SAD: Seeing the Light
Anxiety, as I've said before, is one of the "ugly twins" and its twin is depression. Both, it appears may be affected by our exposure to sunlight and this has proven to be an important key to treatment of a particular problem, Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. While I'm glad to see that specialized lights can provide relief for some patients with this disorder, I wondered if the researchers should be studying the effects of sunlight or specialized lights on anxiety.
If serotonin is the neurotransmitter involved in depression and SSRI meds are used for both depression and panic disorder, a form of anxiety, doesn't it seem logical that researchers should be evaluating anxiety or panic and light therapy?
In fact, to satisfy myself, I did a search on "serotonin and anxiety" and found 3,746 citations in the professional literature on PubMed. So, what about studies of light therapy and anxiety, I thought?
A team of researchers at Baker Heart Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia (The Lancet, Dec. 7, 2002, p. 1840) found that serotonin levels plummeted in the brains of research subjects between June and August (which corresponds to Australia's winter). Also, serotonin levels "were higher on bright days no matter what the time of year..."
I wasn't interested in how mice or other animals responded to light therapy because not everything translates directly into human use, so I skipped those studies. We know that birds have a special light sensor in the front of their heads that tells them when it's time to migrate. We have a similar structure, but we don't migrate and corporate America and everyone else is very happy about that.
Most studies dealt with depression of the SAD type or other, including PMS, where light therapy was considered something to be explored (Journal of. Clinical Psychiatry, 2000; 61 Suppl 12:22-7). An article in the Journal of Affective Disorders, 1994, June: 31(2): 75-80, found that there was seasonality in panic disorder and suggested that light therapy might be an effective treatment for some patients.
So, is light therapy something to be further explored for those with anxiety and panic in addition to depression? The research seems to be looking in that direction, but we need more evidence.
Related Topics: How Light Therapy Works, Unraveling the Sun's Role in Depression
If serotonin is the neurotransmitter involved in depression and SSRI meds are used for both depression and panic disorder, a form of anxiety, doesn't it seem logical that researchers should be evaluating anxiety or panic and light therapy?
In fact, to satisfy myself, I did a search on "serotonin and anxiety" and found 3,746 citations in the professional literature on PubMed. So, what about studies of light therapy and anxiety, I thought?
A team of researchers at Baker Heart Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia (The Lancet, Dec. 7, 2002, p. 1840) found that serotonin levels plummeted in the brains of research subjects between June and August (which corresponds to Australia's winter). Also, serotonin levels "were higher on bright days no matter what the time of year..."
I wasn't interested in how mice or other animals responded to light therapy because not everything translates directly into human use, so I skipped those studies. We know that birds have a special light sensor in the front of their heads that tells them when it's time to migrate. We have a similar structure, but we don't migrate and corporate America and everyone else is very happy about that.
Most studies dealt with depression of the SAD type or other, including PMS, where light therapy was considered something to be explored (Journal of. Clinical Psychiatry, 2000; 61 Suppl 12:22-7). An article in the Journal of Affective Disorders, 1994, June: 31(2): 75-80, found that there was seasonality in panic disorder and suggested that light therapy might be an effective treatment for some patients.
So, is light therapy something to be further explored for those with anxiety and panic in addition to depression? The research seems to be looking in that direction, but we need more evidence.
Related Topics: How Light Therapy Works, Unraveling the Sun's Role in Depression
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5 Comments:
Article too folksy in style, a bit patronizing--and with no real data or conclusions. Why bother to publish it? We would like useful information, not complaints about what "isn't."
To anonymous - You have found your way to Dr Farrells blog, not to an "article" on WebMD regarding SAD.
A weblog is like a journal, a place where people talk about topics that interest them. It's not a place to find really specific, medically reviewed information. For that type of information, Dr Farrell includes links at the bottom of her blog post. And, on the right side of her blog you can find many, many links to articles that should help you.
Don't forget, the best information about your own health will come from your physician or your therapist.
If you need more solid information rather than this journal type of posting, you could do as the second person said, try my website at http://www.drfarrell.net where you'll find lots of info on many topics.
I need to know if there are alternative drugs for Lorazepam, Mirtazapine. My wife is taking meds, and she feels foggy headed, disconnected, and quite anxious. More often since she has been taking the Meds for two weeks now. Her Psychiatrist now wants her to take Klonazepam. I need to know if this is a wise thing to do. My wife is a stay at home Mom with 3 children ages 6,4,and 2. My wife can't seem to get her Psychiatrist to LISTEN to her. The Dr. wants to drug her to sleep.
I really don't need scientific verification. I grew up in Ohio, started getting anxiety/panic attacks at 17. Moved to CA at 26, panic attacks stopped within 2 months, I felt alive again. My parents talked me into coming 'home' to Ohio, within 6 months, anxiety was back, that was nearly 2 years ago and we are moving back to CA next month. Sure it's nice to be around family, but not worth it in my case!
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