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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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QuietMostofthetime Did I screw things up?
  • replies: 4

So I had a job interview last week for a call center job and it was going pretty well, the person was complimenting my resume for what I have done, etc. I told them that I have anxiety and social anxiety and that this role is very much out of my comf... View more

So I had a job interview last week for a call center job and it was going pretty well, the person was complimenting my resume for what I have done, etc. I told them that I have anxiety and social anxiety and that this role is very much out of my comfort zone in terms of speaking on the phone for extended periods of time, they said "everybody has anxiety" which raised a few flags for me. Then rather suddenly I was pushed the question, that they are offering me the job and they wanted me to start in two days. I had other things that I had to do before then and I was overthinking about everything else when I had to process what they asked me. and because I didn't reply in the way they wanted for the response of a yes or a no with excitement, they instantly changed to a shocked disappointed expression, they then proceeded to give me 24 hours to think about it and didn't seem happy. Feeling guilty and compelled I wrote an email and said that I would accept the role. I then received a phone call which started out telling me that they were disappointed with my response. It made me feel guilty and like I did something so bad. After a while, I again accepted the job. Fast forward to today, I was supposed to go there in the morning however I felt this extreme pressure and guiltiness from how they made me feel for being myself, and I ended up emailing them and telling them that I couldn't come in because of my anxiety. They responded with an email saying that they hope I get the help I need and to contact them when I can, with the best for my future. I just feel like they don't like me and I feel like I would always feel this pressure if I was working under them.

mcc any type of help at all please.
  • replies: 9

I am 23 years old and I have suffered from Anxiety for as long as I can remember (around 10 years) but I have been on and off medication for a few years and fairly recently found myself back on it. I guess for the past couple of years I haven't reall... View more

I am 23 years old and I have suffered from Anxiety for as long as I can remember (around 10 years) but I have been on and off medication for a few years and fairly recently found myself back on it. I guess for the past couple of years I haven't really given myself a good looking at and just brushed all my feelings as “Anxiety” but I have become more aware of how I have been feeling and it is definitely worse than that. I am definitely going through a state of depression but I have been researching my mental health and the way I act and all signs are leading towards Borderline Personality Disorder. I know I’m not the professional and tests coming back online are not to be taken as a diagnosis but I am just going off how I am truly feeling. Things like I struggle with relationships and are always doubting or worried about them, I can get overly angry at the drop of a hat and overreact, I have constant paranoia about every possible thing, I like one thing one day and then no interest the next, I dont want to go and do things that I used to, I'm increasingly insecure in how I look, I have impulsive behaviours like randomly spending lots of money and also a bit of alcohol consumption which has lead to me giving it up, I am nervous, sad and scared 95% of the time and I have this constant feeling of emptiness which in past I just put all of this under the explanation of Anxiety. There is times where I have this feeling that I am actually not even myself. I don’t really know how to explain that part but it's scary and it's just all too much. I'd say I havent been myself for a few years and told myself its anxiety but only over the past 4 or so months it has gotten to a point where I feel worthless and helpless and I cant even tell you why this has all come about. I am just like this. I went and visited a counsellor for the first time today and I got pretty emotional but also couldn't 100% express how I am feeling. I just need any tips at all to help me get through to next week when I see them again. Sorry if this isn't the right way to do this or silly but only new to this forum and I am just at a point where I need any tips or help possible.

CelestialFire Chronic Anxiety - Stroke?
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone...This is my first time posting or doing anything like this so..stick with me... I have chronic and acute anxiety, meaning I can't do even small things like shower without having a full blown panic attack. Unfortunately of course this al... View more

Hey everyone...This is my first time posting or doing anything like this so..stick with me... I have chronic and acute anxiety, meaning I can't do even small things like shower without having a full blown panic attack. Unfortunately of course this also bring along all the other lovely anxiety symptoms, and that amazing thing your brain does when it decides you're going to die. Recently, for about the past week or two, I've been having some really scary feelings in my head. I have rung the 13Health number to ask about it, and have stopped myself from calling 000 many times...basically I have this insane pressure at the front of my head, and yet also have this feeling like..my brain is empty? And not emotionally but physically. Things got really bad when I went to the gym for the first time in a very long time...I struggled the whole time, and when I got home my head just felt heavy, and I was very wobbly and my brain just felt...wrong and my face felt heavy too The sensation did calm down, which leads me to believe it was some kind of anxiety driven thing, but I keep having these symptoms and of course the first thing that pops into my head is a stroke... I'm really scared, and I don't feel very supported right now so you guys are all I have... Has anyone ever had anything similar? Are these symptoms just because my body and brain are getting tired of all the panic attacks and stress I deal with? Am I going to die?... I'm sitting right now awake in bed because as usual I can't sleep, and I have a pressure running from temple to temple... Also (I'm sorry this is so long) but after the even at the gym I am terrified of going back, but I want to so badly...I'm so disappointed that I can't do the most basic things and I just want to be healthy...how can I get over a fear of exercising when the heart rate increase you get from it just makes me panic.... I appreciate any help or advice...I just don't want to feel so alone and scared anymore, I'm so suck and tired of living this way... thank you x

