<p>Assuming there's not a neurological dysfunction underlying sleep deprivation (which is even more possible with Aspergers as sleep dysfunction is a typical comorbidity) it can simply be a learned behavior.  The more you do something (whether you particularly "enjoy" it or not) the more likely you are to build it up as a habit.  Procedural memory is always at work.</p>

<p>So in this regard, it can be addictive behavior in the same way a "bad habit" can.</p>

<p>I wouldn't call it a drug.  Pharmaceutical drugs are defined as the intentional delivery of a substance from externally to inside the body: most commonly acting as an allosteric modulator on neural receptors.</p>

<p>About 73% of children with Asperger's <a href="http://www.aane.org/asperger_resources/articles/children_parenting/sleep_problems_asperger.html">experience problems with sleep</a> according to the Asperger's Association of New England.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-05T08:53:35.913Z
Link is dead. One alike in AANE website is https://www.aane.org/sleep-problems-children-asperger-syndrome/
Sandra Rossi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-07-01T03:35:57.433Z
2012-07-01T04:52:38.977Z
2012-07-01T04:52:38.977Z
Keegan Keplinger
<p>Possibly of interest:
2011 study from Berkeley, published in the Journal of Neuroscience: Pulling an all-nighter can bring on euphoria and risky behavior: <a href="https://news.berkeley.edu/2011/03/22/pulling-an-all-nighter/" rel="noreferrer">https://news.berkeley.edu/2011/03/22/pulling-an-all-nighter/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-03T21:09:56.090Z
2020-09-03T21:09:56.090Z
Claire Gilmore
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;The more you do something (whether you particularly &quot;enjoy&quot; it or
not) the more likely you are to build it up as a habit&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This simply is not the case.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;So in this regard, it can be addictive behavior in the same way a
&quot;bad habit&quot; can.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Bad habits can not be &quot;addictive&quot;. That is not what either word means.</p>
<p>In fact, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1600904/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sleep deprivation leads to an alteration in brain function</a> similar to that seen in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10482346/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">drug use</a>, and in particular, a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2689437/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">heightened response</a> to emotional stimuli, with an exaggeration of assessments of positive events, through heightened responses in the dopamine reward centers of the brain. This occurs through currently unknown mechanisms. Whether this then leads to long-term changes in function of dopamine reward circuitry is currently unknown, however.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T23:49:45.437Z
I've added some citations that seem relevant to what you said. Please review it and see if it is apt. Thanks.
sfxedit
CC BY-SA 4.0
2017-12-26T02:03:43.020Z
2020-12-28T01:46:55.843Z
2020-12-28T01:46:55.843Z
Mark Choi
<ul>
<li><strong>Is sleep deprivation addictive?</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>That may not be a correct conclusion based solely on the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8298841/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">symptoms of mania that some people experience</a>. While sleep deprivation has been used to treat depression, with some success, it should be noted that <strong>acute</strong> sleep deprivation provides a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0361923009002020" rel="nofollow noreferrer">brief relief against depression</a>, but <a href="https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-sleep-disorder#1" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>chronic</strong> sleep deprivation</a> is also linked with <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2007.00596.x" rel="nofollow noreferrer">increased depression for many</a>. Moreover, chronic sleep deprivation spread over many months or even years is linked with increased stress, weight gain and weakened immune system.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Does sleep deprivation count as a drug?</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>It has been tested as therapeutic substitute to drugs to treat depression and has proved effective in providing a brief relief to some individuals. But no, it is hard to conclude that sleep deprivation is akin to an addictive drug based on the available research.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T00:14:25.667Z
2020-12-28T02:41:30.233Z
2020-12-28T02:41:30.233Z
sfxedit
<p><strong>Background:</strong> After staying awake for an entire night without sleeping medication, some individuals report feeling tired while others report feeling euphoric and at some point begin to hallucinate with funny noises endlessly repeating.</p>

