Hi guys,

I had a two-wheeler accident in the last week of December and have very recently started recovering.

I have severe anxiety when I wake up in the mornings.

Any suggestions on how to deal with it or information on how long it lasted for others who had it?

Thank you!

If there's one common symptom of PCS it's gotta be anxiety. The good news is it does subside with time - unfortunately everything about the brain healing involves time. I used to find deep breathing and walking in the fresh air a help, basically re-training my brain to calm down. Some swear by meditation or mindfulness to calm down. A lot of folk here experience anxiety, seems to come with a shock to the brain.

ap_rv,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. When you say 'two wheeler' accident, is that a bicycle or motorbike or ??? Just wondering.

What symptoms are you finally starting to heal from ?

When I have anxiety when I get up, it is usually because I did not sleep well, especially if I was not breathing properly. I struggled with Central Sleep Apnea. That lack of good oxygen during sleep would can stressful dreams and I would wake up anxious and have a lousy day.

Low blood sugar can also cause anxiety. A glass of juice can often help when that is the case.

Please feel free to tell us about your other symptoms and how you are healing.


My best to you.

Try taking 500mg of magnesium citrate before bed. Natural Calm makes a good product that can be found in drug and grocery stores.

Amazon.com: Natural Vitality Natural Calm Magnesium Anti Stress, Organic, Raspberry Lemon, 16 oz: Health & Personal Care

Hi Mark,

Thank you. I'll try making sure I sleep properly.

I wanted to ask you, how long has it been since your head injury, and have you ever become 'completely normal' or like you were before your injury?

To answer your question, it was a motorbike accident, thanks to fog and bad roads.

You should not expect to return to completely normal. If you are one of the fortunate ones, that will be great. But, research shows that everybody will have some residual symptoms, most will not notice these symptoms until they are in high stress and fatigue states.

I have not been normal since my first severe concussion in 1965. But, I have been fully functional in almost all areas for most of the time.

Do you have any problems with bright light or loud noises? Wearing sunglasses and putting in earplugs has helped me a lot.

I had crippling anxiety for about 8 years after my first brain injury. It didn't ever go away on its own, but I found interventions that helped. Therapy helped me a lot, especially EMDR therapy for the lingering psychological trauma from everything that happened. Neurofeedback helped me a ton as well. Neither of those options are probably necessary though for anxiety that may well be just a PCS symptom rather than psychological. Have you tried the herb ashwagandha? I take it most days and it has lowered my anxiety quite a lot. It's not very expensive.

Good luck!