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

Hitchcock Share House Anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I've been sharing a house with a couple (James, Sarah) for the last 18 months and it's presenting a few difficulties and contributing to anxious feelings: I hope it's appropriate for me to collect some of my frustrations here in the hope for ... View more

Hi all, I've been sharing a house with a couple (James, Sarah) for the last 18 months and it's presenting a few difficulties and contributing to anxious feelings: I hope it's appropriate for me to collect some of my frustrations here in the hope for some advice. I had known James for 8 months prior but had never met his partner Sarah. James and I got along relatively well as colleagues and coincidentally were both forced into a quick exit from our previous living situations and felt it would be appropriate to move in together. We had a few interests in common, so we figured it could work. Sarah is a self confessed introvert - we have nothing in common and struggle immensely to strike any sort of rapport unless there are a few beers involved. If we're in the communal area, at most it's a "Hey, how are you? Good" and that only stems from me initiating the conversation, otherwise she will pass by like I don't exist. If I enter and they're present, she will almost instantly leave, allowing James and I to have a slight amount of chit-chat that more often than not feels forced (for the sake of us knowing each other prior. He isn't a brilliant conversationalist also) before he leaves. I love my downtime, but I guess I'm also relatively extroverted. I feel I often need to speak to break the tension within the room just to feel like there is even a small sense of community. I try to strike subjects that I know they're both interested in, even if I'm not as well versed to try and lay some foundation in the hope that the next day might not be as difficult. You can literally cut the tension most days like butter. When I eventually burn out and can't be bothered trying and want to ignore them myself, I'm the worst person ever however. I don't want to be best friends but I feel perhaps a little bit of effort on both of their behalves would go a long way in making the house a little more enjoyable. I respect their space when cooking and will join the kitchen from my room once they've sat down to watch some television, but more often than not find I'm locking myself away in my room just to avoid the uncomfortable situation that inevitably awaits me. This is an ongoing thing during lockdown and its starting to affect my mental health hugely. Constant stress and anxiety; avoid them - feel bad, try to help, feel worse. It's a really uncomfortable environment. Apologies if this is a ramble, any thoughts or experience with this is greatly appreciated. Thanks kindly.

Nervybella Why do people want to be outside their comfort zone?
  • replies: 9

Hi all ive Been thinking a lot lately about why people are always encouraging or pushing others to step outside their comfort zone. I started a new job a few months ago that’s certainly outside the realm of what I used to do. Some days are ok, but so... View more

Hi all ive Been thinking a lot lately about why people are always encouraging or pushing others to step outside their comfort zone. I started a new job a few months ago that’s certainly outside the realm of what I used to do. Some days are ok, but some tasks are so far outside my comfort zone that I have immense anxiety and feel miserable! I am getting a bit over all these inspirational quotes saying to step outside your comfort zone, only good comes from this etc etc would love to hear others opinion on this too… is there something wrong with me staying in my own comfortable bubble?? best Bella

Mammamia01 Health Anxiety - short lived reassurance
  • replies: 8

Hello To all my fellow health anxiety sufferers, do you always doubt your doctor when she/he says they are confident your condition/lump/bump/symptom is benign? I recently found a lump and had a doctor check it out and she was confident it was benign... View more

Hello To all my fellow health anxiety sufferers, do you always doubt your doctor when she/he says they are confident your condition/lump/bump/symptom is benign? I recently found a lump and had a doctor check it out and she was confident it was benign but seeing how distressed I was about it (asked her to check it three times) she said she will send me for an ultrasound for 'peace of mind' and so I can move on as she has experience working with health anxiety sufferers and knows that the moment she leaves the cycle of worry will start again. I was reassured and felt good until she left and straight after I started questioning everything she said, did she check it properly, what if she missed something, if she wasn't worried that it was anything bad then why did she order the ultrasound? I literally analysed her every word...it's exhausting. I guess my question is - do any of you feel the same? How do you cope with the constant chatter in your head, intrusive thoughts and just overall negativity and always looking at worse case scenario. I was fine when she said it was nothing but now I'm panicking again. It's hard to live like this and it's really affecting my everyday life, I have two kids and feel that whenever I'm in the midst of my health anxiety I'm not fully there for them Thanks for listening x

Kittykatluv Moving house anxiety
  • replies: 4

I’ve got bad moving house anxiety, does anyone else suffer from this, I’ve moved house every year for the last 10 years and I’m so done with it all. I now have really bad anxiety from it, I can’t handle situations that are out of my control, it makes... View more

I’ve got bad moving house anxiety, does anyone else suffer from this, I’ve moved house every year for the last 10 years and I’m so done with it all. I now have really bad anxiety from it, I can’t handle situations that are out of my control, it makes me so scared.

