How to overcome insomnia and memory problems?

Question

Hi doctor,

For the past three months I have been suffering from worsening insomnia. I fall asleep with great difficulty. I used to get a light fragmented sleep, where I wake up several times and have many dreams. In fact do not even know if I have fallen asleep or not. I just know that time has passed by looking at the clock. I am also having muscle twitches all over my body; I can see the muscles moving. I sweat a lot in armpits and feet. I am having memory and attention problems as well. My personality seems to have changed and I cannot focus most of the time. I have been aggressively searching up symptoms of fatal insomnia and I am so scared that I might have it. I am just 26 years old and I have no family history of this disease. Are there people who had these symptoms and survived? I need some assurance as I am really worried. I went to my doctor and he only prescribed sleeping pills. Please help me out. I feel tired and fatigued throughout the day.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com. I have gone through your complaint. From what you have mentioned, it seems that you may be suffering from anxiety or stress related disorders. The symptoms that points towards anxiety or stress related disorders include tremors, twitching, sweating, insomnia, tiredness and fatigue during the day, feeling nervous and tensed without any apparent reason. To specifically name the type of anxiety disorder would need further information and evaluation. Considering the distress that you are having due to your symptoms, it is about time adequate management of your condition is started. I would suggest that you seek a psychiatric consultation. Had I been your psychiatrist, I would have ordered some blood investigations like complete blood count to rule out anemia and thyroid function tests as thyroid disorders can also give rise to anxiety. Treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Escitalopram or Sertraline could be initiated. Short term course of Benzodiazepines like Clonazepam could be added initially to take care of insomnia and reduce anxiety. I would also advice you to start exercising daily. Relaxation exercises like deep breathing and progressive muscular relaxation are also very effective in controlling anxiety or stress related disorder.