💡 Light Therapy Works Better Than Prozac In 2024

"I Want To Be Happier & Confident"

Click HERE & Continue »

Today I’m going to talk about:

• Depression and how it’s on the rise and affecting most people, especially younger people.
• How light therapy can be just as effective or even better than SSRI anti-depressant drugs such as Prozac.
• My personal interactions with depression, suicide, and light therapy.
• And finally, suggestions and action plans for you … if you too are also dealing with depression or sadness or feeling lonely or hopeless.

Either way, just know that you’re not alone and “this too shall pass”.

Depression is ON the rise

• The CDC states that about 10% of adults over the age of 18 experience at least one major depressive episode a year… which is more than double just a decade ago.
• The highest prevalence of depression is between the ages of 18-25, which is about 20%. That has more than doubled in the past decade.
• Adolescents between the ages of 12-17 are even higher, at almost 25%… with female adolescents being the highest at about 32% …

We’ve also had the highest suicide rates ever in recent history, which has increased by over 41% in the past decade.

Males are almost 4x more likely to commit suicide. Especially white males.

Sadly, I can attest to this as I’ve had 4 men in my life who have committed suicide. The most recent one was last year of someone I’ve known my entire life. I won’t get into the details, needless to say, losing my brother was and is still extremely painful.

Now, this doesn’t take into account the dramatic increase in feelings of anxiety, sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness.

So, what are the causes of all this?… Well, way too many to dig into today.

Instead, today I want to focus on the solutions.

These days, more than ever, anti-depressants are being prescribed. SSRI’s … sometimes, multiple ones.

Many studies have shown that they are not so effective.

And, studies have shown that they also increase the incidence of suicide.

My brother was one such person who was on multiple drugs, under the supervision of a psychiatrist… who didn’t listen to me when I saw issues.

Light Therapy Might Help

Now, I’m not saying these drugs don’t work. I’m just saying natural options should first be utilized and one such option is light therapy.

There have been many studies showing that light therapy works as well or even better than drugs such as Fluoxetine, which is the brand name of Prozac.

In one 8-week study, Randomized, double-blind, placebo… full-spectrum light therapy was compared to fluoxetine/Prozac.

Of the patients receiving the light therapy, 43.8% went into remission compared to 19.4% of the patients who were taking fluoxetine alone.

Now, another study, showed there was not a significant difference between light vs Fluoxetine/Prozac. However, “Light treatment showed earlier response onset and a lower rate of some adverse events”

This means that light therapy works faster and in the end, it is just as effective.

And in another study, 20 mg of Prozac vs bright light – which was 3000 LUX, for 2 hours daily…

The results showed that “The remission rate in the bright light group tended to be superior (bright light 50%, fluoxetine 25%; P = 0.10)”

Additionally, “Light treatment in the morning produced a significantly faster onset of improvement”

BOTTOM LINE

The bottom line here is that light treatment works, as well or even better than anti-depressant drugs such as Fluoxetine/Prozac.

It can work faster and of course, has no side effects.

Nor is light therapy addictive, unlike SSRI drugs.

What Do I Do?

Some of you have probably heard Dr. Andrew Humberman talk about getting outside first thing in the morning and getting sunlight.

Now, Andrew speaks about this in regards to improving your energy levels and allowing you to fall asleep better at night.

Which is definitely true.

But, we can now utilize this to ALSO improve our mood.

This means wake up, go outside, get some sunlight and take a walk for 10-20 minutes.

This alone will change your mood physiology and hormones.

I do this every day and have many years. In the past few years, I’ve had to do it because I have a dog. So, I never miss a day.

Then, I put a light lamp on my desk while I’m working.

This isn’t as good as the sun, but it’s still very good.

You want a light lamp with at least 3000 LUX. I use one of the highest at 10,000 LUX.

LUX basically measures the brightness of light.

For example, direct sunlight is between 30K to 100K LUX

Overcast daylight is between 1000-3000 LUX

The light lamp I have goes from 1000 to 10,000 LUX.

I just leave it on the side of me on my desk while I’m working. It’s on for a few hours of the day.

Of course, I turn it down to a lower LUX as the day proceeds and then off in the late afternoon, to tell my body to start getting ready for sleep.

This also means, later in the day, decrease the bright lights, especially before bed.

Why?… because it can impede the optimal production of dopamine and serotonin.

This is also why you want bright light early in the morning, to increase the positive, mood-improving neurotransmitters.

Summary & Action Plan

So, light therapy will definitely help improve your mood – especially if you can’t get outside or lack sunlight first thing in the morning.

If you want to give it a try, here is what I use. You can get something similar.

There are other proven methods for improving mood, exercise being extremely effective.

Also, take specific herbs and vitamins, which help support, boost, and optimize your positive, mood-improving neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine will also help.

Herbs are powerful. They work quickly and they are easy and convenient. I know exercise isn’t for most people.

Either way, the very best thing you can do that will cost you nothing is to go outside first thing in the morning and go for a nice 10-20-minute walk.

If you’re having one of those stressful days or you feel off or you need an extra boost in happy brain chemicals, you take ProVanax which contains natural herbs.

Lastly, if you feel suicidal, please get some help. Reach out to friends, therapy, or just someone to share your feelings.

I do promise that “this too shall pass”. A few days, weeks, and months from now, whatever’s been troubling you, will not be nearly as bad.

Just please don’t give up on life or yourself.

TRUST me, it will get better. Just take some positive action and let time heal.