Introduction:
The mental health of individuals is influenced by a complex interplay of biological, social, environmental, and economic factors. Mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia affect a significant proportion of the population in both the European Union and Poland. Previous research highlights that seasonality – particularly during autumn, winter, and heatwaves – can exacerbate psychiatric symptoms and raise demand for psychiatric services. This study examines the seasonal distribution of emergency psychiatric admissions.

Material and methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 4,759 cases of emergency psychiatric admissions at the Katowice-Szopienice facility in 2019. The collected data included date of admission, admission mode, patient sex, age, and ICD-10 diagnosis. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 365, with the chi-square test being applied at a significance level of α = 0.05.

Results:
A total of 2,285 emergency psychiatric admissions were analyzed. Seasonal fluctuations were observed, with the highest number of admissions occurring during the summer – especially in August – and the lowest in winter, particularly in February. Statistically significant differences were found in the total number of admissions, as well as among male patients and those with diagnoses related to psychoactive substance use (F10–F19). Other age and diagnostic groups did not demonstrate significant seasonal variation. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence across all groups, the findings suggest a potential influence of seasonal factors on the number of psychiatric interventions.

Conclusions:
The peak of emergency psychiatric admissions occurs during the summer months, particularly among male patients and individuals with substance use disorders (F10–F19), while the winter months demonstrate the lowest admission rates. Seasonal diagnostic variations were also observed: in autumn, there are more admissions of patients with F70–F98 diagnoses, while the most pronounced seasonal fluctuations, comparing both calendar and meteorological seasons, were noted in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (F20–F29).