What is this word sleep you speak of?

[AricRiley]

So, how do you all fall asleep? I cant. I literally cant. I fear that I may not wake up or theres like a load screaming in my head that wont stop. In prison when I wanted to sleep I got in a fight or slapped a gaurd to go to the hole so I could be alone. But being out in the real world I dont have that. Growing up in the streets sleep ment I was exposed and I couldnt have that... In a weeks time I nap for a total of 7 hours if Im lucky.
How do you shut your mind off to get some sleep?

 

[The Albatross]

Are you getting therapeutic support? I expect that living on the streets and with the hyperawareness and vigilance necessary to do that and prison is out of balance or just stuck "on".

Sleep deprivation worsens symptoms. So yeah, that is a good priority to remedy.

 

[AricRiley]

Im not any more no. My last therapist moved away about 4 months ago. He was my 5th one. Now im on a waiting list. I think i have another 8 or 9 months before one will be available.

 

[The Albatross]

Well, here's some links, they may give you some places to start. Of course the whole sleep thing is kinda tough given your other diagnoses (other than PTSD I mean) and maybe medication side effects. Hope there's something helpful for you:

How People With PTSD Can Best Cope With Sleep Problems

Sleep and PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD

This last one is interesting in that the article links insomnia as a risk factor for PTSD - though the primary focus is military, it is applicable to pretty much everybody: Sleep Problems And PTSD: Insomnia History Linked With Higher Risk For Soldiers | HuffPost

 

[AricRiley]

Thank you.

 

[The Albatross]

No problem, hope you find something helpful.

 

[Deleted member 541]

Have you tried OTC meds??? Melatonin?

 

[AricRiley]

None of that has worked. I use to drink a lot and that worked great but the violence that came with it became a real problem. As soon as I doze off its like I wake up in a jolt panicking. I scan the room for what could of scared me awake but there is never anything there. When I started on Quetiapine it worked for about a week or so I would sleep for close to 10 hours a night but that wore off quick. They prescribed mw the max dose about 3 weeks after starting and still couldnt sleep. They also gave me something else for sleep and depression to take at the same time but it didnt change anything.

 

[The Albatross]

It may be that your really needing to address the issue with a doctor due to the complexity of your issues unless or until such a time as lesser invasive measures or techniques have been used.

How do you do at relaxation activities like deep breathing or meditation?

 

[AricRiley]

I have learned a few deep breathing exercises from my therapists but they have never seemed to work.
When they were doing tests on brain activities and things like that. Like how my endorphins are released to certain videos, pictures, or when making me angry. They tried to teaching me breathing techniques to calm me down afterwards monitoring my heart rate and it would take close to an hour before it would finally settle down.

 

[The Albatross]

Well, it's good that you know that about yourself. But practice, patience, persistence, perseverance are all part of the self discipline of management. I would encourage you to review your relaxation skills, and your mood management or limit your angry making exposures and to set a short term goal for yourself. Like I will do x-y-z types of relaxation 2 times a day for two weeks or some such.

Do you have a high adrenaline response?

 

[AricRiley]

I dont think so. To be honest I dont know what that is lol.