from sly in comments comes a website on how to build your own seasonal affective disorder light box. from what i’ve found, i simply wouldn’t have the energy to do this by myself (unless i got some good medication or something before hand)–but if you have a partner or a parent who can help, or if you can even struggle through a do bits and pieces of it here and there–it’s worth it. It is worth it. and YOU are worth it.
words of caution: i’ve read in this book that homemade lighting can be just as effective as a box made by a company–but you have to be *especially* careful not to look directly into the lights of a homemade box–there have been reported instances of people with cornea burns. Also, it mentions in comments at the website that homemade boxes do not have ways to filter out UV rays given off by the lights–so that is something to consider as well.
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October 21st, 2009 at 3:38 am #
I later found out that as long as you use normal light-bulbs, there is no reason to worry about UV – they emit much less than you would get from the sun even on a cloudy day.
Just don’t buy special UV-emitting daylight bulbs, and you should be fine: see my update on the SAD post here
And don’t look directly into the light of course, whether it is a home-made box or a professional one – 10000 Lux is bright!
Here’s to hoping your own box continues helping you,
cheers,
Boris