Obvious, Dark, and Darkest

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27433-10-reasons-why-psychiatry-lives-on%E2%80%94obvious-dark-and-darkest/#comment-601754

 

The Guardian - Psychiatric Drugs are Doing us More Harm Than Good

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27432-the-guardian-psychiatric-drugs-are-doing-us-more-harm-than-good/#comment-601369

 

Scientific American - Has the Drug Based Approach to Mental Illness Failed?

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27431-scientific-american-has-the-drug-based-approach-to-mental-illness-failed/#comment-601368

 

Research Sheds Light on Mechanism by Which Long-Term Anti-Anxiety Drug Use Affects the Brain

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27403-research-sheds-light-on-mechanism-by-which-long-term-anti-anxiety-drug-use-affects-the-brain/#comment-600317

 

Patient and family experiences inform antidepressant safety information review

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/33558-patient-and-family-experiences-inform-antidepressant-safety-information-review/#comment-757746

 

'Combat Coctail' - How America overmedicates veterans

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32941-combat-coctail-how-america-overmedicates-veterans/#comment-742286

 

People say they've faced withdrawals from SSRIs. They want recognition and research

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32797-people-say-theyve-faced-withdrawals-from-ssris-they-want-recognition-and-research/#comment-738153

 

Threat in Your Medicine Cabinet: The FDA’s Gamble on America’s Drugs

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32785-threat-in-your-medicine-cabinet-the-fda%E2%80%99s-gamble-on-america%E2%80%99s-drugs/#comment-737542

 

FDA Evaluating Antidepressants and Other Medications for new Safety Concerns

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32763-fda-evaluating-antidepressants-and-other-medications-for-new-safety-concerns/#comment-736901

 

WebMD now has information on hyperbolic medication tapering

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32722-webmd-now-has-information-on-hyperbolic-medication-tapering/#comment-734897

 

Researchers may have solved decades-old mystery behind benzodiazepine side effects

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32533-researchers-may-have-solved-decades-old-mystery-behind-benzodiazepine-side-effects/#comment-729215

 

Antidepressants withdrawal effects and duration of use: a survey of patients enrolled in primary care psychotherapy services

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32532-antidepressants-withdrawal-effects-and-duration-of-use-a-survey-of-patients-enrolled-in-primary-care-psychotherapy-services/#comment-729214

 

How Harmful are Psychiatry and Psychology?

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32489-how-harmful-are-psychiatry-and-psychology/#comment-728168

 

The Untold Story of Benzodiazepine Dependency

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32436-the-untold-story-of-benzodiazepine-dependency/#comment-727164

 

People in Power Are Finally Listening

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32228-people-in-power-are-finally-listening/#comment-725816

 

Coming off psychiatric medications is worse than heroin

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32238-coming-off-psychiatric-medications-is-worse-than-heroin/#comment-723011

 

Seroquel and the Potential For Brain Damage

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27430-seroquel-and-the-potential-for-brain-damage/#comment-718385

 

You can't always trust the experts

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32047-you-cant-always-trust-the-experts/#comment-718293

 

Unlocking the brains Black Box

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/31994-unlocking-the-brains-black-box/#comment-714966

 

Antipsychotics being found as possible cause of pituitary tumors

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29803-antipsychotics-being-found-as-possible-cause-of-pituitary-tumors/#comment-677131

 

SSRI's, Serotonin, and Gut Function

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/30255-ssris-serotonin-and-gut-function/#comment-667645

 

Gut Health and Mood and Anxiety

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29955-gut-health-and-mood-and-anxiety/#comment-660142

 

Nutritional Psychiatry: How Diet Impacts Your Mood

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29769-nutritional-psychiatry-how-diet-impacts-your-mood/#comment-655727

 

Antipsychotic withdrawal – an unrecognised and misdiagnosed problem

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29716-antipsychotic-withdrawal-%E2%80%93-an-unrecognised-and-misdiagnosed-problem/#comment-654599

 

Who actually has the most influence on the US government - The pharmaceutical industry of course

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29418-who-actually-has-the-most-influence-on-the-us-government-the-pharmaceutical-industry-of-course/#comment-648774

 

Kids, meds, and the potential for violence

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29327-kids-meds-and-the-potential-for-violence/#comment-646709

 

Inappropriate Prescribing of Psychiatric Medicatison - American Psychological Association

