Anxiety

Confronting husband about his hoarding

replies: 5

Hello, everyone. Those who've seen my previous posts will know I have a husband who has been very sick and an adult son with some mental health issues. The good news is my son has been making an effort to practise his drumming every day. My psycholog... View more

Hello, everyone. Those who've seen my previous posts will know I have a husband who has been very sick and an adult son with some mental health issues. The good news is my son has been making an effort to practise his drumming every day. My psychologist says it's a good sign that his mental health is improving. I have mentioned my husband has isolated himself in the shed. The problem I have is that he has been hoarding rubbish (literal rubbish, but not food scraps, thankfully). He has cleaned the shed before, but it has started again. He had an ABI about 15 years ago, so maybe this is a result of that. I am at the point where I want to move out for my own good. I am going to speak to my husband after Christmas and tell him that I have to make decisions that are good for ME. It's not an actual separation, but we do need space. I am very unhappy with the dynamic of the house and our relationship. I am thinking of suggesting a specialised cleaner (who deals with hoarding etc) come in every two months if he cannot face the thought of cleaning the shed. Has anyone else ever lived with this situation?

Anxiety at work

replies: 1

I have just started and job and I'm literally in tears just before I go. I have 2 jobs and I work with the rosters I'm given. A day before I go to my other job this job asks me to work. I say I can't. For the rest of the day the tension is high. What... View more

I have just started and job and I'm literally in tears just before I go. I have 2 jobs and I work with the rosters I'm given. A day before I go to my other job this job asks me to work. I say I can't. For the rest of the day the tension is high. Whatever I do is wrong. And I had my boss mumble well it would be good if you could do your 15 hours a week. Like it's my fault I am at another job. Which they knew I had and I had also said I wasn't available. This is just one thing. I feel I can't do the job. But I've been doing it 30 years at different places. I was shown how to mop a floor yesterday. I have never been shown that in 30 years there's been no problems. It's just awful and I hate going.

Work place bully or am I sensitive ?

replies: 1

So 12 months ago I had issues with isolation ; mental health decline due to flood and not getting medication to treat my condition the work place I am in would often involve into my home life and say if he loved you he would buy you this and do your ... View more

So 12 months ago I had issues with isolation ; mental health decline due to flood and not getting medication to treat my condition the work place I am in would often involve into my home life and say if he loved you he would buy you this and do your hair if he loved you he would work well all year of that little bits here and there I started to believe that. I was withdrawing from meds due to floods the isolation and heat from rain I had a brake down went to boss said I can’t do this anymore and he called police thinking I was being abused police put charges took 8 months for court to drop them. I went to work everyday I was bullied by wrong information given or none. Micro managed left to do all on my own act manager and no thanks at all. I looked after their child (mother say at home needs a brake ) it’s a busy workplace to have babysit. I was always yes this due to the house is part of work agreement -when I started standing up for myself it has come to a point where I am not listen to and storm off or not talked to so I can’t help customers. I have a new town to go to but the rivers are over for next weeks and I have to go back to work I have no medication for anxiety and pain as mail late by week

Being pressured to move out of home

replies: 4

Hi, I'm 29 years of age and struggle with both chronic physical and mental health conditions. Things have been bad with my relationship with my parent for a long time now. I'm currently having adrenaline spikes in my body many times, every single day... View more

Hi, I'm 29 years of age and struggle with both chronic physical and mental health conditions. Things have been bad with my relationship with my parent for a long time now. I'm currently having adrenaline spikes in my body many times, every single day and night. My parent is definitely my biggest trigger. Yet the idea and process of going into rent also terrifies me. I've never lived outside of home before and as my parent owns this home, I don't know anything about renting. All my brain tells me is that renting is not secure because you can't stay there forever.. I currently have an active eating disorder and due to another medicat condition, I'm prone to being sick. I also consistently battle symptoms of dizziness, etc. Yet my parent has told me they think I'm faking everything.. I overall feel incapable of existing at home but just as incapable of moving out due to the state of my body and mind. I'm thinking of trying to go to Centrelink on Monday to speak to a social worker there about everything. I am currently on a wait list for crisis accommodation and am on SA Housing Trust's list for housing, although they've put me in Category 3.. Most of this year has involved me being in and out of hospital too. Things are just absolutely horrible. I've completely lost who i am and i don't know how to get through this. I don't know if anyone is/has been through something similar but i thought I'd share. - Dreamer_95

Feels too overwhelming

replies: 3

I’m living through healing at the moment. A week ago I made a plan to end my life. Since then I have been on meds, off from work, seeing a therapist and trying day by day to improve. It’s a long journey and I have found mornings my challenge. I feel ... View more

I’m living through healing at the moment. A week ago I made a plan to end my life. Since then I have been on meds, off from work, seeing a therapist and trying day by day to improve. It’s a long journey and I have found mornings my challenge. I feel like the day full of responsibilities hit me all at once. I’m still not eating due to the anxiety and possibly meds. It’s like running on pure adrenaline at times. I wake at 3/4am and just lay there quieting the intrinsic thought in my head. I have improved since a week ago and know that it takes time, especially with medication to take effect, but I thought again of suicide this morning. It’s like every step forward I tell myself it’s two steps back for even considering it. I keep going.

