[Daf]

Ok, I have suffered for just over 2 years with insomnia, which comes and goes in episodes.

I often have it that I go through a whole night with no sleep. Luckily not multiple nights like some poor people on here have! (thank God). But maybe every second or third might is a “nil sleeper” – and this goes on for two weeks, sometimes three. Then it goes away for a few weeks and I think I’ve cracked it.

But here is what I have found about using drugs to help sleep.

(By the way, before I start, I have tried herbal stuff like Valerian – does not really do the job. Also 5HTP – same, melatonin – same, CBD oil – same and OTC medicines like Phernagan (Promethazine, an anti histamine) – ….same, none work after time, and indeed may never have worked other than in some “placebo domingo” way (joke!).

On the heavier drugs I have used Mirtazapine (Remeron) and Zopiclone.

Zopiclone first. Basically it will put you to sleep. I usually used 7.5mg when I could not sleep, usually at 3am or later when anxiety / frustration was really rising – and half hour later I was asleep. But at best I only sleep 3 hours with it. And the next morning I always felt more anxious than usual and all the next day. The big problem with it too is that the next night I often don’t sleep well, or sometimes not at all.

With Mirtazapine, when I used it every night – took 7.5mg. OK at first but basically it stopped working after a month. And I was back to sleepless nights from time to time. I went up to 15mg and same thing happened. So I gave up with taking them every night.

Sometimes later, I took mirtazapine on an occasional basis. I would find the same thing happened as with Zopiclone. Work for a night and often the second night dues to the “Mirt Fog Dozy feeling”, then the insomnia would be back on night three.

I have read a lot on line and three books about insomnia. (Note – next year I will read very little because I agree with Sasha Stephens and some other experts including Martin here who say that if you keep reading about it, researching it. talking about it, it makes this “I” thing into a BIG DEAL – and the best approach is to tread lightly, try to accept it and stop making it the be-all and end-all of your life.)

I am convinced that neither of these drugs (nor any type of heavy pharma drugs) works long term to cure insomnia. Maybe it is because your brain somehow just adjusts to them. Also, I am convinced that in the case of both, the night or two after taking them, they tend to make it harder or not impossible to sleep. From keeping my records of when I took them, I have seen this clear pattern. Have others?

So, I say, ditch the drugs. In the case of some like Mirtazapine, you may need to taper down over a few weeks as sudden withdrawal can be too painful for many – high anxiety, nausea and of course, rebound insomnia. Maybe if you have two weeks free to do nothing you could cold turkey, but it could be hard for some people. I did it, but I am lucky to be self employed, have a very supportive wife and be able to have 2 weeks of doing a very low amount of work.

Anyway, these are my experiences.

I wonder if others have recorded when they took the drugs and saw a pattern of poor / no sleep on subsequent nights? I’d be keen to hear. I’m convinced that this is how the drugs work – and how people stay hooked on them.  In other words, the drugs seem structured to sort the problem now but then push the insomnia a day or two away. So a day or two later, the insomnia is back and one reaches for these nasty drugs again. And so it goes on and on and on!

Now I have stopped taking the drugs for 2 weeks – and I feel better. Slept some amount every night – and am feeling good about being drug free. May take natural stuff like Valerian from time to time though. Nothing against that or stuff like CBD oil.

I’m convinced this is the way to go. And add in sleep restriction therapy plus a lot of positive self talk and acceptance and I see a better 2019 for me. I will keep you posted.

Comments welcome.

(PS I normally have no depression or anxiety. In my case the insomnia started 2 years ago when I had a problem with my chest, which led to a few sleepless nights as I struggled to breathe and a lot of worry. The chest problem cleared but I was left with insomnia and worry about my not-sleeping…. In my case after a night of no sleep I feel v depressed with tight chest and nausea feelings. The next night, if I get some sleep I feel perfectly fine again – as normal, no depression, no anxiety at all, just the normal positive person I have always been.)

Daf

[Deb]

Yeah, ditch the drugs. Insomnia is a learned condition, not a “chemical imbalance” of the brain. So chemicals don’t help but just make it worse. Plus taking them just postpones the process of doing what you really need to be doing – unlearning the insomnia. And the longer you postpone, the more entrenched the negative patterns become.

[Daf]

Thanks Debs, good advice.

It’s so frustrating when one can go seven weeks without a “nil-sleep night” only for it to come back.

Guess it’s that lingering fear of it that comes back and restarts itself like an unrequested program attaching itself to your computer, even when you thought you’d deleted the effing thing!

[Deb]

Daf – I got the feeling from Sasha Stephens that after she had solved her insomnia problem that her fear was finally gone (it’s towards the end of the book – she talks about being confident that she could sleep anywhere). I wonder what Martin thinks about this. I know for myself, my anxiety has gone, way, way down since I started this program. It’s amazing because just a little over a week ago I was starting to have major meltdowns (and scaring my poor husband to death!) Maybe it’s due to a combination of a few things:

• I haven’t had insomnia as long as you have
• I’m seeing results already from the therapy
• I know that if I get stuck, I can turn to Martin – so I feel like I’ve got a safety net

Martin, if you’re reading this, what do you think? Will we eventually become free from fear and have confidence that we can deal with whatever comes our way?

[Daf]

Ironically, another thing re sleep issues is not to talk about sleep issues.  And that would ultimately mean not identifying self as one who is “insomniac”  (no such thing) nor read blogs or articles about it…. thus you cut its power off.

Everyone sleeps in the end….. it’s just like breathing!

It’s a bit like Fight Club. The first rule of Fight Club is not to talk about Fight Club!!!  Ever! Ha!

 

[Author]

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