The Phenomenon of Sleepwalking by Examining Parasomnia in the Context of Psychology - Essay Example

Sleepwalking The purpose of this paper to comprehensively analyze the phenomenon of sleepwalking or somnambulism by examining the parasomnia in the context of psychology. The paper aims to assess the relationship between sleepwalking and its psychological causes and implications by understanding the nature of the occurrence in the light of empirical studies and researches. The vast diagnostic model for sleepwalking is based upon the foundations of assessing various behavioral actions and activities that are associated with the sleep disorder (Umanath, Sarezky, and Finger 253). Mume states that somnambulism itself is a combination of numerous activities that are associated with behavior and specifically take place when a person is sleeping (1). The temperaments of activities that are correlated with sleepwalking are wide-ranging and can be observed as non-violent, hostile or simple displays of behavior such as motor behaviors, perplexity and amnesia (Mume 1; Umanath, Sarezky, and Finger 253). According to Mume, sleepwalking is a consequence of arousal from sleep stages 1-3 or NREM sleep, in which an individual experiences only slight eye movements or none at all unlike in the state of REM sleep. Once an individual is aroused from a state of NREM sleep, specific behaviors and actions displayed during sleepwalking consist of a diminished responsiveness to external stimuli and deteriorated ability to communicate that is succeeded with the onset of puzzlement and confusion once an individual is released from the previous state (Umanath, Sarezky, and Finger 253). Due to the critical role that behavioral aspects play in the occurrence of somnambulism, it should be noted that an individual’s psychological state during an episode of sleepwalking is also a source of concern and an area of research for psychologists as the discipline is dedicated to comprehending the science of behavior (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian 4). Umanath, Sarezky, and Finger state that the phenomenon of sleepwalking has been a source of intrigue and speculation for renowned physicians dating back to the 1800s. English physician Polidri described the condition of oneirodynia as one being that is closely related to somnambulism, the specific causes of the latter however, were attributed to alcohol consumption, excessive eating, placing ones head in a certain direction and even opium use amongst others (259) but modern research does not affirm these specific sources of sleepwalking. Several studies have concluded that the incidence of somnambulism is reportedly higher in children who have not reached puberty (Umanath, Sarezky, and Finger 253; Uchimura et al. 309). This observation has traditionally been attributed to be a consequence of drugs that are used for the treatment of influenza. . A study conducted on thirty-one healthy, male, Japanese participants belonging to the age group of 20-24 hypothesized that the intake of Oseltamivir – a medicine for treating influenza is a contributor towards the incidence of sleepwalking. However, results of the research discredited the aforementioned hypothesis as the experiment did not support the presence of a relationship between the intake of influenza drugs such as Oseltamivir and the onset of parasomnia such as somnambulism (Uchimura et al. 312). Seeeman notes that examination of case histories and data related to somnambulism reflects the possibility that parasomnia can be a probable side effect of prescription drugs that are taken to counter schizophrenia (59). Research shows that obesity and the intake of antipsychotic medications can raise the possibility of somnambulism (Seeman 59). This has been concluded in an experiment where a reduction in the dose of Quetiapine administered to two patients caused the occurrence of somnambulism to completely vanish (Seeman 61). Mume notes that psychologists and researchers alike acknowledge that the entire scope of the reasons or causes of sleepwalking has not been determined yet (1). Genetics is known to play a significant role in the incidence of the sleep disorder as it has been observed that immediate relatives of a sufferer are 10 times more likely to report having somnambulism in comparison with the rest of the population, the genetic aspect of sleepwalking is also strengthened by examining case histories based on twins (Mume 1). Parkinson’s disease is also known to be a source of somnambulism in the patient while; psychological disorders can also cause the occurrence of the sleep disorder (Mume 2). Oudiette et al. propose that the psychological implications of sleepwalking have been reflected in previously discussed studies which have indicated that a chronological manner of neuronal behaviors can be repeated in animals (1). An experiment designed by Oudiette et al. put forward the hypothesis that the same implication is both possible and observable in human subjects. For the purpose of the study, a sample of 19 individuals who displayed complex behavior during episodes of somnambulism was recruited along with 20 participants suffering from REM sleep disorder and 18 individuals who did not report the incidence of any sleep disorder or parasomnia. The participants were provided with rigorous training on a non-variable sequence consisting of 8 different colored items. In conclusion, the study examined and evaluated the reenactment of the learned task by one participant who belonged to the group of sleepwalkers during slow-wave or non-REM sleep, thereby, suggesting that the reenactment of a newly acquired or learned behavior is entirely possible in the period that an individual is sleeping (Oudiette et al. 5). The study reflects that the behavior replayed by sleepwalkers is essentially a consequence of experience which was also observed in studies conducted on animal subjects (Oudiette et al. 7). The results further postulate that as components of recently acquired skills or knowledge are translated into dreams, it is entirely plausible that the remaining groups of participants in the study also repeated or recalled the training through dreams who unlike somnambulistic individuals did not have an explicit behavioral expression available (Oudiette et al. 7). The fundamental implication of the findings of this research is that once psychologists are aware of the confirmed possibility that motor behavior in somnambulistic individuals can