Anyone else wake up with severe anxiety?

[Magic8]

New here…very long history of anxiety and depression but latest bout has been a year and the worst I’ve ever experienced. I wake up every day feeling tense, tingly, and like I can’t get a full breath and it just snowballs into a panic attack. I’ve been calling it anxiety but I’m not even thinking about anything, it starts the minute I open my eyes. Could it be something else? I want to understand what’s happening to me. I end up crying, on bad days for hours despite using the plethora of skills I’ve learned over the years to calm myself down. This has robbed me of a year of my life. I became severely depressed (or maybe I already was and didn’t see it…which came first the chicken or the egg you know…), tried a bunch of new meds all of which caused intolerable side effects, hospitalized 3 times, the most recent for a month where I did 9 sessions of ECT but had a terrible time with the anesthesia and I’m still experiencing memory problems. Just started TMS a couple days ago. Returning to work on Monday as they wouldn’t approve any more leave. I just can’t keep waking up like this every day. I’m exhausted.

[Agora1]

Hi Magic8 most people struggle with morning anxiety and yet some have an intense

fear before bed. Which ever one is the issue, it is all caused by an overwhelming abundance

of adrenaline rushing through your body. You may think you have nothing on your mind

but actually your subconscious mind is working overtime in playing back the scenario

of the days events causing your anxiety to rise. It can come about with a thought, a sound,

bright flashing lights even a smell can trigger your mind.

Most people say "but I wasn't even thnking of anything" and yet panic or fear hit me in the

upper part of my stomach. (the solar plexus) Tje center of all the nerve connections of the

body. The Mind and Body are intricately connected that one negative thought can produce

a physical symptom. Then that symptom causes worry and fear which goes back to the

"what if" thought and before long you are in a panic attack.

When you wake up in the morning, the first thing the brain thinks can be "I'm scared"

Just those words can set you off to the races. The thoughts in how your day will go,

what lies ahead for you. Bad things, Good things and the thought "Can I handle them"

Through the years, I found that finding tools and methods that work for you can be the

"key" to your stopping the "fear" cycle and getting control of your anxiety.

I see your username is Magic8 but know that there is no magic wand in escaping anxiety.

It took time to get to this point of existence. Some things have become a habit. Wishing

all you want will not change anything unless you have "action" behind that change.

As you come here everyday you will pick up tips in how others have dealt with the mental

health issues. We learn from each other. I'm glad you are here with us. Welcome new

friend xx

[Muchluv]

I am so sorry you are going through this. I am currently awake right now and struggled with bad dreams. It is not easy to say the least.

[Mercede]

Magic 8 I know how you feel. I wake up with those feelings too. I am taking clonazepam but I don't think it is working anymore. I've been on it for 30 years. My doctor wants me to get off it but right now I am getting off of Effexor. Yes meds can cause all kinds of things to happen to your body. You said you know tools to help. Stay with those tools. I can't afford TMS or I would do it fory depression. I'm not a doctor but you might check in with a therapist. Sounds like you have several things going on. Best of luck. God bless

[designguy]

Hello and welcome here. What you are experiencing is anticipatory anxiety which is the fear of the anxiety/panic happening again and is very common with panic/anxiety. The thoughts are so subtle and the feelings so quick that you may not even be aware they are happening. I had them for a number of years before finding out how to constructively deal with them and found most therapists/doctors don't know how to really deal with them. Medication can help some but learning what is really going on and how to desensitize your body to them and no longer fear them is the solution. I found the DARE Anxiety book and youtube videos very helpful and also the youtubes/website of Paige Pradko. Once you learn and understand what is really going on and how to deal with your malfunctioning alarm system and that they are truly harmless it helps lessen the fear about them and helps you recover.

I also did TMS therapy and found it quite helpful for reducing my anxiety but I think what also helped was my understanding of what anxiety really is and changing my thinking about it.

I also found how important having my hormones, thyroid and adrenals are and having them balanced because they can cause or contribute to anxiety/panic if not.