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Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

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annabay what physical feelings of anxiety do you get?
  • replies: 786

hey there, what physical symptoms of anxiety do you experience? I often feel very alone in my experience of having physical chest (what I think are heart) spasms and was wanting to create a space for everyone to list their physical feelings that come... View more

hey there, what physical symptoms of anxiety do you experience? I often feel very alone in my experience of having physical chest (what I think are heart) spasms and was wanting to create a space for everyone to list their physical feelings that come hand in hand with anxiety so we can all feel less alone. hope everyone is well.

Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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heyfriday128 Why do I get scared over little things/always see the bad in things
  • replies: 0

I had to call a professor at a university today for my research project (I'm in highschool) and I was so scared. Thank god the zoom link wasn't working and I rescheduled to talk to them with my tutor because Im scared to do it alone but reflecting on... View more

I had to call a professor at a university today for my research project (I'm in highschool) and I was so scared. Thank god the zoom link wasn't working and I rescheduled to talk to them with my tutor because Im scared to do it alone but reflecting on that and why?? I also had a job once but I left after my 4th shift because I was so stressed and scared of the clique that people had there, I also overheard them saying that I'm so nervous so that didn't help. I just wish I could be normal and not get scared over little things and be so sensitive.

HelloGail Be Kind to Yourself
  • replies: 2

I just want to share some words on getting through anxiety and any negative thoughts and the very first is: BE KIND TO YOUR OWN 'SELF'. There is only one YOU. Be its FRIEND. Be GENTLE to yourself Take TIME OUT to relax, read, hike or do whatever you ... View more

I just want to share some words on getting through anxiety and any negative thoughts and the very first is: BE KIND TO YOUR OWN 'SELF'. There is only one YOU. Be its FRIEND. Be GENTLE to yourself Take TIME OUT to relax, read, hike or do whatever you enjoy Do you love your friends, are you kind to them? So treat your-self as you would treat your friends, colleagues and family. As individual, we tend to disregard ourselves, we are too busy looking outwards around us in our community or in social media and sometimes it causes us to misjudge ourselves: I don't have what they have. Replace "I" with "me". "Me" is a word that centres you, be yourself.

suffocating_in_silence Extreme Social Anxiety
  • replies: 2

I've been feeling really stressed and anxious for the last few months or maybe even year, because of one thing which is just talking. Being in high school makes it a very social environment, but everytime I try to talk my voice gets stuck up, I start... View more

I've been feeling really stressed and anxious for the last few months or maybe even year, because of one thing which is just talking. Being in high school makes it a very social environment, but everytime I try to talk my voice gets stuck up, I start being awkward and people get uncomfortable being around me. I have a lot to say, and want to say it but I just can't. I just want to have a happy high school life with friends I can joke around with, and have basic social skills so I can talk to anyone without being scared or anxious. I don't want to feel afraid of being myself at school, and talk normally when someone approaches me. I want to stop overthinking all the time about every small embaressing thing I do, or every awkward conversation I have. Thank you for taking your time to read this, and I hope whoever you are and where ever you are, you're doing well.

Academy Dizziness,anxiety and fear
  • replies: 1

I am 77 years old and I have suffered from health anxiety for. Number of years,but it seems to be getting worse to the point I am afraid to leave my home at times. I woke up with a sore neck,yesterday,so did some neck exercises. I then spent a few ho... View more

I am 77 years old and I have suffered from health anxiety for. Number of years,but it seems to be getting worse to the point I am afraid to leave my home at times. I woke up with a sore neck,yesterday,so did some neck exercises. I then spent a few hours going through old photos to put in a memory book (head bent over). I then went to the hairdresser and when I was standing,bent over the basin,I felt unsteady. This turned into a massive anxiety attack,and I had to get my daughter and a friend to drive me home as I was too scared to drive. I lay down,when I got home and my daughter stayed the night. I feel so silly that a small dizzy attack is so debilitating . Does anyone else get this and how do you deal with it. Thank you.

sixthpersense Wondering if I'm ADHD, or just a little different
  • replies: 1

Background info: I have generalised anxiety, and I've recently gotten past a very bad depressive episode (yay!) that lasted me a few years, and I've begun to notice all these things I do that I haven't wondered about before, but they are a little odd... View more

Background info: I have generalised anxiety, and I've recently gotten past a very bad depressive episode (yay!) that lasted me a few years, and I've begun to notice all these things I do that I haven't wondered about before, but they are a little odd and do tend to make things a little difficult for me sometimes, and a few co-workers and friends have suggested that it's possible I might have ADHD.So, I came here to get input before I try to take this to any medical professional, in case I'm simply jumping to conclusions. I've always found it difficult to do different things, such as managing time for work and (in the past) school-related tasks, and especially focusing on doing absolutely anything, whether for work or pleasure, but for years now I've simply done other things at the same time (such as doodling in school, listening to music, drumming on different surfaces or doing up to five tasks all at once) which has for some reason helped me concentrate.Lately, however, I've also been experiencing more difficulty with noise and visuals, and I've encountered more than two situations in the past week where I was left overwhelmed and unable to do anything just as a result of people whispering and talking in a hall (where it felt as though I could hear every single conversation at once, instead of a white noise/background noise effect), or too many people crowding me, or one instance where I was trying to read a couple of posters that had bold, black text and brightly coloured images that made me oddly stressed.I've had these sorts of problems for a while, but lately (and most likely as a result of other stresses) they seem to have gotten worse, and I'm wondering if I have some sort of condition that I might need help with in order to better manage myself and different aspects of life, however, I've had some difficulty in researching things like ADHD as most results come up with symptoms that match a 9 year old boy. Is it possible that I may have ADHD/some other condition, and should I try to approach this with a licensed professional? Or is it more likely that this is likely to be my anxiety expressing itself in a different form?

annabay what physical feelings of anxiety do you get?
  • replies: 786

hey there, what physical symptoms of anxiety do you experience? I often feel very alone in my experience of having physical chest (what I think are heart) spasms and was wanting to create a space for everyone to list their physical feelings that come... View more

hey there, what physical symptoms of anxiety do you experience? I often feel very alone in my experience of having physical chest (what I think are heart) spasms and was wanting to create a space for everyone to list their physical feelings that come hand in hand with anxiety so we can all feel less alone. hope everyone is well.

