- Username
- Torquemada
- Date posted
- 1y ago
What is with the massive anxiety when waking up
What is it about OCD that gives us huge anxiety when waking up. I have also been sleeping terribly.
What is it about OCD that gives us huge anxiety when waking up. I have also been sleeping terribly.
It is the worst. The absolute worst. The swirling anxiety in my belly the moment my eyes open, the racing thoughts, the nausea, the chaos of fear that runs through me from adrenaline rushes. It’s miserable. I have come to believe that as soon as I realize Im awake, Im afraid for what lies ahead of me as far as ocd & intrusive thoughts go. What kind of day will I have today? What new thoughts will pop up, etc., etc. I just started taking an anti anxiety med last week and it has helped to slow it down. I take it around 10 each night, asleep by 10:30/10:45 and it has been getting me through the night. The mornings havent been filled with fear. The anxiety is still there, but more tolerable. At least now Im not hunched over holding my belly, pacing the floor, and trying not to barf. Long story short, I completely get you and I swore up & down I was never ever going to get better. Im not better yet, but I do believe my Lexapro & anti anxiety med is helping me manage. Looking forward to the future when this is all a thing of the past. Best of luck to you, and heres to a morning full of peace, calm, and relaxation!
I am just started taking Lexapro. This is my second massive OCD episode, and Lexapro for 3 months completely put me into recovery. Take care friend, one day at a time.
@Torquemada How long dis it take before you saw results from the Lexapro?
This post is so relatable.
@Scared1 2-3 weeks 10mg, but it was gradual, not like on or off, hardest thing is breaking the habit of engaging with the thoughts, after that I felt like my old self.
@Torquemada I am starting out on 5mg and if need be will move up. I was too afraid to jump in too fast. I am hoping I can stay where I am at with it, but who knows. So glad to hear yours is working for you!
I know, right?!
I was just about to post about this! It used to be that sleeping was my safe haven. And it would linger for at least a few hours into the beginning of my day until the intrusive thoughts would pop back in. But not anymore. The second I wake up the intrusive thoughts start coming and immediately the panic washes over me. It’s so awful. I’m trying to think of the thoughts as just that, thoughts, and that I don’t have to give meaning to them. It’s helped, but I’m not back to “normal” yet.
I've discovered recently that around a few hours after waking up my OCD and anxiety flares up and even when I'm "done" with a compulsion, it just keeps going regardless, because my brain is active and goes back to the thought and keeps adding. The different thoughts are spread out through different hours of the day, but in the morning I can resist, then more in the afternoon it's like I don't have the ability to resist anymore and the anxiety takes over, even if I'm out doing things. It always calms down when it's the next day in the early hours of the morning, the time I also feel the happiest or calmest too. If I "finish" a compulsion or ritual, which is a compulsion, or tell myself this is the time to stop, and wait around 1-3 hours the feeling wears off, but i still get scared I'll do it again which most times i don't do because the anxiety leaves, only at night tho when my brain gets tired. I don't go out a lot so that's the reason I think my brain is becoming more active, and maybe a bit too active. It's become manageable and predictable but obviously still irritating.
Is anyone’s OCD just a 1,000 times worse in the night? To where you’ve convinced yourself (especially if you wake up between 3-5 am)that you’re completely a different person than who you want to be? Sometimes I’m scared it’s like psychosis or something because of how intense the thoughts and feelings are.. Has anyone else felt this way? Is this a symptom of medication wearing off in the night??
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