Depression

i have been suffereing from depression for most of my life. I take medication and it is somewhat under control.

I have two questions - Does anyone have depression issues as soon as they awake? At times my depression is very intense when I wake. Once I am up and moving it is better, but sometimes it is difficult to get out of bed.

The other is - When you are not well, flu, cold, etc, is your depression more severe? I would imagine that it is, but wondering.

Absolutley my depression is much more signifigant when I first wake up. I find that deep breathing and a glass of water tended to help this morning.

The morning is the worst time for many people with depression. It always was for me, before I got treated.

For years I've noticed it incredibly difficult to rise from bed each morning, as well as to feel fully awake during the day (with or without medication). I hit the snooze button on the alarm clock and stay in bed as long as possible. If I don't immediately dive into my chores and go go go, I'll end up napping on the couch during the day and staying up all that night. Fatigue haunts me constantly.

Now, when I'm sick, I almost feel better emotionally. It's as if I finally have physical, tangible evidence that I don't feel good ~ people don't buy into one having "depression" but they'll pamper you if you have the flu. It's a good excuse to curl up, watch old movies, and be left alone.

My depression is so severe in the morning I feel like an empty ineffable black vessel. Then I force myself to get up and have coffee and then I'm much much better. It is really awful. I take an antidepressant but it doesn't seem to help in the mornings.
Also, I feel better when I'm physically sick. It's weird.

I feel that i am depressed and have been for many years, but when i talk to people, i can never open up about it enough to convince them I really have a problem and need help. That is part of my problem. Also, I have an oversion to "drugs" because they are all too new in the market.
i was searching for information about depression in the morning and I found this interestin site. I get bad depression/anxiety upon waking. When I first examine the notion of getting up and starting my day, after avoiding the act several times by falling back to sleep, my heart starts racing and my day seems meaningless, but i know I have to do it. And once i get up, go to the bathroom and have a sip of coffee, I am usually feelin alright. but then when the morning is over and i should "start" the day, i get anxiety again about what i should be doing. Then time flies by and all of a sudden it's time to eat dinner and take a shower and get ready for my evening, which is always a let down and over before I know it. well, i know i must've rambled on a little, but thanx 4 listeing and thanx 4 the info.

The anxiety in the morning is like it starts before I open my eyes. It overtakes me at times and does anyone have physical symptoms like tingling. I feel paralyzed with fear at times. I have had times I had to get out of the house right away and then come back. Better with work but I lost my job recently so it does not go away --- gets better soemtimes through the day. Does anyone find that they are a completely different person in the evenings and at night. I have all these wonderful feelings about how great it will be and what I will do and then the next morning I am frozen and don't care.

I am worse when sick I think because I am alone and getting sick reminds me I may not be able to take care of myself some day. When I had family, I was better sick because I felt I could actually let it all go and not feel badly for not doing what was on the "list".

Has anyone looked into different treatments or meds for this phenomenon. I cannot understand why I am happy and joyful at night and cannot have that in the morning. I used to so it seems there ought to be something out there for us.

Sorry so long -- really rough patch right now and this is my first time here.

Hi,
I also suffer from early morning depression.as soon as I wake up I have a feeling of fear and anxiety.At night I feel better though.I feel more comfortable.I take an antideppressant and take Ativan three times a day.When I wake up I take an Ativan which helps me get through the day a little better.all who are going through this,you are not alone.Thanks for listening.

Hello all,
the mornings have always been the worst for me as well. I am a different person in the morning than the evening.. when I first wake up, everything seems so useless and hopeless. I'm filled with fear about all sorts of things that aren't real, and many times I feel physical symptoms of anxiety. By the evening, I am usually completely fine. I love life at night, and I'm confident about it. But I always know that the next morning will be another tough one. I've started taking medication for my anxiety and depression recently, and it's beginning to help a lot! I set my alarm for a half hour before I need to get up, take a pill, and by the time my next alarm goes off, the meds have kicked in, and I'm feeling a lot better about the day, but it isn't a fix-all. Good thing to know, is that many people suffer from morning anxiety and depression. I have all my life, and I'm happy and excited at the thought that I may be able to conquer it one day. Tell your doctor about this, it isn't uncommon, and they won't think that you're crazy. Hope this helps.
-Nate

Hi, I have been to this site a couple of times and it helped knowing others feel down in the a.m. I thought it was just me. Mine started about a year ago. I also feel better when I get going and have a project to work on or at work. I don't know if it's a chemical thing that is lower in the a.m. or not, but am going to check on that. I don't take any meds as I take Zomig for migraines and worry about the seratonin interaction, I wish I could find something that helps with depression/anxiety and is compatible with Zomig. Any sugesstions? Thanks.

