scared to sleep

jinul1m64 · Post by **jinul1m64** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:29 am

I've been waking up in panic mode for the last couple of weeks. I'll fall asleep for 2 hours or so but wake up in sheer terror. I know that before I fall asleep, i think of thoughts such as ...what if I panic or lose control of my body and mind? I know those thoughts may have a big role in contributing to my night panics. I also get hypnagogic hallucinations (images/sounds that pop in your head as you drift away to sleep). These hypnagogic hallucinations scare the hell out of me though because I have a phobia of schizophrenia too. How do you guys deal with night time panic?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:11 am

I also have a fear of falling asleep. My biggest thing if "what if I don't wake up" most nights I wake up in the middle of the night and am terrified that I'm dying. Most of the time its a heart attack or a blood clot. I haven't figured out how to get over it yet either. If anyone has had this and gotten past it, could you let us know how you did it?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:36 am

i used to have trouble falling asleep because my mind would go into soooo many morbid places till eventually i'd be smack-dab in the middle of a panic attack. for myself in bed at night 2sec. inhale & 4sec. exhale almost puts me into a state of panic because then i'm worried about my breathing. one thing i did notice to control it was my diet. sugary drinks/ caffiene/sugary snacks before bed...NO GOOD for me! i'm better off if i want to snack in the evening to have something salty(peanuts,couple chips) and water. also, i'm a religous person and even though i sometimes feel guilty using prayer to get to sleep even though my track record for getting to church isn't that great...a "hail mary" or 2 or 10 normally does the trick. i used to even avoid going up to bed at night because it seemed like SUCH a chore to fall asleep. i would wake up in the middle of the night on the couch sore as all heck---but for whatever reason(maybe this program) since i don't think of it that way(like a neg. thing)..it hasn't been that difficult!!good luck to both of you, i hope maybe 1 or 2 of these things may help!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:51 am

When I had my initial Panic Attack a month ago, I too was terrified to go to sleep because that's when I would have them. Actually, I did not even want to be in the room I slept in because I was in fear of it happening again and thought I would get flashbacks of that night! I am able to go to sleep much better now and found the relaxation tape helps. Unfortunately, I was prescribed medication to help calm and relax me that I take as needed.