What are the long term and short term effects from narcolepsy?

The effects from narcolepsy?

Physical well-being and safety. Left untreated, narcolepsy can have an ill effect on your physical well-being and safety. Most activities including driving, working, cooking, or walking, can be very dangerous if you fall asleep or lose muscle control unexpectedly.
Social and professional relationships. Unfortunately, sudden sleep episodes are often found humorous to those not familiar with the condition. People may think that the individual falling asleep or appearing to lose consciousness suddenly while eating, talking, working or shopping is faking or purposely doing it. It is not uncommon for a narcoleptic to be misinterpreted as lazy or rude.
Intimate relationships. Personal relationships, especially spousal relationships, often suffer because of doubt about the condition and a misconception that the symptoms stem from a psychological problem. Extreme sleepiness may cause low sex drive and impotence, adding further complications to your relationship.

Memory and attention. Some studies report that people with narcolepsy have problems with memory and attention. It is not clear if this is due to excessive tiredness or to brain abnormalities
even treated narcoleptic patients are often markedly psychosocially impaired in the area of work, leisure, interpersonal relations, and are more prone to accidents.
lazy, lethargic or rude, and their performance may suffer at school or work. Intimate relationships are often affected. Extreme sleepiness may cause low sex drive or impotence and people with Narcolepsy may even fall asleep while making love.

The problems caused by sexual dysfunction may be further complicated by emotional difficulties. Intense feelings, such as anger or joy can trigger some symptoms of Narcolepsy (Cataplectic attacks) causing affected people to withdraw from emotional interactions.

Sleep attacks also frequently result in physical harm to people with Narcolepsy. Affected people whose symptoms aren't managed may be at increased risk of car accidents, burns and cuts if they fall asleep while driving, smoking or preparing food.

Both long- and short-terms effects could be accidental injury or death.

The short term effect is mostly the sudden onset of uncontrollable sleepiness. But also, individuals who suffer from narcolepsy may also experience three distinct symptoms.

* The first symptom is cataplexy, which refers to bouts of irregular muscle weakness or paralysis that occurs without loss of consciousness.
* The second symptoms are hypnopompic and hypnogogic hallucinations, which refer to hallucinations experienced while waking up or falling asleep.
* The third symptom related to narcolepsy is sleep paralysis. With the frequent disruptions of sleep patterns, narcolepsy can wreak havoc on an individual's quality of life. Narcolepsy patients complain of feeling consistently fatigued and irritable.

Narcoleptic "sleep attacks" can occur several times a day, with each attack lasting anywhere from a few seconds to almost an hour. Most bouts of sudden sleepiness occur during long meetings and lectures. Most individuals that suffer from narcolepsy report feeling refreshed and revived upon reawakening. Some narcolepsy patients also report that the narcoleptic attacks can be strongly hallucinogenic, or simply slightly irritating.