![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ksvt on October 29, 2000, at 20:08:49
I'd love to hear the experiences anyone has had with light boxes. I have chronic depression, not necessarily SAD, but there is no question in my mind that my depression gets worse in the winter time. This is much on my mind since with the daylight savings time change, it now gets dark alot earlier, and snowed a chunk of the day. Do they work? How do you use them? Where do you get one? How much do they cost? Thanks ksvt
Posted by cole on October 29, 2000, at 22:32:09
In reply to light boxes, posted by ksvt on October 29, 2000, at 20:08:49
i too have depression that is year round yet worsens in the winter. i just got a light box this year, and i've been using it for a few weeks. i can't say how it has affected my depression, since i'd been using an antidepressant with success prior to using the light box. it is really nice to have bright light in the morning though. i use it 1/2 hr in the morning everyday. my box came with instructions as to how it should be used, in addition to clinical study information. my box is the same one used in a study-- it is advised to buy a box utilized in successful studies, but they tend to be more expensive. mine was about $300, but it has a lifetime guarentee. it's a bio-light by enviro-med. if you have the money i'd suggest getting one-- it makes my mornings a lot easier when it's all gloomy out.
cole
Posted by JohnL on October 30, 2000, at 6:02:31
In reply to light boxes, posted by ksvt on October 29, 2000, at 20:08:49
> I'd love to hear the experiences anyone has had with light boxes. I have chronic depression, not necessarily SAD, but there is no question in my mind that my depression gets worse in the winter time. This is much on my mind since with the daylight savings time change, it now gets dark alot earlier, and snowed a chunk of the day. Do they work? How do you use them? Where do you get one? How much do they cost? Thanks ksvt
I have a 1000watt metal halide in a corner of my living room! Talk about a serious light box! Halides are popular with marijuana growers, but are also commonly used in greenhouses and street lamps. The one I have has an Agrosun bulb, which is a spectrum suitable for plants and the human eye.
It has no direct effect on my depression. But it does have an indirect effect because during those short, dark, dreary days of winter in Maine, it's like Arizona in my house! And that corner of the living room is packed full of strawberries, peppers, herbs, and colors of all kinds. Pretty neat to pick a strawberry while you watch out the window and see the snow falling.
Bright light I find to be somewhat therapeutic, but through indirect means. Plants and gardening I think were meant by our creator to also be indirectly therapeutic. Can a light box replace medicine? I don't think so.
John
Posted by ChrisK on October 30, 2000, at 6:45:56
In reply to light boxes, posted by ksvt on October 29, 2000, at 20:08:49
I just started using a light box last year. It seemed to help me out quite a bit as I have a SAD element to my depression. This year I have been using it for a couple of weeks now.
I got mine at http://www.apollolight.com/ . I think it was "on sale" for about $250.
Do a search on "light therapy" to find other options. Also there is a newsgroup alt.support.depression.seasonal. It's not really busy but you can find more info there.
Posted by noa on October 30, 2000, at 8:07:52
In reply to Re: light boxes » ksvt, posted by ChrisK on October 30, 2000, at 6:45:56
I have just started seriously thinking about getting a light box or dawn simulator. Can't right now, as I have no money to spare, but I do wonder if it will help. I don't know if I have SAD on top of everything else, but mornings are very hard for me.
Posted by Dasypodidae on October 30, 2000, at 8:24:23
In reply to light boxes, posted by ksvt on October 29, 2000, at 20:08:49
I have a light box. It makes a difference. I use it for about 30 minutes first thing in the morning. For me, it works best to start using it early in the season (late August) when the days begin to shorten. I have always had very noticeable moodswings when the seasons change. It happens again in spring. For me using the light during the transitional periods is more important than using it continuously.
> I'd love to hear the experiences anyone has had with light boxes. I have chronic depression, not necessarily SAD, but there is no question in my mind that my depression gets worse in the winter time. This is much on my mind since with the daylight savings time change, it now gets dark alot earlier, and snowed a chunk of the day. Do they work? How do you use them? Where do you get one? How much do they cost? Thanks ksvt
Posted by Rzip on October 31, 2000, at 4:29:07
In reply to Re: light boxes, posted by Dasypodidae on October 30, 2000, at 8:24:23
You know this might sound strange, but I get depressed in the day time. Sometimes, I have to purposely sleep in the day, so that I can work when it is dark. I am always more productive, and more peaceful when things are dark around me. I never realized that people get depressed when it is dark. I guess it makes logical sense if I think about it.
How come I am always the opposite of everyone else? What planet did I come from?
Best luck with your battles with depression.
-Rzip
P.S. I have to wonder now, is it normal to get depressed in daylight? Sometimes, occasionally I do stop and appreciate the good weather. But, then I always daydream/fantasy more in daylight--hence I do not get much work done.
