Feel like I'm going insane

[lolfeg123]

Hi everyone

So each night while I'm laying in bed I get anxious to the point where I feel like I'm going insane. The room is dark; my eyes are closed; and my mind wonders obsessively. My brain suddenly feels weird, as if it is in pain, and this sudden spike in 'weirdness' (for lack of a better term) makes me feel really anxious to the point whereby I feel like I'm going insane. This is also often followed by a few anxiety attacks if I can't get my shit together; I begin to fearfully shake relentlessly and the headache gets amplified. I've tried distracting myself--by means of focusing on diaphragmatic breathing-- in order to dispel the anxiety attack, however, it does not seem to work sometimes. I had to remove the clock out of my room because the ticking sounds were unbearably annoying. I have never had an anxiety attack up until a few months ago. The doctor said my sleep deprivation + caffeine triggered this anxiety dilemma.
I am running out of options and do not want to take medication, so I guess my question is:
Does anyone have any helpful tips?

[Gwen123]

Hi, I sometimes have difficulty getting to sleep because of anxiety but I play soduku or go on facebook on my phone while in bed until my brain's calmed down a bit. Caffeine would definitely make things worse, especially if you have any soon before bed, but camomile tea can help. If the darkness in your room is a problem, maybe keep a side light on, or have a torch next to your bed. I also sometimes find it useful to journal before I go to bed, so I think through everything that's happened that day or that I'm worried about then and my brain can relax a bit after doing that. I hope you feel better

[Fahrenheit]

Hey there.

I can relate to that a lot. When I went through a really bed period of anxiety a while ago, my sleep schedule was really messed up. I would lie awake every night feeling exhausted and yet my body would be hot and cold with anxiety and my heart would beat really hard. I would worry and obsess in my head and it can be really really miserable. So I am sorry you are going through this, but know that you aren't alone.

Honestly, when it comes to sleep and anxiety, mindfulness meditation is one of the most reliable and powerful tools I have found. It takes a lot of work, though. I find guided meditations are the best, because they give me something external to focus on, and that help keep me off the anxiety cycle. You can find many online. I like Vipassana style meditations, because they are explicitly about dealing with discomfort and with your subjective experience. I find the guided meditations that are all about soothing and calm don't do much for me unless I already AM calm. I need something a little tougher when I am in intense anxiety mode. I can give you a few recommendations if you like!

Along with that, I think it would be even better if you could also find a mediation group - maybe through meet up or just googling whether there are an zen centers where you live. The benefits of group mediation are consistency and company. When my anxiety was really bad, any time I tried to meditate alone in my room, I would not be able to sit still at all. But having a group helped ground me, and meant I was at least doing it weekly.

Last night I was pretty anxious after a few sleepless nights and I tried this breathing technique my mother had told me about. (Google the 4-7-8 breathing technique - I can't share links on the forum yet) It actually worked for me.

I want to emphasize, though, that both the meditation and the breathing technique (which I treated as a meditation) take time a work. They are not instant anxiety stoppers, and they are a lot like a muscle you have to build up. The more often you meditate, the more effective it is when you really need it. You really need to be regular (preferable daily) and get skilled at it, and then when your anxiety is bad, you would be surprised how much it can help. But it takes time to get to that point, so don't feel frustrated with yourself, or give up if it doesn't seem to do anything at first.

Another thing I do is listen to calming podcasts on my phone as I am trying to fall asleep. I can give you some recommendations if you are interested.

Let me me know if any of this helps, and keep us updated on your progress. It takes time to figure out what works for you, so be patient with yourself. You will find something, it isn't hopeless. And you aren't going crazy, but it can feel that way. Good luck.