Lamps that help with depression
SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA
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SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Also visit the online treatment locator.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.
The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.
English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.
In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.
The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs.
In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.
The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.
No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.
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Suggested Resources
What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families
Created for family members of people with alcohol abuse or drug abuse problems.
Answers questions about substance abuse, its symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery. Addresses concerns of children of parents with substance use/abuse problems.It's Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department
Aids family members in coping with the aftermath of a relative's suicide attempt. Describes the emergency department treatment process, lists questions to ask about follow-up treatment, and describes how to reduce risk and ensure safety at home.Family Therapy Can Help: For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction
Explores the role of family therapy in recovery from mental illness or substance abuse.
Explains how family therapy sessions are run and who conducts them, describes a typical session, and provides information on its effectiveness in recovery.For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.
Last Updated: 08/30/2022
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
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Misusing alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can have both immediate and long-term health effects.The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. NSDUH estimates allow researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the general public to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health. These reports and detailed tables present estimates from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
Alcohol
Data:
- Among the 133.1 million current alcohol users aged 12 or older in 2021, 60.0 million people (or 45.1%) were past month binge drinkers. The percentage of people who were past month binge drinkers was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (29.2% or 9.8 million people), followed by adults aged 26 or older (22.4% or 49.3 million people), then by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (3.8% or 995,000 people). (2021 NSDUH)
- Among people aged 12 to 20 in 2021, 15.1% (or 5.9 million people) were past month alcohol users. Estimates of binge alcohol use and heavy alcohol use in the past month among underage people were 8.3% (or 3.2 million people) and 1.6% (or 613,000 people), respectively. (2021 NSDUH)
- In 2020, 50.0% of people aged 12 or older (or 138.5 million people) used alcohol in the past month (i.e., current alcohol users) (2020 NSDUH)
- Among the 138.5 million people who were current alcohol users, 61.6 million people (or 44.
4%) were classified as binge drinkers and 17.7 million people (28.8% of current binge drinkers and 12.8% of current alcohol users) were classified as heavy drinkers (2020 NSDUH) - The percentage of people who were past month binge alcohol users was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (31.4%) compared with 22.9% of adults aged 26 or older and 4.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH)
- Excessive alcohol use can increase a person’s risk of stroke, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, cancer, and other serious health conditions
- Excessive alcohol use can also lead to risk-taking behavior, including driving while impaired. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 29 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver daily
Programs/Initiatives:
- STOP Underage Drinking interagency portal - Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
- Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking
- Talk.
They Hear You. - Underage Drinking: Myths vs. Facts
- Talking with your College-Bound Young Adult About Alcohol
Relevant links:
- National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
- Department of Transportation Office of Drug & Alcohol Policy & Compliance
- Alcohol Policy Information Systems Database (APIS)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Tobacco
Data:
- In 2020, 20.7% of people aged 12 or older (or 57.3 million people) used nicotine products (i.e., used tobacco products or vaped nicotine) in the past month (2020 NSDUH)
- Among past month users of nicotine products, nearly two thirds of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (63.1%) vaped nicotine but did not use tobacco products. In contrast, 88.9% of past month nicotine product users aged 26 or older used only tobacco products (2020 NSDUH)
- Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death, often leading to lung cancer, respiratory disorders, heart disease, stroke, and other serious illnesses.
The CDC reports that cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States - The CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health reports that more than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking cigarettes
Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use data:
- In 2021, 13.2 million people aged 12 or older (or 4.7%) used an e-cigarette or other vaping device to vape nicotine in the past month. The percentage of people who vaped nicotine was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (14.1% or 4.7 million people), followed by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (5.2% or 1.4 million people), then by adults aged 26 or older (3.2% or 7.1 million people).
- Among people aged 12 to 20 in 2021, 11.0% (or 4.3 million people) used tobacco products or used an e-cigarette or other vaping device to vape nicotine in the past month. Among people in this age group, 8.1% (or 3.1 million people) vaped nicotine, 5.4% (or 2.1 million people) used tobacco products, and 3.