Anxiety, how l eliminated it

replies: 23

Its a very common topic on this forum, anxiety and its long list of symptoms. I grew up in a highly strung household. Screams without notice and unreachable expectations...took their toll. So when a major workplace event came along at 27yo my anxiety... View more

Its a very common topic on this forum, anxiety and its long list of symptoms. I grew up in a highly strung household. Screams without notice and unreachable expectations...took their toll. So when a major workplace event came along at 27yo my anxiety came to roost. Its peak was reached. I visited my GP and therapy commenced and lasted 12 months. My therapist identified l needed the following- Awareness of the severity of my anxiety Reprogramming of my thoughts like thinking realistic thoughts Stop worrying Learning relaxation Rehabilitated into a diffetent profession. He was correct. Add to that, medication for 12 years to "help me on my way" My change of career went from local law enforcement (where it was full of controversy) to a supervisor of adults with mental illness difficulties in a sheltered workshop. Some years later a friend told me about Maharaji Prem Rawat and copied tapes of his speeches. My relaxation up till now was using muscle tensioning exercises at night, now l also listen to this fabulous man. Later I'd google his youtube videoes. Maharaji sunset Maharaji the perfect instrument. And many more. So what other measures?. Well l began to rid my life of toxic people, change my environment to the country, grow vitamin packed vegetables and fruit, revamp finances and utilise direct debit (less bills in the mail, less surprises) and increased my positive thinking by attending motivation lectures. By 2012 my anxiety was no longer measurable. Yes 25 years. Do readers think it would only take a short time? Likely yes, because l did. Like other ailments, a pill alone isnt enough, relaxation alone not enough and so on. Its the combination of many things that was most effective for me. Undertaking a review of all facets of your life is essential for recovery. And dont be alarmed if you try something and it doesnt work. Eg Cognitive therapy didnt work for me but l read here that some have had success. As it turned out in 2009 it was discovered l had bipolar2 depression and dysthymia. The same personal approach was made. Never give up, review my environment, review friendships, lower stress, lower debt, have a 5 and 10 year plan for goals etc Sometimes subtle changes are needed like introducing a sport or hobby, sometimes radical ideas like relocating or career change. Whatever is needed put all options on the table. Anxiety the mental illness deserves nothing less than your full attention. What works for you.? Tony WK

I dated a guy for a while

replies: 3

I want to share a personal experience that has deeply affected me. I dated a guy for a while. Because I did not feel completely comfortable or at ease with him, I decided to end things and clearly told him that we would not continue seeing each other... View more

I want to share a personal experience that has deeply affected me. I dated a guy for a while. Because I did not feel completely comfortable or at ease with him, I decided to end things and clearly told him that we would not continue seeing each other. However, he was very persistent. I tried to distance myself, but he continued to seek me out. He began coming to my place of residence and parking near my school to wait for me and approach me when I left. On one occasion, he even went to the animal shelter where I volunteer. He constantly told me that other people were sending him photos of me or telling him things about me, which made me feel watched and monitored. He called and messaged me through many different platforms: Google Chat, Instagram, WhatsApp, and emails from different accounts. He also called me from a friend’s phone. One day, he even made bank transfers to me with the reference “come down,” meaning that he wanted me to come out of my house to talk to him, despite the fact that I had already clearly expressed that I was not interested in continuing to see him. After some time, things seemed to calm down. He went his way and I went mine. However, one day, out of nowhere, he appeared parked in front of the house of a friend with whom I used to study. This felt strange to me. He stayed there for a long time and then left. That same friend, who is now my partner, later received, through an intermediary, a message from this man warning him to “be careful” with me Some time later, one day after leaving school and heading to a shopping center, I noticed that he was parked near my car. He then followed me to the shopping center, which is also located next to where I used to live. After that, I moved. Since then, I avoid parking in the same places all the time, I avoid telling people where I live out of fear that he might find out, and my current partner picks me up from school so that I feel safer. I share this because for a long time I doubted my own feelings and normalized behaviors that I now understand were not normal. This experience has had a real impact on my life. It changed the way I move, the way I trust, and how I feel in spaces that used to feel normal and safe to me