<p><strong>Questions:</strong></p>

<ul>
<li>What neural or psychological mechanisms could make an individual want to experience the effects of sleep deprivation?</li>
<li>Is sleep deprivation addictive?</li>
<li>Does sleep deprivation count as a drug? </li>
<li>Is enjoying sleep deprivation related to having Asperger's Syndrome?</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T00:16:31.320Z
@user7641 - sleep deprivation does help seem to give the 'night owls' a [mood lift](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2007.00596.x).
sfxedit
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-22T16:50:04.947Z
The euphoria is possibly caused by mania (rather than a high). Mania can cause one to hyperfocus, and hyperfocus can cause one to not go to bed. I'm guessing you'd see stronger symptoms in people who are exposed to more light for longer periods than those who are simply awake in the dark.
Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-22T16:57:29.970Z
I say this because it seems possible from studies I've read about a long time ago that sleep deprivation might actually be a cause of mania (since they cause similar symptoms). Of course, there weren't any conclusions on that topic.
Brōtsyorfuzthrāx
<sleep><autism><aspergers><addiction><hallucinations>
Is it possible to become addicted to sleep deprivation?
Josh
# Is it possible to become addicted to sleep deprivation?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-31)

**Background:** After staying awake for an entire night without sleeping medication, some individuals report feeling tired while others report feeling euphoric and at some point begin to hallucinate with funny noises endlessly repeating.

**Questions:**

* What neural or psychological mechanisms could make an individual want to experience the effects of sleep deprivation?
* Is sleep deprivation addictive?
* Does sleep deprivation count as a drug?
* Is enjoying sleep deprivation related to having Asperger's Syndrome?

**Tags:** sleep, autism, aspergers, addiction, hallucinations

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: @user7641 - sleep deprivation does help seem to give the 'night owls' a [mood lift](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2007.00596.x).  
> **username_2**: The euphoria is possibly caused by mania (rather than a high). Mania can cause one to hyperfocus, and hyperfocus can cause one to not go to bed. I'm guessing you'd see stronger symptoms in people who are exposed to more light for longer periods than those who are simply awake in the dark.  
> **username_2**: I say this because it seems possible from studies I've read about a long time ago that sleep deprivation might actually be a cause of mania (since they cause similar symptoms). Of course, there weren't any conclusions on that topic.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-07-01. Score: 12

Assuming there's not a neurological dysfunction underlying sleep deprivation (which is even more possible with Aspergers as sleep dysfunction is a typical comorbidity) it can simply be a learned behavior. The more you do something (whether you particularly "enjoy" it or not) the more likely you are to build it up as a habit. Procedural memory is always at work.

So in this regard, it can be addictive behavior in the same way a "bad habit" can.

I wouldn't call it a drug. Pharmaceutical drugs are defined as the intentional delivery of a substance from externally to inside the body: most commonly acting as an allosteric modulator on neural receptors.

About 73% of children with Asperger's [experience problems with sleep](http://www.aane.org/asperger_resources/articles/children_parenting/sleep_problems_asperger.html) according to the Asperger's Association of New England.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Link is dead. One alike in AANE website is https://www.aane.org/sleep-problems-children-asperger-syndrome/  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-09-03. Score: 6

Possibly of interest:
2011 study from Berkeley, published in the Journal of Neuroscience: Pulling an all-nighter can bring on euphoria and risky behavior: <https://news.berkeley.edu/2011/03/22/pulling-an-all-nighter/>


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2017-12-26. Score: 2

> "The more you do something (whether you particularly "enjoy" it or
> not) the more likely you are to build it up as a habit"

This simply is not the case.

> "So in this regard, it can be addictive behavior in the same way a
> "bad habit" can."

Bad habits can not be "addictive". That is not what either word means.

In fact, [sleep deprivation leads to an alteration in brain function](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1600904/) similar to that seen in [drug use](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10482346/), and in particular, a [heightened response](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2689437/) to emotional stimuli, with an exaggeration of assessments of positive events, through heightened responses in the dopamine reward centers of the brain. This occurs through currently unknown mechanisms. Whether this then leads to long-term changes in function of dopamine reward circuitry is currently unknown, however.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I've added some citations that seem relevant to what you said. Please review it and see if it is apt. Thanks.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-12-28. Score: 1

* **Is sleep deprivation addictive?**

That may not be a correct conclusion based solely on the [symptoms of mania that some people experience](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8298841/). While sleep deprivation has been used to treat depression, with some success, it should be noted that **acute** sleep deprivation provides a [brief relief against depression](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0361923009002020), but [**chronic** sleep deprivation](https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-sleep-disorder#1) is also linked with [increased depression for many](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2007.00596.x). Moreover, chronic sleep deprivation spread over many months or even years is linked with increased stress, weight gain and weakened immune system.

* **Does sleep deprivation count as a drug?**

It has been tested as therapeutic substitute to drugs to treat depression and has proved effective in providing a brief relief to some individuals. But no, it is hard to conclude that sleep deprivation is akin to an addictive drug based on the available research.


---

