Morning anxiety - how to cope?

[hedgecrone]

(First of all - sorry - I posted this before but mistakenly 'locked' it and can't unlock the post so others can see it? What does it mean when a post can only be seen by someone in 'this group'? What does 'this group' mean - this blog, or the Anxiety UK forum as a whole? I'm confused!)

Virtually every morning when I wake, the churning anxiety descends on me, weighing me down. I wake fearfully, wondering if this morning will be different but no, it rarely is. It's not often about anything in particular though I DO have anxieties I carry around constantly as well. I feel disappointed that I can't look forward to the day and that I've woken up and sometimes try to go back to sleep but I never can, so I just have to get up and get on with the day however bad I feel. Sometimes it eases but often it stays and sometimes gets worse. I then find I am thinking about bedtime and the peace of sleep, only to wake again in the morning with the anxiety - churning, palpitations, vague nausea, irritability etc - again and again.

Does anyone else relate to this and if so, how do you deal with it?

[woody1875]

Hello hedgecrone

First of all i am also new to this site so i am unable to help with your first set of questions. However i can relate to your other issues. I have been sufferring with depression and anxiety for 15 years. When i first got diagnosed i went through nights and mornings when i woke up with a really empty feeling inside my stomach and just didnt want to get up and then my anxiety thoughts used to kick in and that was my day from then on, constant worry about things and why i was feeling that way. I was perscribed fluoxetine to start with which did help and made everything go away. I was then weaned off them but the depression and anxiety came straight back. I was then perscribed citroplam which i have now been on for a few years and they were working untill recently where i have got to see a specialist next week about something and of course my anxiety has hit the roof again so needless to say my mornings are really bad. Empty feeling in the stomach again, sickness so i cant eat and then i loose weight and then i worry about that. The problem people have is that anxiety can cause tiredness as well as wanting to rush around and feeling wide awake but when your anxiety is high you may not be able to sleep because your mind is so active with what you are worrying about.

The only ways i found to deal with it was to find something that can sooth and calm you down it can be anything that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. You can try listening to music or hugging your favourite teddy bear etc anything that makes you feel better. It is actually not a bad thing that you get up because you dont want to lie in bed all day as this makes you feel worse (been there done that) My best advice is to go and see your GP tell him/her and they can either perscribe medication or going to see a councsillor (bad spelling)

Anyway if you want to talk anytime about anything i will listen and i will reply as after 15 years i have pretty much had and gone through it all. I hope this helps a little and hopefully speak to you soon.

Woody1875

[ellabella]

Hello Hedge crone, I have just joined the group and can relate to your experience in the morning. I have had anxiety and depression for 34 years and have had every pill and potion imaginable. Upon waking over the last year or so I have felt so bad I have to get out of the bed immeadiatley or I am curled in a ball suffering. I absolutely feel as if I am about to die it's so bad. My doctor said to me that is a "tablet hangover". Thinking about it , it seems to make sense because once I am up and at it I feel much better. Because I have medication 3 times a day....going all night makes the hangover set in. I can't think of any other explanation x

[Bramwell]

I can relate too. The mornings are always the worst for me and, if I'm having a good day, by the time it's mid-morning the anxiety has eased off only to start all over again the next morning.

[miarose]

,hi,I used to have that feeling in the mornings,I started to deep breathing,about ten times in bed,then I would say to myself,theres nothing to be anxious about, and I would start to think nice thoughts,and more or less talk myself out of it,I also started taking vitimin D3, this might sound silly,but it has worked,and I don't feel anxious n the mornings anymore.I take xanax during the day,but I don't take antidepressants,can't stand the side effects,I am doing CBT and this is where I learned to control my negative thoughts to positive ones.Iam not completely rid of the anxiety,but I am getting there.your thoughts control how you feel...

[hedgecrone]

Hi Miarose, CBT didn't help me, sadly and neither did a year of psychotherapy! I don't take meds as they didn't help either and am being assessed for long term Mentalisation Based Therapy as it's suspected it's more than straight anxiety and depression.

I haven't heard about vitamin D3 helping - how did you know about it? I do try deep breathing a few times but maybe I should try it regularly and see what happens - I have nothing to lose!