Waking up with anxiety
 

Does anyone else feel anxious during the waking up process? Every morning I wake up thinking of all the bad things. I have to shout to let go of those thoughts. 15 minutes of hell and I'm fine later. My father had it too, only difference is he used to take it out on his family by raging. I don't do that but I do give out a low scream (twice/thrice), as if I'm releasing the emotional pain. Is this rare? Or does anyone else do this?

Funny you should post about this.....I woke up at 4 a.m. this very morning in a full-blown anxiety attack (it woke me up). I'm going through a lot of work-related stress right now, and I've never experienced this sort of thing before.

I'll be looking forward to hearing about things that others do to try to slow down the hamster wheel inside the head!

HG

I wake up every single morning with full blown anxiety.

It clears mid afternoon.
It's a horrible way to wake up and start the day.

I have morning anxiety too. Other that the medication I take, a brief meditation or distraction by reading an inspirational passage out of one of my many books helps to me calm down.

I also wake up feeling anxiety most mornings. I find that making a gratitude list or thinking about all the things that you value in life helps clear the anxiety quicker. Well it works like that for me. Keep up the good work!

Tom

x

Thanks for this. I also wake up with feelings of dread. After I get going and get busy at work they subside for the day. The I start to feel that way again right before I go to bed. Does anyone else feel that way?

I do some stretching and conscious breathing exercises and/or meditation and yoga in the mornings before making coffee, when I remember. I feel really good throughout the day. Also, I would suggest you make sure you don't drink or eat a lot of heavy or sugary foods close to bedtime as those always throw me out of whack the next day. I hope that helps!

I am so glad I checked this thread. I have been having severe panic attacks in the morning. Its waves of fear going through me. I dont know why but it makes me feel better to know I am not alone. I like the idea of the gratitude list, but when I feel that way I cocoon myself in blanket and I am petrified to move. I basically feel like I am dying. does anyone have any ideas why it is only in AM?

Im just after coming here today.......I wake up every mourning full of Anxiety,Pain in my left shoulder,Helmet on top of my Head,..........For years,25 to be persise.
I just cant get it,or let go or whatever.

I cant get it out of my Head that some day it will be gone......but it never goes.
I cant accept that it will go slowly.........im always watching it.
Its like its with me so long that I want to be Present when it does go..............which Paradoxacally keeps it alive and present.
I need a Miracle......so I wont always be watching.
Im ACOA,AA,NA,and Im also clean@ Sober for 25 years..........I deserve a break.
Thanks for letting me share.

I used to wake like that everyday...in the end it pushed me to seek help to change, waking up with that sinking anxious feeling was not exactly a great indicator that all was well inside and a clear indicator if externals appear to be running smoothly that the problem is in us!

I dont wake up with it, but the moment I wake up, my hands go from warm to cold and clammy, and pretty much stays that way all day until I lay down at night. My anxiety gets increasingly worse throughout the day usually. If I workout at night, then it subsides.

I have the very same panic. I'm praying that it is just w/d's from benzo use. I hope it goes away once my body clears itself.

Doctor Clare Weekes talked about this dredded Mourning Feeling of Anxiety and Doom in the Mourning.She said to get up as soon as you wake.Some mournings I do others I dont.
I must start making a Gratitude list as well...........it might help/

yeah, me too...
 

thanks 4 being here friends.
i'm also one who faces dread first thing in the a.m.-- & again before bed.

so glad i can talk about it here. (i thought it was just me).
***why can i barely face beginning (or ending) each day?***

it's something 2 do with feeling like i expect 2 fail again--(morning).
or have failed again--(eveningtime).

maybe i have 2 lower my expectations, cause i'm always disappointed
in myself & others.

i'd also like 2 be busier-- because what that guy said about distractions is true: taking our minds off ourselves is good.
when i'm more productive, i enjoy life more & don't feel as lonely.

that's why i'm looking 4 more work.
all my kids r grown & gone, so
my 'need 2 be needed' is really gonna depend on my work.
hang in there friends,
make little changes,...
slowly they'll add up to something better:)

hugs from new york--

Happens to me all the time. I have nightmares/vivid dreams and then wake up in full blown panic attacks. It never happens when im drinking. Im just praying if I stay sober long enough I can overcome this.

Hi,

I can totally relate!

I started a new job this week and I wake up with FEROCIOUS anxiety. My stomach hurts, my mind races. It's horrible. I used to drink liquor to calm this down, but apparently that's not the answer.

My therapist gave me some breathing techniques and I want to start practicing meditation. She says it helps. Anything I can do to reduce stress and anxiety I am willing to try.

I am on Celexa, which is supposed to help with anxiety along with depression, but I am still pretty damn anxious. It is a hard feeling to tolerate. The fear is very hard to sit with. I understand completely.

