Insomnia, Hyperarousal, and Suicide in Psychosis-View Presentation

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Dr. Brian Miller discusses the association between insomnia, hyperarousal, and suicide in patients with psychosis. He presents findings from various studies that highlight the link between insomnia and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, as well as the severity of psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Dr. Miller also discusses the potential use of pupillometry, a measure of physiologic arousal, as a biomarker for suicide risk. He explains how a handheld pupillometer can assess the pupillary light reflex and its parameters, such as constriction velocity, as a way to measure arousal levels. The video emphasizes the importance of addressing sleep disturbances in patients with psychosis and suggests incorporating treatments such as sedating antipsychotics, melatonin, and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia to reduce the risk of suicide. Dr. Miller concludes by highlighting the need for more research in this area and the potential for developing personalized treatment approaches based on improving sleep and reducing hyperarousal. This video is part of the SMI Advisor webinar series, which aims to help clinicians implement evidence-based care for individuals with serious mental illness.

Keywords

insomnia

hyperarousal

suicide

psychosis

schizophrenia

psychotic disorders

pupillometry

biomarker

sleep disturbances