sleep disorder w/intense anxiety - what is it? Posted: 10-17-07 16:21pm
I have been struggling with this sleep
disorder for about a year now. I haven't
found a name for it online, so I thought I
would detail the symptoms on this forum.
If you have any ideas please let me know.
It would be much appreciated.
It doesn't happen every night, but I think
I have noticed a connection between it
happening when I need to get more sleep or
go to bed earlier. Regardless, it
continues whether I am stressed or not...
I can be perfectly fine, trying to get to
sleep and then it happens again. Here's
what occurs..
* Maybe 10 or 20 minutes or so into trying
to get to sleep, I feel a 'shift' in my
brain. I start to feel unreality and
depersonalization - which is normal, if
you're starting to dream. But I'm not, I'm
still fully cognitive and awake.
* Sometimes I see flashes of white light
around my peripheral view.
* I get intense chemical anxiety. I say
chemical because I don't know how to
describe it in another way. It feels like
a shower of anxiety coming from my brain
down into my chest. My head actually feels
like it's tingling. It lasts for about 3
or 4 seconds, but occurs more than once.
* Speaking of, I feel a lot of heart/chest
pain during this, and sometimes I think I
am going to get a heart attack.
* Just last night I started to feel the
anxiety in my brain stem area! Whoa..what
is going on here?
* Sometimes if I open my eyes during this
I see hallucinations. I've seen anything
from black blobs on my walls, to a kitten
grooming itself. It disappears very
quickly. Again - I am not
sleeping..usually all the pain and fear
has kept me awake. I was having some other
weird hallucinations last night too, where
I felt like I was turning my head to the
side but I wasn't.
I always feel like I'm going to die or
that I'll need to go to the hospital
because the physical pain is so intense
during this, it's not prolonged but
happens in waves or "flashes" as I call
them. It has been keeping me up a lot
lately, it doesn't happen every night but
sometimes I can predict when I'm going to
have an episode and it's really scary.
Any clues?? I feel helpless. I almost
think I should see a sleep specialist to
see what is going on with my brain
activity at night.
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1980 Location: Strumica, Macedonia
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Posted: 10-18-07 07:42am
Sleep disturbances are one of the most
serious symptoms of stress and can be
difficult to control.
How do you handle with a stress in your
daily life?
Have you experienced such episodes during
day?
Have you been interrupted in a middle of
sleeping by intensive fear?
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CarolDiane
Supporter
Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 2222 Location: Finally a picture to a name,
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Thanked:125
Posted: 10-21-07 00:05am
IMHO I think seeing a neurologist would be
a good thing.
Carrie
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Carifairy
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 2580 Location: Charlotte n.c.
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Posted: 10-21-07 01:18am
Sleepy girl-
I may have an answer...
Do you ALSO sometimes feel paralyzed??
There is a disorder called "SLEEP
PARALYSIS"
It causes all of the symptoms you mention,
but also gives someone the feeling of
paralysis.
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sleepygirl
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Oct 2007 Posts: 2
Posted: 10-21-07 07:18am
I agree w/seeing a neurologist. Wish my
insurance hadn't ran out though. We'll
see. It comes in waves so I think I'm ok
for awhile and then it strikes again.
I actually don't feel paralyzed, I know
what you are talking about though. It has
happened to me before. Usually if I am
waking up from a dream in the middle of
the night. It is pretty scary, but rare
for me. This happens when I am trying to
get to sleep, before I dream, and I move
around a lot actually because I get so
frightened by it that I want to make sure
I'm still alive, haha.
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