Reddit, I am currently running a Giveaway on my website offering some free Light Therapy Boxes (useful for people with SAD, depression, sleeping disorders etc) to new subscribers. [x-post from r/psychology]

normanrosenthal · 7 days

And here is an Infographic I had made about SAD back in January: http://normanrosenthal.com/blog/2012/01/how-to-beat-seasonal-affective-disorder-winter-blues-infographic/

normanrosenthal · 7 days

I certainly echo the comment that you should not stop current treatment. In fact, if you are in treatment with a professional, it would make great sense to consult that person before starting light therapy. That said, many people, especially those who don't have major depression, have tried light therapy on their own with good results

normanrosenthal · 7 days

The light boxes in this give-away come from a highly reputable company (Verilux), which is why I am so pleased to be offering them.

normanrosenthal · 7 days

There is actually a lot of data now suggesting that light therapy can help non-seasonal depression, not just SAD

normanrosenthal · 7 days

Not quite in time for mother's day, but she will still appreciate it

normanrosenthal · 7 days

Great idea. Can you tell me exactly how to do that?

normanrosenthal · 7 days

Bright light early in the morning can often stabilize patterns of sleeping and waking. It is definitely worth looking into

normanrosenthal · 7 days

Anything that can help can also have adverse effects. That said, light therapy has been for the most part pretty benign. If you use light therapy late at night, it can cause insomnia. Also, bipolar people need to be especially careful not to use it for too long because it can cause agitation and even trigger manic symptoms in these people.

normanrosenthal · 7 days

I remember Dr. Pickar well from our time together at the National Institute of Mental Health, where we were colleagues and good friends over many years

normanrosenthal · 7 days

Expensive is in the eye of the consumer

normanrosenthal · 7 days

SAD can really get a person down; often when people feel down and out in the winter -- or even at other seasons when the weather is gloomy, such as has been the case recently in parts of the East Coast -- they may not realize that a lack of light is causing the blues. But if you DO realize, then immediately there is something you can do about it. Light boxes such as the ones in the Giveaway can be amazingly helpful in such situations.

normanrosenthal · 3 months

I think -- and it's only a speculation -- that long, long ago, it was OK to "hibernate" so to speak, because people did not have to get up in the morning, get the kids off to school, go to work, get in a term paper etc etc. They could just hang out in their caves and wait for the winter to end. So, I don't think they were depressed. They were warm and reasonably content -- or so I like to think -- and maybe were able to do just one or two rock paintings when they emerged from their slumbers. Also, there's wonderful data about how they woke in the middle of the night in ancient times -- before artificial light came about -- and experience a crystal clear consciousness, very calm and peaceful -- but that is the story for another day

normanrosenthal · 3 months

Bipolar disorder has mania or hypomania either along with the depression or at a separate time People with psychotic depressions lose touch with reality -- e.g. they think they're being punished for some sin they're committed, but it's grossly blown out of proportion To my knowledge, depression doesn't "run true" meaning that if one member of a family has one form, it doesn't mean that another member will have the same form of depression

normanrosenthal · 3 months

It's OK to leave the SAD lamp on all day -- though not too close -- and certainly don't stare at it for any length of time One caveat: leaving it on in the office doesn't substitute for a good dose of morning light

normanrosenthal · 3 months

6 years
In South Africa, we had the British system where you go straight to medical school. I always loved English in high school, but my favorite subjects at med school were physics, chemistry, pharmacology and psychiatry
The most difficult subject for me was anatomy (I have a lousy spatial intelligence)
I do set my own fees
If you want to be a psychiatrist, do it - -and find a way to make it work for you intellectually, emotionally and financially

normanrosenthal · 3 months

Generally, the advice is to sit comfortably; you shouldn't lie down or you'll fall asleep; there isn't the same degree of strictness about the chair (straight back etc) as in some other forms of meditation

normanrosenthal · 3 months

Yes, it is fascinating to see how culture affects psychiatric symptoms, but it shouldn't surprise us because culture affects more or less everything we do!

normanrosenthal · 3 months

I suffered some degree of winter depression myself when I moved from South Africa to NYC. That happened three years in a row. When I came to the NIMH, I was lucky enough to meet a few patients who had the problem much more severely. The researchers there had just discovered that light is biologically active (not just for vision, but for other purposes). So all these threads came together so that we described the syndrome and its treatment in 1984. Then we went back to the literature and saw other cases of the condition previously described. It's all documented in my book Winter Blues

normanrosenthal · 3 months

It is quite sad. I have seen this condition respond to medication -- sometimes really small doses. The medication can be given gently to help the person feel less upset and agitated without challenging the delusion, which rarely does any good

normanrosenthal · 3 months

I wouldn't worry about whether this is normal or not and focus on what you can do to feel happier. One key to feeling happier is to literally count one's blessings. The modern term for that is keeping a "gratitude checklist" There are several books out there on things you can do to boost happiness. Keep searching. I bet something will work

normanrosenthal

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