Narcolepsy: Symptoms And Treatment

Many people say that narcolepsy is more like a curse than a disease. It is a chronic sleep and neurological disorder in which patients, in addition to excessive insomnia, may experience sudden sleep paralysis, hallucinations and even fainting. In this article we will look at the symptoms and treatment of narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is both disabling and strange at the same time. It has a very small incidence in the general population. This condition, also called sleeping sickness, still has no cure. However, there are various treatments that ensure that the patient gets a reasonable quality of life and is able to take control of his daily life.

Dr. Meir H. Kryger, an expert in medicine and sleep psychology, says that there are few disorders that are more complex than narcolepsy. He explains in one of his articles that he has treated patients who, instead of being diagnosed with narcolepsy, were incorrectly diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Children and adolescents can be misdiagnosed due to hallucinations that the condition can cause. They see imaginary objects and people, and this type of experience traumatizes them.

Living in a world where one cannot know the difference between what is real and what belongs in the dream world is not easy. It is a life full of fear and frustration, since the patient is unable to control his own body.

What is sleeping sickness?

Narcolepsy is a neurological condition, but researchers still do not understand what triggers it. One thing experts  have made clear, however, is that it is a hereditary disease. There are certain genetic markers that determine whether a person is at risk of suffering from it or not.

Another characteristic of sleeping sickness is that it is an autoimmune disease. For unknown reasons, the body attacks itself, changes certain processes, and reverses its patterns and cycles. This is why patients’ sleep patterns are disturbed and they experience dreams and nightmares while still awake.

Characteristics of narcolepsy

When we think of a sleeping sickness, we think of a person who can collapse from one second to the next. We think of some who sleep excessively and who suffer from falling asleep at night. However, it is much more than that. Here are some of the symptoms of narcolepsy:

• Most people with sleeping sickness suffer from mood disorders. Furthermore, intense emotions, sometimes even a simple laugh, can lead to muscle paralysis and fainting.
• Another symptom is daytime sleepiness. An interesting aspect of this condition is that the person’s need to close their eyes and sleep does not only occur in monotonous repetitive situations such as when they are on the couch watching TV or reading. Narcolepsy also occurs when the person is driving, working or even out eating with friends.

• Hallucinations: As we mentioned at the beginning, one of the most intense experiences the patient has is hallucinations, which can be auditory, visual or tactile.
• Sleep paralysis is another common symptom. This is a type of parasomnia that exists somewhere between the sleeping and waking states. The person does not feel able to move or react, which causes them to experience a deep feeling of anxiety and terror.
• It is also common for the patient to suffer from memory and concentration problems.
• In addition, some drug addicts suffer from eating disorders.

Treatment of narcolepsy

Narcolepsy affects men and women equally and even affects animals. Each patient’s treatment will vary according to their individual needs. Here are the most common treatment strategies:

• Planned wonders and proper sleep hygiene.
• It is common for doctors to prescribe stimulants such as methylphenidate, dextramphetamine and methamphetamine.
• To treat  hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis, antidepressants, especially tricyclic antidepressants, are very useful.

To conclude, although the incidence of this disease is low, it can greatly affect the patient’s daily life. Furthermore, it is also common for the patient to feel that they have lost control and that they are going crazy, especially if the hallucinations are frequent. However, they can be greatly improved with the help of good doctors and appropriate treatment.

We should be more sensitive to those who suffer from this sleep disorder and treat the condition as something completely normal and not out of the ordinary.