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

aj127 Struggling with anxiety and parents not believing me
  • replies: 3

cw: mentions eating struggles, anxiety and intrusive thoughts. I'm 15 years old and have been struggling with anxiety for years. I have had counsellors and a therapist diagnose me with quite severe anxiety but my parents do not believe it. I have pan... View more

cw: mentions eating struggles, anxiety and intrusive thoughts. I'm 15 years old and have been struggling with anxiety for years. I have had counsellors and a therapist diagnose me with quite severe anxiety but my parents do not believe it. I have panic attacks often and am struggling with stomach pains when I eat that are possibly anxiety related. I am also overly fixated on my weight and am struggling to get help, I'm stuck in a cycle of eating well and then not enough and thinking I need to gain weight and thinking I need to lose it. Although my parents don't believe me about the anxiety they try and help me by asking what I would like to eat and buying snacks I like and that are healthy to help me with eating. They seem to think I only feel like this because of covid and social isolation and assure me there is nothing wrong with me. I've also been struggling with intrusive thoughts and thoughts of self-harm when I mess up or remember an embarrassing moment but I'm not sure how to tell them about this. I also really can't see the school counselor as I've heard if you mention self-harm or eating struggles they tell your best friend, your year advisor, and your parents, I don't need things to be talked about by so many people. I'm just wondering is this an eating disorder or anxiety? I get pain while I'm eating am struggling to eat because of it.

Coconutblue Thought I had my Anxiety under control
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, Back in 2019 I had my first introduction to the good old panic attack!!! Nothing in my life at the time was really all that bad, I had a chest infection and was treated with antibiotics. While completing the course I thought I better sto... View more

Hi everyone, Back in 2019 I had my first introduction to the good old panic attack!!! Nothing in my life at the time was really all that bad, I had a chest infection and was treated with antibiotics. While completing the course I thought I better stop drinking wine so the effectiveness worked better. This made me realise I was in fact self medicating with alcohol and have never felt worse...... up until last week where I was at work picking up a parcel from our mailroom and BANG, I instantly felt dizzy, sick, sweaty and shaky. I had had lunch and drink a fair amount of water. Dr ruled out medical issues from blood tests and had an ultrasound on my upper abdo. As I had been experiencing contraction like pain a few times. She has up'd my medication which Im happy to try and see if that makes a difference but I also feel deep down I know my own body and dont feel like something is 100% quite right. Has anyone else experienced a period of 2 or so years with no panic or severe anxiety for it to just pop back out of the blue? I feel like im going mad not knowing whats gotten me feeling these physical symptoms. sorry for the long post and thank you in advance

RedRocket My thoughts on anxiety
  • replies: 5

Like many people, I find myself struggling with my own mental health as of recent. I have been trying to self rationalise why that is the case, what lead me here and how its become what it is. Lifestyle changes, Covid lockdowns, amongst other factors... View more

Like many people, I find myself struggling with my own mental health as of recent. I have been trying to self rationalise why that is the case, what lead me here and how its become what it is. Lifestyle changes, Covid lockdowns, amongst other factors no doubt, are all relevant to the question. How do you describe it? Is it a feeling, a thought, an emotion, or a collection of all three? I find it best described as almost like being out of equilibrium with your baseline sense of feeling. Needlessly feeling an impending sense of distress or dread, that ebbs and flows, and at times can spiral, no matter how much you want to fight it. Why? That's the million dollar question, there's no observable, or logical reason, it just is. Ordinarily this could be self managed I believe, however the physical symptoms and frequency are what make it harder to manage from someone untrained to deal with their own mental discomfort. The chest tightness, the trembling limbs, sensations of tingling, intermittent hot flashes, and de-realisation, which I'm sure you have all been there, or felt something similar. The worry of when they will come next, will they come when you are at work? Will they jeopardies your relationships? Will they never stop coming? And the worry spirals. Oh and don't forget the impending sense of the heart attack, which no matter how many times you go through it, never comes, thankfully haha. Funny that, it never comes, yet you feel the same way each time, well at least you know what it isn't for next time! As an individual with no history of mental health issues, or significant clinical triggers, it has taken me by surprise. "It wont be me, I've always been stronger than that, I have mental resilience" That's what you tell yourself at first, and then you finally come to the realisation it never mattered, how "strong" you perceived yourself, mental health is not something you can brute force or totally prevent. You can only mitigate it, as best as you understand how. Ultimately this realisation has led to me to search for answers, self diagnosis is never the right option, as such seeking out a professional is going to be the next step. The most frustrating part, funnily enough, is not that likelihood of having some form of mental health issue, but that not knowing what it is, or why it is, only what it might be. I believe some sense of catharsis will come from identifying it clinically. Thanks for taking the time to read this, we're all gonna make it!

