Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

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

littlehopefulgirl Worrying about life after lockdown in Melbourne
  • replies: 3

So it has been almost 2 months since I left 10 km from my house. Dan Andrews, yet again announces another news that will let us know what we can't and can do. I've learnt so much about myself in this lockdown about my mental health and also the quali... View more

So it has been almost 2 months since I left 10 km from my house. Dan Andrews, yet again announces another news that will let us know what we can't and can do. I've learnt so much about myself in this lockdown about my mental health and also the quality of life I want to continue to have. But the problem is, lately, since the announcement, I suddenly have this worrying voice in my head. What happens to my life before lockdown? I don't know if I have a job anymore, I don't know if I can make a positive change. I definitely don't want to live in Melbourne and i don't like my living situation at the moment. But I'm surviving. Some days I feel so stagnant and just living for the sake of being alive, other times it's ok. The lockdown has been really hard for me, I feel so convinced that this is my life, and nothing will change. I gave up so much of what i want before the lockdown and rationalize that it isn't my fault. But now i feel like I've lost hope. Does anyone feel like this? I am trying to hard to stay positive and motivated, but I feel so exhausted. My world of doing what I love is outside these 4 walls and certainly out of my 10 km. I can't work cause of the lockdown. i cant move forward with the career change that I want to pursue. I just feel so helpless. I'm tired. Am i going crazy? I certainly cant find articles or news that no one is feeling like this.

PaulJF Positive thoughts not taking away the *feeling* of anxiety. Medication?
  • replies: 1

(My first post.) I'm wondering if this seems realistic, or if the desire for a magic-bullet cure is deranging my clarity on the issue: Sometimes I get anxious out of nowhere, sometimes a day or two after a strong coffee, and always a day or two after... View more

(My first post.) I'm wondering if this seems realistic, or if the desire for a magic-bullet cure is deranging my clarity on the issue: Sometimes I get anxious out of nowhere, sometimes a day or two after a strong coffee, and always a day or two after any booze. So I can reliably induce this awful feeling in the bottom of my chest chemically, but also it can apparently come out of nowhere. If I don't pay attention to the feeling, my thoughts are anxious thoughts, "what's going to go wrong/what if I get "found out" (even though there's nothing to find out)/what if I've not set my phone reminders correct and I miss something critical..." (etc etc... you know the drill). But if I then notice the feeling itself, and I choose to recognise this awful feeling of impending doom as a chemical imbalance in my brain, I'm able to calm myself a little and stop with the catastrophizing somewhat, but the feeling itself doesn't go away. So, if my half-baked theories are correct, a chemical imbalance in my brain is making me FEEL like there's a reason to be deeply worried, and then my thinking brain is struggling to find real world things to fit that feeling. It's not my thoughts that are creating the feeling, the feeling is engendering the thoughts. IF this is correct, then it would seem fixing the chemical imbalance with medication is a smart move (with eyes open to the side effects). And I feel like CBT and such can give me tools for dealing with the feeling, but medication might stop the feeling showing up in the first place meaning I don't even have to deal with it. Thoughts?

Glenncoco88 Chest pain
  • replies: 18

Hi everyone im just finding it weird that I’ll wake up with discomfort with chest pains. Like I’ll move my body and the top of my chest hurts. I’m guessing it’s from my anxiety as I went to the hospital to check it out and they said I’m healthy but I... View more

Hi everyone im just finding it weird that I’ll wake up with discomfort with chest pains. Like I’ll move my body and the top of my chest hurts. I’m guessing it’s from my anxiety as I went to the hospital to check it out and they said I’m healthy but I’m just finding it weird to be waking up with this pain. Any suggestions or ideas why this is being brought on when I wake up?

Melancholy Yogini One Week to go before my Vaccination
  • replies: 12

I need some advice please. Before this second wave of Covid 2.0 smacked us in the face June this year, I booked in for my Covid vaccination - recommended for me was Pfizer. I couldn't get the location I wanted so I chose the main vaccination hub at S... View more

I need some advice please. Before this second wave of Covid 2.0 smacked us in the face June this year, I booked in for my Covid vaccination - recommended for me was Pfizer. I couldn't get the location I wanted so I chose the main vaccination hub at Sydney Olympic Park thinking this would be safer and easier, and the earliest appointment time for me was August. Yesterday I read and saw how busy this vaccination hub was due to people who are just showing up as well as those who already have appointments and my anxiety has hit the roof. I practice and teach yoga so have all the tools and have been practicing as many breathing techniques as I can think of but I feel the anxiety swelling inside me. The thought of being around that many people is making me physically sick and I cannot stop shaking. I have tried to see if I can call the vaccination centre to check if I have to wait in a line like the pictures would suggest however I can't speak to the clinic directly, I need to call the main Covid hotline. My appointment is next Friday, so I would just like some advice on anything different that may have worked for anyone who is reading this that I may not have tried before. I do not drink, smoke or do drugs of any kind so I am not on any medication. I always try to heal myself naturally when possible. Thank you for any advice x

