major sleeping problems and depression!

[Delia]

Hello everyone. I'm not a regular poster here, but I can't sleep and I'd like to know if anyone has advice on how to cure insomnia?

 

For the past few months now, my insomnia has developed to the point where I can't fall asleep until 4-6am even if I have to get up an hour later. I think it has to do with the fact I've also been extremely depressed. I don't know why, but I also sometimes have anxiety attacks at night around this time. I feel like I'm paralyzed or trapped and I sometimes hyper-ventilate. This is taking a serious toll on my health. I eat less, because I'm always exhausted, sometimes too tired to even eat (which is not good considering I'm 5'4 and only 102-105 pounds). I've lost my appetite and am constantly sick. Usually I wake up feeling nauseous with a pounding headache. Does anyone have this bad a case of insomnia?

 

I've talked to friends about it, and they've told me to see a specialist. I went to see my family doctor about it, but he didn't take me seriouosly- he told me to drink warm milk before bed or to take a hot bath!! He refused to prescribe me sleeping pills, said they're addictive. I think I should change doctors.

 

I start my university classes next week, plus have a part time job, so I don't know how I can function like this, before burning out.

 

I don't know, I just feel the need to vent this all out, even if it's just to strangers (but from what I've read here, intelligent and friendly strangers!).

 

Sorry for the long post, but I should mention that my family problems are the source of all this. My mother had an affair a couple years ago, lied to us all about it, moved out and married the other man. My father is now a ghost of a person (after going through the phase of phoning my mom from phone booths threatening to kill her), and my sister is a cold bitch who treats everyone with contempt and resentment (especially me) for no good reason.

 

Well, that's my sad and sorry life. Any advice is gratefully welcome.

[Craig]

I can certainly relate to your insomnia, except that mine is intermitent and seems to be brought on by stress. Heh, why do you think I'm posting this at this time of night.

 

From what you've written I'd suggest changing doctors too. I never liked the idea of taking sleeping pills because of the potential for addiction.

 

You may be depressed or you may be stressed out as either one can cause the symptoms you've described. I'd wager you are stressed out more than depressed. Ask your new doctor if a low dose tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) might be indicated for your sleep problems. A low dose of a TCA won't have any effect on depression but may help you have restful sleep and a good nights sleep may change the way you feel. Better sleep = less stress, less stress = better sleep.

 

I'm sorry that you, or anyone has to go through times like this. You'll feel better in the future but it is hard to ride out these crappy times. Hang in there, I know you can do it.

[smile95]

are you taking an anti depressant??? Those make you have a hard time sleeping and oddly.....they help you sleep if you cannot...maybe kill two birds with one stone? You will help the depression and sleeping issue?

[brashgal]

It's a vicious circle, you don't sleep because you are depressed and the less you sleep, the worse your depression gets.

 

Are you getting any counselling? I think that talking your problems out will help, may get them off your mind long enough so you can sleep. I've read that keeping a journal can help too - get the issues out on paper so you aren't obsessing about them in your mind.

 

Take care of yourself.

[whichwayisup]

I'm putting up these two threads, if you've not read them yet, do so as I think they'll help you alot.

 

http://www.loveshack.org/forums/t52279/

 

http://www.loveshack.org/forums/t69515/

 

Sounds like you're very stressed out and need to learn how to relax.

 

Some suggestions:

 

Do yoga daily. Don't have to join a yoga class but there are video's available, 20 mins ones to start and they're quite easy. This will help relax your body and mind.

 

Pick a certain time in the day just for you. Whether you take a hot bath, read a book or sit and listen to calming music (Even try some meditation) this will help you relax.

 

Talk to your doctor about what you're feeling. Maybe you need a therapist? I suffer from an anxiety disorder and been doing CBT(Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) for over a year now and it's helped me so much. The anxiety is hard enough, throw in some depression and it definately makes you feel even worse.

I had mild depression with my anxiety for about 7 months and once the depression lifted I found it was so much easier to deal with the anxiety.

