Oh man, I have had so many hellish nights in my past. It's like migraines. Nobody REALLY knows how sleeplessness can haunt life and drive a person effing nuts!!! ARGH!!!!!!!! I'll skip the horror stories, I don't need to prove to you what you already know.

Here's what has helped me along the way: psych meds - don't want to give specific names but there are some good meds that can help short term. Therapy has helped me deal with the demons in the dark that made the nights like hell to me. A BIG HELP was when I made friends with insomnia. Sounds screwed up, hunh? BUT, the more you fight insomnia the more your body pumps stress chemicals and the less sleep you get. It's a downward horrible spiral. SO, I found books to read at night, movies to watch and I practiced lying in my bed talking to God, to myself. I kept telling myself that it won't always be like this; I will get past this time and things will be better. These words are true and they became true in time as I practiced being calm and quiet and friendly to myself. There is no one and only best way to get good sleep. But, we can have more and better sleep.

As someone who is dissociative as well as PTSD and depression issues and chronic pain I am experienced in difficult living. Slowly, many things have come into play to create better and improving health in my life. I take nothing for granted in life because I've had to acknowledge my own mental, emotional, physical and spiritual frailty. I am not ever gonna be a "superstar" or the picture of health. But, because of the goodness of God and the help of good people and my own willingness I am far better than I have ever been before and I'm not quitting my search to be well ever until I die. Even if it never gets better than it is now I have so much to be grateful for to God and some good people.

You have started on making a place for yourself on pc.com and there are people up in the night and you can im them or go to a chat room.

I hope things get better soon for your sake.

Leslie and Pixies