Insomnia still at almost 10 months off? Need reassurance that this is normal...

I've been thrown into a horrible setback for almost 10 months now after my recovery from Benzos and was fine for more than 3 years. Slept fine and was symptom free.

 

I'm now almost 10 months out and I am still have that 24/7 awake feeling like I drank 5 cups of coffee. I usually go to bed at 1030 and will wake up 3 hours after going to sleep then feel wide awake but mostly (sometimes I can't) fall back asleep for another 2 hours, some nights it's super broken where I wake every 1-2 hours after a vivid dream. On the better nights I sleep 4 hours straight then maybe drift for another 2 hours or so and get up at 5 ish but the better nights are not common. I've experienced insomnia during my withdrawal but healed from it. This setback has been brutal with worse sleep and because the setback wasnt caused by a benzo so it's a rude shock that my sleep is still so bad at almost 10 months out and haven't used my alarm clock for as long.

 

Is there anyone who's going through a setback and also experiencing insomnia this far out? Is this normal and will I sleep normally again? I only had those frequent night wakings during my WD and now in this setback.

 

Thanks everybody. I'm not taking anything and I know the insomnia is caused by the setback because the wired feeling came back and I have always been a good sleeper all my life and after recovery too.

It took a year for me to begin to sleep well after finishing my taper.  I haven't had a setback and I am sorry to hear you are having insomnia again - it really stinks.  Have you had any life challenges that could be disrupting your sleep?  Even things that I dismiss as 'minor' can do it for me.

It took a year for me to begin to sleep well after finishing my taper.  I haven't had a setback and I am sorry to hear you are having insomnia again - it really stinks.  Have you had any life challenges that could be disrupting your sleep?  Even things that I dismiss as 'minor' can do it for me.

 

Hi Kate, thanks a lot for replying. Nothing is really challenging my life and it was great before this setback. I was healed and just sleeping normally but now the horrible insomnia is back...how did you handle your insomnia? I'm just awake 24/7 and never sleepy...I refuse to take any meds and I'm just trying to wait it out but it's been 10 months and I'm still not sleeping right yet. I've always slept well all my life and this setback has been brutal with other symptoms too...

I'm so sorry you are there!  I am sleeping well now for the most part but when I now have the occasional bad night I do my level best to see it as that - a bad night and nothing more.  Easier said than done though  ... 

I am at three years off, and I am still dealing with insomnia. It is not as bad as during active taper, but my sleep is very choppy. It is also hard to drop off at night.

 

I hope your sleep is good soon. Most of the people I know who did get off benzos sleep pretty well now. It can take a while.

Thanks everyone...I guess it's still normal to have symptoms at 10 months out...

I really feel for you man. I have been suffering insomnia for the last 10 months myself. I am sleeping exactly like you describe. Every night even though I am not sleepy I still manage to fall asleep by 930 wake up at between 11 and 12 wide awake. After an hour i can usually fall back asleep until 3 or 4 and then I am up for the day. Its better than it was though. Just 5 months ago I was barely sleeping at all. I always looked to your story for inspiration that I would eventually recover. I hope we both pull out of this soon.

I really feel for you man. I have been suffering insomnia for the last 10 months myself. I am sleeping exactly like you describe. Every night even though I am not sleepy I still manage to fall asleep by 930 wake up at between 11 and 12 wide awake. After an hour i can usually fall back asleep until 3 or 4 and then I am up for the day. Its better than it was though. Just 5 months ago I was barely sleeping at all. I always looked to your story for inspiration that I would eventually recover. I hope we both pull out of this soon.

 

Urgh ya that's pretty much how I sleep. 3 hours straight then 1-2 hours of dozing, on better nights it'll be 4 hours straight and then 2 hours of dozing. Some nights I don't feel like I'm sleeping at all, and it's always broken and I never feel sleepy. I was sleeping completely fine for years before my setback so it's brutal to be thrown back to this. I know how horrible it is. I was also sleeping one night and not the next in months 2-3.