4% (or 1.3 million people) smoked cigarettes in the past month. (2021 NSDUH) - Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Among both middle and high school students, current use of e-cigarettes declined from 2019 to 2020, reversing previous trends and returning current e-cigarette use to levels similar to those observed in 2018
- E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, or pregnant women, especially because they contain nicotine and other chemicals
Resources:
- Tips for Teens: Tobacco
- Tips for Teens: E-cigarettes
- Implementing Tobacco Cessation Programs in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings
- Synar Amendment Program
Links:
- Truth Initiative
- FDA Center for Tobacco Products
- CDC Office on Smoking and Health
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: E-Cigarettes
Opioids
Data:
- Among people aged 12 or older in 2021, 3.
3% (or 9.2 million people) misused opioids (heroin or prescription pain relievers) in the past year. Among the 9.2 million people who misused opioids in the past year, 8.7 million people misused prescription pain relievers compared with 1.1 million people who used heroin. These numbers include 574,000 people who both misused prescription pain relievers and used heroin in the past year. (2021 NSDUH) - Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, 3.4% (or 9.5 million people) misused opioids in the past year. Among the 9.5 million people who misused opioids in the past year, 9.3 million people misused prescription pain relievers and 902,000 people used heroin (2020 NSDUH)
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Understanding the Epidemic, an average of 128 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose
Resources:
- Medications for Substance Use Disorders
- Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
- TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
- Use of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Criminal Justice Settings
- Opioid Use Disorder and Pregnancy
- Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant and Parenting Women With Opioid Use Disorder and Their Infants
- The Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction
- Pregnancy Planning for Women Being Treated for Opioid Use Disorder
- Tips for Teens: Opioids
- Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Grants
- Tribal Opioid Response Grants
- Provider’s Clinical Support System - Medication Assisted Treatment Grant Program
Links:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Opioids
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Heroin
- HHS Prevent Opioid Abuse
- Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
- Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network
- Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network
Marijuana
Data:
- In 2021, marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug, with 18.
7% of people aged 12 or older (or 52.5 million people) using it in the past year. The percentage was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (35.4% or 11.8 million people), followed by adults aged 26 or older (17.2% or 37.9 million people), then by adolescents aged 12 to 17 (10.5% or 2.7 million people). - The percentage of people who used marijuana in the past year was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (34.5%) compared with 16.3% of adults aged 26 or older and 10.1% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (2020 NSDUH)
- Marijuana can impair judgment and distort perception in the short term and can lead to memory impairment in the long term
- Marijuana can have significant health effects on youth and pregnant women.
Resources:
- Know the Risks of Marijuana
- Marijuana and Pregnancy
- Tips for Teens: Marijuana
Relevant links:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Marijuana
- Addiction Technology Transfer Centers on Marijuana
- CDC Marijuana and Public Health
Emerging Trends in Substance Misuse:
- Methamphetamine—In 2019, NSDUH data show that approximately 2 million people used methamphetamine in the past year.
Approximately 1 million people had a methamphetamine use disorder, which was higher than the percentage in 2016, but similar to the percentages in 2015 and 2018. The National Institute on Drug Abuse Data shows that overdose death rates involving methamphetamine have quadrupled from 2011 to 2017. Frequent meth use is associated with mood disturbances, hallucinations, and paranoia. - Cocaine—In 2019, NSDUH data show an estimated 5.5 million people aged 12 or older were past users of cocaine, including about 778,000 users of crack. The CDC reports that overdose deaths involving have increased by one-third from 2016 to 2017. In the short term, cocaine use can result in increased blood pressure, restlessness, and irritability. In the long term, severe medical complications of cocaine use include heart attacks, seizures, and abdominal pain.
- Kratom—In 2019, NSDUH data show that about 825,000 people had used Kratom in the past month. Kratom is a tropical plant that grows naturally in Southeast Asia with leaves that can have psychotropic effects by affecting opioid brain receptors.
It is currently unregulated and has risk of abuse and dependence. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that health effects of Kratom can include nausea, itching, seizures, and hallucinations.
Resources:
- Tips for Teens: Methamphetamine
- Tips for Teens: Cocaine
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
More SAMHSA publications on substance use prevention and treatment.
Last Updated: 03/22/2023
What is light therapy and how does the SAD lamp help with seasonal depression?
A safe way to deal with autumn/winter blues and lack of sunlight.
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Many people are familiar with the state when you don't want to get out from under the covers, but you only have enough strength to watch a series on the couch. And the reason is not only that the street is uncomfortable, cold and damp. Shortened daylight hours and lack of sunlight also put the body into hibernation.
