Hello doctor, I have been diagnosed with OCD. My OCD comes in the form of intense fear of sleep for the past five years, but it has gotten worse within the past couple of months. I am afraid the moment sleep comes, I fight this feeling until I am exhausted. How can I make peace with falling asleep and not associate it with fear and something to avoid? I am currently taking Gabapentin 600 mg, Seroquel 100 mg, and Clomipramine 25 mg. I have been on SSRI approximately 20 years back, for anxiety and depression. As I am prone to panic attacks, I have done tests to rule out any heart problem, lung problem or any other physical cause.
Hello. I will start with the pharmacological part. You can discuss with your treating doctor regarding increasing the dose of Clomipramine, not only will it help with sleep but also in decreasing the obsessions. You can also discuss regarding substituting it with Fluvoxamine if not given a trial yet. Now a few points regarding non-pharmacological methods that can help with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) are as follows. I know it is easier said than done but try to accept your obsession, but not the fear or anxiety associated with it. Logging down your obsessions sometimes helps relieve the associated anxiety. For further queries consult a psychiatrist online -->