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. 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

Anxiousmumma903 Very anxious 2nd time mum during lockdown
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Hello, I just had a little bub during the lockdown and I am finding it so overwhelming going from 1 to 2 kids and I find myself being very anxious about everything… I can be an anxious person and over think things a lot. but since becoming pregnant I... View more

Hello, I just had a little bub during the lockdown and I am finding it so overwhelming going from 1 to 2 kids and I find myself being very anxious about everything… I can be an anxious person and over think things a lot. but since becoming pregnant I have had a few panic attacks (thought I was having a heart attack at 1st) and a couple of bad ones after baby came along. I also find myself worrying about more and more things. Just every little thing sets me off, I can see something on the news and often I will put myself in that situation and thinking what if it happen to me or my family. I don’t know if it’s me being in lockdown for too long or just all the extra hormones from having a baby. I just don’t feel quite right. I also find myself getting quite short with my older son, kinda feels like we are all stuck in a space for too long and can’t tolerate each other. I snapped at him sometimes then I feel really guilty about it after I feel bad for asking for help because I know there are a lot worst off people out there, specially during these difficult times and I feel that I am taking up resources. But I feel I need some guidance or knowing I am not the only one feeling this way. thank you for reading.

Zap_Nell Trying to be brave for my child for years now I’ve crashed
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Hi I’ve tried for so long to keep a healthy mindset so long it’s turned into survival mode of self care but now it’s habitués that when I do something like go to coles I have a panic attack I feel like my body has given up or needs a rest I go to bed... View more

Hi I’ve tried for so long to keep a healthy mindset so long it’s turned into survival mode of self care but now it’s habitués that when I do something like go to coles I have a panic attack I feel like my body has given up or needs a rest I go to bed so early because it’s easier than feeling anxious ive Nursed my child back from a trauma/ injury that left her at 6 with ptsd and anxiety I’ve been back and forth to children’s hospital and rocked back and forth with the panic attacks all while having my own and not showing it i was on a tablet for 6 months but I ended up unwell and had to go off it . so I’m on nothing now I eat well , do yoga and meditate but I still feel in survival as a escape I write and publish children’s books my question is do tablets help this or shall I just keep trying everyday I’m tired of trying to keep myself safe from panic and anxiety my doc gave me a SSRI to try but reluctant and If it makes me tired I dont want to feel like a bad mum I have 3 auto immune diseases and I ache all day aswell with chronic pain just lost I try to do different things daily to feel better any helpful advice please

littlepenguin anyone with anxiety who works within a life and death profession i.e nursing, paramedic, anaesthetist etc ...
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Hello I am a veterinary nurse working in a specilist hospital. I have been diagnosed with generalised anxiety. I have previously worked in a small GP setting for the last 12 years. So I do have 12 years experience as a nurse however never in such a b... View more

Hello I am a veterinary nurse working in a specilist hospital. I have been diagnosed with generalised anxiety. I have previously worked in a small GP setting for the last 12 years. So I do have 12 years experience as a nurse however never in such a big beast of a specialist hospital. In my previous roles I have really enjoyed monitoring anaesthsia during suregry - this is one of the trcikiest parts of a veterinary nursing role , the life of that animal is in your hands, you need to be noticing small trends and changes and act on them quickly, if you fail to act or do not notice something small things can go down hill very quickly. I have always had a vet in the room whilst I am monitoring anaesthesia. They are performing the procedure or suregry andnot concentrating on the anaestheisa but they are there if I need them/ to ask a question/ advice. I now have a vet who is on the floor in another room or a few rooms away and If I need them I need to call them on the phone to get advice or assistance. I am moniting patients under General anaestheisa for CT scans..... My anxiety is through the roof with this...something I could usually do no worries, has now made me feel very anxious ... I am constanly thinking that If i need the vet they wont be available, wont answer my call, or my patient will die or something bad will happen and it wil be on my watch... I think this could be becuase I am using new equipment and my patients are higher risk being cancer patients, I am used to young healthy dogs and cats a lot of the time. I have a lot of knowledge with anaetshisa and completed a lot of post grad study to help with the anxiety around it. I think I have major conficne issues and I am in a spiral of negative/ catastrophic thinking. How do you do it to the medical professionals out there who have anxiety... how to push past the what ifs and worst case scenarios, the imposter syndrome as well, I feel like these thoughts are paralysing me at the moment and I am now avoiding do the CTs and making someone else do them .... which I know is not the solution. I am not on any medication and I have just started seeing a psychologist to help with my thought patterns through some CBT work. I feel like I feel dread every time I see there is a CT on the schedule... this is part of my day every day so i realyl need to get on top of oit before it completely consumes me.

