If I were to seek sleeping medication would that be asking for trouble and get mental health involved. I just need help getting to sleep and staying asleep. i'm not trying to have mental health looking for problems, you know what I mean?

anyone been through the process?

Look for other sources of relief.

I am prescribed 75 mg of Amitriptyline as a sleep aid (insomnia) and chronic pain. I do not have nor am I being treated for depression.

In larger dosage it is used as a antidepressant. It was discovered small dosage helped insomnia and acted as a non-narcotic treatment for chronic pain.

I was given ambien while in the hospital after not being able to sleep for 3 days. I am told by my wife I tried to pull out all my IV lines and leave the ICU. Needless to say I was only on ambien for two days.

Try over the counter benadryl first.  If that doesn't work, go through Army One Source, & talk to a counselor there - they'll be off base.  They can refer you to a private doctor if need be.

I'm very sad I can't suggest going through the Army's medical system for this.  Pay cash.

I rely on ZQuil to help me sleep during the day.  It's nothing more than Benadryl syrup and works well for me.

for years I've been taking bynadril...sp? it makes me really groggy in the morning along with Nyquil.

I'd put your pennies together & pay cash to a an off-post doctor.  You can get a prescription for stronger stuff, some of which is also used for mental health issues.

just curious why do you recoment seeking off post health than on post help?

I don't trust Army mental health.  They are not an organization w/ no ulterior motives in mind.  While they do help soldiers, they have lower confidentiality protections than the Chaplain Corps, they can diagnose soldiers w/ "Adjustment Disorder," & put the troop out on the street w/ a mental health diagnosis, and they have assisted interrogators in interviewing captives, contrary to their Hippocratic Oath.  On top of that, the current Administration is attempting to expand mental health exclusions of 2nd Amendment rights.  Not saying it would happen to you, but a scenario can be crafted where a troop having trouble sleeping finds himself out on his ass, with a mental illness discharge, and is forbidden to own guns.  It's a sad situation that Army psychology has allowed itself to be co-opted, but they did and I have trouble sending troops there as a first point of contact.

2 years ago I encouraged troops to seek counseling if they felt they had issues.  Now I would encourage them to go to the Chaplain, go through Army 1-Source, or pay cash in the private sector.

I had similar issues for a while. The army/VA will throw pills at you. You don't want to build up a dependence upon that to sleep long term, and like many will tell you, you'll find yourself needing more and more of the meds if you rely on it. Drinking yourself to sleep will cause a pattern that's difficult to shake, so stay away from that.

I used to try to fall asleep early (9ish) because I would wake up at ~2am no matter what roll around in bed until 4ish am, then have to wake up at 5 and be groggy as fuck.

Here's what I did:
No caffeine after dinner
Stay off the ipad/phone/computer a couple hours before you have to sleep. Reading usually puts me down after about an hour.
Stay up a little later so you sleep when you get tired.
Don't do anything in your bedroom but sleep. Move the computer out, go out and do something, sit in another room.
However your schedule works out, try and knock out an hour of working out each night. Get yourself tired.

Maybe give OTC meds (unisom) a try, but try the above first.

Shouldn't have to worry about mental health at all. Go to your pa and tell them about your insomnia. Trazadone is pretty standard and non habit forming.

If you are worried about a mental health issue go to your local vet center if you have deployed. Your privacy is assured and CoC will not be involved.

If your sleep problem is a side effect of PTSD or something similar meds are just a band aid. Therapy is 100% effective and the best place for treatment is a vet center. It's all we do. If you have questions shoot me a pm.

Are you still asking Veterans if they own firearms?

ETA: I want to reinforce that you can refuse to answer any questions. Don't let that be a barrier preventing you from gettin help if you are in need. PTSD treatment is pretty simple and is about learning coping mechanisms. Not that oldidea that you talk through all the trauma in detail and whatnot.

It is a question on any mental health intake assessment-VA and civilian sector it doesn't matter. But don't be mistaken, there is absolutely no reporting or action taken regardless of answer- and you can decline if it matters to you. Records don't get released or sent anywhere and vet center records are separate from the main va. If another va provider wanted access YOU would have to sign the release.

It is absolutely a non-issue even though it has been a big barrier for veterans. I recommend any vet worried about this go in and have the counselor show them the entire process for records storage and requests. Privacy is our number 1 concern- for your safety and well being.

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to address this issue as well:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1633158_VA_declaring_vets_incompetent_to_handle_VA_benefits.html

Dragracer's uncle is facing having his guns taken b/c of a VA decision.

I don't speak for the VA, Vet Center, or the gov't. I was only offering help to a Vet that was seeking it.

But the answer to your question is pretty simple.

Google will tell you the process for being declared incompetent. It does not come from a counselor (LPC, LCSW, psychologist), only a medical doctor can make that declaration. Nothing to do with the Vet Center as they are non-medical. It looks bad because that is a VA letterhead however all the information as to the why is not there- and it takes A LOT OF EVIDENCE for that to happen. Again, google it. Civilian providers do the same thing and much more frequently.

I have not seen a Vet declared incompetent.

Thanks.

I would prefer something non habit forming but I'll take what I get. I could go off post to the VA and CoC is not involved what so ever? it's just a delicate time right now with possible promotions to nco, leadership positions, re-enlistment, up coming deployment... just don't want to burn any bridges.

Vet Centers- Yes, but there are no prescribers there. They can see you any time, weeknight/weekend and CoC is not notified. Main VA clinic/hospital- no; they can't see you until you separate. Like I said though, hit up your PA for sick call and tell him about your insomnia. Should not have to worry about psych or anything like that, if its brought up reference post deployment screens and your overall high level of functioning. You will be fine. But a good nights sleep is absolutely critical for your well-being.

Gotta take care of yourself before you can help anyone else.

Check your PM's.

I went to a civvie doc for ambien....I don't use it now, melatonin, mostly now..

It's a double edged sword.

If you tell the Army docs you simply can't sleep, and need some meds for insomnia, they can easily start digging and inquiring why you need them - looking for an excuse to diagnose you with something beyond insomnia.  It's a legitimate fear.

On the other hand, if you go to a private doctor off post, they can prescribe you a sleep med.  They problem is the possibility of popping on a piss test for it, especially for benzodiazepines (valium, xanax).  Now your command knows 1) You have a sleeping "problem", and 2) You tried to go around the system to get help.

I'm a flyer in the Air Force, so we're under extra scrutiny by the flight surgeon.   I was ground trailed on three "No Go" sleeping pills, Ambien, Restoril, and Sonota.  You take one pill of each for three nights and then report back to the flight surgeon how they worked.  After that you can be prescribed the "No Go" pills for "Aircrew Fatigue Management".  The policy originally only applied to aircrews deployed in-theater, then it was extended to stateside use.  I was in flight school getting my schedule all jacked around and couldn't sleep.  So, having been ground trialed on the meds, I went to flight medicine on base to tell them I needed some "No Go" pills.  I was immediately questioned as to why I needed them/there must be something else going on, why else would you need these pills?  I slowly walked away before they had a chance to ground me.  I had to find other non-pharmaceutical  ways to get adequate sleep until I finished school.