SAD lightbox and Light Therapy Feedback
"I would like to thank everyone who has rung, written or emailed feedback about their BriteBox and their light therapy treatment outcome (we can only show a fairly small selection below). I am especially heartened to consistently hear how our BriteBox has helped.
Further, a big thanks to Gaby, who very bravely went onto GMTV to speak of suffering with seasonal affects and her positive light therapy experience after using her BriteBox."
Mark Golding
Hi there - my name is Gaby and I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
I have suffered from SAD for as long as I can remember but didn't realise that it was the cause of my winter misery until last year. Generally speaking I am a happy, energetic person with loads of enthusiasm for life. In the winter, however, I become lethargic, miserable and want to hide away from the world.
In the winter: I can't believe how dark and grey it is and I don’t understand how everyone can find the motivation to get out of bed and go to work. I would often find myself in tears for no apparent reason - it’s not normal to cry just because you have to go to work! I'd get an overwhelming feeling of being trapped in my life and feel too useless to make any positive steps. I would then feel guilty for being so depressed when, compared to others I have nothing to complain about.
I feel anxious and unable to cope with anything and would take everything so personally. Everyone was out to get me!
I lose enthusiasm for everything and find myself saying, "I don’t see the point" or "I can't be bothered" rather a lot. My friends and family always comment on my obvious dread of the winter. "It drags on forever", "It's just so dark and miserable I can't stand it", "Why can't I just hibernate until the spring!", "How come you are OK - can't you see how awful it is?"
When I got my BriteBox...
I was at very low point in my life and didn't know what to do. My mum looked on the BriteBox website and read about light therapy and recommended that I get one. At this point, I was prepared to do anything to help me feel less miserable so I called up the team and was instantly comforted to speak to someone who understood exactly what I was going through.
I noticed my energy returning to me after just a week of light therapy using my SAD lightbox. I still wasn't the same as I am in the summer but I felt I had a purpose to get out of bed and even found my journeys to work bearable!
Last winter I was in a job that I hated and felt trapped and unable to move forward in my life and pursue my dreams. I bought a SAD lightbox at a desperate stage in my life - the lowest I have ever been. Within 3 months I had quit my job and I am now following my dream of being a musician.
Although light therapy isn't the full reason for the turnaround, I can honestly say that light therapy gave me the strength and energy to pick myself up and move forward in my life.
So obvious was my change of mood, a couple of my friends got a SAD lightbox too!
Gabby R
Dear Mark - I am absolutely delighted with my BriteBox and feel so much better than last winter when I would have cheerfully jumped out of a window!!
My mood has changed completely - I am more positive, relaxed and happy and I haven't felt anxious for weeks! Nothing has changed in my life except for the SAD lightbox, so I know light therapy works.
Many thanks!
S.P.
PS. A friend of mine has just ordered a BriteBox from you on the strength of my enthusiasm!
Hi - I had become increasingly aware of feeling low during the winter months but never did anything about it; neither did I tie the feeling low & the seasons together.
It was only through having a particularly bad time of it over the last few months that I decided to do something about it - my immediate reaction was that I needed anti-depressants! Through research on the internet I found out about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in particular the BriteBox website was very useful.
It was here that I realised it wasn't me going crazy & that I could do something about this depression through light therapy without necessarily using tablets.
The BriteBox team were extremely helpful discussing symptoms over the phone and suggesting action to take & even arranged for a free trial of their SAD lightbox - BriteBox. I had nothing to lose and I haven't looked back - the results were almost instant & I feel great!
Kate D
Mark/BriteBox,
I felt that I had to write on two fronts really.
I only discovered last year that I had a severe form of SAD. I felt constantly moody and irritable. I spent most of the time trying to find different reasons as to why I felt so gloomy. The feeling of utter darkness within is all consuming - and no words of comfort EVER make it any better.
Looking back, I have spent each November to March pretty much out of action. I am a radio and television presenter, and moreover I work for a shopping channel. There is no room for a miserable face when you're on the telly. It was only after getting pretty much to the end of my tether last year, I was about to leave my job, my partner and the country and just wanted to hibernate, feeling like I counted for anything to anyone.
Since I've had the BriteBox SAD lightbox, 30 minutes light therapy per day has made an enormous difference. I was convinced I would be the 1 out of 3 that light therapy wouldn't make a difference to, and was overjoyed to see that I caught the black cloud - and kept it at bay. I've got a very busy schedule, but just half an hour a day of light therapy with my SAD lightbox whilst I do my e-mails is all I need to give a positive spin to each new day.
I seriously rate this SAD lightbox product, and it's solved a mystery I've been trying to fathom for God knows how many years now. Many Thanks.
D. Marks
Dear Lovely BriteBox People
Thank you for the prompt delivery of my BriteBox SAD lightbox. I would have to say that I was rather sceptical about what light therapy might do for me. However, I have been delighted in many respects. I had hoped that light therapy may make me feel generally better and improve my night sleeping. Light therapy has definitely done this, but the most amazing thing it has done is improved my night sweats.
I have suffered from these for about 20 years; they have gradually worsened and are dreadful in the winter. At their worst, I will change pyjamas 3 or 4 times, move to a dry bed or put a towel where I have been sleeping and change bed linen. The night is utterly exhausting, depressing and debilitating. My pyjamas feel like they have just come out of a spun washing machine. Some nights I have cried with the misery of it all.
