Morning Anxiety

[hunter4ransom]

Does anyone else wake every morning with horrible anxiety? If so, has anything helped you overcome or lessen it? My anxiety is at an all time high and is the worst in the morning. It actually wakes me up. It’s such a horrible start to every day. It sits in my chest with an icy cold grip and tells me I’m in danger, doomed, and resigned to life of misery. I excessively worry and obsess over every little thing that can go wrong and worst case scenario outcomes to normal every day stresses we all face that are solvable, but my brain says they aren’t solvable or to solve them would mean painful loss and doom and just lead to bigger more frightening stresses. It’s a vicious cycle I can’t stop. This feeling is constant and doesn’t start to let up until later in the day. By evening, I feel OK. Bedtime is no issue as I’m usually exhausted from worrying all day, but morning comes and the cycle starts all over again.

[MimiKathy70]

This is what I’ve been dealing with too. Makes me dread going to bed. I’ve tried the breathing exercises & even put a self hypnosis app on my phone. Nothing works for long.

I have to take my Ativan before I get up & try to distract my brain til it starts to work. Most days it will calm me enough to have a normal day.

Today I’m already anticipating my PNP appointment tomorrow so I’m not getting the calm feeling

Like you, at night I am very calm

I don’t understand why it’s happening like this

Please let me know if you find a solution

Hugs

[hunter4ransom in reply to MimiKathy70]

It’s so nice to know I’m not alone in this. Just having somebody who understands how horribly painful this is is actually a little bit of a comfort. It makes me feel like I’m not battling this alone. I have an appointment with my counselor tomorrow. This is only my second visit and I’m looking forward to it with hopes that she can help me find ways to calm myself and offer me some hope that this will eventually go away. I will keep you updated if I find any techniques that work or find anything that offer some relief and comfort. Thank you for reaching out to me it makes me feel like I have a friend on my side now.

[MimiKathy70 in reply to hunter4ransom]

You are definitely not alone!

[Tedddy]

Do you take any medications for your anxiety? I had this issue of horrible anxiety either right after I wake, or even worse-anxiety as an alarm clock! and adjusting the time of day I took my medication really helped. Then the worse anxiety would hit at a different time of day when I was less vulnerable and better able to cope with it, like when I was busy at work or on my lunch break and could take a walk outside to decompress. I hope you find something to help this! Taking certain antidepressants at night can also help make a calmer morning. I'd talk to a dr about it!

[MimiKathy70 in reply to Tedddy]

Thanks for this advice. I will ask my PNP about it tomorrow

[hunter4ransom]

Thank you Teddy! I am weaning back onto my Zoloft after weaning off 6mo ago (bad idea, but wanted to try) and then usual life stress hit a little harder than normal and I went off the rails with anxiety. I’ve only been back on my meds for 8 days and take it at lunch when I force myself to eat. That’s probably why I feel best in afternoon/evening. I will try taking it later at night if or early morning to see if that helps. I’m a teacher and on summer break so I have way too much time on my hands. I can’t wAit to get back to work and have a routine again.

[morenews]

yes, exactly the same thing. what helps though : get up and start doing something physical, walking, exercising, even washing floors. it let go ...gradually.

[hunter4ransom in reply to morenews]

So true morenews. I find it near impossible to motivate in the mornings. It’s 2:30pm here now and I’m up and about to scrub my bathroom clean. I wish I could feel this way when I wake up.

[morenews in reply to hunter4ransom]

if anxiety is bad in the morning though, i know that i have to do something...move, to make myself feel better. this is usually a motivator for me. if i don't do that, i feel even worse.