[filifera]

I'm usually at my worst thru the winter months, therapist and primary doc both agree I'm a good candidate for Seasonal Affective Disorder (on top of my "normal" chronic major depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc.). I now live in an area that has gray, foggy winters, after moving from another area that was further north and had gray, rainy, foggy winters, after growing up in an area that was quite north and had only brief daylight and cold as hell during the winter.

T suggested a light box, so I went shopping online and after being completely shocked at the prices they get for these things (hundreds of bucks for something that "may" work, and isn't reimbursed), and reading the pros/cons of light intensity (10,000 lux seems to be the "standard"), various wavelengths (UV in "full-spectrum" lighting is not good so close to the eyes & skin, blue-green spectrum is where most of the benefit is), I ordered a light therapy unit for around $200 that consists of a visor with a little battery powered blue-green LED array that works at (equivalent of) 12000 or 8000 lux and shuts off after 30 minutes. I bought the one called "Feel Bright Light". There are one or two others, but this one was the most affordable and had some decent reviews.

On the plus side, this thing is easy to wear, one charge is good for 2 or 3 days use (so I can take it camping, yay), and I can still do the usual "morning" tasks, breakfast, getting ready for work, etc. I look hilarious wearing it, but DH has yet to tease me about it (bless him).

On the negative side, after about a month of using this thing daily, I have yet to feel like it's doing anything.

FWIW when I saw my primary doc this week for chronic insomnia, she rx lunesta, and added wellbutrin to maybe counter the side effects from the zoloft (weight gain, dizziness, tinnitus, restlessness, sexual probs). It's been less than a week on this new improved cocktail, and I'm feeling vibrantly normal now: sleeping well, awake and alert in the mornings, mellower and calmer during the day, more energy, ears still ringing but best of all my lady parts are starting to wake up again.

I'm all for anything that will help me feel better and function as a human being, whether it's science or nature. So far science seems to be winning.

Do any of these light therapy things actually work? Do they take awhile to kick in (like weeks or months), or should I have "felt better" right away? Would I have been better off spending the $$$ I paid for this light gadget on copays for drugs?

[TheShadow]

I don't have SAD, my depression is a year round thing. I have had lots of problems with insomnia. I bought a light two years ago and it made a huge difference in my sleep patterns. It took about three months of sitting every morning in front of the light for 30 minutes before my sleep patterns felt normal.

My current relapse into depression doesn't seem to be helped by the light.

Hope this helps.

[phoenix47baby]

I have used a light box in the past and it helped gradually. When the sun did not come out, I plugged it in and sat next to it for thirty minutes. The idea is to set the internal clock like the sun does. Give it time, it may take a while to feel the effects. Good Luck and sending good wishes.

[Rohag]

Hi, Filifera! My personal, several-months-long experiment with light therapy using a light-box was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, I have second-hand testimony of its effectiveness where SAD was the only diagnosis.