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Yes, it helps. I appreciate the clarification. I noticed a good example of this the other night. While waiting to fall asleep, I noticed I was gripping the pillow very tightly at the same time my mind was wanting to struggle to fall asleep. I acknowledged and named the struggling thought and then relaxed my grip on the pillow. Starting to get it.
There are two. One is Remeron. The other is Temazepam (Restoril). The first is for anxiety. The second is a benzo and it really does help me fall asleep. However, I experience uncomfortable side effects the next day. And most of what you read talks about long-term negative affects and the concern about its addictive qualities. So, I’d like to move away from it. The doctor’s most recent recommendation was to increase the Remeron (from 7.5 to 15 mg) and slowly decrease the Temazepam. I’ve already been able to reduce the Temazepam from 15 mg to 7.5. He is recommending trying to go to half of the 7.5. It is a pill in a capsule, so the only way to do this is to open it and pour out the contents I won’t use. Not super precise. I really don’t want to increase the Remeron because earlier I was taking 15 mg of it and experienced great sleepiness during the next day.
So my current plan is to not increase the Remeron while trying to reduce the Temazepam and eventually stop the Temazepam. And utilize all the strategies you talk about in your course.I really appreciate that. My mind is saying one thing, while my experience is saying something else. I can get through the day, no matter how little sleep I get. Not a very enjoyable day, granted, but not completely debilitated. Thanks.
I’m not sure. One idea might be just to stay in one place for a longer period of time and resist the urge to move my body so soon. For awhile, I was limiting my positions to just 1-2 and was sleeping better. When sleep takes awhile, I start losing patience and move more frequently (which I’m sure is making things worse). I appreciate the feedback.
Thanks Martin. I know it’s been sometime since I first posted. I have remained on the sleep medication and sadly have been continually fluctuating it. I’m in agreement that the lack of a plan has been a part of the problem. I know you are not a doctor, so can’t give advice about medication, but I really do want to get away from dependence. The challenge has been that I also worry about getting no sleep and not being able to function well at work the following day. (Life doesn’t stop and give me time to get right.) I’m so afraid of the cold turkey approach, but I don’t seem to be tapering either. Just feeling kind of stuck. Renewed my commitment to your course (had stopped doing the course for a little bit while the drugs seemed to be working). Just kind of in a stuck place right now, but appreciative of what I’m learning. Feeling like at a minimum my next steps are to stay committed to the sleep window, do what’s important to me each day and not cancel activities, and continually try to taper the medication. At some point I may need to go cold turkey. Just so afraid of doing it.
