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Awake by night, sleep in the day! Any ideas how I can turn this around?

I'm in the middle of moving house, which has increased my anxiety and stress ten fold. Unfortunately, this has really affected my sleeping patterns and I'm completely turned around.

I find that I have hallucinations and panic attacks at night, that just sit with me and when I close my eyes, all I see is a horror show of flashbacks. I don't tend to have this issue during the day but need to be awake to deal with Solicitors, removal companies, utility companies, Broadband companies etc.

This is leaving me with a maximum of two hours to three hours sleep (normally after eating my evening meal, whilst it's still light). As soon as it get's dark, I'm awake for the rest of the evening.

I've tried meditation, relaxing music, reading, medication and nothing is breaking the cycle.

Does anyone have any sage advice for me or ideas on what I can try next? I'm absolutely exhausted!

#Insomnia #PTSD #Anxiety

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Sharing negative emotions

Something on this platform has been bothering me lately.

People reach out because they’re suffering, but they feel ashamed of being perceived as negative and dragging others down. They apologize for “venting” or “ranting”.

I’ve turned to this community for help when I’m struggling, and I’m sure I’ll do it again in the future. I’ve been met with incredible empathy and love.

Journaling doesn’t work for me. It reinforces my pain. Reaching out does wonders.

This is a safe space. A place for affirmations, humor, knowledge, creativity, and gratitude. But also a place to lay bare a dark night of the soul.

I read an article about the benefits of expressing negative emotions by Malinda King, MA, LPCC. Some quotes:

“We cannot selectively numb or deny emotions so when we do that to our sadness, fear, and anger, we are also numbing out our ability to experience happiness, joy, and gratitude.”

“Blocked and suppressed emotions have been linked to physical problems like heart disease, intestinal problems, headaches, insomnia, and autoimmune disorders.”

“When we express vulnerable emotions like sadness, pain or fear with other people we care about, it actually creates bonding moments with that other person, making the relationship deeper, more meaningful, and intimate.”

So no, we don’t have to “accentuate the positive” at the expense of being authentic. (That doesn’t mean we have to abandon gratitude or finding “glimmers”- those are part of the picture, too).

I am so grateful that, when needed, I can “vent” and “rant” here. And I hope that new Mighties feel safe and supported when they do the same.

#Bipolar #Depression #GAD #OCD #PTSD

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My insomnia is controlling my life and I can't seem to break the cycle

I now spend almost every night awake and then pass out for a couple of hours during the day.

It's maing my life almost impossible to live. I have the challenge of C-PTSD as well, which means that those lonely nightime hours are normally filled with hallucinations, flashblacks and panic attacks and I have little way to calm my mind, whilst sitting in the dark on my own. This leads to deep boughts of depression and helplessness.

I feel lucky that I have found this site, as I am UK based and many fellow members are from other parts of the World and awake when I am. It really helps to talk to people and take my mind off the loneliness of constantly living in darkness.

It also has a huge effect on my ability to plan activities during the day. I'm either completely exhausted or miss vital phone calls and emails because my body will just give up and I will fall asleep in front of the computer or trying attend courses online.

If there is ever anyone out there who needs a chat or a bit of company, please feel free to reach out.

I use a VPN, so I know that it can present on here that I am in a different country but I am based in the UK and at the moment, it's 1.30am!

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Opinion

Hey,
I don’t really know how to start, so I’ll keep it short.

I went through severe depression 4 years ago. I survived multiple suicide attempts. I saw different psychiatrists, but none of them really helped. They just prescribed medications to keep me stable, calm, and able to sleep (I also struggle with insomnia). I was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

2 years ago, after my last suicide attempt, I was admitted to one of the worst rehab facilities. It felt more like a prison. They kept me sedated with heavy meds just to keep me quiet, and the staff were manipulative, heartless, and abusive. They isolated me, made sure I couldn’t reach anyone. My dad managed to get me out after my sister panicked when they mentioned electroconvulsive therapy.

After I got out, I tried to act like I was okay. But I realized that no one from my old life really cared. Not one of the people I used to spend every single day with noticed I had disappeared for 4 months.

I got a job and met new friends who actually love and care about me, and I care about them deeply too.

