Hi, about a week ago i stayed awake for 36 hours. Around the 36th hour (11pm) , my blood pressure suddenly began varying drastically and I had some difficulty breathing and I was like ok it's time to finally sleep. So i went to sleep for around 8 hours. However, after i woke up I had brain fog and had severe depersonlization which gave me a bad case of anxiety and therefore panic attacks. Note I never had anxiety nor panic attacks before this point. It's been about a week now, and I've averaged about 6 hours of sleep a night, not due to the fact that i can't sleep, but because of school etc.. The panic attacks have gone away and the anxiety is nearly gone but not totally (mainly due to the brain fog, me wondering if I cant get better or not is what's making me anxious). So i want to know if anyone has experienced anything similar to this, and if I start to make up for the sleep debt/defecet, will the brain fog go away? The brain fog really scares me and therefore furthur makes me anxious. Please help. Thanks. Btw, thank GOD I stopped experiencing the depersonlization, that was scary AF, but some people say brain fog and depersonlization are the same, but I don't think so because now I feel attached to reality, it's just that I have a foggy brain ( not the best explanation differing the two but trust me they aren't the same).
Just a side note: before I never "believed" in depression. Whenever I heard someone had depression (unless it has to do with the death of a loved one or a traumatic experience) e.g. school is too hard, etc.. I would just think to myself that they need to stop being childish and man up. But now that i have experienced mental issues, I now how scary it is and and helpless one can feel, not thay i experienced depression, but the depersonlization really got to me so now I understand how scary a mental issue can be.
Tl;Dr please help
Patientboy1
Excuse my typing I am having problems with my hands due to my Flare.
break
When I first started work I worked outside as a telephone engineer, and I had to work Morning, Lunch, Evening Meal and Breakfast, that was taken at Midnight, Breakfast became a lunch. I would go back home to rest for eight/ ten hours and then repeated the shift till next morning. It used to work out in a way to a thirty hour shift. When we were on the second day they would then work it as around thirty hours. They used to call it over riding maxum where our days could not work over a given time period, I think it became something like twelve hours a shift with overtime, We had to make up the day and never go through maximum hours.
Generally they would leave s on that time system for as long as possible, it used to work out well for the job. The problem was however was getting back onto general, normal hours and they had to allow twelve hours to get back on time. Sorry I degress
What I am trying to say, generally it can be quite easy to get back onto your correct time, you do that by taking you normal bedtime Have an evening meal at lunchtime and supper at teatime, go to bed around four hours before proper bedtime, You may not sleep well, get up next morning normal time. Have breakfast work your day and go to bed one hour earlier than normal, you should sleep normal.
When we did this it was about 1968/70 so things may be different now. You should not be anxious just tired and you should recover withing forty eight hours. Mind I oly did above about three times and my girlfriend played hell with me
BOB
You are not alone in anything that you have experienced. Brain fog, depersonalization, worry, feelings of unreality, not able to sleep, strange dreams, etc. I have experienced them all over the years, some times are worse than others. Medication helps - I took valium when I first experienced panic attacks - I was young and the fear and nervous disorder so bad that valium didn't help until I learned what I was dealing with and was able to calm down. I believe anxiety can be a combination of chemical imbalance, personality, and irrational thoughts (sometimes based on life events) that cause anxiety. However, some people are more prone than others. Depersonalization is psychological, but can be triggered by anxiety. All the psychosomatic symptoms fall under the category of anxiety, nerves, etc. Cognitive therapy can help, having a good counselor to talk to. Working though anxiety is like working through an illness that has grabbed hold of you and become part of you. It is a sign that something is wrong. I hope you are able to come to terms with your anxiety. Anxious people are focused on their thoughts/feelings. It's like turning your attention inward and concentrating on yourself too much. However, it is a real condition and often requires help. All the best.