Why do I experience consistent morning depression and anxiety?

I think it’s a cortisol issue. When you’re going through a stressful time, your body has an issue with flushing your cortisol levels, which are highest in the morning. Since my OCD has spiked, for the first hour ish upon awakening I am anxious to the point of almost jittering (body buzzing etc) and my depression feels very very inflamed. A few hours into awakening the cortisol levels settle and I can reason better. Now I have come to know that this is a morning thing for me and the anxiety does come down eventually but at first it was making me feel Absolutley hopeless. your not alone, show yourself some compassion for dealing with this debilitating brain disorder and know that you can come out the other side. I have had OCD since I was a kid, it’s never been worse than it is right now, but I know that things will get better and I’m holding onto that hope.

Just wanted to say I could have written this myself. If it’s not the morning, I fear the middle of the day and fear that feeling creeping in. I’ve only this week began to realize I’m being compulsive about wanting to feel differently, and wanting to change how I feel in those moments so badly. I definitely have not been as kind to myself as I should be. I’m constantly checking how I’m feeling, and my internal emotional barometer. I didn’t resist them yesterday and felt great. Today I felt it creeping up throughout the day, and feel it creeping in now, and my brain is trying to figure out, “What is wrong with me.” Sometimes the thought that I have OCD makes me feel hopeless. Definitely going to implement everyone’s comments here. Also, I noticed, “Yeah, I may or may not feel this way forever,” does help, since it’s still wanting that certainty over being a controlled kind of okay.

I am the opposite, I’ve dreaded night time. Mornings aren’t as hard any more but what I can say is the moment I stopped meeting myself with judgement was the moment things turned around. I was constantly in a panicked state, questioning if I truly was this mentally sick person that came out of the blue and if something was actually wrong with me. I was not only in a fight or flight mode constantly but I was judging myself through it! I began to let these thoughts flow through me like water and met them with no judgement. I no longer want to try to prove I wasn’t this terrible person because ultimately it was making my thoughts become even bigger. You are not your thoughts and your anxiety is lying to you. I repeat a mantra I found: “Thoughts are thoughts, not threats. Feelings are feelings, not facts. Sensations are sensations, not mandates to act.” I would say that over and over when I was really feeling overcome with my thoughts and anxiety accompanied by deep breathing and it would pass. This will pass.

I'm in the same boat right now too! It's soooo hard, but I'm trying to practice accepting the anxiety in the morning (easier said than done lol). I've found that accepting my situation and feelings and not trying to change them is certainly helping the feelings dissipate more quickly. We're all hanging in there together. <3

Mornings are so hard for me too!

I agree with a cortisol issue idea. Often I wake up very shaky and feeling anxious. This can be typical with anxiety. I have been trying to incorporate meditation and mindfulness and this has helped a lot. Reminding myself that it passes through out the morning helps too.