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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. Remeber, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anixiety 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 you 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 worthile 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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Hannah_Georgia Anxiety: feeling guilty about it, apologising and feeling stupid.
  • replies: 2

Hello, I am struggling with anxiety (diagnosed GAD and medicated) yesterday I had my first anxiety attack in months. I’ve been so good at managing it but yesterday at work i cracked and had to step away from my job for a moment to compose my self and... View more

Hello, I am struggling with anxiety (diagnosed GAD and medicated) yesterday I had my first anxiety attack in months. I’ve been so good at managing it but yesterday at work i cracked and had to step away from my job for a moment to compose my self and get the tears under control and asked my supervisor to step in briefly. I was able to get back to work and continue my shift. However I feel awful about it, I'm embarrassed, guilty and uncomfortable and feel that I’m m incapable of working with my anxiety. But I’ve made the call to get a referral to get some more therapy sessions.

Rotang Is this anxiety. I feel sick to my stomach
  • replies: 12

Hi, so i’m new but i’m really seeking advice and some support… i compete in high levels of horse riding. this weekend i recently was in my competition and did something that embarrassed myself and everyone around me to the point that i couldn’t even ... View more

Hi, so i’m new but i’m really seeking advice and some support… i compete in high levels of horse riding. this weekend i recently was in my competition and did something that embarrassed myself and everyone around me to the point that i couldn’t even look at anyone because everyone saw it happen. it was my own fault, and it shouldn’t have happened but it did and i let myself down and the people i ride for down. i don’t know what to do with myself. the people i was around were telling me mistakes happen and that’s the only we i can learn and that i need to learn how to overcome my nerves in the competition and in general. since the incident happened, i have felt sick to my stomach. my throat feels so tight and my heart is pounding all the time. i don’t want to eat and i barely want to speak about what’s going on. i feel like i’m in a hole and i’ve tried so much to make myself stop feeling like this but nothing seems to be helping. i’ve missed school today because i simply cannot pull myself together enough. please help me abs give me advice. i’m really in a puddle.

Megz90 Health anxiety please help!!
  • replies: 6

Hi. I haven’t posted in here for a while. I suffer with bad heath anxiety, the last couple months ive have been getting facial flushes so i went onto google to try find what could be causing them and i came across something really bad and when i read... View more

Hi. I haven’t posted in here for a while. I suffer with bad heath anxiety, the last couple months ive have been getting facial flushes so i went onto google to try find what could be causing them and i came across something really bad and when i read it about it my anxiety just washed all over my body, i went to my GP the next day about it and she said she doesn’t think its that but she done some blood tests to try ease my anxiety, she called the other day with my results and its come back with high cortisol so she has now said she thinks i have something called Cushing’s syndrome, which has scared the absolute crap out of me. i am on medication to help but it isn’t working yet, every morning i wake up i can feel the anxiety wash over me. I can’t even leave the house, it’s impacting my whole life and I don’t know what to do. Please someone help me.

roseisanxious social anxiety and fear of the future
  • replies: 4

Hi, this is my first ever thread. I've always been a really shy kid but starting from around last year, my social anxiety has become really diffifult to deal with. I have absolutely no friends, no family friends that I'm actually close with, no schoo... View more

