The good days and bad days with anxiety

[mrslizzyg]

Hey everyone :)

So I wanted to throw something out there and just see what you guys had to share as well..

I've been tracking my moods with a journal.. Good days/bad days, the ups and downs.. Not specific details just how I feel each day.

I'm starting to notice something..
I have these days where I wake up and I feel on top of the world. I'm just super happy and life feels great! No anxiety(unless something throughout the day provokes it..)

Then I have days where I wake up and I'm just not feeling it. Anxiety ALL day long, not very happy(but not depressed really, either..)

It's been going through cycles of every few days to sometimes every week or two my mood will change.
I've been doing some research on bipolar disorders... and to me the IDEA of it sounds right, but I'm not really having and "manic" symptoms...I don't make rash or dangerous decisions when I'm really happy.. and I also am not so miserable on my bad days that I feel hopeless/suicidal/can't get out of bed..

So I guess my question is.. Is it normal for anxiety to have cycles like this to? I was under the impression anxiety was more of a constant thing usually, unless it is just being managed... But I'm not really doing anything at this time to manage my symptoms..

Any personal experience with this stuff?

Yes, I am aware only a doctor can diagnose me with whatever I have.. and I'm not planning on getting treatment at this time. I'm just wondering if anyone else's anxiety acts like this. :)

Thanks!
-Lindsey

[needtogetwell]

Hi Lindsey,

I think you may find that women follow a more cyclical up and down with anxiety than men do. Unfortunately we are blessed with monthly hormone cycles which undoubtedly play some role in those ups and downs, to the point that some may even be able to predict how their anxiety is going to be based on what part of the month it is. Have you made any correlation to that with your journal?

That's all fine and well until you get to be about 50 (like me) and then all bets are off, and the theory is shot to hell. I know that I do have periods of high anxiety, then some lows, but much of the time cruise on somewhere in between, usually depending on what my stress levels are.

You seem to be doing quite well managing all this so keep doing what you are doing cause it seems to be working.

Cheers' Pam

[mrslizzyg]

Hi Lindsey,

I think you may find that women follow a more cyclical up and down with anxiety than men do. Unfortunately we are blessed with monthly hormone cycles which undoubtedly play some role in those ups and downs, to the point that some may even be able to predict how their anxiety is going to be based on what part of the month it is. Have you made any correlation to that with your journal?

That's all fine and well until you get to be about 50 (like me) and then all bets are off, and the theory is shot to hell. I know that I do have periods of high anxiety, then some lows, but much of the time cruise on somewhere in between, usually depending on what my stress levels are.

You seem to be doing quite well managing all this so keep doing what you are doing cause it seems to be working.

Cheers' Pam

The joys of being a woman... lol.
Yes, most of the time it does go together.. When I get close to TOM I just lose my shit when it comes to my anxiety for a few days.. And then as soon and I am finished I am in an amazing mood.
I am also on birth control which I've also wondered might factor into my moods, I haven't been off of it since I was 15 years old... But I also don't really want to stop taking it lol.

And thank you for the support! I went through hell with doctors/therapists for about 3 years, on and off different meds, until I finally called it quits. I struggled for a long time(and still do) but I am doing A LOT better on my own than I ever did while being treated.

[Chris LaVigne]

I've noticed something similar in myself. For me, I definitely have really good days and then some days where I just spend the whole day worrying about everything.

Mostly, though, I find it's a morning/afternoon/evening cycle. Just yesterday, for example, I felt terrible just after waking up with all kinds of anxious thoughts racing through my head. Then the morning after breakfast was okay. Then the afternoon I was very anxious again. And then in the evening, I felt great, on top of the world, and like I could accomplish anything.

Now this morning, as I type, I feel the same was as yesterday. This is a pretty familiar cycle for me, so much that I think just the morning itself is a trigger for me.