 

The therapy will help you cope and learn how to fight anxiety and figure out how to handle it. It's the stress and issues from what's been going on in your life have triggered this and is making you feel the way you are now. Either way, fight it and confront it now because it will only get worse as time goes on. Don't be afraid to ask for help, let your close friends help you too. The more help and support you get the better it will be for you...And you won't feel so alone. Anxiety and depression have an awful way of making one isolate. (Oh and any family member that you are close with, tell them too.)

 

Stress and emotional crisises, death and illnesses are the major factors that bringout anxiety and depression. You have been through alot recently and now your body is reacting to it. This is why I think going into CBT and finding the right therapist for you will be so wonderful and help you out.

 

Another thing to do is, get a round of blood tests. I found myself always tired and extremely low energy throughout the day...Turned out I had a vitamin B12 deficency (Sp?) and I now get B12 shots monthy. This has helped my mood in general and I am so much more energic than before. My body doesn't process this vitamin properlly so I may have to have these shots for a while.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Don't be sorry about doing long posts. Venting is good! The more you get out the better you'll feel. Another suggestion : Start a daily journal, either on the computer or by pen/paper.

 

Hugs and keep on posting!

[Delia]

Thanks, everyone, for the advice.

 

My friend has been telling me for a while to see a therapist, and I've thought about it, but have been reluctant to see one. I guess I have my doubts about it. No, I've just been pessimistic, thinking, "No one can really help me-I can only help myself" kind of thinking. I think I'll go see a counselor or therapist at my university first, and go from there.

 

I think I've been depressed for a really long time. How do you know if you're really depressed as compared to just being sad?

 

I have a lot of suicidal thoughts. Sometimes I find it impossible to get out of bed and would prefer to stay in bed all day. I feel like I've lost a huge part of myself, that my personality is completely gone, and that I have lost my ambition and goals in life.

 

I Know I'm really depressed when I make no effort in keeping up my appearance.

 

It's a vicious cycle. I'm depressed because I feel lonely, but when I'm depressed I don't want to be bothered by people. No one wants to be around a depressed person, it's too depressing, so I have to put on an act, pretending to be ok, when I'm not.

 

ugh.

[smile95]

I was diagnosed with depression about a yr ago. My therapist said that an event can trigger it and that is what happened with me. My friends and family thought I could "snap" out of it. You cannot. No one understands depression unless you have been thru it. It is not just being sad over a relationship ending......my signs were as follows.........

Never wanting to get out of bed

Leaving for work and being so excited to get home to go back to bed

Crying in the bathroom at work

No matter what it was, if something happened that was bad, I cried over it. Even little things like needing a root canal!

I said outlous that I did not know why I was living

My future seemed pointless

I cried A LOT and I do not mean a few tears

I was a zombie and when I had friends over I just sat and starred

Ilost so much weight and could not eat.

I took nyquil to sleep all weekend and weeknights just to not think

 

Depression is not something that anyone can relate to unless yo have had it. Everyone thinks it is so easy.....honestly, it really is a chemical imbalance. I took antidepressants and it really helped. I was ashamed at first and just tried therapy, but my therpist said that sometimes the drugs do help and after I got better and happy again, I weened off of them.

 

I wish you luck-I hope that you go and get some help. Even if you just talk to someone

[goodfella]

Depression is not something that anyone can relate to unless yo have had it. Everyone thinks it is so easy.....honestly, it really is a chemical imbalance.

 

Depression is NOT a chemical imbalance! That is the symptom of depression not the cause.

 

More info http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/

[freebird]

Sometimes I find it impossible to get out of bed and would prefer to stay in bed all day. I feel like I've lost a huge part of myself, that my personality is completely gone, and that I have lost my ambition and goals in life.

 

I Know I'm really depressed when I make no effort in keeping up my appearance.

 

It's a vicious cycle. I'm depressed because I feel lonely, but when I'm depressed I don't want to be bothered by people. No one wants to be around a depressed person, it's too depressing, so I have to put on an act, pretending to be ok, when I'm not.

 

ugh.

 

OH this is so common!! Sometimes it's just helps to vent. Been feeling the same way myself lately. And depression is never easy to deal with. I dealt with it for 1 very bad year from hell and stayed on meds for 3 years total. sometimes I think it's coming back and all I know right now is I'm glad I have a dog, places like the loveshack where you don't feel so alone. more importantly, get a good doctor. My therapist literally saved my life.