# Insomnia



## egodeath (Oct 27, 2008)

"When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep... and you're never really awake."
-Chuck Palahniuk

Insomnia really blows. It's 4:42 here and it doesn't look like I'm gonna be getting any sleep soon. It's probably too late to take an Ambien...I'd be out like a light, but I wouldn't get up until tomorrow night. Fukit. Anyone else get the insomnia that comes with this disorder? How do you deal with it? I saw a doctor and gave me a load of bullshit about exercise and no caffeine and reserving my bed for sleep and sex. Should I push for a prescription for Ambien?


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## Conjurus (Oct 25, 2008)

I've got insomnia bro and yes it really sucks. I've got a prescription for xanax and if I take 2 of em they'll put me in a pretty restful sleep, but I dont like sleeping for 13 hours either. Then even when I do wake up Im tired all day from the xanax so I really dont like taking 2 of em. I work third shift too which doesnt help the natural sleep pattern... I went to bed yesterday at about 10 am and had to get up at 4 30. I think I actually fell asleep at about 4. Yeah...sucks real bad.


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## scylla (Nov 5, 2008)

I did have insomnia. But I'm on Xanax, and it helps. No dreams though. I would press for meds, even for a non-dp person lack of sleep triggers dp/dr.


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## egodeath (Oct 27, 2008)

I heard benzo's disrupt REM sleep, so they're bad to take to knock you out. I've got Klonopin, but I'd rather have Ambien.


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## HereIsEverywhere (Dec 22, 2008)

egodeath said:


> "When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep... and you're never really awake."
> -Chuck Palahniuk
> 
> Insomnia really blows. It's 4:42 here and it doesn't look like I'm gonna be getting any sleep soon. It's probably too late to take an Ambien...I'd be out like a light, but I wouldn't get up until tomorrow night. Fukit. Anyone else get the insomnia that comes with this disorder? How do you deal with it? I saw a doctor and gave me a load of bullshit about exercise and no caffeine and reserving my bed for sleep and sex. Should I push for a prescription for Ambien?


Why is it bullshit? What do you try besides meds? I can see you are frustrated, and I know from personal experience sometimes nothing seems to help that might help people normally... but I dunno. Getting dependent on sleeping pills is always a scary option...


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## egodeath (Oct 27, 2008)

It's bullshit because it doesn't work for me.


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## HereIsEverywhere (Dec 22, 2008)

egodeath said:


> It's bullshit because it doesn't work for me.


Well... I'm sure it works for some other people. It's not your doc's fault you think its bullshit.

Again I ask, what do you try besides meds?


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## egodeath (Oct 27, 2008)

Valerian, music, sex, hot shower. I box every other day. I try to lift or run when I'm not boxing. I'm not saying my doctor is bullshit, I'm saying that doesn't work for severe insomnia. Or my severe insomnia.


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## HereIsEverywhere (Dec 22, 2008)

egodeath said:


> Valerian, music, sex, hot shower. I box every other day. I try to lift or run when I'm not boxing. I'm not saying my doctor is bullshit, I'm saying that doesn't work for severe insomnia. Or my severe insomnia.


hmm I am sorry. I haven't had prolonged insomnia but I did have it for a period of about 5 months, 2 of which were at a sleep-away summer camp. I was very active of course, watching kids all day, and had a strict routine. We had to be up every day at 7 (8 if we were lucky) and I could almost never fall asleep before 2 or 3 am. Which I'm sure is still a lot more sleep than most insomniacs are used to. I guess what I'm saying is I understand what its like to do everything right and still when you lay down, your mind won't rest. And boy did I get some nasty looks and remarks from the a*hole other counselors for sleeping past the bloody bugle in the morning. And they just thought I was being a spoiled princess when really, I was just so exhausted...

On the other hand I have friends who claim to have insomnia but really watch TV all night, eat dinner at 11 at night, another meal at 1, lay on their asses in bed all day fall asleep at 5 am and sleep all day... so its not really the same thing. :/

I dunno I'm getting off topic sorry!

Something that used to work for me was to concentrate on some repetitive thought. Like breathing in positive things (usually involved visualizing colors) and breathing out negative (exhale black or something like that). At the very least it got me to stop fixating on whatever the current worry at hand was, even if it didn't lead to me falling asleep right away...


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## Sketch2000 (Nov 10, 2008)

Have you tried trazodone?
From what I've been told, hypnotics such as lunesta (I believe ambien is similar) can help you sleep, but they can prevent you from going into the deepest stage of sleep (dreamful sleep). The same goes for benzo's....
Trazodone is an older antidepressant and was the first antidepressant approved for insomnia.

I use 50mg at night...although I dont think it does much at this point...whenever I sleep well, its usually because I have had a good day and am generally feeling well....Our DP/DR is what is effecting our ability to go to sleep....not anything else.

Chris


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## egodeath (Oct 27, 2008)

Eh. I've always had insomnia. It definitely got worse with DP, but it's nothing new. I'd rather not go on antidepressants, but I'll keep that in mind.


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