CBT for Anxiety
Discussion
Hi,
I’m just about to embark on some CBT style therapy to help me with overthinking and a bit of an anxiety problem that I’ve had on and off for most of my life.
Has anyone had success with this?
Or any other techniques and advice ?!
I already have the diet and exercise well in hand as I know that’s a factor.
Thanks
I’m just about to embark on some CBT style therapy to help me with overthinking and a bit of an anxiety problem that I’ve had on and off for most of my life.
Has anyone had success with this?
Or any other techniques and advice ?!
I already have the diet and exercise well in hand as I know that’s a factor.
Thanks
blueg33 said:
I think it depends Op. You need to want it to work. My daughter has had CBT for anxiety on and off for several years. It doesn't work for her, but she goes in expecting it not to work
This makes sense, I want it to help and work even though I don’t fully understand how it will but that will become apparent once it’s explained to me no doubt. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a full time problem but I’d like to better prepare myself for when I start to get the feelings or exercises I can continuously bring into my daily routine to stop that thought process. All the best to your daughter.
Andyboy said:
blueg33 said:
I think it depends Op. You need to want it to work. My daughter has had CBT for anxiety on and off for several years. It doesn't work for her, but she goes in expecting it not to work
This makes sense, I want it to help and work even though I don t fully understand how it will but that will become apparent once it s explained to me no doubt. Don t get me wrong it s not a full time problem but I d like to better prepare myself for when I start to get the feelings or exercises I can continuously bring into my daily routine to stop that thought process. All the best to your daughter.
If you go in with an open mind, I think you have a good chance of success with CBT
Well done you, doing all the right things and getting help where you need it. It's no mean feat getting this far, never mind the future benefits on your journey! I don't mean that to sound patronising, I know how hard it is to get out the blocks and get these things sorted.
CBT is a one therapy tool in a toolbox of many, so don't think of it as "20 sessions and I'll be cured" or anything.
Should CBT be in your toolbox? Yes, absolutely.
CBT has increased in popularity because it's a very teachable framework. It's book-learnable, it's not particularly exploratory, if that makes sense. Other forms of psychotherapy require much more expertise and deeper analysis of your specific issues and past, while CBT... you can take almost any wannabe "therapist" off the street, teach them how to use the system, and regardless of how great or useless the resulting therapist is they'll probably get at least some results out of most customers.
This sounds bad if you worry about any old hippie becoming a qualified CBT therapist, but I think it is probably actually good because it means, as recipients/patients/customers, we can sort of learn to self-administer the whole system, become our own CBT therapists, and so the practices are useful long after therapy stops, where other forms of therapy need continued exploration under an expert.
So yes, give it a go, read books, build mindful behaviours, get into it for the long-haul. Keep up with the other things though... exercise actually outperforms CBT (and even medication) in some studies. And remember, at the end, you'll still have anxiety, it's a good thing (it's a survival instinct, if you don't have some anxiety you're probably a psychopath). When you feel anxiety, you're getting feedback about your environment. What is it telling you? Are you in unfamiliar surroundings? Are you too tired to run away? Are you with people you don't trust? Have you lost control of something in some way? You'll learn to figure this stuff out, and (for me, at least) the big hope and understanding comes when you realise that it's not about learning to control anxiety or suppress it, it's simply about interpreting the feedback it gives you, which is all environmental. Controlling emotions and instincts is hard, maybe impossible, but you are 100% in control of your environment, and usually once you join the dots, you can make a simple change to your environment or how you think about your environment, and the anxiety (feedback, remember) changes to match the new environment. This was huge for me, realising that all these uncontrollable thoughts and feelings were simply feedback about things I could absolutely (and easily) control. The louder anxiety gets, the harder we cover our ears. (I literally used to sit with my ears covered and my eyes scrunched closed, trying to silence the mental noise). CBT isn't about learning to cover your ears better, it's about realising something, somewhere in your environment just has a volume knob that needs adjusted.
