Hypoxia and Medicine

Would psychophysiological insomnia, at first glance, present as (any) specific physical condition(s)?

I am specifically interested in psychophysiological insomnia: essentially, somatized tension and learned/reinforced sleep-preventing associations that, of course, result in insomnia. Note: I'm not referring to primary sleep disorders, substance abuse related insomnia, nor those cormorbid with psychiatric, neurological, or medical disorders like, chronic pain or even fibromyalgia. I am wondering if this specific form of insomnia (i.e., psychophysiological insomnia) can mimick the symptom profile of other physical maladies. I would think its presentation would be different than other forms of insomnia, given different etiologies, but, I don't know... Thanx, psyengine. Not really what I meant. Said in another way, I am wondering what the physical effects are of psychophysiological insomnia (aside from fatigue--kind of an obvious one), but, specifically, whether these could mimic any particular physical condition. For example, I imagine extreme, chronic psychophysiological insomnia, depending on the individual, presenting not only as "fatigue", but, as say, a primary eating disorder, gastritis, or migraine, perhaps. See, I know that many "sleep disorders" are cormorbid or indicative of, for instance, long-standing physical illnesses, in the case of some primary sleep dysfunctions or psychiatric issues. However, I wonder, given psychophysiological insomnia is a said conditioned response or a reflection of "hyperarousal" (which can remain even when the initial stressor that, perhaps, precipitated the sleep issue, is long gon) whether the lack of sleep, in this case, could, resemble a physical illness, instead of a "sleep disorder", per se. So, instead of the sleep issue being etiologically related to a psychiatric or a physical illness, whether the reverse could be true, and if so, what does the physical sxs profile look like? Thanx, Fr. Al. I know, I know, my q was worded very poorly. It was very late when I posed this Q and I really should have just gone to bed instead of playing on Y!A. My brain was complete mush. Ha-ha-ha. Anyhow, I certainly didn't want to imply that "mental diagnoses" were all in one's head. Trust me when I say, that is NOT something I would say. In fact, where I live, there IS no stigma regarding these illness. There just isn't. Anyway, all I wanted to know with this inquiry was whether an insomnia problem could be mistaken as a physical illness. I rattled on about psychophysiological insomnia because I thought it would be a better instance (that the others) of when this might be possible. I imagined a patient complaining of primarily headaches and never being asked the Q: "how do you sleep?" In reality, the insomnia is causing the headaches, so they are treated, instead of the insomnia. I wondered what kinds of physical problems lack of sleep could produce/mimick. Grannyjill: Good idea :-). Thanx :-). Fr. Al: "physical problems" as in those that can not be related to an underlying primary DSM-IV-TR label. Can severe chronic insomnia cause gastritis, migraines, eating disorders etc?...

Public Comments

1. http://www.rwjobgyn.org/Atoz/Encyclopedia/article/000805.asp According to this source, this classification name for this kind of insomnia does not exclude physical causes; physical causes are classified there as teaching causes, reconditioning or learning effective. Acquisitive personal actuality is not immune to non-behavioral causes. dysfunctions do not mimic; they are what they are. If you are asking could a misdiagnosis follow from the perception of these sensible symptoms for this insomnia, yes, misdiagnosis is possible. The complaints people present are the dysfunctions comprehensible to them as interference in their needs satisfaction.
2. It is a difficult question, because of underlying psychiatric issues and comorbidity with addiction and its corollaries, but I believe also endocrine malfunction, such as hyperthyroidism (if adrenaline is dumped in the system ANYONE would have difficulty sleeping) can evidence as insomnia, as well as breathing difficulties and seizure disorders. Many with sleep apnea also tend towards insomnia, perhaps related to the fear that they may stop breathing. Psychiatric disorders also have a physical base, if they did not how could any medication be effective? We need to get away from the stigma of "mental illness". It's not all in people's heads. A sleep study with EKG can be very helpful in accurate diagnosis, as well as full blood work. [There are no independent systems in the body, a primary diagnosis is only a cue, everything is interrelated, physical, psychological, spiritual, emotional. Go to a surgeon and it will be treated surgically, a psychiatrist will treat it psychiatrically, an internist internally, etc. Which came first? The presentation of insomnia is sleeplessness, whether rooted in migraines, apnea, endocrine malfunction, or causative of any of these. The best we can do it seems is treat what is evident, hopefully with interdisciplinary sensitivity. At least that's the way I see it, but then my specialty is a little different, I get results with prayer, spiritual counseling and confession, meditation, and the laying on of hands. I send people to other specialists and physicians for things better treated there. Sometime a simple sermon can get remarkable results with putting whole masses of people to sleep. I believe I've known you too long to accuse you of anything simplistic or perjorative towards any suffering person, and did not mean to imply such.]
3. Perhaps a study of sleep-deprivation as a form of torture would throw up cases of physical systems which mimicked 'real' illnesses..or even were found to be responsible for 'real' illnesses.