Psychosocial Aspects of Narcolepsy [Paperback]

Meeta Goswami (Editor), Charles P. Pollak (Editor), Felissa L. Cohen (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0789060477 | ISBN-13: 978-0789060471 | Publication Date: May 2, 1996

This groundbreaking book focuses on the impact narcolepsy has on a person’s day-to-day life. It addresses the diagnosis, treatment, and management of narcolepsy with particular emphasis on psychological and social aspects of care. A multidisciplinary team of nationally and internationally respected scientists, researchers, and clinicians discuss the detrimental effects narcolepsy has on interpersonal relationships, employment, education, recreation, and other aspects of everyday life, from driving an automobile to sexual relations. Narcolepsy’s effects on these and other daily activities are often neglected in the study of the disorder. This book brings into focus the personal and social costs of narcolepsy and discusses the often enormous impact that narcolepsy can have on a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.

Typically it takes about fifteen years for a person to be accurately diagnosed as having narcolepsy. Psychosocial Aspects of Narcolepsy is an aid to help caregivers and healthcare providers screen individuals with symptoms of daytime sleepiness and refer them promptly to appropriate professionals for diagnosis and help. The book helps these professionals find the most effective treatment methods and coping strategies for their patients who suffer from symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and hypnagogic hallucinations. Informative chapters address a wide variety of pertinent issues, including:

• differential diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy
• the special needs of persons with narcolepsy
• a sociomedical model for a narcolepsy counseling service
• the psychosocial impact of narcolepsy on the individual and the family
• sociodemographic variables in narcolepsy
• the quality of life of persons with narcolepsy
• the diagnosis, treatment, and psychosocial consequences of sleep apnea
• the legal aspects of narcolepsy
• narcolepsy’s profound impact on children
  
  This vital resource enables physicians and other health professionals to give optimum, comprehensive care to individuals suffering from narcolepsy. Full of informative studies and helpful coping strategies, Psychosocial Aspects of Narcolepsy belongs on the desk of every person who wants to understand the impact of narcolepsy more thoroughly and who wishes to improve the quality of life of those with the disorder.

Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (May 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789060477
• ISBN-13: 978-0789060471
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,261,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Academic Mumbo-Jumbo. . ., July 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Psychosocial Aspects of Narcolepsy (Paperback)

This book is really a compilation of academic papers on the various psychological and social aspects of narcolepsy. Each study goes into great (technical) detail about its methodology and its results -- however, what I found to be most interesting (and valuable) are the conclusions drawn by each researcher and his/her discussion of the implications of their findings that end each chapter. The book covers many aspects of narcolepsy -- quality of life issues (i.e. self-esteem, depression, social distance, etc.), issues in managing symptoms of narcolepsy (i.e. the role of prescription drugs, napping, psychological counseling, etc.), and political and legal issues -- that I have not read about anywhere else. Although you have to sift through a bunch of academic mumbo-jumbo at the beginning of each chapter, it is these concluding sections that, in my opinion, make the book a valuable addition to the library of anyone who is living with and/or (like myself) struggling to get a better handle on his/her narcolepsy.