Feeling extremely anxious tonight....

Feeling extremely anxious tonight....
My nervous have been playing havoc all day. All day i have been fighting myself . I hate it! I was at the dentist today and thought I was going to have a panic attack whilst in the chair. i told them that and they were pretty good in understanding. I breathed my way through it. I just relaxed my body and did slow breaths. Tonight, though I can't shake it. But mind u this is when I feel most anxious (at night). It scares me most that I will wake up to go to the toilet and then I will have one.
All day long I think about my panicing and then as soon as i wake up. That's the first thing i think of... Am i going to have a panic attack??!! I need to change the way of my thinking.

It seems that for a lot of us, myself included, nighttime and mornings are the worst times for anxiety. I wonder why that is? I had a similar day yesterday, morning was crap, i had to work my butt off ALL. FREAKING. DAY. to even keep it at a 'moderate' level and then by nighttime i was worse than morning. *sigh* HAve you ever been told about taking an alternate hot/cold shower? Like stand in the water and switch it back and forth between as hot as you can stand without burning yourself, then suddenly freezing cold, then back again? It certainly snaps you into attention pretty quickly, even if it doesn't last all that long, kwim? Or taking an icecube and letting it melt in your hand, focusing on the sensations. Perhaps snapping a rubber band on your wrist? These are all, of course, things that turn your attention away from anxiety, as they are hard to ignore and sometimes it's enough to bring the A level down to where you can then implement more coping skills.

Good luck. This is a really, really crap road. It CAN be beat though. Or, at least that's what i tell myself a hundred times a day.

Yeh I have tried the shower thing it use to relax me. But now I it doesn't work, WHY????? cause a few months ago i had a masive panic attack in the shower. So i try to avoid things where i have paniced at/in. That was the one thing though that did relax me and calm me. Now atm there is nothing. *sigh*

((((((((Ambrosa)))))) Ugh. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I can really relate and I know how agonizing it is to live in this cycle of panic attacks. I also get very panicky at the dentist. And I know exactly what you mean about tending to avoid places where you've had a panic attack before.

I agree with onmyway that nighttime is often a bad time for us anxiety sufferers.

I forget whether you've talked about medication? Are you taking anything? I take an anti-depressant and it does help somewhat with my anxiety. I avoid sedatives because I worry about addiction and also because I worry about my heart rate being slowed down too much (since my heart rate is naturally on the slow side).

Anyhow, while your anxiety and panic is so acute I think that medication could be helpful. So I'm hoping this is an option for you? I know you're in the process of changing doctors, but hopefully you can talk to someone about medication options soon?

Many hugs to you

thanks sundog! Yep i am on medication. In-fact they just started me back on it yesterday. But crap ,crap, crap, I have just woken up to go to the toilet and cough cough. I got a head spin then broke out in a hot flush and started to freak out a bit. Did know what to do except come on here hoping that some people r on line.....

That's GREAT you've just started back on medication. It might take a few days before you start feeling any benefits, but hopefully the meds will kick in soon and you'll notice an improvement. I'm keeping everything crossed for you ((((((((((((((Ambrosa))))))))))))))))

getting dizzy! Trying to concentrate on my breathing. Everyone in the house is asleep. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

What time is it with you? Is it still dark?? Sometimes I find that, if I'm up in the night with anxiety, I feel a little better psychologically when it starts to get light. I hope dawn comes soon ((((((((((Ambrosa))))))))))))))

it's now 5.23am so the sun will be rising soon and I too start feeling a lil better as it starts to get early hours in the morning. Hence why my nerves are starting to calm. I think Because everyone ya now is awake and things are more accessible through the day cause everything is open.
But being able to talk on here, really does/did help

That's exactly how I feel too! I'm glad you're feeling a bit calmer now. I find it really helpful to be here too

Ambrosa, I'm so sorry you went through that but am thrilled you found sundog to help you through.

Nights and mornings man, they should be outlawed.

Cyran0

Well I had a pretty good day.. My nerves weren't so bad. I did nothing but watch movies with my man and caught up on sleep that i missed early hours this morning. I just hope that it continues into an ok night??!! (gees I hope i just didn't jinx myself) Bit nervous about that. My Doc asked me to keep a journal so that when i go see him next time. He could look at how i feel at different times of the day and go from there.
How has everyones else day been??

Well I jinxed myself. I went for a drive to go and drop some DVD's back and I was dreading heading out at 9.00 at night and I took my eldest daughter with me. Just after we dropped them off, it nearly turned into a full blow attack. I couldn't wait to get home. When i got home i got my middle daughter to rub my back with a natural spray called pain away and then rang my sister in-law to preoccupy my mind. Bloody, ****, ****, ****.... Now I gana be funny going to bed.......

I'm so sorry Ambrosa. It can be so hard to keep those good moods going. Mine tend to be pretty damned fragile lately too.

I'm glad you were able to call someone.

Do you keep what you're going through pretty hidden from your kids or do they know about it and "help mom out" at times? I'm just curious because I always struggle with how much I should let me kids see (when I can actually help it, that is).

Cyran0

I REALLY know what you mean about being afraid of jinxing yourself if you say you're doing better. It's the same with me!! But even if things do change for the worse, that doesn't take away from the fact that you had some time where you felt better. So, whatever happens later, it's still really good that you had a good day

What your doc suggests about keeping a journal of the times of day when you feel a certain way sounds like a really good plan.

I'm really glad your daughter was there to rub your back and that you were able to distract yourself by calling your SIL.

Hi Cyran0, Hep My girls do know about it and are very supportive. They help out when ever they can. My eldest gets panic attacks. When it comes to needles, seeing blood or long distance drives. So she understands it a bit. The all understand them I have explained it to them. Also some of there friends go through hard times ( panicing, self harm, fear etc) and there able to help them out then. It's such a common thing now days. I remember when I was about 15 and I had my first one and i said to my mother I am having a panic attack. She said don't be stupid! Ur to young to have panic attacks. I then took myself to the doctors and my doc at the time told me i was getting them. I came back told my mum that the doc said i am having them and then she believed me.... But that was it no more discussion about it. I wish she did talk to me about them. ( As mum would get them and still does)

That's great Ambrosa. I have talked to my oldest about it (he's 15) but my younger kids I don't. I just don't think they'd understand. All they know is that Dad has an illness that he has to take medicine for (had to say something when they asked about my pills).

I hope things are going better for you. Let us know, k?

Cyran0