What is the deal with light therapy to reduce depression? Does it really work? What does the research say?
89022
I've been on light therapy - it's usually used for SAD - Seasonal Adjusted Depression - it's for winter blues that come from having too little light during the day, and then we spend most of the day inside and aren't exposed to actual sunlight.  Sunlight has been shown to be necessary for our mental and physical health.  Light therapy uses full-spectrum light to replace the sun when it goes down before we get home from work.  If your problem is "winter blues" then, yes, light therapy does work.
862533
it did the same thing to me. i couldnt stand having much light on or i got dizzy and my eyes hurt. i had to get off of zoloft because of it but please talk to your doctor before you stop taking it.
15805
I have hears numerous times that saint johns wort works, but honestly you should try and figure out why you are depressed and talk to your Dr. about it. There are many medications both short term and long term that can help.
26516
Get moderate exercise and plenty of sunshine.\n\nA walk first thing in the morning is likely to help!\n\nIf you feel depressed for longer than a couple weeks, you should see a doctor or therapist.  Talk therapy and the right medicine are best for depression.\n\nSome nonpharmacologic methods of treating depression include psychotherapy, exercise, support groups, self-help literature, and light therapy. Patients shouldn't undergo nonpharmacologic therapies unsupervised or for prolonged periods because longer periods of depression are more resistant to treatment and 70% to 80% of patients respond to an adequate trial of pharmacologic therapy.7,12,16,17
727149
Excercise helps bring the up the seratonin levels and often helps. Find an excercise you like, then you're not only enjoying yourself, but you're more likely to stick with it. (basketball, running, swimming, dancing, whatever gets you going.)\nWhat seems a more succesful suppliment is sam-e, it is more expensive than most suppliments, and you should tell your physician or psycologist that you are trying it (clinical studies show little or no side effect, no harm in trying.) \nSt Johns wort helps as much as SSRIs in studies- in mild to moderate depression, but it seems useless for major depression. It also has some anti-anxiety effect. It may have less side effects than SSRIs, but it certainly has some, an increase in blood pressure and such, and is dangerous in conjuntion with MOA inhibitors, you probably would know if you are taking any of those (your physician or psycologist would have gone over a whole list of foods that MOAIs interact dangerously with.)\nIf your depression is seasonal, then light therapy can help (heat lamps for plants put out the same spectrum of light as does the expensive lamps sold for this purpose.) Again talk to your physician or psycologist.
702401
Yes I tried them and I can't see any change, honestly.  For deficiencies vitamins are fine--I take them myself.  But they don't do much of anything to such complex issues like OCD/mood/depression.  Try Lyrica.  It is great for all the above.  I swear by it.  Talk to your doctor.
72836
We all go through different levels of depression from one stage to another in our lives.  I've experienced times when I did have to take medication for a short time, but didn't like the effects it had on me, so stopped.\n\nWhat works for me when I'm depressed is to focus on what makes me happy!  Even if it's something as simple as watching the beautiful sun set and realizing how lucky you are to be alive.  There are tons of things that we take for granted, that make us smile in our daily lives, try and grasp those thoughts to help you pull yourself out!
849094
Yes there is a link!  But there are studies that link it with being depressed, and those that link say it is antidepressant.
877917
yes i find that as soon as Fall gets closer i start to feel very different and find myself saying the holidays are coming next, u can get thru it just for a couple of months then the sun will start shining again and it will get better. but it's so hard for some of us just to get thru those winter months. for me it's a time when family and friends get together and enjoy each other and express their love for one another. unfortunately, my parents and grandparents have all passed away and i live away from my other relatives so this time is especially hard. it seems that the two friends that i do have sometimes may not want to spend as much time with me cause they know i get the "blahs" during this time. sometimes u can't let urself think that way cause u know it's ur depressed mood that causes u to see things differently. i'm currently on disability which has helped me a great deal cause there are many days that i can't function properly and can not hold down a steady job. this has lead to isolation though cause i don't have a car currently so i spend allmost everyday in the house alone and this can cause the depression to get worse. what i find that helps is at least making contact with someone everyday whether it's on the phone or trying to get out of the house to run some errands. it's true that the more sunlight that shines into ur eyes helps decrease depression. i've had a doctor tell me before to lay in a tanning bed for the ultraviolet light with extra sun screen, but that costs money and unfortunately can cause skincancer if ur not careful. i also find that if i can at least go to church or watch spirital programs on tv that helps me get through it knowing that God will not place anything on u that u cannot bear. i'm not sure how spiritual u r. and believe it or not, i find that getting on here and responding to some people's questions has helped me alot cause if i can help someone with something due to something i've gone thru myself then that makes me feel better. hope i've helped u some. Good Luck and God Bless:)
917554
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp\n\nhttp://www.freedomlasertherapy.com/\n\nhttp://stop-smoking-now.biz/stop-smoking-faq.htm\n\nhttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=35623\n\n\nWhat is Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)?\n\nLLLT is the application of a "cold" pure laser light to treat certain conditions. It has been used to successfully treat many kinds of musculoskeletal injuries because it promotes healing and tissue repair. LLLT has also been found to be an extremely successful treatment for alcohol and drug addiction, weight control, and smoking cessation.\n\nIs LLLT safe?\n\nLLLT is a safe, painless, and medication-free treatment. It has been used in England, Canada, and Europe for over 20 years with no documented adverse side effects. Laser therapy is a non-medical procedure and is respected by many physicians as a highly effective treatment. \n\nHow does LLLT work?\n\nThe laser light reached through the skin to stimulate your nerve endings to produce endorphins. Endorphins are produced normally by you and are nature's own mood lifter and anesthetic. The endorphin production relives the physical withdrawal symptoms of quitting smoking and helps keep you from feeling anxious or "crabby".\n\n\n\ngood luck\nI Hope this is enough information for you, and at least it is a start..\ngood luck\nand I know you CAN do it..
