Mind racing?
Question:
THANKS!!
Answers:
This happened to me all throughout high school even sometimes now in my adult life, except that it goes on all night and I sleep. From talking to other people and my own experiences with both my family members and living with my fiance, it's pretty normal to experience insomnia and periods of very little sleep especially in times of stress.
Sleeping pills, like all other medications used to treat mental issues, should be a last resort. Try things like writing in a journal or reading before you go to bed. Often I can't sleep unless I've got something like a television or an audio book playing. I like the Harry Potter books, you can download them illegally, but for free (they're too expensive anyways) by using a torrent program. Listening to some calming music, perhaps instrumental music, at night when you're falling asleep may help as well.
So, try this next time,
1) write down your thoughts for oh, 20 minutes or so
2) drink some herbal tea (chamomille is good) and/or take a hot bath or shower
3) lie in bed, pretend you are asleep
If this doesn't work, try all that and the audio books, tv or music the next night. Do make sure you're getting plenty of exercise during the day too, as that will help you sleep. Avoid caffiene and other stimulants like smoking before bed time.
If you're still having problems, talk to your parents about seeing someone, perhaps a doctor.
if flights of thoughs and ideas are disrupting your life, including school performance and lack of sleep, you might want to talk with your health care professional/doctor for advice.
take care hon.
why would sleeping pills be out of the question for a fourteen year old? i'm 16 and when i was 12 i had the same issues, and my doctor prescribed some sleeping pills. about a year ago, i weaned myself off of them and i was totally fine. (i don't really have an addictive personality.)
unless there are other complications that prevent you from being able to take some sleeping pills, then why not?
my best advice that i can give would be for you to just talk to someone about your problem, then see what you can do with their help.
good luck.
Well if it's only for an hour or so, that doesn't seem too detrimental. If it's coupled with trouble focussing in school, being easily sidetracked, etc, I may consider being evaulated by a psychologist, but just having a racey mind at night alone probably wouldn't necessitate that.
I would reccomend exercising more during the daytime and avoiding any exercise during the evening. Also avoid any caffeine or chocolate probably a good 9 hours before bed. I know that seems extreme, but caffeine has an absurdly long half life of 6 hours. (meaning if you drink 2 cups of coffee 6 hours before you try to sleep, you're going to sleep with the effects of a full cup of coffee in your system.)
Those things alone will definately improve your sleep quality and probably ability to fall asleep faster.
its what is called ADHD
you need exercise and lower sugar intake along with mental stimuli such as reading
I know this sounds silly, but think of a shape and just close your eyes and focus on that shape for as long as you can. Do not let any other thoughts provoke you, just think of that for as long as you can. Or read a book, that sometimes helps. With either of these though, you have to practice at them to get good. And...if worse comes to worse, and your racing thoughts are causing you to lose sleep, etc, then, LAST option is take a little nyquil before bed or something. but that isn't a good solution because you get droggy the next day.
It's very difficult to say what you have just base on what you mentioned in brief sentences. It can be Generalized Anxiety Disorder, in which you worry about most aspects of your daily life: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/generalized...
One of the method to reduce such racing thoughts is to relax. And the most efficient and easy way is to learn to deep breath. It can calm your mind and induce a state of relaxation and reduce your anxiety.
Keep in mind, these are only my opinions. I do suggest you to see a mental health professional and he/she can further assess you. You don't need to feel ashamed and embarrassed if you do have some mental conditions. Anxiety Disorders are fairly common in the U.S.(so are Depression).
Goodluck, wish you the best
I have the same problem. My doctor (who doesn't believe in the pill-for-every-ill practice) suggested slow breathing exercizes. It works well for night-time axiety, sort of like meditation or yoga. Also try camomile tea or calming music. Reading before bed sometimes helps too. Anything that gets you to concentrate on something BESIDES what's going to happen tommorow will help you sleep.
Look honey some people think of their problems real or imaginary as soon as they put their head on the pillow. You are really too young to start out on sleeping pills. What's going to happen when you get older and life (I'm sorry to say) gets tougher? You need to see a professional - someone who can really help - a glass of milk isn't going to help you. Is there someone at school you can talk to? Or a close relative or family friend.
I've just seen that you have OCD. You can't treat that with sleeping pills. Please see a counselor or Dr. OCD needs to be treated just like any ailment or it can make your life hell. It makes no difference that you are 14 because you will be given medication.
Ask:
"Who is thinking this thought?"
Coping with Anxiety
# Schedule a Time Out - A few minutes set aside for just you gives you time to step out of the situation long enough to regain perspective. One time out I like is stepping into a warm tub of water, sliding down into the water and letting the soothing comfort of a bubble bath "take me away" from the stressful situation.
# Give Yourself an Attitude Check - Take a few minutes to ask yourself, "Am I approaching life with a positive 'I can' attitude or with an attitude of negativism and defeat?" Taking an attitude check is as important to my mind as taking my pulse is to my body.
# Search for Hot Buttons - Hot Buttons are places in your life that stir up anxiety and seem to contribute to the stress in your life. Be on the lookout for the things that make you angry or frustrated immediately. These are your Hot Buttons. Once you find them, you can work through them by finding pressure points, the next item in our letting go checklist.
# Look for Revelation in Circumstances - Realize that the circumstances of life don't make you who you are; they reveal who you are. Ask yourself the tough question, "What about me is being revealed by my action/reaction to the circumstances in my life?" Be aware that the same destructive stress patterns in one person's life can be motivation to overcome difficult circumstances in the life of another person. Personal attitude could be the difference between a stressful situation and a learning one.
# Do a Control Check-Up - Take a look at who or what you trying to gain control over, and then remember this very basic truth: the only person you can have control over is yourself. I often try to gain control over circumstances and suddenly realize that the situation is a more difficult than I am able to handle. These moments become Aha! Moments: the moment you realize God may actually have the circumstances there for a reason. Are you working against God? If so, that will always be really stressful. Relieve anxiety by learning that He allows circumstances in your life for a reason. When you are able to do this, your stress will lessen considerably (Romans 8:28-29).
Have you identified the areas you need to work on? Good! After you know what they are, you can develop ways to overcome them, one by one. This includes identifying productive ways to cope with stress and trying to learn to incorporate them into your behavior. Here is a list of ways to cope with stress and anxiety that I can recommend from personal experience:
# Identify Your Unique Coping Mechanisms - Before you cope, you need to find ways that fit your personality and lifestyle. Recognize that some ways of coping -- such as by escaping the situation or running away from your problems -- are destructive in the long run. The only way to effectively coping with stress and anxiety is to face the causes of this stress.
# Change Your Focus - Get your mind off of the stress by changing your perspective on a given situation. Or go somewhere to change your surroundings.
# Feed Your Soul - Everyone has their very own Soul Food. Some of Soul Foods are music, the beauty of nature, inspiring stories, special relationships, a quiet place in the woods, or warmth from a gently lapping fire in the fireplace. God placed in each of us a desire for a unique something that touches and feeds our soul and draws us closer to Him so that we may regain our balance. You may need to take a vacation or getaway to regroup, dream, and allow God to refill the cup of your soul. If you remember to take a faith step toward God, be still (Psalm 46:10) and let God's presence surround you, you will really begin to relax and focus. My communication to God becomes a plea for His help. I pray "God help me to commit my stress and anxiety to You. Help me to be able to trust You to handle it. And please God, help me to accept Your way in my life.
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