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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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Pyrolee Work stress, family stress, responsibilities
  • replies: 2

HiI'm under an immense amount of stress but trying my best to keep composed and getting by as happily as possible. I'm currently married and have a 3 month old. I'm just under a large amount of stress trying to provide for my family, wanting to purch... View more

HiI'm under an immense amount of stress but trying my best to keep composed and getting by as happily as possible. I'm currently married and have a 3 month old. I'm just under a large amount of stress trying to provide for my family, wanting to purchase my first home with my wife but can't due to my wifes visa restriction and the government not helping or giving us any information about it. We literally get no help from the government and keep getting answers like just wait just wait when it's been nearly 7 years with no answers or explanations. My work also is contributing to my stress, the work load and work is fine its my boss who's making my life a living hell. He's tried to dodge paying my weekly wages, gets very aggressive and abusive out of nowhere. So far my solution for work is to leave this job to deal with this stress and also don't want to work for an abusive boss, but the problem I have now is this government issue, I feel like I've been told we should only care and do things within our reach and this issue I feel like it's out of my reach due to negligence and incompetent workers which is effecting my life and my familys life, not sure what to do next. I feel like I'm letting my family down

On the Low Down Anxiety Related Involuntary Shaking/Spasms
  • replies: 3

I had my first panic attack in my early 20’s right as I walked into a job interview, it was mortifying as I couldn’t stop my entire body from shaking and could barely speak because my heart was racing so much. I’m now in my early 40’s and rely on bet... View more

I had my first panic attack in my early 20’s right as I walked into a job interview, it was mortifying as I couldn’t stop my entire body from shaking and could barely speak because my heart was racing so much. I’m now in my early 40’s and rely on beta blockers to cope with job interviews, work meetings (when I had a job) and all manner of social situations. If I don’t take these I feel unbearably self conscious and get these embarrassing involuntary neck/head spasms as if I have some form of Tourette’s, but it isn’t Tourette’s...it’s just the physiological symptoms of my anxiety and low self esteem coming out. These spasms/anxiety attacks are the bain of my existence so I have to always have beta blockers or sometimes, Benzos on hand so I don’t make a complete idiot out of myself. Basically, if I feel like people are looking at me when I’m speaking and I can’t have my hand up near my face (depending on where/how I’m standing or sitting) then my head and neck jerk around terribly. I’ve been dealing with this for so long now, that I usually know when it’s going to happen so I either avoid the situation, take beta blockers in preparation or if the attack hits me when I’m not expecting it then I find an excuse to get the hell out of there...I know this all stems from a complete lack of confidence but understanding it and it’s triggers doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. Does anyone reading this have a similar issue? Do you think it’s completely curable with therapy? I’m so tired of living like this.

Peter_A Its back
  • replies: 2

After many years of coping with anxiety reasonably well, im now feeling overwhelmed. Meeting other peoples expectations seems to be a real worry for me. Ive always worried, i think, too much about what other people think. Something as silly as sellin... View more

After many years of coping with anxiety reasonably well, im now feeling overwhelmed. Meeting other peoples expectations seems to be a real worry for me. Ive always worried, i think, too much about what other people think. Something as silly as selling my boat seems to have set me off this time. Ive had boats for about 20 years and its become a chore to look after so i thought, thats it, ill sell the boat and no more boats for me. Now im feeling anxious/guilty that im depriving my wife, mother in law and friends of somthing they enjoy. Not that we were doing it very often anyway. Ive finally told my wife how im feeling and broke down in tears. Dont want to worry her but i do want her to support me but she doesnt seem to understand. I guess someone who hasnt experienced it cant understand. I dont want to go back to the major depression i went though many years ago. Hoping i can get through this and get back to "normal"

Lenny__ Anxiety
  • replies: 1

My anxiety has officially ruined my sleeping pattern i can never get a good 7-8 hour nights sleep i am also sick of struggling to breathe and overthinking and feeling numb in my arms and face. Can someone please tell me how you manage your anxiety

My anxiety has officially ruined my sleeping pattern i can never get a good 7-8 hour nights sleep i am also sick of struggling to breathe and overthinking and feeling numb in my arms and face. Can someone please tell me how you manage your anxiety

Lyssaa Scared of job applications
  • replies: 3

Hey everyone,I'm 18 years old and at the end of the month I'm going to start applying for a new casual job. My current job which I've had for nearly two years now isn't giving me many hours at all, and I believe it's because I'm now one of the older ... View more

Hey everyone,I'm 18 years old and at the end of the month I'm going to start applying for a new casual job. My current job which I've had for nearly two years now isn't giving me many hours at all, and I believe it's because I'm now one of the older and therefore more expensive employees. It's been a long time since I've last handed out resumes and I'm getting so much anxiety over it. My plan is to hand out a bunch of resumes in person as well as applying to places online, but the thought of handing out resumes in person literally gives me so much anxiety that I feel sick to my stomach. I don't know why, but I have this intense feeling that whoever at the front counter is taking my resume is going to judge me or think I'm a massive loser. I'm also afraid that nowhere is going to be interested in hiring me. I've deciced to wait until the end of the month to hand out my resumes because I'm going on holiday in a week for most of the rest of the month, so there's really no point in applying anywhere until I get back. Despite having made this choice I have this horrible sick guilty feeling in my stomach, like I should be working more right now even though its not a choice that I'm getting less hours at work. I know my fear of handing out resumes in person because they're going to judge or hate me is completely irrational, but I'm still feeling this awful overwhelming sense of anxiety. Does anyone have any kind of reassurances for me, or any ways to manage this anxiety? Lyssa

