If you suffer from anxiety, how do you manage your insomnia?

[effie]

Thread created at the request of Kayla and with the assistance of PJ

You can select as many options as you like, so please choose all that apply.

If you could also make a post with any extra info in that would be great - current recreational drug use/addictions, sleep pattern, how long you've been using that particular treatment, how effective it is etc..

Thanks guys!

 

[Allein]

Diaz (unprescribed) seems to leave me with little sleep issues, but I'd rather not be taking it although recent issues with disturbing dreams that I'm pretty sure are being caused by my AD (Venlafaxine) have pushed my dosing back up. I've been on and off this regime for a couple of years now, I don't take any other drugs at all.

As most do I suffer from anxiety and depression I'm never sure which is which. I do my questionnaires like I guess allot of people do but answering the same questions over and over and over can't be that effective a way of measuring these things but since I have no knowledge of a viable alternative I suppose I shouldn't really complain at least they give some kind of base line.

None of the Z drugs seem to work with me well at all and stuff like Valerian root and Nytol have limited effects as I guess you would expect OTC stuff to do.

Allot of ADs can make you feel quite sleepy but reactions seem to vary wildly.

Booze worked well for a long time but in the end it was starting to get the better of me so I gave it up.

5-6 hours is a good night for me I usually get up around 6am rather than try and sleep further and rarely even try and sleep before 12, but I do OK. I have a set routine now, get up coffee internet, walk dog, get back and get ready for work, if I have time maybe a bit more net then commute to work.

I've been through periods of 2-3 hours max for weeks on end, it does grind you down, my best advice is if you really can't sleep get up and do something else. I have 2 young kids so I have to be careful not to wake them but I have found that often of I go downstairs and get comfy on the sofa with a big furry blanket with the some easy watching stuff on the TV I can get a drop off and at least get a bit more sleep. I think this removes the pressure of trying to fall to sleep and the tossing and turning as well as any negative connections you may have started to build up around the whole "bed bedroom, can't sleep" scenario.

 

[effie]

Vote atm! Took me a while to fix the poll, hehe..

And thank you for your response

 

[Pjkt2501]

Thank you Effie, darling! Always a wonderful help you are.

Kayla, hope that this is more of what you had in mind! We did our best for ya.

My answers:

Clonazepam - helps me get to sleep and sleep better throughout the night

Diphenhydramine - very occasionally I'll use ~50mg, but idk how effective it actually is for me at that point.

Marijuana is a constant, helps w/ my anxiety and sleep problems, also make teas using a few different things, often with valerian root

Meditation (and if you're lucky enough to find someone), and reiki are my #1 "feel good" (other than the blunt force of oxycodone) things.

For future posters - if you're willing, please tell us your choices in the poll and a small description of why / how it works for you (as I attempted to do above). Thank you all very much!

 

[Allein]

Vote atm! Took me a while to fix the poll

Now what's the point in me voting if you've fixed it already, you'll be on Blue Peter next

 

[Violenza666]

The only reason I sleep at night is because of my pain meds.. that's IF I sleep. Fuck insomnia... it's a bitch.

 

[Psychedelic Jay]

One doesn't help me... I have to use combinations.

Zolpedem, kava, and promethazine.

Alprazolam, high-dose lyrica, and diphenhydramine.

Hydrocodone, diphenhydramine, and alcohol.

These are severely desperate measures I agree. Antipsychotics tend to give me the worse RLS like symtoms...

Other things I have used: Carisoprodal, tizanidine, Clonidine, Chlorpromazine, rispiridal... To name a few.

 

[mgrady3]

clonazepam 1mg
temazepam 30mg

diphenhydramine 25mg

marijuana- small amounts; when I have it and when the timing is appropriate - ie. not too close to bed time

alcohol to potentiate any of the above - dosage of the above then adjusted accordingly.


- have used in the past to no avail : ambien, mirtazipine, trazadone, zoloft, lunesta, xanax

-edit: I don't 'really?' have anxiety... at least not that i notice... that's the only diagnosis they can give me for my insomnia - caused by some underlying generalized anxiety disorder...
so i don't take meds during the day - just to sleep at night

 

[Mugz]

most often diazepam, 10 or 20mg a night nowadays. it's not even the drug that cures it though it is knowing that I have taken it, as if I have the pill on the side and don't take it I think about it constantly until I have taken it and then it works. The mind is a horrible (and sometimes beautiful) thing

 

[Dexed]

1mg Clonazepam during the day, 30mg temazepam at night my doctor recommends. Not that I follow it of course...

 

[pally pete]

Various things for me but all seem to have sort sort of drawback/negative side effect.

A variety of Benzos, Opiates (mainly oxy and/or Poppy pod tea) Diphenhydramine (never more than 50mg) Occassionly Alcohol (last resort) im also prescribe Venlafaxine ER 150mg per day and if the moods takes me on the odd occassion usually whist under the influence of Benzos/Opiates i will use a small amount of weed.

But like i said they all have drawbacks for example, the actual quality of sleep, the next day effects and the danger of addiction which Benzos are my real problems as my untypical self medication dosing regime feels like its rewired my brain.