Stress Center Peer Support

Gosh, I sure do remember when I encountered sleep deprivation. While I don't necessarily have a definitive solution, I'd like to offer a few possible recommendations:

- SKILLS, SKILLS, SKILLS of the program. What are you really eating, watch your sugar intake & caffeine intake, are you eating too heavy b/4 bedtime? Are you exercising: having a means to get rid of that excess adrenanline? are you doing relax sessions or some means of giving yourself a timeout: could be relax session, a nice bubble bath w/ soft music, sitting outside in your backyard & just being - knowing you don't have to be anywhere else but right there. Are you JOURNALING your neg to pos self talk? Sometimes, the neg thoughts are so darn SUBTLE - that we have trouble noticing them - then, b/4 you know it - they cumulate = heightened anxiety or a panic attack. What are you telling yourself?

- WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE? Chances are, there is something going on that is creating such stress levels - that it is creating heightened anxiety. FIND THE SOURCE. Once you figure out what the SOURCE is - PROB SOLVE/RESOLVE - so that you don't endlessly WORRY. Remember, when you WORRY all the time - you don't resolve anything - it effects your eating & YOUR SLEEPING. SO, FACE/ADDRESS/RESOLVE/DISSOLVE & let go.
<span class="ev_code_RED">I wanted to state - whenever I encountered sleep deprivation or even now, a break in my sleep patterns - there is something going on in my life that I am thinking lots about- but not doing anything about it. What EXAGERATED the sleep deprivation, was OH NO'G about it & OBSESSING about it. In other words, "oh no, I didn't sleep last night & I felt like crap - tonights gonna come - I bet I'm not gonna sleep again" . OBSESSING will so greatly effect your sleep as well. Respectively, DON'T MAKE A BIG DEAL about it - by over reacting to it, constantly thinking & talking about it & posting about it, looking for the answer to a solution, when we already have the answer's w/in ourselves. </span> I had such extreme & severe sleep deprivation when my anxiety disorder triggered - I became soooooo sensitized to it, IT BECAME A FEAR. I obsessed about it so much, asking everyone & their mother - I created add'l anxiety(on top of what I was already feeling that created the initial sleep disruption)- that it further inhibited my sleep.

Now, I haven't taken a sleep aid in like 1 1/2 yrs & no anxiety med since Dec-2006, I do experience a break in my sleep patterns now. Yes it isn't as severe as 3 yrs ago. But I also effect that NOW - I don't over-react to it. I don't "oh no I had a bad nights sleep. I'm gonna go thru that sleep thing again", etc - I SAY NONE OF THAT. I under-react to it, trying reallllllllllllllly hard. "ok, so what, no big deal", I just carry on. I make sure to be gentle w/ myself: eating right, exercising: get rid of that excess adrenaline, relax, work on what is REALLY BOTHERING ME & acknowledge/address/resolve/dissolve & let go=good sleeping. I simply don't obsess about it: whether talking, thinking, reacting, posting here - under react to it.

Your friend,

LENORE

Originally posted by Lenore:
- SKILLS, SKILLS, SKILLS of the program. What are you really eating, watch your sugar intake & caffeine intake, are you eating too heavy b/4 bedtime? Are you exercising: having a means to get rid of that excess adrenanline? are you doing relax sessions or some means of giving yourself a timeout: could be relax session, a nice bubble bath w/ soft music, sitting outside in your backyard & just being - knowing you don't have to be anywhere else but right there. Are you JOURNALING your neg to pos self talk? Sometimes, the neg thoughts are so darn SUBTLE - that we have trouble noticing them - then, b/4 you know it - they cumulate = heightened anxiety or a panic attack. What are you telling yourself?
LENORE

Thanks so much for all of the reminders! In fact today I decided to call a counselor in my area that focuses on overcoming panic and anxiety without meds. She says she focuses on diet, exercise and some diet supplements. I don't drink caffeine, but I have not been eating right and I have not had any time to relax at all. I went and did some exercising today and it helped a lot!! It did burn off some of the adrenaline. I did some journaling for the first time in a long time last night. I didn't do neg to pos just got a lot of stuff out. Wow thanks so much for the thoughtful post. It really means a lot.

If I don't do the basics I don't know how I can expect myself to feel anything more than yucky, right?

I'm not going to take my Xanax tonight; I'm going to just relax on my own and I'm guessing I'm going to have an easier time. I have such a fear of meds that any benefits from them are outweighed by me worrying about taking them.

Take Care.

Chris... it sounds like you made some good decisions today... and exercising is a great way to burn off the adrenaline, I am glad it worked for you...I hope you keep on the right track and know that you are NOT alone in this.

Lenore... I enjoy your posts so much, they are full of great advice and very inspirational. Thank you!

I know exactly how you feel. I felt really good over the weekend and boom today I was a wreck. I don't understand it other than I listened to session 3 and I went over the edge trying to think positive and ticking every negative thought. It was too much. I finally had to back off and put the little spiral notebook away for awhile. I feel a little better tonght and I am praying to God that I sleep tonight. Please know you are not alone. It is so easy to feel like your the only one out there feeling this way. Positive self talk will help. I just hard to keep it up.

take care,
ecb