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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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Frogs Noise anxiety
  • replies: 15

Hi~ I'm 32 and 5 years ago came down with sinusitis followed by neck pain, which resulted in my leaving work, I've had 5 surgeries. Being unwell and at home a lot, noisy neighbors really started to grate on me. I guess I've always been a bit noise se... View more

Hi~ I'm 32 and 5 years ago came down with sinusitis followed by neck pain, which resulted in my leaving work, I've had 5 surgeries. Being unwell and at home a lot, noisy neighbors really started to grate on me. I guess I've always been a bit noise sensitive, without going in to my past too much, I was neglected as a child and didn't have a sense of safety & security. Have had crippling anxiety before, particularly ages 21-25. Have come a long way in general but noise is something I just can't seem to get over. I think it's largely due to the morality of it. For example, there's no need to play music so loud the whole neighborhood can hear. There's way to have fun without being a nuisance, it's just selfish. Noise that is essential, like construction, doesn't bother me nearly as much nor does it when I'm out. At our last house it started with a nearby school upgrading their loud speakers. From 8-3 weekdays you'd hear 'ding dong announcement' at least twice an hour. Was so loud, could hear what they'd say clear as day. The street was very busy with parking, which would set off a dog between 8-9 & 3-4. I started using earplugs and sleeping until 4pm just to bypass the noise. Night was the only time you could get peace in that house. Then the house across from us had a group of teens move in who were always in their yard having illegal bonfires. The smoke irritated my sinuses so much I know have a phobia of smoke. I'm cutting it short with the character limit but it was so bad we decided to move. We chose a solid brick house in a country town, at the end of a dead-end street, opposite a paddock. Should be peaceful right? Soon after, the block next to us started construction. I was worried about them having a dog so politely mentioned it before they moved in. They did and it was fine until they got another dog. It would bark as soon as it heard our door open and would continue relentlessly until we came back in. Goodbye gardening hobby. By this stage, hubby is working at home and I'm sleeping normal hours. After speaking to them many times (nice people actually), they solved the small dog but now their big dog is doing the same thing. They do not walk them. We're also nestled between two people who work on cars and rev their engines. We get a ridiculous amount of traffic for a dead-end. Was woken up at 8 today by the dog and then someone else started blasting music that I yelled at them to turn it down, they called me rude. Feeling sick from anxiety tbh

Alotgoingon Positive stories about starting medication
  • replies: 5

Hello everyone, after many years of suffering with GAD I've decided to try medication which I feel really positive about but I am also really nervous about the initial side effects, especially because I have a really busy life and have a child plus w... View more

Hello everyone, after many years of suffering with GAD I've decided to try medication which I feel really positive about but I am also really nervous about the initial side effects, especially because I have a really busy life and have a child plus work full time. I'm concerned that I will really struggle for a few weeks and won't be able to go about my daily duties. Was there anything that helped get you through the intial weeks of taking medication and could you please share your positive stories ? Thanks

Beaser Everything is getting too much.Dont know where to turn.Feel so sad.
  • replies: 12

Im starting to feel overwhelmed and like i just dont matter to people. Ive reached out to my friends and told some of my struggles. It just seems everyone is so busy in there own world though. Ive tried so hard to give back to my community and friend... View more

Im starting to feel overwhelmed and like i just dont matter to people. Ive reached out to my friends and told some of my struggles. It just seems everyone is so busy in there own world though. Ive tried so hard to give back to my community and friends. I volunteer at my local football club and did seven hours behind the bar volunteering on the weekend. I felt just taken for granted and came home sad and tired. Ive seperated from my partner and wish i had of put more of my time into being with her and not worried about letting people down who i werent seeing. I just feel so sad and lonely . Why do i have to endure this pain ive been a good citizen and person all my life. I just cant get my life right . I just want to be happy again . I dont know where to turn too any more.. Brett

bumblebee3160 Health Anx Advice!
  • replies: 5

Looking for tips and tricks to snap out of an anxiety attack relating to health. My main issue is worrying something sudden will happen to me like a stroke or something, as a result of worrying I become fixated and I start to focus on sensations in m... View more

Looking for tips and tricks to snap out of an anxiety attack relating to health. My main issue is worrying something sudden will happen to me like a stroke or something, as a result of worrying I become fixated and I start to focus on sensations in my body that are probably harmless, but these thoughts end up keeping me up at night which is very frustrating! I’ve been fighting this for so long it’s starting to get exhausting. I also want to know if anyone has experienced this before: sometimes when I’m anxious I feel like my body is numb, I wonder if life is real, if I’m real, like I don’t feel myself, I can’t feel my body, I lose my memory for a moment and feel like i cannot talk. It’s frightening! Any advise would be amazing!!

