Sleeping Paranoia Away? An Actigraphy and Experience-Sampling Study with Adolescents.

Paranoid symptoms co-occur with distress and poor functioning and constitute a risk for psychosis and other mental disorders. Poor sleep is known to be associated with paranoid symptoms, but the direction of the effect and the mediating factors have not been studied thoroughly. In an experience-sampling study, 61 adolescents wore an actigraph over eight nights and also rated their sleep, symptoms of paranoia, and potentially mediating factors. Shorter sleep time and more dreaming predicted paranoid symptoms in multilevel regression models. Paranoid symptoms did not significantly predict sleep parameters. Positive and negative affect partially mediated the effect of sleep time on paranoid symptoms. The effects were small, but encourage further research that might then be used to improve the prevention of paranoid symptoms.

The effects of improving sleep on mental health (OASIS): a randomised controlled trial with mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sleep difficulties might be a contributory causal factor in the occurrence of mental health problems. If this is true, improving sleep should benefit psychological health. We aimed to determine whether treating insomnia leads to a reduction in paranoia and hallucinations. METHODS: We did this single-blind, randomised controlled trial (OASIS) at 26 UK universities. University students with insomnia were randomly assigned (1:1) with simple randomisation to receive digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia or usual care, and the research team were masked to the treatment. Online assessments took place at weeks 0, 3, 10 (end of therapy), and 22. The primary outcome measures were for insomnia, paranoia, and hallucinatory experiences. We did intention-to-treat analyses. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN61272251. FINDINGS: Between March 5, 2015, and Feb 17, 2016, we randomly assigned 3755 participants to receive digital CBT for insomnia (n=1891) or usual practice (n=1864). Compared with usual practice, the sleep intervention at 10 weeks reduced insomnia (adjusted difference 4·78, 95% CI 4·29 to 5·26, Cohen's d=1·11; p<0·0001), paranoia (-2·22, -2·98 to -1·45, Cohen's d=0·19; p<0·0001), and hallucinations (-1·58, -1·98 to -1·18, Cohen's d=0·24; p<0·0001). Insomnia was a mediator of change in paranoia and hallucinations. No adverse events were reported. INTERPRETATION: To our knowledge, this is the largest randomised controlled trial of a psychological intervention for a mental health problem. It provides strong evidence that insomnia is a causal factor in the occurrence of psychotic experiences and other mental health problems. Whether the results generalise beyond a student population requires testing. The treatment of disrupted sleep might require a higher priority in mental health provision. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust.

Effects of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia on the mental health of university students: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Insomnia, defined as repeated difficulties getting or staying asleep, is common in the general population. Such sleep difficulties are a problem in their own right, but increasingly it is being recognised that they may also be a contributory factor in the development of a wide range of mental health problems. Our focus is upon the relationship between insomnia and psychotic experiences, such as paranoia and hallucinations. Psychotic experiences commonly occur in mild forms in the general population and have been linked to disrupted sleep. These psychotic-like experiences raise the risk of development of a clinical disorder. Our aim is to reduce insomnia in a large general population group, and examine the effect on paranoia and hallucinations at the age when mental health problems typically emerge. The primary hypotheses are that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for insomnia will reduce insomnia and also levels of paranoia and hallucinations. The theoretical links will be substantiated by a planned mediation analysis. Improvements in a number of other mental health outcomes are also predicted. METHODS/DESIGN: We will carry out a parallel group, randomised controlled trial of 2,614 students with insomnia in universities across the UK. In the Oxford Access for Students Improving Sleep (OASIS) trial, participants will be randomised to digital CBT for insomnia (in addition to treatment as usual) or treatment as usual. Online assessments will take place at zero, three, 10 (post-treatment), and 22 (follow-up) weeks. Primary outcomes are insomnia and psychotic-like experiences (paranoia or hallucinatory experiences) at 10 weeks. Secondary outcomes are levels of mania, depression, anxiety, nightmares, psychological wellbeing, and the development of mental health disorders. All main analyses will be carried out at the end of the last follow-up assessment and will be based on the intention-to-treat principle. The trial is funded by the Wellcome Trust. DISCUSSION: This study will be the first large-scale causal test of the relationship between sleep disturbance and psychotic experiences. It will provide evidence concerning the clinical effects of treating insomnia in young adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials (identifier: ISRCTN61272251 ) on 29 January 2015.

