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...
As if I'm not stressed out enough because I never am tired naturally and don't usually sleep unless I'm drugged, I have goten into several arguements with my mom because she says I need to get a job. I know that that is beyond the scope of this group, but I feel like that is putting even more stress on me. I think I am anxious about looking for a job because it is always so hard for me to keep and get a job. Several jobs have not worked for me and I am worried about losing another job. Even most jobs that I have managed to keep, I've struggled with and I think I'm to the point where I just expect to struggle with any job I have. I know that the fast paced jobs are not for me and I don't even know where to begin looking for a job. I was going through the same thing when I was wide awake all the time suddenly. I had no money and I still don't have any money. I was looking for a job and wasn't getting even any interviews. The job I had didn't ever have any work for me anymore and another job that I got never had any work for me. My dad was also on me constantly about having no job and having no money. At this point in my life I am completely broke, have no job, don't think I will ever be able to support myself, am lonely, feel wide awake constantly,don't won't to mess up on another job,etc. The only thing I can even begin to think of that is keeping me wide awake is stress and anxiety. I believe the stress of knowing that I'm lonely, having such a hard time always keeping and getting a job, having no money, etc is perhaps keeping me wide awake. I was extremely worried and stressed out about those issues when this all started. Being wide awake just makes things even more stressful, in my opinion. I just don't know what to do anymore. I had a job briefly after this had all started and I still never got tired naturally so I don't know if having a job is going to make me regain that what should be natural ability. That was just another job that didn't work out. I just don't want to lose yet another job. Even after I stay up allnight anymore I just take the pills without trying to sleep becasue of course I'm extremely anxious and wide awake. It is hard to lay down and relax when I feel so anxious and wide awake, although I did lay down some today, although I shouldn't have. I was so hot that I layed down with the ceiling fan blowing on me and it really felt good. The second time, although I didn't really feel tired, of course, I think I was starting to doze because I had all of these random thoughts in my head. The thoughts made sense, but they had nothing to do with my life. They might have been even dreamlike. I might have been sort of seeing them in a dreamlike sequence. The last time after I had stayed up allnight, I was laying on the couch briefly and I didn't really feel tired,of course,but I felt kind of differant than I usually do. I don't know how to describe it. I obviously don't know what to do at this point in my life. I think I'm scared to death of losing another job that is always so hard to get, being able to ever support myself, being wide awake and never regaining the ability to feel tired when I should be again,etc. I just don't know what to do anymore, but know that I don't want to live the rest of my life wide awake,etc, but am worried that I have no choice but to be wide awake. I'm worried that I'll always be so wide awake. I feel like I'm a freak and abnormal because I'm so wide awake, but my mom says it's not my fault. Staying up allnight doesn't even begin to phase me. I could probably stay up for days and not even crash.
I think a job would do you good and how can you possibly be on no income? from you parents point of view you are living off them for free. I gave my children the option of contributing towards the bills or leaving home and finding free lodgings elsewhere. sorry to be harsh but I really dont think you are helping yourself sitting in the house all day doing little. A job will do you good, get you out, get you in a routine, help you contribute to your upkeep and it will also help with confidence.
sometimes we need to go outside our comfort zone. You are looking inward all the time which i am often quilty of. but honestly start thinking of doing something for someone else. once you put your attention elsewhere you wont be concentrating on your lack of sleep.
My sleep is starting to get a little better because i am pushing myself to work and excercise and stay busy. It does start to work believe me )
I swear it makes you feel sooo calm. Ask him. Works wonders.
Sleep is only the symptom. Keep working on those root causes.
I would encourage you to continue working on managing stress and anxiety. Continue with counseling, continuing learning about ways to manage stress and anxiety. Be confident ... you can do this.
And I agree with the others, getting a job will help you. For better sleep at night, we all need to tire ourselves out in a healthy way every day.
Exercise will help you physically. The body responds to strenuous exercise by increasing deep sleep.
The work of being gainfully employed will help tire you out mentally. And, importantly, it will add to your self-esteem. You will start to feel better about yourself.
All of these are positive things that contribute to better sleeping. One step at a time.
Yes this is the cause, as Sleeptraining said insomnia is only a symptom. I'm going through alot of the same things you are and my sleep problems began after a panic attack and lots of anxiety. Even before that I've always been a worrier, but I've learned worry IS anxiety, and anxiety can create all kinds of symptoms (insomnia being one of them).
Worrying is a hard habit to break but it can be done, it's starts from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep again, you have to retrain your thinking and learn to manage your stress better. I can send you some stuff on that if you want.
Maybe a job would be good? Maybe you could just do something part time until you get acclimated to it and build up your confidence again. Also I would "slowly" start to get off the sleep meds, it obviously isn't helping much and is becoming a crutch.
It's going to be real hard to work with such a severe insomnia. Trust me, I've been there. People aka co-workers just don't get it when they are normal and you are not. Then they thInk yOure just lazy.
Talk this over with your parents as an option, I was in the same boat as you but just remember that a good job is one you enjoy going to.
Anyways, you will get past this I promise. Take some herbal suppliments like suggested and don't worry about the sleep. Read a book or something until your body starts to want to fall back to sleep at night naturally. Don't force yourself and keep calm, get out of the bedroom when you feel anxious, you want to trick your mind back into thinking that the bedroom is a calm relaxing place, not a place were you feel anxious.