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Anxiety

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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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Vicki1 Shame and guilt
  • replies: 5

Does anybody find that standard small talk questions can be stressful and difficult to answer when you have anxiety? Questions that cause me panic include What are you up to today? How’s work? What do you do for work? I am an accountant by trade. I w... View more

Does anybody find that standard small talk questions can be stressful and difficult to answer when you have anxiety? Questions that cause me panic include What are you up to today? How’s work? What do you do for work? I am an accountant by trade. I worked in the same company for many years, and worked my way up to part owner and director. Unfortunately, as a result of a marriage breakdown and subsequent family law issues, as well as a lot of emotional abuse from my ex husband, I have developed crippling anxiety. I am on extended leave from my business and don’t think I’ll ever be able to return. I feel a lot of shame and guilt about my situation, particularly that I am not currently working. Today one of the school mums asked if I had a busy day ahead. If I answered honestly I would have said “No, I’ll probably just be sitting on the lounge stressing and overthinking everything in my life, until I’m finally so mentally drained I take a nap. Then it will be time for school pick up”. Instead I said “No, just housework”. Do everyday questions like this trigger your anxiety? Do you feel shame and guilt around not being able to work or live the way others do? How do you handle small tall, and how do you answer seemingly simple questions that are actually quite difficult?

StrayDetective I’m worried that maybe I’m a narcissist
  • replies: 12

I don’t want to self diagnose myself or anything, but for a while now I’ve seemed to do anything just to get attention. I’ve pictured myself getting sick or injured and people would be worried and pay attention to me. I know it just makes me sound se... View more

I don’t want to self diagnose myself or anything, but for a while now I’ve seemed to do anything just to get attention. I’ve pictured myself getting sick or injured and people would be worried and pay attention to me. I know it just makes me sound self obsessed, which I don’t want to be, but I can’t help thinking that maybe I am. I’ll admit I can be quite the compliment shark, seeking praise whenever I can get it. I have picked up on this recently and have tried to pay more attention to it to make sure I’m not acting all ‘high and mighty’. As for why I act the way I do, always wanting to be noticed, I’m not sure. when I was six years old my sister was born and being the only child for some time may have left it’s mark on me, but I was always very independent. I would get jealous like any sibling would, but I don’t know how that could explain this. I tend to shy away from the spotlight yet at the same time I am desperate to be noticed. I am not particularly humble and have never taken critical feedback well. Maybe I’m too prideful? I don’t know. But I honestly feel like such a self obsessed narcissist and I hate it. Whenever my friends get praise or are talking, I seem to get annoyed, like everything is a competition. I tell myself “It’s not about you!” Which I know, yet I still have the urge to jump in. I hate it.

KFPDW Confused and need a second opinion
  • replies: 13

There's something I have been wondering, if you know someone is in need of help or is going through a hard time but they are horrible to you and don't listen and give you a hard time, should you still do what you can to help? Because what they are do... View more

There's something I have been wondering, if you know someone is in need of help or is going through a hard time but they are horrible to you and don't listen and give you a hard time, should you still do what you can to help? Because what they are doing to you isn't ok. It's something I have been wondering about for some time. Going off past experiences and see it happen to others and in media. I'm confused by what I see in media. I see character being a difficult situation, trying to fix things but is so headstrong and doesn't listen when someone offers help and is trying to be kind. They act horrible towards the person who is just trying to be nice. And no one calls this character out for his actions. I get they are in a terrible situation but that doesn't make it ok to be horrible to others. Especially if they mean well.

judaft struggling with anxiety
  • replies: 8

i've been fighting with my own brain for a long time now and its getting so exhausting. i recently dropped out of school because it was making me miserable and i thought i would be happier but my overthinking and stress has gotten the best of me. i'v... View more

