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Trouble establishing a new routine

For a long time now (about a year) I have had a routine of waking up at 10:00am and going to bed at 1am. I usually have breakfast at 10:30, lunch at 3pm, and dinner at 8pm. This routine makes me feel safe, I think majorly because it means I spend a lot of time awake when  most people are asleep and avoid the morning rush which can be overwhelming. I don't know if anyone else has experienced something similar, but waking up early seems to trigger my anxiety and depression more. Night time is safe and solitary, and I like going to bed late because it means I wake up late and miss quite a bit of the next day. But now I have a new uni timetable which means I need to be at uni at 9:00, and I'll need to be up at 7:00 to be ready. Obviously this also means to avoid sleep deprivation I will need to start going to bed earlier, and shift my meal times to account for this. To me this is incredibly anxiety inducing, almost physically painful. I simply do not want to exist at such an hour. It is often also very overwhelming on a sensory level as I find the early morning to have stronger smells and an uncomfortable texture in the air. It also makes food hard as I have ARFID and have gotten into a habit of eating at these times, and changing this feels like a massive challenge. I don't know how to work on this so I can cope. 

autisticbananas
autisticbananasPosted 12-02-2023 11:24 PM

Comments

 
Anzelmo
AnzelmoPosted 19-02-2023 01:18 PM

Hey @autisticbananas

 

The others have basically said what I was going to say, but I wanted to echo that it's totally understandable why this change provokes anxiety for you. 

 

Any amount of change can make people feel nervous and unsettled. It's only natural for humans to prefer comfort and safety, which is what your daily routine brought you. Now that you have to change that routine for your uni class, it's ok to feel scared and anxious. 

 

Take things one step at a time. It must be hard for you especially since you have ARFID. Is there someone you can see for additional support on this? 

 

As hard as this transition may be, I know you'll be okay in the end. And this change will later become your new 'comfort' routine. I hope you're feeling okay this week. 💙

 
Iona_RO
Iona_ROPosted 13-02-2023 12:08 PM

Hey @autisticbananas

I can totally understand why you are feeling anxious about this change in routine, it sounds like this updated schedule might take a while to get used to, but I think with the right supports you will be able to get there in time. 

You've mentioned that you don't like being awake earlier in the morning because it's busier and causes sensory overload for you - I'm wondering if you have any strategies to help with this? I use noise-cancelling headphones on public transport which really helps me, and ear plugs in situations where I need to hear but need to dull the background noise (like in a classroom). Do you think that would help you feel safer? I also like to wear sensory comfy clothes, and have a fidget toy handy to help me self-soothe when I'm feeling overwhelmed. Are there any other things you've found help you?

 

Dealing with ARFID when you have a change in routine can certainly be a tricky one. Do you have any support with this from your GP? I like to add my eating times to my calendar to remind myself when to eat, that might be something to try. Do you have any safe snack foods you could take to uni with you to have in between meals whilst you get used to the new times?

 

I'm also going to send you an email, so look out for that in your inbox soon 😊

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