Suicidal ideation and depression resolved by CPAP

[Therapist]

Suicidal ideation and depression resolved promptly (after starting CPAP) and at 4-month followup were in remission. Further studies examining the relationship among untreated obstructive sleep apnea, depression, and suicidal ideation are warranted.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2276837/

[49er]

Suicidal ideation and depression resolved promptly (after starting CPAP) and at 4-month followup were in remission. Further studies examining the relationship among untreated obstructive sleep apnea, depression, and suicidal ideation are warranted.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2276837/

Excellent article Therapist.

There is no doubt in my mind that the anxiety and depression that caused me to be on psych meds for 15 years was due to undiagnosed apnea. Hopefully, doctors are doing a better job of screening people with psych labels for possible sleep disorders but unfortunately, I have my doubts.

49er

[kaiasgram]

I'm a psychotherapist who was diagnosed with sleep apnea (to my great shock) last year. I've learned a lot. Now I always ask my clients about their sleep and especially those who are reporting symptoms that could possibly be associated with sleep apnea. It's been interesting that for the most part, they do not want to deal with the possibility of SDB. Even those with family members already diagnosed and on treatment. And even one who tested positive back in college but "hated the cpap." Still, I will continue to educate knowing of course that it's their choice what to do with the information.

And BTW, I also ask women in the appropriate age range who present with anxiety and other mood symptoms about where they are in their reproductive lives -- perimenopause, menopause, postmenopausal, because hormones can greatly affect mood. Thyroid issues commonly increase in this demographic too so "Have you ever had your thyroid checked?" is another part of my intake screening with new clients.

I too had the experience of being referred to a psychiatrist many years ago when my primary had concluded that I was simply depressed. I saw a wonderful psychiatrist whose specialty was the intersection of women's reproductive health and mental health. First thing she did was have me bring in my TSH (thyroid) lab results and immediately told me that my thyroid function was far from optimal. Then she told me to get a blood level for estradiol (I was already taking oral Estrace but not feeling better). This psychiatrist told me that some women don't metabolize oral estradiol well -- so I got the blood test and it showed that despite taking Estrace, my blood level of estradiol was the same as a postmenopausal women taking nothing (I was in my 40's at the time). So I switched to transdermal delivery (estradiol patch) and got hormones rebalanced. Finally she suggested the possibility of a chronic fatigue-type issue and long story short, tilt table test showed I do have a condition that causes chronic fatigue. It was so ironic -- we assume psychiatrists are just waiting for us with their prescription pads, but this one said "I'm not going to prescribe psych meds until we check out all these other medical issues first."

It's important that we mental health professionals not have tunnel vision regarding the causes -- and treatment -- of mood symptoms. I'm glad the relationship between SDB and mood is coming to light more now. I'm heading over to the local senior center this fall to give a free talk on how sleep changes with age -- assuming there will be a few in the audience who really need to learn about what might really be causing their mood problems.

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

[mandypandy2246]

Thanks for sharing. In some ways, it seems so obvious. If someone went to a doctor and said "I'm agitated and/or anxious and/or moody and/or depressed etc." and the doctor founds out that they were purposefully depriving themselves of sleep only not sleeping enough - the doctor would say "get more sleep - that might help your symptoms!"{

Undiagnosed sleep apnea is sort of doing the same thing - depriving someone of sleep which can have detrimental impact on their cognitive functioning and mood. I definitely think people struggling with depression should consider a sleep study - particularly if they have any other symptoms that suggest they may have sleep apnea or if they are obese.

[Sir NoddinOff]

I suspect in the future, hopefully the near future, it will be realized that many diseases will have quite a few of their roots buried in sleep disorder issues. IMO, if you're not getting quality sleep, the door is left open for bad things to creep in. I'd cite some peer studies on this theory of mine but I have no idea where to find them.