J10 Resigned From Work due to Anxiety
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Hi, I made the decision to resign from my job today due to my mental health. Specifically dealing with my anxiety. I know people are struggling at the moment to keep their jobs or have lost their jobs due to covid. You would think I would be grateful... View more

Hi, I made the decision to resign from my job today due to my mental health. Specifically dealing with my anxiety. I know people are struggling at the moment to keep their jobs or have lost their jobs due to covid. You would think I would be grateful to have had a job in this covid pandemic world we live in. However, it was a constant upheaval battle everyday with dealing with my anxiety as well as working as a customer service representative in a company that required high standards be met to its customers. Having being on a return to work plan after attempting suicide 2 months ago due to a horrible team leader, I thought I could handle going back to my original role of taking inbound calls. However, there is only so much you can do to implement strategies to overcome your anxiety when dealing with challenging and difficult customers and meeting the expectations of the company with each interaction. To strike this balance, in the long run, was going to be exhausting and was tiring before my suicide attempt. I was tired, rundown and exhausted. A meeting was arranged to discuss whether I could be moved to a different team in which the work involved would have being less stressful and anxious. However, the company wasn't willing to accommodate this request due to business needs and for what I was originally contracted for when employed by the company. I guess that was understandable. The only thing that really got me during that meeting was the fact that I felt management invalidated my feelings and thoughts surrounding the circumstances of my suicide attempt. My suicide attempt was caused by my previous team leader and his management style. His lack of empathy and compassion towards someone who deals with mental health illness everyday. I felt management were protecting and defending their own by saying that his style or rather the way he approached me in terms of constantly reminding me of my mistakes, making feel guilty and playing on my insecurities was never intentional. It was never to hurt me or be malicious. But it was hurtful. It scarred me and got me to the point that the only option I had left to escape how he made me feel was to end my life. For a company that preaches empathy and patience with everything, their actions demonstrate they are unable to understand the point of views of others. So, long story short, I believe I made the right decision to leave this job. I feel relieved. I see this as an opportunity to find something better.

PsychedelicFur Trying my absolute best
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Here is a little clarification. Let me explain ; Up until a month or two months ago my father and I were on the verge of homelessness. As we had to sell our house due to my parent’s divorce and we had been applying for places to live but there were m... View more

Here is a little clarification. Let me explain ; Up until a month or two months ago my father and I were on the verge of homelessness. As we had to sell our house due to my parent’s divorce and we had been applying for places to live but there were many rejections that we faced. Luckily we have a house now! So basically I pretty much live in certain cases of poverty. Most times we barely have enough money to pay bills and grocery shopping can be very expensive. Sometimes we resort back to community resources - like food banks: and they help tremendously! So appreciative of them! I study at university but I am just concerned that my life will always be like this. I sometimes feel like having goals, ambitions and dreams in my life is a slight waste of time.. because I have grown up in this type of environment all of my life. Not much money, so much financial stress and so much hardship.. I’m a definite high achiever and I study hard. And above all else I am thoroughly invested in my studies. I love learning! I just feel like I am experiencing so much unnecessary stress and anxiety, haha don’t we all feel that way though?! My mother was psychologically abusive towards me and I’ve had to parent my father, in some ways. Plus I am a misfit and don’t have many friends my age. Plus my first ever proper relationship made me feel unappreciated and undesirable. Seven months no contact with him though! YAY! Life is so uncertain and sad. I’m just trying my absolute best. I hope I can achieve my goals and be a better version of myself. PF.

Coco18-8 Social anxiety to loneliness
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Hi, I just wanted to say that I feel so anxious right now because I just got home from work and had to walk behind three girls awkwardly and another situation was me and this other girl had to wait together and I tried to make small talk but messed i... View more

Hi, I just wanted to say that I feel so anxious right now because I just got home from work and had to walk behind three girls awkwardly and another situation was me and this other girl had to wait together and I tried to make small talk but messed it all up. Was very awkward. It feels anything I ever do is awkward and eveyone at my work is so close and friends and I’m this outsider. I’ve been here for a year so it’s not like because I’m new. And I told my dad I literally have no friends and he was like that’s what you said a year ago. Then it really put it in perspective I’m never going to have more friends I’m incapable of making them and will be alone forever. I love my friends now but I know after we graduate I will loose half of them and I’ll be even more alone then I imagine myself to be alone for the future. I just want a friends at work and just makes me think this is how my life will be for the rest of my life . No more new friends , just lonliness. Idk why put I just can’t escape the fear of being alone and it’s making me have the fear of making friendships