I have no health problems, am fit, enjoy an excellent diet and am not overweight. I have been to hospital and had every test going to try and ascertain the reason for the sweats. I have tried so many supplements and even making tea from a certain plant leaf (yuk) as it was recommended. I am 41 years old. Since using the BriteBox, my night sweats have been nearly nonexistent. I have perhaps had to change pyjamas once on one night.
I wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day. My laundry pile has reduced dramatically. My eyes now look like someone of my age rather than someone 20 years older. The black rings are going too.
Did you realise that there are other poor people out there suffering like me and you don't even mention that light therapy could help. Did you know that light therapy could help? How can I thank you enough? Night after night of misery now over and I have hardly mentioned the other benefits.
I would be happy for you to use this as a testimonial for your SAD lightbox but wouldn't like you to use my name. Should you like to use this and change my name, I wouldn't mind at all.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Hi Mark & Sandra
I am writing to tell you how purchasing your SAD lightbox has changed my life.
I have suffered from what I know to be seasonal depression now for close on 10 years. I had exhausted the full spectrum of antidepressants, with horrible side effects such as agitation, tremendous weight gain, palpitations etc. My psychiatrist told me the next option was mirtazapine.
This was not an option for me (I am also a psychiatric nurse) the thought of the weight gain (an inevitability!) was too much. Antidepressant drugs have caused me horrendous weight gain.
My psychiatrist had suggested an SAD lightbox before but I was sceptical.
I had an episode of depression (moderate) earlier this year following a stint of night shifts. It sorted itself out eventually with long walks in the park in spring (which I had to force myself to do).
Anyway the inevitable down slump hit again this year at around the beginning of September. Again, I resorted to antidepressants. This time sertraline, but even with a rapid step up to the maximum dose, no difference. Then reboxetine, which was initially promising in as much as I could get out of bed, however I still felt hopeless and was starting to suffer severe anxiety. This is something I had never experienced before.
My usual symptoms were extreme tiredness to the point I was convinced I had narcolepsy. I withdrew socially and couldn't bear company. I came to a complete shut down, like a big hibernating bear! I would wake for short periods to stuff myself with chocolate and toast etc, but was sleeping close to 20 hours per day. The fatigue I experienced is severe to the point I feel like lead and my eyes burn with it.
I made the decision to buy the BriteBox and after four days of light therapy I felt well enough to return to work after a lengthy absence. This SAD lightbox has changed my life!
My psychiatrist has told me that my symptoms were so severe hospitalisation was considered. I use my SAD lightbox every day and for the first time in years can stay awake and alert all day, even after an early shift. I am motivated and my appetite has balanced out. I feel well.
I notice the difference if I don't use my BriteBox for a couple of days, my symptoms return quite quickly. Just now in these very dark days I am using my SAD lightbox for around an hour a day. It's compact design means I take into work and some of the doctors are so impressed by the potential of light therapy that they are starting to take a real interest in the possibilities of light therapy.
I must also commend the service I have experienced. The handles fell off my box as I was carrying it one day and a tube fractured in the fall. After phoning you I received new tubes in the post the next day. I rave about my BriteBox, and my colleagues at work even feel the benefit of the SAD lightbox when I bring it to work. Thank you.
Nathalie L
Hello everyone at Goldstaff Ltd
Your BriteBox is wonderful and has transformed my days! My family are also happier and their lives have returned to calmer & cheerful ones at home.
Many thanks for all your help and I will recommend light therapy and your SAD lightbox product to anyone who will listen!
Marion B
Hi Mark - just wanted to say I received the SAD lightbox on Monday and I love it! Your BriteBox is so compact and really stylish. I have used it now for about 5 days and I think I'm beginning to feel some effect, not so stressed and seem to be sleeping much better, which is great. A couple of friends want to borrow it but I can't possibly lend it out I'm afraid I won't get it back! I have given them your website address so they can buy their own! I also wanted to thank you for letting me pay in instalments, if that hadn't been an option I would never of been able to afford a SAD lightbox so close to Christmas. I will let you know how my light therapy experience goes.
Thanks again,
Angela
Hello
I purchased a SAD lightbox from you in January and thought I would write to tell you what the BriteBox and light therapy have done for me. I had post-natal depression in Autumn 1998 and went on to develop an anxiety disorder with depression, which I have had since then. I have had various drug treatments, cognitive therapy, been given advice on relaxation techniques and E.M D.R therapy all via the N.H.S. At the end of 1995 I had a particularly severe episode of panic attacks and sought advice from my local Mental Health Unit located in our local Acute Hospital (Hairmyres). I was advised to come off a drug which I had been receiving for approximately 5 years (Venlafaxine) which has severe withdrawal symptoms for 20% of people. This also coincided with my purchase of the SAD lightbox. I feel the BriteBox has done so many things for me:- firstly, light therapy has allowed me to stop taking a drug that is notoriously difficult to come off of, changed my whole mental attitude towards my illness and allowed me to enjoy life and look forward to things the way normal people do. I asked my doctor if the SAD lightbox could indeed do this for me and she agreed that light therapy was proven to help many aspects of my illness. Although I am still taking a small dosage of another drug I feel I have at last began to control my debilitating illness. Thank you once again. Jennifer S
PS (I have told my doctor that she needs to purchase some SAD lightboxes for the day unit at the mental health unit and she agreed that they needed to introduce light therapy!)