873558
Never let anyone or anything make you lose your faith. Hold on to that - it's valuable.\n\nFriends come and go, all throughout our lives. You can reach out to someone and be their friend whenever you choose to.\n\nAs for the depression, I think these tips are pretty useful. Take care and all the best.\n\n"GET OUT OF BED: \n\nOne of the most important things you can do is get up at about the same time every morning (even week-ends). Preferably, that means about 7 a.m. or earlier. You might not feel like it but Get Up. Such regularity helps your body function more normally so you're more likely to feel normal. \n\nLIGHTS: \n\nLight helps your body function better. So turn on a lot of lights as soon as you arise. Open curtains to get more sunlight. Better yet, go outdoors into the sunshine as soon as you can. Remove any eyewear so light will enter more readily (glass cuts out some of the sun's rays). But don't stare at the sun, of course. \n\nMOVE: \n\nBe active right away -- oxygenate! That means getting up and walking around your dwelling for five or 10 minutes, or perhaps riding an exercycle. Mild exercise gets the blood flowing and transports more oxygen throughout your body (especially to your brain), helping you feel mentally alert and alive. \n\nMUSIC: \n\nSelect and play some energetic, happy music as you dress and have your breakfast. The audiovisual department of most libraries has albums and tapes you can check out. \n  \n\nBREAKFAST: \n\nBegin your breakfast with protein (i.e., meat, eggs, peanut butter, nuts, cheese). When you get up, your body chemistry is ready to convert food, especially protein,into longlasting energy. To balance your most important meal of the day, add an orange or other fresh fruit and whole grain cereal or whole grain bread. \n\nTALK WITH SOMEONE: \n\nOne of the quickest ways to beat the blues is to interact with others. You might not feel like doing that - you'd rather avoid people when blue. So make lt easier on yourself. Talk with someone you enjoy about a subject you enjoy so there is definite give and take. \n\nAnd, force yourself to say "hello" to the persons next to you in class, those where you live, anyone around. \n\nLIMIT CAFFEINE: \n\nThe long-term (four hours or so) effects of caffeine are depression. Try to limit coffee to no more than one cup in the morning. Coffee can make you more alert for an hour or so, but later you get an opposite reaction. Caffeine tends to increase the release of insulin in the blood, and insulin lowers the blood sugar level. When you have low blood sugar levels, you begin to feel less sure of yourself, and have low energy levels, which can lead to the blues or depression. \n\nLIMIT SUGAR: \n\nSugar might give you an initial rush of energy, but within an hour or so the blood sugar level can become low, and when it's low you may feel low, too. \n\nThe caffeine/sugar cycle. It's easy to get caught in the caffeine and sugar cycle -- having coffee, caffeinated soft drinks, or something with sugar every two hours or so to "stay up." For example, cola contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar plus caffeine equal to about half a cup of coffee. In addition to bringing on the blues, this cycle can result in dependence, poor nutrition. and obesity -- reasons to get down on yourself even more and feel blue. \n\nMAINTAIN FIBER: \n\nFiber helps food go through your digestive system at a proper rate, giving a more constant energy supply. Highly processed foods merely provide a quick surge of energy which can be followed by depression. You can maintain fiber in your diet by eating an orange or grapefruit rather than just drinking the juice. Eat fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and whole grain breads and cereals. \n\nSTRESS B COMPLEX: \n\nSome persons report receiving help by taking a concentrated vitamin B complex. You'll find these called something like "Stress B" or "B 50." This is controversial.
111704
St. John's Wort is effective for depression; you may want to ask an herbologist to get a complete answer.
560179
I also im on that helps with my depression! best thing i have found for it! but i have crazy dreams about people in my life and dont sleep as deep but the not sleeping as deep is good for me becuz befor i was a very deep sleeper.i dont see any diffrents in my appetite. i have been on it for 6 weeks my dr. says it takes about 8 weeks are so to see the full diffrents. so you should just keep trying it maybe it will get better
1081951
damn...i know the best cure for depression is to sit at sea and observe the horizon...for many days under the sun...allow her to be in a jolly environment for most of her time. else she should see a psychiatrist/psycologist.
1172713
It's my opinion that the light is a gimmick.\nThink about it this way... a dentist has to go through tons of training to be able to offer his services... why (and how could) someone just start selling some of that stuff to people... especially something like a "laser?"\nIt is just a gimmick to make a little more money... \nJust my opinion
908046
I believe it's called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)   They think it's because you get less sunlight during the winter, so the best treatment is to make sure you get outdoors daily for a at least a few minutes, preferably in the morning.....
345649
You need to be under a doctors care and by all means stay out of bright light--long sleeves, a hat etc---bright flourescent lighting is also bad for you.  There are many methods of treatment -- you can check it out on line in the medical areas.