Thanks for joining me! Please give me your thoughts about one man’s walk through darkness, and the search for ways to shorten episodes of depression.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
The Journey Begins
Published by insomniacsare4real
Glen Coleman is a retired Learning Consultant who developed insomnia while traveling the globe for IBM, delivering intensive leadership training workshops at global delivery centers. For twenty years he spent time refining professional presentation skills and helping leaders at IBM delivery centers to become effective leaders. During the seven most intensive years of travel for this job, he lost the ability to obtain normal, restful, restorative sleep. Anxiety, major depressive disorder, and eventually the loss of concentration led to an abrupt end to a beloved job and career. The story he hopes to convey in this blog is that many workers today are suffering from chronic exhaustion, lack of a normal sleep cycle, depression, divorce and an array of digestive and cognitive health problems that are brought on by ignoring the warning signs of an oncoming end to normalcy. This blog is a layman's attempt to share experiences, and to offer support to others who may be enduring a reduced enjoyment of life because they've let their job take over their life. Whether you're a workaholic or just a dedicated worker, you deserve the fullness of a life well lived, and the presence in the lives of your family and friends. Please join this blog and contribute your experiences, your advice, and your energy to helping others who are experiencing anxiety, panic, depression, and decreased desire to engage in a full and productive life. View all posts by insomniacsare4real
Published
Insomniacs, Stressed, and Depressed: The Blog for the Modern Day Worker 
You know we have a lot in common, but I was reflecting upon this just last night. I few in from FL to CA for a early morning meeting. I went to bed at 7pm exhausted and woke up naturally at midnight which would be my normal time for my insomniac wake up on the East Coast. I thought how horrible it has come to needing two sleeping pills in one day. I also realized it was IBM travel that got me hooked back in my 20’s. Never thought at the time would lead to dependency. Boy was I wrong. I’m not sure I know what normal sleep feels like. I am too frightened to try going without for one night because when I do it becomes a nightmare. First, spending hours semi conscious. Second, the following day I end up depressed and dysfunctional.
LikeLike
I’m sorry to hear you’re using Rx sleep aids. A good friend who worked for Wyeth Labs heard me rave about Lunesta, how it helped me when no other drug worked without a terrible headache or hangover the next day. My friend said… “uh, we’re not sure why Lunesta works.” My doctor told me he’d heard that too.
I got off Lunesta shortly after that, no trouble weaning off. I tried melatonin, that gave me terrible hangover, but it worked. Then I tried 5HTP, which is tryptophan, the turkey hormone that makes us sleepy at Thanksgiving. 5 HTP helped me get 4 hours, and I was grateful!
We do have a lot in common.
LikeLike
Thank you Glen and Cy I spent the good part of today reading your story Glen it is intelligent articulate well researched and heart felt no wonder you are such a wonderful public speaker Glen Sadly In Corporate America and Worldwide Corporate and IBM our IBM executive team leads with greed not compassion.. Thank you Respectfully Deb Kelly WATCHING IBM
LikeLike
I’m saddened too. There is another great job out there, I’m not giving up yet!
LikeLike