Sleepwalking, sleeptalking, epilepsy, depression, and impulsive control disorders: Are they related? (See more below).
John Everett Millais, The Somnambulist, 1871
My five-year-old was recently hospitalized for epilepsy. partial complex. apparently this has some relationship to impulse control disorder, which he also had some symptoms of. Meanwhile, his brother is high on the autism spectrum. The brother sleepwalks. He recently walked downstairs, did a full circle around the house, answered hello to his Dad, then went back upstairs and back to bed. I talk in my sleep. Constantly. But I realized that I have also had some “sleepwalking” behavior. Once still in sleep I woke up and angry at my husband from a dream, punched him. Mainly, I am just hoping that the five-year old does not develop psychological problems, depression. or addictions which this form of epilepsy is at risk for and which our family has a history of (the former, not the latter, although these things are apparently on a continuum.). This five-year old has always been sunny. So I am hoping that he has been born with a personality that is not prone to depression. If you have any experience with any of the above… well, please leave a comment.