Recently i had been quite stressed from work as i started a new job this year. I tend to wake up early and start thinking about work while I lie in bed trying to fall back asleep. After a while I get anxious and start to gag. This has been happening for about a month. At the same time I have been diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder and been on long term medication. My mood usually gets better as the day ends and I complete my work in office. But this cycle repeats again the next time and I feel stressed in the morning especially on Mondays. I wonder if there are any coping mechanisms.
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Hey @user0653,
Thanks for sharing your condition and thoughts.
What stands out is that your mood does improve as the day goes on and once work is done. That suggests this isn’t your mind “breaking down,” but your system getting stuck in an anticipation loop; thoughts about work → anxiety → body reacts (gagging, tension) → more fear of the morning. With a new job, that kind of response is actually quite common, and having a long-term diagnosis just means your body may react faster and louder, not that you’re failing.
For now, it might help to take the pressure off the mornings. When you wake up and notice the anxiety, you can quietly remind yourself: “This is my body reacting to stress, not danger.” Some people find it useful to shift attention to the body first, slow breathing, sitting up, feeling the bed or floor, rather than trying to reason the thoughts away.
If the gagging or sleep disruption starts getting heavier, or you notice your mood dropping more across the day, it would be a good idea to loop in your doctor or mental health provider and let them know what mornings have been like since you have been in consistent contact with your doctor.
You’re already noticing patterns and asking for help, that’s a solid step. Maybe we just slow this down a little and work with the mornings, one piece at a time. Take care.
Hello @user0653 thank you for sharing this here. It makes complete sense that you feel stressed, especially since it’s a new job and you’re still adjusting. Waking up early and having work on your mind while trying to sleep again sounds really frustrating, and it’s understandable that it can feel overwhelming at times. It’s great that your mood improves as the day goes on and that you’re able to keep work at the office, that’s a really positive way of managing things.
Journaling might help you get some of these thoughts out and relieve a bit of stress. Even small steps like that can make a difference. And if it ever feels too heavy, it’s completely okay to reach out to a mental health professional. You don’t have to go through this alone, and support is available whenever you need it.
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That sounds really rough, new jobs can hit harder than people expect, especially with an existing diagnosis in the mix. I’ve had similar “morning anxiety loops,” where my body reacts before my brain catches up. What helped a bit was breaking the pattern: getting out of bed instead of lying there spiraling, grounding exercises (cold water, slow breathing), and writing down worries to “park” them for later. Sunday night routines helped with Monday dread too. Disclaimer: since meds and schizoaffective disorder are involved, it’s really worth flagging this to your psychiatrist morning anxiety and gagging are important symptoms to mention.
That sounds tough, hope things get better soon!