Immediate support
Immediate support

Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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.

All discussions

Start a discussion

Dilly2 Long-term anxiety about husband's health
  • replies: 6

My husband has had serious health problems including 3 major (successful) operations in the past 18 months. We are very close and I have been extremely stressed and taking an antidepressant which helps to a certain extent. Now he is recovering well a... View more

My husband has had serious health problems including 3 major (successful) operations in the past 18 months. We are very close and I have been extremely stressed and taking an antidepressant which helps to a certain extent. Now he is recovering well and I've been feeling better but the slightest hitch in his recovery sends me back into extreme stress mode. He had a short-term bad episode the other night which sent me into panic, even though he was back to normal next day. I was taking an (out-of-date) antibiotic for my slight ear infection - I presumed the tablets were causing my frequent, ongoing explosive diarrhoea. Have now ended the course but the diarrhoea continues despite probiotics and anti-diarrhoea tablets. No other symptoms at all and I feel very well apart from constantly being on edge - trying to convince myself it's all stress-related but then wonder if it's more serious. Very hard to get GP appointments in the current situation. Just wondering if anyone else can relate?

duchess_of_meh Unemployment and the workplace
  • replies: 1

Hello, For a few years now, I have been between jobs. I am looking for my forever home employment wise. I am very tired of job searching with extremely judgemental results. I don't really want to do it anymore and am fed up with the mainstream attitu... View more

Hello, For a few years now, I have been between jobs. I am looking for my forever home employment wise. I am very tired of job searching with extremely judgemental results. I don't really want to do it anymore and am fed up with the mainstream attitude of my past coworkers and employers. I struggle with references and I struggle with people taking me seriously. So pretty much I attend all of my shifts, Interviews and always try to be pleasant, agreeable and friendly. When I am employed I stay away from everyone's dramas and just want to go to work and come home. I don't mind working by myself or in a team. I have studied really hard to get anywhere and it has been a journey that has confused the people i live with. So i am mid thirties but look mid twenties. I have a near legal aged child who still lives with me. I have dark hair and am pasty white ( its genetics, i don't tan, i just burn ). I try to not think it is because of this. But i can't help that it is and feel people are writing me off left right and centre because I do not look like them ( the nautical color scheme people; all beige blue and white dress code aka lemmings. ) I dress alternatively in my free personal time but when I am at work, I dress conservatively boring to avoid any drama my way. Little hints along the way have shaped this view. eg bleaching my hair platinum blonde and wearing fake tan, ill actually get hired looking like this but i don't like it. I lost my job because i changed my hair color back to how it was and my employers freaked out and thought i was an alco ( im not an alco but this is what they told me ) I am having a bad sad day and i would love to know if people have come across this because it is too weird. I know people aren't allowed to discriminate but they do. I am quickly running out of money to get a business together but i am also running out of patience with the covid stuff because it is making people irrational and extremely difficult to work with because they are worried but projecting it on to you. I am just tired of it and want to know if there is anyone on this forum that have any advice.

MissJ94 Career change before 30
  • replies: 6

Ive almost officially given up on my nursing career. Ive realised that abuse, harassment, stalking, bullying, revolving door of staff/management, low wages, wages not being paid correctly, no breaks, insane workloads, unsafe ratios leading to unsafe ... View more

Ive almost officially given up on my nursing career. Ive realised that abuse, harassment, stalking, bullying, revolving door of staff/management, low wages, wages not being paid correctly, no breaks, insane workloads, unsafe ratios leading to unsafe practices, lies about having support when there really isnt any, unhelpful HR, unhelpful unions, stress, depression, and self harm, its just not worth it anymore. Im 27 and physically, mentally, emotionally burnt out from being a nurse. Im starting to realise that it really wasnt worth going in to!! All that money, years of training all down the drain. But i blame myself because i chose that path, to willingly enter a toxic career. Ill be paying off a huge study debt for the rest of my life. I say almost because this new job im now yet to start might change things. Its my last chance at staying in the career. Its casual so if im still sick of it ill go ahead with my plan to do a cert 3 in medical administration. I just feel like im really grieving it all though. I entered nursing to eventually become a midwife. But after doing half the midwifery course as a single mum and working, it was just too much. The study load was insane and i felt as though i should have known things better because i was already a nurse. Then the thought of being responsible for the care of a labouring woman and then a newborn too, it scared the crap out of me. Even to be responsible for a pregnant woman, if i missed something, if i did something wrong without initially realising it, it really scared the hell out of me. And it really makes me depressed and emotional that its not what i thought it would be. I had the plan to be a midwife for almost 10 years, i would tell everyone that i cant wait to be a midwife and now i feel so heart broken, ashamed that im not going to continue the course. All the other middy students i met, we all had this passion. They still have that passion and here i am completely deflated and defeated. Would things have been different if i switched to midwifery after my first year of nursing? Would things have been different if i could have just focussed on my midwifery studies and not worry about money? Would things have been different if i wasnt a mum? I hate seeing literally everyone around me succeeding in life and here i am going backwards. I hate it that much the frustrating makes me claw at my skin and pull my hair, grind my teeth because im so SICK of this shit life i have.