Cannabidiol inhibits THC-elicited paranoid symptoms and hippocampal-dependent memory impairment.

Community-based studies suggest that cannabis products that are high in Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) but low in cannabidiol (CBD) are particularly hazardous for mental health. Laboratory-based studies are ideal for clarifying this issue because THC and CBD can be administered in pure form, under controlled conditions. In a between-subjects design, we tested the hypothesis that pre-treatment with CBD inhibited THC-elicited psychosis and cognitive impairment. Healthy participants were randomised to receive oral CBD 600 mg (n=22) or placebo (n=26), 210 min ahead of intravenous (IV) THC (1.5 mg). Post-THC, there were lower PANSS positive scores in the CBD group, but this did not reach statistical significance. However, clinically significant positive psychotic symptoms (defined a priori as increases ≥ 3 points) were less likely in the CBD group compared with the placebo group, odds ratio (OR)=0.22 (χ²=4.74, p<0.05). In agreement, post-THC paranoia, as rated with the State Social Paranoia Scale (SSPS), was less in the CBD group compared with the placebo group (t=2.28, p<0.05). Episodic memory, indexed by scores on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Task-revised (HVLT-R), was poorer, relative to baseline, in the placebo pre-treated group (-10.6 ± 18.9%) compared with the CBD group (-0.4% ± 9.7 %) (t=2.39, p<0.05). These findings support the idea that high-THC/low-CBD cannabis products are associated with increased risks for mental health.

La Paranoia Benigna. Recordando a los Clásicos / Benign paranoia. Remembering the classics

Entre los pacientes que acuden a las consultas de Salud Mental con el diagnóstico de trastorno delirante se encuentra un subgrupo integrado por trastornos delirantes, generalmente del tipo alusivo-referencial, que ceden con el tratamiento, sin ameritar ingreso en la mayoría de las ocasiones, con una personalidad de base capaz de introspección y autocrítica, con confianza en el médico, actitud que fomenta la alianza terapéutica y la adherencia al tratamiento. Estos trastornos delirantes tienen una evolución favorable. El objetivo de este artículo es repasar la evolución histórica de la paranoia benigna, con la finalidad de comprender mejor la patología psiquiátrica de este subgrupo curable(AU)

Amongst patients diagnosed with delirium disorder attending Mental Health clinics there is a subgroup of patients with delirium disorders, mainly of the allusive-referential type, who respond to treatment, without having to be hospitalised. They are capable of introspection and self-criticism. They have confidence in their doctor which encourages a therapeutic alliance and treatment adherence. These delirium disorders have a favourable evolution. The objective of this article is to review the history of benign paranoia with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the psychiatric disease of this curable subgroup(AU)

Caring for elderly patients who have paranoia.

Caring for patients with paranoia presents unique challenges. As increasing numbers of potentially paranoid patients are treated, radiologic technologists must understand techniques that increase patient trust and decrease suspiciousness. Understanding the perceived vulnerability of patients with paranoia and implementing appropriate strategies facilitate trust and are key to providing quality care.

A psychosocial vaccine against militarism.

Militarism is considered to be a psychosocial disease. An aetiological agent for this disease has been identified. Acting much like a computer virus, this agent is shown to produce a radical transformation of the consciousness of parties in conflict, without their realizing what has happened. This results in a paranoid illusion in the minds of both parties, an illusion made real by the fact that both parties accept it as real. To provide immunity against militarism, a psychosocial vaccine has been developed, and is described.