Whatever your triggers are (tiredness, noise, crowds, social situations, new places, traffic, out of control task lists, being a passenger next to a bad driver... you know your own, or will start to spot them), they're all environmental, so don't try to suppress anxiety in crowds, just take a moment to notice how the crowd is not harming you, not threatening you, and maybe you just haven't been in a crowd for a while so you need a bit more time and data gathering on how safe crowds are again (common example after lockdown). You could either simply leave the crowded place (a simple action) or you could take a moment to sit and tell yourself you're safe (a simple action). Neither is trying to control the anxiety, it's about understanding what the anxiety is trying to tell you about your environment.
Oh man, I do ramble, don't I? I have no qualifications, and I'm still on my own journey with all this, so passing on my experience clearly isn't well thought out yet
. In short, yes, get stuck in to CBT, don't ignore other avenues, try to understand what the purpose of CBT is, and find your own shortcuts and language to reframe it all.
CBT is a one therapy tool in a toolbox of many, so don't think of it as "20 sessions and I'll be cured" or anything.
Should CBT be in your toolbox? Yes, absolutely.
CBT has increased in popularity because it's a very teachable framework. It's book-learnable, it's not particularly exploratory, if that makes sense. Other forms of psychotherapy require much more expertise and deeper analysis of your specific issues and past, while CBT... you can take almost any wannabe "therapist" off the street, teach them how to use the system, and regardless of how great or useless the resulting therapist is they'll probably get at least some results out of most customers.
This sounds bad if you worry about any old hippie becoming a qualified CBT therapist, but I think it is probably actually good because it means, as recipients/patients/customers, we can sort of learn to self-administer the whole system, become our own CBT therapists, and so the practices are useful long after therapy stops, where other forms of therapy need continued exploration under an expert.
So yes, give it a go, read books, build mindful behaviours, get into it for the long-haul. Keep up with the other things though... exercise actually outperforms CBT (and even medication) in some studies. And remember, at the end, you'll still have anxiety, it's a good thing (it's a survival instinct, if you don't have some anxiety you're probably a psychopath). When you feel anxiety, you're getting feedback about your environment. What is it telling you? Are you in unfamiliar surroundings? Are you too tired to run away? Are you with people you don't trust? Have you lost control of something in some way? You'll learn to figure this stuff out, and (for me, at least) the big hope and understanding comes when you realise that it's not about learning to control anxiety or suppress it, it's simply about interpreting the feedback it gives you, which is all environmental. Controlling emotions and instincts is hard, maybe impossible, but you are 100% in control of your environment, and usually once you join the dots, you can make a simple change to your environment or how you think about your environment, and the anxiety (feedback, remember) changes to match the new environment. This was huge for me, realising that all these uncontrollable thoughts and feelings were simply feedback about things I could absolutely (and easily) control. The louder anxiety gets, the harder we cover our ears. (I literally used to sit with my ears covered and my eyes scrunched closed, trying to silence the mental noise). CBT isn't about learning to cover your ears better, it's about realising something, somewhere in your environment just has a volume knob that needs adjusted.
Whatever your triggers are (tiredness, noise, crowds, social situations, new places, traffic, out of control task lists, being a passenger next to a bad driver... you know your own, or will start to spot them), they're all environmental, so don't try to suppress anxiety in crowds, just take a moment to notice how the crowd is not harming you, not threatening you, and maybe you just haven't been in a crowd for a while so you need a bit more time and data gathering on how safe crowds are again (common example after lockdown). You could either simply leave the crowded place (a simple action) or you could take a moment to sit and tell yourself you're safe (a simple action). Neither is trying to control the anxiety, it's about understanding what the anxiety is trying to tell you about your environment.
Oh man, I do ramble, don't I? I have no qualifications, and I'm still on my own journey with all this, so passing on my experience clearly isn't well thought out yet
. In short, yes, get stuck in to CBT, don't ignore other avenues, try to understand what the purpose of CBT is, and find your own shortcuts and language to reframe it all.blueg33 said:
Andyboy said:
blueg33 said:
I think it depends Op. You need to want it to work. My daughter has had CBT for anxiety on and off for several years. It doesn't work for her, but she goes in expecting it not to work
This makes sense, I want it to help and work even though I don t fully understand how it will but that will become apparent once it s explained to me no doubt. Don t get me wrong it s not a full time problem but I d like to better prepare myself for when I start to get the feelings or exercises I can continuously bring into my daily routine to stop that thought process. All the best to your daughter.
