meco1999
02-24-2013, 03:05 PM
Some background on me: I've had anxiety disorders since at least age 12, including social anxiety disorder since that age. I haven't been to a psychologist or psychiatrist since I was 19. I'm 32 now. From 2000-early 2012 I didn't have any severe problems with anxiety, just avoidance of most social situations/interaction, which I could deal with. In May 2012 I had a major anxiety attack due to a social situation in my workplace, and that anxiety attack lasted a couple of months, but I was able to sleep fine every night. I took a couple of Benadryl some nights to help me sleep, and some Passionflower supplements to help me through the anxiety, but otherwise sleep was fine and I could cope with my daytime anxiety OK. Since that attack in May I've had anxiety attacks off and on on pretty much a monthly basis due to various triggers, mostly work-related, like when someone gets demanding and raises their voice at me. For example, there was a situation in December where a woman raised her voice and got angry with me, which caused an anxiety attack in me that lasted 3 weeks, with repetitive, intrusive thoughts thinking about her. However, I haven't had any major sleep problems; I may have lost 1 night of sleep a couple of times, but I would sleep great after that. Since January I had been doing OK mostly, and the first couple of weeks of February were peaceful for me, no anxiety.
However, last Tuesday I was reading reviews of a very disturbing horror movie. I didn't watch any of the movie at all, just read a lot of reviews of it, and just reading what happens in the movie triggered a big anxiety attack in me. My body (legs, arms, etc) was trembling uncontrollably, heart racing, racing, repetitive thoughts about that movie, loss of appetite, sweating in bed, hot/cold flashes, and I've had these symptoms ever since then. I have also had insomnia far worse than I've ever had in my life. I was completely unable to sleep for 3 nights, heart racing, unable to stop my body from trembling, getting hot/cold flashes, sweating in bed, and unable to stop thinking about that movie day and night. On each night I took 2 Tylenol PMs, 2 Benadryls, drank some Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra tea, and took 2 Passionflower capsules, but none of it did any good. I didn't even get a minute of sleep those nights, and normally 2 Tylenol PMs put me out very easily. On the 4th night (Friday night), after about 86 hours without any sleep at all, I was so completely exhausted and totally desperate for something that would make me fall asleep. I tried taking a cap full of Nyquil (30 mL), and I was able to sleep for 3 hours, but then I woke up for 2 hours, and went back to sleep for another 3 hours. Because of those 6 hours of sleep, yesterday I felt almost back to normal, still having some mild anxiety symptoms and thinking about the movie some, but so relieved that finally something had worked to help me sleep, and I felt like I was getting over this attack. However, last night I took a cap full of Nyquil and couldn't go to sleep at all after lying in bed a couple of hours, but I was also lying in bed afraid I might have a bad dream about that horror movie. At about 3 AM I got up and took another cap full of Nyquil and drank some Sleepytime Extra tea, and after a couple of hours of lying in bed I think I finally fell asleep for about 30 minutes-1 hour, but then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep.
I've spent today anxious and worried about this insomnia problem I'm having. My uncontrollable shaking had disappeared yesterday since I had 6 hours of sleep the previous night, but it returned today since I only got 1 hour of sleep last night, and my heart rate is higher than yesterday, about 100 bpm resting. I've only gotten a total of 7 hours of sleep since last Tuesday, and before then I had NEVER had an insomnia problem in my life. I had never missed more than 1 night of sleep in my life. I'm so concerned and scared. Honestly, I've had suicidal thoughts, but I would never go through with it. I just want something that will help me fall asleep. I have no idea why Nyquil helped me sleep 6 hours Friday night and only 1 hour last night. Sleep is really what I need, as sleep has helped me recover from all of my previous anxiety attacks, and I need sleep to be functional, healthy, and happy. I'm a wreck without sleep.
I've been exercising for 1 hour/day and avoiding caffeine everyday. I've also been taking a hot shower before bed.
What do you think I should do? Am I going to be OK? I really need help with this.
However, last Tuesday I was reading reviews of a very disturbing horror movie. I didn't watch any of the movie at all, just read a lot of reviews of it, and just reading what happens in the movie triggered a big anxiety attack in me. My body (legs, arms, etc) was trembling uncontrollably, heart racing, racing, repetitive thoughts about that movie, loss of appetite, sweating in bed, hot/cold flashes, and I've had these symptoms ever since then. I have also had insomnia far worse than I've ever had in my life. I was completely unable to sleep for 3 nights, heart racing, unable to stop my body from trembling, getting hot/cold flashes, sweating in bed, and unable to stop thinking about that movie day and night. On each night I took 2 Tylenol PMs, 2 Benadryls, drank some Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra tea, and took 2 Passionflower capsules, but none of it did any good. I didn't even get a minute of sleep those nights, and normally 2 Tylenol PMs put me out very easily. On the 4th night (Friday night), after about 86 hours without any sleep at all, I was so completely exhausted and totally desperate for something that would make me fall asleep. I tried taking a cap full of Nyquil (30 mL), and I was able to sleep for 3 hours, but then I woke up for 2 hours, and went back to sleep for another 3 hours. Because of those 6 hours of sleep, yesterday I felt almost back to normal, still having some mild anxiety symptoms and thinking about the movie some, but so relieved that finally something had worked to help me sleep, and I felt like I was getting over this attack. However, last night I took a cap full of Nyquil and couldn't go to sleep at all after lying in bed a couple of hours, but I was also lying in bed afraid I might have a bad dream about that horror movie. At about 3 AM I got up and took another cap full of Nyquil and drank some Sleepytime Extra tea, and after a couple of hours of lying in bed I think I finally fell asleep for about 30 minutes-1 hour, but then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep.
I've spent today anxious and worried about this insomnia problem I'm having. My uncontrollable shaking had disappeared yesterday since I had 6 hours of sleep the previous night, but it returned today since I only got 1 hour of sleep last night, and my heart rate is higher than yesterday, about 100 bpm resting. I've only gotten a total of 7 hours of sleep since last Tuesday, and before then I had NEVER had an insomnia problem in my life. I had never missed more than 1 night of sleep in my life. I'm so concerned and scared. Honestly, I've had suicidal thoughts, but I would never go through with it. I just want something that will help me fall asleep. I have no idea why Nyquil helped me sleep 6 hours Friday night and only 1 hour last night. Sleep is really what I need, as sleep has helped me recover from all of my previous anxiety attacks, and I need sleep to be functional, healthy, and happy. I'm a wreck without sleep.
I've been exercising for 1 hour/day and avoiding caffeine everyday. I've also been taking a hot shower before bed.
What do you think I should do? Am I going to be OK? I really need help with this.