PsychedelicFur Birthday Blues
  • replies: 3

I am having birthday blues. People who I thought really cared, did not wish me happy birthday. I hope I don't sound ungrateful but people who I classified as friends.. had not even made an effort for me. Like I wished them happy birthday and they kno... View more

I am having birthday blues. People who I thought really cared, did not wish me happy birthday. I hope I don't sound ungrateful but people who I classified as friends.. had not even made an effort for me. Like I wished them happy birthday and they know it's my birthday. Instead all they did was brag about how they had their birthday not in lockdown last year. I said in a chat - 'Oh it's my 19th birthday tomorrow ekkk. Another lockdown birthday.' And all they could say was ; 'Well I was so lucky to not have my birthday in lockdown last year. And I spent four days in Adelaide.' And another person in the chat said ; 'Oh well I got to have seven days in New Zealand for my birthday.' And my Nan rang up, my estranged mother's mum.. and she mentioned how my malignant narcissist mother is expecting a baby girl. Birthday blues. I appreciate those who have made an effort me for - e.g my Dad, my Aunties and other friends. Because it's the thought that counts. I just feel a little depressed haha.

Pixiey I hate school and am experiencing lots of anxiety over it including separation anxiety
  • replies: 3

I used to LOVE school and enjoys seeing my friends. I guess it helped me as my mum was a teacher there but nevertheless I really liked school. When I started year 7 and was in high school (at my school we didn’t have middle school) everything was dif... View more

I used to LOVE school and enjoys seeing my friends. I guess it helped me as my mum was a teacher there but nevertheless I really liked school. When I started year 7 and was in high school (at my school we didn’t have middle school) everything was different with older kids and I didn’t have my mum near me. I felt isolated. I could still visit my mum at lunch which helped me to keep going. I went to a swimming carnival and vomited from the build up of anxiety and just wanted to run away and cry in my mums arms. I had an absolutely terrible experience at camp and had to go home. In primary school I loved the teachers and then in high school no one cared for me and I didn’t even have one connection to a teacher so I felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone. I realised a pattern forming like when I didn’t go on a excursion and vomited and cried. One time I was sick and my mum was leaving school for have a day at 12:00 and i had so bad anxiety and separation anxiety. I ended up staying at home even though I was sick I would have gone to school. All the time I feel like I can’t cope. I feel scared, anxious, angry and sick all the time. I cried in secret all the time. I couldn’t tell anyone but one friend who also had anxiety I didn’t want to tell my mum but i did want to see a therapist. Thank you so much for reading this. I’d love to hear your experience and opinions. Your more then welcome to post here Take care, Pixie Xx

Glenncoco88 Conflicted information
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone im new here and I just thought I would ask a question. Over the last 2 weeks my anxiety has come back and I’ve started taking medication. Over the last few nights I’ve been suffering panic attacks only at night so my dr another medication... View more

Hi everyone im new here and I just thought I would ask a question. Over the last 2 weeks my anxiety has come back and I’ve started taking medication. Over the last few nights I’ve been suffering panic attacks only at night so my dr another medication to help sleep. Said it should be ok to take with the other. The chemist said not to take both of them because they can interact and make things worse. So im just wondering is anyone in the same boat as me? What should I do?

Budgiebird Anxiety and feeling breathless
  • replies: 6

Does anyone else feel breathless with anxiety. I always feel like I can’t get enough air. I have several chronic illnesses and have regular medical checks but no medical reason for the breathless feeling other than anxiety. It’s quite distressing at ... View more

Does anyone else feel breathless with anxiety. I always feel like I can’t get enough air. I have several chronic illnesses and have regular medical checks but no medical reason for the breathless feeling other than anxiety. It’s quite distressing at times.

contrarymary why do i always think I am going to have a heart attack
  • replies: 23

I am 60 years and always think I am going to have a heart attack. I do not have any problems with my heart had plenty tests - GP says the chest pains I keep having are anxiety/stress of course as soom as i have a pain in chest i panic which of course... View more

I am 60 years and always think I am going to have a heart attack. I do not have any problems with my heart had plenty tests - GP says the chest pains I keep having are anxiety/stress of course as soom as i have a pain in chest i panic which of course doesnt help. GP says learn to accept nothing wrong with heart - easier said than done. I can get a pain in morning after some stress and during the course of day gets worse end up at doctors he does ecg nothing shows i then feel better for a while. Any advice re this anxiety