Sleep

[chocolatealldaylong]

I'm going through a really bad divorce. Has taken two years so far and we are not in court for months.

It was an abusive relationship and despite living separately now I cannot sleep. I don't feel stressed particularly in the day but I am waking up several times a night. Some nights it's every hour. I'm having nightmares about my ex. Last night he had a gun to my head, I've dreamt about going to a safe house but he had bought the one next door!

Has anyone got any useful tips on how to sleep please? Has anyone had counselling for this?

Definitely seek trauma counselling. This is a normal response to trauma, but you need help to process the trauma to get your sleep back.

I have taken sleeping tablets before. Nothing too strong. Not from the doctors just bought from the chemist. I didn't take them every night just when the anxiety was very high and to break the cycle after a few bad nights. And to get myself a chunk of 6 hours or so so i could keep going. They didn't make me feel groggy or stop me hearing DC.

I'd also turn off all notifications for texts wattsapp etc from 9pm. So no nasty messages get through or light up your screen when trying to sleep. That also helped me.

Good luck with your therapy. You will get beyond this stage x

Thanks. I've phoned somewhere for counselling and will look into sleeping tablets it was not hearing the children I was worried about.

Lots of sleep apps available to download these days. Try a few of them and perhaps you'll find one that works for you. Talking books works for me.

I don't think the sleeping tablets will stop the dreams, though.

I don't think the sleeping tablets will stop the dreams, though.

No. If anything, sleeping tablets will make the dreams even more vivid.

There's online counseling through the NHS that might be useful. Phone your GP and see if you can be referred. I think a lot of people go through a similar phase when leaving an abusive relationship, and it will pass.

Thanks everyone