Same time each day

[Rob Green]

Hi,

I am new here. My anxiety kicks in at roughly the same time each day. Its always after lunch. Weekdays and weekends. I thought it might be something i was eating so I have tried eating different food but it has not made any difference.

Anyone have anything like this where it starts at roughly the same time each day?

[Berry-Bamboo]

What happens each day after lunch? Who do you face, what do you hate the most, and try to ignore? If it is not about the food, what is the real issue you cannot deal with? Go over everything you do or don't do after lunch in your head.

[Rob Green]

Nothing. Its not work as it happens at weekends and holidays etc

I think this is more of a chemical thing in the body/brain as its not being triggered my thoughts etc. My body just starts feeling really anxious even though i am not worrying or stressed etc.

[Berry-Bamboo]

Keep trying to understand what it could be so painful about a simple afternoon. Because it is so much easier to hide your own reality from yourself. You may not be aware of some important thing.

I used to have trouble after eating. Especially midday. It was such a chore, eating. And repeating it every day... With anxiety, body reacts to everything. Even natural food can spoil your appetite and vitality. Try to eat when you are hungry enough to step out of obligation. Somehow your mind is associating food with danger. Is there a specific painful memory about food, food in general. Keep thinking. I find the best therapy is what you can provide for yourself. Because no one can know you like you can.

[Ponder]

Yea that is not uncommon at all. Comes under a few categories with learned behavior being one of them. Breaking the pattern will help. Try to have an anxiety attack at a different time. Just kidding ... Yes Chemical related is very much the issue. Bit like when we exercise or sleep or eat at the same time everyday. Even plants have a cycle that can be effected when mixing up the times they are exposed to certain elements. Humans are also greatly affected by something called the circadian cycle. Getting that in sync would be the first place I would start ... followed by a healthy routine based on positive experiences, healthy eating, social exposure, self reflection, meditation and so on.

[Berry-Bamboo]

But a circadian rhythm gets off track because of a problem we need to fix. I tried so hard to keep everything on track when my sleeping patterns and eating patterns all went to hell. Nothing worked. Because it has to come naturally. If everything stops to come naturally, than there is a problem that needs to be fixed, immediately!

[Berry-Bamboo]

The energy inside is too unstable to be focused on anything, to act perfectly. I don't know if you know what I am talking about. You can pretend, you can condition yourself up to a point. Later comes the real problems. It is better to start fixing before it gets worse, before nothing is left to fix.

[Ponder]

Srry BB, I am having trouble following that. I will try with the following reply.

The Circadian Rhythm (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm) Concept was actually my first point of call to stabilization the anxiety and depression I was suffering a few year ago.

If I may quote you in order to better follow and assist:
"But a circadian rhythm gets off track because of a problem we need to fix."

Because this is an Anxiety forum, I am going to assume the problem you are referring to is Anxiety. First point of call here is to acknowledge just how prone we are all to blaming anxiety without giving much thought to the root causes. "Oh my anxiety is simply too much", "But my anxiety is holding me back", "If only this anxiety did not stop me from doing the things I love"

I acknowledge you have used the word FIX. Cool ... this is at least a mindset with some direction, however before moving on ... Allow me to suggest that it is US that is off track and not the Circadian Rhythm. This puts responsibility in a place that we can work with, as the original phrasing sets up negative self talk intended to blaming our condition ... Because of our problem, because of our anxiety, because of yadda yadda and oh my it's all just too much. See how the pattern continues. In such a state, is it any wonder many of us wind up chasing our tails.
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"I tried so hard to keep everything on track when my sleeping patterns and eating patterns all went to hell. Nothing worked. Because it has to come naturally. If everything stops to come naturally, than there is a problem that needs to be fixed, immediately!"

SO - having now placed the responsibility on us to make the changes rather than stay fixated and obsessed with our current state or condition; let's consider another aspect. The apparent problem is not just about us. Take a good look at the world in which we live; it is anything but natural!