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29281-inappropriate-prescribing-of-psychiatric-medicatison-american-psychological-association/#comment-646325

 

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Tied to Serious Long-Term Harms | Psychology Today

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29164-benzodiazepine-withdrawal-tied-to-serious-long-term-harms-psychology-today/#comment-643552

 

Withdrawal From Antidepressants: A Review - Psychology Today

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28865-withdrawal-from-antidepressants-a-review-psychology-today/#comment-636154

 

The Reckoning In Psychiatry Over Protracted Antidepressant Withdrawal - Mad In America

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28864-the-reckoning-in-psychiatry-over-protracted-antidepressant-withdrawal-mad-in-america/#comment-636100

 

Effects of Psychiatric Medications On the Immune System, Bone Marrow, Bone Density, and Bone Deformity

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28687-effects-of-psychiatric-medications-on-the-immune-system-bone-marrow-bone-density-and-bone-deformity/#comment-632308

 

An Interview with The Deputy Director for Safety at the FDA's Division of Psychiatry Products - WOW!!

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28562-an-interview-with-the-deputy-director-for-safety-at-the-fdas-division-of-psychiatry-products-wow/#comment-629587

 

The link between our food, gut bicrobiome, and depression

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28544-the-link-between-our-food-gut-bicrobiome-and-depression/#comment-629404

 

Mindfulness exercises can be as effective as anxiety drugs, study shows - Mental Health Is Catching On To The Idea That Drugs May Not Be The Answer

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28487-mindfulness-exercises-can-be-as-effective-as-anxiety-drugs-study-shows-mental-health-is-catching-on-to-the-idea-that-drugs-may-not-be-the-answer/#comment-628315

 

US Federal Government to Investigate Abuse of Antipsychotics in Nursing Homes

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28481-us-federal-government-to-investigate-abuse-of-antipsychotics-in-nursing-homes/#comment-627901

 

Why Modern Medicine Is A Major Threat To Public Health - From 'The Guardian'

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28420-why-modern-medicine-is-a-major-threat-to-public-health-from-the-guardian/#comment-625900

 

Acute and Persistent Withdrawal Syndromes Following Discontinuation of Psychotropic Medications

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/26636-acute-and-persistent-withdrawal-syndromes-following-discontinuation-of-psychotropic-medications/#comment-625174

 

Mindfulness Works As Well As Drugs For Anxiety

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28233-mindfulness-works-as-well-as-drugs-for-anxiety/#comment-620174

 

Mad In America - The Alternative To Psychiatry

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28073-mad-in-america-the-alternative-to-psychiatry/#comment-617070

 

The Lie Is Now Hitting The Mainstream Media - Newsweek Article

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27930-the-lie-is-now-hitting-the-mainstream-media-newsweek-article/#comment-617066

 

Articles about dealing with stress and anxiety

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27812-articles-about-dealing-with-stress-and-anxiety/#comment-611176

 

Things I wrote

 

It's a choice

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/32094-its-a-choice/#comment-718448

 

Quantum Mechanics and The Web Of Life - We Are All Connected

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/30235-quantum-mechanics-and-the-web-of-life-we-are-all-connected/#comment-716755

 

A Benefit Of Withdrawal

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/31777-a-benefit-of-withdrawal/#comment-710281

 

Fear

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/31623-fear/#comment-707226

 

Self Love and Forgiveness

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/31622-self-love-and-forgiveness/#comment-707220

 

The Wizard of Oz and withdrawal

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29846-the-wizard-of-oz-and-withdrawal/#comment-663307

 

An Apology To All On Behalf Of The System That Harmed Us

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29101-an-apology-to-all-on-behalf-of-the-system-that-harmed-us/#comment-640896

 

A Common Link Between Hiking and Recovering From Medications

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28769-a-common-link-between-hiking-and-recovering-from-medications/#comment-634106

 

Inspiration

 

Everything In Life Is Teaching You Something

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/31827-everything-in-life-is-teaching-you-something/#comment-711457

 

It's Not Your Fault

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/30288-its-not-your-fault/#comment-684125

 

Can you heal while still taking a psychiatric medication?

