Mood Disorders Light Therapy

Light therapy is an effective treatment for some mood disorders. It is especially beneficial in treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition that causes depression symptoms in relation to the seasons. SAD typically begins during the fall and continues through the winter months when there is less daylight and temperatures are colder.

Light Therapy and Seasonal Affective Disorder

• A study commissioned by the American Psychiatric Association and published in the "American Journal of Psychiatry" in April 2005 showed promising results for the use of light therapy to treat mood disorders, including seasonal affective disorder. Exposure to bright artificial lights can help reduce depression symptoms, especially fatigue and insomnia, when used according to a physician's guidelines. Light therapy is particularly helpful for SAD when a technique called dawn simulation is used. Dawn simulation uses artificial light to simulate an earlier dawn, which can help counteract SAD triggered by reduced daylight during the winter months. Because the sun rises earlier in the summer, creating an artificial earlier dawn through light therapy may put SAD patients into remission, according to Dr. Robert Golden, professor and chairman of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

Light Therapy and Other Mood Disorders

• Although light therapy is most effective for SAD, some doctors use the treatment for other mood disorders as well. Patients with nonseasonal depression may benefit from light therapy in conjunction with other therapy methods and antidepressant medications, although there is no definitive medical evidence to support claims that light therapy is a valuable treatment option for depression disorders that are not related to the change of seasons. Light therapy has been used on patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder with findings similar to those in nonseasonal depression patients. Many doctors contend that any benefits from light therapy experienced by patients with mood disorders other than SAD may be due to a placebo effect. Discuss light therapy with your doctor or psychiatrist if you feel you may benefit.

Considerations

• Light therapy is considered a safe treatment option for mood disorders due to the lack of harmful side effects, but there are still some considerations and precautions that must be taken with certain patients. Light therapy may not be a viable treatment option for you if you have a condition that makes your eyes or skin overly sensitive to light. If you experience mania or are taking a medication or herb, such as St. John's wort, use caution when being treated with light therapy. Discuss any conditions you have and any medications you are currently taking with your doctor before beginning treatment.