Insomnia in alcohol dependent subjects is associated with greater psychosocial problem severity

Abstract

Introduction Although psychosocial problems are commonly associated with both alcohol misuse and insomnia, very little is known about the combined effects of insomnia and current alcohol dependence on the severity of psychosocial problems. The present study evaluates whether the co-occurrence of insomnia and alcohol dependence is associated with greater psychosocial problem severity. Methods Alcohol dependent individuals (N=123) were evaluated prior to participation in a placebo-controlled medication trial. The Short Index of Problems (SIP), Addiction Severity Index (ASI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Time Line Follow Back (TLFB), were used to assess psychosocial, employment, and legal problems; insomnia symptoms; and alcohol consumption, respectively. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate the relations between insomnia and psychosocial problems. Results Subjects’ mean age was 44 years (SD=10.3), 83% were male, and their SIP sub-scale scores approximated the median for normative data. A quarter of subjects reported no insomnia; 29% reported mild insomnia; and 45% reported moderate-severe insomnia. The insomnia groups did not differ on alcohol consumption measures. The ISI total score was associated with the SIP total scale score (β=0.23, p=0.008). Subjects with moderate-severe insomnia had significantly higher scores on the SIP total score, and on the social and impulse control sub-scales, and more ASI employment problems and conflicts with their spouses than others on the ASI. Conclusion In treatment-seeking alcohol dependent subjects, insomnia may increase alcohol-related adverse psychosocial consequences. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the relations between insomnia and psychosocial problems in these subjects.

Alcohol Dependence and Its Relationship With Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders

“…Insomnia or sleep disturbance is widely prevalent in AD. The prevalence estimates range from 36 to 91% (Baekeland et al., ; Brower et al., ; Chaudhary et al., ; Cohn et al., ; Mello and Mendelson, ). AD may be categorized into different stages based on the temporal relationship with exposure to alcohol.…”

Longitudinal Associations between Sleep, Intrusive Thoughts, and Alcohol Problems Among Veterans

“…Sleep disturbance also increases risk for alcohol‐related problems (Chaudhary et al., ). Both poor sleep quality (Swinkels et al., ) and short sleep duration (Luxton et al., ) predict heavy drinking among returning veterans, and more severe insomnia symptoms are associated with more alcohol‐related problems (Wright et al., ).…”

Severe Central Sleep Apnea Associated With Chronic Baclofen Therapy

“…Insomnia and psychosocial problems are commonly comorbid in alcohol-dependent subjects; the prevalence of insomnia, for example, is up to nine times higher than in the general population. 9 Because none of these concomitant medications are known to cause CSA, their use was unlikely to have confounded the results. However, it cannot be excluded that the combination of baclofen and an antidepressant contributed to an increased risk of CSA, as has been reported in patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment.…”