Hi, this is my first ever thread. I've always been a really shy kid but starting from around last year, my social anxiety has become really diffifult to deal with. I have absolutely no friends, no family friends that I'm actually close with, no school friends and no work friends because I don't have a job. (I can't even get a job because of how nervous I get). I've always had problems making friends. I can't even do simple things such as talking on the phone or ordering food without having a nervous breakdown. I also get terrible grades. I tell myself it's because of my social anxiety but in reality it's just my procrastination and laziness. This year school has mostly been in online learning, but even during online presentations, I have bad panic attacks (sweating, nausea, tingling, feelig dizzy, etc.) and most of the time I have to ask to do my presentation privately. I also feel like my teachers hate me because of my bad grades and lack of contribution in class. I can't even write emails without getting nervous. Another thing that's constantly on my mind is how I'm going to survive independantly in the future and if I'm ever going to find love. I'm scared that I won't be excepted into any university because of my bad grades, even though my parents are extremely strict about it. I also feel like lately I've become a really cynical person and that love feels completely out of reach for me. I can't tell if I'm depressed because I don't necessarily feel sad all the time, but sometimes I just feel hopeless and like I'm just floating on the planet and have no purpose. Sorry for the long paragraph, I just feel really overwhelmed with all my thoughts about school and life in general. I feel like there's still more to my thoughts that I can't explain properly.

JacintaMarie Anxiety hitting again
  • replies: 31

Hi again, my next thread, I went to sleep but now at 2:44am my anxiety has arrived again, I did something at work wrong and I hate myself for doing the wrong thing, I've lost perspective so I don't know if it's important or will fix itself. I wish I ... View more

Hi again, my next thread, I went to sleep but now at 2:44am my anxiety has arrived again, I did something at work wrong and I hate myself for doing the wrong thing, I've lost perspective so I don't know if it's important or will fix itself. I wish I would stop, I tell my brain to calm down but it doesn't. One of my triggers is making a mistake at work, of stuffing up, of not slowing down. I am annoyed at myself for doing it and hate that I seem to keep on doing it. Thank you for letting me get this out,

BlueeBird Social anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi, gosh I am so sick of having this horrible feeling that if I leave the house something bad, embarrassing is going to happen to me. Like people are going to judge me and laugh at me. I just wanted to take my dog for a walk and my anxiety today was ... View more

Hi, gosh I am so sick of having this horrible feeling that if I leave the house something bad, embarrassing is going to happen to me. Like people are going to judge me and laugh at me. I just wanted to take my dog for a walk and my anxiety today was through the roof… I feel like every day it’s a constant battle with myself and my own brain, to do the most simple things in life such as walking my dog on a beautiful day. My brain gives me this idea: “it’s a beautiful day to walk your dog go outside” also my brain:”no don’t go it’s not safe! People will judge you, what if something bad happens to your dog or you? It’s safer to stay at home!” me after deciding to stay at home coz I’m sick and tired of battling with my anxiety… my brain at the end of the day:” wow you are so lazy and unproductive, why didn’t you take the dog for a walk the poor thing probably wanted to get out today you are such a loser” UGHHHHH Im so sick of my own self like stop, every single day is a battle why does it have to be so hard. some days are definitely easier than others, but today sucked.

James d Chronic pain and anxiety
  • replies: 7

Hi newbie here wonder if anyone has had a similar experience that I am having it started around 10 months ago with a sharp stabbing pain right side of lower back happen a few times like when get up from sitting down or getting out of bed when moving ... View more

Hi newbie here wonder if anyone has had a similar experience that I am having it started around 10 months ago with a sharp stabbing pain right side of lower back happen a few times like when get up from sitting down or getting out of bed when moving take your breath away kind of pain ever since that happened I have had aching/ discomfort on my right side ribs front and back that radiates around to right abdomen under ribs it’s worse when sitting in the car feels like something pushing up to rib at front but nothing there have had every test under the sun and all come back ok only a bit of degenerative wear and tear spinal area doctors etc saying it’s muscoskeletal pain had chiro / physio/ massage with only minor relief my anxiety is through the roof it just won’t go away it’s affecting my life dramatically I don’t know what to do if anyone else has similar please reply

Thommo1163 The spiralling feeling is circling again
  • replies: 11

I have thread on why I am here and whats been happening. Right now though I am back living in me head which I need to shake. A friend has offered me a job as a courier driver. I already feel like I let him down because I was supposed to start last Mo... View more