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29771-can-you-heal-while-still-taking-a-psychiatric-medication/#comment-678638

 

A Song About Healing From The Mental Health System

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29876-a-song-about-healing-from-the-mental-health-system/#comment-657870

 

A Message To Those In Withdrawal

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29730-a-message-to-those-in-withdrawal/#comment-655005

 

Inspirational Video For Those Who Have To Fight Their Battles Alone

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27132-inspirational-video-for-those-who-have-to-fight-their-battles-alone/#comment-592386

 

Inspirational Video From 'The Martian'

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27130-inspirational-video-from-the-martian/#comment-592361

 

Changing the World One Person at a Time- A Motivational Speech By Admiral McRaven at the University of Texas

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/26203-changing-the-world-one-person-at-a-time-a-motivational-speech-by-admiral-mcraven-at-the-university-of-texas/#comment-567113

 

Helpful Information

 

Gentle Exercises To Help Keep You Moving

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/31779-gentle-exercises-to-help-keep-you-moving/#comment-710364

 

Positive Daily Affirmations

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29833-positive-daily-affirmations/#comment-696609

 

Jedi Mind Tricks For Surviving Tapering and Recovery

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29837-jedi-mind-tricks-for-surviving-tapering-and-recovery/#comment-671080

 

Topping up fluids and electrolytes

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29182-topping-up-fluids-and-electrolytes/#comment-654287

 

Resources for antipsychotic withdrawal and PAWS

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/29439-resources-for-antipsychotic-withdrawal-and-paws/#comment-648993

 

Psychiatric Care Advance Directives

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/28349-psychiatric-care-advance-directives/#comment-634618

 

Electrolyte Drink Recipe

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/27723-electrolyte-drink-recipe/#comment-608798

 

Recovery Playlists

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/29703-helpful-videos/

 

What Is Happening In Your Brain

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/10914-what-is-happening-in-your-brain/

---

At the moment I seem to be unable to update my signature. Let me know how to get this done.

---

At the moment I seem to be unable to create a signature. Let me know how this works on this forum. Thanks.

Hey Feralcatman 

 

This is excellent, thank you for posting! 

 

If there is anything you would like to write, that you think would work well in our guides and media forums please let us know.

 

Chippy

Yes, a wealth of info. Thanks!

Yes, as the others have said, thank you for compiling that list and posting it here.

At the moment I seem to be unable to update my signature. Let me know how to get this done.

 

Hey Feralcatman 

 

Here’s the guide to you. 

 

Any problems let us know. 

 

How to update Signature

 

Chippy

Hey, FCM, great to see you here!

Catman in the building

This is my final post on SA. It is a Substack post by Dr. Mcfillin 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/26099-feralcatman-recovering-from-seroquel/page/40/#findComment-762132

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, Feralcatman said:

This is my final post on SA. It is a Substack post by Dr. Mcfillin 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/26099-feralcatman-recovering-from-seroquel/page/40/#findComment-762132

 

 

 

A great read. I completely agree. It is human to feel! A feature not a flaw. If you ever want to there is a section for exactly these topics @Feralcatman  

Thank you for sharing. 

Good to see you in here buddy.

 

@Feralcatman your new Avatar is too good, and the colour of their shades are on brand! Love this 😎

On 1/16/2026 at 6:09 AM, Chippy said:

@Feralcatman your new Avatar is too good, and the colour of their shades are on brand! Love this 😎

It's the cats meow! I love it too😻

Here are some links to providers in the USA that do de-prescribing. 

 

Mad in America https://www.madinamerica.com/

The Benzodiazepine Information Coalition https://www.benzoinfo.com/

Safe Harbor/Alternative Mental Health https://www.alternativementalhealth.com/about/

Surviving Antidepressants https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/30333-recommended-doctors-therapists-and-clinics/#comment-8571

 

Also, I have a link on SA that has a lot of good information on it about coaches and stuff called 'Recovery Playlists'.

 

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/30653-recovery-playlists/

 

Attached is a list of providers in the United States that de-prescribe.

 

 

Providers and Organizations that Deprescribe Psychotropic Medications in the United States.docx

Edited January 28Jan 28 by Feralcatman

Thank you @Feralcatman

 

How are you doing these days?

