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...
I know that many people have trouble just getting out of bed in the morning. Most of us that have been through this have developed strategies that help up get going. Could YOU share what motivates you to get out of bed each morning for those who are having a hard time?
In the past in my life, I went through a period where I didn't think I mattered to anyone, even God. I was in horrible physical pain; had horrible painful all kinds of headaches/migraines and I kept asking God to heal me! One day, God gently told me as I was praying Dona, stop praying. Up here you are perfectly well, down there you are in constant physical and mental pain. When the reason for you being in such pain is finished you will be instantly well.
Well, its great to know whether you are enduring a thorn in the flesh or whether you just dont have enough faith but its rotten to know that the pain will continue, and continue...until whatever God wishes to accomplish in your life is done.
Here is what God taught me to do on mornings that I didnt want to get out of bed (and yes, it might not work for you, you must work out your own salvation).
1. The night before, I THANK GOD for tomorrow and ask Him to be with me tomorrow especially when I get up (There was once a song that said Breaking up is hard to do well, I reworded it to Waking up is hard to do because I am in so much pain and agony every morning before my pills kick in and sometimes even after that, even these days).
2. In the morning first thing, the first think I would think, do, or say was, Good Morning, Heavenly Father! It must be wonderful to be where you are at right now. However, it is not very nice here. I want to just lye in bed and think how life S U C K S.
But You are here in my life so how can it be so bad? Heavenly Father, what do you want me to do today?
Was I full of pain both physically and mentally sure. Did that matter? Not one bit to God - God always has plans for you for today.
Some days, God said, Just rest today and be with me so I hung out with God that day.
Some days God said, why dont you study one verse in the Bible (looking at many different Bibles, the Greek or Hebrew, dictionaries, commentaries, etc. and make into a verse that Glorifies me, yet tells the complete truth. So now I have some wonderful scripture that I put on my personal e-mails and sometimes dig out for someone in need and I also have some wonderful scripture that every time I read it, I get inspired (Inspired to write, Inspired to share with others, Inspired to call someone and encourage them, sometimes inspired to Go to the store and get Groceries.
How can you lay in bed (in my case it is a fully reclining recliner) all day when there are so many POSITIVE things to think about and do!!!!!
God taught me to catch my negative automatic thoughts (I still work on it) and weave them into positive thought that helps me not only endure the day but actually love the day and so what if Im in pain. I am where God wants me! I do what He tells me to do! How exciting it that!!!!!
For example, if I never had anxiety (or any of my other diagnosiss), I would be making money and I would not have time to join a wonderful anxiety support group where I feel loved and accepted and enjoy having online friends (like you). I would never be able to help anyone in the support group to change the way they think of things. Or be helped myself by others posts.
Tonight when you go to bed, Thank God for tomorrow and the first thing you do when that negative automatic thought hits you that you dont want to get out of bed or do anything the next morning, Catch that thought and say This is the day that the Lord has made. I WILL be Glad and rejoice in it
And yes, it is difficult to rejoice the first few times but every YEAR, it gets better and easier to ignore myself and just live in Gods presence being Gods person.
So what if I am totally disabled, that is my thorn to carry right now and when Gods purpose is fulfilled, I will be perfectly well. Right NOW, I CHOOSE to Rejoice despite my circumstances because God told me to in the Bible! So I will Live for and in Christ Jesus with the Holy Spirits help.
All you having problems getting out of Bed, Rejoice - God is going to help you and give you something that will help you get out of bed.
Laying there trying to motivate yourself only perpetuates the anxiety. If your brain thinks the world is so bad that you have to give yourself a pep talk just to get out of bed, that certainly isn't going to make it relax and let you have a nice, calm day. That is going to make it say "Her world is rough! I don't know what is going on out there, but it must be bad because she doesn't even want to face it." And out comes the adrenaline.
When your eyes open, don't think. Just take a few deep breaths and then put your feet on the floor and get moving. You have created a bad pattern of associating morning with anxiety and feeling bad and you need to break that pattern.
It is great to congratulate yourself for getting up and getting out of bed. But do that AFTER you have actually started your day. Do that at a time when you are doing nothing even remotely associated with our sleep routine.
Good luck!
What wonderfully different things to do to get yourself out of bed.
I hope those that are having problems are watching this post and recieve help.
Anybody else have other strategies? Maybe you have a strategy that didn't work? Would you share that with us?