Trying to Sleep Plagued with Intrusive thoughts

Pixiejewelz · ‎17-08-2017

Hi all. Whatever activity im involved in (with my daughter and grandkids) during day. For example 5 kids my daughter myself went for 1/2hr car drive today. When it comes time for sleep I read first then when Im tired i turn out the light. My mind races and eventually the thoughts will emerge from the events that day. Scenarios play out where im watching my daughter drive and see the car go off the road i can also see inside the car during the accident. It makes me shake my head to rid the thought but then on goes the light to scared to sleep. This happens every night it may be envisioning one of my grandkids being hit by a car, kidnapped. The other day i took my grandson for running training. He was panting hard out of breath. That night the intrusive scenario played in my head that he collapsed from a heart attack on the oval. Or he passed in his sleep from an undiagnosed condition exaserbated by the training. Why is this happening. Yes i do have fears of losing them i fear my own death. I just cant seem to switch off these thoughts at night or control them stop them from happening. Its impacting on me day to day. Ive rapidly loss weight due to it. Im not sleeping so im surviving on 2-3hrs sleep a night. I feel like swiching my brain off so i can sleep making it go numb if it were possible. Please help im desperate

Croix · ‎17-08-2017

Dear Pixiejewelz~

Welcome here to the Forum. I'm sorry you are having such troubles with sleep and all those horrible thoughts. It quickly wears a person down. They sound a bit like I've experienced when my anxiety has been out of control. Can you think of any reason for this to be so severe? It's obviously centered around ones you love, your daughter and grandchildren.

I would suggest that if you have not done so already you book a long consultation with your GP and set out the problem in detail. It may be that you are suffering from a condition like anxiety - I'm not a doctor, just going on my own experience with anxiety and other illnesses.

I found I needed medical help to improve. Nowadays my sleep is much improved with good rest more often than not.

There are of course things you can do yourself, and from what you are saying you are thinking along those lines already. Have a look at pages 7 & 8 on Sleep in this booklet:

http://resources.beyondblue.org.au/prism/file?token=BL/1178

I use these techniques and I do relaxation exercises in bed as well. I do get up if I can't sleep, distract myself and try again. While I have to take medication it's not just for sleep and hopefully this may become less necessary as time goes on.

In addition to the above I would think it might pay to have a look at the anxiety area in The Facts menu above and also browse around this Forum to see how others have coped.

Talking of others, do you have anyone you can talk to about this, perhaps in your family or a friend? Someone who knows you and cares may have an outside perspective on the matter.

Please post again, we would like to know more about how you are getting on.

Croix

amalee78 · ‎17-08-2017

I have similar intrusive thoughts at night. Have you tried using sleep meditation tracks? You can find heaps on YouTube, some talking and some music. I listen to these and do deep breathing exercises at the same time and it always works really well for me.

i also have kids and have intrusive thoughts about them. This may sound silly, but I was watching a show about people with OCD years ago, and one of the women on it said that it wasn't fair on her kids to put her fears on them. This really spoke to me and now every time an intrusive thought pops in my head about my kids I say to myself STOP it's selfish and unfair to place such terrible thoughts anywhere near my kids..even worries about not being there for your kids (I think these thoughts too) - it's not fair to put that on your kids. They're safe and loved and happy and have every chance and prospect of happy, fulfilled lives...

it doesn't always fully get rid of the thoughts, but it does help me.

Take care