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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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Frankie94 Health Anxiety taking over
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I'm a little apprehensive to post this. I have had anxiety for as long as I can remember on many levels(in my 50's now). I have never really dealt with it, but it is my health anxiety that has always been the worst and lately it has spiralled... View more

Hi all, I'm a little apprehensive to post this. I have had anxiety for as long as I can remember on many levels(in my 50's now). I have never really dealt with it, but it is my health anxiety that has always been the worst and lately it has spiralled out of control and I feel on the verge of losing it! Over the years I have imagined I have every medical condition possible, and lately I've visited lots of doctors to rule things out and of course everything always comes back negative. I get relief for a short period but then a new symptom presents itself and then it starts all over again. I am a very fit person with great nutrition but this anxiety is killing me. At my last doctors visit I was prescribed some anti anxiety medication but I just can't take it. The thought of taking it and the possible side effects has nearly sent me into a panic attack!! I know I need help as this is becoming all consuming for me. From anyone's experience can I get through this without medication..is it possible with just counselling??

Chorlton12 Asbestos roof anxiety - HELP
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone Ive been subletting a property in WA for 6 months not realising the roof was asbestos. I am now constantly researching asbestos roofs and worried that I've done damage to my health. I know I shouldn't worry about the future but I'm scared... View more

Hi everyone Ive been subletting a property in WA for 6 months not realising the roof was asbestos. I am now constantly researching asbestos roofs and worried that I've done damage to my health. I know I shouldn't worry about the future but I'm scared Ive already done the damage. I can't believe it's not illegal to have had these roofs removed. I'm so upset with myself, Ive been living here for 6 months and Perth has had a very wet and windy winter. I feel my life is ruined I don't know how to go on, please help with this anxiety.

Justin95 Read this it helps
  • replies: 5

These past few months I rarely go out only if I have blood tests and seeing my psychologist. I am suffering from maybe severe anxiety. The main trigger for me is when someone sniffs and coughs I take it maybe they don’t acknowledge me and think I’m b... View more

These past few months I rarely go out only if I have blood tests and seeing my psychologist. I am suffering from maybe severe anxiety. The main trigger for me is when someone sniffs and coughs I take it maybe they don’t acknowledge me and think I’m belowthem. What goes in my mind is when I go outside and hear people do this I get panic attacks and I have a dreadful feeling I have to get out of there. I used to get bullied a lot by my uncle who always coughs and sometimes hits me, I’m no longer in contact with him but whenever I hear people cough it reminds me of my Uncle. I don’t understand what’s wrong with me. I see other people who hears cough and feel as if they did not hear anything. I want to be normal again. It is very hard for me to bare when I hear all types of people that do this. Please be respectful with your answers.

x_BLUE_MOON_x I'm obsessed with my personal belongings
  • replies: 12

Hi, I have this problem where I am obsessed with my personal belongings in my bedroom. To the point where I have been in a psychiatric ward 2 times. I’ve been struggling with this for 3 years, and I don't know what to do. I don't know, if it is OCD, ... View more

Hi, I have this problem where I am obsessed with my personal belongings in my bedroom. To the point where I have been in a psychiatric ward 2 times. I’ve been struggling with this for 3 years, and I don't know what to do. I don't know, if it is OCD, ADHD, anxiety or something else? As I have been diagnosed twice with ADHD, once when I was a kid and again the last few years. I'm very sensitive, I have very low self esteem, social anxiety, and Specific language impairment. I also have no friends, and no life really. Which I'm trying to change that, but it's hard. Also I have been having obsessive thoughts for about 13 years, where i overthink everything, even silly things. And I kind of have these obsessive routines where I have to do certain things a certain way every time, even if I don't want to do it. I find mostly now days, the obsessive routines are a lot less, but I still have a lot of obsessive thoughts. But the thing that mostly bothers me is me being obsessed with my personal belongings in my bedroom, like my tv, video games, action figurines, comics, computer and so on... I even have thoughts and I worry if my personal belongings has germs, covid 19 , or mold on it. Or I obsess that I have cleaned it too many times, or that it feels dirty. I know it's sounds crazy. I tell myself all the time, that those thoughts are stupid and silly. Say example the kitchen could be dirty, or I could get sick by touching a door knob, none of those things bother me. It's only my personal belongings that worries me which is odd. I have been to Psychologists and I have told them this. And they gave me all this feedback, which didn't help. I hope all of this made sense. Any opinions and thoughts would help, thanks.

