Medication for sleep, coming off zoplicone

[Bumble bee]

Hello, I’m new here. I’ve had long term cptsd for years, and looking for a bit of help to improve my sleep. I’ve had a very bad period of not sleeping at all and was put on zoplicone. I have only been on it about a week but have started to notice I feel like I’m getting dependent on it and it’s concerning me. It doesn’t even really put me to sleep all the time. I got 5 hours last night which is the most I’ve had in ages, but my body woke up wanting more of the zoplicone. My question is how do I deal with this? I have Promethazine also, has anyone switched onto this successfully? Or should I be discussing more options my doctor? Im so wary of medications for these reasons but I need to sleep, and I’ve tried lots of natural remedies but so far not working. Im scared about stopping the zoplicone. As the one night I didn’t take it I got so distressed, and was up the entire night. I know it’s partly sleep deprivation causing me to loop to think I might be dependent on it. But it’s a huge fear, and am already very on edge. Any help or advise appreciated. Or any other suggestions re meds or anything thst helped you

 

[Sideways]

Or should I be discussing more options my doctor?

Yep. Sleeping meds are no joke. Typically addictive. Typically only a good idea for very short term use.

I’ve had a very bad period of not sleeping at all

Can you identify things that have contributed to this latest episode of insomnia? It’s likely your long-term solutions are located there.

Or any other suggestions re meds or anything thst helped you

Cardio or physically intense jobs. I’m pretty obsessive about my sleep hygiene - it’s an all-day thing I manage in all sorts of daily lifestyle choices I make. But the one thing I can do to fairly reliably get some sleep? Is make myself physically exhausted (which is different from the exhaustion you feel from sleep deprivation or depression).

 

[Bumble bee]

Thank you so much for your reply. My sleep has been bad ever since I moved back to my home (parents house). Then I moved recently to a place e nearby out but its not where i want to be and reminds me of the trauma. The struggle I’m having is managing to leave and move on, but because I’m not sleeping it’s making it so much more difficult. I think mentally it’s a form of control, wanting my old life back. But it’s a somatic symptom which has become chronic and gets constantly triggered. And to move on means moving to another country (where I used to live and was happy)…and I’m deeply afraid I’m too stuck. I’ve had many attempts to leave which all lead up to this crisis I’m in. So I really don’t know :( not coping. I can see how easy it becomes to rely on medication when stuck. But these types of medicines are generally a plaster.

 

[Bumble bee]

Yep. Sleeping meds are no joke. Typically addictive. Typically only a good idea for very short term use.

Can you identify things that have contributed to this latest episode of insomnia? It’s likely your long-term solutions are located there.

Cardio or physically intense jobs. I’m pretty obsessive about my sleep hygiene - it’s an all-day thing I manage in all sorts of daily lifestyle choices I make. But the one thing I can do to fairly reliably get some sleep? Is make myself physically exhausted (which is different from the exhaustion you feel from sleep deprivation or depression).

Thanks yes I used to dance ..physical exercise is so important. Ive not been doing do much. Is hard to go outside at the moment…normally I walk. But maybe yoga. Or something I can do in the house.

 

[Sideways]

I’ve had many attempts to leave which all lead up to this crisis I’m in.

Do you have a therapist supporting you to work through this?

Is hard to go outside at the moment…normally I walk. But maybe yoga. Or something I can do in the house.

I’m a massive yoga fan, and definitely yoga has been a critical part of my recovery.

But (and this is probably going to sound harsh) - nope. Work on getting out and getting moving. If you’re not moving your body through the day, then that’s going to mess with your mental health big time, and make good sleep routines nearly impossible.

I’ve been agoraphobic (couldn’t get as far as the letterbox), so I get what it’s like. But I think you’re probably going to be messing around with short-term solutions (like addictive sleeping meds) until you start dealing with the stuff that’s driving your poor sleep.

Good sleep hygiene means doing the things your body needs throughout the day: eating well, staying hydrated, steering clear of caffeine and alcohol, getting your heart rate up & moving your body enough that you get physically tired (which is not yoga)… I get the feeling of needing to stay in your home, and the anxiety that comes with that. But to sleep well at night, you need to start using your body and your mind during the day.

If your thing is walking, then long walks. Get out, get moving, get physically tired.