Does any use a light box to treat depression or SAD?

[longtimecomin]

If so are they any good? And do you just sit there for an hour or do you read or watch tv at the same time? I fancy getting one but I'm worried it will end up in the cupboard for years because it's not effective.

And do you keep your eyes open during the whole hour or so you close them, I feel like it might damage your eyes if you stared at it for an hour every day.

I'm getting the impression that these light boxes aren't popular. Any mental health professionals with an opinion?

I have one, and to be honest, it doesn’t make a difference.

I’ve found mine does help. I just have it on for half an hour in the morning while I’m having coffee, sorting myself out etc in the winter. You don’t need to sit directly looking at it and and hour is probably too much. You need to build it up too or you’ll get headaches

I would do your research carefully as it needs to be powerful enough and you need to use it right. I think 'in eyeline' might be ok. My colleague has an iPad like blue light thing on her desk all day.

I have one, only use it from Oct-March
It a Lumie Arabica SAD lamp, it’s cost about £100 it has 10,000 lux
I have it next to bed and put it side table for about hour when I wake up whilst I have coffee and browse on internet

I felt it helped me this year, wether it was placebo effect?
But whatever it’s was worth it to me

You may be able to buy a good second hand one, with it coming to summer now.

Suffered depression on/ off for decades now in my 60’s

I use one. I think it's helped. It's next to my laptop in winter.

It's a really good light to read in too.

Mine was from Amazon.

Thank you for all your responses, I think I will get one, I'll do a bit of research now.