Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Narcolepsy, Intimacy, and Sexuality

  • Chapter
Narcolepsy

Abstract

The willingness to enter into an intimate relationship, and the ability then to establish and maintain one, can be difficult for many people. For the person with narcolepsy, there is a significant overlay which can further increase that difficulty. In this chapter, the symptoms of narcolepsy are first described. There then follows a description of the problems which can arise if a particular symptom is not under control. Although the potential difficulties are independent of age and gender, the way in which they manifest themselves does differ especially with respect to developmental stage. The depiction of potential problems and possible solutions is therefore organized to highlight how these symptoms manifest themselves at successive stages of life-span development. This kind of information will be particularly useful to clinicians who have people with narcolepsy under their care, offering a framework to help guide this aspect of treatment. In this update of the original chapter published in 2010, no new journal or text publications on the topic have been added since there have been none since the original chapter was published. The field, still actively working toward yet increased understanding of narcolepsy’s pathophysiology and further sophistication of pharmacological treatments for narcolepsy, has published intensively in those areas. It has not yet begun to publish research relating to the ways in which the symptoms of this disorder introduce their own challenges onto the kinds of relationship difficulties just about everyone experiences at one or another time in their lives. Conversely, in this day of highly accessible cyberspace, there are now rich arrays of blogs on the subject in the public domain, wherein the anonymous members talk openly with each other about this highly private part of their lives. A synthesis of this material is integrated into the relevant life-span development sections. Extraction of the major themes from these offers important additions to the guidelines we as clinicians can use in treating this aspect of our patients with narcolepsy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    This set of problems is true for adults with narcolepsy as well.

  2. 2.

    Sodium oxybate, currently indicated for excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in the context of narcolepsy, is taken in two doses: at bedtime and 4 h later.

References

  1. Lerner H. The dance of intimacy. New York, NY: HarperCollins; 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cacioppo JT, Cacioppo S. Social relationships and health: the toxic effects of perceived social isolation. Soc Personal Psychol Compass. 2014;8:58–72. doi:10.1111/spc3.12087.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Judith Shulevitz. New Republic ePublication, May 13, 2013, The Lethality of Loneliness: We now know how it can ravage our body and brain.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Marano HE. The dangers of loneliness. Psychol Today. July 1, 2003. http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/the-dangers-loneliness

  5. Roy A. Psychiatric aspects of narcolepsy. Br J Psychiatr. 1976;128:563–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Salzman C. Interpersonal problems in narcolepsy. Psychosomatics. 1976;17(1):49–51.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kales A, Soldatos CR, Bixler EO, Caldwell A, Cadieux RJ, Verrechio JM, Kales JD. Narcolepsy-cataplexy. II. Psychosocial consequences and associated psychopathology. Arch Neurol. 1982;39:169–71.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Broughton RJ, Guberman A, Roberts J. Comparison of the psychosocial effects of epilepsy and narcolepsy/cataplexy: a controlled study. Epilepsia. 1984;25:423–33.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cohen FL. Narcolepsy: a review of a common, life-long sleep disorder. J Adv Nursing. 1988;13:546–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Goswami M, Pollack CP, Cohen FL, Thorpy MJ, Kavey NB, Kitscher AH, editors. Psychosocial aspects of narcolepsy. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press, Inc.; 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Douglas NJ. The psychosocial aspects of narcolepsy. Neurology. 1998;50:S27–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Goswami M. The influence of clinical symptoms on quality of life in patients with narcolepsy. Neurology. 1998;50:S31–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Vignatelli L, et al. A 5-Year prospective cohort study on health-related quality of life in patients with narcolepsy. Sleep Med. 2011;12(1):19–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ozaki A, et al. Quality of life in patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy, narcolepsy without cataplexy, and idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time: comparison between patients on psychostimulants, drug-naïve patients and the general Japanese Population. Sleep Med. 2012;13(2):200–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Flygare J, Parthasarathy S. Narcolepsy: let the patient’s voice awaken us! Am J Med. 2014 Jun 12. pii: S0002-9343(14)00478-1. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.05.037. Epub ahead of print.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Masterson JF. The disorders of the self and intimacy: a developmental self and object relations approach. In: Zeig JK, Editor. The evolution of psychotherapy: the third conference, 37–49; 1997. Philadelphia PA: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Mignot E, Lammers GH, Ripley B, et al. The role of cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin measurement in the diagnosis of narcolepsy and other hypersomnias. Arch Neurol. 2002;58:1553–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Lindsley JG. Sleep paralysis. In: Joseph AB, Young RR, editors. Movement disorders in neurology and psychiatry. Malden, MA: Blackwell Science; 1999. p. 553–67.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kryger MH, Walid R, Manfreda J. Diagnoses received by narcolepsy patients in the year prior to diagnosis by a sleep specialist. Sleep. 2002;2002(25):36–41.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Boles S. A model of parental representations, second individuation, and psychological adjustment in late adolescence. J Clin Psych. 1999;55:487–512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Mahler MS, McDevitt JB. The separation–individuation process and identity formation. In: Greenspan SI, Pollock GH, editors. The course of life, vol. 2. Madison, CT: International Universities Press; 1989. p. 19–35.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Okamoto K, Uechi Y. Adolescents’ relations with parents and friends in the second individuation process. Jpn J Educ Psychol. 1999;47(2):248–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ryan N, Lindsley G. Questions and answers by and for young persons who have narcolepsy. Narcolepsy Netw. 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  24. www.experienceproject.com/stories/Have-Narcolepsy/294178

