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Notes for health professionals.
SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER.

For General Practitioners and Psychiatrists. As I am sure that you are well aware from September onwards more and more people are now presenting themselves with symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D) a form of depression first characterized by a set of atypical symptoms which differentiates it from other types of uni-polar or bi-polar depressions.

The symptoms include a strong seasonal pattern, documented over two years or more with depressive symptoms appearing at the beginning of autumn and lasting until March or April.

The depressive symptoms are somewhat unusual: apart from the lack of energy and drive, loss of libido and a general feeling of tiredness there is often a marked hypersomnia, and a telltale craving for carbohydrate. Whilst many of the symptoms mimic those of clinical depression, this clear seasonal pattern is one of the decisive factors in diagnosis of SAD.

For a large number of individuals Seasonal Affective Disorder can be so debilitating that it can have a severe effect on their normal employment. It is strongly suggested that SAD is linked to the decreasing amount of daylight, and that replacing daylight with artificial light may have a palliative effect.

I am pleased to inform you therefore that our company are able to supply Light Boxes on either a sale or rental basis, the latter option may be preferable particularly for those patients who just wish to test the effectiveness of Light Therapy before commitment to purchase.

We stock the largest range of equipment in this country ranging from small desk-top models which can be used by a patient at home through to larger units which can be used in therapy sessions for clinic or surgery use.

If you wish, we can supply leaflets for your surgery that will give your patients an introduction to light therapy and its benefits.
Simply e-mail us at sadbox@aol.com if you would like some of our leaflets, or if you have any general questions regarding light therapy and our other products and services.

For Pharmacists- A business opportunity.

As a community pharmacist myself I have been studying Seasonal Affective Disorder for over twelve years since studying some PACT Data for one of our local GP Practices when I noticed that there was a large increase in the number of anti-depressants prescribed in the winter months between September and March.

When I looked at the statistics for April and May onwards it started to show a decline but did not reach the lower levels of the previous August. There was the possibility therefore that
some patients were being prescribed anti-depressants for a
seasonal depression and were in fact remaining on them.

Following on from this, together with my wife who is a beauty therapist (But also a SAD sufferer herself) we set up a company renting out light therapy units for those who wanted to try the units prior to purchasing them. Since the company started in 1995 we have seen a huge increase in the interest shown by patients themselves and healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Our own evidence shows a success rate of 87% in the use of lightboxes for SAD. This has been proved by a detailed analysis of those patients who go on to purchase the equipment following a rental. As confidence has grown in the use of light therapy equipment sales are now outstripping rentals. In 2004 we started to look at lightboxes that we could supply to pharmacists in the UK.

Whilst there have been some sales of light therapy equipment from some community pharmacies for quite a number of years, very often the advice given to SAD sufferers has been somewhat patchy. In December of 2005 the goLITEP1R lightbox was detailed in Chemist & Druggist and was the first lightbox to be made available for pharmacies through a lightbox company who had directors who were pharmacists. We will shortly be in a position to offer further exciting new products aimed at community pharmacies with good gross profits.

We now have a complete range of light therapy equipment which we can supply at excellent trade prices. Alternatively we can supply lightboxes sent direct to your customer with the profit paid direct to you. The Sad Light Hire Company Limited can give you all the necessary training, leaflets and literature to enable you to start selling lightboxes.

Please email trade-enquiries@sad-lighthire.co.uk for a Pharmacy Starter Pack or telephone 0870 143 6702 (Anytime day, evenings or weekends)
Philip Bunting.B.Pharm.M.R.Pharm.S

For Beauty Therapists.

Beauty therapists are now ideally placed to offer SAD clinics during the dark winter months. Why not take advantage of a tremendous business opportunity in which we can set up a SAD clinic at a cost of less than £300 which will include a large lightbox with a stand, promotional literature, local publicity with your local press, radio stations etc and full support and training.

The suggested pricing structure is that you would charge your clients £30 per month (Just £1 a day) to receive a daily
treatmentfor 20 minutes during which time there would be no
supervision necessary. You would simply utilize a spare room
or treatment couch without the need for any manpower.

(With just five clients you would have a return of capital in just two months and you will also be able to introduce your clients to some of your other services at the same time).

You could also obtain further units on a sale-or-return basis for those who wished to purchase equipment themselves.

All units are available from us at trade prices.
Email trade-enquiries@sad-lighthire.co.uk .............................................................................

Seasonal Affective Disorder Study - References

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