Justin95 Life of hope
  • replies: 3

Just read about a book about reincarnation. I get Anxiety just thinking about it, what if I become a Chicken or a Fish when i perish. Such thoughts torment me. What if I did bad things in my lifetime and have to suffer for it in the Afterlife. Life i... View more

Just read about a book about reincarnation. I get Anxiety just thinking about it, what if I become a Chicken or a Fish when i perish. Such thoughts torment me. What if I did bad things in my lifetime and have to suffer for it in the Afterlife. Life is so short we don’t know what comes after. I hope the people that made fun of me would be reincarnated into a caged chiken. What are your thoughts about reincarnation.

Darthrivia Working with anxiety
  • replies: 6

Hello everyone, I have never posted in here before. So hey! I wanted to bring up working with anxiety & depression. I’ve been diagnosed with both and it’s ruining my career. Well, the last two jobs I’ve had I personally hate and it’s not for me natur... View more

Hello everyone, I have never posted in here before. So hey! I wanted to bring up working with anxiety & depression. I’ve been diagnosed with both and it’s ruining my career. Well, the last two jobs I’ve had I personally hate and it’s not for me naturally which of course triggers my anxiety and then I just don’t want to go because my brain is like “oh just stay home then!” Instantly I feel better I’m at home in my comfort zone with my pets and my gaming and then the guilt sets in that I’ve lost income and my amazing supportive partner is busting his ass off at work. I started this job back in April and I’ve had more days off then days I’ve actually been there. I just called in for the rest of the week which is a pathetic 3 days that I can’t even bring myself to go to. I know I need to find something in my field I’ll enjoy. I got a possible opportunity in the gaming/IT sector which I think will be great for me. It’s just very hard to get into without experience. And studying costs a lot and I’ve made that hard on myself by not working much. Sorry for rambling and I hope that made sense. Does this happen for anyone else here? The never wanting to go to work? Always calling in sick? Looking forward to hearing everyone’s stories and opinions. Thanks for taking the time to read

Anon111 Severe Anxiety from friendship betrayal
  • replies: 7

Hello all, I’m new here and just needing some support after trying to book in to see someone but there is nothing available I’m struggling with sever anxiety after my best friend/roommate/business partner betrayed me. It’s a long story but it hurts a... View more

Hello all, I’m new here and just needing some support after trying to book in to see someone but there is nothing available I’m struggling with sever anxiety after my best friend/roommate/business partner betrayed me. It’s a long story but it hurts a lot. I told her everything I was feeling when I found out, she took it on board and actually took some accountability and promised to change - even seeking professional help. I feel like I was so happy about her wanting to changed that I pushed all my pain down so I could focus on her. This was a couple of weeks ago and now all the betrayal trauma is resurfacing and I just don’t know how to cope. I’ve been struggling to sleep, eat and focus. I had adhd as well which already doesn’t help with these things. I was having a mental breakdown at work the other day and I messaged her and told her how I was really struggling and her reply just seemed fake and ingenuine. She hasn’t asked me how I am doing once, it’s like she’s forgotten what she did and doesn’t seem to see the impact it’s had on me. I somehow feel like I’m the one walking on egg shells, worried that every thing I say or do is going to annoy her. I feel like she thinks I’m weak for showing emotions so I just have to keep them inside until I just can’t anymore. I can feel her passiveness and I hate it, I overthink enough as it is and it’s just unfair that I’m the one who has to feel like this when she wronged me We had just started a business together months before I found out about the betrayal, and I just don’t want to throw away all the work I’ve put into it. We also have a lease together, and our lives are just so intertwined so I really wanna make this work but I dont know how. Im just left feeling anxious, angry and trapped. Does anyone have any tips on dealing with betrayal trauma and the severe anxiety it brings? thank you so much ☺️

