Can anyone help with Sleep Phobia?
Hi all.
I am a 45 year old female, and in short, I have what's called Somniphobia - which is basically a fear of falling asleep - and it's something that started immediately after a troubling event I had as I was trying to fall asleep nearly 16 years ago and something that I've been dealing with ever since.
I sleep on the sofa and have the TV on every night, and have done this for many years. I never sleep in my bed or without the TV. These are the tools that I've come to use as my only defence against the fear of going to sleep in a bed and in silence like I did before, and like most people do without a second thought. But even with these crutches, I still have a relationship with sleep that is fearful and not normal...
I have come to the point where I am tired of dealing with this issue and I am ready to find a way to deal with it, but I am struggling to find any information online about what the best way to tackle this issue is, or what an effective treatment might be...
So I am looking for any information from anyone who has or is suffering from the same thing, and hopefully, and help from anyone who has found any treatment or therapy that worked for them in managing or overcoming this specific type of phobia.
Thanks for reading and I welcome any information or help that anyone can give me. x
Hi! Two quick notes: First, I'm new here and still learning about insomnia, and I'm also not a doctor and can't give medical advice.
That said, I do have a lot of personal experience in this area. With any phobia, the best and most effective way to get through it is by doing something called "exposure therapy" with a licensed therapist.Let's say you were very afraid of dogs. To do exposure therapy, you would start by just talking with a therapist about your feelings. Over time, you would move on to looking at pictures of dogs, watching videos of dogs, seeing dogs at a distance, and so on until you reach whatever your goal is.
Sleeping in the other room with the TV on, while it does make you feel better, can also make the phobia more intense. Maybe you can start by lowering the volume just a little.
Please don't be afraid of therapy. Yes, there are hard moments, I won't lie to you. But the process moves in small steps, and the therapist will teach you the tools you need to be successful. There is no better feeling than those small "wins" that lead to progress.
I hope this explanation is helpful for you. We are here to support you and you're not alone in struggling this way. I hope that with time and patience you will find rest in your own bed. Hugs to you and solidarity. -Melissa, team member
My heart goes out to you,
. It can be so difficult to conquer a fear when you have experienced the reality of that fear. I wish I could turn back time so that you never knew that fear at all. Have you ever tried congnitive behavior therapy - insomnia (CBT-I)? I wonder if you might find it helpful. Here is an article that explains it better than I can: https://insomnia.sleep-disorders.net/cbt. I imagine you would need a highly experienced therapist who understands the impact of trauma. I hope you get input from others as well and that sleep eventually becomes a respite for you once again. Gentle hugs. - Lori (Team Member)
