SAD Light Therapy Box

complik8td

complik8td

Cathlete
It's getting close to that time of year when I will do my darnedest to fight off seasonal depression. My doctor recommended that I purchase a light therapy box to help wage my battle of winter blues, so I've been searching and searching online for a while now. It appears that there are a variety of light therapy boxes available, in a range of prices, so I thought I would turn to the Cathlete community to see if anyone here uses light therapy, if you've found it to be effective, and what brand/model you are using. Thanks in advance for your responses!
 
complik8td said:
It's getting close to that time of year when I will do my darnedest to fight off seasonal depression. My doctor recommended that I purchase a light therapy box to help wage my battle of winter blues, so I've been searching and searching online for a while now. It appears that there are a variety of light therapy boxes available, in a range of prices, so I thought I would turn to the Cathlete community to see if anyone here uses light therapy, if you've found it to be effective, and what brand/model you are using. Thanks in advance for your responses!
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I hear ya there. We have a long Indian Summer here, and September is beautiful. However, by the middle of September, it hits. I realize that Winter is on the way, and the "Winter Blues" begin. I remember when I lived in Seattle, there were so many places to purchase a light therepy box. But then again, Winters in Seattle are very long, damp and dreary. I don't know of any place in Utah. I would love some information as well. Would like to give one a try.
 
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complik8td said:
It's getting close to that time of year when I will do my darnedest to fight off seasonal depression. My doctor recommended that I purchase a light therapy box.
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Carol, great minds think alike. I was literally going to post this same request for advice today. Since this is my question too, I don't have any brand recommendations. I've seen this one at my local Costco and I've been tempted to buy it, but I'd also love to hear from other Cathletes as well.

One other thing: my doc said to start the light treatment before winter begins, that way the benefits of the light therapy will already be in your 'system' before the real darkness of winter hits. I guess we'd both better get shopping ASAP!

Lisa
 
complik8td said:
It's getting close to that time of year when I will do my darnedest to fight off seasonal depression. My doctor recommended that I purchase a light therapy box to help wage my battle of winter blues, so I've been searching and searching online for a while now. It appears that there are a variety of light therapy boxes available, in a range of prices, so I thought I would turn to the Cathlete community to see if anyone here uses light therapy, if you've found it to be effective, and what brand/model you are using. Thanks in advance for your responses!
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I need one too. I started reading this book in my local B&N a couple months ago, before my time got taken over by my garden. The answer to your question lies in this book, a light therapy box is one of the 6 strategies the author recommends to trat depression with or without recourse to prescription medication. If you can browse a copy in a local book store, you'll have our answer. I will try to get to the bookstore this weekend and see if they still have a copy, take it to the coffee shop, get myself a latte, read the chapter and take notes. Then, I will report back to you all. Unless someone eats me to it! But there are a variety of different light boxes on the market, but what matters is that they meet certain criteria. I need to find out what that criteria are and which brands meet it. Then it's off to amazon ...

So, the link to the book is here: I'll report back. It just won't be today.

http://www.amazon.com/Depression-Cu...keywords=curing+depression+without+medication

Clare
 
maddiesmum said:
I need one too. I started reading this book in my local B&N a couple months ago, before my time got taken over by my garden. The answer to your question lies in this book, a light therapy box is one of the 6 strategies the author recommends to trat depression with or without recourse to prescription medication. If you can browse a copy in a local book store, you'll have our answer. I will try to get to the bookstore this weekend and see if they still have a copy, take it to the coffee shop, get myself a latte, read the chapter and take notes. Then, I will report back to you all. Unless someone eats me to it! But there are a variety of different light boxes on the market, but what matters is that they meet certain criteria. I need to find out what that criteria are and which brands meet it. Then it's off to amazon ...

So, the link to the book is here: I'll report back. It just won't be today.

http://www.amazon.com/Depression-Cure-6-Step-Program-without/dp/0738213888/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1440797752&sr=8-2&keywords=curing depression without medication

Clare
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Thanks for the input, Clare! Yes, please let us know what you learn? Blue light, white light, green light, portable, desktop, 10,000 lux.... many considerations! Thank you for your help!!

RapidBreath said:
I use solar spectrum light bulbs, I get them at Lowes. I use them in regular light fixtures. It's really cheap. Try it, see if it helps.
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Great suggestion! Thank you!

RapidBreath said:
Does a vit d supplement help?
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I am on 5000 IUs of VitD daily, and just had my labs done. My VitD level was LOW and it's August!!! WTH?! :(

lisa_la_machina said:
Carol, great minds think alike. I was literally going to post this same request for advice today. Since this is my question too, I don't have any brand recommendations. I've seen this one at my local Costco and I've been tempted to buy it, but I'd also love to hear from other Cathletes as well.

One other thing: my doc said to start the light treatment before winter begins, that way the benefits of the light therapy will already be in your 'system' before the real darkness of winter hits. I guess we'd both better get shopping ASAP!

