All I need someone to tell me "that's ok"

[DALINA]

   


      Hi everyone,


      Last night something new happened, I went to bed and fall asleep with no problem, issue, symptom etc, etc you name it; around 2:00 am in the morning I woke up with the physycal symptoms of anxiety: fear, hot flashes, racing heart to name a few the weird thing is that I am having a positive talk with myself trying to calm down those physical symptoms but my brain, thoughts, concience are calm I can't find anything that I can point as trigger for the episode, I hope you know what I am talking about, anyway I got up and took my xanax, today I feel weird, I am calm but feel like I am not myself.


    I just want someone to tell me that part of anxiety, that I could done something diferent, advice please.

[FeelingOptimistic]

Hi Dalina,

I have read posts from others here who talk about night-time panic attacks, so that could very well be what it is.  My panic attacks have always been when I was awake, so I don't have personal experience with them, but I would think that waking up in that state would be very unsettling.  Hope you are feeling better now.

Feeling Optimistic

[daisyjukes]

Hi Dalina,

I hate these night panic attacks, I get them quite often.  I've read up on them and I found a really good explanation.  When you are really anxious for a prolonged period, the panic response becomes automatic to certain physical sensations.  Your breathing, heart rate can change during the night this can trigger the panic response even in your sleep.  Another thing could trigger it is a noise.  The panic reaction is so automatic it still happens. They will stop once your anxiety in the day reduces.

I find these attacks quite hard to calm down from.  I think its because I'm still half asleep and it takes a while for my rational mind to get back into gear and realise its a false alarm.  The only thing that calms me down is to get up and watch "Friends" on the TV.  This works as it distracts me and it makes me feel less alone and scared.  Te next day I often feel more anxious but I think its because I'm more tired. 

It is part of anxiety, just another example of over sensitised nervous system.

I hope this explanation helps, it did for me.

Daisy

[DALINA]

   thanks Daisy,


   Now I feel afraid to go to bed because of it.
 I had a similar experience but with meds. I was never aware of anxiety and panic attacks until I had one, so went to the doctor I was prescribed effexor  took my first pill and I had the most terrible experience because the med trigger even more the anxiety. that night I wanted to 0473 out of desperation, rasing thoughts and just the feeling of an explosion inside me , anyway after that I am petrified of taking meds even just an aspirin makes me think that if I take it it will happen again.
I realize that there is even worst things in this world than having anxiety. that is how I try to get over it.

thanks again

[mybrian]

It will be ok,    I have the same problem, when anxiety happens at night it can make you scared to go to sleep.your system is stuck in emergency mode as my doctor puts it, over time as you can learn to relax you wont be as sensative to it, i know these days can be hard, but if your like me, some days are better than others and that gives you hope that recovery is just around the corner. i am on meds now but before i quit everything cold turkey and still somehow managed to get to feel myself again. i have been on meds now for a week and am hopefull it will quiet things down soon. hang in there and try not to be afraid, it will get better

[tigerpaw]

Hi DALINA,

From my years of experience, sometimes a specific med just isn't what we need.  We can have some minor adverse reactions but you need to perservere and talk to your Dr. about trying something else.  Basicly, at the begining I had bad insomnia and poor sleep, which gave me those waking up moments, when I couldn't even catch my breath.  I suppose there are a lot of reasons this can happen but for me an anxiety med that I take at night makes me sleep well and I don't have those anymore. I have other issues but maybe this will give you some courage to keep working at it with your Dr.  Hope is just around the corner.

[WiSp]

I got only those nights when I was on celexa. It was maybe one time or 2 per week. I think I had some without celexa, in the past, but rarely. Avoid eating too much before to sleep, I think it helps. But yes it's a part of anxiety disorders. I'm sure about you that it's nothing else. By the way, avoid any meds that boost your anxiety like crazy. Even if it could work, you will never be able to wait until it works (3 weeks to one month) with this boost, and maybe not even to wait for the boost to go away (IF it goes away). I've done the mistake with celexa to wait. When you have unbearable side effects, try something else. It may boost anxiety a bit. But the way you described is way too much to tolerate. I'm just coming out of this myself. The boost never gone and now I'm with a withdrawal with the boost and fluctuations. If you try something else at the start, you will avoid a withdrawal. I think you stopped to take it already anyway.

[StressedOut26]

Hey Dalina,
      I know exactly how you're feeling and what you're going through. My VERY first panic attack was one of those that wake you up way early in the morning. And since I had never really had anxiety before, I had no clue what was going on and it scared the hell out of me! It took me a while to figure out that it was just a panic attack and not something dangerous. It was almost like I had unmasked it for what it was. And even though I've had a couple of those early morning attacks since my first one, I know exactly what they are and they don't scare me anymore. I've been recovering from anxiety without meds so I can't relate to any side effects or anything, but I can tell you that anxiety isn't dangerous or deadly. So keep your head up! You just have to learn to accept whatever your anxiety gives you without freaking out too much about it. Fighting things only make things worse! Hope you start to feel better!