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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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Mamabear81 Nighttime cleaning when the panic gets the best of me
  • replies: 2

Hey y’all, I’m wondering if anyone else out there in BB-land does silly things like clean their entire house after evening/night-time panic attacks? Bit of a warning, the rest of this post gets a bit dark… My physical symptoms with panic attacks are ... View more

Hey y’all, I’m wondering if anyone else out there in BB-land does silly things like clean their entire house after evening/night-time panic attacks? Bit of a warning, the rest of this post gets a bit dark… My physical symptoms with panic attacks are chest pain, palpitations, and adrenaline rushes, so sometimes I really start to doubt the experts advice that these are panic attacks and start to convince myself that I might die… not helpful thoughts when I’m already wired. So with these unhelpful thoughts blaring in my brain, I start to plan for “after”… making sure the house is tidy, the pets have access to the outdoors, that I’m freshly showered and wearing nice looking pyjamas. Basically making sure that if I do die, it will be less unpleasant for whoever finds me. Does anyone else get these thoughts?

Alice762 Breathing
  • replies: 3

Is it normal that I only feel anxiety when I feel like I can’t breathe ? I have such a big fear of not being able to breathe and it’s that thought that causes me to have anxiety attacks and then actually struggle to breathe. I just constantly feel li... View more

Is it normal that I only feel anxiety when I feel like I can’t breathe ? I have such a big fear of not being able to breathe and it’s that thought that causes me to have anxiety attacks and then actually struggle to breathe. I just constantly feel like I’m struggling to breathe and sometimes I just start to panic over it and it just makes it worse and I really don’t know what to do anymore

CBR1987 Fighting Anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hey all . I'm a happily married, working mum but also a long term anxiety sufferer who is trying to take hold of my life again. I suffered severe post natal depression which I treated with St John's Wort. I recovered from that, then witnessed a fatal... View more

Hey all . I'm a happily married, working mum but also a long term anxiety sufferer who is trying to take hold of my life again. I suffered severe post natal depression which I treated with St John's Wort. I recovered from that, then witnessed a fatal accident in 2013 and I've suffered anxiety since (only started St Johns Wort 2-3 months ago) I get extremely anxious in vehicles, a very negative household member also sets off anxiety in me, when people dont contact me, trouble sleeping/concentrating, I have trouble doing things myself (putting diesel in my car), I self-harm when I'm having an anxiety attack. I'm also having trouble making friends because social situations scare the crap out of me (I can't build up the courage to join a zumba class again because I always worry people are talking about me) However I hope this year will be different. I'm adjusting my diet, cutting down on alcohol, decluttering my house and am going to try attend a Zumba class in the next couple of weeks (the idea sounds good right now but I almost always back out last minute) I'm in Perth, and would love to chat to someone who understands my situation!

...Gekota I’m so tired of hating my body (TW) vent
  • replies: 2

I wish I were normal. Everyday I look in a mirror and hate it. The amount of times I’ve been told I have to love myself or learn to I just want to scream I always want to scream but I never do. I’m so tired of seeing skinny people getting to wear wha... View more

I wish I were normal. Everyday I look in a mirror and hate it. The amount of times I’ve been told I have to love myself or learn to I just want to scream I always want to scream but I never do. I’m so tired of seeing skinny people getting to wear whatever they want or eat whatever they want and not care. I’m so tired of hating my body because I’m in a girls body and hating how my hips and my thighs and my butt will never be like a boys no matter how hard I try. I try so hard and it’s never enough because I will never be enough for myself. I hate how people call me a girl because of this body. “Miss” “she” “her” I’m so so so tired and there is never an end. Food I can’t stop thinking about food I want it to go away. I hate how I’m forced to eat I hate when I choose to eat. I was so skinny as a kid curve less and small and I was so happy I loved myself why couldn’t it have stayed that way. I hate looking a boys and wishing so badly I could be them. It’s so hard. I hate how I can’t go to a changing room at a shopping centre without having a panic attack and running out. I look at my older brother who will eat all this crap and is so skinny and tall and everything I wish I could be. I hate how for the past year i having been fearing the change in school uniform as I hate the way I look in the trousers but I can’t let myself pretend to be a girl for another year I hate how I stress about the shirts if I get the boys I’ll have to tuck it in and be reminded of my hips and my thighs and my body and my gender and if I get the girls shirt I’ll have to listen to how people call me a girl or how uncomfortable it feels to be in the girls uniform. I can’t wear trousers or jeans no matter the style because I hate the way my legs look in them and if it’s not my legs I hate the way my butt and hips stick out as they are so much larger then the rest of me. I reminder I will always be a girl. I can’t wear shorts because there either too short and I’m not ready to be stared at because of my scars or they don’t fit on my body because they were made for a male body. I can’t wear leggings or anything that appears to feminine as I will hate myself so much more. There is so much I hate. I just want to love me I want to love my body and not fear or break down over meals or run away and hide when people talk about weight I wish I were one of the many skinny people I see daily who can wear whatever they want because everything was made for them. I hate this world. I hate it so much.

