[costello]

My son's been having trouble sleeping. I've moved in with my mother who has dementia, and he's sleeping on the couch here while he goes through this episode he's in. He's gone whole nights with none or little sleep. The last few nights I've sat on the couch with him until he's fallen asleep. It's never taken long. Probably the longest I've sat there is half an hour. And I only sat there that long because I wasn't absolutely sure he was asleep.

Tonight he said he wanted to stretch out his legs, so he asked me to leave before he fell asleep. So I went to my bed and zonked out. That was about 10.

At 2:45 I woke up and closed my bedroom door. Immediately he was outside my door calling 'mom.' He'd been awake that whole time. He'd lay there for hours, then started to drive back to his house, turned around and came back to my mom's house, then lay there for a few more hours.

I told him to go back to the couch, grabbed my pillow, and wedged myself onto the couch with him. I was determined to sleep there too, just to keep him from driving around.

I lay there half on, half off the couch for five minutes then went to the kitchen for water, then back to the couch. Five minutes later I asked a question and got no answer. Pretty soon I heard snoring. He'd fallen asleep!

I went back to my room then checked on him 15 minutes later. He's out like a light.

How could he not sleep for 5 hours then zonk out in about 10 minutes with me there? Is it possible he needs me there in order to fall asleep?

[costello]

5 am. He's still asleep. I'm not, but he is.

[costello]

6 am. He's still asleep.

[costello]

8 am. He was asleep until the phone rang. So, 5 hours sleep.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Yes when I was sick I needed my mom there to sleep just like a little kid with nightmares.....

[costello]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

Yes when I was sick I needed my mom there to sleep just like a little kid with nightmares.....

I guess I'll sit with him every night then. I wish I'd sat here last night. He'd have got more sleep, I think.

[Loial]

Have you asked why he isn't able to sleep? Is it because of his hallucinations or paranoia?

It could be the case that they are lessened when you are around him.

Speaking from experience, my voices are always quieter when I am around my parents.

[ofthevalley]

My mom made the voices go away at least for a little while.

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[passionfruit3]

I used to do this to wait up for my mother to come home from work it was paranoia i had to watch the clock and if something went wrong i freaked out how old is your son might i ask?its an important question in figuring out if this is paranoia or child anxieties

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[costello]

Thanks for the insights, everyone.

My son is 30 years old, passion.

He has repeatedly said that he doesn't feel "safe" at my mother's house, but he never gives a reason. He mentioned having one hallucination when he was lying on the couch and he saw a man with a lawn mower coming to mow him down.

He hasn't asked me to sit with him, though. I've offered, and he accepts. And last night he asked me leave so he could stretch out his legs. (I'm sitting where his feet belong.) He lay there for hours and didn't ask me to come back to the living room which I would have done.

Interestingly, he seemed surprised when I told him he fell asleep within minutes of my joining him on the couch.

[newtus]

Originally Posted by Loial

Have you asked why he isn't able to sleep? Is it because of his hallucinations or paranoia?

It could be the case that they are lessened when you are around him.

Speaking from experience, my voices are always quieter when I am around my parents.

something about my dad is protective. he protects me. so I feel safer with him.

[ofthevalley]

Just having my mom near me made things bearable. Something about here mama power scared those voices away

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[costello]

So much for schizophrenogenic mothers.

[ofthevalley]

I think it speaks volumes about you as a mom

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[costello]

Originally Posted by ofthevalley

I think it speaks volumes about you as a mom

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Thanks, ofthevalley. He lay down to go to sleep at 7 tonight. It didn't go smoothly, but he did finally get to sleep. I hope he stays there until morning.

Just a few months ago after I got out of the hospital, when I was having bad hallucinations, my mom would stay up watching movies with me until I fell asleep.

I thought my mom was the only mom who did that!

[costello]

Originally Posted by Kori Anders

Just a few months ago after I got out of the hospital, when I was having bad hallucinations, my mom would stay up watching movies with me until I fell asleep.

I thought my mom was the only mom who did that!

Nope. We're everywhere.

[newtus]

i wish i had a mom like that...

my mom cut me off her insurance last time i was in hospital after she got remarried. said i was going too much. tells me i need to eat less cause im fat and lazy.

[costello]

Originally Posted by newtus

i wish i had a mom like that...

my mom cut me off her insurance last time i was in hospital after she got remarried. said i was going too much. tells me i need to eat less cause im fat and lazy.

You have a good dad.

[costello]

He slept like 9 or 10 hours last night. Woot woot!