Fatigue And Flashbacks?

[maddog]

I think that anything that increases stress or overall fragility is likely to increase the likelihood of flashbacks, nightmares etc, and fatigue due to lack of sleep or poor quality sleep would certainly fit into this category.

I know that MS said that she hadn't had any particular sleep disturbance prior to these incidents, but the relationship between fatigue and flashbacks (or other such intrusive symptoms) is a bit of a chicken and egg one I think, in that the unnaturally intense mental experience of a flashback is very tiring as well. In this way I think that one can lead to the other and in many cases, the cause may well be indistinguishable from the consequence.

Just my thoughts, as someone who seems to experience it this way.

Maddog

 

[Meadowsweet]

the relationship between fatigue and flashbacks (or other such intrusive symptoms) is a bit of a chicken and egg one I think, in that the unnaturally intense mental experience of a flashback is very tiring as well. In this way I think that one can lead to the other and in many cases, the cause may well be indistinguishable from the consequence.

Maddog

It sounds like mental exhaustion. That makes sense to me.

I guess it's like the mind saying, it's too much to cope with taking in the world around me, when there's so much happening in the world inside me.

 

[shell]

My flashbacks always make me feel tired, after they happen, I curl up with a nice cuddly teddy, get warm and fall asleep. For me they are so overwhelming in content, they become physically and mentally exhausting.

I don't sleep very well at the best of time, so it doesn't take much to drain me of what energy I have.

 

[maddog]

When flashbacks are intensive, frequent and persistent, I think the world becomes a form of dual reality, whereby you are forced to exert the mental and emotional efforts associated with living in two realities - the past and present - at the same time. Stands to reason on this basis that the level of fatigue will be twice what would normally be associated with just maintaining functioning in the real world.

I think that even after having dealt with all of this for a long time now, it took me a long time to come to terms with the cumulative impact of sleep disturbance, flashbacks, nightmares etc, and the fact that there reaches a point at which intense fatigue cannot simply be dealt with by a couple of random nights of good sleep.

I put so much pressure and criticism on myself about my lack of mental sharpness, my inability to make decisions, problem solve etc, and my general feelings of very thin and fragile resilience to deal with the stressors of the daily world. So I try really *really* hard to remind myself of what my mind is having to cope with on a daily basis, and how long this has been the case, because if I really acknowledge these things, it's a bit easier to give myself a break about my fatigue and mental fog. And this is my reminder to myself to make sure I do that today!

Maddog

 

[Ice_Fire]

(((Meadowsweet))).

I'm struggling with this too. I think KP is right, its a chicken and egg situation. The flashbacks are exhausting and the exhaustion makes (me at least) more vulnerable to another flashback.

So tired, yet afraid to go to bed.

 

[Ice_Fire]

Oops sorry maddog :oops:

Not focusing very well at all tonight. I'll shut up now :(

 

[Innordinate]

I get flashbacks a lot when I'm about to fall asleep. Possibly just that the mind is relaxing, letting guards down, shutting down, it's easier to get sucked into them before you can stop it. I try to keep occupied at night as much as possible, playing games or watching tv until I can't stay awake any longer.

 

[Meadowsweet]

It does seem like a never ending circle.

I find that the harder the inside world gets, the harder I work in my attempts to cover it up. So I work harder and feel immense pressure to keep up the image of everything being perfect and normal. That in itself is exhausting.

I think Maddog, you have some very wise words.

 

[Redd1]

I think all the comments are the mark. We all have different reactions, symptoms and ways of coping with the inability to get to sleep. Sometimes I wonder if we are so tired at the end of a day because we are working so hard to keep present as a defense. It is a lot of work not to daydream or take mental pauses.
Lately I have been using positive images to try to slow down the pace of my mind as I drop off to sleep. Unfortunately, it doesn't work all the time.