If you go in with an open mind, I think you have a good chance of success with CBT
Good luck to you both.
I've heard good things about this book, - I think there's a couple of others by the same authors in the same vein.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Minutes-Anxiety-Panic-Ste...
I've heard good things about this book, - I think there's a couple of others by the same authors in the same vein.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Minutes-Anxiety-Panic-Ste...
Jermy Claxon said:
Well done you, doing all the right things and getting help where you need it. It's no mean feat getting this far, never mind the future benefits on your journey! I don't mean that to sound patronising, I know how hard it is to get out the blocks and get these things sorted.
CBT is a one therapy tool in a toolbox of many, so don't think of it as "20 sessions and I'll be cured" or anything.
Should CBT be in your toolbox? Yes, absolutely.
CBT has increased in popularity because it's a very teachable framework. It's book-learnable, it's not particularly exploratory, if that makes sense. Other forms of psychotherapy require much more expertise and deeper analysis of your specific issues and past, while CBT... you can take almost any wannabe "therapist" off the street, teach them how to use the system, and regardless of how great or useless the resulting therapist is they'll probably get at least some results out of most customers.
This sounds bad if you worry about any old hippie becoming a qualified CBT therapist, but I think it is probably actually good because it means, as recipients/patients/customers, we can sort of learn to self-administer the whole system, become our own CBT therapists, and so the practices are useful long after therapy stops, where other forms of therapy need continued exploration under an expert.
So yes, give it a go, read books, build mindful behaviours, get into it for the long-haul. Keep up with the other things though... exercise actually outperforms CBT (and even medication) in some studies. And remember, at the end, you'll still have anxiety, it's a good thing (it's a survival instinct, if you don't have some anxiety you're probably a psychopath). When you feel anxiety, you're getting feedback about your environment. What is it telling you? Are you in unfamiliar surroundings? Are you too tired to run away? Are you with people you don't trust? Have you lost control of something in some way? You'll learn to figure this stuff out, and (for me, at least) the big hope and understanding comes when you realise that it's not about learning to control anxiety or suppress it, it's simply about interpreting the feedback it gives you, which is all environmental. Controlling emotions and instincts is hard, maybe impossible, but you are 100% in control of your environment, and usually once you join the dots, you can make a simple change to your environment or how you think about your environment, and the anxiety (feedback, remember) changes to match the new environment. This was huge for me, realising that all these uncontrollable thoughts and feelings were simply feedback about things I could absolutely (and easily) control. The louder anxiety gets, the harder we cover our ears. (I literally used to sit with my ears covered and my eyes scrunched closed, trying to silence the mental noise). CBT isn't about learning to cover your ears better, it's about realising something, somewhere in your environment just has a volume knob that needs adjusted.
Whatever your triggers are (tiredness, noise, crowds, social situations, new places, traffic, out of control task lists, being a passenger next to a bad driver... you know your own, or will start to spot them), they're all environmental, so don't try to suppress anxiety in crowds, just take a moment to notice how the crowd is not harming you, not threatening you, and maybe you just haven't been in a crowd for a while so you need a bit more time and data gathering on how safe crowds are again (common example after lockdown). You could either simply leave the crowded place (a simple action) or you could take a moment to sit and tell yourself you're safe (a simple action). Neither is trying to control the anxiety, it's about understanding what the anxiety is trying to tell you about your environment.
Oh man, I do ramble, don't I? I have no qualifications, and I'm still on my own journey with all this, so passing on my experience clearly isn't well thought out yet. In short, yes, get stuck in to CBT, don't ignore other avenues, try to understand what the purpose of CBT is, and find your own shortcuts and language to reframe it all.
