The findings reaffirm earlier research linking sleep problems
to an increased risk of suicide, and suggest which symptoms doctors
might want to target with treatment to reduce that risk, the researchers
said.
Unhealthy beliefs about sleep can take several forms: for example, the
thought that a poor night's sleep will disturb sleep for the whole week,
or that sleep loss will have dire and irreversible consequences. Such
ideas carry an atmosphere of hopelessness, an emotion researchers know is connected to suicide risk.
"Insomnia
can lead to a very specific type of hopelessness, and hopelessness by
itself is a powerful predictor of suicide," said study researcher Dr. W. Vaughn McCall, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta.
While the factors that contribute to suicide risk are not the same for everyone, "For some patients, I think sleep problems are part of the [symptom] profile," McCall said.
During the study, McCall and colleagues surveyed 50 depressed people
ages 20 to 84, some of whom were in the hospital. Nearly every patient
was taking some type of psychiatric medication, and 56 percent had
attempted suicide at least once.
The study participants were surveyed to assess their degree of insomnia and suicidal thinking, as well as whether they experienced nightmares or unhealthy beliefs about sleep.
The study found a link between insomnia and suicidal thinking: The more
severe a person's insomnia was, the more likely he or she was to
express suicidal thoughts
and desires. However, when the researches took into account whether or
not individuals experienced frequent nightmares or unhealthy beliefs
about sleep, the link disappeared. This indicates the two factors
—nightmares and unhealthy beliefs about sleep —play a role in the link.
Earlier studies have found that people with insomnia are up to twice as
likely to commit suicide as people who don't have such difficulties
sleeping. A 2011 study in teens found that those who had sleep problems
at ages 12 to 14 were 2.5 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts in their late teen years.
Depending on the person, insomnia could be a cause or an effect of
depression, McCall said. Insomnia may exacerbate depression because
people feel they cannot find relief or escape from their condition, even
at night, he said.
"People become pretty discouraged and demoralized living with insomnia night and after night," McCall said.
The new study, along with previous work, suggests that people with
insomnia should be evaluated for mental illness, including depression
and suicide risk, McCall said.
Treating nightmares or unhealthy beliefs about sleep
with psychotherapy or, perhaps, medication may reduce the risk of
suicide, but future studies will be needed to investigate this. McCall
plans to conduct more research to see if treating insomnia with sleep
medication can reduce the risk of suicide.
Pass it on: Insomnia may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts. ( LiveScience.com )
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