aj127 Struggling with anxiety and parents not believing me
  • replies: 3

cw: mentions eating struggles, anxiety and intrusive thoughts. I'm 15 years old and have been struggling with anxiety for years. I have had counsellors and a therapist diagnose me with quite severe anxiety but my parents do not believe it. I have pan... View more

cw: mentions eating struggles, anxiety and intrusive thoughts. I'm 15 years old and have been struggling with anxiety for years. I have had counsellors and a therapist diagnose me with quite severe anxiety but my parents do not believe it. I have panic attacks often and am struggling with stomach pains when I eat that are possibly anxiety related. I am also overly fixated on my weight and am struggling to get help, I'm stuck in a cycle of eating well and then not enough and thinking I need to gain weight and thinking I need to lose it. Although my parents don't believe me about the anxiety they try and help me by asking what I would like to eat and buying snacks I like and that are healthy to help me with eating. They seem to think I only feel like this because of covid and social isolation and assure me there is nothing wrong with me. I've also been struggling with intrusive thoughts and thoughts of self-harm when I mess up or remember an embarrassing moment but I'm not sure how to tell them about this. I also really can't see the school counselor as I've heard if you mention self-harm or eating struggles they tell your best friend, your year advisor, and your parents, I don't need things to be talked about by so many people. I'm just wondering is this an eating disorder or anxiety? I get pain while I'm eating am struggling to eat because of it.

Coconutblue Thought I had my Anxiety under control
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, Back in 2019 I had my first introduction to the good old panic attack!!! Nothing in my life at the time was really all that bad, I had a chest infection and was treated with antibiotics. While completing the course I thought I better sto... View more

Hi everyone, Back in 2019 I had my first introduction to the good old panic attack!!! Nothing in my life at the time was really all that bad, I had a chest infection and was treated with antibiotics. While completing the course I thought I better stop drinking wine so the effectiveness worked better. This made me realise I was in fact self medicating with alcohol and have never felt worse...... up until last week where I was at work picking up a parcel from our mailroom and BANG, I instantly felt dizzy, sick, sweaty and shaky. I had had lunch and drink a fair amount of water. Dr ruled out medical issues from blood tests and had an ultrasound on my upper abdo. As I had been experiencing contraction like pain a few times. She has up'd my medication which Im happy to try and see if that makes a difference but I also feel deep down I know my own body and dont feel like something is 100% quite right. Has anyone else experienced a period of 2 or so years with no panic or severe anxiety for it to just pop back out of the blue? I feel like im going mad not knowing whats gotten me feeling these physical symptoms. sorry for the long post and thank you in advance

RedRocket My thoughts on anxiety
  • replies: 5

Like many people, I find myself struggling with my own mental health as of recent. I have been trying to self rationalise why that is the case, what lead me here and how its become what it is. Lifestyle changes, Covid lockdowns, amongst other factors... View more

Like many people, I find myself struggling with my own mental health as of recent. I have been trying to self rationalise why that is the case, what lead me here and how its become what it is. Lifestyle changes, Covid lockdowns, amongst other factors no doubt, are all relevant to the question. How do you describe it? Is it a feeling, a thought, an emotion, or a collection of all three? I find it best described as almost like being out of equilibrium with your baseline sense of feeling. Needlessly feeling an impending sense of distress or dread, that ebbs and flows, and at times can spiral, no matter how much you want to fight it. Why? That's the million dollar question, there's no observable, or logical reason, it just is. Ordinarily this could be self managed I believe, however the physical symptoms and frequency are what make it harder to manage from someone untrained to deal with their own mental discomfort. The chest tightness, the trembling limbs, sensations of tingling, intermittent hot flashes, and de-realisation, which I'm sure you have all been there, or felt something similar. The worry of when they will come next, will they come when you are at work? Will they jeopardies your relationships? Will they never stop coming? And the worry spirals. Oh and don't forget the impending sense of the heart attack, which no matter how many times you go through it, never comes, thankfully haha. Funny that, it never comes, yet you feel the same way each time, well at least you know what it isn't for next time! As an individual with no history of mental health issues, or significant clinical triggers, it has taken me by surprise. "It wont be me, I've always been stronger than that, I have mental resilience" That's what you tell yourself at first, and then you finally come to the realisation it never mattered, how "strong" you perceived yourself, mental health is not something you can brute force or totally prevent. You can only mitigate it, as best as you understand how. Ultimately this realisation has led to me to search for answers, self diagnosis is never the right option, as such seeking out a professional is going to be the next step. The most frustrating part, funnily enough, is not that likelihood of having some form of mental health issue, but that not knowing what it is, or why it is, only what it might be. I believe some sense of catharsis will come from identifying it clinically. Thanks for taking the time to read this, we're all gonna make it!