also be a consequence of behavior that has been learned recently then this acknowledgement can help psychologists in comprehending the cognitive framework and psychological processes of sleepwalkers (Oudiette et al. 7). Therefore, further assessment into parasomnias such as somnambulism is critical to comprehending the science of cognitive structures and functions that specifically occur when an individual is sleeping. According to Mume, sleepwalking is a parasomnia which poses an immense psychological challenge specifically because a sleepwalker cannot recall the incident of somnambulism or how the individual acted during the episode once it is over (3). Due to the wide range of behaviors displayed during somnambulism, the parasomnia has also been featured in legal publications as instances of violent activity have also been reported during episodes of sleepwalking (Mume 3). Seeman states that occurrence of violence or hostility in sleepwalking incidents reportedly stands at 2% with a possibility that schizophrenic individuals are likely to act in a violent manner once they are abruptly woken from the somnambulistic state (65). While, Weiss et al. also note that violent incidents during sleepwalking have only occurred in exceptional scenarios and are not commonly reported (250) the fact remains that the legal treatment of an individual should such an incident take place is unclear, specifically because it is believed that individuals who are in an unconscious state cannot be held responsible for any injury caused to others. However, the question arises as to how should legal professionals and the legislation itself deal with the situations involving parasomnia? In which an individual evidently acts as a consequence of being in an inconclusive state of mind that does not reflect either complete consciousness or unconsciousness. According to Weiss et al. the general and prevalent comprehension regarding parasomnias such as sleepwalking or somnambulism before the development of the psychoanalytic theory and Freud’s theory of unconsciousness was vague and medical explanations of sleepwalking were largely indecisive and not backed by empirical evidence as many claimed that sleepwalking was also a dream state (254). While, Freud’s psychoanalytic theory was successfully able to discredit the association between the assumed relationship that parasomnias such as sleepwalking shared with dreams, it should be noted that the theory itself did not contribute towards an understanding of somnambulism itself however, the distinction between dreams and sleepwalking had indeed become more clear (Weiss et al. 255). Weiss et al. state that psychological assessments are imperative to attaching meaning to conscious or subconscious motives behind violent activities; this view suggests that forensic evaluations of dangerous acts that are caused in a state of somnambulism should be assessed on the basis of psychological inclinations to conclude whether it was a subconscious motivation that appears to have purposefully guided the violent activity that was conducted during the state of sleepwalking (256). It should be stated however, that further scientific and psychological advancements are needed in the field of sleep science and parasomnia such that the disciplines can assist fair judgment in criminal cases (Weiss et al. 276). Individual precautions to promote the safety and security of sleepwalkers should be implemented to ensure that patients remain secure during somnambulistic episodes, these safety measures help guarantee that a patient’s home is prepared in the most effective manner so that the sleepwalker is not harmed during an episode, dangerous objects should be placed in locations where they do not come in the way of a patient and windows should be closed or covered, it is also preferable that a patient live on the lower floors of the house if possible (Mume 2). It is necessary for psychologists and medical professionals to determine the causes of sleepwalking when assessing a patient. Seeman notes that this need becomes more critical when schizophrenic individuals are examined for the occurrence of somnambulism due to the stigma that is attached with their existing mental condition (65). Family history, genetic factors and childhood episodes should be discussed at length to evaluate the underlying causes of sleepwalking in the patient (Seeeman 66). Mume suggests that sleepwalkers should be administered medications and antidepressants that have proved to be successful in reducing the parasomnia (2). Seeman recommends an alternative approach to managing sleep disorders such as somnambulism includes counseling and assistance that is directed towards helping patients cope with extreme disturbances in their sleeping routine (62). As stress is also one of the triggers to sleepwalking (Seeman 63) psychologists should work towards designing effective stress management frameworks to help lower stress levels of patients, these methods can involve recommending patients to reduce or completely cease alcohol consumption or use of caffeinated beverages or drinks, moreover, sleep studies should also be conducted to determine whether the patient is suffering from a condition such as sleep apnea (Seeman 63). These recommendations shed light on the fact that effective management of parasomnias and sleep disorders such as sleepwalking is a collective effort that involves counseling, medication, stress management and individual measures. Works Cited Mume, Celestine Okorome. "Prevalence of sleepwalking in an adult population."Libyan Journal of Medicine 5.1 (2010). Oudiette, Delphine, et al. "Evidence for the re-enactment of a recently learned behavior during sleepwalking." PloS one 6.3 (2011): e18056. Plotnik, Rod, and Haig Kouyoumdjian. Introduction to psychology. Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2008. Seeman, Mary V. "Sleepwalking, a possible side effect of antipsychotic medication." Psychiatric Quarterly 82.1 (2011): 59-67. Uchimura, Naohisa, et al. "Absence of Adverse Effects of Oseltamivir on Sleep: A Double?Blind, Randomized Study in Healthy Volunteers in Japan." Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology 109.4 (2011): 309-314. Umanath, Sharda, Daniel Sarezky, and Stanley Finger. "Sleepwalking through History: Medicine, Arts, and Courts of Law." Journal of the History of the Neurosciences 20.4 (2011): 253-276. Weiss, Kenneth. "Parasomnias, violence and the law." Journal of Psychiatry & Law 39 (2011). Read More