At what point is insomnia dangerous?

[[un...]]

In the past 6 wks I have averaged only 2hrs of sleep per week. I feel like I am starting to deteriorate mentally to the point of having extreme difficulty focusing and communicating. Can't feel any joy. My head feels like it is going to explode.  At what point is insomnia dangerous? I don't know how long I go with almost total sleep deprivation. If I survive this I wonder if I will recover my mental abilities and emotion? 

[Guest [Le...]]

I wish I could tell you something that would fix this right this second, but all I can tell you is that sleep really does return.

 

Not so long ago I was where you are, and I didn't think I'd ever sleep again, but amazingly I can now, and my brain is beginning to really function again in the most marvelous way. It took much longer than I ever thought it would, but the small incremental steps along the way helped keep my hope alive.

 

You're still fresh off a cold turkey, but if you're getting two hours of sleep now, soon you'll be getting four, then five. I got stuck at six hours for the longest time, and then suddenly lurched toward seven.

 

Also, my emotions decided to show up one day out of the clear blue, and I started crying uncontrollably over a cat rescue video - seriously. And it was thrilling. I couldn't cry at all for over a year, so this was just a magnificent thing, weeping over a happy ending.

 

As far as mental acuity, once mine returned it felt sharper then ever. I think you'll experience this too, even though that may not seem possible now. Just keep going forward and you'll get there, and it could even happen overnight.

[[Ma...]]

sleep dont return for me, or not good anyways, I either sleep or I sleep have nightmares constantly wake up and when I finally wake up I am fatigued all day

[[bi...]]

In the past 6 wks I have averaged only 2hrs of sleep per week. I feel like I am starting to deteriorate mentally to the point of having extreme difficulty focusing and communicating. Can't feel any joy. My head feels like it is going to explode.  At what point is insomnia dangerous? I don't know how long I go with almost total sleep deprivation. If I survive this I wonder if I will recover my mental abilities and emotion?

 

I'm right there with you my friend. While I don't think insomnia is deadly biologically, I will tell you that I feel the real danger is the mental fall out. The things in my head from lack of sleep are much scarier then any side effect of not sleeping. God help us

[[SS...]]

i feel your pain - in my first 30 days i got about 20 hours of sleep.  between week 5 and 6 i suddenly had 8 days where i slept 4 hours each night and i thought the nightmare was over but then weeks 6 and 7 back to 0 sleep many nights - often 3-4 nights in a row followed by maybe a night with 2 hours.  now finishing week 8 today and 2 nights this week i got 5 hours of sleep.  the other nights 0-1 hours.  there seems to be no rhyme or reason.  i gave up trying to find any supplement that would work and i won't take any prescription medication as i suspect that will only cause delays, setbacks or dependence on yet another substance.  i don't know how the human body can do this.  i really thought after those first 30 days that surely the brain would give way but it didnt other than the few nights i've mentioned.  i take peace in the fact that others say it comes back.  i know if i only got 5 hours every night - that i could function so so so much better and cope with things and handle my emotions.  without sleep - everything is difficult....  i will pray every one of us finds real sleep

[[Fa...]]

Sleep has very gradually gotten a little better I'm just so afraid it will go back to being non existent again tho!

[[al...]]

Even though I am in a bit of a late-stage wave right now, my brain somehow actually feels sharper than before all of this withdrawal stuff in spite of the loss of so much sleep over the last couple of years. I would not worry about permanent loss of brain function due to insomnia.

[[bi...]]

Sleep has very gradually gotten a little better I'm just so afraid it will go back to being non existent again tho!

 

Just remember to pack your parachute when on the pink cloud. I had three solid weeks of sleeping 5-7 hrs the end if month 2. It went all of a sudden to absolute 0. This is a non linear ride. It may or may not come back. Just done be too upset when and if it does. I made that mistake. Even posted a success story.  We will get through eventually!

[[Ph...]]

The odd thing is that worrying about insomnia produces more insomnia.  It's helpful to learn how to let go.  Just let it all go.

[Guest [Le...]]

The odd thing is that worrying about insomnia produces more insomnia.  It's helpful to learn how to let go.  Just let it all go.

 

I completely agree - I never made real progress until I stopped fearing the insomnia. It's hard to explain, but I guess when I gave up caring, I started sleeping more and more.

[Guest [sa...]]

One time i went on a trip and spent 2 days without sleeping, during dinner time i felt like my consciousness fading away. Like, i was gonna faint or have a seizure. I quickly run back to hotel and slept and the issue went away.

 

I guess lack of sleep can't be dangerous, unless you have some medical condition, or is doing something dangerous(like driving)

[[al...]]

I think that driving is certainly dangerous for normal people who are sleep deprived, but while I was in the throes of my worst withdrawal insomnia I never came close to nodding off while behind the wheel. I guess that if nodding off were possible I would have been able to nod off while in bed. I have to remind myself that when I am tired now, I may be more likely to doze off while driving since things are much closer to normal that they used to be.

[[HO...]]

In the past 6 wks I have averaged only 2hrs of sleep per week. I feel like I am starting to deteriorate mentally to the point of having extreme difficulty focusing and communicating. Can't feel any joy. My head feels like it is going to explode.  At what point is insomnia dangerous? I don't know how long I go with almost total sleep deprivation. If I survive this I wonder if I will recover my mental abilities and emotion?

 

I'm right there with you my friend. While I don't think insomnia is deadly biologically, I will tell you that I feel the real danger is the mental fall out. The things in my head from lack of sleep are much scarier then any side effect of not sleeping. God help us

 

So true!

[[HO...]]

I had 7 seizures the neurologist believed from not sleeping. I'm on melatonin for not sleeping right now. Sometimes things need to be added.

[[P1...]]

The odd thing is that worrying about insomnia produces more insomnia.  It's helpful to learn how to let go.  Just let it all go.

 

This is so true. I'm still going through withdrawals from three months of .05 mg klonopin, and have been suffering from insomnia for a couple of weeks. Last night, I mentally told and prepared myself that I may not get a good night's rest, and that I'll be okay with that. Lo and behold, I got much better sleep than any previous nights.

[[ri...]]

Hi Leslie,

How were you able to stop Ativan and still get any sleep?

Could you explain me your taper process?

Thanks!

[Guest [Le...]]

Hi Leslie,

How were you able to stop Ativan and still get any sleep?

Could you explain me your taper process?

Thanks!

 

Hi Rivelino,

 

Unfortunately my process was a rapid taper ending in a cold turkey (click the Extended Signature link below for details). I don't recommend what I did at all, but the good news is that as bad as it was, the insomnia finally resolved, and I can sleep naturally most of the time now.

 

To answer your question, I couldn't sleep properly for a long time - in fact, I got no sleep at all in the beginning. It was horrendous, and I did not think I'd survive. But I did, and you will too - it's just a matter of the time it takes for your brain to adjust.

 

Take care!

Leslie