Anxiety Question~is that addrenalin that causes the morning anxiety?

i have been sober in AA for many,many years and anxiety has not been an issue for me until the last couple years (many losses at once).  Anyway the only other time i woke up with this stress in my body over this time is when i would get really excited about Christmas.  Around Dec i woke up with it and it was like excitement.  a psychologist told me excitement and anx release the same chemicals and can have the same psychiological effect on the body.  i always thought it was adranaline causing it.

Curious - is it?  i am wondering if it is adrenalin causing the acute anxx?

Also isn't that what beta blockers do is block adrenalin?

Curious because i read that excess adrenalin and cortisol can result afterward in depression?

i had one shrink tell me that they were sure what caused depression but that he thought it was  stress - it burned out the chemicals in the brain or something.

i know there are lots of health experts on here.

thanks evryone.  hang in there. 

xxo

 

Pan..

 

Hi Pan  I just wanted to come by and say.I never had anxiety not ever.But in this w/d I had this insane

Rush of literal anxiety running through my veins the sec I woke. Omg like it lasted for atleast 2 hrs.I could feel this movement of adrenalin running thru me..So creepy .Its all gone now.But this left me with shakes tremmors and sweats every morning for months when this happened.Its very common Pan .Doesnt mean that when this is all gone you will have elevated anxiety.I have none again absolutly none.

 

xoxoxoxo~Jenny

Ya, every single day I wake up my body kicks off with a flow of adrenaline. Sometimes its very very mild, sometimes its not. Sometimes it just makes my entire body tense/tingly, and it makes me feel kind of like I drank 2 shots of espresso. After a couple hours of being awake it goes away.

 

I have actually found something that helps me, I meditate right after I wake up. And to make sure theres no confusion about that word, I attempt to put my body and brain to sleep while still retaining consciousness.

HI Jen!!!!!!!  i am in a 3 day window babe!  it's a miracle

 

oh so glad to hear that your morning anxiety is gone.  so so glad to hear that.  it's annoying

i do not know much about adrenalin.  not sure how it fits in this process with the gaba system.

 

500 - i know what u mean aabout waking up and relaxing your brain right away.  that helps me a lot.  i think i am learning strong tools from this process.

 

luv u guys.xoxo

Adrenaline is the "fight, flight or fright" chemical of our bodies. Yes, linked to excitement.

 

Beta blockers limit the "gas pedal" component of the cardiovascular and, to a lesser effect, the respiratory system, thus counteracting the "fight, flight or fright." The opposite is "rest and digest," by the way. Which we do very little of in withdrawal!

 

The morning anxiety stuff is just classic withdrawal. It's completely organic, although many of us find ways to minimize it.

 

Congrats on your many years of sobriety.

pan

that is so interesting that you posted this.  i've had similar experiences with excitement causing the same sensations as anxiety recently.  hope that goes away too.

Your cortisol levels, which are affected by withdrawal, also play a huge role in morning anxiety levels.  When I was tapering (and suffering horribly from anxiety) I had my cortisol levels checked and they were literally off of the charts in the morning, yet as the day when on and my anxiety decreased so did my cortisol levels.  Now that I am 14 months benzo free and 85% healed, I barely ever deal with anxiety any more.

Hi Pan,

 

I agree with Bevoir regards cortisol and quite frankly, was really happy to see the post because I am having absolutely horrendous problems with morning anxiety, I don't know if it causes the restlessness I feel as well or the restlessness is a seperate withdrawal symptom in itself, it is so hard to distinguish the two. I used to get excited at Christmas too but it was a great feeling, unlike this feeling which is literally driving me insane from wakening to about mid-afternoon.

 

I have recently requested a cortisol test from my GP and hope to get that moving soon. I really hope it comes back elevated because if it doesn't then I fear that this is me for the rest of my life. I am one scared person at the moment!

 

I really hope that this anxiety lessens for you soon Pan, maybe you should do some research on cortisol and see what you think.

 

Stay strong!

oh geez; i didn't even know we could have our cortisone levels checked.  is it a simple blood test?  fasting?  interesting

i wonder if they suggest anything to counter it?

Cortisol is a hormone whose job is the "fight, flight or fright" as yram said.  It is naturally higher in the morning and lower in the evening.  But obviously exaggerated for those of us with temporarily compromised CNS.  We have to work at calming down while our GABA system is in repair.

 

"GABA is a brain chemical that decreases the electrochemical activity of neurons, which in turn helps lessen stress and anxiety. In fact, many anti-anxiety medications work by affecting GABA receptors in the brain."

 

 

The opposite is "the relaxation response", like 500a is doing.

 

"The Definition Of Relaxation Response

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide

Updated December 10, 2005

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

 

Definition: The counterpart to the fight-or-flight response, the relaxation response occurs when the body is no longer in perceived danger, and the autonomic nervous system functioning returns to normal.

 

During this response, the body moves from a state of physiological arousal, including increased heart rate and blood pressure, slowed digestive functioning, decreased blood flow to the extremities, increased release of hormones like adrenalin and cortisol, and other responses preparing the body to fight or run, to a state of physiological relaxation, where blood pressure, heart rate, digestive functioning and hormonal levels return to their normal state. During acute stress, this response occurs naturally.

 

However, in times of chronic stress, when the body is in a constant state of physiological arousal over perceived threats that are numerous and not life-threatening,

 

the relaxation response can be induced through techniques such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, deep breathing exercises, self-hypnosis and other tension taming and stress-management techniques."

 

http://stress.about.com/od/stressmanagementglossary/g/relaxationresp.htm

 

 

thank u so much for this helpful information.  i am very grateful.

what gland gives off the cortisol and where are the adrenal glands?

Hi Pan,

 

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands

 

Here is a link to show you where they are http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrenal_gland

wow u really r the best; this helped another buddy on here too who had the same question-

hope u get to see this Lah!