What to do if you can’t sleep with mental illness

Sleep disorders themselves are a common manifestation of psychosis, and antipsychotic medication is recommended to address the problem of sleep deprivation in psychosis. Anti-psychotic drugs not only have a therapeutic effect on psychiatric symptoms, but can also improve the patient’s sleep and play a sedative role. At present, the recommended drugs are olanzapine, vincristine and aripiprazole. However, the clinical sedative effect of atypical antipsychotic drugs is relatively light. In addition to antipsychotic treatment, the combination of small doses of sedative-hypnotic drugs, such as clonazepam, zolpidem, zopiclone and other drugs, is also advocated in addressing sleep disorders in psychiatric patients. On the other hand, psychological care should also be strengthened, and corresponding psychological guidance should be used to address the factors that trigger insomnia in patients, as well as to provide guidance on mental health aspects of sleep.