• Citer

Les troubles du sommeil dans les etats de stress post-traumatique a court et a long terme

par De Mol, Jacques ;Demeyer, Barbara;Pelc, Isidore
Référence Médecine de catastrophe urgences collectives, 2, 5-6, page (167-170)
Publication Publié, 1999-12

Article révisé par les pairs

• Accès en ligne
• Détails
• Contenu
• Statistiques

Résumé :

This clinical study focusing on people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders following an aggression investigates the characteristics and evolution of sleep disturbances. These were studied in eight short-term (less than three months after the aggression) and 16 long-term post-traumatic stress disorder cases (more than three months after the aggression). These two groups and a control group of 30 subjects were adjusted for sex, age and socio-professional level. The sleep disturbances were divided into difficulties in falling asleep, middle sleep disturbance, and early awakening. Combining clinical and statistical approaches, this study shows that behind the nocturnal symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorders, especially traumatic dreams, there occurs a psychic reorganisation. Even if most of the sleep disturbances are persistant in long-term posttraumatic stress disorders, our results show a diminution in the falling-asleep disturbances and nocturnal terrors. Nevertheless, the contents of the dreams (psychic elaboration) appear more developed in long-term post-traumatic stress disorder cases.