Thursday, 19 June 2014
Insomnia Disorder Symptoms
By JOHNNA MEDINA, M.A.
The
predominant complaint is difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or
nonrestorative sleep, occurring at least 3 nights per week for at least 3
months despite adequate opportunity for sleep.
The
sleep disturbance (or associated daytime fatigue) causes clinically significant
distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of
functioning.
The
sleep disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of another, more
predominant, sleep disorder, such as Narcolepsy, Breathing-Related Sleep
Disorder, Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorder, or a Parasomnia.
The
insomnia is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g.,
a drug of abuse, a medication). However, insomnia can occur
alongside or as a result of a coexisting mental (e.g., major depressive
disorder) or medical condition (e.g., pain) as long as the
insomnia is significant enough to warrant its own clinical attention and
treatment. For instance, insomnia may also manifest as a clinical feature
of a more predominant mental disorder. Persistent insomnia may even be a risk
factor for depression and is a common residual symptom after
treatment for this condition. With comorbid insomnia and a mental disorder,
treatment may also need to target both conditions. Given these different
courses, it is often impossible to establish the precise nature of the
relationship between these clinical entities, and this relationship may change
over time. Therefore, in the presence of insomnia and a comorbid disorder, it
is not necessary to make a causal attribution between the two conditions.
Note,
episodic insomnia can be diagnosed if symptoms last at least 1 month but less
than 3 months. Persistent insomnia refers to chronic insomnia lasting 3 months
or longer. Recurrent insomnia refers to repeated episodes (1-3 month duration)
of insomnia within the course of a year.
