Malingering and Addiction in the Treatment of Sleep Disorders

According to the National Sleep Foundation (2013), about 30–40% of the general population reports some
level of insomnia during their lives, and 10–15% experience significant, chronic insomnia. For these individuals,
medications to help induce and sustain sleep may be helpful. On the other hand, sleep aids pose potential
concerns, namely abuse. Some people exceed recommended doses, and some continue taking medications
even after symptoms are no longer present. Others obtain medications under false pretenses, which is one
form of malingering. Malingering occurs when clients make up or exaggerate symptoms for some personal
gain. Although mental health professionals may not be directly implicated in the client’s deceit, their unique
position to receive more accurate and honest information than other medical professionals presents ethical
concerns. What is the mental health professional’s role in these instances? In which instances would it be
appropriate to break confidentiality due to a concern of malingering? How could the malingering potentiality be
planned for and avoided?
For this Assignment, conduct an Internet search or a Walden Library search for at least one peer-reviewed
journal article that addresses a counseling issue related to malingering and addiction in treating sleep
disorders.
By Day 7
In a 3- to 5-page, APA-formatted paper, include the following:
A description and explanation of the major types of drugs prescribed for sleep disorders
An explanation of the potential for addiction associated with these medicines
An explanation of the issues related to malingering in the treatment of sleep disorders
An explanation of the mental health professional’s role in mitigating the potentialities of malingering
Support your explanations with specific references to the Learning Resources and your peer-reviewed journal
article.