LynnLynn Nasty noisy neighbour causing issues
  • replies: 5

Hi all, This is my first post on the forum. I am not feeling well mentally recently, and I just want to share this story and see if I can get some advice from you. I live in a townhouse block and have been tolerating late night noises from my neighbo... View more

Hi all, This is my first post on the forum. I am not feeling well mentally recently, and I just want to share this story and see if I can get some advice from you. I live in a townhouse block and have been tolerating late night noises from my neighbours next door for almost a year. Most of them work in a takeaway restaurant and finish work after midnight. They love to use a subwoofer/ speaker with bass effect after midnight, and often the noises persist throughout the night until the morning. The noises have impacted my sleep significantly. I have purchased sound-absorbing curtains and used earplugs in the night, but neither would block the vibration and bass effect sounds. I have tried many ways to communicate with them, send them a txt message; put a note in the mailbox; write a letter to them. Nothing resolved the issues. I have tried to communicate with them again recently, face to face. The conversation did not go well. They said I am the problem been complaint too much and said they put back the bass effect on and play music deliberately after midnight because I complained to their real estate agent and the police. When I made the complaint to the real estate agent, I made a dairy/ spreadsheet that documented all incidents that happened and attached with videos/ recordings as evidence. The real estate agent didn't care much about this, kept saying they will talk to the tenants, but nothing changed. The agent asked me to get information from other neighbours/ close by residents this is affecting. However, my neighbours are the first lot in this townhouse block and I am the second. I am the only one who shares the same wall with them. I've been given the runaround. Now I constantly worry about hearing the noises again and feel difficult to fall asleep every night. I also feel a bit of self-doubt about maybe I shouldn't be obsessive about the noises and shouldn't make complaints. I also worry that they may do something more outrageous if I continue to make complaints when noises occur in unreasonable hours. just feel sad and unfair about all this... Any suggestions on what should I do next? Thanks.

So_alone Insecurity making me fearful and severely anxious.
  • replies: 9

I've been reading through the forums for the past few months on other people's emotional pain and suffering but felt too insignificant to join in and express my own. Hit rock bottom last night and had anxiety/panic throughout the night and dreading a... View more

I've been reading through the forums for the past few months on other people's emotional pain and suffering but felt too insignificant to join in and express my own. Hit rock bottom last night and had anxiety/panic throughout the night and dreading another episode tonight. I'm a 71 yr old female who spent a good part of my childhood in various orphanages in WA due to my mother's mental illness, she was unable to care for me or my other 3 siblings. After the Covid border closures and lockdowns in 2020, the trauma of my childhood resurfaced and i've been struggling with debilitating anxiety and panic attacks ever since. Feel like i'm re-living the emotions i felt when i was a child being ripped away from my mother without warning and locked away in orphanages indefinitely. I am trying so hard to get on top of this myself using different methods of relaxation, deep breathing, guided meditation vids but this only gives short term relief. It's like my nervous system has become over sensitized and i cant control the way i am feeling anymore. I feel trapped in a constant loop of horrible anxiety which has led to Agoraphobia, can't travel too far from home. Had 6 sessions with a CBT psychologist last year but the anxiety and panic still persisted. It's a very lonely life living with anxiety on a daily basis and would be comforting and reassuring to know if someone else on BB has experienced anything similar.

lelebe Medication Struggles
  • replies: 13

I have just entered my second week of medication for anxiety and still feel nauseous which is frustrating, but more frustrating is my mental fight about having to take medication, you see I work in the field of alternative medicine so feel like a fra... View more

I have just entered my second week of medication for anxiety and still feel nauseous which is frustrating, but more frustrating is my mental fight about having to take medication, you see I work in the field of alternative medicine so feel like a fraud at not being able to help myself. Does anyone work in this field of work and struggle mentally with the decision to medicate or is this feeling common for a lot of people? Thanks

Tim1982 Worrying/Stress
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone. First time user here. The last few years I've been doing really good with controlling my anxiety until about a month ago both my ears blocked up a few days after wearing airpods. At first I didn't think anything of it and used waxsol and... View more

Hi everyone. First time user here. The last few years I've been doing really good with controlling my anxiety until about a month ago both my ears blocked up a few days after wearing airpods. At first I didn't think anything of it and used waxsol and it helped. My left ear became unblocked and my right ear was getting better until I decided to get a cotton tip to clean it, to only what felt like I pushed wax back in my ear and developed an instant ringing in my ear and numbness. Two days later, my chest kept getting tight, my legs and left arm felt achy, numbness in my face and head and my eyes seemed funny. This is when I decided to go to the emergency. They checked the nerves in my mouth, eyes and ears, all was fine. My right ear I had a lot of wax and she couldn't see my ear drum. Saw the GP, he softly syringed my ear and told me I had a small scratch and pimple in my ear. He told me it could be tinnitus and everything I'm experiencing is normal and to just try and relax. But my thoughts kept thinking the worse. Even though sometimes throughout the day, I felt like everything had gone back to normal, it would revert back when I start thinking about it. I Stupidity googled my symptoms and one of the possible outcomes was a brain tumour. This put me in instant panic attack and I'm constantly thinking this is what I have. So... I saw another doctor a week later and I told her I googled and these were the results. She tried comforting me, by telling me that a brain tumour would be very unlikely and that if I wanted a catscan I could to give me some relief. I decided not too because I want to try and control my worrying and trust the doctors. She looked in my ears, still have wax in my left ear and she said I had fluid behind my right ear drum which would cause the ringing and numbness feeling. After that I felt a lot of relief. She said it could take up to 8 weeks for the fluid to go. She believes it is stress and anxiety that is causing all my other conditions and has put me on anti depressants and putting me on a mental health plan. 20 minutes after seeing the doctor, I developed a tingling like sensation on my feet, the bottom half of my legs and left arm started to ache and I felt like the other ear is doing the same as my right... This went on all day, although I had moments I felt normal. I'm just in constant worry and I can't switch off thinking the worst.

