Hi,
I am new here and I need some help. I have had problems sleeping for as long as I can remember. I am addicted to staying up late at night, then getting up really late in the day. Then when I have to get on good schedule again I just stay up all day and go to sleep at 8/9PM.
That horrible routine somehow got me through college, but now that I'm older I don't feel like I can do it anymore. When I try to stay up all day now, I get diarrhea and I'm very nauseated. I can still stay up, but by the time my ideal time to sleep comes around (8/9PM), I feel extremely exhausted but not sleepy. I'm kept awake by my not feeling well and I end up not going to sleep at all. This has happened several times, and then I had it so I started using OTC sleeping pills on nights before I have to get up early.
For the last month I've been using OTC sleeping pills on and off. I have used Equate sleep aid (which is just Benedryl), Nyquil, Promethazine (which I got prescribed for nausea some time ago) and Advil PM. I use the recommended dosage but I switch it up or just grab whatever is near me. I still have not fixed my schedule. This morning I went to bed at 8am and woke up 3pm. I wanted to go to sleep at 3am but could not sleep, and I did not take a pill.
So I have not taken any pills for 3 days now. But tonight I want to take one again because tomorrow I have to get up at 8. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to become addicted to these sleeping pills and all I want is to get on a good sleeping schedule, going to bed at 11 and wake up at 7 everyday. I have NEVER had luck keeping a solid sleeping schedule for more than a week or two at a time and I need help. Am I already addicted? I feel like that if I do not take one of those sleeping meds now then I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight.
Thank you