Conditions & Diseases: Psychological & Mental Health

Depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment

There are several treatment options for SAD have been proven to worked in more than 85-percent of patients.

I. Exposure to sunlight: An increased exposure to sunlight can improve the symptoms. This can be done during long walks outside or in a home setting where the person is exposed to sunlight through the window. This type of treatment can be effective in mild cases of depression.

II. Light therapy (phototherapy): This type of therapy is used in patients with severe forms of depression. It uses a bright white fluorescent light which is produced by a special lamp placed inside of a special box with a diffusing lens which filters the ultraviolet radiation. There are two main types of light bulbs used during therapy: (1) low color temperature (around 3000 degrees Kelvin) that produces a softer white light with less visual glare, and (2) higher color temperature (around 6500 degrees Kelvin) that produces a colder skylight hue.

The light-therapy session last between 30 and 90 minutes, and are more effective if scheduled during the morning hours. The treatment can vary between patients, and is influenced by three factors: (1) light intensity, (2) exposure duration, and (3) the time of day. The treatment starts working fast with patients showing improvement within two to four days of therapy, but they relapse within three days of withdrawal.

Light therapy side effects are not common. However, short-term side effects such as: irritability, eyestrain, headaches, or nausea, can occur.

Article by Alina Morrow,
MS Psychology
OmniMedicalSearch.com
Depression Bibliography