To think this anxiety will never end?

[Shinyshoe73]

I’ve got myself into a real state of anxiety over sleep. A few weeks ago I had the thought ‘imagine if you don’t sleep one bit tonight’ and lo and behold I didn’t! I then got myself into such a state of anxiety over sleep that I ended up at the doctors and got pit back on fluoxetine after being off of it for two years. I’m two weeks into taking it and so far I’ve only managed to sleep by taking a sleeping tablet or OTC sleeping pill e.g. Nytol so now I’m convinced that I have destroyed my life as I can only sleep by taking something. The most frustrating this is the only thing stopping me sleeping is my worrying over it and I’m terrified that I’ll be stuck worrying and never sleeping forever!!

Ask to be referred to CBT you need to recondition your brain to thinking You can sleep. Tell yourself you won't get any sleep then you won't.

Thank you, I have done CBT but I’ll try again.

Yes, ask for a referral for CBT. You need a clinician who can provide CBT-I (CBT for insomnia). In the meantime, as you'll have a wait, here's some pointers - the most important thing is to take the pressure off going to sleep, as this hugely backfires, and just focus on allowing yourself to rest/relax m. When you get thoughts along the lines of "I must sleep, what if I don't sleep etc' try to label them anxiety thoughts. At some point you WILL sleep, regardless, so when you're in bed instead focus on "I'm going to allow myself to rest".

You can try a progressive muscle relaxation exercise if your body is very tense. Then give your mind something else to focus on, something calming, eg an audio book on very low, or guided imagery/visualisation of a peaceful place.

Thank you I’m really hoping that the fluoxetine helps too!

What about trying Mirtazapine? It's licensed as an antidepressant in the UK, but in other countries licensed as a sleep-aid. Years ago, when Mirtazapine was still quite new in the UK, a GP prescribed it for me as an antidepressant, but mainly because I told him how bad my sleep was.

And, from the first (very low) dose the first night it worked. It actually works as a sleep-aid better at the lower doses, rather than the larger doses used for depression/anxiety.

It's also not addictive, and you 'can't kill yourself with it', as one medic told me (although I never tried, obviously!). I came off it easily several years ago, so the non-addictive element is true.

The only downside is that it may be (only may be - wasn't at all in my case) weight-positive. But you have to balance your mental health/sleep over that. Remember, not for nothing is sleep-deprivation used as a form of torture.

Go from there. x

PS - I also have a friend who has lived with severe insomnia for years, where even Mirtazapine (and literally every single other solutions, including being resident in a sleep-specialist clinic) didn't work. She (after several years) has to take a low-dose sleeping pill every night. Yes, every night. (She's not in the UK, though - maybe prescribing rules for sleeping pills are different in other Commonwealth countries?). She gets around 4 hours a night. If she's lucky. She also holds down a full-time job and a family. She feels pretty crap, but it's the only thing she's got to keep her going. Mentally, it's hard, but realistically that's her reality. Hopefully, it won't be yours!

Insomnia is the subject of jokes - but it's no joke. And there is no 'one cure, cures all'. And sometimes, there is no cure. That's not a failure on your part, it's because it's still very misunderstood.