Serotonin levels drop and we feel lethargic, tired, and sleep deprived. This condition is called seasonal depression, SAD or SAD (seasonal affective disorder), and it is accompanied by symptoms similar to ordinary depression: fatigue, lack of interest in life, sleep problems or, conversely, excessive sleepiness, and sometimes a feeling of hopelessness and despair. Now many people are spending more time indoors than ever before, and the urban cycle is further reducing daylight hours, so light therapy has become one of the methods to combat the lack of light. We decided to tell you in what cases it works and how to use lighting devices so that they are beneficial and help fight blues and apathy.
How light therapy lamps work
In the morning and afternoon, the light should be brighter and colder - this inhibits the synthesis of melatonin, activating the production of cortisol. Due to the light, we wake up easier, it is easier for us to concentrate and tune in to work.
Before going to bed, the reverse process occurs, so it is recommended to turn on subdued warm light, which contributes to the production of melatonin, the "sleep hormone".
Special lamps help to restore the normal circadian rhythm of the body to control the symptoms of a lack of serotonin that manifest as seasonal blues. Sunlight mimics are considered one of the first aids in the fight against seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and there are dozens of such devices on the market today, ranging in size from pockets to super-powerful ones, capable of illuminating a large area. These lamps emit between 2,500 and 10,000 lux (a measure of light intensity), which is a hundred times brighter than typical home lighting. The more powerful the lamp, the less time it will take for its effect, that is, for a light therapy session. “Smart” lamps and fixtures are also now being produced, in which you can adjust the temperature, brightness and color of lighting, use ready-made light scenarios - “rest”, “charge of energy” or set up the device in such a way that in the morning the light turns on gently, gradually adding intensity, and faded away in the evening.
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- Light therapy lamps are recommended to be used for 30 minutes a day while sitting next to it with eyes open.
- It is best to do it early in the morning, after waking up.
- Positive changes are usually seen within a few days, but therapy is best done continuously for at least two weeks and preferably up to four weeks.
- During a light therapy session, you can do anything: read, have breakfast, apply makeup, watch the news feed on your smartphone, meditate, etc., as long as the light source is close to you.
Light therapy options
Wake-up light
A type of light therapy that works with your eyes closed, one hour before you wake up, while you wake up slowly thanks to increasing light and sound.
The device performs several functions at once, facilitating falling asleep and smoothly waking up, simulating a gentle dawn and sunset.
The model has an imitation of the sounds of nature, an alarm clock and a radio function. It costs a lot, but the device has many additional functions.
SAD lamp
Flicker-free, UV-free daylight fixture improves well-being and mood during the dark winter months. This compact lamp can be taken with you to the office or on a business trip. Light intensity is approx. 10,000 lx in a radius of approx. 10 cm. hours, which helps to stay awake during the daytime. According to the "biological clock" of most people, it is best to use glasses from 7 to 9hours of the morning.
Although light therapy is one of the treatments for seasonal depression, it is not perfect and does not always work. If you have bought a light therapy lamp and it does not work, you should consult a doctor and get a professional diagnosis, combine light therapy with other effective treatments for seasonal depression, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, sports, meditation, etc. .
How to properly use light therapy devices
- The light intensity level should be 10000 lux, if the intensity of the radiation is less, then it will take more time to exposure.
- The fixture must provide a full spectrum of bright white light but block ultraviolet rays.
- The light source must be installed at or above eye level. The position and distance of your light box relative to your eyes matters, as it should simulate being outside in the sun.
- The 10,000 lux device should be placed at a distance of about 60 cm from the eyes. If the source is weaker, this means that you will need to sit closer to it.
- Use the light fixture in the morning for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on your individual needs. If sessions of 20-30 minutes did not help in any way, the time can be gradually increased.
- It is important to use the lightbox daily. If you only use the light box a few times a week, it will be less effective.
Monitor your mood to see if light therapy is working: you should see increased energy and mood and improved mood within 1-2 weeks with daily use.
Do you know the symptoms of seasonal depression?
Light therapy: what and how is treated with lamps and open curtains
Life
© istockphoto.
com / xochicalco
Author Alena Galkina
April 28, 2018
Light today treats mental illnesses and seasonal blues, corrects sleep and increases the efficiency of employees. We tell you how.
