I seem to wake up in full blown panic attacks does anyone have any advice on things I could do to help with this? When i feel them coming on awake i can manage them but when I wake they are real scary and it takes a couple hours to calm myself down

I have the trouble of waking up with tremendous guilt thoughts that won't let me go back to sleep. I listen to the relaxation cd to help let go of these thoughts. Maybe that's something you could try to help calm you. Instead of a couple of hours it only takes 20 minutes.

When your calmer maybe you can look at the thoughts that cause these panic attacks and then reassure yourself with this guidance your getting.

Thank you I am still trying to fiqure what triggers my attacks I listen to the relaxtion tape before i fall asleep but I never thought to listen when I wake up Thanks again I will try it

Hey there-I used to have this really bad also. I am not really sure what all will help it, but I know that I really hated my job at the time, so even though it was really hard I found a new job and that helped allot. Is there something that you know you are dreading as soon as you wake up that you can work on? Good luck to you.

Cindy I wake up occasionally with anxietty attacks at night,for me its about sweating or feeling hot
and I get acold ice pack to cool me down,go through
my relaxation exercizes and then put on calming
music and I fall back to sleep

Cindy V: I had the exact same problem.I've posted this before. I went to see my doctor and I'm taking Lamictal and it works for me. It's for obsessive thinking. My doctor reminded me that we do think while we're sleeping. See Lamictal posts.

Hey I have been experiencing that alot lately. Usually when I am happy while awake I don't experience the panic attacks when I wake up. I hate it. It usually is on days when I have to go to work. On the days I am off I can take a xanax or go work out. But on my work days I can't take xanax.

I also notice when I get in this mode I want to self medicate by either taking too much xanax or taking double tylenol pm. OR drinking a couple of glasses of wine.

Those are not healthy tips on dealing with anxiety. Alot of it is based out of fear. I know it can be rough when going through it.

Hi Chica
Even with Lamicatal the anxiety and obsessive thinking wakes me up every morning. It doesn't matter what I do, it still happens. Not as bad since I listened to the program. I'd have to look up which session. My doctor(and I guess it's true)said we think while we're sleeping. He and Lucinda say "You can not have and anxiety attack or a panic attack withoug having a thought first
". I take xanax also and that does nothing for that. But I took the program's advice, along with some others'-and just get up out of bed and do something. That makes me feel better and gets my mind chilled. I noticed the longer I layed their and tryed to fight it, the worse the obsessive thinking got. I've been at home unemployed for over 2 years, and I was going to bed every night dreading the next worry/stress-filled, boring repetative day. I just DID NOT want to get up and face another day like the one before. Days were running together and I got where I couldn't tell one day from another-they were all the same. A head full of thoughts still wake me up, but I've learned to self-talk/slow it down with the program and like I said the Lamictal has helped a lot. I think I've just had too much time on my hands for too long. I go to the online chat and have heard everyone say they have the same issue. We are all on some time of meds, but no one that I've chatted with has conquered this stuff yet. They give great help on results they've had. You might want to go to General Chat area and check it out. Good Luck

Thanks Anne!! I hope your situation gets better. Last night I felt like I had several panic attacks--that heaviness in my chest and that fear of doom feeling. I read my Bible and just kept quiet. One of my good friends kept wanting to know why I have been so distant and it is difficult explaining that to people who haven't been thru it. So I did take a xanax 0.5mg and I started to feel better.

Well I woke up with the heaviness in my heart again today. I decided to get out of bed and walk 30min and i felt great doing it!! I kept telling my self good things and not think about the things that have been bothering me. Came home and felt it again but not as intense. I am learing that it is important to try to keep busy. Like you I was unemployeed for a couple of months and I believe alot of it was due to my anxiety. I used it as a way to run away and face the issues or to face the day. And you are absolutely right staying in bed makes it worse. I thought staying in bed would be the answer. But it isn't. Keep working the program. Maybe you can get a job that isn't that stressful but keeps you busy. You can pm if you'd like

God Bless!! :O)

