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Dr Wayne J. Riley, ACP President, said, “Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is an effective treatment and can be initiated in a primary care setting. Although we have insufficient evidence to directly compare CBT-I and drug treatment, CBT-I is likely to have fewer harms. Sleep medications can be associated with serious adverse effects.”
Dr Riley continues to explain that medication can be used but only in the short term. “Medications should ideally be used for no longer than four to five weeks while the skills learned in CBT-I can manage insomnia over the longer term. Before continuing drug therapy, doctors should consider treatable secondary causes of insomnia such as depression, pain, enlarged prostate, substance abuse disorders, and other sleep disorders like sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome.”
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Category(s):Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Source material from PsyBlog
