← Return to 15+ yrs chronic insomnia. Surely there is someone somewhere to help?

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Profile picture for gloaming @gloaming

Please don't take this as anything more than a stupid question from a non-medically-trained stranger (who would like to help): Have you ever been formally assessed for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)? Lot's of us simply cannot turn our brains off. I'm one such person. I fall asleep too quickly, according to my Samsung Galaxy watch and its managing health app on my phone. I get a nod of approval if I can stay awake for at least five minute after putting my head on my pillow, but I often get the orange or red square with the exclamation mark displayed prominently inside it. Now, I know some would kill for that problem 😀 but falling asleep is not my particular predilection. Instead, it is awakening near 0500 (I'm a night owl and am rarely in bed before 0030 hours, usually more like 0115). Once I have had some sleep, it's hard to get back to sleep.

I feel for you. You have apparently responsibly and actively pursued most/all readily available and do-it-yourself remedies or tricks. I do know that our bodies work actively to neutralize the initial potency of any medications over time, whether heart arrhythmia medications or sleep aids and mood-altering drugs. Sometimes all that works, for a while, is the optimism we have when we are suggested or offered something novel that we haven't tried.

I hope you get both carefully considered and useful suggestions here, and that you eventually find relief.

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Replies to "Please don't take this as anything more than a stupid question from a non-medically-trained stranger (who..."

@gloaming I appreciate your kindness and respect and your response. I was so fearful to post here afraid of what I might get in response that would only make me feel worse.
I do think the issue started the culmination of events, kind of like the perfect storm, including some panic and anxiety around job changes and having children close together and I know there is an element of anxiety, but my sleep doctor says he often doesn’t see true insomniacs get better by trying to treat the anxiety. Obviously that’s what they are trying to treat with the clonazepam and alprazolam at night but now I’m only continuing to take those because I can’t just stop them without a taper.
I did throw my hands up to summer ago and tried to get on an antidepressant, but I could not get past 10 days without making the insomnia worse and losing weight. My doctors concluded that SSRIs did not work well for me.

But I do agree that sometimes someone’s novel consideration of a long-term problem could at least help me with some relief. That would be grateful to find five hours of sleep most nights, but staying awake the entire night 3 to 4 times a week is my norm down the last year.

Grateful for you.