[defyinggravity65]

I really need some advice/help at this point. My anxiety is really bad because I haven't slept well in two weeks. It started with one night of very bad sleep and just escalated from there because I started having a lot of anxiety about sleep

Last week I slept poorly almost every night and averaged out at around 5 hours per night. This week has been even worse. I have not gotten more than 4 hours a night so far!! I've had to miss some work this week out of sheer exhaustion and I've never been so tired or felt so out of it in my life. I want so badly to sleep, probably more badly than I've ever wanted anything. I feel so miserable and this lack of sleep has already caused bad depression. I am not excited about anything, dreading the future, and I cry multiple times per day almost uncontrollably. My life feels so out of control since this has started.
Additionally, I take .5 mg lorazepam every night now and am terrified I will become addicted. If I don't take it, I don't sleep at all. Usually after I take it I get about 3-4 hours and that's it for the night. I feel a strong desire to then take a second .5 tablet to get another 3-4 hours and therefore get a healthy night's sleep but have been avoiding it due to fears of addiction or dependence. I have seen a couple doctors about this and they don't want me to take more than .5 mg, nor do they think a strong sleeping aid such as Ambien would be right for me. They want me to take Zoloft, but it has the downside of causing initial insomnia. I also currently take melatonin before bedtime which has a mildly calming effect but has never been enough to get me to sleep.
My specific worries are: That I will have some sort of physical or mental breakdown, start hallucinating or hearing voices, have to miss more work and lose my job, be unable to perform in a concert next week that I was scheduled for, become dependent on lorazepam, that the lorazepam will stop working, that I will literally become too tired to function, and even that I will die from lack of sleep. Sorry for the drama but I truly do feel like death and can barely focus or make it through the day. And when my head hits the pillow at night, I am for some reason wide awake. It's terrible. Since I have always been almost physically incapable of taking a nap, it is very hard to get through the day.

Does anyone have any advice or ways I can combat these worries? Has anyone else struggled with insomnia and care to empathize? Hearing others stories would also make me feel a lot better I think. Also for real though, how long can one run on 3-4 hours of sleep per night before something terrible happens???

This is so close to home for me. Rather than listing my mistakes, I can offer you a suggestion. I'm not saying its a walk in the park, but spending a night or two at a quiet hotel for a couple of nights can really give your mind the illusion of being on a holiday.

A distraction.

[defyinggravity65]

Originally Posted by 2ISAB

This is so close to home for me. Rather than listing my mistakes, I can offer you a suggestion. I'm not saying its a walk in the park, but spending a night or two at a quiet hotel for a couple of nights can really give your mind the illusion of being on a holiday.

A distraction.

That does sound really nice. Maybe a change of sleeping environment would help as well.

I'm actually also really nervous because in two weeks I have a hotel booked for two nights with my fiance for my birthday and we are going to see a very expensive show. I am so worried I will not be functioning very well for this and I worry specifically about getting to sleep in the hotel. But you're right, maybe that is precisely what is needed. Thank you.

[Whipper]

I can prescribe you two things that will help you, and might cure you:

Meditation and exercise.

I would not recommend meditation before bed as it can have the opposite effect, so I do it first thing in the morning and once in the afternoon. What will help you more towards sleeping is something physical, work up a sweat be it walking, running, or lifting weights. I myself like to ride my bike.

If you do one of these it will help, if you do both, I guarantee you that you will sleep better.

Sorry, I can't help it. The impulse for o Me to say something is hilariously dry.

Do you find the information on the internet causing any further concern dealing with anxiety? I do.

In my experience with benzo type pills, is that if you're not sleeping well on them, taking maybe less in your case , but I like to prefer the cold turkey method for a little time and review how I'm feeling and sleeping with out them, temporarily of course.

You did in your own way state that you're basically out-of ideas. Maybe it's also time to see how far dependent on them you are with a refused amount to start with.

However it's not always a desired result. Many people don't like the idea of cutting down etc. While letting a trained professional give you options.

You didn't mention lifestyle, diet and sleeping schedule. As we all know, these things are important for a good nights sleep.