How can i manage my sleep phobia?
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello! I have been dealing with this sleeping phobia almost 3 years. Lately i feel like it's gotten worse it takes me 4 hours to fall asleep at night and sometimes i go a day without sleeping.. It has me depressed and scared what if after 3 years now this time i go days without any sleep im just so scared of not sleeping at all. What scares me right now is that you can literally make yourself not sleep on purpose. I can be falling asleep and its like i wake myself... Im scared of the unknown of what happens when you don't sleep. I know it can affect your health but for some reason that doesn't really scare me. What scares me is that what if i start hallucinating and hearing voices just like people who suffer pschizophrenia just because of lack of sleep. Can someone please help me I'm tired of this. Has anyone gone days without any sleep and what did you experience?
1 like, 9 replies
edwina97301 yolanda56871
Posted
Know there are a lot of people like this if no one replies yet keep posting maybe busy. Know people will reply and reassure you. I have had periods of days without sleep but doc said eventually will sleep when exhausted . Yours sounds bad ( especially the fear. I couldn't sleep and my mind just wouldn't stop raxing( making my anxiety worse. Think your doc needs to refer you to sleep specialist( sleep apnia)etc. Wish I could help more. Keep posting . Someone will??
allison1984 yolanda56871
Posted
Hi yes ive gone days in to weeks without sleep , yes it made me feel pretty unwell .
I never heard voices but i did see things out the corner of my eyes , and i couldn't think clearly.
However that doesn't make me insane or crazy just because someone sees things or even hears things that doesnt mean there psychotic.
Lack of sleep doesnt cause a mental illness but it can mimic a mental illness but once sleep is restored all symptoms go away so its not a new mental illness thats developed.
Do you have ocd ?
Sleep is really good and essential for us but humans can survive on limited sleep thinkof new mothers 😁 .
yolanda56871 allison1984
Posted
allison1984 yolanda56871
Posted
Hi yolanda sorry just saw your reply
I went weeks without sleep honestly i was a mess i maybe napped for 1 hour a night if i was lucky.
I felt crazy from it but i didn't loose my mind from not sleeping it just caused my ocd to get worse .
I couldnt think clear anymore i finally gave in and took a very strong dose of an antipsychotic tablet and then i passed out for 3 days non stop sleep.
Dont let me scare you because i took a antipsychotic i wasnt psychotic i was just given it to knock me out.
Give therapy a try it definitely helps if yoy find a good one if it is ocd exposure therapy is the best treatment for ocd .
Ive done exposure therapy it really helps its super hard but it works which makes you feel like doing it .
Phobias are hard to overcome but not impossible.
Just take comfort in the fact that even if a petson doesnt sleep for weeks on end doesnt mean or make them insane because once the person does sleep they will go back to there normal self , people with a psychotic illness does npt go back to un psychotic just because they sleept
So ypu will be ok even if you dont sleep l.
Im living proof of that i sleept for 3 days and i went back to myself again i wasnt insane or psychotic.
???
Careful1 yolanda56871
Posted
edwina97301 Careful1
Posted
Can ask about sleeping pills but won't cure, everyone's different so could have side effects or could get addicted. I got addicted to a med years ago (pure hell) but like I said everyone's different so ask your doctor if this is a risk. But you really need to get to bottom of problem. Maybe meds alongside other ideas from your doc. Hope it improves??
yolanda56871 edwina97301
Posted
Thanks for the reply. I have never taken Prescription pills ever. Im just scared of getting hooked on them. I've take over the counter though but don't seem to help at all
Careful1 yolanda56871
Posted
I know there is a lot of stigma attached to some anxiety meds and yes even sleeping pills. I don't like taking meds myself but sometimes they are needed even if it's just for a short amount time. Maybe get the sleeping pills and only take them when you really need them. You won't get addicted to them if done this way, also not everyone who takes sleeping pills or any other pills for that matter get addicted. Some meds taken every day for an extended period of time have a higher risk for dependency then others but realize that being dependent and addicted are 2 different things.
Meds can help you temporally while you work at getting to the root of the problem. There is no shame in needing help getting through tough times.
At the end of the day, only you and your Dr can determine what the best way for you is... all we can offer are opinions and support
deffiently think about all the different options you have before making a decision on how to proceed.
Going without sleep for an extended period of time can cause a lot of different things both mentally and physically. The body needs sleep to function properly. The amount differs from person to person but we all need it.
Make an appt and discuss this with your Dr..
Best wishes ?
annie_16257 yolanda56871
Posted