More kids and youth need glasses to see because of the the unnatural act of constantly reading text off a radiating screens - a life full of reading text from phones, PCs, gamingconsuls, road signage, advertisements, TV's and on and on and on @ an extreme pace that's intended 24/7. This is just one aspect of MANY, that dictates a path that's sees us out of sync; an aspect that has nothing to do with our anxiety being the leading cause that leads us off track. How appropriate it is to have us think it is we that is in need of a FIX! Prescription please!!! No siree ... it's the world that's in need of a fix and once you come to stop blaming self ... then the real work can begin!!!

IMMEDIATELY HEY! Nope ... that there only plays into the Try Hard scenario:
Yet another negative behavioral pattern that has been conditioned into us with all that radiated text. The quick fix mentality that wants, what its told it needs and wants it NOW! More unnatural behavior. This is the very opposite to utilizing peace in order to heal ... in order to chemically balance our self. This idealistic self centered way of living is what causes our stress. Take the idealism out of self interest and then we can become centered. Hmmm - I like that.

Anyways ... yadda yadda

It takes a HUGE EFFORT in order of find a Circadian Rhythm. Change the color of ones house lights according to room, level and type of activity. Learn all about sleep hygiene, air temp and circulation, dust sickness, NOISE type, level and exposure down to ones diet and the amount outdoor exposure and quality of exposure. Add to all that ones mind set. Expecting any kind of significant result TAKES YEARS!
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Little bit by little bit!!! Be realistic ... enjoy the little results and forget about being fixated on ones condition ... MY ANXIETY and I NEED .... NOW NOW ... that's a toxic mind set and is why people fail. Only when you have truly suffered enough and given up the addiction of being a try hard that loves to hit up with constant commiseration of one's problem can those little subtle gains be felt.

Fuck the pattern of being sick and whining and crying over the same fucking things.

Hmmm ... do you understand what I mean?

I do so hope so.

I think it's time I got on with my day. Perhaps I should start some kind of boot camp called - Want to get better? LET'S ALL GET FUCKING REAL!
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Of course ... I put in my little disclaimer now. This is just what works for me. The world would have types like me ... Listed as Crazy. But that's FINE BY US! ... although let it be known ... I do not subscribe to an "us" ... :P

Adios ... until next post.

[Rob Green]

''Humans are also greatly affected by something called the circadian cycle. Getting that in sync would be the first place I would start''

How do i do that?

[2teck]

''Humans are also greatly affected by something called the circadian cycle. Getting that in sync would be the first place I would start'' How do i do that? up tin ngÃ*y má»›i, má»�i ngÆ°á»�i bán tốt nhé

[Anne1221]

I know exactly what you're talking about but I got mine figured out. First thing in am, I'm not engaged in anything specific so wide open to anxiety. Later on in day, when I'm grocery shopping or cooking or talking to someone I am focused so less anxiety. Later at night I get very anxious for some of the same reasons, winding down, concerned about the next day, etc. My best time is always the middle of the day for some reason.

[aml0017]

I often have this issue, except for me I will go weeks in which I wake up in a panic at 3:30 am every morning. It sucks. But I do believe it is all in my head. It is like I know I will wake up at 3:30 am, and I expect it so much I make it happen. It always stops eventually, I don't really know why. It's like after it happens long enough I just stop thinking about it and it stops happening. You don't realize how much anxiety is affecting you even if you don't "feel anxious" before lunch. Lunch comes around and boom, it triggers. That is not to say there is not some biological issue/circadian rhythm, but even the body's clock is not usually that accurate. Are you eating a good breakfast/mid morning snack? Perhaps there is a drop in your blood sugar right before lunch that triggers an anxiety response? Hmm...I have had some success with eating a good snack (like crackers/peanut butter) a little bit before bedtime to keep my blood sugar steady until I wake. It does help some. I feel the physical body changes may have something to do with it, but when the mind takes over that's when it becomes this self perpetuating cycle.