Clinomania Counselling

It is really obvious that nobody likes getting up from the bed and work and we all try our best to stay in bed as much as we can and that's totally normal. But there are some people for whom it is really impossible to get out of bed. It is considered a serious condition when no amount of rest is enough for them and they always feel bad while getting up from bed and wanting to stay in bed all the time. This condition restricts people to have a healthy and normal lifestyle because they always prefer staying in bed more than 12-13 hours. And, this condition is known as Clinomania where a person desires/likes to stay in bed as long as possible and doesn't want to leave the bed.

What is Clinomania?

Clinomania is derived from greek words "clino" means bed and "mania" means "addiction" so "clinomania" means "addiction to bed". People who suffer from clinomania are known as "clinomaniacs". Clinomaniacs feel a strong urge to stay in bed without any concern about outside world and don't feel bothered by any responsibilities that they might have in their life. Even if staying in bed for a longer period of time affects their personal and professional life and lower their quality of life, still they don't mind staying in bed.

Clinomaniac's urge to stay in bed is not due to fatigue or exhaustion but it is all psychological. It is considered under both anxiety disorder and personality disorder and is closely linked with depression. According to many researches, it has been concluded that people who suffer from depression often show signs of clinomania but in a lot of different ways. Depression includes lack of pleasure, isolating oneself, hopelessness and helplessness, weight changes fatigue, feelings of loneliness and insomnia (lack of sleep) or hypersomnia (extreme sleep). So, if a person is suffering from depression then it is much likely that they might even develop clinomania if the symptom of sleeping troubles is not managed properly.

The amount of sleep a person must get depends on age, health and many other factors. But the average adult needs around seven to nine hours of sleep each night but that is only an estimate. And people who spend more than 10 hours in their bed and no amount of time is enough for them then they can be diagnosed with clinomaniacs. Excessively spending time on bed without doing anything productive and physical movements then it could have several bad effects on one's physical health as well as mental health.

Firstly, spending a long time on bed affects the sleep schedule and makes it difficult to sleep at night. And overtime, it can even turn into insomnia as well when people will not be able to sleep only doesn't matter it is day or night. Lying in bed for a long time can cause bed sores and ulcers which will be difficult to treat altogether. Clinomaniacs develop a sedentary lifestyle which causes their bones to become weak, decreased muscle strength and weaken immune system as well.

Signs that you may have Clinomania

Clinomania is characterized by an excessive urge to stay in bed which is not due to fatigue or sleepiness or laziness. Clinomania can develop along with other psychological disorders like depression, anxiety and stress. Sometimes, people who have physical health issues have to stay on bed for rest purposes but overtime it can contribute in developing clinomania. For clinomaniacs, no matter how much they sleep and rest it will never be enough. Clinomaniacs often stay absent from their family, social and work life as they get no fun out of it. The symptoms of the clinomania are targeted first in the clinomania counselling sessions so that the client gets some relief from it.

The most common symptoms of Clinomania are:

• Lying in bed as much as they can
• They don't see fun in getting out of the bed
• They don't feel good in engaging in any other activity or work
• They stop self-grooming
• They experience either insomnia or hypersomnia
• They face difficulty in getting out of the bed
• They experience extreme mood swings
• They are often seem as crazy, lazy or procrastinator by everyone

What are the Causes of Clinomania?

Spending excessive time in bed may be a sign of depression and its symptoms may contribute to a desire to stay in bed and not get up. Spending too much time spent in bed can also be a symptom of hypersomnia which is a disorder of excessive sleepiness that occurs even when a person should be awake. People with hypersomnia experience bad quality of sleep at night and can fall asleep unintentionally during the daytime. Other health issues may contribute to extra time spent in bed. Psychological issues like depression, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, overthinking, experience of failure or rejection, stress, grief and antisocial personality disorder are much likely to make a person develop clinomania. These psychological issues along with clinomania are treated in the clinomania counselling sessions.

How to deal with Clinomania?

The main issue of Clinomaniacs is that they spend excessive time on bed so the treatment should be aimed towards that only. If long hours on bed are due to any physical issue or even psychological issue, it should be treated by a professional. For example, a person is suffering from depression and is always feeling low that's why doesn't even get up from the bed and it has caused clinomania. So, in this case, depression should be treated by a psychological professional so that clinomania will also get treated as a symptom of depression. Counselling has proven benefits for treating clinomania and is used by many counsellors for the proper treatment of clinomania. If the underlying condition is only clinomania, then here are some ways through which one can manage it well on their personal level.

