Association is probably the biggest trigger for anxiety and panic. I have a bed I can't sleep in because it brings back memories of all the panic attacks I had in it. There was a break when I went to hospital and now that I'm home I can't sleep in that bed. I am trying to as a form of exposure , but the association is very strong. Do you associate the room you can sleep in with good times and the one you can't with bad, or is the good room more appropriate light and heat wise.
What do you normally do in your bedroom? It is a funny question but I have read to reserve your bed for pleasurable, relaxing activities. Don't do work or have stressful conversations while in bed. Apparently if you do this your brain associates your bed as a safe heaven and relaxes more readily. What do you think about this?
On the days where i excersize in the early afternoon I tend to have less problems sleeping. I have also found that in some cases I sleep better in another room than my bedroom, although i'm not really sure why.
Yes they give out Ativan like candy but it is on the list of controled substance and the liturature says short term. It is also very addictive. It has a half life of one hour so in roughly four hours it is out of your system. times four means that at some point it isn't available and there comes the problem. If you have to use a Benzo, use one with a longer half life or better yet Buspar which is far safer. If you need it to go to sleep then you are hooked and when you try to quit you will be in for a shock. It can be done by switching to one with a longer half life and quiting it. I'll up date my profile so you can see why I was on it. The bike? I don't peddle till I sweat. I have arthritis So I peddle because its mindless and keeps my joints loose. Ativan is ment to be used for things like before a flight,(agoraphobia) and it goes well with most non sedating medication. But if you use it on a regular basis then you are defeating the purpose of the program which is to get rid of the panic not hide it so it can get you when you least expect it. Alot of people have trouble sleeping cause there wired this is far from being awake from panic and this is about panic and what to do about it. Don't let me rain on anyones parade, do what you must and don't feel guilty till the program works. One last thought on Benzo's. Look carfully at your life you may possibly not be functioning as well as you think. Ask your friends or familly After all its main job is to mask problems so you can function. If you feel you have to have it use it just accept that your not all you could be
Thanks for the tips. It seems to be a fairly common problem for people who struggle with anxiety/panic attacks. Just 2 questions..you say you will never take Ativan again. Did you have a bad experience with it? It seems to be prescribed fairly readily by doctors, even for things like not being able to sleep the night before a flight, which makes lots of people anxious. I have taken it in the past, and had no side effects at all. I take a similar medication daily now, but while the effects to Ativan are similar, it stays in your body a while longer. I'm really thankful for it. I sleep well and function normally in the daytime. In a nutshell, I feel normal again and back to my old self. My other question is your peddle bike. Usually they say not to exercise late in the evening or before bed as you may be wired. When do you peddle until you are tired? I know my nephew plays volleyball in the evenings, comes home exhausted, and then has trouble falling asleep. Just curious...Don
For those of you who may be interested these are a few of the things I do. They may or may not work for you after all your problem may not be the same as mine. I have agoraphobia and still get panic attacks. So this said here are a few of the things I do. I will use my computer with the sound off and I play Macjong.( this is a statement not an advertisement.) I play relaxation tapes in the background. I do not do any thing challenging. To aid sleep I will use warm milk.( heating it to simmering releases Triptophan. ) There are two herbals I use. L-Theanine for mild agitation and for panic I take 1 gram of Calcium and a cup of Lemon Balm tea. For me the tea is equal to 1mg of Ativan which I will never take again. It stops a panic attack flat in 15 minutes. It can be drank cold also so sometimes I make it but don't drink it unless I have to. It also gets rid of that not being able to breath feeling that is so scary. Why the Calcium? Because I don't absorb it well so I need 3 grams every day without fail or Panic. (just me). I also have an exercise bike that I will peddle till I'm tired. I also have a remote for my stereo so I can turn it on low without getting up. Lemon Balm is a member of the mint familly and is on the internet if you want information.
Hi again Sunny, Rita & Samantha. The visualization technique does work well for me. I find it works especially well when combined with those relaxation music CD's of forest sounds, rain falling, waves rolling, etc. You might have to sample a few to find a couple you really find relaxing and complements the pleasant quiet place Sunny refers too. Even listening to them in the background while reading a book really settles my mind down enough to sleep. At first I thought they were kind of weird, but they actually seem to work. My massage therapist always plays them softly too and says it helps people to relax. Just another idea you might consider. Give massage therapy a try too - you don't know how relaxing it is until you try it. Your health plan may even cover it.
Hi Rita: the visualization tech. is when you think about a quiet place you may have experienced before where you can relax - something very pleasant - or you can make one up - something that is soothing to you such as for example, a beach with the waves coming in and out. When you visualize your "space" so to speak, then you can start adding to it such as: what sounds do you hear? Is it hot or cold? What do the trees, air, flowers, etc. smell like? You can look and start noticing all the colours of a room, or the sky, whatever it is you choose. Sometimes I choose a quiet room and start decorating it just for me as though money were no object, I only have to please myself. What would I put into this room? Paintings and sculptures - I like art. Maybe photos of loved ones - maybe an old fashioned type fireplace, a huge library. I would definitely have dogs - luv dogs. You can add to your visualization as much as you wish. This "space" indoor or outdoor, is one which is secure. No one can come in without your permission, there are no ringing telephones, no blaring television (unless you want those things there) and it is there for you to visit/use any time you wish. Sometimes I visualize a bird sanctuary I have walked before and remember the bird song, the feeding stations, the birds feeding out of my hand; those type of soothing, peaceful things.
