Sleeping Beauty Syndrome
This Young Woman Suffers From A Rare Condition Called 'Sleeping Beauty Syndrome,' And It's Exactly What You Think
1. Meet Beth Goodier
This is Beth Goodier. She is 22 years old, a beautiful young woman, and wants to be a child psychologist. But five years ago, the simple act of going to sleep changed Beth's life forever.
2. The Nap That Didn't End
The Daily Mail explained that in November of 2011, Beth went to sleep on a sofa and didn't really wake up for months. She slept for 22 hours a day, and the hours that she was awake were spent in a trance-like state.
3. The Diagnosis
Beth was diagnosed with Kleine-Levin Syndrome, also called KLS or "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome." It accounted for Beth's excessive sleeping, but the diagnosis didn't bring with it good news.
4. The Facts About KLS
The KLS Foundation reports that KLS is a rare neurological disorder. KLS causes people to sleep excessively, and also results in a reduced understanding of the world. Sleeping episodes can last for days, weeks, or even months.
5. Living Stops
When a person with KLS has an episode, their life essentially stops. The KLS Foundation states that a person with KLS will sleep almost constantly, waking only to go to the bathroom or eat. A person with KLS cannot care for themselves, and therefore relies on other people, such as parents, to step in.
6. Adolescents At Risk
While KLS is very rare, it tends to most often affect adolescents. People with KLS may experience episodes for 10 years or more.
7. A Vital Time Of Life
Unfortunately, KLS affects people during a truly vital time in their lives. Beth has been dealing with KLS while her friends have graduated high school, then started and completed college.
8. The KLS Mystery
Just why and how KLS occurs is still a mystery. It can be difficult for a patient to get an initial diagnosis because of how rare and misunderstood the condition currently is.
9. No Fairy Tale
This Sleeping Beauty Syndrome is no fairy tale. The KLS Foundation states that KLS "robs children and young adults of big pieces of their lives, one agonizing episode at a time."
10. The Impact Of An Episode
When Beth has an episode, no loud noises or shaking of her body will make her wake up. Beth's mother, Janine, told the Daily Mail that when Beth is awake during an episode, she talks incoherently in baby talk.
11. Personality Changes
KLS can result in personality changes, too. People suffering from KLS can wake up and realize that their lives are slipping away from them. Depression and anxiety are often the result.
12. Long-Term Implications
Beth had to drop out of school because of her condition. Her hopes of becoming a child psychologist are on hold. According to The Daily Mail, Beth is awake for about two weeks in between her episodes. It doesn't leave much time for a life.
13. Hope In Sight?
The one positive to Beth's situation? KLS often fades away when a person is in their mid-twenties. Until then, Beth's life will essentially be on hold.