Justin95 Life of hope
  • replies: 3

Just read about a book about reincarnation. I get Anxiety just thinking about it, what if I become a Chicken or a Fish when i perish. Such thoughts torment me. What if I did bad things in my lifetime and have to suffer for it in the Afterlife. Life i... View more

Just read about a book about reincarnation. I get Anxiety just thinking about it, what if I become a Chicken or a Fish when i perish. Such thoughts torment me. What if I did bad things in my lifetime and have to suffer for it in the Afterlife. Life is so short we don’t know what comes after. I hope the people that made fun of me would be reincarnated into a caged chiken. What are your thoughts about reincarnation.

Darthrivia Working with anxiety
  • replies: 6

Hello everyone, I have never posted in here before. So hey! I wanted to bring up working with anxiety & depression. I’ve been diagnosed with both and it’s ruining my career. Well, the last two jobs I’ve had I personally hate and it’s not for me natur... View more

Hello everyone, I have never posted in here before. So hey! I wanted to bring up working with anxiety & depression. I’ve been diagnosed with both and it’s ruining my career. Well, the last two jobs I’ve had I personally hate and it’s not for me naturally which of course triggers my anxiety and then I just don’t want to go because my brain is like “oh just stay home then!” Instantly I feel better I’m at home in my comfort zone with my pets and my gaming and then the guilt sets in that I’ve lost income and my amazing supportive partner is busting his ass off at work. I started this job back in April and I’ve had more days off then days I’ve actually been there. I just called in for the rest of the week which is a pathetic 3 days that I can’t even bring myself to go to. I know I need to find something in my field I’ll enjoy. I got a possible opportunity in the gaming/IT sector which I think will be great for me. It’s just very hard to get into without experience. And studying costs a lot and I’ve made that hard on myself by not working much. Sorry for rambling and I hope that made sense. Does this happen for anyone else here? The never wanting to go to work? Always calling in sick? Looking forward to hearing everyone’s stories and opinions. Thanks for taking the time to read

Anon111 Severe Anxiety from friendship betrayal
  • replies: 7

Hello all, I’m new here and just needing some support after trying to book in to see someone but there is nothing available I’m struggling with sever anxiety after my best friend/roommate/business partner betrayed me. It’s a long story but it hurts a... View more

Hello all, I’m new here and just needing some support after trying to book in to see someone but there is nothing available I’m struggling with sever anxiety after my best friend/roommate/business partner betrayed me. It’s a long story but it hurts a lot. I told her everything I was feeling when I found out, she took it on board and actually took some accountability and promised to change - even seeking professional help. I feel like I was so happy about her wanting to changed that I pushed all my pain down so I could focus on her. This was a couple of weeks ago and now all the betrayal trauma is resurfacing and I just don’t know how to cope. I’ve been struggling to sleep, eat and focus. I had adhd as well which already doesn’t help with these things. I was having a mental breakdown at work the other day and I messaged her and told her how I was really struggling and her reply just seemed fake and ingenuine. She hasn’t asked me how I am doing once, it’s like she’s forgotten what she did and doesn’t seem to see the impact it’s had on me. I somehow feel like I’m the one walking on egg shells, worried that every thing I say or do is going to annoy her. I feel like she thinks I’m weak for showing emotions so I just have to keep them inside until I just can’t anymore. I can feel her passiveness and I hate it, I overthink enough as it is and it’s just unfair that I’m the one who has to feel like this when she wronged me We had just started a business together months before I found out about the betrayal, and I just don’t want to throw away all the work I’ve put into it. We also have a lease together, and our lives are just so intertwined so I really wanna make this work but I dont know how. Im just left feeling anxious, angry and trapped. Does anyone have any tips on dealing with betrayal trauma and the severe anxiety it brings? thank you so much ☺️