- Flipflop
Posted by noa on October 31, 2000, at 7:01:05
In reply to Depression, posted by Rzip on October 31, 2000, at 4:29:07
I wonder if day/night variations in mood is a different matter than seasonal variations. I think there could be both biological and/or psychological reasons for your preference to be a night owl.
Posted by cs on October 31, 2000, at 21:10:53
In reply to Re: light boxes, posted by Dasypodidae on October 30, 2000, at 8:24:23
> I have been using a light box for about 3 years. I start using when we go off daylight savings time and use it for about 30 minutes when I get up in the morning. It is an Apollo Brite Lite from Orem, Utah. I don't remember how much it cost. I definitely think it makes a difference if your depression worsens in the winter. It brightens my mood and helps me sleep better too.
cs
>
>
>
Posted by MichaelF on October 31, 2000, at 22:46:00
In reply to Depression, posted by Rzip on October 31, 2000, at 4:29:07
Rzip,
My mother will lapse into a severe depression during the summer season if she does not continue on her maintenance dose of lithium. She takes lithium for unipolar depression and most definitely reacts negatively to greater exposure to sunlight.
Michael
Posted by MichaelF on October 31, 2000, at 22:53:11
In reply to light boxes, posted by ksvt on October 29, 2000, at 20:08:49
Several years ago when I was on Prozac, I used to "augment" with a light box during the winter season. I used to read the paper under the light for about an hour a day and found very favourable results. The light therapy seemed to give the prozac an added boost. From my own personal experience, I would recommend trying a light box.
Michael
Posted by quilter on October 31, 2000, at 23:34:22
In reply to Re: light boxes » ksvt, posted by MichaelF on October 31, 2000, at 22:53:11
I began using a light box more than 10 years ago. It does seem to help when the dark days outside lead to dark days of the soul. I use a large box constructed by my Dad and husband because commercial ones were not readily available. My daughter has also had good results using it to supplement meds. Her pdoc loans out boxes for people to try so they know it works for them before they rent or purchase one. Her much smaller, more convenient box came from the Sun Box Co. We found information on the web, I think before we bought it. Rental was through the home care division of our local hospital. I liked the idea that it helps without adding more meds.
Quilter
Posted by Leonardo on November 1, 2000, at 12:32:35
In reply to light boxes, posted by ksvt on October 29, 2000, at 20:08:49
If you go to the links page of http://www.normanrosenthal.com/
you will find some (but not all) of the main lightbox suppliers. Norman Rosenthal is supposed to be the world expert on SAD - he identified and named the condition!
Last winter I bought and used a 'light visor but did not find it very effective, though I definitely perk up in the presence of bright lights.
I may buy a lightbox this year (if I can afford it), as I don't think the visor is bright enough, but I've just started using it again as its the best I have so far. If you think it will help, go for the biggest and brightest box you can find/afford. Apollo claim that the other manufacturers boxes have been found to be not as bright as they claimed, under independent tests... http://www.apollolight.com/
You need to sit at the specified distance to get the specified brightness (20 inches for 10,000 lux for 30 mins is the usual spec these days). You don't need to stare at the light but it needs to be in the periphery of your vision. It works by the light entering your eyes - skin illumination has no effect. They say these days that 'full spectrum' light is not necessary, it's just the overall brightness that counts. I think a box will work better than the visor because it floods a whole area in front of you with bright light, especially if you read a newspaper underneath it. Home made boxes and tungsten lights are not recommended - to get enough light you would be burnt to a crisp by the IR of a tunsten light, not to mention blinded by the intense point source. Home made fluorescent lights are a potentially dangerous UV source.
Leonardo
> I'd love to hear the experiences anyone has had with light boxes. I have chronic depression, not necessarily SAD, but there is no question in my mind that my depression gets worse in the winter time. This is much on my mind since with the daylight savings time change, it now gets dark alot earlier, and snowed a chunk of the day. Do they work? How do you use them? Where do you get one? How much do they cost? Thanks ksvt
Posted by ksvt on November 1, 2000, at 22:21:36
In reply to Re: light boxes links/SAD/Norman Rosenthal » ksvt, posted by Leonardo on November 1, 2000, at 12:32:35
>Leonardo - I've seen pictures of people using light boxes and they're holding them and staring into them. Your post suggests that you can actually do something else while you're in range. It's much to important to me to feel like I'm accomplishing things to sit idly. How much freedon of movement do you have and still maintain the benefits? Thanks for your info. ksvt
If you go to the links page of http://www.normanrosenthal.com/
>
> you will find some (but not all) of the main lightbox suppliers. Norman Rosenthal is supposed to be the world expert on SAD - he identified and named the condition!
>
> Last winter I bought and used a 'light visor but did not find it very effective, though I definitely perk up in the presence of bright lights.
