Support
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 conversation

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 conversation

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 conversation

Cheese_louise Are they being harsh or am I not believing in myself hard enough?
  • replies: 2

Alot of poeple think and spread the wrong meaning of agoraphobia. They think it means to be afraid of the outside or people. But that's social anxiety.Agoraphobia is a fear of experiencing anxiety and panic attacks, outside of your comfort spaces.I a... View more

Alot of poeple think and spread the wrong meaning of agoraphobia. They think it means to be afraid of the outside or people. But that's social anxiety.Agoraphobia is a fear of experiencing anxiety and panic attacks, outside of your comfort spaces.I also have emetophobia, which is a fear of puking and fainting.If I experience anything like nausea, faint, extremely cold or extremely hot, thirst, muscle pain, bone ache, cramps, ect ect.I go into anxiety.And if that happens outside of my comfort space (in my case, my house) I quite literally go into overdrive.Today, I was supposed to go on a 3 hour away Airbnb for a family trip. The weather was 34°C.I only made it about 30 minutes into the drive, before I had multiple consecutive panic attacks in a spam of minutes.That is the worst it's ever been.I convinced my family to turn back.I tried to get them to go without me, but they refuse and are mad because I won't change my mind.I want to take baby steps. I want to go slow.This seems like too many steps all at once.And after all those panic attacks, I am burnt out. I can't handle change anymore than I just did.I need a break in between these types of events.I want to try again as time goes by, but this was already a big step.Im currently at home experiencing a panic attack hangover (small bounts of anxiety after a panic attack).My anxiety won't stop.My family is telling me that I have to push myself past this anxiety so that I can get better.But I'm afraid that if I push myself any more than I did, my anxiety will just get worse and I'll be in a place that's not my home, having that anxiety.The furthest I've been in my journey to recovery, is an hour drive to eat out for my dads birthday, and taking a train ride to the city for my sister's birthday.I had anxiety with both, but never did I have it this bad.I don't know if it's because it wasn't hot or because I knew I was coming back home in a hour or 2.I don't know what to do. I feel like my anxiety has come back to square one and I have to do everything all over again after this incident.My dad also told me that I have to make it up to my mum for missing out on the trip. Which made me sob because I already feel guilty for making her stay back and for making the others miss one day of their 5 day trip.They are all clearly mad but only my younger brother and Older sister are being nice. Which I appreciate, but I feel so horrible.

NKO I’m tired of not knowing
  • replies: 1

I feel like I have the laundry list ADHD, anxiety, depression, panic disorder and therapist is telling me it’s likely I have autism and going through burnout. I barely get through a day without a panic attack. Some days they are bad. I am changing me... View more

I feel like I have the laundry list ADHD, anxiety, depression, panic disorder and therapist is telling me it’s likely I have autism and going through burnout. I barely get through a day without a panic attack. Some days they are bad. I am changing meds and have not settled yet. I can’t see the end of it. I don’t know if I can keep on trying.

Jaxx Overwhelming guilt and shame
  • replies: 2

I made a mistake that negatively impacted someone else and indirectly led to the person ruining their own life. While i didnt have control of the choices they made, i feel it is all my fault, because if i hadnt done what i did, they wouldnt have done... View more

I made a mistake that negatively impacted someone else and indirectly led to the person ruining their own life. While i didnt have control of the choices they made, i feel it is all my fault, because if i hadnt done what i did, they wouldnt have done what they did. In other words their life would not be ruined if it wasnt for me. I feel overwhelming guilt, anxious and sick every day. I am constantly thinking about it. I feel ashamed of the mistake and guilty for the ultimate impact it had.

Aneeta-Karan Recommendations?? best cat food for new pet parent?
  • replies: 1

hi everyone! i’m planning on adopting my first cat soon (so excited!!) and i’ve been doing research, but i’d love to hear some real advice from actual cat parents.i’m looking for recommendations on the best cat food for indoor cats: something that’s ... View more

hi everyone! i’m planning on adopting my first cat soon (so excited!!) and i’ve been doing research, but i’d love to hear some real advice from actual cat parents.i’m looking for recommendations on the best cat food for indoor cats: something that’s healthy, helps with hairballs, and keeps them at a good weight. wet food? dry food? both? brands you trust?

Seeking_help28 I made a bad choice and now I can’t stop feeling guilt and shame
  • replies: 1

I made a bad choice at work. I shared something with another co worker that I shouldn’t have and feel it will result in tension in the workplace. For context myself and co-worker 1 had a conversation a few months ago, where co-worker 1 made a negativ... View more

I made a bad choice at work. I shared something with another co worker that I shouldn’t have and feel it will result in tension in the workplace. For context myself and co-worker 1 had a conversation a few months ago, where co-worker 1 made a negative comment about another co-worker (co-worker 2). It has not been brought up again but the other day I let it slip to a different co-worker what co-worker 1 said and they have now told the co-worker 2 that was negatively spoken about. I have since spoken to the co-worker 2 and apologised for spreading information that related to them and offered to speak to all affected parties to admit to my mistake and make sure they knew it was my fault but they told me not to and to just forget about it. I know it was a negative thing that co-worker 1 said but I feel like I betrayed their trust and this may ruin our relationship as I know they did not intend anything in out conversation to spread to other team members. I have been feeling guilty and horrible all weekend and don’t know if I should still apologise to co-worker 1 even though co-worker 2 told me not to.