1. Consistent Sleep Schedule

Out of 24 hours of the day, set aside only 8 hours for sleep and other time to do some work. As a healthy adult only needs an average of 7 hours of sleep so don't make your sleep schedule very flexible rather it should be consistent and easy to follow. It is important to have a healthy sleep routine so that there will be no urge to stay in bed and have enough energy to at least get up from the bed which is itself a very big task for clinomaniacs. Make your sleep schedule and follow it every single day and even on weekends as it takes time to make it a habit and an automatic process.

2. No screen time before sleeping

Avoid screen time by not using smartphones and other devices as they emit blue light that could affect circadian timing and the consistent sleep schedule. Totally avoid screen time couple of hours before bed and do something relaxing before going to bed. Engage yourself in some kind of physical activity that is good for your physical health and mental health as well. Doing these activities will motivate you to get up from the bed when you want to. Doing this during the day, you will get enough light exposure and doing exercise will make you tired and sleeping quickly will be an easy task. Through this technique, you will be able to get up from the bed and sleep whenever you wish to which is one of the difficult things to do in clinomania.

3. Relaxation Techniques

Clinomaniacs experience anxiety when they have to leave their bed so they should do some relaxation techniques that could help them to deal with their anxiety. They can do meditation, deep-breathing for some time, chant a peaceful word, listen to calming music, talk to someone, drink a herbal tea, journal, yoga, etc. Overtime, doing this people suffering from clinomania will be able to leave their bed and go out to for work without any difficulty. In clinomania counselling sessions also, various relaxation techniques are taught to the clients that they can learn and practice it in their daily life.

4. Create a good quality sleep environment

Try to have the same steps that you do before going to bed every single day because this way your mind will get trained that sleeping time is near and it will promote good quality of sleep. One hour before sleeping, just dim the lights, do some relaxing activities, wear relaxed or comfortable clothes and listen to soothing music. All these things will act as a cue for your mind to fall asleep easily.

5. Talk to a therapist

Taking therapy could be the best decision for someone who is experiencing clinomania if nothing is being helpful to deal with it. There are many mental health professionals who are specialized, trained and experienced in this field and they can provide therapy sessions which can be helpful to treat clinomania. There are many therapies like cognitive-behavior therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychoanalytic therapy, behavior therapy and many others whose approaches can be used to treat clinomania.

Treatment for Clinomania

Clinomania counselling involves focusing completely on a person's core beliefs which are causing unproductive and irrational behaviors. In the counselling sessions, clients with clinomania are constantly challenged on their thought patterns and core beliefs and then are asked to look for evidence. Clients themselves examine their beliefs and start challenging them afterwards. Clients suffering from clinomania have mental and emotional difficulties that makes them go towards a distorted reality and develop irrational and illogical thoughts and behaviors like "I am not able to get up from bed" and "It's difficult for me stay away from my bed". These thoughts have deep personal meanings which are understood in the clinomania counselling session by the counsellor and clients are made to understand it as well clearly.

Clinomaniac's irrational, negative and illogical thinking is corrected with the help of various techniques like cognitive restructuring, guided discovery, exposure therapy, journaling, cognitive behavioral modification, stress inoculation training and role playing. All these techniques are applied by the counsellor in the form of exercises, activities or talking sessions in the clinomania counselling setting. Sometimes, the past of the client is also discussed in the clinomania counselling session so that the client, his/her behaviors and thoughts can also be understood well and problem at hand can be solved efficiently.

Seek Professional Counselling for Clinomania at OnlineCounselling4U

If you feel that you are experiencing some signs or symptoms of clinomania, then seeking counselling for clinomania would be great for you. If you are spending unusual hours in bed and it is affecting your physical and mental health both then it is essential to consult a mental health professional so that it can be diagnosed and treated properly. Various Psychologists/Counselors available at OnlineCounselling4U are trained, knowledgeable and experienced professionals in the field of clinomania counselling. So, book your appointment with them today and seek help from them for treating clinomania.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Clinomania Counselling