[DylanMetzger26]

So it all started with taking caffiene pills and drinking too much caffeine while study for exams in college. I couldn’t sleep that day and it suddenly became a constant struggle for me. I saw a doctor, she prescribed me Benadryl with follow ups. The only thing that helped me was the lorezepam. Then realizing this was still a problem I met with a psychiatrist at a urgent care. She gave me this drug for people with bi polar called zyprexa. It helped me sleep. But after a month, I realized that I had to stop taking it due to the side effect of lack in sexual desires and I enjoy weed and alcohol. Getting off of this drug is impossible and it has increased my insomnia. Every night, I struggle to get sleep. I feel alone here since I am not a success story. But I am on this forum for guidance. Oh yeah I kind of went on and off with the zyprexa and I tried to go off of it cold turkey. Please any suggestions will help. Thanks.

[Deb]

Sorry you’re struggling, Dylan. We’ve all been there and insomnia is horrible. It’s caused by anxiety though, so pills will not help you. You become conditioned to associate going to bed with anxiety. So you need therapy specifically for insomnia. There are two types of therapy. One is called cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and Martin Reed, the founder of this website explains it here. Another is based on a therapy called ACT and was developed by Dr. Guy Meadows. You can find information about this on his website, The Sleep School. Also, he has a book, The Sleep Book, that explains it very well.

Please get help for this. Many times it does not go away on its own and can even get worse. I had it for 10 months but now am cured. It was miserable, so I was so relieved to find therapy that worked.

[leysentom1]

Hi Dylan,

I see where you are coming from, with the cafeïne, weed and alcohol.

Would like to have a chat about it with you to share experiences.

Tom

[Martin Reed]

Hello Dylan and welcome to the forum.

So, we have the precipitating factors that disrupted your sleep — caffeine pills and studying for exams. We also have the perpetuating factors — medication, alcohol, and sleep-related worry. These are the things I can identify from your post that are making it hard for you to get your sleep back on track.

The good news is that there isn’t anything particularly uncommon or unusual in your story. So, since virtually everyone who got their sleep back on track using cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has a similar story to yours, there is no reason to believe you can’t get your sleep back on track, too.

Have you heard of (or tried) CBT-I?

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If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Clarity program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[Author]

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