In ancient Egypt, vitiligo was treated with light. In the 19th century, it became clear that ultraviolet light kills microbes. And in the early twentieth century, the Scandinavian physiotherapist Nils Ryberg Finsen treated cutaneous lupus with light and even received a Nobel Prize for it. Today, science is using light to fight depression and bipolar disorder, help patients recover from stroke, and increase productivity.
Light and Mental Health
“Billions of dollars are being spent on psychotherapy when the cheapest remedy has always been right under our noses: light,” concluded The Guardian medical journalist Linda Geddes, studying the latest research. Francesco Benedetti, head physician of the San Rafael Psychiatric Clinic in Milan, has been studying awakening therapy for almost twenty years, now to use it in the treatment of bipolar disorder: it turned out that bright morning light in combination with lithium brings patients into remission faster than pills.
Also at last year's Berlin conference on light therapy and biological rhythms, Danish researcher Klaus Martini presented an amazing report from the Copenhagen Psychiatric Hospital. It turned out that patients suffering from depression, who were in the wards facing southwest (sunny side), are discharged here twice as fast as patients from rooms whose windows face northwest. The difference in terms of treatment of the first and second is on average 29days. The scientist associated this with light: daylight in the southwestern rooms is almost 20 times brighter than in the northwestern ones, which means that it is easier for the biological clock of patients to work. Based on the data received by the doctors, the city authorities began work on the construction of a new psychiatric center, which will open in Copenhagen in 2022.
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© istockphoto.com / xochicalco
Light and seasonal blues
A medical degree is not required to enjoy the benefits of light therapy.
At the household level, light is used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This term refers to seasonal depression, or, in other words, winter melancholy, which suffers from people with normal mental health when there is not enough sunlight. When from October to April there is no strength not only to communicate with loved ones, but even to get out of bed, then, get acquainted, this is it. In the Scandinavian countries, where daylight hours can last less than five hours in autumn and winter, phototherapy is popular, that is, sitting under lamps with cold light, reminiscent of daylight. Such a special operation to lengthen daylight hours has an antidepressant effect.
Many manufacturers volunteered to help the inhabitants of countries located far from the equator and began to produce SAD lamps. Today, dozens of such devices are sold on Amazon - ranging in size from pocket ones (for example, Philips) to super-powerful ones that can illuminate a large area. Prices start at $ 100.
The level of illumination during the operation of such lamps is about 10 thousand lux, a hundred times brighter than the usual home light (for comparison, the illumination of a summer day is 50 thousand lux). Harvard Medical School recommends sitting in front of a SAD lamp for 20 to 30 minutes immediately after waking up, without closing your eyes, but without staring at the light either. The perfect time to read 10 pages of a book, scroll through the news feed, or just plan out your plans for the day. Phototherapy can also be used before a night shift to prolong wakefulness.
Light and neurology
Light in neurological departments is one of the most inexpensive, but at the same time effective ways to restore the body after a stroke. Lighting systems are already being installed in European hospitals: at the beginning of the day, they give blue, dawn lighting, shine brightly during the day, “warm up”, imitating the sunset, and turn off at night. After a stroke, the biological clock usually goes off, and artificial daylight, regardless of the time of year, returns patients to sleep, a study shows.
Full-spectrum daylight lamps are also used in patients with Parkinson's disease, one of the consequences of which is sleep disturbance.
© istockphoto.com / xochicalco
Light and productivity
A Leesman study found that almost 30 percent of employees are dissatisfied with the quality of office lighting. Yes, in Russia, although there are SanPiN standards that set the parameters for lighting in offices, lighting called circadian-friendly is developing in the world. The daily rhythms of employees can be controlled by lamps that shine brighter in the morning and dim in the evening: with this technique, people not only work more productively, but also sleep better and suffer less depression. The Philips Lighting smart lighting system is already installed in Deloitte's Amsterdam office, mimicking natural daylight and allowing workers to customize their workspace using a remote control or app. And the school. Honore de Balzac in the French town of Nanterre near Paris was the first to install the Philips SchoolVision system, with which the teacher can adjust the lighting depending on the task - for this, the switch has the “Focus”, “Normal” and “Energy” buttons, it is advised to turn on the system in the morning .