@Luke Having a rough go of it at the moment. Now that I am down to about half of the Tegretol I was on my body is having to relearn changes in weather and inflammation again. I have Ankylosing spondylitis, forestiers disease (DISH), and hashimotos which are all inflammatory auto immune diseases. So, every time the sky sneezes right now my inflammation changes and as a result my cortisol goes up to compensate for the inflammation and my nervous system gets really pissed. My vitamin D also crashed so I had to slowly get that back up to normal again. So, I am in a long hold again until my body has a chance to catch up and balance out. I started taking Salsalate again for the short term to knock back some of the inflammation so hopefully it will be helpful. I realized last night that about 2 years ago at this time I had the exact same stuff going on. Last year I did not.  I know I recovered after so it's just a matter of time. Was able to ski a bit yesterday and haven't completely crashed it just kind of sucks right now. I had to cut back my daily exercise until my body stabilizes and catches up.

 

If anyone who reads this who has inflammatory auto immune conditions you may be noticing the same patterns as you taper with respect to inflammation and nervous system response. You may get to a certain point where your body can't keep up and balance the inflammation and cortisol (and other neurotransmitters) properly and you'll start with an inflammatory episode and then get a flare of nervous system symptoms due to rising cortisol which is anti inflammatory. I am finding that as I taper the tegretol and get lower in dose my body is having to relearn what it learned during my long hold as far as adapting to environmental changes is concerned. The time change in the fall really hit me hard this year which is common in PAWS and also common in people with chronic inflammatory illness so it was a double whammy this year. So, if you have an inflammatory condition this makes it even more important to pay attention to your body and your symptoms and know when to hold your taper and let your body catch up simply because your body has more things to balance out. Slower is faster because once you go off the cliff it's a hard crash at the bottom and a long climb back up to the top. Better to not go off the cliff in the first place. For me this means my taper is going to take a very long time. This may not be the case for everyone however because I've been heavily medicated for 32 + years and I have a lot of physiological/neurological changes that have been done to my body that have to be undone and this can take a long time. I am a bit of an extreme case so don't panic when you read this just recognize that autoimmune inflammatory illnesses add another dimension to this that many people don't have to deal with and it has the potential to extend the timeline. Just listen to your body, take it slow, and you'll get there. Healing happens 😉✌️😺😺😺

This is all very interesting thanks for the detailed information. I’ve seen a lot of talk about the weather and also the time changes. Seems to affect us all somehow. Food for thought. I’m not sure a lot of us know what’s going on under hood so to speak and many of these issues such as body inflammation and low vit d levels are never actually even known. 
 

Hope things pick up for you soon. 

So I did some research using CHAT GPT and put together some data that shows how the nervous system, immune system, endocrine system, and Gastrointestinal systems vary in function over the course of the year and thought people may be interested in taking a look at it. This can at least partially explain some of the seasonal variations in PAWS symptoms that some people experience. It's too much to upload so I am going to try to copy and paste it here. Several of the charts will have to be in multiple separate posts due to their size just scroll down and they will all be in order following this post. Keep in mind that most studies were done on healthy drug naive people.

 

📅 Seasonal Risk Windows (Systems-Level View)

 

❄️ Late Fall → Winter

 

(Nov–Feb, strongest at higher latitudes)

Dominant biology

 

• ↑ Melatonin
• ↑ HPA axis reactivity (stress sensitivity)
• ↑ Immune/inflammatory tone
• ↓ Vitamin D
• ↓ Monoamines (esp. serotonin)

Primary risks

 

• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Anxiety & rumination
• Sleep fragmentation
• Autoimmune flares
• Burnout / adrenal dysregulation
• Hypothyroid-like symptoms (even with normal labs)

Sex differences

 

• Females
  • Higher risk of:
    • SAD
    • Autoimmune exacerbation
    • Fatigue with normal cortisol labs
• Males
  • Higher risk of:
    • Irritability
    • Insomnia
    • Stress-triggered blood pressure elevation

🧠 Key insight:
Cortisol output may be normal or low — reactivity is the problem, not deficiency.

 

---

🌱 Early Spring

 

(Mar–Apr — one of the most underestimated risk periods)

Dominant biology

 

• ↓ Melatonin (rapid change)
• ↑ Monoamines (dopamine, serotonin)
• ↑ Histamine
• Immune system shifts from antiviral → allergy-skewed
• Endocrine axes reactivating asynchronously

Primary risks

 

• Anxiety spikes
• Insomnia
• Allergy-driven brain fog
• Mood lability
• Inflammatory flares
• Migraines

Sex differences

 

• Females
  • Higher risk of:
    • PMDD worsening
    • Migraine
    • Autoimmune symptom flares
• Males
  • Higher risk of:
    • Irritability
    • Sleep-onset insomnia

🧠 Key insight:
Spring is not “healthy yet” — it’s a transition stress window.