My family loves me in their own way, I know that…But ever since my diagnosis, they’ve been emotionally pressuring me to “just be okay.” My mom cries constantly, and my dad just keeps checking if I’ve taken my meds. The moment they sense anything wrong, they panic. So I’ve learned to wear this mask..always pretending I’m fine, just to reassure them.

At the same time, they won’t let me live my life. I’m not allowed to go out with friends, work, go to the gym…even just take a walk. It’s like I’m being punished for not being okay before

But the truth is…I’m not okay. I haven’t been okay for a long time. I still suffer from psychosis and suicidal thoughts.

I’ve tried to go back to therapy, but here in Egypt, proper behavioral therapy doesn’t really exist. All I ever got was medication..no one taught me how to deal with what’s going on inside me.

So I’m asking now: would a life coach help? How do I even find a good one? Because tbh, it feels like this might be my last chance. #BipolarDisorder #MentalHealth

(edited)
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What are your Hobbies?

I’m in search of a skill or hobbie. I been so irritated lately and depressed and sometimes I just need to focus on something else other then my mind and constantly being depressed. What do you guys do to help you ease your mind ? #MentalHealth #Depression #Anxiety #Insomnia

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What is your window of tolerance?

I started an online course recently and this slide had a strange but significant impact on me.

I have been trying to figure out how wide my "Window of Tolerance" actually is? The first thing I realised was that it is by no means a static percentage. If I have had a bad hallucinatory attack and subsequently little sleep afterwards, the centre section becomes considerably smaller.

If I am rested and have had a positive day, it can increase exponentially.

But, the thing is..........I had never considered this before? I have struggled to identify triggers in the past but by considering when I am entering either the upper or lower zones (or in most cases, both), I am starting to feel like I have a better understanding of my emotions and when to put on the brakes and take some time out - just for me.

I am sure that many of you have seen this chart before and are already considering the benefits of awareness, but for anyone that hasn't, let me know if you find it useful in any way?

Sending out positive and caring vibes to you all and hoping that life is treating you kindly at the moment x

#PTSD #Anxiety #MentalHealth #Agoraphobia #Insomnia #PostTraumaticStressDisorder #PTSDSupportAndRecovery

(edited)
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I’m new here!

Hi, my name is strugglebus89. I'm looking for support to feel less alone and isolated. I'm a stay at home mom with an 8 year old and a almost 2 year old. My mental health took a tank from lack of support and my insomnia and depression medication change has been kicking my butt.

#MightyTogether #Anxiety #Depression #PTSD #ADHD

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Advice

Hey,
I don’t really know how to start, so I’ll keep it short.

I went through severe depression 4 years ago. I survived multiple suicide attempts. I saw different psychiatrists, but none of them really helped. They just prescribed medications to keep me stable, calm, and able to sleep (I also struggle with insomnia). I was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

2 years ago, after my last suicide attempt, I was admitted to one of the worst rehab facilities. It felt more like a prison. They kept me sedated with heavy meds just to keep me quiet, and the staff were manipulative, heartless, and abusive. They isolated me, made sure I couldn’t reach anyone. My dad managed to get me out after my sister panicked when they mentioned electroconvulsive therapy.

After I got out, I tried to act like I was okay. But I realized that no one from my old life really cared. Not one of the people I used to spend every single day with noticed I had disappeared for 4 months.

I got a job and met new friends who actually love and care about me, and I care about them deeply too.

My family loves me in their own way, I know that…But ever since my diagnosis, they’ve been emotionally pressuring me to “just be okay.” My mom cries constantly, and my dad just keeps checking if I’ve taken my meds. The moment they sense anything wrong, they panic. So I’ve learned to wear this mask..always pretending I’m fine, just to reassure them.

At the same time, they won’t let me live my life. I’m not allowed to go out with friends, work, go to the gym…even just take a walk. It’s like I’m being punished for not being okay before

But the truth is…I’m not okay. I haven’t been okay for a long time. I still suffer from psychosis and suicidal thoughts.

I’ve tried to go back to therapy, but here in Egypt, proper behavioral therapy doesn’t really exist. All I ever got was medication..no one taught me how to deal with what’s going on inside me.

So I’m asking now: would a life coach help? How do I even find a good one? Because tbh, it feels like this might be my last chance.

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