Thanks for the very complete answer!CBT is a one therapy tool in a toolbox of many, so don't think of it as "20 sessions and I'll be cured" or anything.
Should CBT be in your toolbox? Yes, absolutely.
CBT has increased in popularity because it's a very teachable framework. It's book-learnable, it's not particularly exploratory, if that makes sense. Other forms of psychotherapy require much more expertise and deeper analysis of your specific issues and past, while CBT... you can take almost any wannabe "therapist" off the street, teach them how to use the system, and regardless of how great or useless the resulting therapist is they'll probably get at least some results out of most customers.
This sounds bad if you worry about any old hippie becoming a qualified CBT therapist, but I think it is probably actually good because it means, as recipients/patients/customers, we can sort of learn to self-administer the whole system, become our own CBT therapists, and so the practices are useful long after therapy stops, where other forms of therapy need continued exploration under an expert.
So yes, give it a go, read books, build mindful behaviours, get into it for the long-haul. Keep up with the other things though... exercise actually outperforms CBT (and even medication) in some studies. And remember, at the end, you'll still have anxiety, it's a good thing (it's a survival instinct, if you don't have some anxiety you're probably a psychopath). When you feel anxiety, you're getting feedback about your environment. What is it telling you? Are you in unfamiliar surroundings? Are you too tired to run away? Are you with people you don't trust? Have you lost control of something in some way? You'll learn to figure this stuff out, and (for me, at least) the big hope and understanding comes when you realise that it's not about learning to control anxiety or suppress it, it's simply about interpreting the feedback it gives you, which is all environmental. Controlling emotions and instincts is hard, maybe impossible, but you are 100% in control of your environment, and usually once you join the dots, you can make a simple change to your environment or how you think about your environment, and the anxiety (feedback, remember) changes to match the new environment. This was huge for me, realising that all these uncontrollable thoughts and feelings were simply feedback about things I could absolutely (and easily) control. The louder anxiety gets, the harder we cover our ears. (I literally used to sit with my ears covered and my eyes scrunched closed, trying to silence the mental noise). CBT isn't about learning to cover your ears better, it's about realising something, somewhere in your environment just has a volume knob that needs adjusted.
Whatever your triggers are (tiredness, noise, crowds, social situations, new places, traffic, out of control task lists, being a passenger next to a bad driver... you know your own, or will start to spot them), they're all environmental, so don't try to suppress anxiety in crowds, just take a moment to notice how the crowd is not harming you, not threatening you, and maybe you just haven't been in a crowd for a while so you need a bit more time and data gathering on how safe crowds are again (common example after lockdown). You could either simply leave the crowded place (a simple action) or you could take a moment to sit and tell yourself you're safe (a simple action). Neither is trying to control the anxiety, it's about understanding what the anxiety is trying to tell you about your environment.
Oh man, I do ramble, don't I? I have no qualifications, and I'm still on my own journey with all this, so passing on my experience clearly isn't well thought out yet
. In short, yes, get stuck in to CBT, don't ignore other avenues, try to understand what the purpose of CBT is, and find your own shortcuts and language to reframe it all.I have a great properly medically trained therapist who I’ve been working with so I think I have the ‘teacher’ sorted.
I already know my triggers so I’m half way there in that respect just need to stop the spiral when one of those triggers appears. I can’t change those triggers, I run 2 businesses, have a young family and close family members who aren’t in the best of health and need our support. However I feel I can change the reaction that I have to them, if that makes any sense!
cliffords said:
Can you add any extra detail or why it's helped you?I've had counselling a few times now. It has been good but hasn't solvedlong term worry. I'm sick of books that just tell me about "the animal brain". I know all of that. I feel like I could write my own book
I just want to find a way of stopping the spiral, the endless worry, over analysis, constant hyper vigilance etc
I'd like to chip in here if I can. I have suffered Chronic Insomnia on and off for 29 years now and it reared it's ugly head again 2 years ago after a number of years free from the condition. I know in my case it's caused by anxiety that I can't sleep so I don't sleep. I signed up to the Insomnia Clinic which is a web based CBT-I course, I think it was something like £250. Initially it seemed to work but then it all fell apart when I next had a sleepless night, the part of the course that I just could not get to grips with is the Mindfulness part where it tells you that when you start to get anxious just recognise the thought and then it will pass and you should fall asleep, nope, not in my case I could not get the negative thoughts out of my head and no matter how many times I've tried the Mindfulness exercises it just doesn't work for me. I've also tried the 4-7-8 breathing and Sigh Breathing exercises which does calm the mind but it all goes to pot the minute I get in bed.
