Instead, it may have more to do with endocrinology (study of hormones). It has been shown that there is a spike in cortisol levels during the first 30-45 minutes that you are awake. This phenomenon is intended to get you up and ready for the day and is known as the Cortisol Awakening Response or CAR*.
It is also common for those who experience anxiety when they go to sleep to have higher levels of cortisol in their body, resulting in a greater release of cortisol in the morning that further adds to their feelings of anxiety in the mornings.
It would be odd for intrusive thoughts in OCD to come only at night, but it is not uncommon for people with OCD to report that it is more difficult to deal with their intrusive thoughts at night, or that intrusive thoughts grab more of their attention when they are trying to go to bed.
“OCD symptoms can intensify during times of stress or when you feel like life is getting out of control.” People with OCD regularly experience extreme, yet unnecessary, worry. Obsessive and uncontrollable thoughts can interfere with life to the point of serious disruption.
Tips for Reducing Morning Anxiety
For instance, you can engage in exercise, which increases endorphins, improves mental focus, and elevates mood. You can also practice meditation or mindfulness, which can improve ability to calm the mind and stop the cycle of anxious thoughts.
Primarily obsessional OCD has been called "one of the most distressing and challenging forms of OCD." People with this form of OCD have "distressing and unwanted thoughts pop into [their] head frequently," and the thoughts "typically center on a fear that you may do something totally uncharacteristic of yourself, ...
Total severity scores are usually assumed to indicate the following levels of OCD: subclinical (0–7), mild (8–15), moderate (16–23), severe (24–31) and extremely severe (32–40).
OCD symptoms can worsen if left untreated. Likewise, stress and other mental health symptoms like trauma, anxiety, and themes of perfectionism, can aggravate OCD. Sometimes, symptoms may worsen dramatically and suddenly, but it's more likely for them to escalate gradually.
OCD symptoms usually start as habits and continuously grow to become erratic behavior. Aggravators of OCD can vary from stress to anxiety and other mental health conditions. As such, it is essential to seek therapy, manage triggers and see a doctor if symptoms worsen.
Repeating compulsions can take up a lot of time, and you might avoid certain situations that trigger your OCD. This can mean that you're not able to go to work, see family and friends, eat out or even go outside. Obsessive thoughts can make it hard to concentrate and leave you feeling exhausted.
Harm OCD, for instance, will cause a sufferer to have intrusive thoughts about harming people. They may hide knives away, fearing that they will actually carry out the thoughts. Or maybe they'll refuse to drive, convincing themselves that they'll steer the car into someone.
We wake up feeling intense because of the stored up Cortisol levels throughout the night, which makes us feel anxious, so our bodies continue to pump out Cortisol, which creates more anxiety, which produces more cortisol, which causes us to feel more anxious, etc.
This is known as the cortisol awakening response. When we are experiencing periods of acute stress or anxiety, our bodies may misinterpret this hormonal cocktail as an indicator that we are in danger. This can then manifest as feelings of 'dread' or anxiety in the body.
Pedophilia OCD
It can occur in people who have their own history of childhood abuse, because they may have been told somewhere along the way that being a victim of abuse means they will go on to abuse someone else.
At its most severe, however, OCD can impact someone's ability to work, go to school, run errands, or even care for themselves. People with severe OCD have obsessions with cleanliness and germs — washing their hands, taking showers, or cleaning their homes for hours a day.
Rates of OCD were found to be higher with women (1.8%) than men (0.5%). Childhood OCD has a stronger genetic link than adult-onset OCD, with up to 65% having a genetic link. About 25% of men with OCD develop their symptoms prior to the age of 10.
OCD is chronic
You can get it under control and become recovered but, at the present time, there is no cure.
It's what is called “pure-O” OCD, in that there are no observable ritualistic behaviors such as checking or hand washing. The most common horrific thought is that of impulsively harming someone. Sufferers may be afraid that they will stab or shoot someone, commit suicide, or molest a child.
For those with anxiety, increased levels of cortisol in the morning may amplify feelings of worry and fear. “Even if emotions are 'exaggerated' in the person's mind, the process can still occur,” Dr. Rubenstein adds.
Some people experience morning-time hypoglycemia (or low blood sugar), which has been linked to the development of anxiety symptoms. Some people also get panic attacks in their sleep which causes a person to wake up significantly distressed.