Speech therapy is entirely different than talk therapy. Talk therapy would be with a CBT or other therapist who helps you with how you think about issues that cause you anxiety. Speech therapy is for memory issues and how they may effect your ability to speak. Word finding strategies, memorization skills, etc.

Anxiety meds usually work best when combined with talk therapy, the "How does that make you feel" kind or "When this thought arises, try to think this......"

Speech therapy is for rehabilitating neurological function.
Talk therapy is for psychological issues.

100 mgs of 5-HTP is a light to moderate dose. You can take twice that in most cases.

I also have to prepare for sleep two hours before bed. No discussions with my wife. No stimulating TV. I use mind numbing TV to settle my mind and get it off any thoughts that might cause anxiety. If I go to bed and these thoughts arise and my mind starts 'thinking,' I need to get up and start the process over. I do better losing an hour starting over because the restless sleep I would get with a thinking mind will be worthless.

I have dealt with PCS and PTSD insomnia for 15+ years. It takes discipline to get good sleep.

Early in my struggles, I spent many nights sleeping in my recliner with the TV one, maybe with a music video/DVD playing. I use headphones with a volume control to listen to TV and would turn the volume down as things got quiet. There are cordless headphones that recharge on a stand. Sony makes a good set but they are pricey.

My mind wants to be active continuously so I have to have something safe to focus on. It depends on the time of day as to what is safe. At night, it needs to be very low key. Think of the excitement of watching golf. Enough to occupy your mind but not enough to need to stay awake.

Quick update: my doctor has put me on seroquel now. We start at 50 and move up to 600
mg. I am not really happy, as there were some comments in this forum that adviced to avoid seroquel. She said I need a med of this group. I asked many times about an SSRI, but she said it does not help against anxiety and sleep problems. Btw I am inpatient at the moment.

I feel not good overall. I currently take 3mg temesta until next week, 2mg risperdal until next week and increasing seroquel.

SSRI's can be very good with anxiety. At least that is my experience. Are you taking B-12 and the others recommended vitamins ?

Yes I take the complete regimen.

Sounds like I made a bad choice with my doctor. I asked several times about SSRI and anxiety. She said they won't help.

There are not many people on this forum who where treated with anti psychotics. That has to have a reason. I am definately not taking seroquel 6 months, as my doctor plans.

I have experience with using Seroquel while recovering from a head injury. Overall, if you're simultaneously dealing with anxiety disorders and a TBI, I would stray away from Seroquel. While it helped immensely with sleep, it totally erased much of my personality. I was zombified, in short. I never went above 150 mg's.

As far as I'm aware 600 mg is a dose prescribed, generally, to those suffering from issues like schizoaffective disorder, bipolar psychosis or schizophrenia.

Seroquel is, I don't believe, labeled to treat anxiety disorders. So it's odd he would prescribe Seroquel, and then rail against the use of SSRI's to treat anxiety, when Seroquel's primary use is for the treatment of psychosis.

As others have mentioned, it is an atypical antipsychotic. It is a very strong drug with at times alarming side effects. Doctors sometimes prescribe it off-label for sleep, but I believe this reflects irresponsible prescription practices. But, it is an effective sleep medicine. If anything, I would use it sparingly for sleep, if you have any issues with insomnia or symptoms of that sort.

Try and see if you can find another doctor.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I have huge sleeping disorders. I think the main reason for them is anxiety. The first night with seroquel.was just like the others. I needed 2-3 hours to fall asleep and woke up 4 times.
I took 50mg yesterday, today we will raise it to 100mg. I am still on 2 mg risperdal and 3 mg temesta!

I found some unfo on the internet that anti psychotics cause brain shrinkage over time. Very concerning. I am going to take this stuff for a long time.
Nonetheless it should not impede the healing.

I found some interessting info about this

http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/fil...P_Article4.pdf

If anti-psychotics do cause brain shrinking, that is also called atrophy or encephalopathy. There is no way the brain can heal while brain cells are dying.

The research I have read says anti-psychotics should not be used for more than 6 months except in extreme circumstances such as keeping a psychotic person from becoming unable to care for themselves or a danger. My doc wanted me on Xyprexa for only 30 days. I was having a severe PTSD response and it helped me get past it.

Mark, did you take a look at the link I posted?

Research claims that quetiapine is safe for tbi patients. The brain shrinkage just occurs when it is taken over several years.

Chris,

I don't know if this will help or even if I should say it but I have managed to work my way back from an hour a day at a half hour per nap to a more respectable sleep now without meds...took 8 months. I still have nights that I awake and sleep fretfully quite unexplained such as last night.

Mostly I wake at 11, 2 and 4 but I fall back asleep and I don't wake in panic or worry about being awake.

Not trying to influence your decision just to let you know my story.

Bud