BMM79 Thinking about getting a diagnosis for anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi, I am quite sure I’ve had mild to severe anxiety for most of my life. Never been diagnosed and mostly thought it is stress. I’ve had health issues for a good 20 years (1/2 my life) and I think these are related to anxiety. I’ve just made a list of... View more

Hi, I am quite sure I’ve had mild to severe anxiety for most of my life. Never been diagnosed and mostly thought it is stress. I’ve had health issues for a good 20 years (1/2 my life) and I think these are related to anxiety. I’ve just made a list of what goes on in my head. Hear it goes. General anxiety, social anxiety and nervousness in social settings. worrying about what people think. overthinking, worrying, dread and fear of general life challenges and work challenges and expectations. Jealousy of others that appear to be better and have more. High expectations of others. Wanting to be better than others. Easily frustrated and angry. Constant road rage. Sometimes not very empathetic towards people. difficulty relaxing. worrying about forgetting something that seems important for work or in general. Feeling like I concentrate on myself a lot and rarely consider others. Can’t seem to turn my thoughts off. Wanting more money and better things that everyone else. Often unhappy with life and my general situation. Often worried about doing the wrong thing or making bad decisions. Often wanting to avoiding social situations. I actually feel like I can deal with these issues slightly better the older I get. Do others get this kind of anxiety? cheers. bm

Linger316 Anxiety about work
  • replies: 11

hi All, I have been a long-time lurker of this forum and finally got the courage to post a thread. As the title says, I have anxiety about work. It all started when I got the promotion that I applied for. Every morning when I wake up I feel anxious a... View more

hi All, I have been a long-time lurker of this forum and finally got the courage to post a thread. As the title says, I have anxiety about work. It all started when I got the promotion that I applied for. Every morning when I wake up I feel anxious about work, I don't know what to do. I am regretting even putting my hand up for the promotion and sometimes I even want to just give up and resign. I tried all the advice here on how to manage anxiety, eat well, exercise, breath, and meditate but nothing seems to be working. By the way, I was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 1 last year and am taking medication. My psychiatrist already up the dosage when I mentioned my anxiety but I don't think it helped. Well, it helped a bit, but not completely. I don't know the point of this thread, I just want to share and maybe get some insight from you guys. Do I give up and resign, although I don't think we'll be able to afford it if I resign? or do I push through and hope for the best?

Tim1982 Head/Ear
  • replies: 1

Hi All, A few weeks ago I got blocked ears (after using airpods) and my left ear cleared up (even though I still have wax in it) and my right ear was getting better... until I stuck a cotton tip in it and felt like I pushed the wax back in and got a ... View more

Hi All, A few weeks ago I got blocked ears (after using airpods) and my left ear cleared up (even though I still have wax in it) and my right ear was getting better... until I stuck a cotton tip in it and felt like I pushed the wax back in and got a ringing sound after that. Ive been to the emergency and seen 3 doctors. All saying I had a lot wax in my right ear and that the numbness on the side of my face and my head on that side is normal. I've been given antibacterial drops but Ive been told there is no infection. There was a slight scratch in my right ear and a pimple and one of the doctors syringed my ear. There different doctors in a month. I still get the ringing and weird sensations like numbness sometimes in my face, tight jaw, sometimes feel like I'm tight around my nose, eyes feel strained, and I have a weird sensation on that side of my head. From time to time, it feels like it goes away and I feel normal. r Naturally I googled and mentioned it could be a tumour. So I've been panicking and my thoughts/focus seem to constantly be on the ringing and sensation in my head. The last doctor I saw, who Ive seen twice now has told me I have fluid behind my ear drum and can cause these sensations but think it's my anxiety/stress doing this or making it worse. She said this is normal and to not worry about. She doesn't believe it is anything serious and if she had the slightest concern she would do more test. I feel like the symptoms stay with me for long periods of time (and now for a little while I feel normal) and I also get aches in my legs and arms including weird tingling sensations in my toes. Again, they say this is all symptoms of anxiety. She has put me on anti depressants and started a mental health plan. But my thoughts keep going back to worrying. Does anyone else experience these symptoms? Sometimes I feel completely normal but I feel like when I think about any of it or focus on that particular part of my body it gets more intense and sometimes I don't think I'm anxious or stressed but still have it.