Question:
Hanna, Your web site is really creative. Could you post it again please, I forgot to bookmark it ? Quality of life and happiness is what we should all keep in mind as our common goal. Kind of like always keeping your eye on the ball in baseball, we should always think about reaching true quality of life and happiness while living with panic disorder. Tony
Absolutely, Tony! Quality of life is what we are all working for. In my case, I’m a little too creative when it comes to analyzing 
The things I can think of to worry about! I’m glad you’ve gotten to a good space for you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Ezra, Fortunately for me my analytical mind and creative thoughts helped me get a degree in electrical engineering and I have been working at the same job for over 15 years now. My panic attacks didn’t start happening until about 3 years after I graduated from college so I consider myself lucky that I was able to get my life together before the panic disorder started happening. I have always been an anxious person, as have my siblings to a lesser degree, and my mother and her mother to about the same degree as me. Since I’ve been taking meds I’m not living in a state of anxiety so my brain is as quick as it used to be since I’m not living in a state of fight or flight. I’ll take my new quality of life over the old any day. I would rather be a calm engineer than an anxious artist. Just my two cents, Tony hi tony, ezra here, i know what you mean by the way your memory works.. i’ve been told all my life that i was extremely creative but ‘over analytical’ (did i spell that right?) (am i over analysing now??) see what i mean. it would be a great idea to see how many of us think in a similar manner.. hey we may just find an answer in this! one that suits everyone! (as some of our views are not always appreciated here.) i reckon that its the way the 2 halves of our brains work – the creative side and the logical side. i already know that genetics is somehow involved – as my father and my aunt both suffered from PA at some point in there lives – not for many years now though… regards, ezra Pagona, Looking at a computer monitor will not help you fall asleep. Exposure to light will keep you awake. Try dimming the lights in your house a couple of hours before you plan to fall asleep. It will put you in the mood to sleep. Reading all of these posts with different ideas will probably also get your mind to start thinking and make you more alert. I would try to stay away from the computer if I was trying to fall asleep. I had problems falling asleep before I started taking meds for panic disorder. If somebody/something upset me during the day I would replay it in my head. My memory is very visual and emotional. I can replay events in my head like a camcorder and feel the exact emotion as if I was reliving an event. I often wonder if other ASAP people have similar memories. My memory has changed since I’ve been taking meds. There are advantages and disadvantages to my old way of memory. I think I was more creative with the old memory but I really could not go on living a normal life with the panic attacks. I guess what I am getting to is that maybe you need to take meds for obsessive thoughts. Tell us more and the group will help you more. Tony I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Response:
Absolutely, Tony! Quality of life is what we are all working for. In my case, I’m a little too creative when it comes to analyzing The things I can think of to worry about! I’m glad you’ve gotten to a good space for you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Ezra, Fortunately for me my analytical mind and creative thoughts helped me get a degree in electrical engineering and I have been working at the same job for over 15 years now. My panic attacks didn’t start happening until about 3 years after I graduated from college so I consider myself lucky that I was able to get my life together before the panic disorder started happening. I have always been an anxious person, as have my siblings to a lesser degree, and my mother and her mother to about the same degree as me. Since I’ve been taking meds I’m not living in a state of anxiety so my brain is as quick as it used to be since I’m not living in a state of fight or flight. I’ll take my new quality of life over the old any day. I would rather be a calm engineer than an anxious artist. Just my two cents, Tony hi tony, ezra here, i know what you mean by the way your memory works.. i’ve been told all my life that i was extremely creative but ‘over analytical’ (did i spell that right?) (am i over analysing now??) see what i mean. it would be a great idea to see how many of us think in a similar manner.. hey we may just find an answer in this! one that suits everyone! (as some of our views are not always appreciated here.) i reckon that its the way the 2 halves of our brains work – the creative side and the logical side. i already know that genetics is somehow involved – as my father and my aunt both suffered from PA at some point in there lives – not for many years now though… regards, ezra Pagona, Looking at a computer monitor will not help you fall asleep. Exposure to light will keep you awake. Try dimming the lights in your house a couple of hours before you plan to fall asleep. It will put you in the mood to sleep. Reading all of these posts with different ideas will probably also get your mind to start thinking and make you more alert. I would try to stay away from the computer if I was trying to fall asleep. I had problems falling asleep before I started taking meds for panic disorder. If somebody/something upset me during the day I would replay it in my head. My memory is very visual and emotional. I can replay events in my head like a camcorder and feel the exact emotion as if I was reliving an event. I often wonder if other ASAP people have similar memories. My memory has changed since I’ve been taking meds. There are advantages and disadvantages to my old way of memory. I think I was more creative with the old memory but I really could not go on living a normal life with the panic attacks. I guess what I am getting to is that maybe you need to take meds for obsessive thoughts. Tell us more and the group will help you more. Tony I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi tony, ezra here, i know what you mean by the way your memory works.. i’ve been told all my life that i was extremely creative but ‘over analytical’ (did i spell that right?) (am i over analysing now??) see what i mean. it would be a great idea to see how many of us think in a similar manner.. hey we may just find an answer in this! one that suits everyone! (as some of our views are not always appreciated here.) i reckon that its the way the 2 halves of our brains work – the creative side and the logical side. i already know that genetics is somehow involved – as my father and my aunt both suffered from PA at some point in there lives – not for many years now though… regards, ezra
Hi Ezra, Im 36 and have yet not found a creative side. As for the analytical side well it works over time.:-) I have a long list of family members that are unfortunate (or fortunate matters if your on the recovery side or not)enough to have some form of anxiety disorder or depression.Its up for debate whether it was learned behaviour,Chemical inbalance,Biological factors or survival instinct in a disfunctional family or a combination of all and a predisposition in personality to react to a full plate of stress. Though we could disagree on somethings I feel we can always agree that no one asks for it and we both would be happy for a answer and preventive screening for future generations:-) Charla Before you buy.
