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
Categories
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

fenizz Seeking advice - Speech anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi there, I'm a high school senior and one of my school subjects requires me to do a speech in 3 months time and I guess its a long way to go but speaking in front of the class makes me feel incredibly anxious, my heart starts pounding like crazy eve... View more

Hi there, I'm a high school senior and one of my school subjects requires me to do a speech in 3 months time and I guess its a long way to go but speaking in front of the class makes me feel incredibly anxious, my heart starts pounding like crazy even if I try to calm my self down with deep breaths and also because of my anxiety, my voice tends to shake or sound as if i'm warbling when I speak and my body feels jittery all over, especially my hands. It just makes me feel bad about myself as everyone else seems to do fine when delivering their speeches. I'm not that shy, but i'm introverted and often try to answer questions in class (only when we're all seated though) but for example, when we read a novel around the class or something similar, I get so anxious and I try to breathe in and out and say some affirmations in my head but as my turn nears, my anxiety just comes back even stronger and then I think of going to the bathroom to skip my turn although I don't like doing that because I know I need to face it instead of avoiding it but it still doesn't get better no matter how many times we read or do presentations. So I thought you guys may have some solutions to my issue so I can do my future presentations with ease. Also, not sure if this is relevant or not, but i've never been bullied or publicly humiliated or anything of the sort if that helps. And i've been like this since as long as I can remember, so from childhood I suppose. Thanks!

BballJ Health Anxiety Ruining Me
  • replies: 6

Hi all, Been a while since I have been on the forums but I just needed to talk - my health anxiety has completely taken over my life, I have recently just had my girlfriend break up with me due to how stressed I have been these past few months with h... View more

Hi all, Been a while since I have been on the forums but I just needed to talk - my health anxiety has completely taken over my life, I have recently just had my girlfriend break up with me due to how stressed I have been these past few months with health related anxiety, I have had countless doctors trips, constantly seeking different doctors to get re-confirmation that I am ok, I have had numerous tests done and still the second I feel a little symptom, it flares right back up and I cannot focus. I was working just last night until late on my computer and my arm and leg was really itchy, i was scratching quite hard, I then looked down at my arm and it was yellow like a big bruise, I freaked out thinking it was something like jaundice as I have had liver problems before. I went and saw my doctor this morning who told me it was not jaundice. I am in a severe state of stress and anxiety and have been for the last 3-4 months and I am just not myself. Which has led to my relationship now ending due to my anxiety and stress. I have never had this happen before but it is an eye opener and I know I need help. I just want to know how others have dealt with health anxiety and looking for constant reassurance because I just feel there will be no end to this and I can't keep going on like this as my life is becoming not enjoyable. Thanks for your time. My best, Jay

Kate505 Anxious about the the thought of war.
  • replies: 16

Hey guys I have been feeling incredibly anxious for the last couple of weeks die to the situation with Ukraine and im starting to really fall off the deep end of anxiety. I understand this is completely out of my control and all, but i guess this has... View more

Hey guys I have been feeling incredibly anxious for the last couple of weeks die to the situation with Ukraine and im starting to really fall off the deep end of anxiety. I understand this is completely out of my control and all, but i guess this has always been a sensitive topic to me for a long time and never really left. does anyone else have this fear and anxiety and if so please tell me how you cope and move on about your day, I’ve been posing so much sleep over this. Please help x

KK7 Hello everyone!
  • replies: 3

Hello, just looking for some advice I suffered bad health anxiety which I had under control till recently I went back on my medication, my question is does anyone get patchy goosebump all over there body ? I’ve spoken to my dr and she said it’s just ... View more

Hello, just looking for some advice I suffered bad health anxiety which I had under control till recently I went back on my medication, my question is does anyone get patchy goosebump all over there body ? I’ve spoken to my dr and she said it’s just a side effect of my medication but the people at the chemist have said otherwise, please if anyone know help me it’s triggered bad panic attacks and happen multiple times a day thanks

user9463728 hating school
  • replies: 5

ever since lockdown last year, i haven't been able to enjoy school at all. i went through a 2 month lockdown about 2 years ago and i went back to school and felt fine. ever since the recent lockdown all i can think about is being back at home. i cry ... View more

ever since lockdown last year, i haven't been able to enjoy school at all. i went through a 2 month lockdown about 2 years ago and i went back to school and felt fine. ever since the recent lockdown all i can think about is being back at home. i cry and beg my parents to not let me go everyday. i spend most of my time wondering why i hate it so much. i find the kids at school immature and annoying but thats not why i hate it. i have a half decent group of friends and we get along well. i have many friends outside of my group too. i think the teachers and subjects are fine. im getting good grades. i have no idea why i hate it. during school all i do is get the work done and spend the rest of the time day dreaming and looking at the clock. recently i havent been able to enjoy the weekends either, i feel miserable. some weekends i feel good and the next ill want to die. ill be trying to go out with my parents for lunch and ill just start balling my eyes out because i know if i enjoy going out, ill have school again and feel even worse. my parents suggested changing schools but i have no idea if that would make things worse or better since i dont even know why i hate school. ill keep dreaming of moving countries and starting over and ill be so happy. then ill wake up and feel terrible because i know its never going to happen. would changing schools be a good idea or not? what would help me?

smallwolf Brisbane weather
  • replies: 20

I am writing to you from Brisbane. Know that I am safe but I know many who have been flooded or near to being flooded. The worst part right now is knowing when it will end. There are moments when the rain softens and then comes down harder than befor... View more

I am writing to you from Brisbane. Know that I am safe but I know many who have been flooded or near to being flooded. The worst part right now is knowing when it will end. There are moments when the rain softens and then comes down harder than before. And all we can do is to wait it out. My kids and wife are watching different video streams. Guess that is there way of coping. I just wanted to get the thoughts out.

