Fluorescent Lighting and Increased Anxiety

[veiled]

I did a search but did not pull anything up on here about it so I will start it up.

We use fluorescent bulbs and the like trying to be more green and they do last a lot longer over all than incandescent lights.

Now I know for me one of the first cues of an anxiety attack (not the panic) is my sight gets messed up. Lighting will go all wonky and everything gets insanely bright colors weird and bright.

I was doing some research as I have just been flat ill and hardly a break from anxiety attacks. I came across some info about a possible increase of anxiety and the fluorescent lighting. I figure I am game to self experiment here... Anything that could reduce my anxiety or frequency of attacks by the slightest margin I am game for. Well, it for me did make a difference. I have left all my windows open and doors, and have insisted no one use the lights unless absolutely needed (except one old bulb I found).

I would suggest if you have this type of lighting in your home to try this yourself. What do you have to lose?

Has it made all attacks lift and be anxiety free? Of course not but I am noticing a difference, enough of one hubby is going to swap out all our bulbs back to the old style. I think every little bit helps. My eyes do not feel so "buzzy" now. Also, reducing computer usage and TV, but if I let my brain not have something to veg out on too long it backfires.

[batgirl]

I agree with you totally. In spite of them being green, I can't have florescent lights in my room or living areas because they make me a lot worse. I always thought that it was just me though. Interesting that others experience the same thing!

[txmomof3]

Anything is definately worth a try! I have not ever seen anything one way or the other. Tanning beds decrease my anxiety level...but I know they use very different bulbs than household lights.

[Nam]

Tanning beds reduce anxiety because it produces neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine, I think) in your body making you "feel good". There are some research out there saying that tanning can be addictive because of this....but there is also research out there that says this is a cure for winter blues, a disorder called SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

I've always disliked the light fluorescents give out and prefer the yellow light of incandescents. I think that too much exposure to fluorescents have given me migraines in the past from the glare/flickering. So...I'm all for the old fashioned bulbs. In my house we only have incandescent and halogen lights. The only fluorescent one we have is in the garage.

[Awakening]

Good suggestion Veiled.

I actually prefer candles. Any light I generally find too bright. Constantly snapping at people to turn off the lights.

[anthony]

It is actually for depression, not anxiety, though close. The information your looking for is located in Dr. Roerich's thread entitled http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread308.html.

[veiled]

Ummm, guess you are talking to Nam? I was speaking of anxiety not depression. I already knew of light therapy for SAD. The anxiety is tied into use of fluorescents.

Hubby swapped out the whole house except for the kids' rooms. The change in the kitchen was while we were unloading groceries. The soft warm yellow lighting that followed the harsh bright was like... It just washed over me. It was a relief. It is really cutting down on the symptoms that tie into my anxiety. My guess is what ever effect it has on my eyes is triggering anxiety attacks. It has even cut down some of the symptoms that occur during a panic attack. May be a coincidence, who knows. But usually my sight is very screwed up and I get horribly dizzy and ill. When the sheer dread hit me and I was fighting with the "I am about to die" feelings I did not have as many physical symptoms last night. It still was horrible but I did not feel near as sick during it. Again coincidence? Who knows, time will tell. But I am sold on blowing off the fluorescents now. I am game for anything that cuts down frequency or intensity. And so simply. No major changes, no pills, no extra time out of my day... Just changed my light bulbs to the cheap ones. I am convinced for me these were playing a part in being so sick lately. Makes sense and works for me and apparently a couple others!

[grace5555]

Veiled,

My therapist had me swap lights a while ago as she had done research on it as well and I am with you - it does make a noticeable difference that does not happen very often in our world of PTSD.

Grace

[batgirl]

I'm glad you were able to switch the lights in your house Veiled. I only use incandescents and quite often I use lamps rather than overhead lights, with a wattage of 40-60, not 100. And I use natural light whenever possible. It makes such a difference to me that I even have a special battery powered lamp that goes with me to hospital if I'm admitted. I have a much more pleasant stay when I'm not forced to be under the usual hospital florescents.

