Does UV Light Therapy Work for Atypical Depression

Atypical depression is a subtype of major depression and dysthmia. Atypical depression has characteristics of dysthmia as well as major depressive disorder. In this state, the patient has a little bit mood reactivity. Individual may experience improvement in mood during positive events.

Atypical Depression Information

Due to atypical depression, patients may experience over sleeping, over eating and separation and postpartum depression diagnosis. This is a very critical situation that may also lead to suicide. To overcome this situation, people may adopt different methods to treat depression. Their first priority about treatment is natural antidepressants. Natural antidepressants have rare side effects. But some people refuse to treat the atypical depression with natural antidepressants. In this situation, the only alternative is UV light therapy.

UV light therapy is the first line treatment for atypical depression and SAD. It has been proven very effective as compared to pharmacological and placebo treatment and how do you prevent dysthymic disorder. To treat a patient basic parameters are intensity, wavelength, duration and timing of light exposure. Bright light treatment is preferred and head mounted units and dawn simulators are also used.

UV Light Therapy Information

Initial UV light therapy 10,000 lux light box should be directed towards the patient. In the duration of treatment, eyes of the patient must remain open and it is not necessary to look directly towards the light source. Patient starts the exposure of UV light from ten to fifteen minutes every day, gradually increases the session. Session should be increased if conditions worsen. UV light therapy needs days to weeks for action. Maximum limit is ninety minutes and duration may also increase if negative UV light therapy effects are not present. There is no optimal time of day but morning time is suggested in some studies.

UV Light Therapy Effects

UV light therapy effects appear after two to four days. If UV light therapy effects do not appear after few days, it should not be considered treatment failure. UV light therapy information reveals that initial response to UV light therapy may need several days to weeks to appear. When UV rays strike at the retina, they affect at suprachiasmatic nucleus and block the secretion of melatonin. Melatonin is a sleep regulator, and it can be inhibited by light. Melatonin is reverse of serotonin, which is involved in mood disorder. To manipulate melatonin level and timing, an artificial light provided to retina is very effective.

There are some contraindications for the use of UV light therapy. Some people have photo toxicity. In some people, it may cause mania and some have medicine contraindications. Side effects of UV light therapy are very rare. UV light therapy information gives us idea about precautions before use of UV rays. Anyone who is sensitive from light must be careful.

UV rays can cause skin damage in light sensitive individuals. If a person has any kind of eye disease, he/she must use UV light therapy carefully. UV rays can cause serious damage to an eye that has any previous history of disease. UV light therapy may cause jumpiness, headache and nausea. Some people complain of poor vision and skin rashes.