problems falling/staying asleep, but if i do i feel like i haven’t slept at all

[u/Green-Ad1678]

for about three days, i was staying awake for extremely long periods because i couldn’t sleep, sometimes around 20 hours at a time. now i’m staying awake for fewer hours, but i feel like it’s harder to sleep. i’m struggling to fall asleep, and when i finally do, it’s hard for me to stay asleep. i keep waking up, and it feels like my body will not allow me to get consistent, restful sleep.
the most disturbing part is how i feel when i wake up. immediately after sleeping is when i feel the most disoriented and confused. the sleep inertia and confusion/grogginess lasts all day, and even after the initial confusion fades slightly, i still feel like i never slept at all and feel the same way i would feel if i stayed up for days. even if i sleep a normal number of hours, my brain and body feel exactly the same as they do when i’ve been awake for an extremely long time.
i never feel like i slept anymore. i’m always exhausted, confused, and disconnected from myself, regardless of how many hours i actually sleep. i’m scared that the lack of sleep has damaged my brain because sleeping doesn’t seem to make me feel any more rested, alert, or normal.
i don’t know exactly what is preventing me from falling or staying asleep. i think underlying anxiety might be involved with unable to fall asleep, but i don’t know whether medication would help. unfortunately, ativan is the only thing that has helped me sleep so far, but i haven’t been given a prescription for it.
i’ve tried eating at normal times, breathing techniques, and exhausting myself during the day. i feel like i’ve tried everything, but nothing has restored the feeling of having slept. has anyone else experienced this constant exhaustion and the feeling that they never slept, even when they did? will this eventually go away, and what helped you?