Hoping4Hope04 I'm really struggling with a situation and I'm freaking out
  • replies: 3

Hey, this is my first post here so I'm a little nervous, but I want to get some advice on how to deal with something I've been dealing with. In a short summary, When I was 14. I liked a girl online a lot, we didn’t know each other outside of the inte... View more

Hey, this is my first post here so I'm a little nervous, but I want to get some advice on how to deal with something I've been dealing with. In a short summary, When I was 14. I liked a girl online a lot, we didn’t know each other outside of the internet and never met. But I asked her for a video of herself dancing around in an outfit that I found attractive at the time. I think I may of pressured her by saying please one too many times. She eventually said yes and sent the video. There was no nudity, no body parts revealed or teased, and she was not doing anything explicit. I feel really bad for ever asking for it and I'm not sure what to do now. I've been really freaking out that I will go to prison or end up on an offenders list and those thoughts have me terrified. I have reached out to councillors from this website and a few others about the situation, and while they have all reminded me that what I did was not very likely illegal. I still feel really terrible and I dont know how to deal with this guilt and regret I have from the situation. I feel like I dont have a lot of self worth and that I feel like I deserve to feel really bad after all of these years. Those people also attempted blackmail on me and that has left me a bit lost in where I stand in all of this. The person said I was unforgivable and I really want to grow and not have this affect me too much. I really want to be able to not worry about this but I dont know if I deserve to or if I know how too. Its been really affecting me and I'm getting really worked up over it all. Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with overthinking and guilt?

Petal22 OCD Taboo Thoughts Perinatal
  • replies: 2

I want to start this thread to speak out so that other mothers who may be experiencing what I experienced after child birth can have the confidence to step forward and seek the help they need to recover…… Please don’t suffer in silence…. you CAN get ... View more

I want to start this thread to speak out so that other mothers who may be experiencing what I experienced after child birth can have the confidence to step forward and seek the help they need to recover…… Please don’t suffer in silence…. you CAN get better…….. I understand that these thoughts seem taboo to the sufferer but for you to recover you need to open up to our professionals so they can help you. Life really can get so much better for you. In my experience after child birth for a time that should have been full of joy and happiness I was engulfed with horrible intrusive thoughts about my babies. The same thing happened in both of my pregnancies. These intrusive thoughts terrified me, I loved my babies with all of my heart and soul and I would have done anything to protect them. Having these thoughts felt so foreign to me. I would do anything to avoid these thoughts but they just kept coming causing me to have severe anxiety. I was highly distressed by these thoughts. I knew I needed to seek professional help… starting from my gp through to a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist I also did a 8 week group therapy. I was diagnosed with Perinatal Anxiety and also Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I had an anxiety disorder and it was a disorder that could be treated! I have now recovered from this disorder thanks to the help I received from health professionals and life couldn’t be better! I’ve been recovered for 4 and a half years now….. I absolutely love being a mum and my children bring me nothing but joy! I got better…. Our health professionals are here to help us. In some areas there are perinatal clinics that have clinical psychologists and psychiatrists that run out of the same practice they understand these conditions. Please step forward and receive the help you need…. Your not alone

SicMrex Don't know what to do anymore
  • replies: 2

Hello, I have suffered from anxiety for most of my life, was diagnosed with it in 2015 after i had a breakdown after my father passed away from cancer. My doctor put me on medication, which helped for a while. As a child is was bullied from the age o... View more

Hello, I have suffered from anxiety for most of my life, was diagnosed with it in 2015 after i had a breakdown after my father passed away from cancer. My doctor put me on medication, which helped for a while. As a child is was bullied from the age of 4 until my early 20's. Which was a mixer of verbal and physical, during and after school. I was always a loner, with no friends and still am today. But loved going to the park with my dog, kicking the footy or playing basketball. One day in 1997 while playing basketball, this group of guys asked my too join in. This went on for several weeks, when one of the guys asked me to go a party with them. We all became friends for several years and I final thought my life was looking up. Then one night, one of them accused me of saying bad things about his sister, which I didn't do and never would. He and others attacked me. While laughing and joking that they never friends with me. I had concussion for about a week. I still get flash backs now and that was over 20 years ago. So after that I hated leaving the house, would never go out on my own, which I still struggle with today and I'm 45 now. So I started going too the footy with my sister in 2000. Which I took as a huge step for me, which we still do today, also with other family. I was starting to get to somewhat my old self, went last year in August my mother passed away, who through all of what had happened was my best friend. So I am back too thinking of all the bad things that have happened to me, forgetting all the good times. Questioning what the point of life is. In my opinion life is a complete waste of time. My family try to help me, but don't understand what it feels like. If it wasn't for my sister that I live with, I properly wouldn't go to work or sometimes not even be here. So how do I fix this life which is shit. Because I let the toxic people in my life win, through being gutless to do any thing myself to change. Thank you Jaime

Bookgirl anxious about war
  • replies: 28

War is one of my triggers and all this Ukraine is stuff is sending me spiralling. I HATE IT. I wish the world could just be peaceful. After the last two years of covid and now this, i just can't take it. Feel so overwhelmed at the moment. Feel sick a... View more

War is one of my triggers and all this Ukraine is stuff is sending me spiralling. I HATE IT. I wish the world could just be peaceful. After the last two years of covid and now this, i just can't take it. Feel so overwhelmed at the moment. Feel sick all the time. Worried about my son's future. I don't understand why this is going on now when you would think the human race would be over this crap by now. Covid seemed to bring people together and now its just fallen apart. I just want my son to grow up in peace.