Insomnia, exhaustion, can't cope

[Eebahgumlass]

Following 3 months of whooping cough, I have now started up with persistent insomnia . I feel exhausted and anxious. I was prescribed a course of zopiclone which has now finished. I was, and am feeling very anxious about sleep. In the last few days I've started feeling extremely anxious, generally- irritable and unable to cope with things. I work from home, and am supposed to be working now but can't concentrate and have been crying since I got up this morning. I am fantasising about driving off in my car and disappearing. I can't believe how low I've got- from being fit and healthy a few months ago to this. I feel like I just want to go to bed and have someone sort everything out for me. Has anyone else managed to resolve sleep problems naturally and get back on an even keel?

Insomnia is the absolute pits. I started with severe insomnia which turned into pnd with severe anxiety. The only thing that worked for me was one of the sedating older style antidepressants alongside CBT and some complimentary therapies/rituals (lavander pillow spray, magnesium oil spray and Epsom salts in v hot bath before bed). The drug I took was dosulepin. I am still on A tiny dose (25mg every other night 18 months down the line). I went up to 100mg per night for around 9 months. It's been very easy to taper off for me with no rebound insomnia or anxiety. They literally saved me and made me feel normal again. Minimal side effects (slight weight gain but really not v noticeable and may have been due to giving up breastfeeding) and slight reduction in sex drive (but again maybe due to having 2 very little ones close in age).
I hope this helps.