Don't you think a Psych Ward would do everything it can to help their patients sleep? Especially since there is such a strong link between sleep hygience and mental health. Apparently not!
I have been
diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. Since 2010 I have used a device known
as a CPAP nightly which by forcing air down my lungs has done wonders for my
sleep. Most people would agree that sleep is essential for one’s health and and my stability in general and many might also know that individuals with psychiatric challenges
especially benefit from good sleep. But fewer would know that sleep apnea is in
fact linked to Bipolar Disorder.[1] Therefore it would seem that
that access to my CPAP would be essential to my treatment.
Although my
husband dropped the machine off with a clear label for affixing, I did not
receive the device for several days. At first they claimed they did not know it
was mine. Then they claimed they found me sleeping without snoring and decided
I did not need it after all. In blog posts on medication and supplements I
will go into further depth that by denying me an appropriate dose of lithium,
fish oil as well as 5HTP my sleep and thus my mental health was further
compromised, lengthening my stay in the unit.
[1] Isabella Soreca,
Jessica Levenson, Meredith Lotz, Ellen Frank, and David J Kupfer, “Bipolar Sleep apnea
risk and clinical correlates in patients with bipolar disorder,” Bipolar Disorder
14 (2012): 672-676).
No comments:
Post a Comment
You know you have something you want to say about stopping bad psych wards or even about promoting good ones. Here’s the place.