[anthony]

I think I am being confused here. The title talks about using fluorescent lighting though mentions increasing anxiety. Your above post states "My guess is what ever effect it has on my eyes is triggering anxiety attacks." Then the very next statement is "It has even cut down some of the symptoms that occur during a panic attack."

I am confused. Are you saying that the change to fluorescent lighting is increasing anxiety or decreasing it? Panic attacks is a direct reflection of anxiety, you don't have high anxiety without the increased risk of panic attacks or vice versa. From the heading of this thread to the statements within it, I am confused what is being said here.

Fluorescent lighting is a direct reflection and scientific studies demonstrate it has an increased ability to decrease depression. Now depressive states can and are often confused with anxious states. If you have PTSD you have both anxious and depressive states, knowingly or not, you have them. Such lighting would decrease depressive states which would have a direct impact to helping decrease the anxious states, as one feeds from the other and vice versa. With PTSD you will not have one or the other, both will be present. If your anxiety is high with PTSD you will not just run to your safe zone, you will likely become unmotivated, not willing to do things, feel like you can't move or do anything of use. That's because the depressive aspects are in direct conjunction to the anxious aspects. You don't get one or the other, you get both; knowingly or not.

Can you please help me understand which you are referencing from this thread though as I am confused over reading this one.

[ovation228]

I've found this thread very interesting. I have the compact florescent bulbs all over the house. I also have overhead florescent lights in my office. I never really thought about how they could affect my anxiety.

[batgirl]

I have always had adverse reactions to florescent lighting, my whole life florescent lighting has made me more anxious. I avoid it at all costs. I am autistic though, and it's well known and common for autistics have problems with florescents. It contributes to sensory overload. But it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to reason it might cause some sensory overload problems (i.e. anxiety) in people with PTSD too.

[veiled]

Having fluorescent lighting increased physical symptoms and severity of some symptoms. They bothered my eyes. For example if you have poor eyesight you can get headaches and headaches can lead to nausea... Well, this type of lighting contributed to my sensory problems in much the same way. It was just harsh, whether it was the brightness or flicker I cannot say for sure but it added to my anxiety. It produced or increased symptoms I would get with an anxiety attack. Headaches, nausea, can't focus eyes, dizziness, peripheral vision messed up, too much brightness... These types of symptoms.

These lights seem to cause an attack. I know with attacks if you think one is coming on when you fear it then bam, you are in an attack since it is pretty basic to know fear of fear is what really sets a lot of these in motion. I got symptoms like an attack from these, since I was so paranoid it meant another attack it surely happened.

Changing to the incandescent bulbs and natural light during the day was a relief on my eyes and so far is showing promise in reducing some of the symptoms. I have also greatly reduced my online time since the screen I have on the laptop has no brightness control.

For me the proof was in the pudding when I had full blown panic attacks last night out of the blue. I got the dread and fear. I got the tight chest and pains in it, the lump in my throat feeling like choking. All normal and par for the course. What was weird was I did not puke, I did not get dizzy, my eyes stayed focused. I was able to meditate much easier through them sense I was not so woozy and ill.

From cruising the net googling it seems quite a few people, even if low percentage wise, do have these types of issues with fluorescent lighting from flickering or brightness. I am leaning more to flicker effect since the sun shining does not seem to have this profound effect. Either way I know these fluorescent lights added to symptoms and exaggerated them for me and am seeing I am not the only one.

From googling it seems some people have all types of strange reactions to fluorescent lights. It was a simple, pain free "experiment" I did on myself and shared since it made an positive difference. If it helps a few others great. I know for some it won't make a difference one way or another but for some this may prove to be very useful information to have.

I hope that was more clear.

[anthony]

Ah, ok... thanks veiled. That did clear it up I believe.

So you are saying that fluorescent lighting is increasing your anxiety opposed to decreasing it. Correct?

I would be interested to read research though stating that fluorescent lighting can increase anxiety. Interesting test model maybe....

