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Thoughts upon awakening!??

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Posted 4/4/2007 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone. I was just wondering if any of you notice that when you wake up in the morning( or after a nap) the FIRST thoughts that seem to pop into your head are: " how am I feeling today? Am I dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, heart pounding too fast, tight in the chest, cant breathe, palpatations...etc"? It seems like as soon as my eyes open in the morning, even after a good nights rest, those thoughts are the first ones that come to mind, and I HATE it! I dont know how to stop them though. And then it sorta sets me up for the rest of the day...like I am waiting for something terrible to happen sad . Even if I wake up and feel pretty decent, it is like I am just sitting there waiting to have some symptom appear. My thoughts are usually always on how I feel, and I hate that because it makes me feel like such a selfish person. Do any of you wake up with thoughts like that?? And if so, what do you do about it? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you all and God bless!

 

In His Grip,

Dawn

Posted 4/4/2007 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like "Anticipatory Anxiety " Dawn and there are ways to change this
CBT is the best way IMO
I would wake up in panic mode EVERY DAY ...heart racing.head full of "stinking thinking" all of it and I could not handle it anymore
So I decided ( biggestskeptic) that I was going to give CBT a shot and other self help things like relaxation and meditation as well as reading self help books
For me it was the best thing I could have done in my battle .....

I now wake up looking forward to the day and what it might be not DREADING it .......
Hoping you think about CBT and other exercises to help you with this
Read up on Anticapatory Anxiety I am willing to bet thats what you are going thru

Be well
Keep us posted

LYN
Posted 4/4/2007 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, thank you for posting that. I had never heard of that term before. I will definantly read up on it. Thank you and God bless!

 

Dawn

Posted 4/4/2007 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
no problem
Many do suffer with it
I know I slide the odd time and it comes back with a vengeance
Be well
Take Care

LYN
Posted 4/4/2007 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
Man, this site is amazing!  Every day I read one, two or three things that are so similar to the way I feel that it has  a constant "calming" effect just to read them.  I too wake always with thoughts and feelings of dread, with the pounding chest, etc., etc.  Some days, when I don't have to get up for work - I try to get some more sleep but I can't just because of that "dread" feeling and nervousness that won't go away.  It does always seem to get better after I'm up for awhile and sometimes I wonder if it's an additional retention of water around the brain during the night that causes it.    I usually wake with a slight bit of swelling in my fingers (my rings are tighter) so if you have some water retention around your brain too wouldn't that make you feel a little weird. Once the slight swelling goes down in the morning (maybe after about 15 min. to 1/2 hr) I start to feel a bit better mentally too.  The other thing I experience though that I haven't heard anyone mention (and it might be related to this water retention too) is that I dream quite frequently - most dreams are not actual nightmares but they always leave me feeling somehow filled with "angst" or saddness.  On top of that - when I'm finally waking up in the morning I have these fleeting thoughts that make NOOOO sense at all....I can start thinking of something normal and immediately it switches over to some ridiculous thought that makes no sense.  Maybe it's that I'm not as awake as I think but it really freaks me out. So that's another reason why I just end up getting up - and then I'm fine after about an hour or so. what the heck is THAT?

Posted 4/4/2007 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
Until recently, this is how I'd wake up most mornings:

1. Wake up, feeling perfectly fine.
2. Get out of bed, still feeling fine.
3. Hope that I don't have anxiety/panic problems that day
4. Have anxiety/panic problems.

That's literally how it would go. Steps 1 through 4 could happen within 30 seconds or 30 minutes, but I did notice the pattern. There were other times, of course, that I'd literally wake up already in an anxious episode or panic attack, but they were pretty rare. Most of the time I talked myself into them with subtle suggestion.
Posted 4/4/2007 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there all, yes i too wake up with the dread of not feeling well or wondering if and when i will have my next panic attack.it is always in the back of my mind it never leaves me, like that saying "monkey on your back" i live in that fear everyday. the instant i feel something odd or not feeling good, i start to panic. i thank God for everyday even the bad days...God bless
Posted 4/4/2007 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
I just started CBT, and I really would suggest it to all. I to have created many panic attacks and my own anxiety just by thinking too much.
Posted 4/5/2007 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
My Struggle, thanks so much for your concern and your advice. you cracked me up....thanks for the laugh and i hope it does not bother you.goodnight. god bless
Posted 4/5/2007 1:33 PM (GMT 0)

I have heard of CBT but dont know exactly what it is...what does it involve?