Belle002 Work An
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, Recently I started a new job at a local cafe in my town, and the business is only new and recently opened up. I’ve worked a lot of cafe jobs before, but never had so much anxiety working. The boss works with us and doesn’t tell me what s... View more

Hi everyone, Recently I started a new job at a local cafe in my town, and the business is only new and recently opened up. I’ve worked a lot of cafe jobs before, but never had so much anxiety working. The boss works with us and doesn’t tell me what she would like me to do or hasn’t outlined any expectations, so I go to work clueless on how the business operates. I was on till yesterday and was blamed for every wrong order when no one took time to stand their with me and show me Just needing some advice on how to tackle my next shift. Belle

Sasho Suffering From Anxiety And Depression
  • replies: 5

Hi Everyone, I am new to this forum and i have been suffering from Anxiety attacks lately and depression, i have been calling Beyond Blue almost everyday when i am felling down and depressed, the counsellor staff on the phone are amazing in supportin... View more

Hi Everyone, I am new to this forum and i have been suffering from Anxiety attacks lately and depression, i have been calling Beyond Blue almost everyday when i am felling down and depressed, the counsellor staff on the phone are amazing in supporting and advise, i am speaking to a psychologist over the phone once a week and they're getting me back on the right track slowly, it will be a tough times ahead, i am still going to work, volunteer at my local SES unit to support my local community even in what i am going through mentally, i have a great supporting family, i also use Lifeline as well when needed for support they're also amazing in supporting and i even call Beyond Blue so i can have a chat which makes me be on top of the world.

Rainshaddow Worried
  • replies: 112

Hi , new to this , don't know what to expect , suffer from anxiety and depression and C-PTSD , live alone out in rural Aus and just wanted to talk , some form of contact ,

Hi , new to this , don't know what to expect , suffer from anxiety and depression and C-PTSD , live alone out in rural Aus and just wanted to talk , some form of contact ,

Hannah_Georgia Anxiety: feeling guilty about it, apologising and feeling stupid.
  • replies: 2

Hello, I am struggling with anxiety (diagnosed GAD and medicated) yesterday I had my first anxiety attack in months. I’ve been so good at managing it but yesterday at work i cracked and had to step away from my job for a moment to compose my self and... View more

Hello, I am struggling with anxiety (diagnosed GAD and medicated) yesterday I had my first anxiety attack in months. I’ve been so good at managing it but yesterday at work i cracked and had to step away from my job for a moment to compose my self and get the tears under control and asked my supervisor to step in briefly. I was able to get back to work and continue my shift. However I feel awful about it, I'm embarrassed, guilty and uncomfortable and feel that I’m m incapable of working with my anxiety. But I’ve made the call to get a referral to get some more therapy sessions.

Rotang Is this anxiety. I feel sick to my stomach
  • replies: 12

Hi, so i’m new but i’m really seeking advice and some support… i compete in high levels of horse riding. this weekend i recently was in my competition and did something that embarrassed myself and everyone around me to the point that i couldn’t even ... View more

Hi, so i’m new but i’m really seeking advice and some support… i compete in high levels of horse riding. this weekend i recently was in my competition and did something that embarrassed myself and everyone around me to the point that i couldn’t even look at anyone because everyone saw it happen. it was my own fault, and it shouldn’t have happened but it did and i let myself down and the people i ride for down. i don’t know what to do with myself. the people i was around were telling me mistakes happen and that’s the only we i can learn and that i need to learn how to overcome my nerves in the competition and in general. since the incident happened, i have felt sick to my stomach. my throat feels so tight and my heart is pounding all the time. i don’t want to eat and i barely want to speak about what’s going on. i feel like i’m in a hole and i’ve tried so much to make myself stop feeling like this but nothing seems to be helping. i’ve missed school today because i simply cannot pull myself together enough. please help me abs give me advice. i’m really in a puddle.

Megz90 Health anxiety please help!!
  • replies: 6

Hi. I haven’t posted in here for a while. I suffer with bad heath anxiety, the last couple months ive have been getting facial flushes so i went onto google to try find what could be causing them and i came across something really bad and when i read... View more

Hi. I haven’t posted in here for a while. I suffer with bad heath anxiety, the last couple months ive have been getting facial flushes so i went onto google to try find what could be causing them and i came across something really bad and when i read it about it my anxiety just washed all over my body, i went to my GP the next day about it and she said she doesn’t think its that but she done some blood tests to try ease my anxiety, she called the other day with my results and its come back with high cortisol so she has now said she thinks i have something called Cushing’s syndrome, which has scared the absolute crap out of me. i am on medication to help but it isn’t working yet, every morning i wake up i can feel the anxiety wash over me. I can’t even leave the house, it’s impacting my whole life and I don’t know what to do. Please someone help me.