i've been fighting with my own brain for a long time now and its getting so exhausting. i recently dropped out of school because it was making me miserable and i thought i would be happier but my overthinking and stress has gotten the best of me. i've been feeling like such a failure, and i have this serious issue where i compare myself to everyone my age. i turned 17 a few days ago and i feel like i've wasted all of 14-16. i did bad in school, i was lazy and i regret it all so bad i wish i could go back and redo everything. being 17 makes me feel old, i always thought i'd be so cool as a teenager but i dont have any friends and i just feel like such a loser. then i look online and i see all these successful teenagers and kids and i don't understand how they're my age and even younger than me and they already have fame, success, and they already found their purpose and what to do with their lives. i get so obsessed and jealous and wish it was me, i wish so bad that i could go back to being 13-14 and focused on what i would love to do instead of being lazy and glued to my phone. i get so obsessed over these thoughts and they never leave my mind and i get so angry with my past self ugh. and now i feel like its all too late for me, especially because i feel like 17 is so old now. i know im still young but my brain just convinces me that im too old and its too late for me to pursue anything, and i wish i could have found what i love to do earlier on and been good at it ugh. it just makes me so upset and angry and i feel stupid. i just wanna reverse time and try again. no matter what anybody says i just keep going back to these thoughts and its the worst. it causes me so much stress and i dont know how to just be normal. i regret so much and i know im gonna regret worrying so much about all of this in the future but i dont know how to make it stop.

Hopeful021 I’m new here and only starting to take the first steps..
  • replies: 5

Hi all This is new for me… I’m only just starting to accept I may have anxiety. It seems to be triggered at work. I quite like my job and work with good people so I don’t know why I feel this way. I started to recognise it when I knew k had to speak ... View more

Hi all This is new for me… I’m only just starting to accept I may have anxiety. It seems to be triggered at work. I quite like my job and work with good people so I don’t know why I feel this way. I started to recognise it when I knew k had to speak publicly. The build up would cause me so much stress and then over a year ago I had my first panic attack while public speaking. I lost my vision and my voice. It was horrible but eventually I just admitted to the crowd what was happening. I then had a year off on maternity leave and didn’t think much more about it. I went back to work recently and now I struggle to even talk in any pre planed situations. Even if it’s just me and my close work team. Today my boss asked me to attend a very high level meeting and present. I haven't stopped feeling sick since and literally can’t stop thinking about it. I have kept my feelings hidden as based on previous experiences of people know I feel like this it makes my anxiety worse as I think people are watching me more closely and analysing me. It sounds so minor but I’m worried that it’s going to take over. Im worries I will have to leave my job.. Im just posting here to see if anyone else experiences this? Thank you

Kits Spiralling down again
  • replies: 3

Hi my names Kits and I've had anxiety/panic attacks since I was 15 (2000). For the most part I'd learned to control it and enjoy life. But over the years big emotional experiences seem to trigger my anxiety. For instance my partner dumped me (2016) a... View more

Hi my names Kits and I've had anxiety/panic attacks since I was 15 (2000). For the most part I'd learned to control it and enjoy life. But over the years big emotional experiences seem to trigger my anxiety. For instance my partner dumped me (2016) and I was waking up each morning to an attack and found it difficult to function. I worked afternoon shift at the time so had time in the morning to process my thoughts better and try to get into the right mindset for work. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. But I managed to move on and now I'm happily married and life is better. Until now....we had to put our 14yr old cat and 15yr old dog down in the space of about two weeks apart and we were devastated. So of course, anxiety decided to kick in and I feel like I'm 15 again. I'm now at a different job that requires me to get up at 4.30 in the morning, which is definitely not helping my attacks, I have no time to process and become frozen in fear. I realised I needed help and have spoken to my boss but I fear there's only so many absent days before they have had enough, which is fair, I like to consider myself reliable but at the moment I feel like I've let everyone down. I can't get into a psychologist until July so what am I meant to do till then? Tell my boss ill see you in a month? My partner is worried about me and I feel like a shit wife because I'm adding to the stress and I'm not working. I don't know what to do. I asked my boss about switching to afternoon shift to see if it might help ease it but with my attendance record it probly wont be accepted. I don't feel normal and I hate it, I feel so ashamed that I'm not strong enough to handle the simple task of going to work everyday. Thanks for taking the time to read this. I needed to let it out somewhere.

Willy943 First time being pulled over
  • replies: 4

This week has been pretty terrible for me, I've struggled with depressive thoughts and anxiety for a few years now and I thought I was finally starting to feel better these past few weeks up untill the start of this week. It's been pretty terrible fo... View more

