Mornings

[Taffy]

Hi all,

Sorry to post but I'm struggling terribly at the moment, the mornings are just awful.

The moment I wake up I shake, cry and I'm physically sick (sorry for those with Emetophobia). The realisation of another day, trying to get by and having to just wash and dress is such a struggle.

I feel ill at the sight of myself and to face the world is hard. What have I become.

[PhilM]

It sounds to me like you need a good chat with your GP. First thing in the morning for someone with an anxiety condition or depression can be the worst time as our first thoughts of the day can lead to rumination.

[FightingTheBrain]

I struggle in the mornings. I wake up and can’t get back to sleep, feel at my worst. Evenings are the best as I feel slightly more relaxed. I’m letting my new medication kick in but may end up changing to take them in the morning instead of night.

[Angst]

Hi Taffy. I too find that the mornings are the worse if I am in period where I am prone to depression and anxiety. Did not feel too good this morning where my mood was made the worse by drinking too much last night. I know that alcohol is a depressant but still fall into the trap. I trap set up by me.

[Taffy]

Thanks for your kind replies.

It just feels like my whole health is failing, I'm vitamin D deficient due to being scared of the heat/sun and just went out in the sun and my skin stings especially my head area

Anyone else struggle with other health problems due to the anxiety and depression of OCD/BDD?

Sorry to he so negative today.

[Skullpops]

Hi Taffy, 

I too find the mornings particularly difficult. I spoke to my therapist and he told me this is quite typical for depression, which I suffer from as well as OCD.

[Angst]

Snap, Taffy, I too have Vitamin D deficiency but not owing to OCD but a a health precaution. I think the cliche 'moderation in all things including moderation' is quite good advice. Perfect day today in London. I took in some rays.

Edited August 25, 2017 by Angst

[Fender]

I'm worst in the mornings too. I find it best to get out of bed as soon as I can and start doing something, even something simple like turning on my phone and checking the weather 

[BelAnna]

Poor you Taffy, that sounds really awful.

I quite often feel down first thing but I have noticed that if I get up, have a coffee and breakfast (even if it's a biscuit, a banana or a piece of bread/toast) then I feel better. If I don't feel like getting up then doing something distracting like reading a book or tablet in bed also helps- perhaps you could try reading in bed when you first wake-up before you even have a chance to think much?! 

Are you able to enjoy any of your daily activities at the moment or is everything affected by BDD and OCD? Sometimes at my worst I have to consciously think "I am not going to think about how I feel or about how horrendous things are just now, all I will think about is what I need to do at this precise moment- which is to shower/dress/eat" (i.e. focus on actions rather than thoughts and feelings). Then I break the activity that I plan to do into steps. 

Are you on vitamin D supplements at the moment? I avoid going out in the sun when UV level is above a certain level (5) to avoid skin damage and do cover myself in way too much sunscreen, which I think constitute BDD compulsions as they are excessive and disruptive behaviours but I take a vitamin D supplement to make up for any that I am missing from lack of sun exposure. I think though that the feeling that you are falling apart and that everything about your health is failing is probably the result of depression- it's part of feeling hopeless and past help but  there is hope and you are not past help- your physical health can improve once your mental health improves.

 

Edited August 27, 2017 by BelAnna

[orange]

I think mornings might be worse because we have to rehabituate to whatever is worrying us. If you remember that one's anxiety goes down after a bit of time then that might make it easier knowing that things will improve, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. I saw a graph of how anxiety falls off after time and that really helped.

And for some people their energy is lower in the mornings (I have chronic fatigue syndrome and that seems to cause one to be more tired in the mornings). Sometimes mood seems to follow energy, for me anyway. I also get a sensitive scalp and have to wear a hat in the sun but the rest of my skin is fine as long as I don't overdo it.