Scared

I'm sorry this has hit you out of the blue Sandy. The answer is yes, you can just wake up...probably because the negative feelings underlying it have been creeping up on you unnoticed if you have a busy or stressful life. While you sleep, your defences are down and then wham!

At this stage I wouldn't be unduly frightened. It doesn't mean you necessarily have developed mental illness overnight. The fact that you 'know' you won't act on the suicidal feelings is encouraging - you're in touch with reality. Give yourself a few days. Make a point of giving yourself some tlc like cosying up (with someone if you can), relaxing more, definitely walking in the fresh air looking for bluebells if you're in the UK! If you have someone close to you, talk about your experience and the fears it has brought.

It's very important to observe yourself over the next few days - does it recur? Are you constantly down? Are you constantly frightened or anxious? Think too about all the stressors in your life and whether you've been pushing them back down, which ones you can deal with, which ones you need support with...Mke a few notes so you have information to take to the doctor if you need to go.

If after a few days this problem hasn't improved, then it's time to consult a doctor. Don't wait for the 3-weeks-ahead appointment. If nothing is available, say that it is urgent but personal (you shouldn't have to disclose details to a GP receptionist but you may have to persist, perhaps saying it's related to mental health). They have daily appointments they save for emergencies.

It's great that you have posted here so early. The chances of your fears embedding themselves and changing your lifestyle, like being too afraid to go out, are lower - IF there is something going wrong. There might not be. I had a friend who had one panic attack and never had one again (lucky thing, I get them several times a day without medication!).

I hope it's a one-off. If not, there is medical and psychiatric support out there and, caught early, the prognosis is good. But you do have to assert yourself a bit to get some of the help so roll up your sleeves! Good luck and take care.

Hello sandy, first of all, you are not alone I have been there, unfortunately, a few times in the past, your life is going steadily along then bang!!! sometimes you wonder how you got to that point, I have found like others this will be something that has built over weeks months maybe have you had things build up over the last few weeks, months? I would agree with Jan don't leave it too long if you continue to feel this way is there someone you can talk to? sometimes our bodies have a physical way of saying I've had enough the power of the mind is so strong and can tell us everything and believe it if you can anything negative try to turn to a positive in your thinking. its good that you have come on here because I have had so much support and genuine advice because people on this site have all gone through it to varying degrees, YOU are not alone my love I have unfortunately gone through this for many years on and off but last year was different I was at my lowest peak I had ever been but I switched on my computer and for some reason this page came up I started reading, posted how I felt and I have had wonderful support and advice from people on here which I ended up going back to the docs and getting the right help and counselling I am at my best I have been in years and have learned to cope far better than i ever did thanks to finding this site. I don't come on much now but every now and again I come on to see if I can help someone because sometimes just speaking to someone is all you need. I'm here if you need to talk and there will be others on here too I pray that you can get through this very soon take care 

This is eactly the state i get in, a total mood swing. I wake up feeling terrible and scared mostly about my partner dying and my not being able eto cope or money problems or just about everything  in fact very morbid and really scared, I feel I cant take it and say so, then I take a 100mg gabapentin and it has a calming effect which helps, and to talk about it helps. MY husband will sit and listen to me then he goes to work. then two or three hours later I start to feel abit better, and of course he is off worrying about me. He rings around 3 every day to see if I am ok, and  when he comes home i may be perfectly ok, but it still might happen morning after morning even for weeks, then suddenly goes.