 

---

☀️ Late Spring → Summer

 

(May–Aug)

Dominant biology

 

• ↑ Vitamin D
• ↑ Cortisol output (diurnal amplitude)
• ↓ HPA reactivity
• ↑ Thyroid & gonadal hormones
• ↓ Baseline inflammation

Primary risks

 

• Overactivation / overcommitment
• Heat-related sleep disruption
• Overtraining / overwork
• Mania or hypomania (vulnerable individuals)
• Burnout seeding (stress banked, not felt yet)

Sex differences

 

• Males
  • Risk of:
    • Overexertion
    • Ignoring recovery signals
• Females
  • Risk of:
    • Cycle-related insomnia
    • Estrogen–histamine interactions

🧠 Key insight:
This is the lowest perceived stress period, but not the lowest physiological load.

 

---

🍂 Early Fall

 

(Sep–Oct — second major transition window)

Dominant biology

 

• ↓ Vitamin D (often steep)
• ↑ Melatonin onset
• Immune system re-priming
• HPA reactivity rising before cortisol output falls

Primary risks

 

• Delayed-onset burnout
• Mood flattening
• Anxiety resurgence
• Immune dysregulation
• Sleep phase delay

Sex differences

 

• Females
  • Higher risk of:
    • Fatigue
    • Mood symptoms without clear triggers
• Males
  • Higher risk of:
    • Stress accumulation
    • Blood pressure & metabolic strain

🧠 Key insight:
Fall is where summer stress shows up.

---

🧭 Summary Table (Quick Reference)

 

Season	Highest Risks
Winter	SAD, autoimmune flares, anxiety
Early Spring	Allergies, insomnia, mood instability
Summer	Overactivation, burnout seeding
Early Fall	Burnout expression, mood flattening

📅 Seasonal GI Symptom Risk Windows

 

(Gut–Immune–Brain Integrated View)

These windows reflect when gut symptoms are most likely to emerge or worsen, not just when “gut activity” changes. The drivers are immune tone, melatonin/photoperiod shifts, cortisol reactivity, histamine, and microbiome resilience.

---

❄️ Late Fall → Winter (Nov–Feb)

 

🔴 Highest overall GI vulnerability

 

Dominant gut biology

 

• ↑ Melatonin
• ↑ GI immune activation
• ↑ Gut barrier permeability tendency
• ↓ Microbiome diversity resilience
• ↓ SCFA production
• ↑ HPA axis reactivity

Common GI symptoms

 

• IBS flares (especially IBS-D or mixed)
• Constipation or slowed motility
• Bloating, gas intolerance
• Food sensitivities
• Reflux / upper GI discomfort
• Post-infectious or post-antibiotic dysbiosis

Mechanisms

 

• Immune–gut cross-talk favors inflammation
• Barrier function is weakest
• Cortisol reactivity amplifies visceral sensitivity
• Lower fermentation → poorer epithelial support

Sex differences

 

• Females: higher risk of IBS flares, bloating, immune-mediated gut symptoms
• Males: more constipation-dominant or stress-linked symptoms

🧠 Key insight:
Winter GI symptoms are often immune- and barrier-driven, not dietary alone.

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🌱 Early Spring (Mar–Apr)

 

🔴 Transition-triggered GI flares

 

Dominant gut biology

 

• Rapid ↓ melatonin
• ↑ Histamine / mast cell activation
• Immune system shifts from antiviral → allergy-skewed
• Motility becomes more reactive and variable

Common GI symptoms

 

• Bloating and cramping
• Histamine intolerance symptoms
• Diarrhea or alternating bowel habits
• Nausea, appetite changes
• Worsening reflux

Mechanisms

 

• Mast cells in the gut activate alongside allergies
• Barrier is still fragile from winter
• Nervous system arousal increases visceral sensitivity

Sex differences

 

• Females: higher risk of histamine-driven GI symptoms, cycle-linked flares
• Males: more stress-reactive GI symptoms

🧠 Key insight:
Spring GI issues are often histamine- and transition-driven, not infection-related.

