have been taking zopiclone for a couple of months while i was in hosp. Had discharge meeting yesterday and I told the psych that I wasn't sleeping, so she stopped my zoppies. I wasn't bothered cos they don't work anyway.
But she basically said that no one ever died of lack of sleep... and to listen to a relaxation CD.
Whatever. Like I haven't tried the relaxation route before, or the lavender, or the warm bath...
So damn angry.
Mostly angry at myself, cos basically what I figure I am doing is I'm not switching off at night because I want to deprive myself of sleep. Cos I want to feel ****. I want the pain. I deserve it. I deserve to suffer.
I'm sorry
Not sleeping can have a lot of bad effects on your body. Depriving yourself of sleep isn't a good idea. Try to sleep. Try a noise machine, drinking milk, reading, sleep hygiene stuff. Keep trying. xx
i've done that before, deprived myself of sleep to hurt myself. maybe the doctor's right, you can't die from it, but it can definitely make you feel ****. i know it doesn't seem to work but keep trying everything you can to get to sleep and hopefully it will work eventually. i googled sleep and came up with this page http://www.umm.edu/sleep/sleep_hyg.htm i don't know it might be worth a look
Not to scare you cos your body will eventually give in and sleep (just might be at the wrong time of day) but their have been cases of people dieying from lack of sleep.
Have you tried melatonin? It is a naturally produced substance in our body which helps to regulate the sleep wake cycle and was ausume at curing my persistant insomnia. Well maybe not curing but helping try it.
Im not sure if you need a prescription from it in your country tho
In short, you are able to die from lack of sleep. Sleep is when your body gets much of its healing and work done. It is also a shut down time for your brain and eyes.
Lack of sleep can lead to worsening of mh conditions, inclusive of psychosis and depression. It lowers your immune system, increases your stress levels and lowers your metabolism.
I would suggest going to speak to your gp or phsyician. Explain your sleep and how long it has been going on (it is a good idea to prepare by writing at least two weeks of a sleep diary, listing time awake, how long asleep for, how often you woke up and when plus any extra info, like did you have extra stimulus alchohol or coffee or an event prior to sleep).
There have been extensive studies done in sleep deprivation - The average person needs a min of 6 hrs sleep a night. Ideally 7 hrs. Without this, over a long period of time, you can cause the damage listed above.
The longest someone has gone in a study with no sleep is 4 days. The study was then stopped by the psych in charge as it was considered too dangerous to go further - the subject showed signs of psychosis, lethargy, rapidly changing moods and an inability to concentrate (on tasks) or focus (visual disturbances).
If you are stopping your body from sleeping as a form of self harm, you need to stop and put measures in place to get your sleep patterns back to somewhere more natural. That, and tell your psych/whoever it was not to use such throwaway comments about something you have raised as an issue.
If the Human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we wouldn't.
I slept for 3 hours yesterday afternoon. My support worker was visiting and I was falling asleep as she was talking, so I went to bed.
I saw my GP this morning. I told him I had trouble sleeping. He said it was part of the condition (BPD/depression) and to try the relaxation CD. He offered to write me up for some valium. I said not to as I don't want to start taking valium again. I was on 40mg a day and addicted. I managed to come off it last year.
Having said that. I took 5mg of some I already had tonight (I have a couple of tablets for emergencies). It has done nothing.
The doc I saw at discharge who said no one ever died of lack of sleep is not my usual doc. I don't think I'll be seeing her again, which is a good job.
hey, just wanted to say that i sometimes go through phases of purposely depriving myself of sleep. if you are using it as a form of self harm maybe you could mention that to your dr? cus that may give them some more insight into why your not sleeping and hence more of an ability to help
take care
xxxx
i have been back to bed and still can not sleep. I was going to take some more valium, but I don't trust myself to only take a little. So I'm not taking anymore tonight.
I've just got so much stuff going around in my head I can't switch off.
So I thought I'd come downstairs to the computer and type out what's going on in my head.
There is this part of me that is saying 'punish yourself. don't sleep'. It scares me because I go psychotic sometimes and I have had psychotic episodes in the past when I've not slept. Why would anyone do this to themselves though???
you're not screwed in the head at all. sometimes our minds take over...well thats how i see it.
i think its difficult with sleep than other kinds of self harm cus trying to fight the thoughts keeps you awake anyway (if u get what i mean)
writing out whats going on in your head is a good idea, i hope it helps a bit. and deciding to not take anymore valium is a really good decision!
xxxx
i have typed out a letter to my gp and cpn (no point writing to my pdoc as she's off sick). tried to be as honest as possible without coming over as too needy.
so now I've got that down on paper, I'm hoping it won't linger in my head and I'll be able to get some sleep!
Work is the best medicine for those who suffer from insomnia. Sometimes though it makes it to where one suffers from insomnia even more due to having too much on one`s mind.
"I know you're sad, so I won't tell you to have a good day. Instead, I advise you to simply have a day.
Stay alive, feed yourself well, wear comfortable clothes, and don't give up on yourself just yet.
It'll get better. Until then, have a day."
