Weird Sleeping
Posted , 3 users are following.
hi guys,
for the past couple of months my sleeping has been so off. it all started when i began to have negative thoughts putting myself in mental distress which the doctor told me i have depression and anxiety. this is something i have never experienced before as i usually take care of health both mentally and physically (working out, meditation etc)
i am concerned with why i wake up feeling like all i have done for the period of time i am supposed to be 'asleep' is have my eyes closed? i am starting to think is this due to a chemical imbalance in my brain/body because of this mental breakdown.. i've never had issues with sleep until i started going through this phase.
i had been prescribed a 20mg of citalopram but have not been taking it. Will taking these bring myself back to normal and sort all the weird sensations i experience on top of the sleep issue?
i just want this all to stop.
0 likes, 6 replies
will08432 joelfwiliams
Posted
Hi,
I suffer from severe depression and anxiety along with chronic insomnia so hopefully I might be able to give you some useful advice!
Firstly, I would definitely suggest you take your Citalopram since your doctor would have only prescribed it if they had a reason. Citalopram is a type of antidepressant called an SSRI, and it works to increase levels of serotonin in the brain. Evidence shows they work well in relieving symptoms of both depression and anxiety. However, they can take up to 6 weeks to start working and often the effects are much more mild than what patients initially expect.
In my opinion, you will see the greatest benefit from an antidepressant medication when you don't expect much from it. Now, what I don't mean is that you should think it will have absolutely no benefit, but instead to focus on the lifestyle changes you can make in order to improve your mental health rather than waiting for an antidepressant to work. Of course, if you wait 6 weeks (or as long as you can manage) without noticing any benefit, you should tell your doctor so they can look at changing your dose or changing your medication. Additionally, you might want to ask about psychological treatments such as CBT.
A common symptom of both depression and anxiety is tiredness and a lack of energy, so it's likely that you're feeling tired as a result of either your depression, anxiety or both. I personally found that antidepressant medication did help with my feeling of constant exhaustion, and for that reason I would definitely recommend taking it if you do.
Hope this helps and feel free to ask me anything else!
Will
joelfwiliams will08432
Posted
The reason i haven't been taking them is because i'm fearful of the possible side effects and want to try and beat this a natural way, however i'm starting to think maybe i should give it a try.
I have started to eat a more plant based diet as well as pushing myself to workout again, so i will see how this goes.
As you're going through a similar thing do you experience physically symptoms such as muscle weakness, twitching, chest heaviness and mild pain? Once this all started i noticed i my vision also became blurry and was diagnosed with short-sightedness (never had issues with my eyes before) Do you know if this can affect the eyes and will it clear once i am better?
I am grateful for your response,
Joel.
will08432 joelfwiliams
Posted
Hi again,
I totally understand what you mean, and at the end of the day it's your decision as to whether you take them or not. However, if you do, it might give you that little bit of help you need e.g. if your symptoms get particularly bad one day.
I should have mentioned though, the side effects can be an issue. Within the first 2 weeks of taking an SSRI, you may experience feelings of increased irritability and aggression. Additionally, it's possible that thoughts of suicide and self-harm could start appearing/increasing. If that happens it's important to speak to your doctor as soon as possible.
However, I personally have tried two SSRIs and the only side effects I ever experienced were entirely sexual. The exception to this is when I started taking an SNRI (similar to an SSRI) and started getting a few headaches within the first few days of treatment, but those symptoms have since gone.
The simple answer is that the side effects affect some people much more than others, as with any psychotropic medication, so it's important to at least try the medication to see for yourself how it works for you and so you and your doctor can evaluate whether the benefits of that particular medicine outweigh any drawbacks.
In regards to your question about physical symptoms, I do sometimes get headaches, random pain on points of the skin and I get anxiety around how fast my heart is beating when I'm lying in bed. My dominant physical symptom is definitely tiredness though. I don't know if it can affect the eyes but maybe your blurry vision could potentially be linked to tiredness as a result of depression and anxiety? What I will say however is that SSRIs are commonly prescribed to treat some types of pain (e.g. nerve pain) so taking your Citalopram may be able to help with the pain you've been getting.
In summary, I think it's important that you go back to your doctor, ensure they understand all of your symptoms (try writing them down and bringing the to your appointment) and then ask them why you've been prescribed Citalopram and how it's going to help you.
I hope this information helped.
Will
Patient_mod3 will08432
Posted
Hi willo8432
We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologies for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.
If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.
Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.
If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.
Kindest regards
Patient
will08432 joelfwiliams
Posted
Hi,
I suffer from severe depression and anxiety along with chronic insomnia so hopefully I might be able to give you some useful advice!
Firstly, I would definitely suggest you take your Citalopram since your doctor would have only prescribed it if they had a reason. Citalopram is a type of antidepressant called an SSRI, and it works to increase levels of serotonin in the brain. Evidence shows they work well in relieving symptoms of both depression and anxiety. However, they can take up to 6 weeks to start working and often the effects are much more mild than what patients initially expect.
In my opinion, you will see the greatest benefit from an antidepressant medication when you don't expect much from it. Now, what I don't mean is that you should think it will have absolutely no benefit, but instead to focus on the lifestyle changes you can make in order to improve your mental health rather than waiting for an antidepressant to work. Of course, if you wait 6 weeks (or as long as you can manage) without noticing any benefit, you should tell your doctor so they can look at changing your dose or changing your medication. Additionally, you might want to ask about psychological treatments such as CBT.
A common symptom of both depression and anxiety is tiredness and a lack of energy, so it's likely that you're feeling tired as a result of either your depression, anxiety or both. I personally found that antidepressant medication did help with my feeling of constant exhaustion, and for that reason I would definitely recommend taking it if you do.
Hope this helps and feel free to ask me anything else!
Will
ann82027 joelfwiliams
Posted
i was very depressed,lost weight and could not sleep, i took citalopram for 7 years and it saved my life. I came off it and regret my decision because i have anxiety insomnia and feel very down most days. I would recommend you give it a try, the side effects soon wear off and you will feel more positive about yourself and life.