[Mh1971]

Hello,

I was a great sleeper until mid-September. Due to a series of massive personal stressful events over the past year, after a particularly stressful week at work (worked 7 days with several co-workers in quarantine), I went to bed and felt massive waves of anxiety washing from the back of my head down my spine. It continued all night and I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t sleep for the next three nights either which launched me into a sudden and severe insomnia and anxiety issue. I used to take Klonopin for sleep on occasion and had no issues with it. Now quadruple the normal dose plus an Ambien does nothing (along with CBD oil and all manner of natural supplements). Most nights I don’t sleep at all and am on leave from work. I will have to try to slowly decrease the Klonopin as you cannot go cold turkey. Has anyone else followed the CBT-I program while trying to decrease medications?

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum. I believe that going through a course of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) while tapering-off sleeping pills can be very helpful since you gain a new set of skills that build sleep drive, strengthen the body clock, and lower arousal at the same time as you slowly eliminate an external sleep crutch from your life.

It’s not too surprising you haven’t found medication helpful over the long-term since pills don’t address the underlying thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate sleep disruption.

I am so encouraged that you have found out about CBT-I and have realized that medication and supplements probably aren’t an effective long-term solution for your insomnia!

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[Author]

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