The Importance Of Sleep When You Have A Mental Health Issue

Sleeping on time and getting a quality sleep is extremely important to your health and well-being. Sleep is also closely connected to your mental health, and a lack of sleep adversely impacts your psychological state. While it initially begins with irritation and perpetual insomnia, it could in no time turn to a severe case of insomnia, as people with mental health issues are more likely to suffer from insomnia. Keep reading to learn more about the relationship between sleep and mental health. 

How Does Sleep Affect Mental Health? 

Sleep conditions are a cause of certain psychiatric conditions, and a lack of sleep can also exacerbate the symptoms of several mental disorders. This is a complex relationship, where one thing impacts the other. While it is always advisable to seek the opinion of your doctor if you regularly face problems while falling or staying asleep, we will help you understand how sleep affects some mental health conditions. 

relationship between sleep and mental health

1. Stress And Anxiety:

Almost everyone nowadays is dealing with stress and anxiety as it has been taking a toll on every mind. A night of disruptive sleep or a lack of it can cause an enormous amount of chemical imbalance in your brain, due to which it gets difficult to even cope up with minor stress. Sleep deprivation causes tiredness, which results in an increased level of production of cortisol – the hormone that creates feelings of anxiety. This leads to more difficulty in dealing with day-to-day tasks, therefore making them all the more frustrating and leaving you more short-tempered. Getting enough sleep is important, but the stress of not being able to get enough sleep makes sleep deprivation even worse. It is thus necessary to consult your doctor if you face a recurring problem of sleep deprivation. 

2. Depression:

Depression

While insomnia and other sleeping disorders can be a result of depressions, recent research has implicated sleep deprivation in leading to depression. Those with sleeping disorders are twice at risk of developing depression than the general population. Research also suggests that treating insomnia at an early stage could prevent the onset of chronic depression. Therefore, it is important that you consult your doctor when you start noticing signs of insomnia.

3. ADHD:

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is extremely common, and affects around 6% of children between the ages of 6-17 years. Studies show how 25-55% of children with ADHD experience sleep disturbances, and disruption to sleep or a lack of it is a major contributor or symptom of this condition, and can also increase the severity of ADHD. The treatment of ADHD also assesses current sleeping patterns and habits in order to address the underlying sleep problems, as children with ADHD tend to suffer from other sleeping problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, difficulty waking, sleep breathing issues, night waking, and daytime sleepiness. 

4. Bipolar Disorder:

Bipolar disorder is characterized by alterations in mood, going from depressed to elevated in no time. Sleep problems, such as insomnia, irregular sleep-wake cycles, and nightmares are extremely common in those with bipolar disorder. Sleep changes can be a symptom of the condition, but sleep problems can also play a role in the course of the condition, treatment outcomes, and the individual’s overall quality of life.

This relationship between sleep and mental health is a complex and circular one, where the cause and the effect cannot be rigidly determined. Therefore, seeking expert opinion and taking professional help is the only way to tackle it.

Where To Seek Help? 

HOPE CARE is a leading psychiatric centre and mental wellness organization that recognizes and provides for the mental health concerns in modern day living. Dr. Deepak Raheja and his team of professionals are the best counsellors in Delhi, who aim to solve all concerns of mental health with the right approach and accurate diagnosis. He seeks to help the society in areas of mental health and its treatment. They aim to completely annihilate from the minds of people the stigma attached to mental health by raising awareness around the issue. 

For a detailed consultation, book an appointment today! 

Should I go for individual or group therapy for alcohol addiction?

For addicts, their dose of survival is the necessary evils for them. Although they know the ill effect of substance abuse, yet they are not in character to control the urge to consume such entities.

mental health issue

There are a few lucky ones who come out of the clutches of addiction, and there are a few who want to get a better grip on their life. The only dilemma faced by such individuals is how they would begin their journey to stop consuming alcohol.

Asking friends and relatives might be beneficial. But, sadly, the taboo of addiction is not hidden from anybody. More than support and care, addicts are looked down upon with sympathy or even repulsion.

By chance, the person finds a way out; he might have confusion regarding his therapy.

After all, this is the most vital part. Only the proper type of therapy can reduce their alcoholism.

