Drug addict VS sleeping pills

Might be a stupid question but does anyone have any do’s or don’ts when it comes to temporarily using sleeping pills. In this case it’s just an over the counter antihistamine that makes you drowsy…
Thanks.

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I used melotinin. Shit didn’t really help, made me super sleepy the next day. Just see how it works and if it helps try it out.

Hey there…no help on the sleeping pills as I didn’t take them. But I can say that the last probably 5 to 6 years of my drinking life I was pretty tired…if I slept through the night it was more than I was passed out through the night. Sobriety wasn’t really any different for a while. I’m not sure the details, but my body had to do quite a bit of healing before my sleep cycle normalized. Getting on some great supplements (monitored by an acupuncturist and chiropractor) drinking caffeine only in the morning, upping my water intake and taking epsom salt baths before bed (for the relaxation and the magnesium) have all been super helpful. The last six months have really seen a change in my sleep pattern, best of all it feels like restful sleep. Good luck out there :yellow_heart:

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I have some experience with them, found them relativly harmless but be careful. I found personally if you take them frequently like everynight for a little while it will be hard for a while to fall asleep naturally for a little while. So j think they are fairly safe just use them as needed and not daily. Hope this helps

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Make sure that you talk to your doctor about being prescribed a sleeping pill. Be honest with them about any addictions you have/had in the past. Many time non-habit forming sleep aids will help reset your circadian rhythm. There are other interventions you can do while taking them. Start a bedtime routine. It will help alert your brain it is time to go into sleep mode. Discover ways to contain any strong emotion or thought, whether through guided meditation, journaling, sketching or making colorful non objective artwork.
It is important to utilize the sleep aid as a tool. Anything can become a drug if it helps us to forget our troubles for a hot minute.

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I found them fine but only take for up to three days in a row. I would take them about 8pm and aim for an early night.

I absolutely take prescription sleep med. I had and still have so many changes in my life that my mind refuses to sit still when I lay down. I meditate and pray, practice mindfulness exercises… its getting a little better. But 4 now I take med, as prescribed. Specifically a non narcotic. Im careful about what I do today.
That includes getting adequate sleep, Im a basket case without my sleep, lol.

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If your still struggling with sleep, you should look up the method the US Navy uses to help people sleep. I have tried many different meditation/breathing exercises and for me the method the Navy uses seems to work best for me, mabe try giving it a shot? If you have any questions or cant find it online, feel free to message me and ill explain it or help point you in the right direction

I take an antihistamine prescription to help me sleep, Vistaril, I also take Prazosin, takes a good hour to knock me out

It’s a personal choice. To be honest, you have to think though is a over the counter pill going to help or harm you, I would talk with your doc about options and try the things outlined here

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My doctor said Benadryl, is the best thing you can take for sleep. It’s not addictive. Sam’s clubs they’re sleep aid is made up of Benadryl, but again I would check with your family doctor, or a local pharmacist, before taking anything especially seeing that we are at addicts. This is what I take Benadryl won’t hurt me sometimes I have to take 3 at a time.We don’t want to get in situations lead us to backtracking I’m sure you understand that. Anyway it’s just a suggestion you might want to think about Good luck. Remember to check with your family physician or pharmacist first always.

I was on opioids and benzos hard for a long time and when I quit I had a really hard time sleeping. I tried Benadryl and it really gave me fits with restless legs and all that crap. It was really rough but I just took naps whenever I could sleep. I’d take 15 or 20 minutes whenever I could sleep. I didn’t care what time it was. After 6 months or so I started getting 3 or 4 hours at night which was great. Seems like it took upwards of a year to get a normal sleep pattern.
This was my hardest hurdle to overcome getting clean. It nearly drove me crazy but it was worth it in the end

hmm i’ve used nyquil to get a deep sleep and didnt consider it a relapse. but i also don’t have substance abuse history with pills or codeine…

I’ve been taking 3mg melatonin with Vitamin B6 in it for the last 3 years. I get 30 pills for $1 at the Dollar Tree. $12 for a years supply ain’t bad! I just buy an entire ‘carton’ and am set for the year.

I used to ‘spin’ around the clock with my sleep schedule. As in, I’d wake up 15 or 30 minutes later every day, and go to sleep 15 or 30 minutes later every day. This would continue on until I managed to ‘reset’ it through staying up for a miserable day or two. I actually left a job and played cards for multiple years because of lax schedule needed to do that. It made it very difficult to keep a steady schedule, and deeply affected my school years and career. I used marijuana, alcohol, and PMO to self medicate with getting to sleep; PMO being my primary drug of choice.

Since finding melatonin about 3.5 years ago I’ve done amazingly well in my career and have been able to greatly reduce the urge to use PMO before bed. It’s also allowed me to examine and analyze my usage outside of that pattern and cut back dramatically.