Post alcohol trauma

replies: 4

Hi everyone,I’m reaching out because I’m really struggling and don’t feel able to carry this on my own right now.A few days ago, over Christmas, I had an alcohol-related experience that has completely shaken me. I’m a wife and a mother in my early 30... View more

Hi everyone,I’m reaching out because I’m really struggling and don’t feel able to carry this on my own right now.A few days ago, over Christmas, I had an alcohol-related experience that has completely shaken me. I’m a wife and a mother in my early 30s, and after a long period of reducing my drinking and doing a lot of internal work, I trusted myself again in a social setting. That trust was misplaced, and things escalated faster than I could stop them.What’s haunting me most is where this happened and who saw it. I was around my brother’s wife’s family — people who don’t know me well — and I feel like I lost my dignity in front of them. Because they’ve only seen me a couple of times, I’m terrified that this one night is now the only version of me they hold.I wasn’t reckless in a dangerous way, but I behaved in ways that felt deeply out of alignment with who I am. I was loud, chaotic, and visibly intoxicated. I don’t remember large parts of the night, which has been incredibly distressing.One of the most painful parts is the perception of how it looked. From the outside, it likely appeared that I forgot about my own family — my husband and children — and was instead seeking attention from other men. I want to be clear: that is not how I felt internally, but I’m tormented by how it may have appeared to others. The idea that I could be seen that way goes directly against my values and identity, and it’s been devastating to sit with.Since then, I’ve been experiencing intense shame, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and physical trauma responses. Even reminders like Christmas, certain clothes, or objects from that day send my body into panic. I feel paralysed, stuck replaying the worst possible interpretations of how others saw me, and terrified that I’ve permanently damaged how I’m perceived — not just socially, but as a mother and wife.I’ve worked so hard to be better — to drink less, to be more present, to heal — and it feels unbearable that none of that work is visible to people who only saw that moment. It feels like all they see is the worst version of me.I know with certainty that I won’t drink again — alcohol is now completely associated with trauma for me — but I’m struggling with how intense this feels and whether I’ll ever feel like myself again or experience joy without this hanging over me.I don’t have the capacity to write every detail, but I would deeply appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced a relapse, a public loss of dignity, or a situation where shame around family, perception, or identity felt unbearable — and who found their way back to themselves.Thank you so much for reading and for any support or perspective you can offer.

OCD and asbestos

replies: 2

Hi everyone, my first post. I suffer from OCD and it has become difficult over the many years for me; recently on my nature strip I discovered a small flat light solid beige object, something organic or plastic which charrs black when burned with a m... View more

Hi everyone, my first post. I suffer from OCD and it has become difficult over the many years for me; recently on my nature strip I discovered a small flat light solid beige object, something organic or plastic which charrs black when burned with a match. Seeing it, my thoughts went straight to asbestos, and the silly scenarios of asking people, going to Bunnings and asking AI (all saying it is nothing serious) - I've once again sent myself all over the place. Take care people.

I'm not sure what to do

replies: 2

Okay so, I am 14 and gay, my boyfriend, we'll call N and his now ex best friend E. I was starting to get along with E. Last night and then he tried pressuring me into sexual activities, which i was not comfortable with, and i told him that clearly mu... View more

Okay so, I am 14 and gay, my boyfriend, we'll call N and his now ex best friend E. I was starting to get along with E. Last night and then he tried pressuring me into sexual activities, which i was not comfortable with, and i told him that clearly multiple times. He then started calling me names for not doing it and that i have no reason. I then told him that i had a reason but that i was not comfortable sharing it. He then tries to get me to tell him by promising to tell me his secrets, which i declined. And THEN he tells me that it can't be that bad. Which then, i recall to another night when I was at N's and E was on the phone and i discovered that N had been telling him a lot of things about me and everything intimate in our lives. Yes we've had sexual activities with each other and i know it's wrong. I then shut down with talking to E. I then go to ChatGPT to help me decide what to do. I confront N and tell him everything with screenshots included. And i got him to cut off E and i let him know that i will not be trusting him again until he can prove to me that he won't break my boundaries again and share my body and personal life without consent again. He agrees. And i feel bad for this but i still feel like they're talking behind my back, and also i was fueled by more emotions because on top of this, N had been rude lately and had tried to get us to open up our relationship ON OUR 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! Because he wants to hook up with people for the adreanaline and that he doesn't want me to be his first and last.

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