Response:
hi tony, ezra here, i know what you mean by the way your memory works.. i’ve been told all my life that i was extremely creative but ‘over analytical’ (did i spell that right?) (am i over analysing now??) see what i mean. it would be a great idea to see how many of us think in a similar manner.. hey we may just find an answer in this! one that suits everyone! (as some of our views are not always appreciated here.) i reckon that its the way the 2 halves of our brains work – the creative side and the logical side. i already know that genetics is somehow involved – as my father and my aunt both suffered from PA at some point in there lives – not for many years now though… regards, ezra
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Pagona, Looking at a computer monitor will not help you fall asleep. Exposure to light will keep you awake. Try dimming the lights in your house a couple of hours before you plan to fall asleep. It will put you in the mood to sleep. Reading all of these posts with different ideas will probably also get your mind to start thinking and make you more alert. I would try to stay away from the computer if I was trying to fall asleep. I had problems falling asleep before I started taking meds for panic disorder. If somebody/something upset me during the day I would replay it in my head. My memory is very visual and emotional. I can replay events in my head like a camcorder and feel the exact emotion as if I was reliving an event. I often wonder if other ASAP people have similar memories. My memory has changed since I’ve been taking meds. There are advantages and disadvantages to my old way of memory. I think I was more creative with the old memory but I really could not go on living a normal life with the panic attacks. I guess what I am getting to is that maybe you need to take meds for obsessive thoughts. Tell us more and the group will help you more. Tony I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Response:
Hi, Pagona, The insomnia can get quite irritating, especially if I look over and see my husband sleeping – I just want to hit him or something. The ideal thing for me to do is to sleep on the couch on nights like this. Then, I usually fall right asleep. whatever it takes. smiles, elise
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Response:
No Tony Im not asleep…But just wondering something. Ah never mind. Charla…puzzled:-)
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This may sound weird but when I can’t fall asleep I have "learned" to tense my "brain" like a muscle. I don’t know exactly what I’m doing but it works. I close my eyes and tense my brain, maybe it’s the surround face and neck muscles but I can faintly hear the tension releasing in my ear drums. Like I said, this may sound weird but it works. I don’t know how I learned to do it. I think it’s from my daily habit of doing mouth and tongue exercises for playing the saxophone, which I really haven’t picked up in a while but still religiously do the exercises. To play the saxophone you need to develop the muscles around your mouth to improve your emboucher, which is basically how well you can keep you lips in the correct position to maintain a good tone and tambor. Are you feeling sleepy now after reading all of this rambling ? Tony Hi, Pagona, The insomnia can get quite irritating, especially if I look over and see my husband sleeping – I just want to hit him or something. The ideal thing for me to do is to sleep on the couch on nights like this. Then, I usually fall right asleep. whatever it takes. smiles, elise I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Response:
What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep?