BobbyOz Panic Attack during Exam
  • replies: 4

I just had a massive panic attack while doing a university exam, I couldn't sit still or think properly at all and had to leave the exam. I'm on medication, I try breathing in but nothing seems to work. What should I do?

I just had a massive panic attack while doing a university exam, I couldn't sit still or think properly at all and had to leave the exam. I'm on medication, I try breathing in but nothing seems to work. What should I do?

Brightbee Health anxiety - overwhelming
  • replies: 3

Hello, I’m new here but I have an old problem. I’ve had severe health anxiety for a number of years. I know what causes it - a build up of stress and internalising problems. It started after my dad passed away 10 years ago following untreatable cance... View more

Hello, I’m new here but I have an old problem. I’ve had severe health anxiety for a number of years. I know what causes it - a build up of stress and internalising problems. It started after my dad passed away 10 years ago following untreatable cancer. It comes in waves - I can be fine for years and then something triggers me - work stress, reading something in the news etc. I am very creative and boy I can scare myself. It’s horrible being like this in front of my husband and children. I feel guilty and ashamed. This is the worst I’ve been though and again is due to a lot of stress - my younger brother has pancreatic cancer and I’m very close to him. He’s doing well so far and is due to have a huge operation. I’m his main support so feel a big pressure to be up and happy around him too. I also lost my job a month ago so there’s been a lot of time for obsessing and googling. I have risk factors for breast cancer and have a mammogram and infrasound today. I am a mess. Beyond a mess really. I’m taking my husband with me but want to know if anyone else has gotten through anything similar. If it’s a bad result, I think I will totally collapse

Lind779 Your positive story... please share
  • replies: 103

Hi everyone, I would love to hear your stories on how you overcome your anxiety or improved life with anxiety... I know majority of us don't refer to these online forums when feeling great but if there are some, like myself that stay on here to help ... View more

Hi everyone, I would love to hear your stories on how you overcome your anxiety or improved life with anxiety... I know majority of us don't refer to these online forums when feeling great but if there are some, like myself that stay on here to help support others, please share.

Athena_00 I’m worried I’m manipulative
  • replies: 4

I have autism and really bad anxiety. I have also been feeling lots of mood swings of sadness and emptiness. I told my school counselor and they said I should look into treating symptoms of depression. I told my mum what they said and she said that I... View more

I have autism and really bad anxiety. I have also been feeling lots of mood swings of sadness and emptiness. I told my school counselor and they said I should look into treating symptoms of depression. I told my mum what they said and she said that I probably just choose to stay in a bad mood. I sometimes also come home from school early because I’m not feeling okay and I can’t really explain it. My mum tells me I’m manipulating her to try and get out of school by crying and faking sadness. She says she sees me happy and laughing sometimes so I can’t be depressed. I don’t know what to say when she tells me this and I am definitely not trying to be manipulative, I just want help but I don’t know what type of help because I have no explanation for the things I feel. Do I continue telling her my feelings? Do I ask for days off school when I’m feeling overwhelmed? Am I being manipulative? What do I do?

rainynight11 I feel like a phoney at times
  • replies: 13

I’ve been accused of faking having anxiety. I struggle badly with social activities and being around large group of people. It’s rear for me to go to social events as it’s difficult for me. I worry all the time about everything. I use to exercise reg... View more

I’ve been accused of faking having anxiety. I struggle badly with social activities and being around large group of people. It’s rear for me to go to social events as it’s difficult for me. I worry all the time about everything. I use to exercise regularly by myself and would shop for food and stuff regularly by my self or with 1 other person who also needed stuff. Because I’m capable of doing that, I’ve been accused of lying by people who are trying to prove I’m a phoney. My understanding is shopping isn’t a social activity unless you are doing it for fun with another person. That, I really do. At times I do wonder if they are right about me being a phoney since I know anxiety can stop people from being able to shop, but I still manage to.

maddie_faye Feel like going crazy at home
  • replies: 2

I really hate being stuck at home even if it’s for a day or two with no where to go and I’m really worried about getting covid and not being able to leave the house for 7 days as it would be really bad for my mental health. as i get extremely restles... View more

I really hate being stuck at home even if it’s for a day or two with no where to go and I’m really worried about getting covid and not being able to leave the house for 7 days as it would be really bad for my mental health. as i get extremely restless and it makes my anxiety worse been stuck at home all day literally having nowhere to go out too. Isolating for 7 days is something I couldn’t cope with and I might as well Stay in bed all day because there would be no point in getting up, sometimes I feel like this just staying home for a day or 2 with nowhere to go I feel like screaming I have to have somewhere to drive to otherwise I get agitated and depressed. It’s gotten worse since I have my license and car because I hate seeing my car sitting in the carport all day and not being driven.