The other problem with that particular course is that there is no support other than a Facebook group of other course users and if you want personalised support from the course founders that's another £120 per session.
To be honest, in my case, I don't know where to turn now as I've had the usual medications including (off label) Mirtazapine 3.75mg and Quviviq 25mg but these become ineffective when the anxiety starts as it overpowers the effects of the drug. The only successful drug was Zolpidem but you can't take that for more than a week as it is highly addictive.
The other problem with that particular course is that there is no support other than a Facebook group of other course users and if you want personalised support from the course founders that's another £120 per session.
To be honest, in my case, I don't know where to turn now as I've had the usual medications including (off label) Mirtazapine 3.75mg and Quviviq 25mg but these become ineffective when the anxiety starts as it overpowers the effects of the drug. The only successful drug was Zolpidem but you can't take that for more than a week as it is highly addictive.
blueg33 said:
Andyboy said:
blueg33 said:
I think it depends Op. You need to want it to work. My daughter has had CBT for anxiety on and off for several years. It doesn't work for her, but she goes in expecting it not to work
This makes sense, I want it to help and work even though I don t fully understand how it will but that will become apparent once it s explained to me no doubt. Don t get me wrong it s not a full time problem but I d like to better prepare myself for when I start to get the feelings or exercises I can continuously bring into my daily routine to stop that thought process. All the best to your daughter.
If you go in with an open mind, I think you have a good chance of success with CBT
WyrleyD said:
I have suffered Chronic Insomnia on and off for 29 years now
...
<Snip>
I'm very similar to you. I'm 42 and have had on and off insomnia (actually just terrible sleep) for about 20 years....
<Snip>
It's not caused by anything I can identify and comes in phases. Eg 3 months I'll be fine. But then have 3-4 months terrible sleep with no identifiable reason
I'm a huge over thinker (separate mental health issues!) and will often just have endless thoughts in my head. Not worries but just thoughts and frantic, rapid, obsessive. So I'll think like this:
- I need to visit the dentist - I forgot to book that today
- I wonder if I should buy some new shoes
- wish the rain would stop - I wonder where's sunny in the world I could visit
- is it 4th of April today or the 5th?
- can't wait to the weekend but don't even know what I'm doing
- I could go for a bike ride
- I should but some new t-shirts and shoes
I've never tried medication. It's amazing that in 2026 there's not a better solution to sleep or more healthy treatment option
I now work from home which helps massively
I'm reluctant to talk about this with anyone as it's inevitably going to be either a fed up busy GP who says words to the effect of "stop drinking coffee", "do more exercise" or "yea I slept badly too last night - only got 7 hours" ... Or others who suggest having a bath or say "that must be hard. I always sleep like a log" (great... Thanks for that!)
redrabbit29 said:
I'm very similar to you. I'm 42 and have had on and off insomnia (actually just terrible sleep) for about 20 years.
It's not caused by anything I can identify and comes in phases. Eg 3 months I'll be fine. But then have 3-4 months terrible sleep with no identifiable reason
I'm a huge over thinker (separate mental health issues!) and will often just have endless thoughts in my head. Not worries but just thoughts and frantic, rapid, obsessive. So I'll think like this:
- I need to visit the dentist - I forgot to book that today
- I wonder if I should buy some new shoes
- wish the rain would stop - I wonder where's sunny in the world I could visit
- is it 4th of April today or the 5th?
