I have just hit a wall and feel worse than when this all started. In work had to do a presentation - managed that whilst the anxiety was gnawing at me the whole time and then once that was over I just went into meltdown. As anyone else experienced anything like this - the anxiety started again very slowly last Saturday (I had been on the patches for exactely 4 weeks). I don't know if this is hormones or I have a developed some other illness. The anxiety about sleeping is acute - to the extent that I believe if I don't sleep I will loose everything in my life. I can't keep going on with this. Has anyone also done this with anxiety and hormone issues? My daughter is visiting for the weekend before she goes back packing and I really don't want her to see me like this.
I developed a phobia of insomnia even though I've never really experienced it for more than 4 days in a row at its worst.
Insane I know but to this day I won't attend morning appointments I have a sign on the door warning postmen not to knock before 1pm as I'm a night worker (I'm not)
I dread the day when I have to attend a funeral or something I can't re arrange... sometimes just thinking about my own parents funerals fills me with cold anxiety due to the commitment of having to attend. And I know how that sounds ... selfish, surely I should fear losing my parents over having to attend a funeral which means I'll be too anxious to sleep the night before because it's in the morning!
But THATS the definition of a phobia. Illogical irrational and yes selfish.
It's got better over time but when I was really bad with it (when peri kicked off) the way I dealt with it was to literally ACCEPT and EXPECT not to sleep that night. Once I'd made peace with the worse case scenario it no longer cussed me anxiety and I drifted off just fine.
But it's no good just saying those words you have to truly EXPECT AND ACCEPT you won't sleep and know yes you'll be tired but it won't kill you and sooner or later regardless of the anxiety you will sleep. The body will just force you to sleep ... might be a 2 hour nap or it might be a 12 hour catch up, but whether your anxiety monster likes it or not the mind and body will win and you will eventual sleep from exhaustion.
Once you truly come to face your fears and make peace with them, hell welcome them, they can no longer scare you
It takes some rational and a bit of inner thinking.p before you “get†it.
A good way is to do the opposite and tell yourself you will force yourself to stay awake ... instead of trying to force sleep.. force wakefulness instead.. it's another way of beating the bully of anxiety. But DO IT don't just think it... go to bed propped up on a pillow and put a movie on or read a book and be determined to stay awake...you'll soon see how you flip that anxiety on it'd head.
People around the world work nights and have to get by on a few hours of snatched sleep in a make shift bedroom in hospitals all the time.
Nursing mothers are exhausted for months
Think about it... it's damn uncomfortable but people live with sleep deprivation all the time...