Yerrrrrp Covid, news, phone and anxiety
  • replies: 5

Hi Everyone! I have found myself lately just constantly checking news websites, NSW health Covid updates etc. Constantly, it's like a compulsion if that's the right word. I just can't help it. I'm conscious I do it and I try not to but it just happen... View more

Hi Everyone! I have found myself lately just constantly checking news websites, NSW health Covid updates etc. Constantly, it's like a compulsion if that's the right word. I just can't help it. I'm conscious I do it and I try not to but it just happens. Covid is officially driving me insane. I'm buying stuff I really don't need. A few months ago I purchased oximeter, BP monitor, blood glucose monitor etc etc. I had no reason to really other than my anxiety. It was supposed to make me feel better but it just made me feel worse. Yesterday I purchased a whole load of vitamins that probably won't help me. Today I purchased 11 covid tests. I didn't need them but because they are almost impossible to get and I found some online, I purchased them. 11 was so I qualified for free shipping. I also have 4 kids so that's really only 2 tests each if we end up needing them so I don't think it's that greedy. I found myself about to checkout and thought 'nope, don't buy them, you don't need them' then 10 minutes later as I'm scrolling through the news I see another article about how hard the tests are to get so I went back on the website and paid for them. I didn't really want them, but I'm doing stuff like this and It's like I have no control over it. On the plus side my health anxiety is so high I cut right back on drinking and haven't had a drink today which is a kind of big thing because I drink wine like every night. Hopefully that helps. I'm planning on not buying any more cigarettes tomorrow. I work full time from home at the moment, ubereats driving and casual jobs when they come up on the weekend etc. I'm so exhausted and fed up with everyone and everything and now I'm covid obsessed. I don't know what I am hoping to achieve by writing this lol Sorry for saying 'I' and 'I'm' way too many times. Thanks for reading if you got to the end

Tryingtomoveon Anxiety constant physical symptoms
  • replies: 22

Hi Thanks for reading this post. I'm finding that when I feel more anxious I start getting really bad nausea,headaches and heart palpitations. I find it hard to find ways to stop these symptoms. I find they then increase my anxiety even more which be... View more

Hi Thanks for reading this post. I'm finding that when I feel more anxious I start getting really bad nausea,headaches and heart palpitations. I find it hard to find ways to stop these symptoms. I find they then increase my anxiety even more which becomes a vicious circle. I really don't know what to do I feel like I've tried it all mindfulness, breathing, walking, distraction but it just is so intense. I think what doesn't help is I'm unsure why my anxiety is increasing to cause this.

Louisezea Eating disorder /anxiety & moving to a new city advice
  • replies: 1

Hi all, I’ve moved to a to a new city for work and I’ve been struggling with dealing with an eating disorder + anxiety. It’s been 3 months since moving and I’m considering moving back, I feel unmotivated and struggling to find support. Im finding it ... View more

Hi all, I’ve moved to a to a new city for work and I’ve been struggling with dealing with an eating disorder + anxiety. It’s been 3 months since moving and I’m considering moving back, I feel unmotivated and struggling to find support. Im finding it hard to trust my gut, I’m not sure if moving is the right decision. I have been dealing with an eating disorder for the past 4 years and it’s becoming out of control, I’m not sure if it’s worth quitting work to seek help. Does anyone have any advice? Would appreciate it so much. Also has anyone else experienced depression/anxiety when moving to a new city?

DancingQueen18 Mask wearing Anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi, First Time poster, long time Anxiety and Depression sufferer. I have high functioning anxiety. I commute 5 hours a day (which makes me anxious by itself) for work and now with the mask wearing mandate in the office, my anxiety is through the roof... View more

Hi, First Time poster, long time Anxiety and Depression sufferer. I have high functioning anxiety. I commute 5 hours a day (which makes me anxious by itself) for work and now with the mask wearing mandate in the office, my anxiety is through the roof! I feel like I'm suffocating when I wear a mask for longer than a couple hours at a time. Is that weird? I have a phone appointment with my doctor on Friday to discuss my anxiety. Covid mandates have definitely made my anxiety worse.

River77 Throat issues and anxiety
  • replies: 9

Hi does anyone else suffer throat sensations due to anxiety? I have one particular spot deep in my throat that feels like lump that comes and goes, but what really scares me is some pinching pains I experienced, also ear ache and sensation in ear , j... View more

Hi does anyone else suffer throat sensations due to anxiety? I have one particular spot deep in my throat that feels like lump that comes and goes, but what really scares me is some pinching pains I experienced, also ear ache and sensation in ear , just one side of the face, and sometimes aches in that one spot or burns in the throat . So ,I saw ENT who couldn’t see nothing , swan done nothing, now I got from different doctor referral for U/S .... of course I fear cancer! Many thanks for your replies!

MissJ94 Dealing with social anxiety
  • replies: 3

How do i manage this? I have no friends, the only people i talk to are a couple family members. I cant maintain relationships because i panic that theyre hiding something or that theyre just going to let me go so i let them go first to avoid that hap... View more

How do i manage this? I have no friends, the only people i talk to are a couple family members. I cant maintain relationships because i panic that theyre hiding something or that theyre just going to let me go so i let them go first to avoid that happening, if that makes sense? All thanks to previous abusive relationships. I get very anxious even going to the shop. I have everything delivered or as click and collect to avoid being around people. I only do the click and collect if the delivery isnt available. I want friends, i want a social life, but this anxiety gets so bad. Even job interviews, ill have them locked in and then completely miss it without letting them know because of this anxiety! I have a job interview tomorrow, a job i REALLY am hoping on getting! Its literally a 5min walk for me. But im already having thoughts of just not turning up! Even going for a walk, i fear that people will see me and judge me, talk about me negatively. Every time im out i feel like everyones eyes are on me. Is it because im dressed funny? Because im overweight? Do i just look angry and thats why i feel like people stare? Do i walk weird or too fast? How is it possible to deal with it?