I was diagnosed with Dysthymia about a week ago. I had these bad headaches and kept going to the doctor, i also had the first major death in the family my grandpa and flew to california to be a pall bearer. the headaches continued and became back aches and body aches and a friend at work mentioned MS. I started researching it and became an obsessed nervous wreck. I became very hazy, clumsy, and out of touch with reality. My MRI and all my blood tests came back fine and i finally was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I seem to be fine at night...usually after about 4 or 5 and throughout the night. I will wake up in the middle of the night in panic and cant go back to sleep. I have to pace back and forth. I then go back to bed but only for short periods until I have to wake up. The whole day I will be depressed with very few light spots and anxiety...I cannot eat breakfast or lunch most of the time because im not hungry and dont want to do anything and hate talking to people. then again i get better at night. I've been on Zoloft for almost a week now....I wonder if the periods at night of happiness and a healthy appetite are from the medicine and maybe i need a stronger dose to help me in the morning...or if the morning/afternoon depression is totally unrelated to my medicine and it hasnt even kicked in yet. I have no idea why I can be so much better at night.

WowI thought I was the only one suffering from a.m. dep/anx. I too am "completely normal" from 4 p.m. on. This was the case as well when I has post partum 30 years ago, (my 1st major episode).Went off all meds(I have Fibromyalgia) last February cuz I felt SO good. When my husband went away on business March 28th I crumbled and back of course on all meds. I was still having anxiet a.m. problems so was put on Buspar and was waking up calm.Then my Mom was diagnosed w/ late stage lung cancer and given 2-4 months and I'm now really suffering a combo of grief,Dep/Anx. My 3 daughters are pregnant so I'm trying to stay up for them. Life can takes such fast twist and turns. After I cry for 1-2 hours in the a.m. I seem to feel better. Alot of unknowns out there for me right now, but sharing this does help and I wish you all well.

Hi there, yes its worse for me in the mornings too, its OK when I wake up, then I start thinking about things and WHAM! - if I could get up and get busy as soon as I woke up, it may not be so bad, but you see I wake about 6am - some days are OK , others it takes all day to come round to "normality" - I have found in the past that St Johns Wort (HERBAL) helps but I dont have any at present.

By the way, when I have a bad morning, I look for something which will "make my day" - it may be an e-mail from someone, the kids having tidied the kitchen (ha ha some hope!), something I have been waiting for gets delivered and the postie is cheerful, or even if the sun is out - the best is when I feel that someone cares, or that I can do something to help someone else....for me its all about interaction in some form with another person. After a recent break-up the feelings of loneliness can be crushing, but keep busy busy busy and your day will feel worthwhile. I dont have as much as a lot of folk to complain about, so why do I feel so awful sometimes? I dont feel I have the right to feel so bad, which just makes me worse. In my opinion, people who think a lot about themselves and their problems tend to suffer more with depression ? Or is that simplifying things a bit too much? Those who just take life in their stride and dont worry are lucky - its nearly midnight here in the UK and I feel great ! (Wont be like that at 6 in the morning though...) Or if I really really wish maybe it will be a good one...whatd'ya reckon folks?

I have suffered from Anxiety/Panic attacks off and on for 13 years.
They have just returned again ever since my Mother passed away last November.
Mine were always in the morning and even though I have not been getting the "attacks" lately, I have been suffering with the depression...which is worse in the morning. I wake up nervous, worried, etc...
It usually passes by noon but the "gloomy" feeling persists.
After reading these posts< I was suprosed that nobody mentioned alcohol and/or hypoglycemia.
These are known contributors adding to depression.
I suffer from hypoglycemia and, although I don't drink everyday, when I do drink, I will drink a lot.
I had noticed awhile ago that about 36 hours after drinking, I would get the anxiety and depression feelings. I am not positive that it is the alcohol but was just curious if anyone else drinks and feels that this maybe a contributing factor.