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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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BeyondBlue Hi! Check out this post if you're not sure how to start
  • replies: 0

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are... View more

Hi there and welcome to the Anxiety section of the Forums First of all, thank you so much for joining us here. We think it’s amazing that you’ve taken this step to getting support and learning from this Community. You are very welcome here and we are really interested in what you might want to add to these conversations. We get it, having anxiety makes it hard to share in a public place. Remember, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anxiety in some form in their lives. This might be in social settings, at work, or just in the day to day. You don’t need a diagnosis to post here. If it feels like the right spot for your post, go right ahead! We know that feeling anxious can make it hard to reach out so we want you to know that getting this far is amazing and a great start. A few tips for getting the most out of this section: Get involved when you can! Posting and replying is the heartbeat of this community and you DO have something worthwhile to share (when you’re ready ) Every experience is different. There is no competition here. We know how challenging anxiety can be and how it comes in all shapes and sizes. What you are experiencing will be respected and supported here. Trust yourself! You are the expert in your experience. This community works because people like you share what has worked for you. Thank you for getting involved and taking a look. We can’t wait to hear from you! Beyond Blue

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RML No one likes me
  • replies: 6

Hi, does anyone have this experience and how to deal with it? No one likes me, and I know if they do seem to now, it will end when they get to know me or I make a mistake. I've had repeated experiences of this with my family over the years where I th... View more

Hi, does anyone have this experience and how to deal with it? No one likes me, and I know if they do seem to now, it will end when they get to know me or I make a mistake. I've had repeated experiences of this with my family over the years where I think they like me and then I realise they don't because of something they say or do. Its gotten to the point where I don't have anything to do with them anymore. At first I thought it was them and not me, and I could find a different experience outside my family, in work and friends. But I have had this experience now repeatedly at work and I feel like I need to constantly move fast enough (before they realise I am shit) to a different job where people don't yet hate me. I have a few friends but I am withdrawing from them because I don't want to have them hate me. I have seen psychologists to try to understand this but it always ends with me realising they don't like me either and I stop seeing them. I feel like I can't seek support for this because I don't want to reach out to someone else who will ultimately hate me again. I have always asked psychologists whats wrong with me, what am I doing wrong that people don't like me and they keep telling me I am doing nothing wrong to make people not like me, but there must be a big something because this just happens over and over repeatedly. I wish I could find out what that thing is but every time whatever I do I seem to get it wrong and there is just a multitude of things I can do wrong for people to not like me.

Maisie-E Anxiety issues I think
  • replies: 2

Always feeling run down, tired, heart rate fast, sore neck and shoulders, and headache, and patience isn’t great, don’t sleep well

Always feeling run down, tired, heart rate fast, sore neck and shoulders, and headache, and patience isn’t great, don’t sleep well

confusion Boyfriend with porn addiction
  • replies: 2

My boyfriend and I have been together for 2 years now and about a year ago I found porn on his phone I had never discussed porn with him or how I felt about it. After finding it I confronted him and I was very upset and disheartened. He told me he’d ... View more

My boyfriend and I have been together for 2 years now and about a year ago I found porn on his phone I had never discussed porn with him or how I felt about it. After finding it I confronted him and I was very upset and disheartened. He told me he’d stop but months later I found more through reddit and YouTube. I gave him multiple times to try and tell me but he kept denying and lying to me. After I told him what I saw he apologises and we talked about boundaries again. He started downloading wellness apps to help with his addiction. However this has happened and he has lied to me 3/4 times since about stopping and then me finding it. I have lost so much trust and it has ruined my self esteem and am always anxious about what he might be doing. He has not watched porn for about 5 months as I’ve been told but he has told me he searches up porn stars/bikini models on Instagram but “does nothing with it”. I feel defeated and not sure what to do. I feel guilty in getting so upset about this and constantly questioning myself despite him trying his best and telling me

Maggie S TMS Experience
  • replies: 3

Hello there, I am currently on antidepressant and antianxiety medication. I have severe anxiety and have recently been treated with ECT for major depression. My psychiatrist is considering TMS - has anyone experienced this treatment? My current sympt... View more

Hello there, I am currently on antidepressant and antianxiety medication. I have severe anxiety and have recently been treated with ECT for major depression. My psychiatrist is considering TMS - has anyone experienced this treatment? My current symptoms are more anxiety than depression. I’m experiencing overwhelming dread/nervousness, an underlying ‘jittery’ feeling, derealisation, stress.

sharichan Do I have OCD?
  • replies: 2

I love stationery - specifically notebooks, for as long as I can remember. Growing up, Mum would take us kids to the nearest mall each week, and she knew best to leave me alone on the stationery section. I can literally stay there for hours. It have ... View more

