I went to bed a couple hours ago... thinking maybe, just MAYBE this night will be different than all the other Sunday evenings... It sucks, but I have them almost every single Sunday night.
It happens to other people too and I think it's honestly due to laying down to sleep and I start thinking about the week to come. Although, I don't have to be thinking about the week to come so much, as thinking about It being Monday soon and on Mondays, lawyers may call or they may email and always it's stressful the legal games and hoops of "sort of" laws. Monday means the mail is going to come and Lord knows what's in there.
I really am not here to complain and get sympathy. I just decided tonight, after a pretty bad attack, I would talk about it here, because I know it's an issue that is way too common... I think it is anyways. It's the week and we have so much more stress and fear.
I go to bed, do all the relaxing things I've started doing since leaving my "has-been" in January. I try really hard to be as relaxed and calm as possible. I lay there and actually at first, I usually fall asleep for a little while. Usually about 15 to 30 minutes and I start to feel less asleep and more awake. My heart starts going faster and faster and I feel myself begin to tense up and think.... think about what if's and what to prioritize etc... I don't invite these thoughts but they come and won't leave. Pretty soon, I cannot lay there any longer. My shoulders have to move. I don't know how to explain it. It is horrible though. And it's no wonder people think they are dying. I've learned that Sunday night panic attacks don't get better until I take an anxiety med and the sooner the better. Within 10 to 15 I'm able to focus again and do some self talk that this is ok. I am ok. It's all just part of my journey. It won't last forever. I am ok. The kids are ok. We are ok...
I want to ask first of all, do any of you experience these Sunday night panic attacks and if so, what do you do about them that works for you? Does anyone have any advice for me? Do you think that I should just take an anxiety med when I first lay down, even before any panic symptoms?
I'm hoping to figure out what I can do to change it because every single sunday night, I have these bad attacks and they are so bad, that I cannot sleep for hours afterwards. I have to get up by 5am and I won't get to sleep now until at least 2am.
Hi Suzee! As you already know, do I ever know how awful panic and anxiety attacks are. They can literally freeze you up to where you feel like you can't move or, worse, you're going to die from it....that's how scary they are, and unless someone has had a full blown one, they can't relate to the awful feelings that go along with these crazy attacks.
My opinion is DEFINITELY take your panic and anxiety med before you even lay down....like 30 minutes before you lay down. When I lay down and haven't taken any of my medicine for at least three or four hours, I use to think I don't feel panicked real bad right now, so I don't think I need it. Then I would doze off for maybe 15 minutes sometimes 30 minutes, then right back up, wide awake, and the panic attack was on!
Now, I don't even try going without that medicine before I lay down because I know if I don't take it, I'm setting myself up for a real hard time. It's weird isn't it? You'd think if we dose off, we'd stay asleep with no problem and wouldn't have a panic attack start up because we're sleeping!! But those attacks don't work that way I guess.....those stinking attacks wake us up instead to say, "Hey, I'm back!"
I hope you took a dose of your medicine and won't be awake to read this tonight. With what you have going on this week you need all the sleep you can get. I'll check on you tomorrow to see if you were able to get some sleep tonight. Lots of hugs to you Suzee!!!!!
I too suffer from severe panic attacks and they are always worse on Sundays. Every since my leg injury they have gotten worse because when I look at the week ahead I think if anyone is coming to visirt or if I will be alone all week.
What I can tell you is that when these come, I start journaling so maybe I can find something to look forward to. I get out of bed until I am more tired and I come to this site to share.
I don't think I have ever had a full blown panic attack but i have i believe experienced one and it was bad enough. Chest pounding and aching YES and I could not sleep for 3 hrs afterwards.
I think I know what triggered it and have not had another one since.
But i do sympathize for you having to experience them on a weekly basis.
I agree with Sunshine possibly take one a 1/2 hr before you go to bed.
Or as Ellen suggested journal but maybe journal about the positive things you want to accomplish through the week.
Make a list of the changes you want to make and pick a day to work on that.
Hugs from AG♥
Gosh, thank you everyone. I don't know why for sure, but I'm having some tears right now?!? I think just knowing that it doesn't sound stupid and that it happens to other people, makes me feel more hopeful. Like maybe he didn't permanently break me.
Sunshine, as always you make me feel heard and loved.
Ellen, you are such a sweetheart and your suggestions make SO much sense!! Thank you !! How is your leg? How are things going for you???
Please let me know!
AG, thank you so much! I am going to journal and I am going to take the anxiety med a half hour before I go to bed as you and Sunshine suggested. I bet this next Sunday night, is going to go better! Which would be nice, especially if won't be starting the week off with only 2 or 3 hours of sleep!!
Awww, that's okay Suzee!! Sometimes I start crying when I get on here too, I think it's because I read and realize I'm not really crazy for feeling the way I do when other people chime in with their thoughts and feelings. You're right, it makes us know we're really, really not alone at all!!!
Believe me, he didn't permanently break you. He would like to, but he can't because you are way stronger than he had any idea you were! He still scares you, but you're not going to have to live with that forever. Remember you're going to court again and you'll keep going back if you have to in order to chase him right on out of your life! If anyone is strong enough to do it, I know it's you!
I hope you're in bed sleeping right now. Much love and lots of hugs to you Suzee!!!
