I remember hearing a horror story about a woman who had gone in for surgery. The anesthetic had not worked properly. She could hear and feel everything going on during the procedure, but her body was completely paralysed. She was unable to tell those operating to stop. The pain was excruciating. She tried screaming. She couldn’t. Everyone thought she was asleep. In a normal surgery, she would be. But this was not a normal surgery. She was very much awake. Feeling everything.
This is how I would explain insomnia. Those who have experienced it would understand. Those who haven’t, may not be able to… and that is ok. I don’t expect you to understand. I do, however, ask that you try.
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Insomnia was one of the worst symptoms of my anxiety. All I wanted to do was sleep to avoid the pain (for want of a better word) and when I would finally fall into blissful emptiness only to wake again shortly after.
A mixture of professional help, medication and meditation is what finally worked for me. Learning meditation has seriously changed my life.
Your experience with your GP is exactly why my sister has decided to start studying medicine at the age of 33.
Wow, that was a really interesting article, I'd had no idea that insomnia was a mental disorder rather than a physical one.
Good for you for making the connection and getting yourself the help you needed.
When suffering from anxiety i can't sleep because the adrenal glands produce too much adrenalin for me and unless I get help I can only sleep in 45 minute sleep cycles and then i'm awake again (even on valium or similar) I too had never previously thought of it being a mental disorder but when hospitalised for anxiety there were also patients admitted with insomnia.