Health and Wellness expanding

Illustration by Samantha Sarvet

By Laura Blum///Staff Writer

Winter in Portland, with its near-constant rain and overcast skies, can make anyone feel a little gloomy. For some people, this can amount to more than just occasional winter blues.

Due to its high latitude, the Pacific Northwest has a high incidence of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). People who suffer from SAD experience significant periods of depression in the winter months, due to the decrease in sunlight during this season.

Studies suggest that as many as 27% of people experience disruptive seasonal mood changes. The disorder is most prevalent in people ages 18-30.

Lewis & Clark’s Office of Health Promotion and Wellness has implemented a new program for students who experience symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): renting “blue lights,” free of charge.

Blue lights are full-spectrum lamps that mimic sunlight. When used daily for 30-90 minute sessions, these lamps have been shown to help to significantly reduce the  symptoms of SAD, which include exhaustion, social withdrawal, a depressed mood, and increased irritability.

The blue lights can be rented from the new Health Promotion and Wellness Suite, which is located in lower Odell. The suite was built last fall and now houses the offices of the Associate Dean of Students, Director of Wellness, and Chief Psychologist John Hancock and Associate Director for Health Promotion and Wellness Melissa Osmond, as well as several part-time counselors and psychiatrists.

Hancock hopes that the new location will be more convenient for students and will allow them to take better advantage of the services provided by the Health Promotion and Wellness office.

Many students could benefit from blue light therapy, but not all depression is affected by seasonal factors.
The full-spectrum lights, however, do not come cheap, costing the Wellness center upwards of $100-$150. “The blue lights are meant to serve as a ‘free trial’ for students who think they might need them,” says Hancock. By renting a light for free for a period of two weeks, students can try it out and decide if they should purchase a blue light of their own.

The blue light rental is part of several new programs started by Health Promotion and Wellness this semester in an attempt to better serve the LC community, including an online questionnaire that students can take to find out if they could benefit from counseling (which can be found at http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/lclark). The questionnaire is completely anonymous, and can be useful for students who are unsure if they need help. Hancock stated that he wants to be able to reach out to as many students as possible.

“I’m sensitive to the fact that this is a particularly vulnerable time, due to the tragedy that occurred over winter break,” he said. “And depression among college students is very common. I want students to know that it’s not unusual to feel these things, and that it’s okay to talk to somebody about it.”

Depression is the leading cause of suicide. Each year, 6-10% of college students experience suicidal thoughts. Hancock emphasized that if any students are thinking about suicide, or know somebody who is, they should not hesitate to contact the Counseling Service (503-768-7160; located in lower Templeton). They can also call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).