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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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bellyk8 Debilitating social anxiety
  • replies: 10

I'm reaching out because i want to know if there's anyone that shares my level of social anxiety (to the point that it interferes with everyday life and has for years). I find it difficult to maintain eye contact with people that are talking to me, t... View more

I'm reaching out because i want to know if there's anyone that shares my level of social anxiety (to the point that it interferes with everyday life and has for years). I find it difficult to maintain eye contact with people that are talking to me, to the extent that i cannot fully focus on what they're saying to me because i'm so anxious + heavily focused on maintaining eye contact with them. I avoid social events at all cost (which means that i don't have much of a social life but i am introverted so that doesn't bother me heaps), if i have to go to them (family or work related event) i will dread it for days ahead of the event, if there is alcohol involved i use that as a bandaid effect to ease the severe discomfort i experience. If i find myself in a group setting with people or even going to the shops and see someone i know i will enter fight or flight mode and shut down mentally/physically, like i can't even function properly. There is so much more i can say but basically i am sick of feeling like i have to hide all the time and be severely distressed by things that any normal person would not be in their everyday life, and i shouldn't be in fight/flight mode over. I feel isolated at work because i don't actively engage with my coworkers (unless it is a work related question) to avoid the anxiety that comes with making small talk or banter (i'll avoid the lunch room and go out for a walk at lunch). I also used to wear sunglasses when working in an outdoor job often to avoid direct eye contact which made me feel much more at ease. I know all these coping mechanisms are not healthy, but i have been like this for years. I don't know what triggered the social anxiety, i was a shy person in school and only stuck to one or two friends, never groups of people. I understand that exposure therapy seems to be the only way out of SAD (i am medicated for anxiety however it doesn't seem to have an effect on my SAD), but i feel like at my age (33), being in the workforce and having a partner etc, it should have dissipated? I know rationally that there is nothing to fear from people talking to me but i can't help it. I should also note that my partner is pretty much the only person that i don't struggle / think about eye maintaining contact with. One psychologist asked if i thought i might be autistic, but i am fairly sure it is social anxiety. If anyone out there is going through the same thing please know you're not alone.

grovi I had a car accident
  • replies: 4

And it was entirely my own fault. I tried crossing two lanes of traffic on a street that I've done it a million times before. It was really busy and a guy opened up a gap for me. I was so focussed on missing an accident in those later lanes that i fo... View more

And it was entirely my own fault. I tried crossing two lanes of traffic on a street that I've done it a million times before. It was really busy and a guy opened up a gap for me. I was so focussed on missing an accident in those later lanes that i forgot for an instant to double check the closest ones which seemed completely clear. Noone was hurt, and there was only really minor damage to the cars. I just didn't see him. The insurance has accepted all claims but I'm still so wrecked with guilt over the situation. I'm so ashamed that I can't bring myself to tell anyone. I'm so scared to get back in the car because I'm paranoid that I'll miss something somehow. And I'm so scared that this is going to become one of those things that just stays with me for years and years to come. I have had major issues with guilt / shame anxiety in the past. It's partially the lack of personal concequence that's really messing with me. Everything ended so neatly and almost too well. I am thankful for this but at the same time I feel as though I should have been fined, punished somehow. On the one hand I feel as though I deserve to have this anxiety, but I don't know how to stop feeling this way, and I really don't think I can handle dwelling on this kind of shame again for as long as I did last time.

