Depressed, anxious and struggling to sleep?
I've come here because I don't know where else to turn but I really need advice now. I was diagnosed with anxiety June last year when my stomach was getting bad, and was given tablets to help calm me down and they seemed to help me. After so long they helped me discover what was worrying me and helped me get over that.
Although June this year, I found myself meeting a girl and ended up getting into a relationship with her. We're still together now but ever since first meeting her and getting together, I've just been finding myself struggling to sleep. She's on my mind constantly and I'm pretty insecure about myself after being hurt a lot in the past. She knows some of this and some of my past but I've never gone into too many details because I don't want to overload her too much with my problems because I should be happy and she does make me happy. It's just my past that is making me unhappy. But I know I over-think things about her, and added onto that, I miss her all of the time when she's not around and that's a part of my problems.
I'm only assuming my lack of sleep is over her all of this but the more I am over-thinking things, the worse I'm sleeping and the worse I'm sleeping, the more I'm over-thinking so I can't win. I wake up numerous times in the night, many times with my heart pounding like I'm in a panic for some reason. I'm just getting really depressed though at the moment. I'm finding myself going to bed in the early evening now just to shut my eyes and get some sleep because the only time I'm asleep is when I'm not worrying about anything and not in any pain, until I wake up anyway, as well as the fact I'm overly tired from not sleeping the night before. So I've been like this for over two months now and I need to sleep and get my head straight.
I tried to book a doctors appointment the other day but they have no spaces at all. I just want some help and advice if anybody out there has any for me?
I know this struggle so well!
Overthinking is a huge problem before bedtime, since it's the one time in the day you're truly alone with your thoughts without any distractions. Here are a few things you can try!
1. Write down your worries
Give yourself some time before bed to write down everything you're going to worry and think about once you get in bed. Giving yourself an outlet let's you say, "Hey! Brain! I already worried about this, be quiet!"
2. Relaxation Exercises
Progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing or imagery can be very beneficial to calming your mind enough to sleep.
3. White noise
Play some sleep songs from YouTube or ambience noises. Ocean waves are always nice!
4. Aromatherapy
Chamomile and lavender are great for sleeping.
5. Distraction Technique
Think of an object and describe it with as much detail as possible. It's exact shade of color, size, texture, weight, height, etc. You can also try creating and solving math problems in your head, or coming up with a fruit/animal/object for every letter of the alphabet over and over.
Hopefully one or a combination of some of these can help ease your mind enough to get some rest. I hope the best for you!
Eme
i know how you feel. here are a few things that have been suggested to me that I do that help. I haven't resorted to taking tablets yet although am very tired at times! one is to burn lavender oil in a burner. if you can't get hold of one put a couple of drops on your pillow:definatley helps me. The other thing you can do is write everything down that is bothering you especially at night as it empties out your head which stops you thinking about them all night! I have also been told to burn things once you write them down so the negativity is not in your room with you.
helps. You need to remind yourself that you are worth loving and that she does love you and let her be free as they say if we hold on too much we will loose them and that would be sad. people need to be free to want to choose to be with you. and you need time to be with you; and I can assure you I know how lonely that can be at times but you need to find something you enjoy doing for you.
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