NEED HELP

[tinkerbel19]

I don't know what's happening with me. Everytime I wake up. I feel nervous and then I feel like I'm going crazy. Please help

[JAYnLA]

Hey Tinker - can you describe what 'going crazy' feels like please? Happy to talk about it.

[tinkerbel19 in reply to JAYnLA]

I woke up and felt that I'm not myself. I felt high. Now I'm thinkingnegative again about my boobs. I know that I dont have any sickness but I just cant stop thinking about it. even if I have something to do. I think about. it.

[JAYnLA in reply to tinkerbel19]

Yep - that's a negative thought loop. I know them well. They led me to the ER so many times. Turns out that physically, I'm healthier than I've been in years. Anxiety is a devious little bastard. The thought will leave you alone eventually. One trick I use is to do something like clean the kitchen floor with a sponge with headphones on listening to something I enjoy. It occasionally works.

[tinkerbel19 in reply to JAYnLA]

I'll try that sometime. thank you so. much for helping me.🤗🤗🤗 sending hugs.

[Hidden]

What is sounds like you are going through is what is know as morning anxiety. It is the type of anxiety which is caused by the sudden action of waking up. Putting yourself in a state as if you are setting an alarm off in your brain distracting the resting state of your neurons. The suddenness is the cause of you feeling you are going crazy. The part of feeling crazy could be a panic attack arising.

What you are going through are phases following one after another. If your heart rate goes up as your breathing maintain those first. Start with the breathing to give your brain more oxygen at a steady pace. Then your heart rate will calm down and the rest will take care of itself and stabilize your state. Be strong, and take more control. Rather than it control you. Have hope. 😊😌

[tinkerbel19 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much. I'm good now. all that is left are negative rhoughts. I went to a massage

[JAYnLA in reply to tinkerbel19]

Ah! Massages have been my saving grace for a year! They actually help me to re set my nervous system. So glad you're doing better.

[tinkerbel19 in reply to JAYnLA]

Yes. it helped me calm down but I still have negative thoughts in my mind. trying to convince myself that I'm all good

[JAYnLA in reply to tinkerbel19]

You'll get there! Goodnight for now Ms. Tinkerbel.

[tinkerbel19 in reply to JAYnLA]

Good night Jaynla

[Hidden]

Hey Tinkerbel,

As Brainstorm mentioned, it's definitely something related to "morning anxiety". There are so many people on here that share this issue. They'll be sleeping, wake up, and bam...there it is. If you ever have a chance to get one, a sleep study could help. They can see what's going while you sleep, when you wake, and what's going on when you wake up anxious. A break in the sleep cycle, we go through three in a night, could easily trigger anxiety. We go through light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Each serves a specific purpose. Light sleep is the one you're easily more jostled out of and allows the brain to detox, filter out toxins, and let glial cells (cells specific to helping neuron cells) service neurons. Deep sleep is usually more common when you're body is recovering from a tough physical day. REM sleep is one you spend the least amount of time in but is very important. This is where you dream, your eyes move rapidly, and your brain shuts down parts of the body that let you move. This is so you don't accidentally knock out a sleep partner while you're dreaming of boxing whomever made you angry that day. During this time, we get so much for our mood, learning, and memory. If you ever wake up just feeling awful and lacking rest, you may have spent less time here. Having sleep issues is common and treatable. You are not crazy or losing your mind at all.

Feeling like you're "going crazy" is a symptom of anxiety. A lot of people often feel they are "losing it" and it's normal, especially if you recognize this as an irrational thought. You aren't losing your mind, you're just waking up in the middle of the night extremely anxious....I bet you're just trying to "get it together" at that point. The first thing I would recommend is closing your eyes, take one deep breath, and then begin breathing exercises....in through the nose/out through the mouth. Letting this all go deep into the belly while you identify what you feel while the most while you breathe...maybe it's your lungs expanding. Keep your mind focused on this one idea....and let all other thoughts come and go. They will come and distract you, and that's okay. But we're going to tell those thoughts to go to the waiting room while we focus on this lung expanding thought. After 5-10 minutes, I would hope this helps calm you. If not, download a mindfulness app on your phone, plug in some headphones and let them help guide you through letting anxious thoughts go while you focus on the breath. Some of them will even focus on getting you back to sleep.

I want to stress you aren't going crazy. Anxiety is something our body does and it occasionally has good intentions....responding to dangers. But when you don't have that and you're waking up in the middle of the night, the symptoms are uncomfortable to very frightening. Eventually you'll be able to dismiss this all as just irrational thoughts your mind is generating from anxiety. It's extremely normal and you are not going crazy. You will be okay and a lot of people on here can offer support from having a similar issue. I hope you're able to shake this off, relax a little bit, and get back to some restful sleep. Take care for now

[tinkerbel19 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much. what you said is a big help for me. I'm fighting this anxiety. And I'll hope I'll be okay.

[Hidden in reply to tinkerbel19]

You will definitely be okay The best thing I ever read is this: anxiety and panic attacks cannot kill you. No one has ever lost their life to one. They are among the most annoying things in the world, but they can be slowed down and even "muted". They usually last about ten minutes....go up, peak, and come on down. A lot of people feel so exhausted from the process, that it's easy to just fall asleep. If they become frequent, definitely see about a therapist or a doc about possible medication. One last thing, only thought of this because of how you put it, is the fighting it. While I think we're all a huge army against anxiety, a lot of therapists are moving towards not actively fighting it. This is...resisting the attack. Think of anxiety as a boa constrictor. The more you struggle, the tighter it gets. Try remaining as composed as you can and talk to your anxiety. Give it a dumb name with a funny cartoon character persona. "Well, there he is....Mr. Archibald Emerson Faulker. Back for more, sir. That's fine....you can cause my heart rate to go up a bit, that's fine. I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing. You aren't driving today, you've had a bit much to drink. So, give me what you got, and please leave." We aren't fighting it....so it gets bored. There's no struggle. There's nothing for it to attach to. It doesn't remember why it showed up anyway....it's late for its next appointment. I completely understand that tactic is easier said than done...and it will require practice...but if you can allow it to come and pass, each and every anxiety attack becomes less frightening and strong.

Glad I could help, and yes, you'll be okay as much as an anxiety attack says otherwise. Hope you're relaxed and doing better now

[Hope4me1 in reply to Hidden]

Excellent advice!! I have started this practice and have calmed myself down considerably. Practice is key.

[tinkerbel19 in reply to Hope4me1]

I'll practice this also. maybe it'll help. I have gone to my psych and I'm taking medications now.

[Hope4me1 in reply to tinkerbel19]

I wish you well and sending you positive vibes😊