I Can’t Get Out Of Bed: Focus On Clinophilia

What causes clinophilia?

To give a quick definition of clinophilia, we can refer to the etymology of the word: “the fact of liking to remain lying down”. A person who suffers from clinophilia needs to stay in bed. They’re unable to get up to go about their business, may stay in bed for several days in a row, and, by extension, no longer leave the house. Wrongly associated with laziness, clinophilia isn’t linked to a need for sleep.

👉 Inside, the bed represents a protective cocoon in which the person feels comfortable and safe.

A symptom rather than a disorder: Clinophilia between schizophrenia and depression

Clinophilia isn’t a pathology in itself, it’s a symptom of various pathologies:

• Chronic fatigue; 👋 Tired, but of what? What are the different forms of fatigue?
• Burn-out: Sudden inability to get up in the morning due to physical, mental and emotional exhaustion;
• Anxiety, particularly social anxiety: anxiety as soon as you wake up, the need to lie prostrate in bed, a paralysing fear of the outside world; >>> What are the 5 symptoms of anxiety?
• Paranoid psychosis: delusions of persecution, fear of danger outside;

And more frequently:

• schizophrenia;
• depression.

🧠 Clinophilia is one of the most common symptoms of depression. You have a lack of energy, and you no longer have the vital impetus to get out of bed and out of the house. For those with schizophrenia, the dissociative syndrome creates an inhibition that prevents any willpower. In a situation of apragmatism, the schizophrenic person is unable to take action, do anything tangible, or to maintain behavior adapted to their daily needs, and thus stays in bed.

It should also be noted that certain phobias, notably agoraphobia, can lead to clinophilia. In this case, the person is fully aware of the problem, but can’t bring themselves to get out of bed, fear taking over from reason. That’s why clinophilia shouldn’t be taken lightly. It’s often a warning sign of something more serious. It therefore requires vigilant attention from family and friends, especially if it lasts over time. In addition to psychiatric problems, clinophilia can also have serious physical consequences:

• chronic fatigue;
• severe constipation, even fecal impaction (accumulation of feces in the rectum);
• bedsores and ulcers;
• loss of muscle mass.

A question of time

The bed is a cocoon, a place of intimacy and security. Remember the cabin syndrome that hit some of us at the end of the lockdown? The same applies to our bed. In difficult times, to cope with a period of stress, disappointment, anxiety, etc., it’s perfectly normal to want to take refuge in your bed, to withdraw into yourself, for several hours or even a whole day. Where this behavior becomes worrying is when it lasts, is unusual, and prevents us from living our lives properly (canceling activities, refusing to see our loved ones, etc.).

Treatment: How to overcome clinophilia?

If clinophilia is a symptom of depression or schizophrenia, its treatment is part of a more general treatment: antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics. In cases where clinophilia doesn’t appear as a symptom of these two disorders, you should consult a healthcare professional. A doctor will be able to refer you to a specialist and/or make a diagnosis. You can also seek help directly from a psychologist, who will be able to help you understand where the problem comes from, how to deal with it, and how to regain your energy and motivation.

Finally, several therapies can also help to break the clinophilia cycle. CBT - cognitive behavioral therapy - can help with the positive restructuring of thought patterns. Or interpersonal therapy (IPT), which helps us to understand the importance and benefits of social interaction, of connecting with others.

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