  25. www.fmylife.com/intimacy/13415492 October 12, 2010.

  26. Narcolepsytransforms.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-relationship-changed-dramatically.html.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Riehl J, Nishino S, Cederberg R, Dement WC, Mignot E. Development of cataplexy in genetically narcoleptic Dobermans. Exp Neurol. 1998;152:292–302.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Chabas D, Taheri S, Renier C, Mignot E. The genetics of narcolepsy. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet. 2003;4:459–83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Markman HJ, Renick MJ, Floyd FJ, Stanley SM, Clements M. Preventing marital distress through communication and conflict management training: a 4- and 5- year follow-up. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1993;62:70–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Daniels E, King MA, Smith IE, Shneerson JM. Health-related quality of life in narcolepsy. J Sleep Res. 2001;10:75–81.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Merritt SL, Cohen FL, Smith KM. Depressive symptomatology in narcolepsy. In: Goswami M, Pollak CP, Cohen FL, Thorpy MJ, Kavey NB, Kutrscher AH, editors. Psychosocial aspects of narcolepsy. New York: Haworth Press; 1992. p. 53–9.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Ingravallo F, Vignatelli L, Brini M, et al. Medico-legal assessment of disability in narcolepsy: an interobserver reliability study. J Sleep Res. 2008;17:111–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. www.narcolepticswife.blogspot.com

  34. narcolepticswife.blogspot.com/2010/08/narcoleptics-guilt.html

    Google Scholar 

  35. narcolepticswife.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-isolation-of-narcolepsy.html

    Google Scholar 

  36. narcolepticswife.blogspot.com/2013/12-how-to-keep-passion-alive-in.html

    Google Scholar 

  37. Karacan I, Gokcebay N, Hirshkowitz M, Ozmen M, Ozmen E, Williams RL. Sexual dysfunction in men with narcolepsy. In: Goswami M, Pollak CP, Cohen FL, Thorpy MJ, Kavey NB, Kutrscher AH, editors. Psychosocial aspects of narcolepsy. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press; 1992. p. 81–90.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Montejo-Gonazlez AL, Llorca G, Izquierdo JA, et al. SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction: fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, and fluvoxamine in a prospective, multicenter, and descriptive clinical study of 344 patients. J Sex Marital Ther. 1997;23:176–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Schenck CH, Amulf IS, Mahowald MW. Sleep and sex: what can go wrong? A review of the literature on sleep related disorders and abnormal sexual behaviors and experiences. Sleep. 2007;30:683–702.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. www.always-sleepy.blogspot.com

  41. www.always-sleepy.blogspot.com/2007.03/exclusive-look-into-secret-lives-of.html

Download references

Acknowledgments

A warm thank you to Audrey Kindred, Ann Austin, and Sharon D. Smith (in memoriam), who provided significant substantive and editorial input to the original manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. SleepWell, Lexington, MA, USA

    Gila Lindsley PhD, FAASM

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Gila Lindsley PhD, FAASM

  3. Antioch University New England, Keene, NH, USA

    Gila Lindsley PhD, FAASM

Authors
  1. Gila Lindsley PhD, FAASM
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gila Lindsley PhD, FAASM .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Montefiore Medical Center Narcolepsy Institute, Bronx, New York, USA

    Meeta Goswami

  2. Montefiore Hospital Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Bronx, New York, USA

    Michael J. Thorpy

  3. Somnogen Canada Inc, President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    S.R. Pandi-Perumal

Additional information

In memory of LF.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lindsley, G. (2016). Narcolepsy, Intimacy, and Sexuality. In: Goswami, M., Thorpy, M., Pandi-Perumal, S. (eds) Narcolepsy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23739-8_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23739-8_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-23738-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-23739-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation