[Blindtlk] Having a Problem...

[Ray Foret Jr]

First of all Carri,

	You are beating yourself up way to much over this.  The others are right.  First, let me say what I think is really going on.

1.  You have a sleep disorder, and, you stress out over that.

2.  Worse yet, you feel like you are not the sso-called "ideal blind person" because you have these problems and you don't fit what you feel is the perfect image in your understanding of what a blind person should be.  This image was put in to your mind most likely by speeches you heard made by blind people who are successful and therefore, they and perhaps yourself also expects you to be successful:  and, if you are not, you are betraying every blind person you look up to.  This means that, if they ever found out you have these problems going on, they would be ashamed of you and call you a trator to the movement.  Now, let me tell you something.  YOu are no trator to the movement.  This all got in your head because of stress.  It's an image thing.  I know because somewhat the same thing happened to me.  Yes, you have a physical sleep disorder and only a fool would deny that.  Let there be absolutely no doubt about the fact that the advice the others have given you here is good sound strong advice and I'd take it for sure.  I would also wish at this point to congratulate you.  Why?  Simple.  By telling us about this problem, you have taken the very most critical first step in solveing it.  The others are right.  You can't solve a problem by trying to hide it.  Of equal importance Cari, is the fact that you have taken the first most important step of ridding yourself of the false image of the perfect blind person.  Got news for you dear heart.  There IS, NO, SUCH, THING as a "perfect blind person".  Forget that idea and put it straight out of your mind and your heart also.  You are the way God made you:  and if somebody has an issue with that, that's their problem, not yours.  Now, let me tell you how I know that is what you were thinking.  You revealed a lot more in your message than your words would have seemed to indicate.  A lot more believe me.  
	3.  Now, my third point.  Non/24 is realy true.  I will admit to you that at first, I did not believe it myself.  But, after this past year, I have no choice, (due to personal experience) that it's real. I can't speak for whether Avanda is something that works or not.  Like you, I dislike those commercials also.  But, let's try to remember that we can't always have the brightest image we would wish for.  Yes, the commercials (both on tV and radio) are truly not the best:  but, they could be a lot worse.  At least  those commercials do actually have one kind of saving grace.  And what, pray tell is that?  That saving grace is the fact that the people are quick to point out that their blindness does not hold them back.  Now, for what it's worth, I'd have spent a lot more time on that aspect of it;  but that's me.


4.  Now, some suggestions.  First, if you are in an area where you can do this, let yourself take a walk barefoot in the grass outside to help you relax.  Believe me, there's no better way to be.  Now, here's something that just about always works for me.  Put on some kind of constant sound just before you go to bed.  Being an audio enthusiast myself, I have a number of recordings of pink noise and test tones I can call on for that purpose.  But, if you don't, there are either devices or apps which can be used to generate a constant noise to help you zone out and go to sleep.  IF you have a small fan, even that might work.

I hope the messages that I and the others here are of some help to you.  The others here have given you much good advice, and I dare speculate that more will be coming.

HTH.


Sent from my Mac, The Only computer with full accessibility for the blind built-in

Sincerely, The Constantly Barefooted Ray,

Still a very happy Comcast XFinity Voice Guidance, Mac, Verizon Wireless iPhone6+ and Apple TV user!

> On Feb 27, 2016, at 9:17 PM, Kerri Kosten via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Everyone:
> First, I am very very ashamed and embarrassed to admit this, so please
> no judgment for this message.
> I am really really struggling with wanting to sleep all day and
> staying awake all night. No matter what I try to do though, I can't
> seem to fight it.
> For example, on Wednesday, I woke up at 10 PM.
> I was wide awake the rest of the night. On Thursday morning at around
> 8 AM, I got up and went to my couch to watch TV.
> At 10, I sat on the floor and listened to one of my favorite radio shows.
> At noon, I again went to my couch and put on the radio.
> At around 2, I began to become exhausted.
> When I try to fight it and stay awake I become increasingly exhausted
> until I get a headache.
> Unable to take it, I usually end up laying back down and falling asleep.
> Here is the thing though. Even if I manage to stay up all day when it
> is time to go to sleep I am still wide wide awake all night and don't
> get tired until like 1 or 2 the next day so have to try to fight the
> whole thing all over again.
> I can't sleep at all at night, but if I try to stay up during the day
> when the world is awake my body fights me with everything it has.
> But when it's night I am wide awake.
> This is happening every day and is making me feel really ashamed and depressed.
> I read the thread on Non 24-7. I am a member of the NFB.
> Like everyone else on this list, I hate those commercials on the
> radio. It makes me very very ashamed that I struggle to get through
> the day like those commercials say.
> I don't want to ruin any blind persons chances of employment because
> an employer hears those messages on the radio and believes them. I
> myself want to fit into the sighted world. My passion is sports, and
> so I've always wanted to do something with sports media. I want to
> show blind people can do things. I don't want to give off the message
> we can't even stay up during the day.
> I also feel ashamed because I can't really get a job or go to school
> or anything if I can't even stay up during the day. Sure I'm awake all
> night, but if I sleep all day I feel so depressed I slept through the
> day, I have no motivation to do anything.
> Even as I type this, I'm really upset. I fell asleep today at 1 PM. I
> am a huge sports fan and my favorite team had a game at 6 PM. I'll
> admit, I forgot to set an alarm for 6 PM to wake myself up. Anyway, I
> ended up waking up at 8:30 PM and missing the entire game. I found out
> my team won, but this is the first time I've ever missed an entire
> game.
> Today is also my Mother's birthday. When I was still awake this
> morning at around 11, I called her but she was out so didn't answer.
> She tried to call me back at 1:25 PM and I totally missed her call
> because I was asleep. I of course got to talk to her when I woke up
> but now I'll feel horrible the rest of the night because I have been
> asleep all day, and I missed the entire game.
> And I'll be wide awake all night and tomorrow I'll get exhausted at
> around 1 PM again.
> And yet, when I determinedly try to fight this, my body battles me
> with everything it has until I give in.
> This is out of control!!
> Does anyone else struggle with this?
> Is there anything that works or do I have to go to the doctors and
> admit these stupid ads Vanda has on the radio are true at least for
> me?
> The world is already so much about sight...I don't want sleep to be
> about sight too!!
> How do others deal with these sleep issues?
> If I go to the doctors and say I get my nights and days mixed up will
> they automatically assume I have this non 24 thing and immediately
> contact Vanda no matter how much I protest?
> Is there any way to lessen the exhaustion or something enough to stay
> up the entire day so I can force my body to sleep at night?
> I don't know what to do...
> Thanks,
> Kerri
> 
> _______________________________________________
> blindtlk mailing list
> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindtlk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/rforet7706%40comcast.net