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View Full Version : Reading a Thread Brought Me a New Kind of Phobia



Ali78
02-04-09, 23:12
I always have jerkups (myoclinic jerk?) just before falling asleep several times a night before finally being able to. So everynight when it's time to retire to bed, I start getting tense. I came across a thread that talks about fear of falling asleep, so I thought the poster had my symptoms and I decided to read it. Turns out their case was being afraid of dying in their sleep. People were assuring her at how anixety plays a role, and even though the symptoms were unrelated to mine, I started feeling at ease thinking maybe anxiety also is what causes my jerkups as I only started having them after I experienced my PA and became a cardiophobe...then I came across someone assuring the poster that they cannot die in their sleeps unless, if like them, they suffer from sleep apnea. Out of cursioty, I looked up sleep apnea and now I can no longer bring myself to go to bed :( At first it was the jerkups, now it's afraid of falling asleep because of what I read about sleep apnea. I just never learn, i just never learn to NEVER google things. I ionly wish I never came across those two-words. I just seem to take everything bad and apply it to myself.

This morning I woke up to find myself lying on my right and my breath was sounding like a whistle. I got tense and as I felt anxiety speeding up, the whistle fell silent and my breath became normal but by then I was all shaky.

Can anyone please explain to me if this was a result of my newly discovered fear, just a coincidence, or just anxiety?

NoPoet
03-04-09, 00:28
Hi Ali,

I have never, never known anyone who has even heard of someone who died suddenly in their sleep. It just doesn't happen. The human body doesn't just stop. It's designed to live.

Your "condition" which causes you to jerk awake sounds like nothing to worry about. You could always see your doctor for peace of mind but I'm sure they will tell you it's to do with being tense or anxious and you do not have anything to be afraid of. You might have jerked awake one night, worried about it cos it never happened before, then your fear made it happen again. It's a vicious circle.

Honestly, you have got nothing to worry about.