David35 emotionally burnt out
  • replies: 5

I'm 46, on a DSP and live with my mum, who's 76, and had cancer for the last 18 months. She's in remission now and was lucky they got it early. During her care (biopsies, chemo, appointments) I was fine and emotionally strong for her. Last Dec she go... View more

I'm 46, on a DSP and live with my mum, who's 76, and had cancer for the last 18 months. She's in remission now and was lucky they got it early. During her care (biopsies, chemo, appointments) I was fine and emotionally strong for her. Last Dec she got the all clear again. But now I'm a mess.Each day I struggle with anxiety, on edge all the time, with sudden noises startling me easily. I argue a lot with her. There have been bouts of depression too. My elder brother, stopped talking to us for a long time. In fact, it was the first time in over a year that he actually asked how I was. Before that he mocked me for struggling to cope at times. Other friends of mum have distanced themselves from her. It seems that we have both been treated as problems, not people.I'm seeing a psychologist to help me focus again on me. I have a woodworking hobby building wooden kids furniture and other items, which I gave up a long time ago due to a bad back and lack of demand. But a year ago I found myself needing some hobby to help my anxiety, even if I do run at a loss. I almost feel like I have a form of PTSD not only from mum's cancer treatment, but from being anbandoned by my own brother during a time of need, in which I could have done with his support.Has anyone else had any experience with this? Falling apart at the seams after a lot of stress? Nowadays, I struggle to watch the news, let alone brave my soul on the roads... Now that mum is fine, it seems that I've fallen apart at the seams...

whose_da_man88 Brain Scans
  • replies: 19

Hi, The psychologist that I am starting to see again sent me this link about brain scans. https://youtu.be/esPRsT-lmw8 A lot of my physical symptoms feels like it is because there is something wrong with my head. It feels like my brain snaps/has a cr... View more

Hi, The psychologist that I am starting to see again sent me this link about brain scans. https://youtu.be/esPRsT-lmw8 A lot of my physical symptoms feels like it is because there is something wrong with my head. It feels like my brain snaps/has a cramp and then I spend yonks recovering from all the physical symptoms thereafter which is why I want to see what my brain is actually doing. Does anyone know what kind of brain scan this is and how I am able to get one? The only scan I've heard is an MRI. He sent me another link about neurofeedback and I'm keen to see what my brain looks like in a scan and then have my psychologist implement the right neurofeedback strategy. Thanks.

plushelephant Anxiety and DPDR help
  • replies: 5

Hi, this is my first post on here. I struggle with DPDR and anxiety, but the past few days I just haven't been able to get over my negative thoughts and existential anxiety. It's like I'm scared to be alive, but also scared to die at the same time. I... View more

Hi, this is my first post on here. I struggle with DPDR and anxiety, but the past few days I just haven't been able to get over my negative thoughts and existential anxiety. It's like I'm scared to be alive, but also scared to die at the same time. I also keep having really intrusive thoughts of 'how am I even alive', 'why do we live', 'what's the point of feeling good'. It's hard to remain positive because I just don't feel real or alive, and I'm scared that I'll never feel better, but then I get scared that I'll feel better and actually have to live my life. Anyways, I guess I just need help with these thoughts because they're making me feel pretty depressed.

VivRic HEALTH ANXIETY - constant muscle twitches.
  • replies: 3

Hey, I have suffered from severe health anxiety for the last 15 years. I have had so many tests - Constant blood tests, MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds, EMG, nerve studies, you name it I’ve probably had it at some point. I get one part of my body checked out,... View more

Hey, I have suffered from severe health anxiety for the last 15 years. I have had so many tests - Constant blood tests, MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds, EMG, nerve studies, you name it I’ve probably had it at some point. I get one part of my body checked out, feel good for about a week after the results come back clear and then it’s almost like the anxiety shifts into a different part of my body and new and equally scary symptoms will appear causing me to go down another rabbit hole searching for the problem. I know why I have this condition. Both my mother and father’s cancers were misdiagnosed for many years and sadly resulted in my mother’s death. I have a massive mistrust in the medical system and often feel that I’m not being heard. Both of my parents were told their symptoms were ‘just anxiety’. Which is what I always get told and is probably true for the most part. However I feel like my adrenals and nervous system are finally shutting down due to the decades of stress and trauma. I suffer from chronic muscle twitches, weakness in my arms, numbness, burning, tingling in back of head, dizziness and vertigo, weird sounds in my ear, blurred vision and other strange eye sensations, muscle stiffness, chronic digestive issues, shaking, dry mouth, dry eyes insomnia and many many more things. But lately it’s the muscle twitches and weakness that are new and really really frightening me. I have daily adrenaline rushes and I don’t sleep well at night. But I’m so very scared I have ALS. I have seen a neurologist who doesn’t think I present with typical symptoms but obviously if I’m in early stages this is hard for her to be 100% sure of. The fear about this is so debilitating. I’m working with a great shrink and mindfulness coach and I do have some good days but sadly more bad days where I see no future. The loneliness... Just wondering if anyone else out there gets muscle twitches and weakness? And some positive stories about when that turned out not to be ALS would be so helpful. Thanks