sleep is a habit-you can create a good one or a bad one bedrooms are only for sleep and sex no tv no reading no food nothing this sets the stage for either sleep or nookie- dwell time to fall asleep 20 minutes-if not get out of bedroom and do either something boring or excercise-yes excercise if you know you will have to do 10 or so minutes of excercise it will negatively reinforce your staying awake plus you will use energy. when you are laying in bed try this: take a deep breathe and hold it for a few let out slowly stare at a single point on wall and focus on it-really focus until it starts to become visually distorted and as this is happening start counting from 10 backwards with each exhale slowly and keep staring at spot as you do this let your mind think of whatever it drifts to and it will let the thoughts come and go without paying attention to them when you hit zero with counting let your eyelids close and visualize a calm scene-any scene you choose and let your mind drift keep breathing slowly diaphramaticaly-soon its lights out-this may work best if you tape this or have someone with a calming voice tape it for you- another variation on the staring spot if you want is to try and roll your eyes up while counting this creates a tension in the eyes and when released at zero forces relaxation of the visual field. LM
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writes: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Hi Pagona! Geez, I’m sorry you have insomnia. I get that once in a while, but more so I wake up between 2 and 4 or 5 am and sometimes can’t get back to sleep for hours or not at all. I really hate it! You’d have to talk to your doctor about this, but what I did last night was take Desipramine 2 hrs. earlier than usual. I don’t know if I was still tired from the night before or what, but I slept a lot better than I have been. Hormones make me wake up too (perimenopause). If you have a walkman with headphones, try listening to nice music or even a relaxation tape. Maybe you’ll fall asleep in the middle of it. You really have to work at not obsessing. I do it too, but am trying so hard not to. Fresh air helps a lot too. Maybe going for a walk an hour before bedtime or after dinner, if your neighborhood will allow it. Hang in there! It takes a lot of practice! {{{{{Pagona}}}}} Di
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
****** Dear Pagona. Don’t bother counting sheep.Since they have been cloned, they haven’t the time to help people fall asleep.LOL Well, since I have many sleepless nights, I will tell you what is going on. I try to have quiet time in the house where we all are reading or doing something very quiet in the least amount of light possible. No food, no caffeine,no exercise before bedtime. Lavender spray on your linens is soothing. Chamomile tea is very relaxing to drink an hour before bedtime. Soft classical music is soothing. Try to clear your head of all the busy things you have to do. Just tell yourself that it is bedtime and I need rest and sleep. Your body will eventually catch up and you will be so exhuasted, you maybe over tired and not be able to sleep. I would also call your doctor to let him know that you are not getting a good nights sleep. You have to work and you need sleep. I take a .5 of Ativan at night if I can’t sleep. I must admit that this past week,since I have been outside more during the day,that I am sleeping better at night. I wish you well as this is a hard one to deal with and so many of us have insomnia. all my best,julie * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
books are good sleeping pills…especially the one I am reading now…groan…by Vince Flynn(Transfer of Power) it takes him a hundred pages to get to one thing….sigh…but it helps me sleep! If you like spy stuff, it is a good book, I just want to yell, "GET ON WITH IT" either shoot them or blow them up, but MOVE IT! All kidding aside, but books do help.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona Hello Pagona, this might sound dumb but don’t try and sleep, the more you obsess on having to get to sleep the harder it is to actually do. I usually read a book and before i’ve got through five pages i’m back in the land of nod. Ken.
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I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
The best sleep I ever got was when I was jogging every day. I have had times when I lie in bed worrying and that has keep me from falling asleep. Rarely I take a Xanax to relax me so I can sleep. Chip Before you buy.
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I read, then I pace, then I flick TV and then I read again, get on here and try to catch up on all of the 6000 posts I have yet to cover and then when I feel the slightest bit sleepy, I jump in bed and try to stare at the darkness and it lulls me to sleep. However, sometimes none of this works and it’s a horrible night. I tried the Tylenol PM stuff but it just makes me feel like doodoo in the morning. That hungover pasty, I need a bottle of diet coke for my dry mouth feeling. I hope you can find some rest, I would be up all night and then nap during the day(long naps) and when I finally started not napping during the day, I slept better at night. LoveCheryl
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Response:
I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
Response:
I stay up all night:-)…Really. What has worked for me in the past is. Doing progressive muscle relaxing..where you tense a muscle for a the count of ten then let it go…working all the major muscles. Then listen to the noises in the house (fridge motor,exhaust fan in bathroom) If that does not work I picture the number as I mentally count them.If I find that my thoughts are wondering I just pick up on the next number but the key here is not to worry if you drift off and loose count..but be sure to mentally visualize the number you are counting. Hope this helps. Charla
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I seem to be in a nice cycle of insomnia. It’s about 1:30am, and I have to work at 7am. This has been happening a lot lately, and I’m wondering. What are some of the ways you all try to fall asleep? I try counting, and end up thinking about something else. I try thinking of something else and then obsess on it. Then I try counting again. Hmmph. Seriously, what DO you all do? pagona
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