Re: Just Checking In - 4 Years Post and Doing Well

I'm so sorry to hear that you're dealing with insomnia, it's one of the most frustrating things ever, and I still deal with it from time-to-time, though usually only in the few days before and after my period. Even now that I feel mostly better, I'm still pretty sensitive about sleep stuff. I used to be able to fall asleep anytime/place within minutes, but now I need a dark, quiet room with an open window, cool sheets and sometimes have to play mental games with myself to fall asleep (naming all the states in alphabetical order is a good one, I usually fall asleep around Kansas). I never took prescription sleeping medication, mostly because I'm worried about it being habit-forming, and I don't like to be reliant on anything I can't afford without health insurance. But if your doctor prescribed them and you feel like they are helping you, do what makes you feel better! In response to your email and your post, I don't really think any supplements helped me, although I tried everything. There doesn't seem to be a cure-all or magic bullet for these symptoms, at least as far as I can tell -- time made the biggest difference, exercise once I was able to do it did help me sleep better, which helped me recover faster, but I definitely understand not being at a point yet where you feel like you can exercise. Be gentle with yourself, and if you are having really dark thoughts, it might help to talk with a sympathetic counselor. I had to do this for a time, and it was just good to get everything out, and luckily I had a counselor who didn't think that the symptoms were in my head and was there to just listen. Counselors should not be dispensing medical advice anyway, and are there to hear your thoughts and help you process your emotions. I didn't have to have a counselor forever, but it helped in those months where I really didn't think I could go on. Good luck! Tweet