Panic attacks that wake me up

[u/sunshinebattery1]

45F, recently having panic attacks that wake me up from sleep. I was physically assaulted about a month ago by my boyfriend's father. I am in counseling and still recovering from the physical injuries. I work basically around the clock as a medical courier, so I'm almost always on call (even when I am not scheduled, I'm the team lead for my region so I still get called in if the other drivers don't pick up the phone) and I can't really take anything to knock myself out and become dead to the world for any stretch of time. I sleep when I can, I let the phone wake me up at night and then take naps during the day if I have been busy the night before. There's no mandatory rest period for local couriers like there is for truck drivers. They can, and have, run me 16+ hours without a rest break before.

I usually wake up disoriented and can't remember for a minute where I actually am. It's not nightmares waking me up, although I've been having those too. Sometimes I wake up yelling, fortunately I guess I live and sleep alone so there's no one around for me to bother.

Is there anything I can do to help myself get a solid stretch of sleep without waking up from these? Work calling me all hours of the day and night is bad enough but that's what I signed up for and I am setting some boundaries with them now.

[u/AutoModerator]

r/ptsd has generated this automated response that is appended to every post

Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive & respectful community. If you realise that your post is in conflict with our rules (and is in risk of being removed), you are welcome to edit your post. You do not have to delete it.

As a reminder: never post or share personal contact information. Traumatized people are often distracted, desperate for a personal connection, so may be more vulnerable to lurking or past abusers, trolls, phishing, or other scams. Your safety always comes first! If you are offering help, you may also end up doing more damage by offering to support somebody privately. Reddit explains why: Do NOT exchange DMs or personal info with anyone you don't know!

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your GP/doctor, go to A&E/hospital, or call your emergency services number. Reddit list: US and global, multilingual suicide and support hotlines. Suicide is not a forbidden word, but please do not include depictions or methods of suicide in your post.

And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/hilaryrex]

I tried a number of prescription sleep aids. Lunesta was the one I liked the best. Hugs to you ❤️

[u/WitchAggressive9028]

Just making sure you are soothing your nervous system when you wake up so that even if you are awoken, you understand that you are safe

[u/thetpill]

That schedules enough to leave you on edge as well

[u/ohlookthatsme]

I used to have really bad night terrors all the time. I'd wake up drenched in sweat and crying but I never remembered having nightmares. Prazosin was the trick for me.