Natalie22 Changing MH professional. Asked to be reallocated to someone new
  • replies: 5

Hi. To end my year I bit the bullet and called and asked if I could see someone different. I was seeing a MH social worker for a few months. Don't get me wrong she was lovely but in that time I had several incidents which made me uncomfortable and I ... View more

Hi. To end my year I bit the bullet and called and asked if I could see someone different. I was seeing a MH social worker for a few months. Don't get me wrong she was lovely but in that time I had several incidents which made me uncomfortable and I left thinking WTF.When I mentioned some medication I was taking she told me that I she stop my medication and find new doctors. I felt that I had to defend my team and why I was taking the meds.She has admitted that she does not really like doctors and has trust issues and this has clearly came through in the sessions. I have to admit that I am anxious around doctors so I don't think this is a perfect match.At our last appointment I mentioned an incident at work and she told this terrible story about when she was an early social worker.slightly relevant but...Then I mentioned how a gp treated me like a drug seeker but finally read my file and she went on about her story about needing drugs and yes she sounded desperate,Sorry about all my rambling but I am super tired.Am I being totally unreasonable for leaving her even though she is someone who has got to know me well.My neurologist wants me to see a psychologist and she keep telling me 'the gp can't do anything to you as long as you see me'. I don't know what that is even supposed to mean.I have anxiety and I am very stressed.It has been a lot of misinformation and I don't think very successful.I have issues at home and she said her role was to support me with that but there has been no strategies for my MH

SamH Parental Anxiety
  • replies: 2

So over the weekend my son bumped his head falling from play equipment at a park, landing on his head which caused a deep cut to his head. I was in complete power mode my partner and I grabbed my son from the ground then to the car applied first aid ... View more

So over the weekend my son bumped his head falling from play equipment at a park, landing on his head which caused a deep cut to his head. I was in complete power mode my partner and I grabbed my son from the ground then to the car applied first aid and took him straight up to emergency as it was a bad head injury. The doctors were so great treated straight away head injury was glued etc.but since this incident I cannot move past this, I keep stressing about my son doing anything now, All I can think about is protecting him ,I lay in bed crying of a night thinking about the injury, Feeling mum guilt and stress about it , and I keep questioning the whole scenariothinking about the what ifs

LucasFA14 Struggling with anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I am struggling to keep up with juggling life. I’m currently at tafe but finding it difficult to get a job. I have major goals and aspirations and will never give up in whatever circumstances. However I have been struggling with my menta... View more

Hi everyone, I am struggling to keep up with juggling life. I’m currently at tafe but finding it difficult to get a job. I have major goals and aspirations and will never give up in whatever circumstances. However I have been struggling with my mental health and me being single. I have never been close or loved by a woman. I am able to talk to girls but most of the times I just end up not liking them or something about them I don’t like. I struggle to come to the grips that I may have high expectations and people will always have flaws, but I don’t want to commit to something if I’m not happy. I am also struggling to juggle starting my online buisness and trying to get a job at the same time. In the back of my mind I am depressed that I did not have a high school girlfriend. I’m always wanting more out of my life and I struggle to cope with my raw ambition.

Rubyhasanxietyandocd_556 Anxiety is shit
  • replies: 6

Do you guys have any strategies for asthma anxiety? I get lots of panic and anxiety attacks over asthma and sometimes out of the blue. I already have strategies but I probably need a few more. Love you all and to who ever is reading this, you're stro... View more

Do you guys have any strategies for asthma anxiety? I get lots of panic and anxiety attacks over asthma and sometimes out of the blue. I already have strategies but I probably need a few more. Love you all and to who ever is reading this, you're strong and beautiful.

maplesyrup1 Scared of Camp
  • replies: 1

I'm supposed to go to a camp really soon and I'm not able to attend I'm scared that the reason that I can't attend is invalid and a bad reason because it's about my mental healthA family member recently passed away and it's made my depression worse a... View more

I'm supposed to go to a camp really soon and I'm not able to attend I'm scared that the reason that I can't attend is invalid and a bad reason because it's about my mental healthA family member recently passed away and it's made my depression worse and I'm not sure if I can cope being away from home while having to do hard activitiesI'd also have to bunk with people I've never met before and I don't really have friends going to the camp as wellThe ticket for my flight has already been paid and I was initially excited to go but things have taken a turn for me and I really can't goI feel guilty that they paid $500+ for a ticket that is going to waste but I emailed them saying I can't go and that my parents would like to know if a payment is needed (The ticket is non refundable)I just feel like I'm letting everyone down and that I'm only making things harder for everyone and that the reason I can't go isn't good enough