If I find anything that helps me reduce the anxiety and stress, I will let you know.

i cant believe this many of you experience this. i do, just did this morning. then when i start moving along, getting things done, praying, counting blessings, it loses its power.i notice it happens more when i sleep in longer than usual. i feel pressured , like ive lost alot of time. i had to tell myself alot of stuff this morning. the only thing that comes to mind about the am anxiety is that our sleep cycle is a temporary escape, than we wake up to reality, and its overwhelming. i also have very vivid dreams before waking. i dont experience this after a nap though,:Wburn:Wburn:a122: so that blows my theory about temporary escape.

good advice thank's
 

:scoregood:wild

I also have this same issue. It is like a flood gate of all the bad things of the day before and dreading another day. I started Al-Anon today which will hopefully help me to lead a more peaceful life. This AM anxiety is not good for any of us. We are obviously not happy about areas in our lives and need to tackle the problems and not ignore them. I also take celexa for anxiety for a year now and I don't think it works...I've tried zoloft, effexor, paxol and the best remedy is just learning some relaxation techniques and getting in touch with your inner voice

I just came accross this tread again this mourning....no change here....really.
Im keeping too much of a close eye on it that its afraid to go.....anxiety that is.
Relaxation Meditation Is Helpful when it get over powering.
Mary Maddax has Good ones.....Here is a Short One.
http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...13339727610091

I always thought that I slept well, as I sleep for long hours but in truth I do not sleep well as I have nightmares that sometimes come to my mind during the day...
they can be so real, this morning I woke up feeling down, without understanding why until an image from a dream flashed my mind, I dreamt I drunk some wine I felt so bad that woke up upset fortunately was only a dream, so relieved.
I also dreamt about seeing death people and thats takes me almost all day to recover, they are strangers but still impressive.
my worse nightmare is having rats in my dream as have real phobia with those animals...
Happy enough that I drunk poisoning alcohol only dreams I say good night to you all.

I started suffering from anxiety and a feeling of despair and impending doom upon wakening each morning while w/d'ing from benzos. It would fade the minute I got up and staring moving. I am not saying all my usual anxiety vanished but that AWFUL hell when I first woke up did.

I am using past tense here but I am having it again now that I have upped my drinking. I lost my mother 5 months ago, put down my dog one week ago and my nephew is hospitalized after a suicide attempt!

I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO COPE WITHOUT MEDICATING MYSELF! JEEEEEZE!

If we are fighting a single handed battle against the world, without a higher power, morning is the time when we see all the pain that the day is going to bring. It's the sheer quantity of anger and pain that makes morning worse than mid day. Once we get going we get confidence that we aren't going to be fired, homeless, dead, or alone.

I feel this way in the morning, this "Oh ****" fear like I'm a little kid who is about to get found out for something and punished severely. If I get up and just start showering, then go off with my day it's usually a bad start to a day because I am living directly off of fear. Since I have learned that just getting up and not trying to gain peace of mind before I get going doesn't work I have tried praying, reading reflections, meditating (sitting with a coffee and a cigarette), and sometimes calling somebody. These actions have put a dent in the waking up anxiety problem but not completely solved it. I think like I said earlier it exists because I view the world as a battle zone, and my first waking thoughts are about how I am going to survive fighting people and things. Obviously I need to surrender more to a HP and work the steps more with a sponsor. If I wasn't so rigid and timid in general I don't believe the mornings would be this way. So I think an answer to this problem is more honesty and rigorous action in the steps, service, and prayer/ meditation. I am also 25 years old and possibly am wrong.

I often wake up at 2, 3am....scared, shaking, and full of anxiety....I pace the house in the dark while the family sleeps.......unable to go back to bed......I spend the whole day at work, tired, groggy, and feelin like [email protected] have no one to blame....I know what my problem is......It happens every time I fall off the wagon.......sigh

Is there ever any end to this ,I need to be patient with me.
The more I want something the more it tends to run away from me.
Im sure there are many more out there doing the exact same thing im doing which is ,trying to get rid of PAIN.
IT wont leave because Its me....I cant get rid of ME.
So now what do I do.........LOVE MYSELF TO BITS,Thats what...do what i want to do....and to hell with everyone else.....Will I do it....I better....I need to start enjoying Life Rather than injuring it.

It's nice to know I am not alone. I have woken up with anxiety/despair/dread for the day pretty much every morning for years. It fades as the morning progresses. Running in the morning helps greatly.

I hate it-it's such an awful way to start the day. Wish I could wake up feeling refreshed and looking forward to the day.

Have never been able to nail down why I feel this way. Occasionally I have woken after an unusually long sleep and felt good. So I go to bed earlier now.

Was on anti anxiety pills but it made it worse. Off them now.

I think I need to live a fuller life.

Glad to know I'm not the only one. Day 6 sober and anxiety is pretty intense. I suppose I always thought it was just hangover symptoms. I have a lot of fears...mostly over very unrealistic stuff. Changing my thinking pattern is tough. I've been doing it a long time.

If I could break/change the thoughts of impending doom, unrealistic fears, and thoughts of the worst-case scenarios I would feel much better... I think the meditation thing might help. I'm going to try. It's better than continuing this cycle and expecting it to get better, I think.

Happens to me all the time. Glad I'm not alone.

I put a sign on the wall across from my bed that says "Get the f$ck up! You will feel better!" It works in the sense that it gets me out the door but my attacks usually hit me the second I'm in the subway or in a cab. The first time was in a cab and all of the sudden i felt nauseous, broke out in a cold sweat, couldn't feel my feet and my fingers twisted and locked. Cue blackout city, and waking up in an ambulance. This has also happened on the subway. So embarassing.

I cannot sleep well this days, maybe because I am depressed or I have anxiety. I hope I could recover from this, but if that one thing will approach and come again to my life, I guess it will be okay.