I don’t know if this is part of OCD but every morning I wake up with anxiety and usually it goes away when I get out of bed and continue on my day, but it just is overwhelming. Sometimes that I feel like staying in bed is the most comfortable thing I can do or stay sleeping, is the only thing I can do because I don’t want to get up because I feel too anxious in the morning What can I do ? Does anyone have any advice?
Yep same boat here. I wake up with panic and my heart pounding, stomach feeling unwell and sick with a pit of dread. Getting up tends to help
Yes I have been this way for a while now. And have had this feeling in the past and have come out on the other side of it. It takes time and practice. And yes I agree pushing yourself to get up should be helpful. I hope everyone feels better soon.
@Anonymous Does it go away or at least moderate itself ? And why did it just start happening now
@Jimos I have been going through this off and on for 20 years now. It always has gone away. My OCD is the main problem because it keeps me stuck. It came back for me a little while back and I am currently stuck. In my experience if you just keep going and push through it and keep as busy as you can it does subside. I am on a few different meds but I have been on meds for so long I don’t think they really help much anymore. As much as we feel like it’s out of our control we do have the power to overcome. Sometimes it’s just harder than others. This time for me has really kicked my ass. But I am hopeful that it will pass like it has so many times in the past. I hope you feel better soon. But I do believe you can. Keep going.
@Anonymous Well said. I struggled with health OCD very hard 12-14 years ago. I didn’t develop OCD until adulthood (26). After 3 years of it, I finally “gave up” and it went away. This time it’s a different topic but I’m stuck as well - for the past year. Thankfully I’ve found NOCD and have learned a lot more about the disease. I have to remind myself that it ebbs and flows and we can handle hard things.
@Joey_867 That’s so crazy yeah I’m 25 years old and it started up for me in the month of September and started getting stronger
Jimos you’ve taken the words out of my mouth. I compare it to Groundhogs Day the movie. Each morning my eyes open to the same song in my head…except it’s not I Got You Babe. Everything about OCD is a paradox or ironic! The more I want to go back to sleep to ignore my brain, the more it ruminates and gives me anxiety. When we have flair ups, it sucks. I literally have to push myself out of bed and get moving, busy, kids, exercising, etc or my mind will stay in OCD mode. Even though getting up is the last thing I feel like doing, it’s what makes us feel a little better. At least for me. I love my evenings though - my brain finally feels a little clearer.
Cortisol is higher in the morning for everyone that helps us wake up. From the internet….”Excess cortisol increases your heart rate, makes you more alert by increasing norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter that can also make you feel anxious” knowing this may help. I have the same reaction. Just going on about my day works for me. I think like dealing with OCD the more you want to fight the anxiety feeling the more power you give it.
@ivrec @Anonymous Does it go away or at least moderate itself ? And why did it just start happening now
@Jimos Definitely better
I have the same experience in the morning pretty often. I think part of my urge to go back to sleep is to try to wake up "right" (i.e., not anxious), but as you know, instead of sleeping I often find myself ruminating. I try to take an ERP approach of "ok, the OCD wants to feed me the lie that if I could just sleep X minutes longer, I would not feel anxious when I wake up," but I'm going to take the risk of not going back to sleep, get out of bed, and start my day even though I feel really anxious. It's not easy, and I'm still learning to be compassionate with myself when I decide to stay in bed to try to "wake up right."
Does anyone else struggle with extreme anxiety in the morning? It’s like I wake up and my body is already anxious. It calms down towards the evening. It’s really frustrating to try to get moving in the morning when I just want to lay in bed and ignore it.
Is there anything that you all do that’s not a compulsion or ritual that helps with your OCD and anxiety in the mornings?
Hey there! I was wondering if anyone else experiences the same thing / has any advice on it! My OCD tends to be strongest in the morning, and it can make getting ready for the day pretty difficult. I always push through and continue with my morning / day, and eventually the OCD gets a little “less loud” so to speak, but I would love some insight on anything that has helped others in terms of not having so much anxiety upon waking up. I’m currently in therapy, but my next session won’t be for a few days as I’m on vacation at the moment.
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