Sleep

[Nyda]

Hardest is to fall asleep

[pata99]

I will only say this once...get a medication called Quetiapine....you will sleep like a baby.

[jrcnpg]

Insomnia was the first complaint I had which, when taken by mother to see my GP, my GP at the time gave me first some lorazepam (Valium) which was changed to nitrazepam (Mogodon) in an effort to relieve my insomnia. These are both benzodiazapines and are highly addictive. Whether they knew that, whoever it is who developed these sorts of drugs, I have no idea yet these days a GP will issue these sorts of drugs only as a last resort, if at all, because of their addictive properies. Attempting to come off these drugs is an absolute nightmare and are even harder to come off than any attempt to come off heron or cocaine. The absolute number of weeks a GP will prescribe these drugs for for regular use is four weeks. I have been taking them for over twenty years and my present psychiatrist said that I was 'probably addicted' to them! There are other non-benzodiazepines sleeping drugs a GP will prescribe ( even these will be issued for only a limited amount of time since they are addictive only in a psychological sense rather than in a physical sense. These are the so called Z drugs like zopiclone. Quetiapine, as mentioned by pata99, is an anti-psychotic medication and as such would only be prescribed by a psychiatrist and although they do have a sedative effect that quickly becomes eroded over a period of time in terms of them aiding sleep. I have been engaged with my local mental health team for over thirty years now and one observation I have made over the years is that psychiatry has now become a pharmalogical business rather than any kind of therapy which used to be the case. Back then if your CPN was of the opinion that admission to the psychiatric unit for a short space of time for a 'rest' from the rigours of living then that is what happened. Now with the buzz words being 'recovery' and 'care in the community' it is difficult to find any help at all. This is down to money and the sweeping changes this government is now making to the NHS, mental health treatments and psychiatric units are hit the hardest. The only thing I could suggest would be to talk through your sleep problems with your GP and ask what, if any, kinds of treatment might be available. I wish you well.

[Hidden]

I can sympathize there. I just use over the counter sleeping pills, but now that Pata has recommended Quetiapine may go that route.