[intergalactictraveler]

Note: I posted this on the bipolar forum and so far, not even one reply. Sleep problems are ubiquitous in bipolar illness, so I don't know why no one has said boo.

I've been experiencing the aforementioned type of sleep for the past few years but it seems to be getting worse.

I wake up exhausted, irritable, sometimes angry. My pdoc, who is truly a great doctor, is at a loss for what to do, since I can't tolerate even tiny doses of medication. Is my experience unique or is it common in BP1/rapid or ultra rapid cycling? I'm wondering if my highly disturbed sleep is a reflection of some other physical problem, which wouldn't surprise me. Thanks for any comments or sharing of experiences.

[Thunder Bow]

Is there some thing going on in real life that is making your feel exhausted and irritable? Do a reality check and see if that is true.

[intergalactictraveler]

Thunder Bow, it's an honor to speak with a Native American Shaman. Short story; I've been on SSDI since June, 2011. My wife and I have always had a difficult marriage. She was verbally abusive for 20 years, little empathy for my illness and emotionally manipulative. Since I can no longer hold a job, I'm dependent upon her for a roof over my head. She needs to be in control and it's still a flash point for us but I call her out when the situation warrants. We've been through couples therapy and individual therapy. Perhaps the disturbed sleep is a manifestation of internal emotional turmoil. Stress, too, plays a role in damaging the endocrine system and the brain.

If I tell her I'm planning on going away for few weeks to visit relatives in Florida, she becomes needy and nervous about me being gone. I know her family history, so I understand where her intense insecurity and anxiety come from but at 70 years old, she still refuses to examine her life.