>
> I may buy a lightbox this year (if I can afford it), as I don't think the visor is bright enough, but I've just started using it again as its the best I have so far. If you think it will help, go for the biggest and brightest box you can find/afford. Apollo claim that the other manufacturers boxes have been found to be not as bright as they claimed, under independent tests... http://www.apollolight.com/
>
> You need to sit at the specified distance to get the specified brightness (20 inches for 10,000 lux for 30 mins is the usual spec these days). You don't need to stare at the light but it needs to be in the periphery of your vision. It works by the light entering your eyes - skin illumination has no effect. They say these days that 'full spectrum' light is not necessary, it's just the overall brightness that counts. I think a box will work better than the visor because it floods a whole area in front of you with bright light, especially if you read a newspaper underneath it. Home made boxes and tungsten lights are not recommended - to get enough light you would be burnt to a crisp by the IR of a tunsten light, not to mention blinded by the intense point source. Home made fluorescent lights are a potentially dangerous UV source.
>
> Leonardo
>
>
> > I'd love to hear the experiences anyone has had with light boxes. I have chronic depression, not necessarily SAD, but there is no question in my mind that my depression gets worse in the winter time. This is much on my mind since with the daylight savings time change, it now gets dark alot earlier, and snowed a chunk of the day. Do they work? How do you use them? Where do you get one? How much do they cost? Thanks ksvt
Posted by Leonardo on November 2, 2000, at 12:54:58
In reply to Re: light boxes links/SAD/Norman Rosenthal, posted by ksvt on November 1, 2000, at 22:21:36
Hi kvst
Yes it is quite normal to be doing something else while using a lightbox, usually reading or siting at a computer. The recommendations actually say NOT to stare into the light, but preferably to have it mounted above head level just in the periphery of your vision, and if possible pointe slightly downwards to maximise the amount of light entering your eye. Provided you stay at the recommnded distance (usually 20 inches), it doesn't matter if you move your head around a bit. The bigger and brighter the box, the more you can move your head and still stay in the light. Obviously, if you move right away from the light, you don't get the benefit. Effectively this means staying seated. I bought the light visor device (head mounted)so that I could move around anywhere and still get the light. That part works, but it's not as bright as a lightbox, and its not so easy to read because the visor only shines into your eyes, not onto the table in front of you or whatever. Most of the lightbox suppliers have pics which show people seated at desks while using the lights, working at a computer typically. You probably need the screen brightness turned up full to see it I would guess!
Good luck!Leonardo
> >Leonardo - I've seen pictures of people using light boxes and they're holding them and staring into them. Your post suggests that you can actually do something else while you're in range. It's much to important to me to feel like I'm accomplishing things to sit idly. How much freedon of movement do you have and still maintain the benefits? Thanks for your info. ksvt
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> If you go to the links page of http://www.normanrosenthal.com/
> >
> > you will find some (but not all) of the main lightbox suppliers. Norman Rosenthal is supposed to be the world expert on SAD - he identified and named the condition!
> >
> > Last winter I bought and used a 'light visor but did not find it very effective, though I definitely perk up in the presence of bright lights.
> >
> > I may buy a lightbox this year (if I can afford it), as I don't think the visor is bright enough, but I've just started using it again as its the best I have so far. If you think it will help, go for the biggest and brightest box you can find/afford. Apollo claim that the other manufacturers boxes have been found to be not as bright as they claimed, under independent tests... http://www.apollolight.com/
> >
> > You need to sit at the specified distance to get the specified brightness (20 inches for 10,000 lux for 30 mins is the usual spec these days). You don't need to stare at the light but it needs to be in the periphery of your vision. It works by the light entering your eyes - skin illumination has no effect. They say these days that 'full spectrum' light is not necessary, it's just the overall brightness that counts. I think a box will work better than the visor because it floods a whole area in front of you with bright light, especially if you read a newspaper underneath it. Home made boxes and tungsten lights are not recommended - to get enough light you would be burnt to a crisp by the IR of a tunsten light, not to mention blinded by the intense point source. Home made fluorescent lights are a potentially dangerous UV source.
> >
> > Leonardo
> >
> >
> > > I'd love to hear the experiences anyone has had with light boxes. I have chronic depression, not necessarily SAD, but there is no question in my mind that my depression gets worse in the winter time. This is much on my mind since with the daylight savings time change, it now gets dark alot earlier, and snowed a chunk of the day. Do they work? How do you use them? Where do you get one? How much do they cost? Thanks ksvt
Posted by Orin3 on November 9, 2000, at 23:09:19
In reply to Re: light boxes links/SAD/Norman Rosenthal » ksvt, posted by Leonardo on November 1, 2000, at 12:32:35
> I believe it was Lewy and Sack at Oregon Health Sciences University who first identified SAD and bright light therapy. An east coast fellow researcher, Rosenthal, by publishing in the popular press, took the shared discovery public.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.