well what about a half dose?
I am afraid the economy is going to be this way for a long time.
HOping that you get some relief soon.
((((HUGS))))
bizi

my therapist was worried and said i had to turn off the lights and tv at night and think pleasant thoughts. i told her i leave the tv on to block out bad thoughts. she said i had to try to think of pleasant thoughts. my friend just told me that xanax puts her out like a light....better than ambien. i will ask dr m. about xanax.
i am only taking 10 m of prozac and it is bearly working. I don't think half a dose will do anything to keep away depression...
i see dr.m on tuesday

I think that a benzo for sleep is a great idea.
I take klonipin but xanax would be fine and should not give you that hang over feeling in the morning.So I think that is a great idea!
bizi

Dear Bobby,

I used Xanax at night for many years. It helped get rid of the running thoughts and anxiety so that I could sleep. I'm still on Klonopin for the same reason.

Do you sleep with the lights on? I used to do that until I got married. He has to sleep in complete darkness, so I have learned to do that (we had to compromise on the lights in the beginning). It took me a while and if he is not here I still sleep with the lights on.

Do you turn the tv to a channel that has pleasant (so to speak) chatter / topics?

I find it very hard to think of pleasant thoughts. I do better when I try to empty my mind and think of nothing except my own breathing or something like that.

I'm sorry that you have this anxiety.

M.

i wonder if you can take klonopin during the day and xanax at night. I have been keeping a light on in a corner 24 hours but last night i turned it off. i guess i will start doing that. i kept cnn on 24 hours. last night i turned it off at eleven. i also took four m of risperdal.
i couldn't think of pleasant thoughts. i just started thinking of problems. I will try thinking of my breathing. I did sleep more last night but i was totally exhausted.
I am fighting depression. I have the tv on now. I have to call about my rent when scrie opens this morning. I bet I will have to pay more rent...rats
Bobby
the therapist is excellent. we also talked about my harshness towards myself that has run throughout my life which isn't bipolar

I have to turn off stimulating activities, like the computer at least an hour before trying to go to bed...for me I should jsut watch some show like everybody loves raymond...to wind down...if I don't then my mind jsut races.
how are you tonight?
bizi

Dear Bobby,

I bought a book from amazon a few years ago called
Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival by T. S. Wiley and Bent Formby (Paperback - Feb 27, 2001).

On page 165 (I marked it) they say to wear rose colored sunglasses after 9:00 pm if you have the tv or computer on. The sunglasses will block the green light and help your body think it is night time / time for sleep by increasing melatonin production and so forth.

I went to Kmart and bought two pairs of sunglasses. I tried them for a while but don't remember the results of my little "trial." I guess I did not notice any difference as the glasses are in a drawer right now.

I think it takes a lot of work to learn to be nice to ourselves and smooth over some of the harshness. I think for me, it might be my lifetime work.

Mari

Dear Bizi,
My old tdoc told me that he turned on the tv to watch Nightline before he went to bed.
It worked for him to watch a show before sleep.

M.

it is worthwhile work. i wish i had thought of it forty plus years ago.
today i just stayed in bed and didn't sleep but i am afraid I won't be able to sleep tonight. I bearly slept last night. My mind is racing about problems that are reality based by intensified by my being bipolar. Tomorrow I see dr m.
Bobby

I am so glad that you see your pdoc tomorrow,,,,here is to sleeping some tonight.
((((HUGS))))
bizi