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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

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H-c What’s wrong with me
  • replies: 1

Every since i was young I’ve had this nagging feeling, like something bad is going to happen to me and everyone around me. If sth bad did happen then I’d blame myself of it and that little voice would say see i told you so. I’m really lost and i dont... View more

Every since i was young I’ve had this nagging feeling, like something bad is going to happen to me and everyone around me. If sth bad did happen then I’d blame myself of it and that little voice would say see i told you so. I’m really lost and i dont know what to do. Now because of COVID I’m stuck at home and alone with that voice and it’s really getting to me. Today for some reason, my phone played some sort of music out-loud and i have no apps running in the background. So that made me even more paranoid like i got a virus or sth. But I’ve never visited any dodgy website and downloaded any dodgy apps. So i did a virus scan on avg and the security app that came with my phone and both said its safe? So why did the music play? Because I couldn’t find the cause of the problem it made me panic like that it wasn’t a good feeling at all. I hate feeling like this all the time. Feeling so paranoid and feeling like it’s my fault every time. If somehow you are an expert with phones could you please help me with that? Is it a virus? What do it do? Pls help me so i can relief that little burden off my shoulders. Please. Help me

Krix Work performance review in the financial year after hospital admission
  • replies: 1

seeking advice. In the the year past i was hospitalised with severe depression & anxiety. I've lost significant amounts of time and productivity recovering and that is still in progress. How do you have that conversation in a work review meeting? in ... View more

seeking advice. In the the year past i was hospitalised with severe depression & anxiety. I've lost significant amounts of time and productivity recovering and that is still in progress. How do you have that conversation in a work review meeting? in a discussion about 'rate your performance over the past 12 months' - how do you answer that? i've discovered my major schemas are unrelenting standards and self sacrifice, so i am fighting against throwing my hands up and .. giving up. i just don't have the language to express or defend if things get, well, personal. which it already is. Help. Krix

Lady04 anxiety about corona virus & everything
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, I'm still kinda new to the forums, so please bare with me for a moment, I don't know if I'm posting this in the right section. I've been dealing with anxiety and depression most of my life. And this covid-19 has really effected my anxiet... View more

Hi everyone, I'm still kinda new to the forums, so please bare with me for a moment, I don't know if I'm posting this in the right section. I've been dealing with anxiety and depression most of my life. And this covid-19 has really effected my anxiety even worse. I live in Sydney, and it was hard enough the first lockdown. But this lockdown seems worse then the first one, with this "Delta strain" or whatever its called. There seems to be cases literally EVERYWHERE, and its freaking me out, I'm trying not to look at the news to much, but each time I get a glimpse of it, it scares me how bad its getting. Everyone around me is freaking out too. I keep trying to tell myself "other countries had it much worse and they got better, Melbourne / Victoria had worse & they got better, we can to.." but its really hard, each time I see the cases how much they're rising. We've been living in this pandemic for almost 18 months now, & I'm struggling atm & I'm losing complete hope, I just don't see how its going to get better..

Cloud123 Relationship anxiety
  • replies: 2

I am in a healthy and loving relationship but struggle with anxious thoughts about the future. It's getting to the point where I feel like I need to make a decision as to marriage. I want to marry him but I can't help but feel that after the wedding ... View more

I am in a healthy and loving relationship but struggle with anxious thoughts about the future. It's getting to the point where I feel like I need to make a decision as to marriage. I want to marry him but I can't help but feel that after the wedding and kids it will all end terribly. I am not sure I have any real reason to believe that except that we are different in some ways. For example, he is introverted and I am extroverted; I am very spiritual and (while he supports it and will listen and engage), he is not so much. In saying that, we have similar values of wanting to be kind and help people, wanting to build a strong family etc and we get along really well. We are really in love, both humble and supportive towards each other, always kind, communicative and willing to work together. Has anyone else experienced something similar and have any tips on trying to understand the difference between anxious thoughts, and my body/subconscious/intuition telling me something important?

BabySteps Contemplating the Meaning
  • replies: 7

For me, I can't Find the Meaning In Life, When you're a Introverted Beta Geek Celibate Male at 26! Without having Interest or Entry Work History and wanting more than a Casual Future Only having,11 Month's In something you didn't want before the Fort... View more