Baylee Anxiety and therapy
  • replies: 4

I feel too anxious to see a GP about my anxiety, to go to a counsellor and get help. It’s just a cycle of having breakdowns and then feeling somewhat okay and confident and not thinking I need to see someone about my mental health, then having anothe... View more

I feel too anxious to see a GP about my anxiety, to go to a counsellor and get help. It’s just a cycle of having breakdowns and then feeling somewhat okay and confident and not thinking I need to see someone about my mental health, then having another break down and panic attack. Any tips?

R-claire Anxiety with career and being unsure
  • replies: 18

I ah e always been an extremely driven and motivated person when it comes to my career. Ive come from retail management and over the past 2 years left retail due to covid and got in DES I was there for 9 months then a role come up in recruiting. I ha... View more

I ah e always been an extremely driven and motivated person when it comes to my career. Ive come from retail management and over the past 2 years left retail due to covid and got in DES I was there for 9 months then a role come up in recruiting. I have been there for 2 months but due to my mental health being so incredibly bad I am wanting to move to the GC to mend my soul and find me again (I have family there and friends) I use to be scared but now it’s exciting. However I don’t want to leave my job and start again. I’m 26 and my resume looks so bad like I can’t hold a job I’m so lost and having panic attacks. Any advice?!

Sasquatchion (TW: Eating Disorder) Food & Male Body Image
  • replies: 2

Hello all. First post, but have been lurking around on the forums for a few weeks. I am a binge eater. Formerly bulimic, but I have since curbed my need to vomit after eating and instead I just binge. In a way my problem with food has now become wors... View more

Hello all. First post, but have been lurking around on the forums for a few weeks. I am a binge eater. Formerly bulimic, but I have since curbed my need to vomit after eating and instead I just binge. In a way my problem with food has now become worse as I have continued to put on more and more weight because of this. My job requires me to fit into harsh standards relating to BMI and fitness, which I can no longer achieve due to my problem. It's because of these standards that I began to focus on my weight more and binge eat out of sadness when I was not achieving what was required of me. I have had doctors that have examined me for my work berate me for my lack of self-control and tell me that I should not be trusted with my own health because of my weight. At the beginning of 2018 I felt the worst I had ever felt about myself. I starved myself for months to achieve a new weight and was feeling positive about my body, albeit very hungry. Since then my eating as gotten worse and I am now struggling with my weight again. I am unable to look at my reflection without feeling shameful. I have covered all the mirrors in my house so that I cannot see myself. My body is in ruins, I am covered from my shoulders down in bright red stretch-marks which makes me feel disgusted in myself. Despite reassurance from my girlfriend that she does not mind and loves me regardless of my weight, I can't help but feel like no one could look at my body and enjoy it. I have suffered from intimate performance anxiety in the past, but it's now worse than ever as just once glance at my own body disgusts me so much. I had a streak of about 4 months with no binging before the start of Sydney's lockdown, but the pressures from work and my other mental health issues (medicated depression) have brought back my binging in full force. My girlfriend is often away from work, so our time together is limited, which means I am free to binge without anyone knowing every single day for weeks at a time. I cannot get myself out of this rut and I don't know what to do about it. I don't hear much about males with eating disorders, so if there is anyone else out there like me I would love to hear from you. Cheers, Sasquatchion

Colourful_Queen Agoraphobia.
  • replies: 3

Heya Does any one else suffer Agoraphobia, and if so , have you recovered, or is it a permenant thing for you? I'm very agoraphobic, I've been like it my whole life. It is now at the point where I do not go out. At all. Ever. I may make it to my Drs,... View more