This week has been pretty terrible for me, I've struggled with depressive thoughts and anxiety for a few years now and I thought I was finally starting to feel better these past few weeks up untill the start of this week. It's been pretty terrible for me but it's all kind of come to a head today while I was at school and I had a bit of a breakdown, I was able to calm my self down before work but it didn't last long because I was pulled over during my shift for the first time since getting my licence. Ive been feeling like I don't really have a lot going for me at the moment including family and especially social and academic life. I also kind of feel like I don't really have anything to be proud of except my car and being able to drive whenever I want. It's honestly been one of the only positive aspects of my life in a really long time and it's one of the things keeping me going. Also I had just bought a very cheap second car just for delivering so I could save on fuel. For context, I'm a delivery driver for a pizza restaurant. Today when I was taking a delivery I was pulled over for the first time into a booze bus and was breathalysed, I was really nervous because I've never done anything like this before and it was nearly done until one of the officers pointed out I had Google maps open on my phone. I never touch my phone whilst I'm driving and I only ever set the address before taking the car out of park and it pretty much stays in the phone holder all night. He said I was fined $550 and had 4 demerit points taken. Ive just spent the last of my savings buying this second car and I won't be able to afford the fine unless I sell it. But if I do that I'll lose my job. I can't use my personal car for deliveries since it's a bit abnoxious and not really a great image for the restaurant since it's a big 4wd. If I sell the second car to pay for the fine I'll be left with no money and no job I also won't be able to work on the only good thing in my life because I'm getting it ready to put onto club plates so I need a few things for it and I can't afford the parts. I'm really scared because I love the people I work with and if I lose my licence I won't even be able to drive it either I also might have to end up selling it because I won't be able to cover the cost of rego and insurance. I'm worried I'm going to lose the only good thing I have. It all kind of feels like the icing on the cake of a really really really shitty week and I haven't stopped crying.

HiddenDragon26 Crying at random times with no trigger/reason.
  • replies: 6

I am 21 yrs old and i was diagnosed with Social Phobia and Separation Anxiety when i was in Yr7. I have handled my anxiety pretty well since leaving high school, i might get a a little anxious at times for various reasons (crowds, talking in front of... View more

I am 21 yrs old and i was diagnosed with Social Phobia and Separation Anxiety when i was in Yr7. I have handled my anxiety pretty well since leaving high school, i might get a a little anxious at times for various reasons (crowds, talking in front of people, loud music etc). I was diagnosed with depression when i was 16 and got help from a phycologist, i feel a lot better with my depression since then that it is not a big issue for me now. The last week, i started to cry for unknown reasons, i was not sure if it was my anxiety starting up again. I have just started university and got a new job which i have been at for almost 3 months now. I took 3 weeks off work for family time and the crying started the night before going back to work. I then cried the following 2 days (the weekend) with working (when i woke up to head to work, i was fine). That week was okay, no tears, no feeling on edge, i felt okay and normal. This week has come and the same thing happened, i was crying the day before work (both days) and i thought that when i finished my 2 shifts, that the week would be okay. It is now Tuesday and i cried Monday night and i have cried today too. I am not sure what is causing it, i have a pit in my stomach full of nervousness ( i went shopping today and felt sick), i have been physically sick from crying, nauseous, having trembling, racing heart, cloudy thoughts. I think the first shift back was anxiety but now i'm not sure if its a mix of anxiety and something else, i'm just confused on what is causing it. I was not sure if it was my iron levels being low. I appreciate any tips on how to manage this crying.

Bennyboy10 Dizziness,can't focus and bad memory.
  • replies: 5

Hi Everyone I have felt with health anxiety for a number of years now but in recent years have had it mostly under control. How ever recently I have started to feel slightly dizzy or tipsy feeling and my memory and eyes feel out of focus. I think it ... View more

Hi Everyone I have felt with health anxiety for a number of years now but in recent years have had it mostly under control. How ever recently I have started to feel slightly dizzy or tipsy feeling and my memory and eyes feel out of focus. I think it is from my anxiety because it comes and goes depending on how aware I am feeling physically. Has anyone had experience with this feeling as it is really affecting my work and life in general.

Shelly_S I am not sure whether I am alright.
  • replies: 4

I have cried every day without any trigger since I was in primary school. I probably have a good memory so I clearly memory details of probably every bad thing. I hate myself oftentimes. I do not know who I am. I cannot control myself being sad or ev... View more

I have cried every day without any trigger since I was in primary school. I probably have a good memory so I clearly memory details of probably every bad thing. I hate myself oftentimes. I do not know who I am. I cannot control myself being sad or even happy. I always feel more stressed and overwhelmed after feeling happy. But, people say that I am a happy person. I even cannot do simple things well but I am keen to do them well. I always hear my voice in my mind telling me a lot of tragedies. Sorry.