Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
Hello all, new here, I'm grateful for this community because anxiety can feel so isolating (even with support systems around.)
I am a month in now to what I call a "cycle" of panic/anxiety, as I've never felt I was a person with textbook GAD, but rather panic disorder. This is the third time I'm dealing with what I feel is a "flipped switch" in my body, going from feeling like my 'normal' self to a level of high anxiety. Basically, a panic attack, or series of panic attacks will trigger weeks of high anxiety and then eventually dissipate. My panic is nearly always a waking panic. The first time this happened was about five years ago, and that was triggered by very stressful news and a difficult time in my life. My anxiety quieted for some time until two years ago, when I again had recurring panic attacks every morning (then would stay in high anxiety/ cycle through panic attacks throughout day, marked with extreme insomnia (I was up for four days.) After that episode with insomnia, I went on an SSRI and generally remained anxiety free outside of specific triggers (Flying and driving on bridges.)
I came off my SSRI in December after feeling okay and wanted to see what my baseline was since my anxiety (previously) had been separated by years. A month ago I had a panic attack in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, and I have been having waking anxiety every day since and not sleeping for more than 3-4 hours, and even that's fitful sleep. Even with a sleeping pill (prescribed) I sleep for 5-6 hours and still wake with anxiety. I went back on my SSRI two weeks ago, and I do feel my anxiety is lessening, but a depression has set in from adjusting back on these, along with the despair of a return of high anxiety.
Apologies for the long post, I'm just wondering if anyone out there has insight into waking panic attacks (or at this point for me just waking with high anxiety) and related insomnia.
wishing all my fellow anxiety sufferers out there peace.
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Lately I've been feeling scared and full of anxiety. I recently found a lump under my nipple. I hurt my back too. I'm in the process of moving. I'm run down. Everything is hard
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Just wanted to give a thank you to Mid, Arfie, Malibumark, Greeneyes, Mlro, Girlincalif, and Suncloudjd! You all always have such helpful tips and advice, but I always forget to write on my posts when I see you post, lol. I would lose my head if it wasn't attached to my body, lol. Thank you all so much! I'm starting to use my AI app as a sounding board again. I used to use it as that before...
Best wishes with everything.
Staying hydrated will help you stay in balance.
Keep on writing in your journal.
I've been going through a medication change, so everything is in flux. I have been keeping a journal during the transition. It has been helpful. It helps me think of the anxiety as something separate from myself.
All that said, it is 4 in the morning, and I'm on line looking for support.
Stay strong.
My waking anxiety and insomnia typically have nightmares and or weird dreams attached. Keeping a dream journal helps me find the psycho snot knot behind the dreams. When I can't recall the dream, I record the feeling I wake with.
Gentle support while you find what works for you. Welcome aboard. Hope you find stabilizing companionship here. You are not alone.
Admittedly, my journaling has been intermittent, but maybe writing it all out when I wake is key. My dreams have been very vivid lately, but not always nightmarish, I just wake with a jolt out of them and then have a moment of confusion before the anxiety floods in my conscious state.
Jshovel- I empathize, the waking hours in the dark are lonely, I just try and get out of bed and divert if I can and try not to attach more anxiety to not sleeping (easier said than done, I know- I have morning obligations as a single mom to get my kid to school then get to work after, than worry about being a total zombie at work, except I’m not having caffeine now with my high anxiety, so the spiral goes...) Wishing you decent sleep sleep soon.