Guest_10063 OCD Advice
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I've been recently diagnosed with OCD and sometimes finding it hard. My obsessions sometimes are if I don't do a compulsion that I will be cursed and forever think about that compulsion. I have been doing good at home dealing with my obs... View more

Hi everyone, I've been recently diagnosed with OCD and sometimes finding it hard. My obsessions sometimes are if I don't do a compulsion that I will be cursed and forever think about that compulsion. I have been doing good at home dealing with my obsessions and compulsions but now I find when I leave home, I am sometimes obsessed about things outside, like not walking over something correctly, the way I look at things and when I am driving if I see things, sometimes I need to turn back around and look at them again. It gives me a lot of anxiety; I am working with a psychologist and psychiatrist at the moment and trialing medication for the anxiety. I also sometimes hate doing things on certain numbers. I was wondering if anyone else may have the same obsessions as me or is dealing with a high level of OCD that could probably give me some advice. I do know a lot of it starts when I am angry or stressed and I try to deal with that emotion and identify it, we are doing exposure therapy and making slow progress, but I had a massive break down yesterday where I broke down crying saying how much I hate having this disorder. So, if anyone is going through OCD themselves or have managed to control it, I would love to hear from you and any advice you may have will be great. Thank you Kindly

Guest_10046 Stress
  • replies: 1

Hi all, I finally got the courage to get up and go to the doctor's office to ask about what places or websites support anxiety disorder, panic attacks and to get more information. I am 18 years old and female. Because I am constantly stressing and ha... View more

Hi all, I finally got the courage to get up and go to the doctor's office to ask about what places or websites support anxiety disorder, panic attacks and to get more information. I am 18 years old and female. Because I am constantly stressing and having anxiety attacks, my youngest sister is 12 years old and she weighs similar to me. Everyone always says something about how "skinny" I am, they will always make comments saying, "you wouldn't even make a shadow", or "you are thinner than a piece of paper". It can be very hurtful, and I can't ever seem to put on weight, I eat so much but never put any weight. I went and got my blood drawn yesterday so I am hoping that my results will come back all good. I would like to see if anyone else struggles with putting weight on? Also I have stopped eating foods that I usually love to eat and enjoy and I only eat maybe if I am lucky to get hungry. I will eat a small packet of cookies, a honey sandwich, and a packet of chips. I want to know any other ways to put weight on or improve my anxiety. Thanks. Charlimay04.

Guest_45740814 Blackout
  • replies: 1

Hello there,I have always been someone who worries a lot. Lately I have been so overwhelmed that I feel like everything goes black for a second and I feel like I have to close my eyes to make it stop. Has this ever happened to anyone else, am I forge... View more

Hello there,I have always been someone who worries a lot. Lately I have been so overwhelmed that I feel like everything goes black for a second and I feel like I have to close my eyes to make it stop. Has this ever happened to anyone else, am I forgetting to breathe or is this physiological? Any suggestions would be welcome

artiste9909 How to deal with Family Going Overseas.
  • replies: 1

Hello guys, I’ve been going through a rather tough time in my life. For the past few months I have been experiencing frequent panic attacks, anxiety and insomnia. I’m grateful that my parents have been with me throughout, however they will be going o... View more

Hello guys, I’ve been going through a rather tough time in my life. For the past few months I have been experiencing frequent panic attacks, anxiety and insomnia. I’m grateful that my parents have been with me throughout, however they will be going overseas for a quite awhile and for the past few days I’ve been panicking quite hard on how I’m going to cope without them around. I’m worried that if they aren’t around, I won’t be able to manage if my panic attacks etc occurs. Does anyone have any tips?

Jayelle Struggling to go to work
  • replies: 1

I have suffered with anxiety for a number of years, but seems to be getting worse. I am ESPECIALLY struggling to go to work. I am filled with dread at the thought of it. (Have been at my job 15years) I have had so much time off; unsure how long they ... View more

I have suffered with anxiety for a number of years, but seems to be getting worse. I am ESPECIALLY struggling to go to work. I am filled with dread at the thought of it. (Have been at my job 15years) I have had so much time off; unsure how long they will tolerate this behaviour. And then what? My husband is the opposite of me; very outgoing/ chatty etc. anyone else have stress about going to work?

