I recently spent some time on Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast. I had a conference there about six weeks ago, and then I took a little vacation time to walk along the beach and hang out with the pelicans. But all good things must come to an end, and I had to come back home to The Jerz. Within 48 hours of returning, I was a different person. No energy, no motivation, nothing to say to anyone, just numb from the neck up.
It wasn’t a surprise, exactly. It happens every year, although not so abruptly. Usually, I start to decline in October. Gradually, I slide into supreme lethargy if I’m lucky, and abject despair if I’m not, which lasts until mid-March, give or take a few weeks. Then the Springtime comes, and I’m usually in much, much better shape.
I’ve had a few psychiatrists, and none of them have ever brought up the subject of Seasonal Affective Disorder or suggested that I get a sunlamp. However, everyone else I’ve ever told about my cycles has advised me to give lamps a shot. So I finally broached the subject with my doctor. I’m already on SSRI’s, and it seems to be helping, because I’m not in the depths of despair. But she thought I might try one of these lamps as a supplement to my medication regimen.
“So this is real?” I said. “It’s not some flaky New-Age crap?” She assured me that there is indeed respectable science behind it. She sees advertisements in her psychiatric journals for these lamps, and she’s going to do a little research and call me with a recommendation.
So what do you guys think? Have any of you ever used a lamp to lift your mood during the Winter? Is it for real, or did my doctor read the same blurb about lamp-therapy in Newsweek that I and everybody else in the world did and decide it’s the next chicken soup?
I have SAD, and I bought a sunlamp last winter, to see if it would help. It maybe did a little (though I don’t know how much of that is placebo, and how much is because of the light itself), but nothing dramatic. Despite my less-than-amazing results, I’d say it’s worth a try, because I have heard others speak very enthusiastically of their own response to it.
As if New Jersey isn’t depressing enough, you’re afflicted with SAD. I feel for you, cuauhtemoc. Two jobs ago, a work-mate suffered from SAD, and did just what you are describing. While he wasn’t quite able to get off his meds, he did say it helped a lot.
First of all ** cuauhtemoc **, the grass is always greener in Florida!! And I am sure the recent snow storm up here did not make your experiences in Florida look any darker But seriously, Seasonal affective disorder affects thousands of people every six months - give or take where you live of course - and it is the most easily treated form of depression out there. So thats good right?
Understanding what role the sun plays in your life is a great way to combat SAD - OOHH Bad acronym for seasonal affective disorder - anyway understanding how it affects you and when is the first line of defense.
Do you have any plants in your house? There is a wonderful natural treatment that helps many of us who have SAD and it is pretty cheap as well. Biophillia is the environmental psychologists term for bringing natural things into unnatural places. Plants can help out wonderfully because they keep living all winter long, and they need the sun to survive. So keeping a lot of plants alive and healthy is a good way to combat SAD.
As for the OP, sun lamps can help with SAD but aquiring the right lamp. This site can help you find the right lamp for you and it is not too expensive either. What you are looking for are full spectrum lights that will help you cure the winter blues or changing season blues as it were.
I know it may not be good for you, but in college, I found that I became happy-go-lucky by going to a tanning salon 2 x per week. (in a tanning bed…and while napping)
It helped my mood. I think in moderation it can’t hurt. (Unless you have a very fair complexion.)
I was under the impression that it isn’t just a sunlamp, as Phlosphr said. There are other ranges than just the tanning range that affect mood. That said, everything I’ve heard is that it is real science. They use them extensively in Sweden and even Alaska. It’s life blood for some people. I get SAD, but I haven’t purchased a light…I heard they’re very expensive.
Well, I hope it’s not the placebo effect, because if it is, then it’s not going to work for me. I have no opinion on whether it will work or not. I figure you can enhance the therapeutic effect of an ineffective treatment by believing in it, but you can’t decrease the benefit of an effective treatment by not believing in it, right? Did that even make any sense?
Re: the difference between NJ and FL - Believe me, every day I live is one day closer to the day I pick up and move to a place with warmth and sunshine all year long. Every single year when the weather gets like this I say “That’s it, this is my last Winter. Next year I’m moving.” I keep chickening out though. But I’ll get there someday.
In my biochem seminar yesterday, a group presented on circadian rhythms. They were pretty boring, but what I did get out of it is that in mammals, stimulation of certain cells in the eyes (not just limited to rods and cones) kept their internal clocks in sync with environmental cues. So when the nights get longer, I could definately see a possibility where people were always out of sync. That would explain the need for a proper kind of light–whatever these cells are, they’re probably stimulated by a specific wavelength of light. But IANAD, and YMMV.
I suffer from a very extreme case of Seasonal Affective Disorder, all the criteria for acute depression are evident except suicidal tendencies. That would be good except that I tend to get more homicidal and it takes all my energy to keep things under control.
It’s the worst kind of hell. If I am not feeling rage I am feeling nothing.
My salvation has been Wellbutrin / Zyban. Without it I am nearly unable to cope or function at any kind of reasonable level.
I have heard some very good reports about light therapy and intend to test it myself.
It appears as if this will be a lifelong battle against the darkness so every weapon I can use will be helpful.
Having an amazing wife who understands what kind of hell I go through is worth more than anything.
From my location, you can see that I have lived in the dark and cold, and sunny and warm.
Trust me, sunny and warm is FAR better for your mood.
We have had visitors from the colder and darker parts of the earth and every one gravitates to the sun…whether it be in the backyard or sitting by the windows.
As much as I truly love Berlin, New York and Chicago, there is no way in hell I would ever move back and live through another winter. (Spring thru Fall, yes.) And I have hundreds of friends from California and Las Vegas who moved from those place who agree.
If you can afford to move where there is sunshine year around, do it. It won’t cure all ills by any means, but trust me, unless you are a bat, you won’t ever go back.
How can I describe it…just getting up going to work in December, without a jacket, with sunglasses and no heater on in the car…well, it makes the day start right off with a bang.
Two jobs ago, a work-mate suffered from SAD, and did just what you are describing. While he wasn’t quite able to get off his meds, he did say it helped a lot.
But seriously, Seasonal affective disorder affects thousands of people every six months - give or take where you live of course - and it is the most easily treated form of depression out there. So thats good right?