A 33-year-old woman treated with bright light:

M.L.* was a 33-year-old actress who had experienced winter depression for as long as she could remember. She felt sad and lonely and would cry more often than in the summer. Along with her depressed mood, M.L. lost interest in sex, socializing and in her work. She was less likely to audition for roles during the winter, and described her desire to isolate herself from the world. She often felt too fatigued to do regular house chores such as cooking and cleaning. M.L. slept significantly more in the winter. She reported a marked increase in appetite, which caused her to put on about 15 lbs. In particular, she ate many sweets in the afternoon and starches in the evening. She experienced distinct mood slumps in the afternoon. After three weeks of bright light therapy, M.L.'s symptoms were almost completely gone. She reported feeling "alone" one day during her final week of treatment. Her mood, activities, work, appetite, and sleeping returned to normal, bringing great relief.

A 23-year-old woman treated with simulated dawn lighting:

R.B. was a 23-year-old female paralegal who came to the clinic complaining of a bothersome set of winter symptoms that appeared every winter. Since she was 17, she reported that she experienced depression beginning at the end of October and lasting until early April. She described this depression as a "predictable darkness" that lasted all winter. In addition to depressed mood, R.B. experienced an increase in her appetite, eating and weight. She was particularly likely to snack on sweets in the evening. R.B reported that she slept 10 1/2 hours every day during the winter, and she still felt fatigued all day. She reported losing interest in almost all activities during the winter. She often felt irritable, worthless and guilty. Her fatigue and depression caused her to withdraw from her friends, and her sex drive greatly decreased. She also had difficulty concentrating at work. She constantly scratched her arms, to the point of bleeding. After clinical evaluation, R.B. was instructed how to use a dawn simulator. After three weeks of dawn simulation therapy at home, R.B. felt significantly better. Her mood was "almost" as good as in the summer, and she had "lots of energy." Her appetite returned to normal. She slept less, and her arms had healed from the scratching. R.B. also reported a significant increase in her productivity at work.

A 53-year-old man treated with simulated dawn lighting:

D.M. was a 53-year-old investment banker who complained of depression from November through April; he reported winter depression for 20 years. In addition to feeling down, D.M. also lost pleasure in doing most everyday things. He craved food much more in the winter, ate more, and usually put on about 20 pounds. In the middle of the night, D.M. often woke up and was unable to fall back asleep for several hours. He would get out of bed and spend hours reading or surfing the web. He was often tired during the day and had trouble concentrating on things, such as work and reading the newspaper. D.M. also reported that he is tense and irritable during the winter when he feels down. He is also more likely to worry about his physical health. Upon entrance into the study, D.M .was given dawn simulation therapy at home prior to waking up. After 3 weeks of dawn simulation therapy, D.M."s mood was significantly improved. He regained interest in his work and other activities, and he was able to sleep through the night. His appetite still remained somewhat higher than in the summer, but overall, he felt "good."

A 52-year-old woman treated with negative ion therapy:

C.F. was a 52-year-old office manager who came into the clinic complaining of depression from late-October until April for five years. She reported losing interest in most things, including socializing and sex. Her appetite, however, became significantly greater, and she craved starches and sweets in the afternoon. C.F. also complained of waking during the middle of the night. She felt fatigued during the day, and sometimes felt as if her arms and legs had weights on them. During the afternoon, C.F. experienced mood and energy slumps, which lasted about 2 1/2 hours. After three weeks of treatment with negative air ionization therapy, C.F. said she felt "pretty good." Although she was not certain her productivity at work was back to summertime levels, she did indicate that her interest in work, sex, and socializing had returned. Her appetite returned to normal, as did her sleep. She no longer experienced fatigue, weighted feelings, or afternoon mood and energy slumps.

*Please note that all histories are disguised to protect the privacy of the individual.

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