Excessive sleeping as a trauma response?

[sleeponrepeat]

I feel like there is something wrong with me. I'm trying to support someone who is extremely ill, and it's bringing back really bad memories of impossible times with other people I loved who were very ill and then died.

I'm trying also to cope with my own fertility problems and will likely never be a mother, due to my own disability which is a whole other scary issue with distressing symptoms every day. Every few days I will have a few hours where I'm trying to make a judgement if I need to go to hospital.

It's like I get very overwhelmed by the impossibleness of everything, and then have an overpowering need to close my eyes and switch off?

I cannot see a way forward or a real future for me, just doing a day or two at a time.

I get so drowsy and sleep provides relief from reality?

Probably alcohol would do the same but would be more damaging?

I'm so sorry for everything you're going through. It's unbelievably hard and you're doing so well to put one foot in front of the other.

When we sleep is when our brains really process the things that happen to us. And yes, it's a healthier response than turning to alcohol every day.

But it's also a symptom of depression. It wouldn't be usual to experience that in your situation. It might be worth going to your GP and asking for some support. Good luck.

You're burnt out. Alcohol would be a disaster. I think that you'd have to go through each part and decide what is a priority to work on. When I became disabled I found disability counseling helpful. Have you ever approached your GP for help? Do you have to support the person who is Ill?

I'm so sorry that you're going through such a shit time.

Afraid I have no answers, but I have a similar problem with excessive sleepiness. Blood tests etc. showed nothing unusual. I can manage for a few days at most, but then need to crash (especially after doing anything sociable). I slept for 13 hours straight the other day!

Would love to find an answer... and solution!

Sorry, meant to add that yes, I also have had several very traumatic events dotted throughout my life.

I believe sleep is nature's way of switching off the brain temporarily, and healing the body.
I think it is fairly normal to sleep after trauma.
Do you have any counselling to help you cope with your load?

That’s been a distinct part of my trauma processing too. Sleep is healing.

Your body is trying to heal and protect you from the onslaught of stress and emotion, and it is very good for you to sleep and recharge.

Can you spend less time at the hospital? You sound very overwhelmed, and i might be time for someone else to take over for a little while. Are you talking things through with a counsellor or helpline?

Can you spend less time at the hospital? You sound very overwhelmed, and i might be time for someone else to take over for a little while.

Sorry, I didn't mean to mislead anyone with this.

I'm not going to the hospital for anyone else at the moment. It's for my own illness, when my symptoms happen I have to evaluate over a few hours to decide whether I need to go and get seen to.

I'm finding treading that line always on the brink very draining.

But that is all very much secondary stress compared to the much more serious illness my parent is suffering.

The combination of both situations has me at a loss sometimes.

Counselling won't help with this, going on past experience. It makes me feel more isolated somehow.

I say that as a big fan of therapy for certain issues.

I do the same sometimes. Being depressed is so draining that I feel like a laptop that can't be taken off charge because my battery is gone within the hour. I just sleep and sleep but never feel rested, just maintaining my current level of exhaustion.

A very close relative of mine suffered a series of terribly traumatic events over a period of about 18 months. They spent a LOT of time sleeping, probably partly to shut out the trauma.

Have you looked into EMDR therapy? Good for PTSD.