Itching from anxiety, unable to sleep

I have 6 children, 12 grandchildren.  I am 61.  My husband is 6 yrs in remission from cancer, but has hep C.  We have ongoing financial concerns. I worry constantly.  I start to itch as soon as I lay down at night.  It makes me crazy.  Once a week I take one of my husbands klonopin and neurontin and that takes care of the itching, but I don't want to get addicted to any medicine.  What can I do to stop this maddening itching at night.  What kind of doctor does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?  I know this is all in my mind, from worrying, but I can't stop this itching.

[mammo]

Before you assume it's all in your mind, think about any new lotions or bath soaps you have used.  I had this problem, with only itching at night and it kept me from being able to sleep also. It turned out to be the liquid bath soap I was using.  It didn't make sense to me that I would only itch at night, but once I swtitched soaps it went away. I was using a very moisturizing one and I assume the lotion in it was staying in my skin.  I still can only use certain bath soaps.  Think about this first, I too thought mine was from anxiety.  Take care....

[Pam1030]

Thank you for responding.  but I am convinced it is anxiety.  I had this problem years ago when I had to put my baby in daycare and go to work.  The Dr prescribed atarax, which stopped the itching but made me groggy all day.  Now it is just the constant barrage of financial woes, worrying about adult children and grandchildren.  I think I will check into meditation or yoga.  I need to be able to redirect my mind into something peaceful instead of constantly worrying about many things I cannot do a thing about.  But thank you again for responding and for your concern.

[MrGreen]

Any form of councilor or shrink would do Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It can be good in certain situations. In your case it might help to get to the root of your problem and teach you new ways of dealing with it. Give you a better understanding of how the mind works. How it can be turned around to work for you.

Can I ask are you on any of your own medication? Or is all you take borrowed from your husband? I know you say it makes you feel better. But 1 klonopin a week is not what I would class as much at all. If you feel you need medication you should see a doctor and get some for yourself. I know money is tight. This is probably the reason you are doing it the way you are. It is not a road we ever suggest. As the medication was prescribed for someone else.

[Pam1030]

I think CBT might help because sometimes for brief moments when I lie down at night, if my mind starts to wander off to something other than problems, I stop itching, but it quickly comes back to those problems.  If I could learn to redirect my mind to pleasant things rather than family issues, financial and otherwise, it would probably help.  I could get my own klonopin, we have good health insurance, my husband is retired military, but I don't want to get addicted to med's, I have watched that happen to other family members.  I have a daughter in law who has tried to get off klonopin, and hasn't been able to.  I am on lexapro for depression, have been for years and before that Prozac.  But like most of these meds, you have to frequently increase doses to get the same effect.  I don't want to go down that road either.  Thanks for your response.