Insomnia Support Group
Insomnia is a symptom, rather than a disease, and is characterized by inadequate quantity or quality of sleep. People with insomnia complain of difficulty falling or staying asleep, which results in significant impairment of daytime functioning. Insomnia is categorized as transient (shorter than one week), short-term (one to three weeks) or chronic (longer than three...
So about a year ago I experienced a sudden onset of severe insomnia. I’m talking like only 2 hours a night for 3 months, sometimes I’d get no sleep. I can tell you I was convinced I had SFI, but it’s nearly a year later so obviously that’s most likely not the case. My insomnia probably started from a culmination of stressful events; a really hard break up with my then boyfriend I was in love with and wanted to marry but he wasn’t ready (we got back together months later which made my parents livid since they’re super religious and didn’t want me wasting my time on him). Anyway, I think the stress of the break up, family disapproval, and my boyfriend and I trying to work things out stressed me to the max (I have untreated anxiety and depression and no insurance). Around that time I stumbled across the whole SFI stuff and convinced myself I had it, basically my body started showing most of the signs. I still have the muscle twitching and moderate insomnia. Most work nights I manage 4 hours (sometimes sound and other times broken) and on the days I don’t work I get a good 6-8 broken (only wake up twice). I’m here because I can’t sleep and I have to get up for work in an hour (6am). I can’t help but feel afraid on the rare nights I cant manage any sleep, that I’ll never sleep again. I’ve tried a lot of different things (please don’t suggest melatonin)... when it gets this bad, I usually take NyQuil and some muscle relaxers together... it usually does the trick but I don’t have any NyQuil. I wish my fiancé was here (the one I mentioned earlier being my then boyfriend) he’s helped me through a lot and I’m glad we’re back together and planning our futures... but sometimes I can’t help but think I’m gonna die from this or be totally useless... I don’t want to be a burden on anybody but these sleep issues are so hard even a year in. Can anyone just relate, I need to feel not as alone.
Other than treating your depression and anxiety, there are many ways to help yourself get a better nights sleep. You may be doing these things already, but you can try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, turning off electronics about an hour before bed, limiting caffeine, and getting some exercise in each day.
I hope you get some sleep soon. Wishing you all the best.
The key for you, as it is for us all, is to treat the true root of the problem, which isn't sleep itself. That's only the symtom. Sounds like you've already identified the true underlying basis as depression and anxiety, which are known potent causes for insomnia.
But rest assured you can make this better, and help is there. Your local county or other government health clinic will take you regardless of insurance, and you can get counseling, which will help.
I would encourage you to work through these issues without drugs or other substances best you can. Forcing sleep artificially through drugs isn't the best solution, there are better ways. The gold standard is CBT adult sleep training methods, and if you are the self help type you'll find much good info online.
Check out getting some counseling, it sounds like you will benefit greatly.
So, I threw the drug away and did a research on how to naturally increase GABA. It worked out pretty well.