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Major Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Suicide and Suicide Prevention
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Grief




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Major Depression

• National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association
  Education for public, families and professionals
• Depression - Doctor's Guide to the Internet
• Dr. Ivan's Depression Central

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BiPolar Disorder

• National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association
  Education for public, families and professionals
• NIMH Public Education on Bipolar D/O
• Expert Consensus Guidelines on Treatment of Bipolar D/O 2000
• Depression Central - Bipolar D/O
• BiPolar D/O - a Personal Journal and Resources
• Mental Health Source BiPolar Disorders Information Center (has a CME component)
• Bipolar Disorders Portal Pendulum Resources

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Suicide and Suicide Prevention

The following sites represent national efforts and organizations. They contain a variety of information about suicide prevention in the US, Australia, and the UK.


• AAS site contains additional links.
• Reachout - Australia
• Samaritans - UK
  
  For statistical information, consult:
  
• Suicide Chart - NIMH
• Suicide Facts - NIMH
  
  Some additional pages:
  
• American Psychiatric Association
  It contains a brochure on teen suicide.

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SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder

• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) About light, depression & melatonin
• Chronobiology
• SAD at Depressioon Central
• Northern Light technologies - Manufacturer of the SADelite lamp.
• The SunBox® Company

  With regards to the reference for cool white being as effective as broad spectrum, Bielski et al did a crossover study of eleven patients using 2 hours of 2500 lux light, comparing broad spectrum vs cool white. They found that both were effective with no significant differences between treatments.
  
  Ref: Bielski RJ, Mayor J, Rice J. Phototherapy with broad spectrum white fluorescent light: a comparative study. Psychiatric Res 199; 43: 167-175
  

  The part of the visible spectrum which influences the pineal is actually the blue-green segment. One could use a less intense light in that color range, but to get sufficient blue-green from a full (white) spectrum light you need about 10,000 lux of the latter. (about double the amount as I recall). Blue-green lamps are not manufactured because it was assumed that people would find their light bizarre to read or do other activities by. Besides, unless there's something cheap that _emits_ blue-gree light, such light would probably be obtained by producing a fuller spectrum at some higher lux level and filtering off the uwanted part. So, might as well use the white light.
  
  

  As for the halogen lamps: some of the blue component of halogen bulb emissions, which is NOT stopped by the glass lens (as is most of the harmful UV), is very damaging to the retina.
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  Here are three studies on light therapy in dementia to manage day/night reversal seen in the demented elderly (i.e. sleeping all day, awake all night):
  
  

  Lovell, B. B., S. Ancoli-Israel, et al. (1995). “Effect of bright light treatment on agitated behavior in institutionalized elderly subjects.” Psychiatry Res 57(1): 7-12. This study examined whether exposure to bright light treatment would reduce agitated behavior in institutionalized elderly subjects. Six demented elderly subjects (mean age = 89.2 years) living in a skilled nursing facility were studied. Light (2500 lx) was administered for 2 hours in the morning for two 10-day periods. The Bliwise Agitation Behavior Rating Scale was used to rate agitated behavior once every 15 min between 16:00 h and 20:00 h during 3 days of baseline, the light treatment periods, and 5 days of posttreatment follow-up evaluation. The entire protocol was then repeated in an ABABA design. A planned comparison revealed a significant difference between light treatment days and nontreatment days, with less agitation being observed on treatment days. The study suggests the efficacy of the clinical use of bright light treatment to reduce agitation.
  
  

  Mishima, K., M. Okawa, et al. (1994). “Morning bright light therapy for sleep and behavior disorders in elderly patients with dementia.” Acta Psychiatr Scand 89(1): 1-7. Fourteen inpatients with dementia showing sleep and behavior disorders (average age = 75 years), and 10 control elderly people (average age = 75 years) were carefully observed for 2 months. Four weeks of morning light therapy markedly improved sleep and behavior disorders in the dementia group. The measurement of sleep time and the serum melatonin values suggests that sleep and behavior disorders in the dementia group are related to decreases in the amplitude of the sleep-wake rhythm and decreases in the levels of melatonin secretions. Morning light therapy significantly increased total and nocturnal sleep time and significantly decreased daytime sleep time. These results indicate that morning bright light is a powerful synchronizer that can normalize disturbed sleep and substantially reduce the frequency of behavior disorders in elderly people with dementia.
  
  

  Van Someren, E. J., A. Kessler, et al. (1997). “Indirect bright light improves circadian rest-activity rhythm disturbances in demented patients.” Biol Psychiatry 41(9): 955-63. Light is known to be an important modulator of circadian rhythms. We tested the hypothesis than an enduring increase in the daytime environmental illumination level improves rest-activity rhythm disturbances in demented patients. Actigraphy was performed before, during, and after 4 weeks of increased illumination in the living rooms of 22 patients with dementia clinically diagnosed as probable Alzheimer's disease, multi-infarct dementia, dementia associated with alcoholism, or normal pressure hydrocephalus. The results indicated that during increased illumination, the stability of the rest-activity rhythm increased in patients with intact vision, but not in visually impaired patients.
  
  

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GRIEF

• AMERICAN HOSPICE FOUNDATION
  
• ASSOCIATION FOR DEATH EDUCATION AND COUNSELING (ADEC)
  "ADEC is an international, multidisciplinary organization dedicated to improving the quality of education, counseling and care-giving pertaining to dying, death, grief and loss . . ."
• CRISIS, GRIEF, AND HEALING
  This site seeks to help people better understand the many different paths of grieving.
• WIDOWNET
  
• THE COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS
  TCF is a national nonprofit, self-help support organization whose members offer friendship and understanding to other families who are grieving the death of a child.
• PREGNANCY & INFANT LOSS RESOURCES
  This site contains a list of resources associated with perinatal loss. Topics include stillbirths, cord accidents, recurrent miscarriage, and sudden infant death.
• NATIONAL SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME RESOURCE CENTER (NSRC)
  This site "provides information services and technical assistance on sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and related topics. Our goal is to promote understanding of SIDS and provide comfort to those affected by SIDS through information sharing." Included is a publication entitled "The Death of a Child The Grief of the Parents: a Lifetime Journey."
• SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME AND OTHER INFANT DEATH (SIDS/OID)
  This sites offers up-to-date information as well as support for those who have been touched by the tragedy of SIDS/OID.