Understanding Automatic Behavior in Narcolepsy: New Insights Using a Phenomenological Approach

Abstract

Automatic behaviors are stereotyped, repetitive behaviors performed without awareness and are a common auxiliary symptom of narcolepsy (a disorder of excessive daytime sleepiness). The goal of the study was to expand our knowledge of this complex but poorly understood phenomenon. Here we present new insights based on an analysis of the experiences of ten individuals with narcolepsy. Procedures included two interviews, a family member interview, a one week journal and a one day journal when participants agreed to take minimal or no stimulant medication. Three different types of automatic behavior were identified; sleepiness with low cognitive load, sleepiness with high cognitive load and high cognitive load without sleepiness. Original contributions include: notion of cognitive load, possible progression of automatic behavior to sleep, a new classification of errors, importance of adequate medication, as well as a theoretical discussion.