Has there been any development in research using new ways of alternative treatments for the different types of depression? It has been said that over the last few years, many cases of depression and SAD, seasonal affective disorder, have been treated, with alternative medicines and therapies. In the course of looking for a cure to this, a new alternative treatment has been brought to existence to address the issue on the aforementioned disorder.

Light Therapy is the most recent form of alternative treatments for depression. Light Box Therapy is one of the several types of light therapy products being used in the treatment of depression. Light Therapy or light treatment use ‘light boxes’. 10,000 lux of artificial light are provided by these light boxes. Light Therapy, which is also referred to as phototherapy, usually consists of exposure to particular wavelengths of light depending how much is being prescribed for a certain amount of time.

People who experience seasonal affective disorder have found the Light Therapy treatment to be effective. This mood disorder is usually known as winter depression or winter blues. This type of depression actually can be experienced by the patient repeatedly during the winter season. Many experience the feeling of depression year after year. Also, light boxes were proven to help other types of depression as well, apart from seasonal affective disorder.

The good thing about light boxes is that they do not cause skin damage compared to a variety of light therapies, such as those that make use of ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light is known to damage the skin with prolonged exposure to it. Blue Light Treatment is somehow associated with light box treatment, although compared to blue light, the light box gives a quicker therapeutic response to the individual who uses it. However, it has been found that Blue Light Therapy to treat depression is not an adequate depression treatment for mature patients.

Extensive disorders such as SAD and depression may take up to three weeks for any results to show, using any form of Light Therapy.