Thanx Chica
I found out today that I got the last job I interviewed for. I am so excited. I know that will make me much better in all areas. Can finally get out of my head for a change. Been in there too long I think once I go back to work the waking panic attacks will go away too. I did not have them before I stopped working. I left work in December of 2005. They didn't start until Spring of last year. Just got worse as time went on. The program has done wonders.
Bible study has been a huge help too. It's got plenty of good therapy also. Don't overdo the xanax-been there did that-It was bad. I know I won't go back there although there are still days when I think-eat xanax and go to sleep. But I don't. I take .5mg 2-3 times a day if I really need one. Always at bedtime though. I'll be awake all night without one. But when I get back to work I know-hopefully-I will eventually begin to get physically tired enough to sleep without help. I just think working again is going to take care of a lot of this because I think most of it is due to being home to long. Thanks for your support. Keep in touch.
God bless you also

I know that we're all in different places on the program, but session 12 talks about "Secondary Gains" - the things we get from having anxiety. And I'm seeing that a lot on these posts - we get to avoid the other things that make us uncomfortable - like jobs we don't like!

I used to have the waking panic attacks on Monday mornings...guess that should have been telling me something sooner, huh?

Blessings,
Dawn

Hey Anne,
I don't know you but I am sooooo proud of you!! Congratulations on your new job!!! That is a big step in and of itself. Oh honey I know about the eat xanax and sleep routine LOL!! Yeah not the healthiest way to do with anxiety. I would just take anything to know me out at one time in life but I am so grateful and thankful that I don't walk down that path often anymore.

I would encourage you to also take some walks whenever you get time. It is refreshing to get out and release some of that excess energy that we seem to carry with us. I woke up this moring with excess energy or anxiety and i put my sneakers on and did a 30min walk!! Kudos for me!!

One thing that I am working on is trying to be more social. I am a very very social person but when I am in high stress depressed mode I get scared to even say my own name. So I am learning to speak positive words to myself and get out. So what if I blurt out the wrong answer in front of others (oh I would freak about that all night) at least I had the strength to open my mouth.

One step at a time baby girl and you are doing it!! Please keep in touch!

I will praying for you!! :-)

Carlie

I am so relived to hear that I am not the only one who has panic attacks first thing in the morning...I felt like a freak, wondering why would I wake up into a panic attack??? I wake up every morning worrying and streesing about my work day ahead, when there isn't anything to worry about yet. "What ifs" keep replaying in my head and they never happen. Once I am at work I am okay. I used to just lie there trying to go back to sleep to escape the panic attack, but this escalates them into full blown, throwing up etc. episodes. So i have tried the relaxation cd and it helps sometimes, but getting up, even though it very hard, does help. Need to force myself to keep busy. Any other methods that have helped avoid the morning attacks, please share!!!

Thank you Carlie. I really appreciate the positive feedback and prayers. I used to be totally social. Not so much anymore. I know it will improve now that I'll be getting out and back in touch with new people. I can't wait! I will keep in touch as I need a pat on the back every now and then to remind me I am doing better. Keep up the good work!
Prayers for and blessing to you too!

Camencita-
Hi Girl! We are so not alone. I went to the online general chat area. Now, it brings me down sometimes, but It's where I found out just how alone I'm not. A lot of people log in there and you may not enjoy chatting. They've been chatting with each other for years. But I was shocked at all the issues so many people have to deal with everyday. Much worse than mine. It may help you feel better to know just how many people are having our same issues that many are much more difficult than ours.
I wish there were a cure for the am panic, but I haven't found out yet how to sleep with happy thoughts and wake up with happy thoughts. But I really believe when I get back to work this will stop. I'm counting on it. It didn't start with me until I had been home for so long. I had a hysterctomy in July of 07 and horrible mood swings came alive. No cure for those. My doctor told my to talk to my psychiatrist about something to even them out a litte. I'm taking Lamictal and it definately helps. I dont know how long menopause is going to last-hopefully not too long-so I'm kinda stuck with this for a while. I have 2 extreme mood swings about once a month that lasts about 4 days. It starts to go down first and then goes up-WAAAY up. It feels like I'm pugged into the wall socket and all of my wires are crossed. I can't think straight or focus and get just bananas. I have to take a xanax to chill it out because I just cant deal with it. It makes the anxiety and panic attack so much worse. But knowing what it is makes it easier to deal with. I have been looking for someone who can relate to this and found something to help but I haven't found anyone yet. It has made me Bi-Polar. I just wish there was something natural to take that really works for this, but my doctor told me there isn't. I will accept any and all feedback regarding severe menopausal mood swings.
Take care and God bless.
Anne