Dreading going to bed lately

[thephoenix]

I've never been a very good sleeper, but these last few nights have been really bad for me. I know I have a bit of jet lag, but I don't think that is the only factor.

The last three nights, I've woken up about 4 or 5 am feeling very panicky and depressed. A lot of my dreams lately seem to be very troubled, as if I'm depressed in them and as a result when I wake up, it just sort of continues. My depression seems to be returning and getting a bit worse by the day.

I'm not really sure what to do. I don't see my psychiatrist for over a week and my psychologist is on medical leave.

Anyone have experience with this sort of thing and have any tips that might help?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Into The Light]

Re: Dreading going to bed lately.

i don't know if you are exercising or not. if you aren't, you could try to get some physical activity happening. it helps improve your mood and it also helps you sleep better.

the other thing that always helped me a lot was to put on some decent music in the mornings to help get me going. don't pick something depressing, just something neutral or uplifting.

how's your social life?

the other thing to look at is a regular bedtime routine. try to go to bed at the same time each night. try to do something relaxing just before bed, whether that's a relaxing bath/shower, a cup of tea or warm milk, or something else that provides you with comfort.

these are just some thoughts that come to mind right now.

 

[thephoenix]

Re: Dreading going to bed lately.

Thank you for your reply.

I guess I should have tried to be more clear. I do exercise, eat well, try to do all of the things that lead to a good nights sleep, but I'm just one of those unfortunate people who never sleep well. I usually wake up 20 or 30 times a night, I seem to have an abnormally small bladder, and I'm pretty sure my sleep cycle isn't what it should be.

I have been taking Trazadone to help me sleep for about 4 months now, slowly increasing the dose as my tolerance increases.

I guess what my problem is, is that although I have always woken a lot in the night, for the past 3 nights, I have been having extremely troubling dreams and when I wake up from these dreams, the feelings of depression and panic almost instantly overwhelm me. This is only a very recent development.

I just feel very shaken and fragile and as a result my depression seems to be getting worse each day, which is extremely difficult for me to deal with. I just don't know what to do.

 

[Into The Light]

Re: Dreading going to bed lately.

that's pretty rough. the lack of sleep actually makes depression worse and it can become a vicious cycle.

you mentioned you have a week before you see your psychiatrist, do you think you could see your family doctor earlier than that while you are waiting?

i would also think that the small bladder is something that there might be solutions for that your doctor could help you with.

hang in there. depression isn't easy to live with and it makes sense you are feeling shaken right now. try to take it a day, an hour, even a minute at a time. i know you are probably getting pretty frantic about the sleep thing and that is definitely the first thing you need to address. if at all possible try to see your family doctor about this to help you get through until you see your psychiatrist. if that isn't an option, you can always check in with a pharmacist. and last but not least, we are here to provide support to anyone who needs it, so keep posting so we can help you through this as well. just know that this won't be forever, this will pass, and there are things that can be done to correct your sleeping problems.

 

[thephoenix]

Re: Dreading going to bed lately.

Thank you again for your kind words.

I, like many people here, have been dealing with severe anxiety and depression for quite awhile. As I'm sure you know, every time it rears its ugly head it takes awhile for you to adjust to it, remember that its only a matter of time before you feel better etc. I guess the thing I'm having a big problem with this time is that due to the nightmares, I dread going to sleep, which makes me sleep worse, which just feeds the cycle. I guess deep down I know its all going to be alright, but at the moment I'm feeling pretty terrible.

I've left a message on my psychiatrists voicemail asking him to call me. The problem is that I am currently switching from Paxil to Effexor. I've almost completed the switch, but my psychiatrist is the one who is 'managing' the transition, so I'm hesitant to increase the dose of Effexor without talking to him first. I suppose all I can do is hope that he'll call soon and have some helpful advice or recommendations.

I really do appreciate your kind words. When I'm struggling and really in the *****, its always nice to hear someone tell you its all going to be alright.

 

[Into The Light]

Re: Dreading going to bed lately.

absolutely, we need reassurance that things will be ok (at least, i always did) when we feel so horrible due to depression. it's hard to believe so having someone else remind us is helpful.

is there anything you can think of that would help soothe you if you wake up from another nightmare? can you have a little night light, or maybe some kind of object that would calm you down? maybe you could make up a list of reminders to read if you wake up from one. for example, the list could say it was only a dream, not real, i am ok, i am safe in my bed, etc. etc.

when you wake up you can read this list to help calm you down.

i'm not sure if this is helpful or not, just throwing out some ideas here.