Morning anxiety / panic / etc...

Has anyone gotten past this? I wake up to this every morning and I'm not sure if it's just me because I've been in this for so long or whether it's withdrawal. Any supplements, protocols, anything that helps with this morning wake-up torture?

I think mornings are tough for a lot of people.  They certainly were for me.  I'd often wake abruptly in the middle of the night - sort of in a panic.  Maybe due to a dream??  My heart would be pounding and I'd be in fight or flight mode for a while.  Getting back to sleep was definitely a no go in that state. 

 

Since I was going to be awake, I decided to start doing some web work on my laptop during these times.  I kept the laptop next to my bed.  It's horrible sleep hygiene, but I didn't care.  It got me busy doing something.  I did (and still do) the web site for my astronomy club.  I'd update it every morning with a list of things to look for in the sky.  It would keep me busy for 30-60 minutes by which time I would have settled down a lot.  I have to admit that I made a lot of mistakes at 4:30 am - especially since I was sleep-deprived and pretty confused in general.  But it kept me busy and gave me some purpose.  And damn few people probably ever looked at that web page anyway.

 

It didn't stop the abrupt wake-ups or the feeling of panic.  But once I started to reach for the laptop, I was in control.  There were still anxious feelings, but they didn't dominate my mind.  I was back in control. 

 

Eventually, the morning dread just sort of faded out.  I still often wake up at 4 am, but I'm calm now.

 

So maybe there's something similar that you can engage in to occupy your mind when you wake up in a panic???  I've also gamed on my laptop in the morning.  Again, it's terrible sleep hygiene, but I wasn't getting any sleep anyway so what the hell...

Yes, I wake up with a lot of fight or flight symptoms in the morning.  Sometimes it gets better, sometimes it doesn't.  Most days I can get through with anxiety humming along, others I just really have to survive.  It's a living nightmare.

 

I absolutely feel for you, and I hope this passes us quickly.

This is happening to me.  I fight the feeling, but break down crying.  How do we get this to stop.  Feeling very sad. I have weaned down from 3-4 mg to 2 mg.  One in the morning, one at night.  Not feeling well at all today.  What are your coping strategies?

I've come a long way of w/d, and only now I have found out that when I wake up, it's better to just start doing than try to fight it. Try to have a morning ritual of some sorts (I have myself a cup of ginger-lemon rooibos and a cigarette, take my supplements and move on to 10 minute meditation, eat a banana and drink lemon water with apple cider vinegar and leave off to work.)

Just have something to do when the anxiety hits you (whether it's morning or evening) and distract your self from it.

 

Edit. Also try to have sufficient nightly sleep. I know it maybe impossible at this time, but when I have slept well, sometimes I don't even have morning anxiety (as rare as getting struck by a lightning )

 

Have a lovely day