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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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Guest_04542101 Emotional damaged
  • replies: 1

Ive been with my boyfriend now fiancé for 3 and a half years and about a month ago I’ve started getting very high anxiety when ever he touches me from hugs to being intimate. I’ve been very close to panic attacks. I’ve tried explaining that I don’t w... View more

Ive been with my boyfriend now fiancé for 3 and a half years and about a month ago I’ve started getting very high anxiety when ever he touches me from hugs to being intimate. I’ve been very close to panic attacks. I’ve tried explaining that I don’t want to be touched at the moment which seems to have done nothing but upset him and I don't know how to fix this. I don’t know how to fix me.

Whatsinaname Horrible week
  • replies: 89

Hi everyone, I'm having a horrible week, so just thought I would post to see how everyone else is going? I'm having a hard time getting out of the shame spiral this week, but trying to remember this is only temporary. Anyway, hope others are well, ha... View more

Hi everyone, I'm having a horrible week, so just thought I would post to see how everyone else is going? I'm having a hard time getting out of the shame spiral this week, but trying to remember this is only temporary. Anyway, hope others are well, happy to chat about anything.

Guest_39557583 I’m stuck!
  • replies: 8

I’ve never written on a forum like this before, but I’m struggling and I have no-one I can talk to about what I am going through. I’m insecure, have low self-esteem, am taking a sabbatical from work (have worked most of my life, I’m in age range 50-5... View more

I’ve never written on a forum like this before, but I’m struggling and I have no-one I can talk to about what I am going through. I’m insecure, have low self-esteem, am taking a sabbatical from work (have worked most of my life, I’m in age range 50-55) and have never felt so low. I’m trying to find the answers to all my questions and thoughts, and everything points to journaling and positive affirmations / self-talk. I have no energy and feel lost, stuck and unable to make decisions. I’m trapped in my head and trying to work out what to do. I have been with my partner for many years, and recently, started a new relationship with someone, but I just feel permanently low, like I am people-pleasing but I’m too scared to even ask ‘what do I want?’ I feel like I’m the only person in the world who feels this way, and when I look at others I think how happy they look, why can’t I be happy? Why can’t I…and then the cycle goes on and on and on. I’m afraid of life. OK stopping now as I’m not getting anywhere, but maybe someone out there has some advice or guidance or suggestions on how I survive at this thing called life (sounds a bit dramatic I know, but genuinely struggling). Thank you in advance.

Guest_10261 Morning agitation
  • replies: 1

I am wondering if anyone else on here is waking up with feelings of agitation, on the angry and unsettled side of things? I have read it is part of generalised anxiety disorder and that it is a build up of cortisol which peaks in the morning.. How do... View more

I am wondering if anyone else on here is waking up with feelings of agitation, on the angry and unsettled side of things? I have read it is part of generalised anxiety disorder and that it is a build up of cortisol which peaks in the morning.. How do you cope? Does exercising alleviate the condition? Or daily relaxation sessions? I would like information on this. Thank you.

Guest_01156043 Crippling anxiety settled to general anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi community. This is my first post and I have experienced anxiety my whole life but fought it always. But in the past few years I had a breakdown due to an extremely stressful situation. Ever since I'm like a egg shell that's cracked all over but st... View more

Hi community. This is my first post and I have experienced anxiety my whole life but fought it always. But in the past few years I had a breakdown due to an extremely stressful situation. Ever since I'm like a egg shell that's cracked all over but still has the egg inside. Fragile. Just a few days ago I had a crazy day where I was completely crippled by anxiety. Dry reaching and vomiting. Crying and restless like crazy. Scared out of my mind and thinking how can I function. I'm a wife and mother of 5 little ones. And I'm expected at work tomorrow. My meltdown culminated in myself and my husband ( who was really worried) working out the cause. We were about to sign a contract I think I knew we couldn't afford. Once this was sorted we decided not to go ahead I immediately felt 100 times better. However 3 days later, I'm still feeling so bad. Nausea, wanting to cancel everything that I'm expected to show up to. Wanting to stay in bed. I'm crippled again but in a quiet way. Not like the extreme episode the other day. This feels sadder. I feel broken and I'm letting everyone down . That egg shell is really crumbly. I hate being so fragile that my family can't do things. I want to be strong.

Guest_36139303 Repeating thoughts
  • replies: 1

There are words or thoughts and they keep repeating in my head and I can't make it stop. I have heard about echolalia and even internal echolalia and suspect that I do have that but this is different, I can't make it stop, they won't stop and I don't... View more

There are words or thoughts and they keep repeating in my head and I can't make it stop. I have heard about echolalia and even internal echolalia and suspect that I do have that but this is different, I can't make it stop, they won't stop and I don't want the words they're words I don't want and they won't be quiet but I know it's me it's not a voice in my head it sounds like me and it feels like me which makes it worse because it won't stop and I can't make it stop but it is me it has to be me because it's my voice, the one that reads all my thoughts and he can't be someone else he's me. But he won't stop and I just want to know how to make him stop.

