People with narcolepsy fall asleep without warning, anywhere, anytime. For example, you may be working or talking with friends and suddenly you nod off, sleeping for a few minutes up to a half-hour. When you awaken, you feel refreshed, but eventually you get sleepy again.
What are the 5 signs of narcolepsy?
There are 5 main symptoms of narcolepsy, referred to by the acronym CHESS (Cataplexy, Hallucinations, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Sleep paralysis, Sleep disruption). While all patients with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness, they may not experience all 5 symptoms.
What is the main cause of narcolepsy?
What causes narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is often caused by a lack of the brain chemical hypocretin (also known as orexin), which regulates wakefulness. The lack of hypocretin is thought to be caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the cells that produce it or the receptors that allow it to work.
Is narcolepsy a mental illness?
However, narcolepsy is frequently misdiagnosed initially as a psychiatric condition, contributing to the protracted time to accurate diagnosis and treatment. Narcolepsy is a disabling neurodegenerative condition that carries a high risk for development of social and occupational dysfunction.
What is an example of narcolepsy in psychology? – Related Questions
How does a person with narcolepsy act?
While individuals with narcolepsy are very sleepy during the day, they usually also experience difficulties staying asleep at night. Sleep may be disrupted by insomnia, vivid dreaming, sleep apnea, acting out while dreaming, and periodic leg movements. Automatic behaviors.
Is narcolepsy related to ADHD?
Narcoleptic patients are more prone to ADHD than the general population. As much as 30% of all patients suffering from narcolepsy without cataplexy and 15% of narcoleptics with cataplexy had symptoms of ADHD [21]. In a Swedish study, 25% of all narcolepsy patients had ADHD [22].
What mental illness causes narcolepsy?
Other health conditions linked to narcolepsy
anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder or phobias. psychosis, which refers to disconnection from reality, such as in schizophrenia. REM sleep behavior disorder, which causes unusual behavior during REM sleep, usually during dreaming. cognitive impairment.
Is having a narcolepsy a disability?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not consider narcolepsy to be a disability. Nevertheless, if the disorder’s symptoms interfere with a person’s ability to work full time, then he or she can still get the benefits.
Are Sleep Disorders considered a mental illness?
Insomnia is rarely an isolated medical or mental illness but rather a symptom of another illness to be investigated by a person and their medical doctors. In other people, insomnia can be a result of a person’s lifestyle or work schedule.
Is narcolepsy biological or psychological?
Genetic factors clearly play a role. Most people with narcolepsy have inherited a gene that codes for the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQB1*06:02, which is important for immune function. This gene is found in 12–25% of the general population, and it increases the risk of developing narcolepsy 7- to 25-fold.
Is narcolepsy caused by trauma?
Post-traumatic narcolepsy is defined as narcolepsy that develops following a head injury in a previously asymptomatic person. Narcolepsy is characterized as experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.
Is narcolepsy triggered by emotions?
Some symptoms of narcolepsy depend on emotional stimuli; for instance, cataplectic attacks can be triggered by emotional inputs such as laughing, joking, a pleasant surprise, and also anger.
What is the best treatment for narcolepsy?
Stimulants. Drugs that stimulate the central nervous system are the primary treatment to help people with narcolepsy stay awake during the day. Doctors often try modafinil (Provigil) or armodafinil (Nuvigil) first for narcolepsy.
What drugs cause narcolepsy?
Drug Abuse as a Cause of Narcolepsy
- Steroids, including prednisone.
- Diet pills.
- Drugs that treat high blood pressure, like beta blockers.
- Hormones, such as oral contraceptives.
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stimulant medications.
- Some antidepressants.
What is the life expectancy of someone with narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy persists throughout life but does not affect life expectancy. Narcolepsy reflects, in part, abnormalities in the timing and control of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Many symptoms resemble what happens during REM sleep.
How do people with narcolepsy wake up?
Amphetamines and other central nervous system stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), traditionally have been used to help people with narcolepsy remain awake during the day.
What foods to avoid if you have narcolepsy?
Beware the Sugar Crash. That afternoon soda may be tempting, but it’s important to be mindful of your sugar intake when you’re dealing with narcolepsy. “My general recommendation is to avoid highly processed sugars and sweets that can lead to ‘sugar crashes,’” says Dr. Wu.
How do I know if Im narcoleptic?
Excessive daytime sleepiness is usually the first sign of narcolepsy. It can have a significant impact on everyday life. Feeling drowsy throughout the day and struggling to stay awake makes it difficult to concentrate at work or school. People with narcolepsy may be misjudged as being lazy or rude.
Do narcoleptics sleep well at night?
Most people with narcolepsy have daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Not everyone has all these symptoms. Surprisingly, despite being very tired, many people with narcolepsy don’t sleep well at night.
What is narcolepsy confused with?
In a physician survey and retrospective chart review study of 252 patients with narcolepsy, 60% of patients had initially received a misdiagnosis of another disorder. The most common misdiagnoses included depression (~31%), insomnia (~18%), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (~13%).
