An effort to catch a suddenly thrown object can trigger a cataplectic attack.

When this happens during waking, the victim of a cataplectic attack loses control of his or her muscles.

Although its mechanism is unknown, it reduces cataplectic attacks and other manifestations of REM sleep.

And idiopathic hypersomnia is often as, if not more, disabling than narcolepsy; surprisingly, excessive daytime sleepiness is even more handicapping than the cataplectic attacks of narcolepsy.

Antidepressants : The tricyclic antidepressantsAnafranil and Tofranil and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) Prozac are often used to treat cataplectic attacks.

Wise (2004) noted that people with narcolepsy will often try to avoid thoughts and situations that they know are likely to evoke strong emotions because they know that these emotions are likely to trigger cataplectic attacks.