I love stationery - specifically notebooks, for as long as I can remember. Growing up, Mum would take us kids to the nearest mall each week, and she knew best to leave me alone on the stationery section. I can literally stay there for hours. It have no idea what it was, but there is just something magical about touching the feel of the paper, how the book itself is bound and the many print options available. Back in the day, there was a trend of collecting “biodata” from classmates. Notebooks and diaries would get passed around and we would fill out our personal details, favourite things, etc. Not a surprise, of course I participated in this trend. However, I couldn’t pinpoint what it was that made me feel that something was not quite right with it. Was it the handwriting? Or how the pages were filled out? In the end, I would rip out the notebooks, buy new ones, get people to fill it out again, and repeat the process. Of course I didn’t think much about it at the time (I was a kid after all), but this wasteful habit pretty much stuck with me for at least 20 years, even today. I did the same back in high school. Countless of times, the course notes I have written would feel wrong - be it the handwriting, the colour of the pen, the pen pressure, or even a little smudge. Again, I would rip the pages, and rewrite them again either on the same notebook or a new one. I love buying diaries, planners and the like. But I can’t seem to dump this habit of mine and keep a full book It really is such a shame because I used to love writing in journals and those memories are pretty much gone. It seems like this habit sort of creeped into my workalike too - even digital stuff. I would type things out on Word, and for instance, if a certain paragraph does not seem right, be it in font, spacing etc, I tend to have the urge to re-type the entire paragraph over and over again until it is “perfect”. Is it a waste of time? Of course. My question goes, is this a form of untreated OCD? Anyone experienced the same and what have you done to manage it?

Chrissy M Anxiety, new job
  • replies: 6

Hi my name is Chris,I was always suffered from anxiety. Well recently I started a new job and my anxiety has got out of hand. I feel overwhelmed, stressed (migraines) can't think straight, not my happy relaxed self, I am physically and mentally a wre... View more

Hi my name is Chris,I was always suffered from anxiety. Well recently I started a new job and my anxiety has got out of hand. I feel overwhelmed, stressed (migraines) can't think straight, not my happy relaxed self, I am physically and mentally a wreck at work. I an also dislexia, so I learn hands on, and pick up new skills slower. Being a single person this puts more pressure on me. Please help any ideas to help overcome this negative mindset.

raq Scared to fall asleep coz u won’t wake up or don’t feel real
  • replies: 3

I get scared to fall asleep everynight because I think I’m not going to wake up or I’m going to be in a bad dream or something bad will happen, I also don’t feel real and get worked up and get to scared to sleep. Right now I feel butterflies in my st... View more

I get scared to fall asleep everynight because I think I’m not going to wake up or I’m going to be in a bad dream or something bad will happen, I also don’t feel real and get worked up and get to scared to sleep. Right now I feel butterflies in my stomach because I don’t feel real and scared I’m going to sleep and never going to wake up

JacintaMarie Hi
  • replies: 11

Hi, How are you? Back again, been doing really well & had an panic attack, did manage to fix myself, breathing in and out, in and out and had a better afternoon. I got triggered at work by someone at work's stress, it's their personality so they can'... View more

Hi, How are you? Back again, been doing really well & had an panic attack, did manage to fix myself, breathing in and out, in and out and had a better afternoon. I got triggered at work by someone at work's stress, it's their personality so they can't change & its not right for me to be judgemental & it's up to me to deal with it, but I failed & I don't know how to deal with their adrenaline, they are a go go go person. The type of person who is always stressed out l. I need to learn how to switch off, as Mum says, I'm going to come across these people again & again. The fault is mine! Not them. And I made mistakes too at work & people will think I'm an idiot! Sorry, I've been doing really well

swimming_duck Shoplifting and impulse control
  • replies: 2

any suggestions or advice welcome. I consider myself a swimming duck.Cool, calm and collected on the surface with legs struggling under the water where no one can see. I have a good job, a great bunch of friends and supportive partner but underneath ... View more

any suggestions or advice welcome. I consider myself a swimming duck.Cool, calm and collected on the surface with legs struggling under the water where no one can see. I have a good job, a great bunch of friends and supportive partner but underneath I get anxious episodes and have impulse control issues. While I don’t have depression I have anxious episodes which can last up to 2 weeks and can drive me to shop lift - I was once caught about 10 years ago and received a documented official warning from police (one of the worst days of my life). I spent many years free from the urge to shoplift but the Covid lockdowns re-triggered this behavior - 2 years ago. I have managed to keep my binge eating under control which is something I am proud of. When in an anxious spiral I am driven to shoplift and then reflect on my shoplifting - which turns into paranoia (or possibly a genuine fear) that the police are building a case against me. I am then driven to often return the items and either put them back or pay for them - seemingly without anyone knowing. Items can range from a drink at coles, to a diary or candle from a shopping centre. I spend many nights sleepless thinking about how I have been given so many opportunities and am on the verge of destroying it all with my stealing impulse control. while I see a psychologist, appointments are so hard to get and not as frequent as I probably need during an anxious spiral. Questionsdoes anyone know of any podcasts, audiobooks or resources that can specifically support impulse control? has anyone else successfully overcome something like this? To end the paranoia is this something I should call the police about? Considering I have had a warning in the past this could result in serious consequences.

raq Not feeling real and panic attacks
  • replies: 7

Hi, I’ve suffered from multiple things that include depersonalisation and they can’t seem to pin point what. I wake up every day not feeling real and go to sleep that way too. I’m constantly battling my Brain into deciding what’s real and what’s not ... View more

Hi, I’ve suffered from multiple things that include depersonalisation and they can’t seem to pin point what. I wake up every day not feeling real and go to sleep that way too. I’m constantly battling my Brain into deciding what’s real and what’s not and if I’m truly alive. I get constant panic attacks and even when I learn to deal with it it starts again but more severe. I’m tired of constantly being. Scared and feeling like I’m dying and having fears over things I can’t control and especially getting scared over the future which I haven’t lived yet. Would be amazing if someone could help me get rid of it or cope I’m feeling like I’m on my last strings it’s getting more scary everyday. Also I’ve had this since I was in year 5 I’m currently out of school and 21 so I’ve had it for a while!

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