Chronotherapy: fast treatment for depression

[Luna-]

... but no-one said it was going to be easy.

Circadian rhythm-based treatments for mood disorders.

Read the Protocol for Triple Chronotherapy page (on the left) to get an idea of what is involved, then come back here and tell us what you think.

[finding my way]

Sleep troubles are such a big part of depression

Wonder if someone could set this schedule up with family or friends and a light box and try it at home?

What do you think, Luna?

[LaLa]

come back here and tell us what you think

OK, so I'm back to tell what I think , although I don't know if my opinion could matter here . If I was depressive and this would be available to me (geographically and mainly financially (it's strange that they don't 'disclose' the fees, just say "contact our office"...)...), then I would surely try it.

[Luna-]

Me too, Lala. Judging by all the staff they have, I would imagine it is expensive.

My thoughts exactly, finding. You'd have to read up about it to work out how much bright light and when and try and get a dawn simulator, if you could and then friends prepared to take a shift with you to keep you awake (you mustn't doze which you would be very likely to do on your own.). The other thing would be to find out what to do for the follow-up because I imagine there must be a schedule to keep to after the 3 days are over, to sustain the benefit. The effects don't last very long. A good idea to try while you are waiting for an anti-depressant to work and need some fast relief. Not easy but worth a shot.

Total sleep deprivation helps for depression but unfortunately only lasts until your recovery sleep, which won't be long as eventually you have to sleep. These guys seem to have found a way to make that last longer.

I would totally try it at home even though Jim Phelps of Psycheducation.org warns against it because of the risk of mania. If I was that depressed, I wouldn't care about mania, just about getting out of depression. (My pdoc would not agree.)

And of course if you don't fancy the drug route, this sounds feasible.

What do others think?

[Luna-]

Wikipedia has an article on Sleep Phase Chronotherapy which says that the effect can be sustained with rigid sleep times after the sleep advance therapy. Requires discipline. It also mentions triple chronotherapy, which is how the people in the first article do it.

You'd need about 5 days off work while you are sleeping in the daytime. Someone would have to mind the kids and keep things quiet in the day.

Here is another article with two case studies.

IF, not when (let's be hopeful) I get depressed again, I think I would try it at home like they don't recommend.