Still Can't Fall Asleep?

[Reid Martin]

Anyone else have this issue?

20 years after Straight and only getting 2 to 3 hours of sleep every night, I still have serious trouble falling asleep.  I often think that the conditioning to "stay awake or else!" has somehow created a permanent problem.  I don't exactly remember the consequences for nodding off, but I do remember that it was never ending.  I dreamed of being able to sleep like a castaway sees a mirage of rescue ships.  I slept pretty well in school on 3rd, 4th, and 5th phase.  As a matter of fact, I couldn't hold my eyes open for 30 seconds in class.  It's like it was safe to sleep there, nobody would confront me for it.  Even today, I can sleep well in the daytime but at night, there's this wierd fear or anxiety that sets in.  
Anyone else have this?

Reid Martin
[email protected]

[ladyjerrico]

Other than being addicted to EverQuest, lol, I usually don't have problems falling asleep other than during a work night, I always think that I'll wake up too late and not make it in on time, or I'm worried that the next day will be total hell with my job.
I sleep better on my days off, and if that causes a problem, I'll usually eat ice cream or something before going to sleep, I did that last night and I slept 11 hours. I guess I needed it after staying up till 2 a.m. playing EverQuest.
I had trouble falling asleep about 5 years ago at night when my ex-husband left me, he was very abusive, when this occurred I was always scared that he would come back and kick the crap out of me or something.
I had to repeat to myself over and over "he doesn't know where you are, and your in a place he can't harm you" eventually it took into my brain and I was able to sleep after about a year of doing this.
My suggestion is to "train" your mind into thinking that you are o.k. and if needed just repeat it to yourself over and over, eventually your sub-concious will allow you to feel that way and you should be fine.
I'm not a doctor, but it worked for me, so that would by my suggestion

[Anonymous]

Hey Reid,

I do this too, often I cannot fall asleep until the sun comes up, sleepign at night is 'scary' somehow. My therapist adn I chalk it up to chronic PTSD issues, and I have obtained some sleeping drugs that i cna take if I realyl get bad off. Otherwise, well I have just learned to live with it so far, and I continue to hope that over time and via therapy it will eventualyl go away.

James

[Tampa survivor]

I got out right before my 16th birthday and was like in a total shock state for months.  Sleeping was weird, but not like you guys described. I think getting a car and being accepted and sober for a change helped my parents re-integrate me to the world I'd missed for two years. I will take your head off if you suddenly wake me but the US Navy gets some credit for that as well.  
 The hardest nights have been over the past few months since I found the board.  My sister and I no longer talk, and my dad feels guilty.  And those nights I have trolled through old posts......
....well ya'll know.
Bill
12/80-12/82
St Pete & Atlanta

[ladyjerrico]

Yes, I was an ex-Navy wife for 2 years, so I somewhat understand what you are going through, my ex-husband a lot of times had to work double shifts and wouldn't come home till the next day.
I didn't know anyone where he was stationed and nighttime was a bit frighting for me, only 1 car in the family and a newborn baby in the home at the time.
I didn't work, I stayed at home, but a lot of times I felt like I didn't really have a full family at all, especially when I was pregnant.

[gduncan]

I've never had a problem sleeping.  What I used to have a problem with is the assumption that if you were sleeping in group there was something going on with you.  Yeah, there was something going on with me- I was tired as hell!  Long open meetings, writing those fucking moral inventories and having to go over them, taking care of 2 or more newcomers...I could go on.  Isn't it ironic that I started drinking coffee for the caffeine buzz while I was in Straight.  Guess I should have been started over!

[METALGOD8]

Hi Duncan, I have a document from straight inc in springfield, VA here that orders the staffers to drink lots of coffee. I thought it was odd, but apparently it was standard operating procedure for the staff to drink it. No wonder they were always so pumped.


MG8 :smokin:

[ClayL]

That's kind of strange. In ATL the policy was decaf only was served in the building.

CL

[METALGOD8]

Hi Clay, just want to add a notion here. I remember a couple times after the program when I was served decaf coffee and still got "woke up" so to speak. I don't know if it was my whatever that is brain of mine trying to fool my nerves, or if it was that the coffee actually was waking me up physically. Almost a situation like the time when someone sold some bogus drugs but people still got off on them, LOL... :smokin:

[webcrawler]

I sent you an email on my response.

[nicoleesther]

My sleeping is so bad I have to take Ambien...Before I was taking Trazadone but it made me to drugged in the morning...I don't really like having to take drugs but it is a trade off....take pills sleep & function or don't & only get 2 hrs per night...Maybe its from Straight!!!....

Nicole

[Therion]

Lol I used to get bad anxiety attacks...used to have sleep probs...but I take methadone which takes care of anxiety and usually drink a few beers before bed (like 3 or 4 few not 12 few)
that helps...
 But if you are dead sober or whatever you might just be screwed...which IMO is the bad thing about 100% sobriety...some drugs are useful to man in moderation...and if you dont believe that and see it as all evil..I guess you are fucked.
But anyway that works for me