Sudden return of bad HA over vcjd

[bounceback11]

Hey guys

Been almost three years since I've been on this site! Almost three years ago I became very concerned that I had vCJD (a childhood worry) and suffered terrible anxiety due to it. After taking 20mg of escitalopram for a few months and attending CBT I managed to conquer that particular fear but it has recently returned.

In the last couple of weeks I saw a program about dementia and a film about parkinsons and it seems to have kick started my fear of vCJD again. I wasnt able to sleep last monday and woke up in a panic as I was too hot and since then I have slowly become more and more panicky.

Just when I was getting better I had a sleepless night and googled the disease which was a big mistake! Now I am more panicky than ever.

My biggest problem is that I can't sleep. I have a very bad sleep schedule as I work nights so that can't help but just as I seem to be falling asleep I jolt awake. Does this happen to anyone else?

Have any of you guys suffered a sudden return of HA after a good period and do you have any tips for me?

Thanks guys.

[skygreen_leopard]

I worry about vCJD all the time and have done so since I was a child too; I have tried CBT, meds, counselling, etc, but nothing really has helped that much. I was doing quite well till about a month ago when I got ill and then everything just built up and exploded again.

The only thing that I can say to help is that 99.9% of the UK population has a chance of getting it (probably a very slim chance, but it's there), so you're no more likely to get it than I am or your neighbor etc.

Worrying about it doesn't change the outcome, so you may aswell live well, because it would be awful to waste your life and never get ill.

The jerks you talk about are common, I get them all the time, they're called Hypnagogic Jerks. Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend them, sleeping tablets can help if you're having insomnia for a short while, but I would advise something like getting up and reading a book or doing something else that's engrossing and wears your mind down whenever you feel restless.

Hang in there.