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bptsdan
New Contributor

Thinking while sleeping

Hey all, first post, please be gentle while I work out how these forums work.

I'm living with bipolar type 1 and PTSD, which relates to experiences of antigay bullying when I was in high school (25 years ago) and intergenerational family violence. Diagnosed with bipolar about 15 months ago and PTSD was picked up by a clin psych about 2 years ago and confirmed by my psychiatrist... this morning. Big day.

My bipolar is generally pretty stable, but every now and again I'll encounter triggers for post-traumatic stress. Sometimes my work (I'm a writer) puts me in the way of that. The same-sex marriage plebiscite last year really set me up for that. 

When I'm triggered, I tend to get a ton of emotion, not always clearly attached to the trigger or the related experience -- it can get attached to whatever I'm writing about. And then I ruminate about it for days. Medication has definitely helped stop the rumination. But recently I had to finish some writing that was on the very same topic I got triggered about. It should have taken a few days and it took me nearly a month. So the task itself kept returning me to the painful topic.

This is what I wanted to ask about: does anyone else experience 'thinking while they are asleep'? I'm trying to work out if that's common for bipolar or PTSD. I'm getting to sleep okay but then I wake up around 3AM to go pee and realise my brain has been working away, like I've been in a light slumber rather than fully asleep, thinking or dreaming or dreaming about thinking about the topic I'm writing about.

So: I finished that piece of writing a couple of months ago and my sleep went back to normal. I'm already in counselling for the post-traumatic symptoms, and I saw my GP and my pdoc and we've worked out a strategy involving sleeping tablets as a first line and possibly a low-dose anti-psychotic as the second line option. 

I'd love to know if anyone else has experienced this, and if so, what have you tried doing about it?

Many thanks,

Diver Dan

4 REPLIES 4

Re: Thinking while sleeping

Ha, yes! I thought this was just a creative person thing though, not a mental health thing. I've been getting this on and off my whole life - I'm a writer and musician, so it's mostly been helpful, but when I have mental health stuff going on it's obviously less fun. I also have PTSD and bipolar (but type II), and I've definitely found it's increased in the negative way since having PTSD (a newer addition to my life). Sorry to hear about you getting triggered by the stupid plebiscite. Getting triggered is awful, and when you can't escape I can imagine it's a world of hell. I now try and avoid working in areas that are triggering, but easier said than done! And also kind of annoying, because I CARE so much about helping and being an advocate in those spaces too. But self care has to come first I guess...

 

Kate

Re: Thinking while sleeping

Hi @bptsdan. I suffer from a similar thing but a few years ago it became unmanageable. Sleep  disturbances I would call it. After a conversation with my GP I was put on a low dose of paxam. I can't say it completely  fixed the problem but it did help quite a bit.

Re: Thinking while sleeping

Hi @bptsdan

I more have trouble with thinking keeping me awake but wanted just to say hi and welcome. 

I hope someone else might be able to give some insight on their experience 

Re: Thinking while sleeping

Thanks, @Calmblueocean and @destructive. It has backed off a lot now that
I'm no longer trying to write about triggering contents. I have been
talking with my pdoc about options for sleeping aids, in case I need that
in future.
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