Hello, new here :)

[adrenalyn]

Glad to have found this forum! I have had anxiety on and off for quite some time now and I am tired of dealing with it popping into my life periodically ... I have tried medications, therapy, relaxation techniques and so on but not getting much relief from it. Hope to find some answers and support as my anxiety issues has shown its ugly head again after a year of being anxiety free. From reading some of the posts here there seems to be some very kind souls here with a wealth of information and support :) Nice to meet you all!

[Enduronman]

Welcome!

We've got answers!!

Enduronman.. (PS: I am kind..but I am straight forward, I dont put sugar on it, nor cherries on top...but I care!)...:)

[adrenalyn]

Thanks for the welcome Enduronman :) I can appreciate a caring straight forward kind of person who shares from experience with anxiety :) I have read some of your comments on posts which have answered some of my questions already...nice to meet you!

[pam2738]

Thanks for the welcome Enduronman :) I can appreciate a caring straight forward kind of person who shares from experience with anxiety :) I have read some of your comments on posts which have answered some of my questions already...nice to meet you!

Hello Adrenalyn & Enuronman. Please share your answers. I am tired of the awful 5 am wake up attacks & that horrible feeling all day long. And I know that the anxiety about THAt increases the overall anxiety & panic. But how to break the circle?
Having those horrible early morning (5 am) intense panic attacks & can't get to sleep afterwards. Feel on the edge of them all day long. Am so tired & not getting anything done. I take routinely 20 mg of Lexapro in the am & .5 mg of Klonipin at night for sleeping. I really don't want to increase either, especially the Klonipin, but something has to give. I know it is a vicious circle in that I am overwhelmed & overstressed now & that causes the panic attacks & that upsets me & adds to more.

Anyone identify with this? And what to do about the those awful early morning ones?

PN

[ADD]

Welcome, hope you find some comfort and help..:-)

[adrenalyn]

Thank you ADD :)) and welcome to the board as well! I have found a lot of comfort here so far, many posts have answered some of my questions already! Hope you find relief and comfort also :)

[adrenalyn]

Hi Pam2738 :)) I also wake up from a deep sleep with anxiety, also sometimes have trouble fallin asleep due to my excessive thoughts swimming through my mind but I have found some techniques that have work with my most recent bout with anxiety that showed up about a month ago. One of them is staying out of my head, second is breathing...instead of doing the crazy short shallow hyper breathing, I have begun doing this...deep inhale to the count of 4 from the abdomin, hold for a few seconds then exhale Through the mouth, swooooosh and while exhaling imagine a part of your body relaxing...shoulders, torso then legs/feet. While doing this the only thing in my mind is the thought " this is just a symptom and it can't harm me, I will be fine" symptoms of anxiety are just that "symptoms" and if you keep focusing on these symptoms they will only escalate your fear which will develope into a bad anxiety experience...

Having had anxiety off and on for 30 years I realized that I have never had any physical harm done to me from an anxiety attack, knowing this has helped a lot.

As for the day after loopy feeling, just do the breathing a couple times during the day. Don't think of the night before...start a new day and let go of any thoughts of your experience and know how much inner strength you have!

Hope this helped :))

Best wishes to you