Gosh i just read everyone's posts and i felt better myself. I was going through the same thing, and was about to make a message. Yes, take the meds a tad earlier. I get the instant awakes too on nights I thought i could fall asleep, and stay asleep. Does help lots knowing we are not alone. Argh, still nervous about Tuesday, two doctors apps, and one is early. If I go to sleep, will i get up. If I stay up, will i make it all the way, or pass out at 7am and miss like I did court last Friday? Trying to relax. Helped reading the messages. I found out about this site a few days ago on my way to calling it in for help at crisis center. Sure glad there are others sharing the same love and kindness to help the next person through. Thanks, and great job everyone!
Dear Suzee - I see the doctor on Friday and am supposed to get into a walking cast. Still nor driving etc but at least more flexibility at home,
I will keep you posted and you keep on fighting. We fight together!
Hi Suzee,
Yup used to get them every night of the week. What i did to make my head think of something else was to create a fantasy thing, place. If i start to think about the day i will never get to sleep. So what i did was to colonize Mars. I inevented everything from the atmosphere up. It took years but was fun and interesting and it kept me from thinking about the day. Since you like to plant and grow stuff do that, make things grow from a roof, barn, trellis anywhere. Example how would you keep dirt on a trellis so things could grow. Just fun things, use a landscape of your choice and fill it in. Try it, it just might help you sleep.
Hi Rocks! I can't believe the number of times that happens to me too! I'm glad I finally just posted and asked. I feel so much better knowing it's not just me going through it!
Ellen, sounds good! I hope you have your walking cast put on Friday!! YAY!!
Michael, Geez, every night!! I will say that I have had weeks where it's been a few times a week and that sucked! Do you take meds at night and that's helped or fixed it? I hope so!
Hi Suzee,
yup gotta do it every night, been that way for years. If i think about the day or next day i will never get to sleep. So fantasy island for me lol.
I do take a pill that keeps me asleep, if i don't take that one i wake up at 2:30 or 3 in the morning, and get sleepy again in like half hour. if that happens i'm fried for the day, this kid needs the 8 hours continuous sleep always have.
Just doing some reading on here and a little catching up....I really got a kick out of your Fantasy Island, Michael!
I think I'll visit Fantasy Island too!! God knows I need it more nights than I don't. Hmmmm....I'll have to start thinking early this evening about my island trip and more importantly, I'm going to pick out some fun people to go to the island with me lol!!! YAY!!!
yup sunshine it works, lets your mind follow a fun path. And after awhile i started to fall asleep faster. Just build it from the ground up and add things until it's done. Then start another project. I picked Mars because it was off world that way i didn't think of around here.
Hey Suzee, so glad to see posting is helping. Lots of great ideas, tools others use that are going through the same things. I put on some enya, and yes, I build away sometimes too.
OMG rockasamickguitar! I agree totally! I am so glad I asked about it because I've been given so many good ideas that I feel not so vulnerable and nervous when bed time approaches!! As a matter of fact, I talked about it today in family counceling and my 16 year old son was talking about his trouble getting to sleep so I told him about Mike's suggestion about a building project and he definately seemed to like that idea!!
SO thank you everyone!! This support groups are so awesome for so many reasons!!!
I've suffered from Panic and Anxiety Attacks for years. Oddly enough they started after I got married.. hmmm.
Yes, take your medication. I hated having to take it but I finally realized that if that's what I need to do I need to do it. Without it I am causing other bad stuff to happen in my body like high blood pressure. You didn't say which one you're taking but the one I'm on I take every night at bedtime. If I still can't sleep I'll take an Advil or something and the combination knocks me out. Check with your doctor or a pharmacist to see what is safe.
Do you do relaxation exercises or do you listen to a CD or something? I listen to one and it usually puts me to sleep for a good 3 hours at least. If I've taken an Advil (which I only do on bad nights) I sleep right through.
Another thing I find helpful is to remind myself that even if I can't sleep just being in bed and resting will give my body what it needs. The more I worry about not sleeping the harder it is to get to sleep.
You've only been doing this since January. That's not a long time. Whatever needs to be done will be done. The What If's are the worst. I used to do that to myself all the time. I've learned not to do it so much and it helps. Sometimes What If never comes so why borrow trouble from tomorrow?
I use a fan for white noise, plus we live pretty close to some train tracks and that drowns out the horn. So now i use it every night since i'm used to it lol.
Suzee can build a green house on the moon, a biospere.
Hi, Meadow! I was reading to see what new things, feelings, and advice was on here tonight and when I read your last message, I stopped and thought about something that I hadn't even put two and two together about yet. I sat here and thought back to when did I have my first panic and anxiety attack? The answer was when I married my now ex, exactly when yours started too. That's what is SO great about everyone sharing....I just pin pointed the start of mine simply by reading what you wrote.
Now I'm hoping someday my panic and anxiety attacks will stop because I got my ex out of my life, it's been a year, so because they started when I married him....maybe it's only a matter of time before they will go away. That would be great, huh??!!! Sunshine!
worked as usual started to make nano bodts that could fix physical pain.
Not to in depth just let them run around. But when i know how it's going to start sleep wise to Mars i go. I've even gone and harvested clunks of stuff from Saturns rings before (ike frozen ozone to fix the hole pollution has caused. And mined it for other things all done with a spaceship dump truck lol. Do i have to much of an imagination nah just creative or or eccentric LOL.
I do like other world journey's because it's totally off this planet, so i won't drift to all the stuff i have to deal with on this one. A clean slate so to speak. Do what i want and make a harmony out of it.
Now i nod off in no more than 5 minutes. As everything is pleasant.
have great dreams tonight, let Everyone talk about what they are building, you might give someone a good starting place.