Light Boxes - Advice Please

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dinki
joined 3 Jul 2003
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Posted by dinki, 17:33 3 July 2003

Having suffered from depression for many years, I notice a considerable difference in how I feel particularly in Winter, this sometimes leads to the problem continuing for the spring/summer.

Was thinking of buying a Brightspark, mainly due to costs and wondered if anyone could give me their thoughts on this. I need to be able to use in
the evening, due to work commitments and also lack of time, find when I am suffering it is the evenings and then just want to sleep, leading to a vicious circle.

How long would I have to use the device daily, is it suitable for my needs and where can I get more precise advice on the amount of time I would need to use it.

Thanks in advance

Anonymous
joined 4 Dec 2008
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Posted by Anonymous, 12:13 4 July 2003

Hi there Dinki

As your depression is a 'maybe-sad-case', it might just be wise to consult your GP first, it will at least be a start to you getting a handle on exactly what your depression base is.

Then, armed with that info the shortest route to sound, accurate and helpful advice is honestly to contact :

OUTSIDE IN (Cambridge) Ltd.
31 Scotland Rd Estate, Dry Drayton, Cambridge CB3 8AT, England.
Tel: +44 (0)1954 211 955 Fax: +44 (0)1954 211 956
Email: info@outsidein.co.uk

Yes, I am biased in favour of OutsideIn, but that is the route I took and my SAD is now totally controlled. :D mollycoddle

siddy
joined 22 Jan 2003
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Posted by siddy, 19:21 4 July 2003

Hello, firstly who are all these people with 'totally controlled' and virtually symtom free S.A.D. :roll: Back on my planet light boxes do help as does prozac, exercise, diet and re evaluating your lifestyle so that the pressure is off in winter but a lighbox is not a F#####g miracle cure! Most people I have come into contact with use the "everything and the kitchen sink approach" so don't believe the hype! I strongly suggest people read books such as Winter blues by Norman rosenthal and I think Angela smyth does a S.A.D book check out the S.A.D.A association
for information, it's cheap to join. I find a lighbox is valuable to use as an aid to getting up, try reading under a lamp (lightbox) in bed etc say for an hour before you rise. I think if you use it when you arrive home from work for an hour this would be my minimum recommendation. If you use it late evening and particularly before bed it can make you feel wired. Yo will have to try this all for yourself to see what works best. It's good to see a doctor to try and confirm if you have s.a.d but try and suss out if any of the doctors at your surgery have a clue( specialise in mental health) or asked to be referred on! Good luck, lighboxes are good but your not gonna go tripping off into the sunset with a smile on your face come January! :D

Anonymous
joined 4 Dec 2008
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Posted by Anonymous, 22:07 4 July 2003

It was an enormous disappointment to return to the Forum and read such an unpleasant post.

The majority of posts on this Forum are from people either seeking help, or from those who are happy to recount their trials and tribulations with winter depression purely for the benefit of others. All are individual, all have points of view, some suffer from sad, some are depressed and unsure of the cause and are attempting to find a constructive reason for feeling as they do. But everyone in common with each other wants to feel better.

If people find that they cannot be compassionate, constructive and polite they really should not place posts here.

siddy
joined 22 Jan 2003
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Posted by siddy, 07:32 7 July 2003

Dear Mrs shocked of bucks,

It was such a dissapointment to return to the forum and find our minds firmly shut due to an expletive in the text and some sarcasm! In my response there is an awful lot of advice from a sufferer of sad who is trying to offer constructive advice. It's allright for the evangelicals to go buy an expensive light box but for many it's an expensive way to find out if it works. In my experience and many others I have met, treating Sad takes many changes in lifestyle to effect the best changes. Yes, do buy a lightbox, I find outside in's 'Satellite' lamp very good but lets not sell the products for companies. A lightbox is NOT a miracle cure to symptom free winters and I think that needs explaining but I would wholly recommend one. I also know and others on this site have had experiences with G.P.s who don't have a clue about Sad and this can be demoralising if you are not well when you go for support. I think prewarning people is important so they can make some enquiries to benefit themselves. I don't think you read my post, you got angry :lol: later........

Anonymous
joined 4 Dec 2008
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Posted by Anonymous, 20:57 7 July 2003

Hi Dinky
I understand that Im in the minority being a man with SAD, but it took five or six years of full on depression, and almost a ruined family life to realise it.
I got my first light box last year, and after three days (maybe two) I really felt "on the mend".
I have absolutley no doubts of the benefits.
Mine was £150. I should have got it earleir, but finacial pressures, trying to run a business (in that state in the winter too!), 28 day delivery times etc I kept putting it off.
Best £150 I ever spent. Understand the same model is around £100 if you shop around.

I kept on using it, pretty much until february or so this year, and felt fine.

I did stop using it -not really sure why, guess I thought I didn't need it -that was a bad move :oops: I recommend that if you get a light box, you carry on using it well into the spring.

SAD buggered my life for maybe ten years. One light box, and you get your life back.
I understand it is effective in 85% of cases.
It was certainly better for me than Sertraline medication.

I used to work in the offshore diving industry, and mainly (by choice) on Night Shifts, particularly in the winter. By coincidence I found that the specification for the work area lighting was a minimum of 3000lux -which is sufficient to alleviate the SAD symptoms. I always wondered why i got depression within a few days of coming home on leave in the winter, or during the traditional winter period of "slobbing out" before next season.

My sad started when I quit working offshore to start my own business aged 32, (the stress trigger factor) and, dont laugh, at the same time the dog I had for 14 years died (the bereavement factor) and Mrs we (well, ok, my wife did all the work) had just had our second son in december (the life changing factor).
It bit hard that year, and I never really shook it off -st johns wort, medication from the GP year in year out, "counselling" etc, all without any real success.

It can take some of us a very long time to work out that we actually have SAD, but it does not take long to see if the light box helps :)

We have since built a conservatory -to give the natural light more of a fighting chance, too ;)

Hope this is helpful.

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