Light Therapy?

[healthbound]

Has anyone tried using light therapy to help depression?

If so, did it work?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I have had some clients who believed it was helpful. I think the effect is somewhat mild but as an adjunct to other things it may help.

 

[healthbound]

What about tanning salons? My doctor once prescribed me to visit a tanning salon once per week. Heard anything about that? I'll look good, but just think of all the early wrinkle development!

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Tanning salons use full-spectrum lights - similar to the SAD lights - so yes, they work the same way.

 

[healthbound]

Maybe I'll go to the tanning salon. It might have a double whammy effect - give me some light AND make me feel/look better.

I live fairly close to the top of a mountain on the North Shore of BC and therefore the next few months are traditionally very dark ones due to overcast and rain.

Plus my sister's death date is coming up and even though I've been doing a ton of "work" over the past year, I'm still feeling the traditional significant increase in anxiety. So, I'm just trying to cover all my angles.

BUT - it sounds like rushing out to buy one of those expensive lights doesn't make a ton of sense. I can just use the tanning salon Thanks.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I'm not sure what the "North Shore" means but as a boy I lived in the mountains in BC - Kitimat, Kemano, Terrace, Prince Rupert - great place to be a kid but I think it must have been boring for many teens and adults.

 

[healthbound]

ooops - I guess it would be technically the West shores of BC? Anyway, I meant to say that I live on the North Shore of Vancouver It's beautiful, but definitely rainy.

You lived in the quieter (and perhaps more beautiful?) places, huh. Did you guys experience lots of rain too or was it just beautiful but cold winters?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I'm in the Ottawa Valley now and before that spent time in other snow belts, including Montreal, so my memories of the mountains in BC were of weather similar to England - rainy but temperate - not a lot of snow and it never really seemed to get that cold.

 

[healthbound]

I love it here and have a difficult time imagining myself somewhere else, but I'm also really noticing the lack of light for such a long stretch.

Did the lack of sun ever bother you?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

No... not that I recall. I don't much like cold weather and snow though...

 

[healthbound]

hm. I guess it's all a matter of perspective, huh.

Maybe I just need to move into a place with larger windows

 

[Allegro]

Just a thought: I am originally from Everett, Washington, US. The rain was a part of life. I can't claim that I was especially depressed. Actually, I was probably just too busy to let myself deal with the depression. But after I moved to Texas was when I had what used to be called "a nervous breakdown." There were a lot of factors involved, and I can't really point to one and say, "that did it." But if SAD had anything to do with my Major Depressive Disorder, I should have actually improved after moving to a place that doesn't even understand the phrase "partly cloudy", (just kidding) ;-)

 

[healthbound]

Hilarious.
We don't really understand "partly cloudy" here either --- it's just "showers again" or "QUICK --- GET OUTSIDE ---- IT'S SUNNY ---- WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL LAST --- NOW, QUICK - GO WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!!"

 

[Daniel E.]

BTW:

In Canada, the prevalence rate of SAD is between 2 and 3 percent. In the United States, however, the rate is less than 1 percent. European community-based studies have estimated the prevalence of SAD to be between 1.3 and 3 percent of the European population, whereas studies in Asia report rates of 0 to 0.9 percent of their population.

http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/content/about_mental_illness/mood_disorders.asp?cID=3727

 

[healthbound]

Woh. So, that kinda puts a few things into perspective, huh.

For some reason, I really noticed my mood changing synonymous with the weather it this year. Usually I won't notice it until February, but this year I seemed to notice it right away.

Interesting - thanks.

 

[Eunoia]

I don't know why I remember this, but when we 1st moved my mom was saying how all the rain would drive her nuts and make her depressed etc... and she is generally happier in the summer... I think my entire family is. anyways, my point is it's weird how something like the weather can have an impact not only on our mood but actually trigger depression... I guess there's always some ways to get around that though, like having larger windows (lol healthbound) or just enjoying every min of sunshine that you get in a day... and rain can be nice, when you're all cozy inside a blanket watching the rain fall down... to answer the orginal topic of this post, my sister has gotten herself one of these lights, she says it makes her room more 'natural' and that it's supposed to help w/ depression. of how much it's been, I can't tell you but I guess it's worth a try... tanning salons add up $ wise! but yes, they do tend to make people look healthier (unless you go too much).

 

[healthbound]

they do tend to make people look healthier (unless you go too much)

lol. I ended up going to the tanning salon today. I only went in for 12 mins in a regular bed and I still got a little pink. Hahaha...being pink doesn't make me look better OR feel better!!!

Oh well. I actually did feel a bit better after I went.

...just enjoying every min of sunshine that you get in a day...

I'm sure I would feel better if I would get myself out of my house and go for a walk. I used to run everyday on a seawall not to far from here. It was gorgeous - rain or shine. Man, when I think of how I used to get up everyday at like 5am and run... it's hard to accept that I'm the same person.

These seemingly simple things can profoundly help my depression and anxiety - yet they seem so difficult to incorporate and maintain. Healthy eat, sleep and exercise. Bizarre.

Anyway, I'm feeling better today...pink...but, better!

 

[David Baxter PhD]

You're probably too young to have ever heard the expression "in the pink"?


I know I am )

 

[healthbound]

Hmmmm...yip. I'm too young.

Care to share???

 

[David Baxter PhD]

It's an old expression from movies and such in the 40s (? 30s?) - "in the pink" meaning "doing great", "coming up roses", etc.

More recently, there was the Pink Panther and the "Think Pink" ads for home insulation.

I don't know... just the association between pink and healthy and happy I guess.

On the other hand, it's also the color of canned salmon - not sure what that means. )

If you get to red, that's overdone - cooked lobster - the toaster pop-up button needs servicing )