Good morning, Lady, I have had that feeling and it makes no sense so early in the day. I wonder if there is something I left undone the day before. Or something I should have been doing getting ready for today?.
Sit down, breath, drink a cup of coffee, then maybe journal covering a timeline of the last few days, it may come to you. You may want de-caf, but it's to allow you time to think and process.

Yeah, no caffeine for anxiety. Bad combo.

I also don't drink or smoke and try not to eat trash food. Garbage in; garbage out...

When I feel that way, I go for a run. Usually, the trigger pops up in my psyche. I keep running until it comes. It's a win-win.

If exercising isn't your think, try something mindnumbingly mundane, like a deep clean of the house. Or waxing the car. Or cooking abunch of food to put in the freezer. You're getting down on your hands and knees, wiping down the baseboards or chopping celery and then all of a sudden, BAM! You'll discover what's eating you. Again, win-win. Clean house. Shiny car. Food for weeks. Insight.

Good luck. Let us know what hits you. And what you did when it happened!

I do like Deli does. I dont do caffeine any more, not just coffee caffeine, but soda pop caffeine and caffeine from any other sources.

Since the kidney disease and diabetes hit together in 2011, of course I dont eat refined sugar. But there are other things that produce sugar in the body too, like carbs, so adios French fries and potato chips, too.

As for my psychological triggers, I watch them like my food diet. I liked scary movies before I was ever diagnosed with PTSD, and heavy metal rock music, too. But I do take note of how they are affecting me and turn them off it I need to. Same with news and so forth. Its not like I cant deal with them, its that I dont have to at that moment if they produce anxiety in me.

It even extends to griping conversations. If I can contribute and be helpful by listening, great. If Im the one talking and the venting is helpful and Im not hurting my listener, great. But Ive found there are conversations that just crank the handle and wind me up, so I volunteer for those less and inflict those on others less.

Like Deli said, garbage in-garbage out. In my opinion, it extends to food and also beyond just food, to my entertainment and social intake and output, too. Im no Puritan, I have fun and I have an opinion about nearly everything like anyone would. Im just a little more mellow than I used to be. Its starting to add years to my life. Im happier.

What I miss is that since neuropathy came with the kidney disease and diabetes 2 years ago, I dont ride my bike daily like I did. My feet are numb most of the time and dont work that way any more. That bike riding really gave me an endorphine high and left a lot of anxiety out on the road for me daily back when I could ride every day. So now I walk and listen to music more. But I do miss that.

Glad you posted about feeling anxious. Let us know what works. Posting here helps me come down from anxiety, too.

Oh, forgot to mention sleep! I used to take a kind of perverse pleasure in burning the candle at both ends, somehow. Staying up all night, being a night owl, all of that became like a badge of courage.

Coming here I learned about melatonin and how it can be a natural sleep aid. I was going from not enough sleep to Ambien presciptions, it was way too harsh. Since coming here I take melatonin at bedtime, and I make sure my sleep hours are regular. Its been a really big help. My doc is a lot happier.

Couldnt feel like Id given back to DS PTSD what Ive gotten from this site if I didnt mention how Ive developed regular sleep habits since coming here. I have a lot less anxious jitters now during the day as a result.

Muji, the more I read your posts, the more I find we are cut from the same cloth.

I do melatonin, too. Also, valerian root tea. Very mellow.

I used to like horror movies, too. Now, I find that shot of adrenaline is not good. I used to get a high off working and playing hard. Drama = Alive.

Now, my happiness is absence of pain. That simple. And I love it the nights I can be in bed by nine.

Guess I'm old.

I also try to eat more brown rice and less pasta. But I'll never give up my cheese and crackers or potato chips. Just the serving size has gone down.

I also recommend meditation and breathing and yoga. It's amazing what oxygen can do.

It's amazing what oxygen can do.... an two percocets.

I know, Deli. Less drama.

And Jewells, meditation on the breath was one of my steps up in learning to cope. I literally held my breath off and on from anxiety even when not having a flashback, when I would hyperventiliate and pass out. Oxygen. So simple.