For me, it feels like my stress level is stuck on high for no reason causing the stress response (fear, adrenaline, heart racing) all the time, even while I sleep. So, I thought about this:

For normal, well people (like I used to be), their stress level lies low most of the time. When riding a roller coaster, their stress rightfully goes up (heart racing, adrenaline, fear! Yipee!). When they get off the roller coaster, their stress level goes back down and all is fine.

So, what if I rode a roller coaster and gave my mind a reason to calm down when I got off the roller coaster. Would that relieve the stuck, stressful condition?

I've tried relaxing tapes, music, reading, hot tub, acupuncture, doing nothing, praying, hypoglycemic diet, vitamins, fasting, ignoring it, and it just doesn't go away.

Any thoughts? Has anyone tried to deliberataly stress themselves out with something like sky diving and had any releif afterwards?:dont-know

MartM,
Funny as I did try skydiving once. I was in shock, reliving the decent for a week afterward. so no I don't think that would help. Anthony would not want to hear this but it seems like you have tried everything in the book so now perhaps a visit to the MD might be wise. Especially, if you are becoming sleep deprived. I never knew I was anxious until I had a week on meds for anxiety. I have never in my life felt this calm inside. Everything is changed. But I am also trying to work on the trauma. To get at the culprit but boy do emotions knock me to the point of almost passing out. I almost did on Thursday with my therapist, but she was wonderful and we got a bit out and I immediately felt better. I think when she said for me to speak what was rolling through my brain was really what did the trick. The thoughts were going so fast that I didn't even realize it. By speaking them I had to concentrate to grab them as my speaker is not nearly as fast as my head nor is my memory good enough to remember all the thoughts. The only thing I don't see on your list is journaling. Perhaps, you need to try and write out the thoughts in your head. That may help. Good luck.
Patty

I don't know if deliberately stressing yourself out is going to do it Mart, I guess you'll have to try it first and come back and let us know. We never, ever know, now do we, until we first give it a try. Mart, what I do know though is that routine cardiov. exercises or pushing ourselves some in a work-out can do this. Exercise always helps me and yet, now-a-days it's one of the last thing I remember to do. Yeh, Exercise that most definately is very helpful !

Do you regularly exercise much MartM?

hope

Hi MartM,
I go into my bedroom and plug myself into my mp3 and listen to very low (bass) tones of tibetan monk chants. I also take small amts. of benzos every once in awhile - usually no more than 1mg total in a day.
Moki

Willing, don't worry, I am with you... try everything first, then go for help. However; have you really tried everything? Sleep depravation because of anxiety is only a symptom off another cause. You are not losing sleep because you can't sleep, your losing sleep because anxiety won't allow you to sleep. Your hypervigilant, anxious, alert, etc etc etc... nightmares and the list goes on.

So then, how does one fix the symptom? You go to the cause, being your trauma. I tried fixing these things uniquely, but quickly found they didn't work. So then I went to the cause and worked on that instead. Funnily enough, after a few months of even less sleep due to the state I put myself in working through my trauma, I suddenly began to sleep, and could do so then on without many issues. Now, I sleep 10 hours a night, no problems, each and every night. I can sleep 5 - 6 hours a night, every night if I want too also. You see, now I control my sleep, which is the desired result. I can sleep when I want, simply go and lay down and I sleep, without being hyper alert, anxious or the like, as there is now nothing below the surface bothering me to keep me awake.

So have you really tried everything?

I will carry it a bit further on "have you tried everything". You have tried everything to make it stop and control it from what I read. In other words you have fought it. Have you tried the scariest part? Surrender? Most often saying you don't give a shit and go into the panic will help the most.

I saw prayer in your list. Now one thing (not much does) about prayer and religion that sticks is do not look to him to fix something (summarizing) because then it will not happen. Go to him with no expectations. So much like panic symptoms. Go into them, surrender. What ever you fear the most when you have the symptoms welcome and beg to come on. Do not challenge at all but welcome and let it take you. It cannot. What you will find when you truly surrender to the symptoms and let yourself die if that is your fear at the time (my fear) it melts away. It takes practice.

Relaxation, breathing, meditation is all good to help maintain but you have to give in first. These techniques will work for maintenance and set your mind up to more easily accept giving in. But once you give in you will find yourself in a much better place. I know as I have done it before and I am having to do it again. It works well enough that you can get to a place you doubt you ever had this you do so well. Relapse happens and you have to work to do it again. It is hard once you do it once to have it come back but you master it again so fast compared to before. I know this from my path. Welcome the symptoms and rest. It sounds easy but it is a lot of work.

To help keep at bay open up and let all your pain out. No hidden secrets. Let it out. And welcome the pain of our symptoms take time when they come to welcome them and know they cannot harm. You will see change.

Very well said veiled... very well said.