My friend is a recovering addict and it has really helped him to overcome insomnia. Personally, I used to take Ambien but once he got clean I stopped. The sleep essence has helped me overcome that tremendously. If you don’t want to get that specific, just google “melatonin” and you can find it in many vitamin/health care aisles. good luck !!!! zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Realising it won’t last forever helps too – there is no back up drug – that’s silly – unless you genuinely have pain, not imagined. Benzo’s would be an EMERGENCY back up only for ONE NIGHT and you had a REAL reason to sleep (not just churning thoughts). Sorry, if you are serious, that’s the way the world turns. Don’t turn to drugs. What got you where you are now? And I am liberal in my advice but you really need to read up a bit more. Sorry, but sometimes we are too soft with one another.

Mind you, if you haven’t slept in 15 days that is another issue altogether. I’d go to hosital (they are free here and I know they are pricey in the States but sometimes you have to weight things up). Sometimes you can dream you are awake, if that helps. Everyone over 29 usually feels a bit crappy in the mornings – slow process waking up – so don’t blame Tramadol for that. Blame life and getting older.

People go to doctors for help. They are just people, stumbling around in the dark (especially in this field but they need to look like they know what they are doing – now that’s a joke!!!!),

I work in the health field and a GP (with a strong D&A background once wrote a prescription for me that said no going to Doctors with these sorts of problems) unless you need the key to Suboxoe program or Done (well…your choice – it does stabilise) – or if you have a broken arm or something sort of really obvious.

Most psychs are useless – anti depressants (SSRI, SNRI are all basically the same crap no matter what they tell and they are causing a real problem for the future; tricyclics are a bit different in that they are are useless or send you into a come and if any prescribes Nardil – or “one of the much older ones I have found to have benefits in cases like yours”, just get up and walk away) are very widely misunderstood – if you have been comatose for two weeks – sure – they may help – otherwise they are junk. Just junk. Another thing they never tell you is if you are drinking you will get no effect from them at all.

Look for good ears, be a good ear, praise your victories, forget your failures (like, unless you are a mass murderer or something equally ghastly, like started a war by accident – now, come to think of it, there are a few of those – the ones that started the GFC are different – they did it on purpose), people are only interested in themselves usually). Life may seem like it goes on forever but it is short. And no one want to end up in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s – loose point but it will sink in if you think.

You can interpret that two ways – 1. Your agony in this stuffed society will also be short, or

2) Better get it get it together quick cause all those fags will kill us quicker than anything esle.

Love you all I suppose (P.S. can anyone tell me what LOL means? – I thought it was lots of love thing but it’s now turning up everywhere?).

Sorry – I am as weak as you but these are observations from a 55 y.o. hill (there’s a reference there – anyone get it?). Don’t fret about self medicating, fret about self OVER medicating!!!!

I have the same problem. I am still using relatively (for me) small amounts of alcohol when I get home, then nod off about 8.30 (I get up c. 5.30 for work) and wake at 2.00 PM and PANIC – the old small problems become WW2 if you know what I mean.

Yet to come up with a real solution but these may help:

a) Don’t use Benzo’s Inless you blitscrieg – sorry about the WW2 references all the time) – they just knock you off for an hour or so;
b) No Alcohol or tobacco – I know it is belted into us but they don’t help, no matter how bored or panic sticken you are;
c) and yes, warm milk DOES HELP (now, who would have thought mainstream medical advice was of any use – I always know better!;
d) Go back to bed – you are getting almost as much rest awake as asleep – hold that thought!!!
e) Enjoy the drowsies as they come through – even though it is a bummer when you are with friends in your dreams and you wake up alone again….
f) You are doing everything right (sort of) so skip any guilt trips;
g) I was going to say ring someone up and tell them you are from a new phone company and would they like to hear your new deals (dunno why that works – it is mean) – you really cop abuse and I think your poor victim will sleep OK – just don’t ring me);
h) Have a shower and pretend you are someone normal like Carole King or someone?

Don’t ring friends unless it’s an emergency – you will lose them,

Hope that helps. Maybe it might help to know you are not alone (although our time zones are different) and there is someone going through the same torture as us.

Like I said I got myself on a strict bedtime routine which I got used to pretty quickly. Nighttime tea which I found worked for me (even if just mentally), Night time hygiene. Sad to say that this was lacking for a long time while I was actively addicted.

Next I read…and read and read until I can’t keep my eyes open. That’s basically how I got through those beginning months.

Now, I don’t have to think about it so much. I just do my nighttime routine and I usually fall asleep pretty quickly.

How many sleepless nights did you have before you could finally sleep? I went 3 nights of insomnia and also thought I was going out of my mind. My doctor prescribed me Ambien CR and I was finally able to sleep on the 4th day by taking it but I ended up getting terribly sick and missed all of the next week of work.

I felt so terrible and knew if I couldn’t sleep I’d lose my mind. I still have to take Ambien to sleep at night. I have no vacation left now that I can take but would love any suggestions people have to help me wean off of a sleep aid. I think that is why I still feel so bad and have no energy.

Does the sleepy time tea really help? I think I’ll stop on the way home and get some and try that tonight.

If I can’t take drugs to sleep…no one can!

Taking a drug for sleeplessness is just a temporary fix. If it is your thoughts keeping you awake you need to find a way to quiet those thoughts.

For me, reading is the only thing that helps. I read every night until I can’t keep my eyes open. Then once I put the book down, I concentrate on my breathing and I drift off to Lala land.