ENcourage Connection

But I want to add some humor here before my son and I hit the hay.
Maybe if it comes tonight, I can ask it "what took so long" and see it as a long lost lover.

It probably won't work at 4:00 am....but i'll try it.

• Hey Meg... here's what I do.... 08:50:31 08/22/2009 Why (0)
• Something that helped me... 16:17:05 08/13/2009 Pat at ENcourage (0)
• Nocturnal panic... 06:41:51 08/13/2009 KerryAnne In Tassie (0)
• Maybe if I embrace the lizard....it will be kinder....gentler....maybe... (n/t) 18:21:02 08/12/2009 meg (1)
  • I say "Embrace that lizard". It's won't change, but *YOU* will. (n/t) 15:17:14 08/13/2009 Debbie IN California (0)

In Reply to: I have been waking up in the middle of the night with panic posted by meg on August 12, 2009 at 18:19:33:

Hi Meg,

I wake up with panic attacks pretty often from my sleep, and I guess because it's been happening to me for years, I'm kind of used to it. But who really ever gets used to it?

What I do when it happens, that seems to help, is sort of a CBT kinda thing. As soon as I am awake enough to realize that I am 'just' having a panic attack, and that the chemicals in my brain are just "misfiring", I take it to thought rather than reaction.

For instance, instead of reacting and automatically fearing what is happening (which, of course does happen for the first few seconds before I am aware enough to realize what is happening), I take it to the thought process as soon as I am able to. I lie still for a little bit while I silently remind myself of what is going on.

First, I ask what it is, and I answer that it is my body's fight or flight system kicking in when it doesn't need to, because there is no danger.

Second, I ask myself if I have ever gone through this before and been harmed by it, and the answer is always no. It is not dangerous, which we all know. Not that it's not terribly uncomfortable and annoying, lol, but dangerous... no.

And last (or you can make up your own last or however many of these questions you need to ask yourself to get through it)... what will happen to me? Well, my answer is that it will pass if I just lie still for a bit and keep myself as calm as possible. Like a leg cramp or something, it's an awful feeling, but relaxing will allow it to pass more quickly.

I know this process of accepting isn't easy at first, but it works pretty much every time if you practice.

I don't know if you take medication or not, but maybe there is something your doctor can give you to take before you go to sleep that will help calm your body more? There are also natural remedies like the one I've found is very helpful is yogi brand tea with passionflower... anyone taking xanax should not take kava or valerian, but passionflower is fine.

I hope some of this helped, and that your night terrors ease very soon.

Hugs to you Meg.

Robyn

In Reply to: I have been waking up in the middle of the night with panic posted by meg on August 12, 2009 at 18:19:33:

In case this would be of interest to you, I used to keep a cassette tape player going all night long! I would play---on a continuous loop machine---a few tapes that were particularly calming to me. A few were music, but most were "talk" tapes that were constant reminders of peaceful concepts, etc. Not sure if that's practical for you, but it sure helped me with nighttime panic!

Hugs,
Pat

In Reply to: I have been waking up in the middle of the night with panic posted by meg on August 12, 2009 at 18:19:33:

Meg I can relate....waking from a deep sleep in the middle of the night in the throws of panic once ruled my life. I haven't had them for a long time now thank goodness but still remember vividly the terror I would experience
I like your take on it (the lizard)....I always called it the panic monster is strange how we equate it with something reptilian.
I hope the lizard finds another cave to live in soon and that you can get better night's sleep
Hugs, Kerry

In Reply to: I have been waking up in the middle of the night with panic posted by meg on August 12, 2009 at 18:19:33:

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In Reply to: Maybe if I embrace the lizard....it will be kinder....gentler....maybe... (n/t) posted by meg on August 12, 2009 at 18:21:02:

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