34-year-old Stockport resident “Charlene Marsden” is raising awareness of the impact that insomnia can have on mental health.
Since her 22-year-old brother David committed suicide in 2019 due to insomnia, Charlene has been battling her own sleep issues.
Charlene is sharing her and her brother’s story in the hopes that others will seek assistance in time. She explained that she had not slept, eaten, or functioned normally for three weeks. Despite being offered antidepressants by her primary care physician, Charlene refused to take them, opting instead to follow best practises for a healthy sleep routine and take magnesium supplements.
Charlene has realised that many people are unnecessarily suffering due to a lack of awareness of available support since her brother’s demise.
Dr. Neil Stanley, director of sleep science at Sleepstation, stated, “As Charlene’s tale demonstrates, when we don’t sleep well and feel helpless, the consequences can be devastating. When we don’t get enough sleep, we have a harder time coping with what’s going on in our lives, which can cause us to become depressed or anxious about our concerns. The result is a worsening of the sleep problem.”
The story of Charlene illustrates how crucial it is to recognise the perils of insomnia and to seek assistance if you are struggling with your mental health. In light of her brother’s passing, Charlene wants everyone to be aware of how severe insomnia can be and how important it is to seek help if necessary.
Charlene Marsden, 34, from Stockport, is raising awareness of the impact insomnia can have on mental health after her brother David committed suicide in 2019 as a result of a severe battle with insomnia.
Charlene recalls that she was unable to eat and would gag when attempting to ingest food, and that she developed a vicious cycle of anxiety over whether she would sleep the following night, but never did. After being unable to work for six months due to illness, Charlene decided against taking antidepressants and instead followed best practises for a healthy sleep regimen by taking magnesium supplements.