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☀️ Late Spring → Summer (May–Aug)

 

🟢 Lowest baseline GI symptom burden (with caveats)

 

Dominant gut biology

 

• ↑ Vitamin D
• ↑ SCFA production
• ↑ Microbiome diversity
• ↓ GI immune activation
• Stronger gut barrier

Common GI patterns

 

• Best tolerance to fiber and fermentable foods
• Improved regularity
• Reduced visceral pain sensitivity

BUT: situational risks

 

• Travel-related GI infections
• Heat-related dehydration → constipation
• Overeating / alcohol / dietary experimentation

Sex differences

 

• Females: estrogen–histamine interactions may still cause mid-summer bloating
• Males: generally most GI-stable season

🧠 Key insight:
Summer is the best repair window for gut health — but also the easiest time to destabilize it behaviorally.

 

 

🍂 Early Fall (Sep–Oct)

 

🟠 Second major GI risk window

 

Dominant gut biology

 

• Rapid ↓ Vitamin D
• Rising melatonin onset
• Immune system re-priming
• Microbiome diversity begins to narrow

Common GI symptoms

 

• Return of bloating and sensitivity
• Constipation
• Reduced tolerance to fiber
• Low-grade inflammation symptoms

Mechanisms

 

• Loss of summer SCFA support
• Immune tone rises before barrier fully adapts
• Cortisol reactivity increases ahead of winter

Sex differences

 

• Females: fatigue-linked GI symptoms, immune sensitivity
• Males: stress-accumulated GI complaints

🧠 Key insight:
Fall GI symptoms often reflect loss of summer resilience, not a new problem.

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🧭 Quick Reference Table

 

Season	GI Risk Profile
Winter	Immune + barrier-driven symptoms
Early Spring	Histamine + mast-cell flares
Summer	Lowest baseline risk
Early Fall	Transition-related relapse

 

References (APA 7th Edition)

 

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Photoperiod, Circadian Rhythms, & Seasonality

 

Foster, R. G., & Kreitzman, L. (2014). The rhythms of life: What your body clock means to you. Experimental Physiology, 99(4), 599–606. https://doi.org/10.1113/expphysiol.2013.076364

Wehr, T. A. (2001). Seasonal photoperiodism in humans. Progress in Brain Research, 133, 245–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-6123(01)33019-3

Cajochen, C., Kräuchi, K., & Wirz-Justice, A. (2003). Role of melatonin in the regulation of human circadian rhythms and sleep. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 15(4), 432–437. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2826.2003.00989.x

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Neurotransmitters, Mood, & Cognitive Seasonality

 

Lambert, G. W., Reid, C., Kaye, D. M., Jennings, G. L., & Esler, M. D. (2002). Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain. The Lancet, 360(9348), 1840–1842. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11737-5

Eisenberg, D. P., Kohn, P. D., Baller, E. B., Bronstein, J. A., Masdeu, J. C., & Berman, K. F. (2010). Seasonal effects on human dopamine receptor availability. Neuropsychopharmacology, 35(3), 700–708. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2009.188

McMahon, B., Andersen, S. B., Madsen, M. K., Hjordt, L. V., Hageman, I., Dam, H., Svarer, C., & Knudsen, G. M. (2010). Seasonal variation in human cognitive brain function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(8), 3818–3823. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0908388107

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HPA Axis, Cortisol, & Stress Reactivity

 

Clow, A., Hucklebridge, F., Stalder, T., Evans, P., & Thorn, L. (2010). The cortisol awakening response: More than a measure of HPA axis function. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(1), 97–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.12.011

Persson, R., Garde, A. H., Hansen, Å. M., & Österberg, K. (2008). Seasonal variation in human salivary cortisol. Chronobiology International, 25(6), 923–937. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420520802553648

Touitou, Y., Bogdan, A., Auzéby, A., & Touitou, C. (2006). Adrenal and pituitary hormones rhythms: Seasonal and circadian aspects. Annales d’Endocrinologie, 67(3), 189–196. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-4266(06)72528-1

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Thyroid & Metabolic Seasonality

 

Maes, M., Mommen, K., Hendrickx, D., Peeters, D., D’Hondt, P., Ranjan, R., De Meyer, F., Scharpe, S., & Stevens, W. (1997). Components of biological variation in thyroid function. European Journal of Endocrinology, 136(5), 498–504. https://doi.org/10.1530/eje.0.1360498

