The perspectives of addiction service users and staff on sleep and the relationships between sleep, emotions, and suicidal behaviour.

Sleep disturbances are a common difficulty for individuals with a history of substance misuse with 36 to 91% reporting sleep difficulties. This lack of sufficient sleep is concerning as insufficient sleep is associated with a range of emotional regulation difficulties and mental health difficulties including depression, anxiety, and even suicidal behaviour. Suicidal behaviour is often an indicator of intense distress and can include thoughts of self-harm or suicide or any behaviours that an individual does on purpose to hurt themselves, (e.g., cutting or burning your skin) regardless of the reasons or intention, including past suicide attempts. The nature and interrelatedness of the relationship between sleep difficulties, emotions, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours has not yet been explored in individuals with substance misuse. However, it is important to clarify these factors in individuals with substance misuse as are at higher risk of experiencing sleep disturbance, emotional difficulties, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours than others. This research aims to explore the perceptions and views of service users and staff in an inpatient addiction service on sleep, how it might be related to suicidal behaviour, and how emotions may be relevant to this relationship. This will be explored through interviews with service users and staff in Saint John of God Hospital. This project will expand our knowledge by clarifying the relationships between sleep, emotional regulation, and suicidal behaviour in individuals with substance misuse and will add valuable evidence to the limited international literature in the field. The findings of this study may be used to improve support available for future patients attending St John of God Hospital such as through the development of a psychoeducational programme.