G-i-g-i Stalker
  • replies: 6

I feel no one is supporting me. I have a stalker and it started May 2025. I gave the police a report including his photos but they cannot do anything because I was not physically harm. They don't understand how this affect me mentally and emotionally... View more

I feel no one is supporting me. I have a stalker and it started May 2025. I gave the police a report including his photos but they cannot do anything because I was not physically harm. They don't understand how this affect me mentally and emotionally. It seems they are protecting this guy and not me. The police said, they will talk to my stalker meaning they will know this guy but they couldn't tell me who he was, because I would like to apply an AVO but this police did not apply for an AVO. They are protecting this guy who violated my human rights. I thought, stalking is a crime here but they protecting him not me. They protecting a man who did wrong and not me, the victim. I know what stalking means but these police are protecting this middle-aged man. These policemen are protecting this man who commits crime and they should know that this man has no right to stalk someone or follow someone. The police said, maybe this old man is lonely who just wanted to talk. But it is still not right to follow someone. It happened 7 times in different places, and it is creepy seeing him in any place I go. It is not a coincidence, because he followed me 7 times already. It's a pattern. Same man and same behaviour but all my efforts of recording those incidents were ignored. I am tired already watching my back every time I go out, I am tired already of observing, recording or reporting to the police. I have do much anger in me. I am not interested with any man and never talk to a stranger it's because I am lonely. I don't talk to a stranger especially to a creepy like him. Who do you would like to make friends to this kind of man. Who do you think would like to make friends with a stalker. No one I think, because he is creepy. These police don't really care. All my efforts were ignored and wasted. They said, my stalker did not hurt me. So, they will only act if I am hurt. The police will act if something happened to me. The stalking started May 2025. And I know, he is not the only one. He is still out there and even uses other people to monitor me. I have photos of his stalker's proxies. I am not stupid not to notice those men amd their behaviours but it seems no one believe me. I do not understand these police, why they can't find a solution for this. That's why, we have lots of victims of stalking being unheard including me. I want to fight him until he gets what he deserves but every time I approached people, they don't help maybe because I am an Asian not white. And I am more angry now, and starting to lose hope that this will ever stop and these police are not fair to all people. I thought the police here are very good and helpful but I was wrong. They oath to protect innocent people bu, no, they are protecting the criminals. They choose only who they wanted to help. They will only act if someone hurt or died. Wearing police uniform but they don't respect true justice.

guest123456 overwhelmed
  • replies: 3

sorry if this is alot i just rlly need to get my thoughts down. i've always suffered with anxiety (undiagnosed) but its been manageable however this year its gotten rlly bad. i started uni this year and the course im doing is incredibly competitive. ... View more

sorry if this is alot i just rlly need to get my thoughts down. i've always suffered with anxiety (undiagnosed) but its been manageable however this year its gotten rlly bad. i started uni this year and the course im doing is incredibly competitive. my y12 results made it so i couldn't go to the same uni as my friends who are also doing the same course and i feel like i have no friends in uni. im always so scared to even open up uni modules bc it feels overwhelming how much i have to do. i start thinking about what my future is going to look like and i get overwhelmed bc im scared i wont have a job or anything and i'll have to live paycheck to paycheck. im also rlly scared of my parents dying despite them being relativley healthy as i dont want to be left alone. im js rlly alone and scared and overwhelmed and i know its a problem but i dont want to burden my parents by telling them and i want to change my habits but don't know where to start. i tried to create goals but thinking about my goals had me overthinking and js left me feeling drained. i dont know what to do. sometimes i even contemplate committing because it would take the anxiety and uncertainty away but ive never acted on the thoughts. if theres someone who has gone through something similar or is going through something similar and has advice i would rlly appreciate anything at this point.

RichoC Marriage failing, I get the blame
  • replies: 1

So my marriage is in a bad way.I went on a rant a while back, actually yelling out for help because of my crap situation.Did not go well. She hates that so much.So now she sleeps away from me, playing 'oh, we're separated now' games. Breaks my heart ... View more

So my marriage is in a bad way.I went on a rant a while back, actually yelling out for help because of my crap situation.Did not go well. She hates that so much.So now she sleeps away from me, playing 'oh, we're separated now' games. Breaks my heart after 16-plus years.I have no job and no income.I was illegally sacked, so I'm moving to take them to court now. I'm qualified to do it, but it's exhausting.But I have no income. It's placing a big strain on the house and my marriage.She keeps complaining that we can't go do that, see people out, we have no money, oh, all the coffee is gone, have to cut back on that, maybe eat less too.Pretty painful to live like that.Feel like I should not eat much now or drink coffee.I get a few dollars from a side business I do, not a lot, but I could buy coffee and a loaf of bread and cheese.I'm doing everything to try and get close to her, spark what we had again.I'm being super calm, keeping to myself. Doing things around the house.It's not working.She's still playing pretend we're over games. Avoiding me. Wants nothing of me. Does not support me in my battle to get a job that I'm working on every day like mad.I'm depressed, keep getting pushed away despite my huge amount of experience and qualifications.Emails saying nah, we don't want you daily.Killing me. Applied for over 70 jobs, 7 days a week.Had interviews even and nothing.No support, just complaints about no money and that's all my fault.No idea what to do. I get told I'm doing everything I can, but it fails daily.I'm at the end. I'm worth more dead and she'd be debt-free and happy.I'm just done with the pressure on me, the hate, no support.Love any tips that I may have missed very much.Thanks,

Shell1 Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi my name is Michelle and I have had Anxiety my whole life. Usually I have been able to control it but lately it is getting worse I have seen a doctor and been given more medication it helps but I don’t want to take my medication every day. They las... View more

Hi my name is Michelle and I have had Anxiety my whole life. Usually I have been able to control it but lately it is getting worse I have seen a doctor and been given more medication it helps but I don’t want to take my medication every day. They last 3 days I have been great but today I had to take a half again. My face starts to tingle I start shaking loose my appetite and I have no idea why it is starting again