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Middle of the night panic

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

Ashepp,

There is nothing wrong with you. The doctor said your fine, your healthy and young. Stop and say outloud - there is nothing wrong with me! Each time you feel this way again try yelling STOP!(inside your head if you are in public) This is a cognitive distortion that is causing you anxiety. Changing this thought will help. For all the other concerns try printing out the challenging negativity 10 questions found in session 3. Use this in conjunciton with the relaxation techniques.

You also may want to review certain parts of the program that need a bit of refreshing. Remember, this is a normal hiccup in the recovery process. It is just part of the process. It just means there are a few areas that still need more work.

You're doing great at already challenging these thoughts. Keep working at it and it will become easier and easier.

You have done this before and you can do it again - easier this time too :)

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 56

There are a number of thoughts I have when I'm feeling anxious. Some of them are:

"There's something wrong with me"

"What if I'm having a heart attack?"

"I'm a mess and I'll never really get over this?"

or even

"Andrew (my fiance) is going to think I'm weak and stop loving me if I don't pull myself together"

There are a lot of ways I can challenge them. I've been to doctor and a cardiologist and all the tests show that I'm really healthy. I'm 24 years old, eat well, and work out so there's no reason anything would be wrong with me.

Although even now just writing about this is making me anxious. I feel a twinge or something somewhere and start panicking that I'm wrong and there is something medically wrong with me.

I know the thought about never getting over my anxiety is flawed because I went almost a year feeling generally good with only a low level of anxiety so I do know that it's possible for me to feel good.

And for the last thought I've talked to my boyfriend a number of times about this and he's really supportive and positive. I know he loves me and will continue to want to be with me no matter what.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

Hi Ashepp,

Remind yourself that this is common and it will pass. You have a lot of knowledge. Don't forget how much you know and how much you have been through.

Doing relaxation techniques through out the day will certainly be helpful. Also, have you been working on any of the forums in the program? The anxious thought form for example.

What are some of the thoughts you are having when you feel anxious? How can you challenge these thoughts?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 56

I had a rough night last night. We went out to dinner with a group of people and I felt extremely anxious the whole time. Everything hurt from being so tense but the worst was the chest pain. Once we got back to the hotel though I was able to fall asleep and slept good the whole night.

Today I feel okay so far. I realize that I'm falling into the same pattern I used to have where I got anxious in the evening so I have to try to break that cycle. I'm not really sure where to begin. I try to do the breathing and relaxation exercises but it's difficult when I'm already feeling anxious; maybe I need to start them earlier.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

Hi Ashepp3,

Sorry to hear you had a challenging night. Keep reminding yourself it is the that it is the anxiety and not something else. All the symptoms you mention are panic symptoms. It sounds frustrating but you will get a handle on this. First step, don't give these times more power than they deserve. How can you start to do that?

How are you feeling today?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

Hi Ashepp,

It sounds like a temporary rough time. I find accepting myself as I am helps me, even though I'm not perfect.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 56

I'm having a really rough night.

We are out of town in a hotel room and I was just reading and watching TV in bed feeling mostly fine until I just started feeling really panicky. I breathed my way out of it and continued on but it came back in full force after a dozed off for a moment and woke back up to turn off the TV and get ready for bed. I just started feeling like all my muscles felt weird and tense and I couldn't relax and everything just felt tight and not right.

Now I'm pretty much in full blown anxiety/panic. I've got the chills and digestive distress. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I really don't feel like anything should be bothering me.

I felt like I was in control before but now I'm losing confidence. I just can't shake the thought that there is something wrong with me.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 4027

I heard one person state they got back to sleep by reading their mate's thesis!

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2508

ashepp3,

Getting up and out of bed for a while always helps me get over a episode of night panic..Writing things out has also helped me..I sometimes come here and read posts or post and that helps me too..

Red..

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1071

For me, personally, it worked better if I got up and did a puzzle and then went back to bed. It got my mind on something else, broke the anxiety cycle and I could get back to sleep. If I just wasn't tired, I'd read a book till I got sleepy. Do what works for you. You can try getting up and see if that helps or stay in bed and see if that helps. I'm not sure if getting up works for everybody or just me :) My Dad always said not to worry if you can't sleep. You're body will sleep when it needs it. So, that would take a lot of pressure off of me. I would just tell myself it's normal not to sleep some times, even for people without anxiety, so I stopped worrying about it and it helped. Also, I'm going through the beginning stages of menopause. It can cause anxiety and sleeplessness, so I recognize it as normal part of life. Taking B complex vitamins and a vitamin D and calcium supplement are supposed to help counteract anxiety. I know sugar and caffeine make it more difficult to sleep. Also, keeping the bedroom area quiet. No computers, t.v. or anything that is work related, because it's not conducive to sleep. Try to do quiet things before bed, no exercise, or scary movies, etc. Maybe a cup of lemon balm tea or chamomile. And, think pleasant thoughts about a beach or a vacation you enjoyed, etc.

Shari

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Middle of the night panic