Hello_you Workplace pressures
  • replies: 4

Hello just needed somewhere to express. I recently had a workplace altercations with a colleague. I’ve never been spoken to rudely like it before in a workplace and it has really hurt. I just couldn’t hold back my tears and spent the day crying, many... View more

Hello just needed somewhere to express. I recently had a workplace altercations with a colleague. I’ve never been spoken to rudely like it before in a workplace and it has really hurt. I just couldn’t hold back my tears and spent the day crying, many people saw me including senior people. I feel so embarrassed and now questioning the whole scenario and just can’t stop thinking about it. I have to go to work tomorrow and just feeling so anxious about going and worried what everyone is thinking. I’m really worried it has affected my chances of gaining ongoing appointment. I just feel so embarrassed and up to standard of everyone else

BballJ Anxiety and worry
  • replies: 3

Hi all, Been a long time since I have posted on here - over 2 years to be exact. Hope everyone is well as we know how much the world has changed in 2 years. I wanted to log back in and ask a question regarding anxiety and symptoms. Specifically this ... View more

Hi all, Been a long time since I have posted on here - over 2 years to be exact. Hope everyone is well as we know how much the world has changed in 2 years. I wanted to log back in and ask a question regarding anxiety and symptoms. Specifically this - do you find if you are worried about something health related, your anxiety almost makes your symptoms worse, as if they are always there niggling you cause your mind is always focused on it. You work or talk to friends or do something that may distract you but in the back of your mind the symptoms you are worried about are nagging at you? Just curious if anxiety can make symptoms worse. Hope everyone is doing well. My best, Jay

Daydream Running out of options
  • replies: 3

Long term (20yrs) anxiety and depression but treatment resistant. Ive tried everything.. all kinds of med and med cocktails. Some played havoc with appetite and weight . Course of TMS didnt work. The anxiety is worse than ever atm ! Can barely functi... View more

Long term (20yrs) anxiety and depression but treatment resistant. Ive tried everything.. all kinds of med and med cocktails. Some played havoc with appetite and weight . Course of TMS didnt work. The anxiety is worse than ever atm ! Can barely function. What next???

RoadToRecovery1001 Destroying my life
  • replies: 5

I'm currently sitting here reeling over my decision from yesterday. I was all set to start a new and exciting role in a great company but became overwhelmed with fear, insecurity and self-doubt and backed out at the last moment. I worked so hard to g... View more

I'm currently sitting here reeling over my decision from yesterday. I was all set to start a new and exciting role in a great company but became overwhelmed with fear, insecurity and self-doubt and backed out at the last moment. I worked so hard to get to the point of being offered the role too. I interviewed long and hard over several months for what I thought was the perfect role. Now I've resigned from my old job and have no new job to go to. This isn't a reversible decision either. I was a good performer in my old role but didn't get along with my manager and certainly can’t go back there. I’ve disappointed my new employer, my family and most importantly myself. I see so much wasted potential when I look at mysel. A degree that I squandered because I acted to late, failed relationships and failure to develop into the person I want to be. I'm in my early 30's now and am changing jobs every couple of years. I have no clear goals, no direction and am just drifting around aimlessly. I'm currently alone and have no one to talk to. I'm genuinely terrified that I have destroyed my life. I feel so upset. I can’t get a grip on my extreme anxiety around change and keep self-sabotaging myself. I have completely missed the boat of life’s opportunities. Career, marriage, friendships are all rapidly disappearing from me.