Beaser Feeling Scared Again.
  • replies: 69

Hi and best wishes to everyone. I know that there are people doing it so much harder than me. But i just feel defeated at the moment. Im just so lonely and i miss my ex partner so much and i know i have to move on .I started a new job that i was goin... View more

Hi and best wishes to everyone. I know that there are people doing it so much harder than me. But i just feel defeated at the moment. Im just so lonely and i miss my ex partner so much and i know i have to move on .I started a new job that i was going well at but i couldnt go in on Wednesday and i feel really bad about it. Im sick of fighting this battle and im tired from it. Just how much do i have to go through . Im sorry to be on such a downer but i dont know where to turn to at the moment. If i break it down im lonely and scared.I wish every one a good day . Brett.

Loz_06 Small business pressure -How do I keep pushing through when I’m drained physically and mentally.
  • replies: 4

I took over a hair salon business when I was 24 years old I’m now 31.It started with myself, a close friend who was my business partner and 1 apprentice.i was the hairdresser my friend who I went into business was the Bookeeper.From day 1 it has not ... View more

I took over a hair salon business when I was 24 years old I’m now 31.It started with myself, a close friend who was my business partner and 1 apprentice.i was the hairdresser my friend who I went into business was the Bookeeper.From day 1 it has not stopped with the challenges. My business partner was constantly taking money out aswelll as putting it back, i regularly voiced my concerns and it took me 2 years to finally have enough of the financial strain she put on me. I was already operating the floor, hiring staff, training them, doing clientele, working 44 hours with little to no lunch breaks. I decided to call the accountant to work out a buy out figure to which he told me he hasn’t done the books since we started. Turned out the tax and super that was being paid was straight to her personal account and got spent. I was in court for 3 years disputing it. First year into court, covid hit. Now I was fighting to keep the businesss I worked so very hard for. With lockdowns of a total of 9 months over 2 years without funding was stressful to say the least. I recently decided to put my business up for sale as my mental health has completely deteriorated the last 2 years, I was constantly getting sick, trying to still work and manage 4 employees that iv had since they where apprentices. 2 months into it being advertised and 2 months out from Christmas 2 of my employees handed there resignation in not for any bad reason other than it was time for them to explore a new direction. I was happy for them personally but on a Business level it left me with one hell of situation. It took me 5 years in total to train them up to fall apart in 2 months right before the madness. I’m worried I can’t keep fighting through all these obstacles that come my way with so little energy as it is. I’m having panic attacks during work, I’m run off my feet and I’m working more hours to cover the clients who where booked in with the 2 girls who are no longer here. I’m exhausted mentally and physically and I feel trapt till I can sell it. I’m having manic crying episodes nearly every night after work dreading each day that comes. I’m starting to loose control of my emotions within work and can’t hold back them tears. I can’t take time off now being so close to Xmas with only 2 partimers left and one being an apprentice.financially iv ran at a loss the last 2 years and the pressures are suffocating me.Any advice on how to manage the pressure and self care with little time to do so?!

PsychedelicFur For those who suffer with BDD
  • replies: 17

Hello there, Hope you are all doing ok. I want to start a thread for those who suffer from Body Dysmorphia, otherwise known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder. I’m struggling. It’s utterly debilitating. For those who suffer from BDD then you will understand... View more

Hello there, Hope you are all doing ok. I want to start a thread for those who suffer from Body Dysmorphia, otherwise known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder. I’m struggling. It’s utterly debilitating. For those who suffer from BDD then you will understand when I say sometimes you just don’t feel ‘right’. Like when you are out at someone’s house or at the shops.. you need to just hurry home because you feel uncomfortable. I have a sense of agoraphobia. I feel very uncomfortable when I have to leave the house. I don’t go to the shops much anymore because I am worried people will pass me and think “WOW! She is the most ugliest woman I have ever seen in my entire existence.” Does anyone else deal with this? I walked to the Post Office last week and I felt massively uncomfortable as cars drove passed me. I felt like everyone was judging me and looking at me and thinking I’m just atrocious looking. I’m scared of leaving the house for public transportation and going to university. I feel disgusting all of the time.