Had anxiety attack last Tuesday, have only slept 7 hours since then

meco1999

Member
Some background on me: I've had anxiety disorders since at least age 12, including social anxiety disorder since that age. I haven't been to a psychologist or psychiatrist since I was 19. I'm 32 now. From 2000-early 2012 I didn't have any severe problems with anxiety, just avoidance of most social situations/interaction, which I could deal with. In May 2012 I had a major anxiety attack due to a social situation in my workplace, and that anxiety attack lasted a couple of months, but I was able to sleep fine every night. I took a couple of Benadryl some nights to help me sleep, and some Passionflower supplements to help me through the anxiety, but otherwise sleep was fine and I could cope with my daytime anxiety OK. Since that attack in May I've had anxiety attacks off and on on pretty much a monthly basis due to various triggers, mostly work-related, like when someone gets demanding and raises their voice at me. For example, there was a situation in December where a woman raised her voice and got angry with me, which caused an anxiety attack in me that lasted 3 weeks, with repetitive, intrusive thoughts thinking about her. However, I haven't had any major sleep problems; I may have lost 1 night of sleep a couple of times, but I would sleep great after that. Since January I had been doing OK mostly, trying to get over my anxiety attacks with exercise, relaxation, and reading Claire Weekes' "Hope and Help for your Nerves," and the first couple of weeks of February were peaceful for me, no anxiety.

However, last Tuesday I was reading reviews of a very disturbing horror movie. I didn't watch any of the movie at all, just read a lot of reviews of it, and just reading what happens in the movie triggered a big anxiety attack in me. My body (legs, arms, etc) was trembling uncontrollably, heart racing, racing, repetitive thoughts about that movie, loss of appetite, sweating in bed, hot/cold flashes, and I've had these symptoms ever since then. I have also had insomnia far worse than I've ever had in my life. I was completely unable to sleep for 3 nights, heart racing, unable to stop my body from trembling, getting hot/cold flashes, sweating in bed, and unable to stop thinking about that movie day and night. On each night I took 2 Tylenol PMs, 2 Benadryls, drank some Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra tea, and took 2 Passionflower capsules, but none of it did any good. I didn't even get a minute of sleep those nights, and normally 2 Tylenol PMs put me out very easily. On the 4th night (Friday night), after about 86 hours without any sleep at all, I was so completely exhausted and totally desperate for something that would make me fall asleep. I tried taking a cap full of Nyquil (30 mL), and I was able to sleep for 3 hours, but then I woke up for 2 hours, and went back to sleep for another 3 hours. Because of those 6 hours of sleep, Saturday I felt almost back to normal, still having some mild anxiety symptoms and thinking about the movie some, but so relieved that finally something had worked to help me sleep, and I felt like I was getting over this attack. However, Saturday night I took a cap full of Nyquil and couldn't go to sleep at all after lying in bed a couple of hours, but I was also lying in bed afraid I might have a bad dream about that horror movie. At about 3 AM I got up and took another cap full of Nyquil and drank some Sleepytime Extra tea, and after a couple of hours of lying in bed I think I finally fell asleep for about 30 minutes-1 hour, but then I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep.

I spent yesterday anxious and worried about this insomnia problem I'm having. My uncontrollable shaking had disappeared Saturday since I had 6 hours of sleep the previous night, but it returned yesterday since I only got 1 hour of sleep Saturday night, and my heart rate was higher than Saturday, about 100 bpm resting. I've only gotten a total of 7 hours of sleep since last Tuesday, and before then I had NEVER had an insomnia problem in my life. I had never missed more than 1 night of sleep in my life. I'm concerned. I just want something that will help me fall asleep. I have no idea why Nyquil helped me sleep 6 hours Friday night and only 1 hour last night. Sleep is really what I need, as sleep has helped me recover from all of my previous anxiety attacks, and I need sleep to be functional, healthy, and happy. I'm a wreck without sleep.

This anxiety attack was worse than all my other ones since last May due to this insomnia problem I've had for a week now.

I've been exercising for 1 hour/day and avoiding caffeine everyday. I've also been taking a hot shower before bed.

Last night I tried going to sleep without any medicine, and the first thing I noticed when I got in the bed was I started trembling uncontrollably. Couldn't sleep after 90 minutes, so I got up and took some Valerian root with some Melatonin. I'm not sure if I got any sleep because I don't remember any dreams, but I remember tossing and turning a lot, and when I looked at the clock and got up for the day I hadn't been asleep. It was like my eyes were closed but I was still awake. I still feel reasonably rested, so maybe I went into a state of semi-consciousness for a few hours. My heart rate is about 100 bpm this morning, still some trembling.

What do you think I should do? Am I going to be OK?
 

spearhunter

Well-known member
i really think you should go see your doctor,because i think your problem is your big anxiety that triggers this horrific insomnia. I have insomnia as well and i tried every sleep aid there is available at the pharmacy.They work for sometime and then they stop working because i am building a big tolerance to everything.So now i will try to get rid of my anxiety thru a SSRI, and I will see if I can get a goods night sleep.But you should really go to the doctor, because having anxiety issues is one thing but add to that horrific insomnia, thats another ball game, because anxiety and insomnia can really wreck you up.
 

rosewood

Well-known member
i am so sorry you are suffering. can you get to a doctor? your sleep is so, so important. if you can that under control, you might be able to address what caused the trigger in the first place. please post and let us know how you are doing...
 
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