partyallthetime like what it is this? why am i this way, pls?
  • replies: 3

i don't understand why i react the way i do. i don't understand why i act and hurt other people the way i do. i’m not particularly suicidal; i just need advice, help and hope please. i didn't see the sun today.i sat inside all saturday, watching flea... View more

i don't understand why i react the way i do. i don't understand why i act and hurt other people the way i do. i’m not particularly suicidal; i just need advice, help and hope please. i didn't see the sun today.i sat inside all saturday, watching fleabag and new girl.i'd like to change someone's life, to really pinpoint meaning into somebody else's life, to be a pillar of change.but i don't know how to do that, and i don't know how to change. i feel like everything else is beautiful in its way, and i think maybe i should get a penpal, in prison or something, and be grateful for all that i have.even when i'm trying to be grateful, i feel selfish, comparing my life to somebody else. i feel this weird mixture of extreme loneliness, but extreme gratitude for all the love i'm recieving in this mess.gratitude is all i have to give i could go to this party next weekfull of people that i'm scared of, that i think hate meand the boy that i'm on at the moment, that i kinda likebut i'm kind of scared of i'm scared because i don't know anythingi never know how people really feeland i had a dream that he told me that he was angry at me, because we did something really vulnerable, and then i kept hiding from speaking about it i heard he likes me, and i validated that physically, before i knew he liked mebut i don't know how i feel about him my two best friends, at school, last week cut me off.they didnt really.one called me to talk about the issues we'd been havingand then i sent things in a similar direction with the other,that we're just not that similar anymore, or that good for eachother.and then i walked away from everyone and sat alone.because that felt like the only choice i hadeven though i have a million choicesi shape my reality. i box myself into this silence everyday.where do i go from here?when i think everybody already dislikes me,and i'm so anxious i cant speak,and i'm now alonewhere do i go from here?

Guest_10307 Out of place
  • replies: 16

I have always struggled with thoughts people just don't like me. I overthink every interaction, examine every facial expression, everything said in every conversation and my head tells me- 'We don't like you, your boring- if you were to disappear tom... View more

I have always struggled with thoughts people just don't like me. I overthink every interaction, examine every facial expression, everything said in every conversation and my head tells me- 'We don't like you, your boring- if you were to disappear tomorrow we wouldn't care." I burn myself out trying to people please - and I always need perfection from myself. I judge myself, even writing this- and by the time it's actually published (if I eventually hit post) you can guarantee its been re-written 50 times because I wasn't happy with how I portray myself. So with these two factors in play, I am so lonely- yet in a social setting often too scared to speak because the perfectionist in me doesn't want to say the wrong thing.

Guest_10343 The 3am club: What helps you get back to sleep? #Nighttime Anxiety
  • replies: 12

I’m currently writing this after another night of waking up at 3am with my mind racing. It seems to be the time when all my worries decide to hold a committee meeting! I know I’m not alone in this (unfortunately), so I wanted to ask: What is your #1 ... View more

I’m currently writing this after another night of waking up at 3am with my mind racing. It seems to be the time when all my worries decide to hold a committee meeting! I know I’m not alone in this (unfortunately), so I wanted to ask: What is your #1 trick for quieting your mind when you wake up anxious? I’ve been trying box breathing (breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4), which helps a little, but I’d love to hear what works for you guys. Even if it's just getting up and making tea. Thanks for listening.

Toms_Mum Anxiety and physical symptoms
  • replies: 3

Hi, I suffer from really bad anxiety and health anxiety. I want to know does anyone else suffer from chronic chest pain/pressure? I'm not sure what is causing it. It doesn't go away anymore. I've had lots of tests which don't show any cause. I also g... View more

Hi, I suffer from really bad anxiety and health anxiety. I want to know does anyone else suffer from chronic chest pain/pressure? I'm not sure what is causing it. It doesn't go away anymore. I've had lots of tests which don't show any cause. I also get really bad nausea that makes me bedridden for days. I get awfully fatigued too. Lots of other weird symptoms too.

Frankie7878 Hardest mornings
  • replies: 3

I've started feeling anxious the past 2 weeks. Out of nowhere I feel shaky and like my heart is racing. I don't feel depressed but I feel in panic mode most of the time. I'm tired and struggle to eat.Sometimes all of a sudden later in the day or even... View more

I've started feeling anxious the past 2 weeks. Out of nowhere I feel shaky and like my heart is racing. I don't feel depressed but I feel in panic mode most of the time. I'm tired and struggle to eat.Sometimes all of a sudden later in the day or evening I all of a sudden feel about 85% better.I'm doing breathing techniques, tapping techniques and trauma release exercises which sometimes help a little, sometimes make me cry which actually makes me feel better. I know I have past trauma and need to deal with it. I have booked in with a psychologist but that's 6 weeks away. So the waiting time is scarey because feeling like this is debilitating. I'm usually upbeat and optimistic, however I'm usually the strong one and I guess I never make time for myself. This year has been particularly hard, adding in my father almost dying 3 times and me having to perform resuscitation plus I'm nursing my dog as he's in the end times. Just wish there was some relief.

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright � 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map