Dawn

greydays said...
I just started CBT, and I really would suggest it to all. I to have created many panic attacks and my own anxiety just by thinking too much.

Posted 4/5/2007 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hello! I get like this too when I wake up but when you state the term 'fear' I don't have fear, I just have a weird sensation in my chest etc, I'm not actually scared of anything! Any ideas??
Posted 4/5/2007 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
what is CBT
Posted 4/5/2007 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
 i thinki it congnitive behaviorial therapy. its a therapy where they change your way of thinking. ( i could be wrong but think thats what they mean.)
Posted 4/8/2007 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
MyStruggle - can you explain what 2/4 breathing is? I would love to give it a try.
Thanks,
Posted 4/8/2007 8:55 AM (GMT 0)
To answer a few peoples questions here about CBT, I have posted a useful link to explain more about what it is about : http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/CBT.html
Posted 4/8/2007 8:16 PM (GMT 0)

Hi 1ofhissheep.  I can totally relate to you on this one.  But mine is the opposite.  My mind races when I go to bed and I worry that I won't get up in the morning at all.  But becuase of the meds I am on, the next thing I know it's morning or late afternoon.

I would do everything that has been already suggested.  This is what I do though.  I grab a good funny movie and watch it (I highly recommend the movie "Airplane"-I know I am not supposed to promote anything, but this movie will make you laugh no matter how many times you watch it).  If you find it difficult to eat breakfast in the morning becuase of the worry, trust me on the movie and it will take your mind off of things for a bit.

Hope this helps a bit.

Boomer2uall

Posted 4/9/2007 10:25 AM (GMT 0)
Boomer - its os ok for you to promote things such as films that will make you laugh. We just don't allow people top promote something that benefits themselves. I haven't seen the film myself but I agree that something like that can make you laugh and take your mind off things. I posted in a thread yesterday about watching a film called 'Music and Lyrics' with Hugh Grant and I couldn't stop laughing - it had me in stitches! Keep posting - we love having you here
Posted 4/9/2007 12:46 PM (GMT 0)

I am asking because I dont want to do anything that is against the rules...but what do you mean....people arent allowed to promote anything? We arent allowed to mention what has helped us with our anxiety? ( such as a book we read, a specific brandname of vitamin , or a specific dr. we like that is well known)? I am just alittle confused( because boomer mentioned a specific film that benefited him and you said that was ok, but then also said that we arent allowed to promote anything that benefited us lol). confused Thanks for any clarification. God bless!

In His Grip,

Dawn

 Victoria said...
Boomer - its os ok for you to promote things such as films that will make you laugh. We just don't allow people top promote something that benefits themselves.

I haven't seen the film myself but I agree that something like that can make you laugh and take your mind off things. I posted in a thread yesterday about watching a film called 'Music and Lyrics' with Hugh Grant and I couldn't stop laughing - it had me in stitches!

Keep posting - we love having you here

Posted 4/9/2007 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
Oh sorry - blonde day i think!!!!!! haha!!!! I meant that we can't promote anything that will benefit us financially so for example if you own a website selling something that benefits people with anxiety - you cant post your website here. Does that make sense?! Oh I'm not very good at describing myself today!!!! I'm sure lyn will be along to sort me out and explain better!!!!!! Sorry for the confusion!!!
Posted 4/9/2007 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
LOL..no problem..I have MANY of those moments myself yeah . I understand exactly what you are saying now. Thank you for the clarification. :-) God bless and have a GREAT day!

In His Grip,

Dawn

Posted 4/9/2007 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
I use to have same issues when going to sleep the mind would not shut off I have taken trazadone and for ME it works
Cognitive behaviour Therapy changes the way u look at things view yourself and many other good things to help you there is a free online one if you are interested please let us know

LYN
Posted 4/9/2007 4:33 PM (GMT 0)

I am very much interested! If you could let me know about it, I would appreciate it. :) Thanks!

Howlyncat said...
I use to have same issues when going to sleep the mind would not shut off I have taken trazadone and for ME it works
Cognitive behaviour Therapy changes the way u look at things view yourself and many other good things to help you there is a free online one if you are interested please let us know

LYN

Posted 4/10/2007 6:59 PM (GMT 0)

Hi there.  Someone mentioned 2/4 breathing.  Could someone tell me what this is.

Thanks,

Gary

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