Scared my family will die in their sleep

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MindBlind
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16 Feb 2016, 9:55 pm

I've been developing a phobia lately. I live with my mother and sister and at night I often struggle to sleep because I worry that they'll die (particularly my mum). Both of them snore quite loudly and sometimes I wonder if my mum suffers from sleep apnoea and maybe I should bring it up to her. My sister has asthma and I get paranoid she'll have an attack in her sleep. I also start to worry if they'll have seizures in their sleep or something like that even though I have no reason to believe they will. It's always a thought I have had in the back of my mind, but usually I could just push it aside. Now it's making me super paranoid and tense. I have even ran into their rooms to wake them when it sounded like they were having trouble breathing or quietly listening in to check their breathing. I have even considered baby monitors - I am dead serious.

I don't know why I am so paranoid right now. I just keep worrying that something bad is going to happen.



kraftiekortie
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16 Feb 2016, 9:58 pm

It's EXTREMELY unlikely that both of them will pass away in their sleep.

I think this is a job for the "reality-testing" component of yourself.



DailyPoutine1
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16 Feb 2016, 10:00 pm

You're not alone, while not exactly for the same reasons, I also get pretty paranoid and worried at night time. The noises of the cats playing, screaming and jumping on furniture make me think they're getting harmed and attacking eachother.

Sometimes I go see what they're doing to calm down, others I just try to rationalize and tell myself that everything wil be fine when I get out of my room the next morning.



MindBlind
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17 Feb 2016, 5:56 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
It's EXTREMELY unlikely that both of them will pass away in their sleep.

I think this is a job for the "reality-testing" component of yourself.


Thats the most frustrating thing about paranoia is how easy it is to convince yourself that something bad definitely going to happen. My mother has a lot of health problems as does my sister so it's very easy for me to rationalise and make excuses for my paranoid thoughts.

I think the best solution I have found is distraction, actually. I used to get a bunch of paranoid thoughts when I had Panic Disorder and trying to argue with them never worked so I would try to keep my mind busy with something else. I tried it last night and eventually I got to sleep. I feel like crap but progress is progress I suppose.



kraftiekortie
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17 Feb 2016, 6:47 am

Whatever gets you to sleep, I always say.

I use the technique of distraction very frequently.

Smart move on your part!



AspE
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17 Feb 2016, 10:58 am

MindBlind wrote:
I've been developing a phobia lately. I live with my mother and sister and at night I often struggle to sleep because I worry that they'll die (particularly my mum). Both of them snore quite loudly and sometimes I wonder if my mum suffers from sleep apnoea and maybe I should bring it up to her. My sister has asthma and I get paranoid she'll have an attack in her sleep. I also start to worry if they'll have seizures in their sleep or something like that even though I have no reason to believe they will. It's always a thought I have had in the back of my mind, but usually I could just push it aside. Now it's making me super paranoid and tense. I have even ran into their rooms to wake them when it sounded like they were having trouble breathing or quietly listening in to check their breathing. I have even considered baby monitors - I am dead serious.

I don't know why I am so paranoid right now. I just keep worrying that something bad is going to happen.

You need to see somebody about obsessive thoughts, there are good drugs for that now.



MindBlind
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20 Feb 2016, 6:23 pm

kraftiekortie wrote:
Whatever gets you to sleep, I always say.

I use the technique of distraction very frequently.

Smart move on your part!


Cheers!

Mind you, I took some Nytol last night and it worked a charm. I try not to use it too much because it's not a good idea to rely on sleeping pills for too long. That being said, I had the best nights sleep I've had in ages because of it. Usually, it takes me ages to sleep, even on a good night. My mind is often active no matter how tired I feel. Obsessions and paranoia, I guess, seem to be a side effect.

AspE, I heard that for chronic sleep problems/anxiety, CBT is actually better in the long run. But sure, if I don't get over this in a few weeks then I'll see my GP and he can probably prescribe me something stronger for the short term.