Heya Does any one else suffer Agoraphobia, and if so , have you recovered, or is it a permenant thing for you? I'm very agoraphobic, I've been like it my whole life. It is now at the point where I do not go out. At all. Ever. I may make it to my Drs, but usually we do phone consults. Centrelink and the job network people have been on my back about going to appointments, but I don't think they understand that when I have an appointment coming up, I am physically dry wretching and vomiting for at least two days before and three days after the appointment. I get full on panic attacks, anxiety , very on edge and highly strung. I hate it. I really do. I've also got physical issues, very busted back which causes pain and rheumatoid arthritis, which when flares up, I cannot even wear a bra because my shoulders are in so much pain. I can't even hold the steering wheel, yet they want me to go to meetings, and lets not talk about public transport. I completely melt down. I've been like this since I was little. I do have a few 'safe' places, but not many. As soon as I go somewhere, within 5-10seconds I have scanned the room and planned my escape routes. If I can't find one, or don't like the escape routes, I leg it out of there. I now know that is not normal. I thought everyone did it. Apparently not. Does anyone have any suggestions how to deal with Centrelink and if they accept agoraphobia on the disability pension, as well as physical issues, such as chronic pain and a very bad, very excrutiating bad back? ( I have MRI scans/results to prove the severity of my back ) Any suggestions, advice, help etc would be gratefully accepted. Thanks... Peace to us all!

EC123 Health Anxiety
  • replies: 13

Hi, I’m new to this forum. For as long as I can remember I have had anxiety. I mean, as a child I would have panic attacks that would make me vomit at the thought of going to school or sleeping away from home. As I have gotten older, this anxiety has... View more

Hi, I’m new to this forum. For as long as I can remember I have had anxiety. I mean, as a child I would have panic attacks that would make me vomit at the thought of going to school or sleeping away from home. As I have gotten older, this anxiety has become more generalised and sometimes comes on so intensely without any real trigger. Lately I have been having some health issues, but I am constantly finding myself obsessing over what could be wrong and always google searching my symptoms to find what my condition could be. I know it’s normal to be worried about your health sometimes, but I feel like I am completely consumed by this anxiety. I struggle to eat, study or think clearly and I go through periods of not being able to sleep no matter how exhausted I am. I just want to get to the bottom of these health issues and get on top of my mental health, as right now I feel like I’m drowning. How can I calm myself at least until I get my medical results? And how can I change my way of thinking to a more positive mindset? TIA for any advice!

SquireHarbour None of my spaces are safe
  • replies: 6

Hello everyone, it's me again back with more lockdown venting. I just saw the stuff happen on the television. I just feel sick to death of the anti-lockdown protesters claims of freedom. I really want to go out there and shout at the world but I know... View more

Hello everyone, it's me again back with more lockdown venting. I just saw the stuff happen on the television. I just feel sick to death of the anti-lockdown protesters claims of freedom. I really want to go out there and shout at the world but I know that won't help. Mostly I am feeling extremely let down for my future prospects. I am scared of calling the helplines because I don't think they will understand what I am feeling about all of this. My parents have tried multiple times to help, but they're at their wits end. My psych and my meds helped but every day still feels like a rut. I don't know how I am going to survive until September. I tried going to the coping thread on this forum, but all it seems to be now waves of cynicism, hatred and dreams of punishment, posters just angry at everything and not cooping at all (raging about people, blaming people, having opinions that are just damaging MH and not contributing anything at all) and I can't stand my spaces being infected with this stuff any longer. Seeing the anti lockdown protests on the telly, people raging about 'the media', angry at people, rage at everything, its just sending my anxiety through the roof. Is this what its going to be like until next year? People raging at everything? I wish I can tell people to just stop, but I am terrified they will all jump on me as a breakage of the train line. And I still feel disconnected from everything, really.

PiCkLeMuFfIn Social Anxiety
  • replies: 5

Hey, ive been suffering with social anxiety for over 2 years now, and im struggling with it, making friends and talking to people at school and work is hard for me. every time im forced to talk to someone or if i have to a presentation at school i st... View more

Hey, ive been suffering with social anxiety for over 2 years now, and im struggling with it, making friends and talking to people at school and work is hard for me. every time im forced to talk to someone or if i have to a presentation at school i start to freak out, i start shaking and sweating and fidgiting and i start to cry and i cant seem to take control of it. Self confidence is another big thing that im struggling with. Doesn't matter if im lacking in self confidence in my self or just trying to make friends, i just cant do it, i just seem to break down and cry cause i cant fix it, cause i cant help it that im like this, i just wish i was confiedent, everything will be a lot more easier for me. i do see a therapist but i feel like it doesnt help me at all, all i do is talk about it, but never able to fix it. im scared to tell my parents that i dont want to go anymore, but im scared to tell them. see i cant even talk to my own parents. i wish i was an extrovert. i wish i was good enough. recently, ive started talking to a boy i really like and he likes me back, but the thing is we are both inroverts and its kinda hard to talk to him without fidgeting. we try and try and try but we can never seem to talk irl, we talk perfectly fine on instagram but in person just freaks us out, it would just be a little more easier if one of us was an extrovert. i just need someones advice and help on this. ive been really sad lately and just hate it, i like being happy. someone pls just come and help me. or even if your like me an just want to talk about it.