- can't wait to the weekend but don't even know what I'm doing
- I could go for a bike ride
- I should but some new t-shirts and shoes
I've never tried medication. It's amazing that in 2026 there's not a better solution to sleep or more healthy treatment option
I now work from home which helps massively
I'm reluctant to talk about this with anyone as it's inevitably going to be either a fed up busy GP who says words to the effect of "stop drinking coffee", "do more exercise" or "yea I slept badly too last night - only got 7 hours" ... Or others who suggest having a bath or say "that must be hard. I always sleep like a log" (great... Thanks for that!)
Pretty much my issues before the oil found a way to get me to sleep, the mind becomes a very different animal if you actually get a good sleep, at night not during the day. It's not caused by anything I can identify and comes in phases. Eg 3 months I'll be fine. But then have 3-4 months terrible sleep with no identifiable reason
I'm a huge over thinker (separate mental health issues!) and will often just have endless thoughts in my head. Not worries but just thoughts and frantic, rapid, obsessive. So I'll think like this:
- I need to visit the dentist - I forgot to book that today
- I wonder if I should buy some new shoes
- wish the rain would stop - I wonder where's sunny in the world I could visit
- is it 4th of April today or the 5th?
- can't wait to the weekend but don't even know what I'm doing
- I could go for a bike ride
- I should but some new t-shirts and shoes
I've never tried medication. It's amazing that in 2026 there's not a better solution to sleep or more healthy treatment option
I now work from home which helps massively
I'm reluctant to talk about this with anyone as it's inevitably going to be either a fed up busy GP who says words to the effect of "stop drinking coffee", "do more exercise" or "yea I slept badly too last night - only got 7 hours" ... Or others who suggest having a bath or say "that must be hard. I always sleep like a log" (great... Thanks for that!)
Years of anxiety, depression, medication are behind me and my life has taken a very different turn at an age I was writing myself off. I believe sleep paid a very big part in thst.
Never been a long sleeper, 7 hours max, usually 5 or 6, but it is good sleep now, without any aid, waking up feels good again, wake and up every time.
Doesitdrive said:
redrabbit29 said:
I'm very similar to you. I'm 42 and have had on and off insomnia (actually just terrible sleep) for about 20 years.
It's not caused by anything I can identify and comes in phases. Eg 3 months I'll be fine. But then have 3-4 months terrible sleep with no identifiable reason
I'm a huge over thinker (separate mental health issues!) and will often just have endless thoughts in my head. Not worries but just thoughts and frantic, rapid, obsessive. So I'll think like this:
- I need to visit the dentist - I forgot to book that today
- I wonder if I should buy some new shoes
- wish the rain would stop - I wonder where's sunny in the world I could visit
- is it 4th of April today or the 5th?
- can't wait to the weekend but don't even know what I'm doing
- I could go for a bike ride
- I should but some new t-shirts and shoes
I've never tried medication. It's amazing that in 2026 there's not a better solution to sleep or more healthy treatment option
I now work from home which helps massively
I'm reluctant to talk about this with anyone as it's inevitably going to be either a fed up busy GP who says words to the effect of "stop drinking coffee", "do more exercise" or "yea I slept badly too last night - only got 7 hours" ... Or others who suggest having a bath or say "that must be hard. I always sleep like a log" (great... Thanks for that!)
Pretty much my issues before the oil found a way to get me to sleep, the mind becomes a very different animal if you actually get a good sleep, at night not during the day. It's not caused by anything I can identify and comes in phases. Eg 3 months I'll be fine. But then have 3-4 months terrible sleep with no identifiable reason
I'm a huge over thinker (separate mental health issues!) and will often just have endless thoughts in my head. Not worries but just thoughts and frantic, rapid, obsessive. So I'll think like this:
- I need to visit the dentist - I forgot to book that today
- I wonder if I should buy some new shoes
- wish the rain would stop - I wonder where's sunny in the world I could visit
- is it 4th of April today or the 5th?