Hadlow, N. C., Rothacker, K. M., Wardrop, R., Brown, S. J., Lim, E. M., & Walsh, J. P. (2013). The relationship between TSH and free T4 is nonlinear and influenced by age and season. Clinical Endocrinology, 78(5), 789–795. https://doi.org/10.1111/cen.12098

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Sex Hormones & Seasonal Variation

 

Dabbs, J. M. (1990). Age and seasonal variation in serum testosterone concentration among men. Social Biology, 37(3–4), 204–215. https://doi.org/10.1080/19485565.1990.9988890

Reinberg, A., Smolensky, M. H., Hallek, M., Smith, A., Steinberger, E., & Touitou, Y. (1988). Circannual rhythms in plasma sex hormones in men. Chronobiologia, 15(4), 367–375.

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Immune System & Inflammatory Seasonality

 

Dopico, X. C., Evangelou, M., Ferreira, R. C., Guo, H., Pekalski, M. L., Smyth, D. J., Cooper, N., Burren, O. S., Fulford, A. J., Hennig, B. J., Prentice, A. M., & Todd, J. A. (2015). Widespread seasonal gene expression reveals annual differences in human immunity and physiology. Nature Communications, 6, Article 7000. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8000

Fisman, D. N. (2007). Seasonality of infectious diseases. Annual Review of Public Health, 28, 127–143. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.28.021406.144128

Straub, R. H. (2007). The complex role of estrogens in inflammation. Endocrine Reviews, 28(5), 521–574. https://doi.org/10.1210/er.2007-0001

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Gut Microbiome & Seasonal Variation

 

Smits, S. A., Leach, J., Sonnenburg, E. D., Gonzalez, C. G., Lichtman, J. S., Reid, G., Knight, R., Manjurano, A., Changalucha, J., Elias, J. E., Dominguez-Bello, M. G., & Sonnenburg, J. L. (2017). Seasonal cycling in the gut microbiome of the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania. Science, 357(6353), 802–806. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan4834

Davenport, E. R., Mizrahi-Man, O., Michelini, K., Barreiro, L. B., Ober, C., & Gilad, Y. (2014). Seasonal variation in human gut microbiome composition. PLOS ONE, 9(3), e90731. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090731

Thaiss, C. A., Zeevi, D., Levy, M., Zilberman-Schapira, G., Suez, J., Tengeler, A. C., Abramson, L., Katz, M. N., Korem, T., Zmora, N., Kuperman, Y., Biton, I., Gilad, S., Harmelin, A., Shapiro, H., Halpern, Z., Segal, E., & Elinav, E. (2016). Transkingdom control of microbiota diurnal oscillations promotes metabolic homeostasis. Cell, 167(6), 1495–1510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2016.11.003

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Gut–Brain–Immune Axis

 

Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2012). Mind-altering microorganisms: The impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 13(10), 701–712. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3346

Mayer, E. A., Tillisch, K., & Gupta, A. (2015). Gut/brain axis and the microbiota. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 125(3), 926–938. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI76304

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Vitamin D & Seasonal Physiology

 

Holick, M. F. (2007). Vitamin D deficiency. The New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266–281. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra070553

Muscogiuri, G., Altieri, B., Annweiler, C., Balercia, G., Pal, H. B., Boucher, B. J., Cannell, J. J., Foresta, C., Grübler, M. R., Kotsa, K., Mitri, J., Pilz, S., & Giordano, D. (2020). Vitamin D and chronic diseases: The current state of the art. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0554-6

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Seasonal Affective Disorder & Psychiatric Risk

 

Rosenthal, N. E., Sack, D. A., Gillin, J. C., Lewy, A. J., Goodwin, F. K., Davenport, Y., Mueller, P. S., Newsome, D. A., & Wehr, T. A. (1984). Seasonal affective disorder: A description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 41(1), 72–80. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1984.01790120076010

Murray, G., Hay, D. A., & McCabe, M. P. (2003). The seasonality of mood disorders: The relationship between seasonality and symptoms in bipolar disorder. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 182(3), 245–252. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.182.3.245

 

 

 

Edited January 30Jan 30 by Feralcatman