I have thread on why I am here and whats been happening. Right now though I am back living in me head which I need to shake. A friend has offered me a job as a courier driver. I already feel like I let him down because I was supposed to start last Monday but circumstances (see other thread) prevented me. I was supposed to go with him today to run through the job and be shown what to do. He just called to say things are slow so he isn't going out. He then tells me he can probably give me 3hrs of sorting & maybe 3 hrs on the road. I immediately started thinking that he is just doing it to help me out & doesn't really need me. My wife asked what was wrong and I told her and she just said don't worry, he is being a good friend. She could see I wa internalising everything again. For all that is happening between us, i know she loves me, I know she cares for me. Thats her default position and a reason for her wanting space, because she gets drawn back into looking after me mode. Probably why she has reached out to a male friend for comfort, or in my anxious case, a new destination. How can I fail in a courier job. I am a more than capable human being that has built things, been the boss in jobs, run a household for 20yrs bringing up fantastic children. Yet here I am in the garage crying in fear, with my wife walking in and defaulting back to nurture mode telling me everything will be ok. She finally got me to smile and say I have got this. My default was to then tell her I love her. Which puts pressure on her wanting space. Got to get out of me head. Every issue that drags me back there ends up with me defaulting back how important my marriage is to my, how much I love my wife and then how do I cope when/if she does go. Vicious cycle. Time to put some music on, maybe even sing out loud. I have never sung before the other night. When ever it was time to sing happy birthday to the kids I would avoid it by taking a photo, or lighting the candles. I let them down by not being a part of it. 2 nights ago I was wide awake after midnight and decided I would record myself singing love songs that meant something, for my wife and sent them to her. Didn't get the response I was after but i then sent them to my kids and got nothing but praise. I have taken 2 little steps, towards progress alone. I just have to avoid little things taking back into living inside my head, its not a pretty place.

loveyourself9 Health anxiety in lockdown
  • replies: 2

I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder in 2019, my anxiety has turned into health anxiety, every physical symptom I've become afraid of. I don't know how to differentiate between normal bodily functions or if something is bad. My intrusive... View more

I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder in 2019, my anxiety has turned into health anxiety, every physical symptom I've become afraid of. I don't know how to differentiate between normal bodily functions or if something is bad. My intrusive thoughts have gotten way worse. I got the first dose of the vaccine, and hearing the side effects and all these health related things has made me have this health anxiety. This talk happens literally every day and now it's just always in my head. Recently my dad showed me a video of this guy working out and said he died in his sleep, now I'm scared to fall asleep every day. I even exercised yesterday to help reduce my anxiety, but my brain always finds a way to believe the worst case scenario will happen. I've never seen a therapist because my dad is against it. I got a mental health plan referral in 2019 which took 6 months to get back to me, and when they did my dad said I didn't need it. I was crushed. However my sister saw a therapist in 2020 which helped her a lot, it makes me want to see one more because I've been battling this alone for so long. I always say I'm okay and put on this brave face because I don't want to worry anyone or make the situation worse. Next week I'm going to try and see my university counsellor for the first time to help with my issues, because I know I really need help. It's taken a lot for me to write this and come to term with all these thoughts that stay in my head all the time. Any help or reassurance that I can live through this is appreciated, I just want to feel okay again.

Coco18-8 Big step
  • replies: 5

Hi, a bit of backstory I have had some form of anxiety surround me for the past year. So I decided to take the step and tell my mum that I think I may need to see someone. Her reaction was mild she was ok with it but it was a brief conversation. I ca... View more

Hi, a bit of backstory I have had some form of anxiety surround me for the past year. So I decided to take the step and tell my mum that I think I may need to see someone. Her reaction was mild she was ok with it but it was a brief conversation. I can’t help but feel even worse and more alone then I did before I told her. It took everything in me to tell her and now that I have I kind of regret it.I feel stupid and I feel like she thinks I’m being dramatic. I just really thought a weight would’ve been lifted of my chest yet I feel like more pressure has been placed on me.