Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[oldsheep]

Gypsy, I am in awe of your attitude to insomnia. I can't cope with it - I can cope with almost anything else despite my anxiety. I once went 3 months without sleep (and didn't die, but was v ill). When I was nursing my old cat, I barely slept for 14 months - I became ill, but I survived. But in the latter scenario, I was a carer with a point more important than my own health or sleep (I loved my cat very deeply).
I fight my anxiety as I am aware that it is a senseless, pointless, waste of life. They call depression a 'black dog'; anxiety is more like a flipping elephant. I've been wired to anxiety since I was a toddler. My parents were both anxious, so I think my tendency got reinforced, but I am solely to blame for the negative effect it's had on my life.
It's the logical/reason vs illogical/fearful.
I have nervous habits that comfort me and I've given up trying to stop them, just go with the flow. I've started noticing though when I do them and when I don't. There seems little logic to it.

Just imagine we could harness the negative energy into positive energy!

[honeybun]

It seems to be the fighting that is all wrong oldsheep. That's the bit I find really hard.
I spent such a long while telling my family I would fight this and not let it get the better of me....it would seem that is totally the wrong thing to do.
It's acceptance that's the key...supposedly. I do find it easier to accept than battle. Fighting anxiety is tiring but going with the flow seems to free up the mind to other things.
If I have a bad anxiety day I can end up shattered as your body is so tense. If I try to go with the flow it's much much easier.

Not as easy as it sounds.....I do know this .....but as fighting has got me precisely nowhere I feel as if I have nothing to loose by coming at it from a different angle.


Honeybun
X

[Limpy]

I think insomnia and anxiety are quite similar, there's no sense fighting either.
I've had nights where I couldn't sleep (awake from 11.30 to 4.30 ish ).
The only way I could cope was getting as comfy as I could, eventually I did drift off.
It isn't easy at all but it's easier to accept things.
On the plus side, the nights sleep after a really horrific sleep is usually pretty good. 

[honeybun]

Looking forward to one of those nights tonight.

I just tell myself...well at least I'm resting and don't even try to sleep.
I seem to be awake every hour on the hour last night, I'm sure I dozed off and on until hubby decided to get up to the loo just after 5am. Why can't men do these things quietly. If I'm up I creep about. Of course he got up, the dog then got up and spent the next hour or so sitting at my side of the bed just staring at me until I gave in and gave her breakfast.
Tonight I am going to ignore both of them .....well that's the plan anyway 


Honeybun
X

[Limpy]

Sounds like a good plan to me.
Hopefully, you'll sleep better tonight.......  Zzzzzzzzzzzz

[babyjane]

Honeybun, the acceptance you speak of was the basis of the CBT I had with the chronic illness psychologist way back when I was first diagnosed with my illness and was fighting it and battling it determined it would not get the better of me which was totally the wrong thing to do but I felt it was expected of me.

Since approaching it from a position of acceptance I have reached a point of stability and relapse much less often, usually when overtired or under stress. 

I still suffer with anxiety and insomnia but thank you for reminding me I have a choice how I approach both x

[oldsheep]

how does acceptance avoid accepting the limitations and inertia that anxiety presses on you eg financial decisions I'm too anxious to take so don't = financial trouble for us in the longer term = more anxiety about why I'm too anxious to take them and their result so a vicious circle.
If I don't fight my chronic illness and anxiety up to a point (I understand the need to accept yourself as you are, health wise) then I don't think I'd do anything. Tricky one.

I understand getting stressed about being stressed is counter productive, pointless and harmful.