Lisa
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Lisa, thanks for commenting and for the link to the box for sale at Costco! I love Costco. That model is relatively inexpensive and has great reviews/ratings. Definitely worth considering! And yes, I also read that it is best to begin the therapy in the fall, so that's why I'm on the hunt NOW. Darn it all, I just hate coping with the winter blues every year. I wish they didn't exist. :( Someday, I hope to be a snowbird. Praying on that!! My DH and I have discussed "snow birding" numerous times. We agreed that we would prefer to spend our money on travel/vacations until we felt we were too old, and then we'd buy our snowbird home. DH is 10 years older than me, so the snowbird home may not be far off, but I do want to travel as much as possible. (Too bad my last name ain't Rockefeller or Trump, lol! ;) ) Next June we're going to Northern Spain and Portugal for 14 days, so at least I know I have that trip to look forward to. It's definitely helpful to have something special to look forward to.

Thanks again, everyone!
 
I know what you mean!! I hate winter! It is dark dreary and I do not like Christmas to commercialized and I have lost to many family members and it is not a good time for us on that level. But even so I get the winter blues and so does hubby. Days are so short and dark. Cold. Gosh and how many ways can you spice up or change jingle bells? Christmas music at work starts in oct and ends in February! Really? Yes! You get sick of hearing it. I think don't people realize that some folks have it harder around Christmas? I lost my son and my mom so it is awful. I tried to look into the lights as well and was confused on what to get. Wish I can afford a tanning bed just to get some sunshine. I know it isn't healthy but to use it when you need it. However that is expensive to. I saw a few on Amazon the therapy lights a few was 30 dollar range but saw one cheaper yet was not sure if it was what I needed cause the cheap one didn't say what kind of light it used. If you find a good one let me know please!


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I've seen Vitamin D be helpful for both of my parents in wintertime. With their appetities, mostly.
I just find the need to butt in here for a minute though, to remind us all that Depression is, in fact, a neurochemical disease and there is no shame or weakness in taking a prescription medicine regimen to manage it.
I don't like to get political on this board as this is not what we are here for, but I just find these books that are touting treating a major (sometimes chronic) illness without the help of medicine can lead down a slippery (and often dark) road of people hiding and not seeking tx for their illness. I am not against complimentary methods to manage mental (particularly seasonal) conditions. I actually feel it is useful and if it helps you, then that makes me very glad. Would we tell someone who had seasonal allergies, though, that they are somehow tougher because they tried and tried to manage it without proven medicine? I wonder. There do not seem to be as many books on that.

I feel I might be rude here hacking your conversation (as you probably do now as well), but I need to let people know that taking medicine is good and you are taking good care of yourself.
We are all grown-ups and have the choice to take or not take or try just about anything we would like to. I suppose I come from a place of seeing folks who have not gotten proper medical attn and have not had a good quality of life or relationships due to it.
 
~Elsie said:
I've seen Vitamin D be helpful for both of my parents in wintertime. With their appetities, mostly.
I just find the need to butt in here for a minute though, to remind us all that Depression is, in fact, a neurochemical disease and there is no shame or weakness in taking a prescription medicine regimen to manage it.
I don't like to get political on this board as this is not what we are here for, but I just find these books that are touting treating a major (sometimes chronic) illness without the help of medicine can lead down a slippery (and often dark) road of people hiding and not seeking tx for their illness. I am not against complimentary methods to manage mental (particularly seasonal) conditions. I actually feel it is useful and if it helps you, then that makes me very glad. Would we tell someone who had seasonal allergies, though, that they are somehow tougher because they tried and tried to manage it without proven medicine? I wonder. There do not seem to be as many books on that.

I feel I might be rude here hacking your conversation (as you probably do now as well), but I need to let people know that taking medicine is good and you are taking good care of yourself.
We are all grown-ups and have the choice to take or not take or try just about anything we would like to. I suppose I come from a place of seeing folks who have not gotten proper medical attn and have not had a good quality of life or relationships due to it.
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Elsie,
I don't think you are being rude at all. I agree with you. For me, seasonal allergies are my nemesis. I have been using Claritin and Nasacort for years. When Claritin first came out, 20 years ago or so, it was like a life altering drug for me. There is no way I could comfortably get through ragweed season without these drugs. Yet I've had numerous people suggest to me that if I did a liver cleanse or took certain herbs that my allergies would magically disappear. Not going to happen :)

Judy
 
Nor do I think you're being rude Elsie. I've had people close to me with 'proper' clinical depression, and seen them come out the other side with careful application of drugs. I, however, do start to feel a bit blue when the days shorten, (nowhere near true depression), so I think that a light box could help in my case. I'll be taking vit D and fish oil too, after good advice from this forum.
 
Nope not rude... For depression I have to take medication and I am not ashamed of it. When I lost my son I really had no choice. I still cry every day at some point and sept 7th will be two years! One part of me feels like it has been just yesterday they came to the door to tell me the my nightmare began. I exercise still and did a lot even the day after they told me because I suffer seasonal depression and just depression in general. I had trauma as a child and therefore I was depressed as a child. I am however always the one who will crack jokes and I am a clown to cover it up. I love to make others laugh. With all that being said I do still think we need to do our part to do thing naturally as well. I have a depression pill and two head ache prescriptions. I hate taking pills not because I am ashamed No way! And don't care what others think of me. I don't like taking them because I worry about liver problems and kidney problems that come along with taking to many pills.
So I loved the idea of a box with synthetic sun light to help. Echaide even with the depression pills some days I do not want or can face the day. With exercise it helps some and I just keep trying everything and anything I can. And I take Vit D as well.
It is an individual thing I think


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