I know such lighting is a big no no for some who have other illnesses, such as seizures, though never heard of it having an impact on anxiety. Interesting....

What research have you got on this veiled? I am curious now....

[veiled]

Yes, fluorescents increased anxiety. I will find what sites I read and send it to you tomorrow. There does not seem to be much official documentation of studies on it or controlled studies. Just mainly information like you find here, people speaking of their experiences. Figured it could not hurt to give it a go so I did. But again I will pass it on to you tomorrow. I already watched a couple movies on TV and can feel the difference in my eyes so I need to be off line and meditating now to ready for bed while I still can!

[veiled]

http://www.panicattacks.com.au/anxdis/dissoc.html
mentions fluorescent lights as triggering trance state of dissociation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-illumination
lists reference material connecting over illumination and anxiety.

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Anxiety/paems/research/holder/rpa6.html

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2007/02/yahoo_sees_the.html

[veiled]

some starter areas.

[anthony]

Thanks veiled, much appreciated. Will go read later today.

[baileysemt]

Well hot diggity, it's not just me!!!

Now I'm wondering if part of my super-negative reaction to trying to return to work this summer, was partly because the whole fire/ambo station is lit by fluorescent lights. :eek: I actually feel very safe in the fire station (long story - it's an emotional association thing, not the obvious "it's a fire station, duh" LOL) ... but I felt profoundly better when I went outside those days. I mean, like night & day, profoundly better out in natural daylight. I was miserable inside. It didn't even click 'til now that maybe the lighting was triggering that whole cascade of PTSD hormones and emotions...........

Dang!

At home I use the CFLs that are sort of yellowish in tint? During the daytime I have ALL of the curtains open and all last summer I just thrived (emotionally and physically) in daylight... I would go out to the park and stand there and feel like a plant just sucking up the sunshine. :) LOL! In the evening I am always turning lights off, and I have always preferred candles. (Dangerous, I know -- BE CAREFUL WITH THE CANDLES, KIDS! -- there's my fire prevention PSA.) Candlelight is warm and gentle feeling to me.

I turn my laptop screen WAY down at night. The brightness can be literally, physically painful to my eyes if it is too bright.

I also get migraines. I get both hormonal migraines (hit @ ovulation, menstruation and the post-menstrual estrogen surge) and typical migraines (triggered by certain sound and light stimuli) ........ the old-style CRT computer screens which run at 65-70 hertz always triggered a migraine... I am usually semi-okay at 75 hertz... if my brain is sensitive (it feels like it's on the edge of a migraine), the fluorescent lights (CFLs) can definitely aggravate things and set off a migraine... as can my laptop screen if it is too bright... but oddly my halogen desk lamp never sets off a migraine, even though it's like a zillion candlepower. :) LOL

As a side note, I have PTSD (duh) but I have long suffered from both depression and anxiety. It started when I was a college student, age 19-20, it really popped up when I started the BCP. I have long since d/c'd the BCP but the depression and anxiety and migraines have continued. I am now 36. The PTSD was caused by a series of events in 2005-2006, so it is something "new," it is not the cause of the underlying depression & anxiety. For whatever that history is worth -- I just wanted to explain because everybody's background is different. :)

:D Bailey

[baileysemt]

Oh......... I also have a hard time focusing a lot of the time....... yes, my contacts & glasses are the right prescription :) it is definitely a visual disturbance. Sometimes I can directly trace it to a migraine, but a lot of the time I don't know WHAT the heck it is??? I have been coming to think of it as a painless migraine -- because I have the visual and neuro symptoms and woozyness, without the headache. Whatever it is, obviously there is something going on in the brain that is screwing up data transmission and/or interpretation. Maybe someday we will know WTF it is. :-P *grin*


:D Bailey

[She Cat]

Bailey,

Yes you can have migraines without pain. I have them. Dx'ed by a Neurologist....Migraines come in all sizes, shapes, pain levels, and non-pain. Some have the aura before, some don't. Don't cha just love em???????

If I have a migraine, florescent lights cause me to vomit. I vomit anyway, but with the lights it's a given.