PeachPenguin Feeling overwhelmed
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Hi everyone Feeling very overwhelmed at the moment. My father has suddenly become ill (I’m an only child and my mother passed some years ago, therefore I’m his only immediate family), a couple of weeks ago my partner was hospitalised, he is fully rec... View more

Hi everyone Feeling very overwhelmed at the moment. My father has suddenly become ill (I’m an only child and my mother passed some years ago, therefore I’m his only immediate family), a couple of weeks ago my partner was hospitalised, he is fully recovered now. My job is also quite high pressure and although my manager is really supportive it causes me a significant amount of stress. I just feel like I can’t catch a break at the moment! I’ve reached out to my EAP service through work which has been somewhat helpful however I just feel my general resilience is decreasing. Would love to hear about any helpful coping strategies, advice or anything to get me out of this slump.

Steveo22 Anxiety at upcoming treatments
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Hello This is my first post here. I have a major current health issue that I have to be treated for and am having major anxiety about facing and completing this treatment. I have long term PTSD and anxiety that I have had for most of my adult life. I... View more

Hello This is my first post here. I have a major current health issue that I have to be treated for and am having major anxiety about facing and completing this treatment. I have long term PTSD and anxiety that I have had for most of my adult life. I have at times sought help but never stuck with it. The way I feel at the moment is I have enough mental power to deal with life generally but in the face of this current situation im really having trouble coping and remaining positive. I feel some of these old long term anxiety issues starting to take control. I had a major anxiety attack while testing and fitment of a mask used in treatment. It was humiliating and distressing and has rattled me going forward as I will have to use this mask daily for 7 weeks.

jacq Unemployed, unburdened by responsibilities, and inert anyway. I don't respect myself.
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I don't know how to cope with all the responsibilities of genuinely going into therapy, and doing 'the work'. It has made me realise, that I had become that person who asks therapy of every conversation, without meaning to, but because my mind was al... View more

I don't know how to cope with all the responsibilities of genuinely going into therapy, and doing 'the work'. It has made me realise, that I had become that person who asks therapy of every conversation, without meaning to, but because my mind was already filled with the self obsession that arises during problem overload, when there is a million things that need to be fixed. I've become someone who I find difficult to like, and so do others. I have lost most of my friends, and the ones I have retained have had to make their boundaries very known to me. I have been in hospital three times for breaking into psychotic episodes. All of them were mortifying, more than I can express, and I hurt people close to me by morphing into the jagged, cruel, judgmental, misanthropic voice that has been a demon in my thoughts, growing with every humiliation for years. I don't want this part of me to be what I hear anymore. I do as much as I can journaling it out and monitoring, but I still seem to keep acting the wrong way, hurting people and getting hurt. I am ashamed of so much. I grew up in a rich area and have had great privelege (even though my family of 5 were living off one school teacher's wages and we didn't qualify as rich, actually I was quite left out as a child because my reality was so different to lots of my peers), my parents are still together, I have had financial support from them and the government when I've been poor, and this has been my only independant experience of money. I have lived soulfully enough, and thought that I loved, but lately I've been wondering if I only experience love as the desperate do. I used to think I was someone worthy of being loved, but I actually don't have any reason why. I used to think I loved, but I can't quantify this without many possible abstractions too. I am afraid of my mind, because I have lost it, and my memories have suffered. I am not suicidal but I am desperate and feel like the mind of a priest sharing the mind and body of a criminal. Is there any exercises I can do that can ease this ultimate shame feeling? I can't even volunteer right now during lockdown, I can't find a job, there's no redemption acts I can take except somehow change myself into a better person.

Damien2812 GAD Questions..
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Hi all Just wondering if anyone with GAD has had any problems with GAD affecting them in everything they do in daily life such as in relationships, work or doubting if you can learn or do something etc.. How have you gone by managing this in your lif... View more

Hi all Just wondering if anyone with GAD has had any problems with GAD affecting them in everything they do in daily life such as in relationships, work or doubting if you can learn or do something etc.. How have you gone by managing this in your life so far?