This blog is a highlight to every one of those who are dangling between the choices of individualized treatment or group therapy.

To follow a fixed pattern, let’s start by explaining each of the therapies for a broader range of knowledge.

Types of therapy for alcoholism-

  1. Individual therapy- What happens during individual therapy for alcoholism?

This is a one-on-one interaction where the addict talks to his therapist, and various sessions are carried out to help him overcome his addictive nature.

For a faster recovery rate, it is recommended you go for professional help if your condition is severe. Only the former trained experts can deal with such challenging disorders and cut the problem from the root.

Advantages of individual therapy-

  • The full attention of the therapist is drawn only towards a single person. This way, the individual can avail better treatment plans that are customized only for him and also helps the therapist to understand his patient better as he gets more time with him.
  • Individualized therapy provides a more comprehensive session series than group therapies.
  • The confidentiality of the patient is maintained when he receives treatment personally. This allows him to open up more to his therapist that leads to a quicker recovery.
  • The patient can deeply reflect on himself during these insightful sessions and get answers to many mysteries that he could not decode in his entire life span.
  • The sessions can be fixed according to the conducive schedule of the patient.
  • The therapist can speed up or slow down his treatment plans according to how his patient takes the therapy. Thus the therapist tailors treatment for each patient.

Disadvantages of individual therapy-

  • The treatment is not cost-effective when compared to group therapy sessions.
  • There is something about how the human mind works. Somehow, an individual going through a rough phase finds strength and support when he sees someone else going through the same situation.

Group therapy provides relativity in such situations, which may be more beneficial in resorting to the problem.

  • Patients in individual therapy are continuously in the spotlight, which might not make them feel quite comfortable.
  1. Group therapy-

The typical scene that strikes our mind when we think about therapy is a group of people sitting in a circle and sharing each other’s experiences. If that rings a bell to you, this is what group therapy is all about.  

The group may be addressed by one or, at maximum, two therapists.

Generally, there are around 10-12 patients seated in a group therapy session.

The number of people present in the group may vary depending upon a host of factors. However, studies prove that an effective group therapy should comprise 6-12 individuals in a range.

Advantages of group therapy-

This gives them a sense of belonging and they become a part of the group where similar people share similar problems.

  • Alcohol addiction takes away a lot from a person. In the midst of all this, if the person gets the opportunity to maintain a symbiotic relationship with someone, this comes in as a motivation for them. Sharing and supporting someone in the same journey as theirs is a refreshing start to their withering life.
  • Different sets of rules, ways of livingotherpoint of view gets aggregated in one place through which each individual can learn something and grow as a person.
  • Addiction has few characteristics. They are self-isolating, aggressive behavior, being anti-social, and improper ways of living.

With the help of group therapies, patients can talk about their emotions and show their vulnerable side. This makes them socialize with other people and understand their point of view as well.

  • Getting influenced by exemplary sources is what group therapy is all about. The patient can meet, talk, and be guided by a live example who was in his shoes a while back. This makes any addict cling to the hope of betterment in their life.

 

Disadvantages of group therapy-

  • The method of therapy is not intensive. Thus, the treatment availed does not focus on the individual’s problem with much depth.
  • There is far less security and confidentiality in group-oriented programs.
  • There might be addicts who hide behind the shadows of excelling patients. Thus, an apparent growth of each individual cannot be marked
  • The person must remain flexible with his timings. He cannot put any constraints on them as, at the end of the day, everyone has to pitch in for a fixed schedule.
  • Group therapy may be inappropriate for people who are extremely shy or cannot execute their emotions.

Is individual therapy more effective than group therapy, or is it vice versa?

A layout of both the therapies has been extensively opened up in front of you. The reason for doing this is for you to choose what is the most suited to you according to your circumstances.

By now, you should have realized that every mental health issue has an array of treatments to manage its consequences.

Be it your addictive nature or withdrawal symptoms, there is a solution to every problem. All you have to do is to take the first step. Contact at Hopecare to understand your situation and the kind of treatment you should head towards. Note that it is always safe under the care of an expert. Therefore, call right away at 91-9311112377 to bid a final goodbye to your worries.