Anxiety at night.

[NattyBumpo]

I have done pretty well with my OCD symptoms the last few days. However,every evening I experience this feeling of dread about the next day. It's like a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Does anyone suffer something similar? Any advice? Thanks!

[fromzerotopanic]

I have the same problem only mine hits in the am when I wake up. The only thing I find that does help a little is to have something to do for the day. And I try to repeat to myself that the anxious thoughts aren't real just because I think them. It's because I think they are real is what makes me afraid. Until I recognize my mind just made the stuff and I allow it to scare me, I'm going to be scared. But the thoughts can't hurt us. And it's that fear of these made up thoughts that make our stomachs feel a mess. Then it reminds us something isn't right, which makes us afraid all over again. It's a vicious cycle unfortunately.

[NattyBumpo in reply to fromzerotopanic]

Zerotopanic,thank you for your response and advice. I'm sorry any of us have to go through this. Stay strong,we'll beat this yet!

[BlueB21]

I posted about this same issue a while back! I get that sometimes in the evening/ early night, almost always accompanied by some kind of panic attack. Mine tend to be caused by blood sugar, missed medicine doses or just plain depression. The fact that yours center around the next day may hold the key for you? Talking in therapy or journaling every evening this dread happens could help you hone in on why the idea of next day brings such a bad feeling - work, lamenting seeing someone (or no one), general depression, etc. But as fromzero said, thoughts and feelings can just be those: thoughts and feelings. For me, that didn’t mean they stopped altogether, but eventually I made a deal with myself: “any of these dread thoughts that come up at this time of day I am going to chalk up to being part of my ‘witching hour’” (probably the wrong use, but it makes sense in my head). It doesn’t make me disregard those thoughts but helps contextualize them in a headspace of: “ok, when this time of day hits, I know my brain is being a jerk, so I’m not going to buy what it’s selling.”

[NattyBumpo in reply to BlueB21]

BlueB21,thanks so much for responding! You have a lot of good ideas for me to think about.

[God-is-love3]

I agree with BlueB21 that journaling when you are getting those feelings can be very important to find out what about tomorrow makes you feel this way.There is the unknown of what tomorrow brings, but it’s another opportunity to live the life you have been given.

A new day to learn something new, or something old that you need a refresher on.

Maybe to meet someone new, or to catch up with someone from a while ago.

I believe we all need each other, even strangers. Maybe just a smile could change someone’s day. You never know!

I pray that God helps you overcome this and transform the feelings of dread into feelings of excitement to live!

In Jesus name, Amen.

[NattyBumpo in reply to God-is-love3]

JesusChristisLord,thank you for your support and encouragement. I really appreciate it!

[Hidden]

Oh, I feel you. For me it's sometime at night & sometimes first thing in the morning. My friend described it perfectly as a feeling of "guilty dread." I try to remember advice from the book "Widow": "Move your body." Just getting out of bed and doing some stretches, running in place, etc, helps, if I can push myself to do it. I am so very sympathetic, Natty. It's such a bad feeling. For me it's like being 11 at camp with no friends. Sending hugs.

[NattyBumpo in reply to Hidden]

Elisheva99,thank you so much for your kind words and advice."Guilty dread" does describe it perfectly. We both need to stick with it,and we'll beat this yet!

[Hidden]

Yes, we will!!!