Strange twitching while falling asleep

[grizzly]

Hello everyone,

I have a panic disorder and I am already in treatment (CBT).
I just want to ask about a specific thing. I had this a few months ago very regularly, and then it disappeared (my whole anxiety got a lot better). But last night I had it again.

I am talking about a very short kind of panic attack. It happens when I try to sleep and even if I am not in a subjectively anxious state. I am sure it is anxiety, as I am very familiar with panic attacks, but what got me thinking is that it is very short-lasting (a few seconds) and very intense. One moment I am calm and then I suddenly get this kind of "falling down"-feeling with intense anxiety and I usually sit up in less than a second or even jump out of my bed. After a few seconds I am still a little bit aroused, thinking "what the hell was that?", but it basically disappears.
I had those many times during a single night, thankfully they got away, but as I said I had it again last night, although only one time.

Does anyone have similar panic attacks? I know everyone feels different, but I used to have more "normal" panic attacks and I have neither found anything similar on the internet, nor could my therapist tell me more than that it is some kind of anxiety. I am also a psychology student and would consider myself knowing quite a lot about psychopathology/anxiety disorders, but I have never come across anything similar to that.

[Carnation]

Yes, it's Anxiety and it is muscle twitching. Ignore it and it goes away. It's your Mind trying to freak you out. :ohmy:

[Beckie4567]

I had this a few months back when I had major anxiety it's horrible but as I relaxed more it stopped happening I also get the twitches they have died down a lot now but still get them occasionally

[grizzly]

Okay, thanks guys. Good to know I'm not the only one. It really feels like injecting a high dose of anxiety straight into my veins :D
Have to focus on not thinking of this as some sort of "relapse", because that's what comes to mind at first. But having this once in a couple of months is still a big improvement compared to having this everynight the whole night up to 9am, which was the case a few months back. My whole sleeping pattern was messed up at that time.
I also have a lot of stress and social pressure right now and I had a few more panic attacks the last two weeks, so at least I know where it could come from.

[Carnation]

Stress and getting anxious will obviously encourage the little blighters back.
They get less and less, as you say and you can go weeks without any, then they appear again. It is to remind you that you are getting too stressed.
Make sure you have some chill time.:)

[grizzly]

Okay, maybe stress was the wrong word. I have a lot time off, but I am right now absolving a semester abroad, so it's a whole new environment and new people around me. And in order to not spend all time alone at my home I have to push myself to go out and get to know people. I mean confrontation is also part of therapy. But it's hard to find a balance.
I also get most of my anxiety while surrounded by people.
Writing this down makes it kind of obvious. At the beginning of this year I wasn't even able to go to the supermarket and now I am here in a country far away from everything I know. Of course somebody comes back and reminds me of my anxiety.

Hope you don't mind if I just tell you my story.

[Carnation]

That's what the Site is for. :)