- can't wait to the weekend but don't even know what I'm doing
- I could go for a bike ride
- I should but some new t-shirts and shoes
I've never tried medication. It's amazing that in 2026 there's not a better solution to sleep or more healthy treatment option
I now work from home which helps massively
I'm reluctant to talk about this with anyone as it's inevitably going to be either a fed up busy GP who says words to the effect of "stop drinking coffee", "do more exercise" or "yea I slept badly too last night - only got 7 hours" ... Or others who suggest having a bath or say "that must be hard. I always sleep like a log" (great... Thanks for that!)
Years of anxiety, depression, medication are behind me and my life has taken a very different turn at an age I was writing myself off. I believe sleep paid a very big part in thst.
Never been a long sleeper, 7 hours max, usually 5 or 6, but it is good sleep now, without any aid, waking up feels good again, wake and up every time.
WyrleyD said:
Doesitdrive said:
redrabbit29 said:
I'm very similar to you. I'm 42 and have had on and off insomnia (actually just terrible sleep) for about 20 years.
It's not caused by anything I can identify and comes in phases. Eg 3 months I'll be fine. But then have 3-4 months terrible sleep with no identifiable reason
I'm a huge over thinker (separate mental health issues!) and will often just have endless thoughts in my head. Not worries but just thoughts and frantic, rapid, obsessive. So I'll think like this:
- I need to visit the dentist - I forgot to book that today
- I wonder if I should buy some new shoes
- wish the rain would stop - I wonder where's sunny in the world I could visit
- is it 4th of April today or the 5th?
- can't wait to the weekend but don't even know what I'm doing
- I could go for a bike ride
- I should but some new t-shirts and shoes
I've never tried medication. It's amazing that in 2026 there's not a better solution to sleep or more healthy treatment option
I now work from home which helps massively
I'm reluctant to talk about this with anyone as it's inevitably going to be either a fed up busy GP who says words to the effect of "stop drinking coffee", "do more exercise" or "yea I slept badly too last night - only got 7 hours" ... Or others who suggest having a bath or say "that must be hard. I always sleep like a log" (great... Thanks for that!)
Pretty much my issues before the oil found a way to get me to sleep, the mind becomes a very different animal if you actually get a good sleep, at night not during the day. It's not caused by anything I can identify and comes in phases. Eg 3 months I'll be fine. But then have 3-4 months terrible sleep with no identifiable reason
I'm a huge over thinker (separate mental health issues!) and will often just have endless thoughts in my head. Not worries but just thoughts and frantic, rapid, obsessive. So I'll think like this:
- I need to visit the dentist - I forgot to book that today
- I wonder if I should buy some new shoes
- wish the rain would stop - I wonder where's sunny in the world I could visit
- is it 4th of April today or the 5th?
- can't wait to the weekend but don't even know what I'm doing
- I could go for a bike ride
- I should but some new t-shirts and shoes
I've never tried medication. It's amazing that in 2026 there's not a better solution to sleep or more healthy treatment option
I now work from home which helps massively
I'm reluctant to talk about this with anyone as it's inevitably going to be either a fed up busy GP who says words to the effect of "stop drinking coffee", "do more exercise" or "yea I slept badly too last night - only got 7 hours" ... Or others who suggest having a bath or say "that must be hard. I always sleep like a log" (great... Thanks for that!)
Years of anxiety, depression, medication are behind me and my life has taken a very different turn at an age I was writing myself off. I believe sleep paid a very big part in thst.
Never been a long sleeper, 7 hours max, usually 5 or 6, but it is good sleep now, without any aid, waking up feels good again, wake and up every time.
The shop stuff is no good, you have to find someone making it themselves, they are everywhere if you ask around.
I got a deal on a cancelled order last time, 30ml bottles, 20 in a box for 250 quid.
Usually I get 4 for 100 quid, always keep some for the odd sleepless night but never use it, done it's job, got the sleep routine back and now I maintain it, not sleeping during the day and not going to bed until I am ready to sleep, even if that means 3 or 4 hours, just makes it easier the next night lol.
In my mind the shop stuff is big business getting on the back of something that works for profit, big profits.
I will add to that, maybe I should continue taking it, it has a lot more good properties than just sleeping, have a Google.
Edited by Doesitdrive on Saturday 4th April 18:34
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