For me, I can't Find the Meaning In Life, When you're a Introverted Beta Geek Celibate Male at 26! Without having Interest or Entry Work History and wanting more than a Casual Future Only having,11 Month's In something you didn't want before the Fortnight was Finished with Not wanting University, and the Standardnised Bachelor Degree Or TAFE, Unless I did a Cert IV Nutrition or not that, with only If It was a Proximity TAFE Campus with 120 Work Placement and Concession Cost's Also being Soft, and Gentle, and Kinder and not A Fighter, Just a Lover, Like Michael Jackson without Touching more than my Problem's - Hehe? Being Shy, because your Dad was a Personality, Generation and Nationality that you couldn't tolerate And being beneath Alpha or Social Strength Men Not being able to Follow Creativity, because you don't want Fame and Paganism and tolerating Society, before or After Yes or No, and more other Reason's beyond that, and why did I mention a Creative Rare Dream, because their Real for someone, I would never Say It Isn't possible for other's, I am Listing this aspect because Creativity Is a Pathway that Ia A Future for some people, For me It's what I Generally Like and Love, but If your not wanting Success, Beyond Talent and Money not Fame, Than I don't know what other Direction Is for me, I wouldn't want a Creative Degree, It's Just $40k or Less Salary for 3 - 4 Year Bachelor to match a Casual Median Entry Wage, Plus Paying back, $30k or $50k, - After $46k Earning's I don't want Trade's and Physical Labour Construction Job's I don't even want Free Lance because you get Stagnant and your Working from Home, making Less than $45k, and your Isolated from Society and lose Social Skill's

Italianstalion New to this / anxiety/depression/bipolar...
  • replies: 6

Hi, First time posting here, this is a pretty big step in itself for me due to my stubborn proud nature. I am 30 years of age a father to 3 beautiful kids with a very loving attentive wife, a great career with family all around me. This brings me to ... View more

Hi, First time posting here, this is a pretty big step in itself for me due to my stubborn proud nature. I am 30 years of age a father to 3 beautiful kids with a very loving attentive wife, a great career with family all around me. This brings me to wonder why I am having these feelings as I feel there is nothing to trigger these things that I am going through.. I am very stubborn and for years I have pushed aside the fact that the things I feel are obviously not normal, as I feel I'm the rock/the man of the house I felt the need to push aside these feelings. Any here goes.. I feel sad one minute, the next happy, the next angry. My emotions seem to be all over the place to the point I can't control how I feel any more even when doing the things I otherwise used to enjoy such as fishing ect. I get anxious over small minute things such as dealing with people from day to day ie. Customers at work. I can't stand crowds, I can't think straight most times, I can never concentrate on anything for long, my thought patterns are all over the place my mind races, I find it hard to switch off at any given moment. For example just yesterday my wife gave me the day off I got rained out at work and I just sat on my bum all day doing nothing yet in my mind I couldn't relax I couldn't switch off, thinking about work, the kids, things I should be doing.. You can even say quite overthinking all these things. Some days I find myself some days so mentally and physically exhausted despite really not having a full on day at work. I really appreciate anyone taking the time to tell me 1. I'm not alone and 2. Can I get better? Im just really mentally exhausted from pushing it all aside and pretending I'm OK. I already feel better getting all of this off my chest, I appreciate anyone's feed back.

Ellie_Dee Health anxiety stress
  • replies: 3

Hi, I’ve struggled on and off with health anxiety for years and, once I identified it as health anxiety (after having numerous tests for every medical issue I could think of) have been able to manage it quite well. I’m currently 33 weeks pregnant and... View more

Hi, I’ve struggled on and off with health anxiety for years and, once I identified it as health anxiety (after having numerous tests for every medical issue I could think of) have been able to manage it quite well. I’m currently 33 weeks pregnant and idk maybe the hormonal changes are making it flare up again but I’ve been struggling a lot more the last few weeks. It’s culminated in the last two days - I had breakfast at a restaurant yesterday which included foraged mushrooms, and I’ve convinced myself that they picked a death cap and it was in my breakfast, and that I’ve already got liver damage and I’ll die and there’s nothing I can do about it. It was a reputable restaurant that I’ve eaten at many times before with no issues, and the risk is super super low, but I can’t turn my brain off. I know I shouldn’t google - but I did, and it says symptoms appear within 6-24 hours or later and involve nausea/vomiting/diarrhoea/abdominal pains, and I’ve been having nausea and abdo pain but it’s mild and if I’m honest it’s probably caused by the anxiety!!! has anyone else ever convinced themselves of something like this? What techniques did you use to turn the negative thoughts off? Logically I know the risk is minimal but I’m terrified!!

SmileySocks Anxiety wins
  • replies: 3

I have debilitating social anxiety and for a couple of years I have been trying to manage it and get out more e.t.c. This pandemic has broken me though and I can't take anymore. How am I supposed to manage social anxiety when we're constantly being r... View more

I have debilitating social anxiety and for a couple of years I have been trying to manage it and get out more e.t.c. This pandemic has broken me though and I can't take anymore. How am I supposed to manage social anxiety when we're constantly being restricted and told not to be social?! It almost feels like it may as well be illegal to socialise. I must say before I go on, I'm not an antivaxer, I'm not against wearing masks and I understand why we have these restrictions and lockdowns and all the rest. But... I feel like we're never going to get out of this and I can't live like this, forever locked up and restricted. For some reason, I don't know why but wearing masks makes me even more anxious than I already am and I can't do it anymore. I think it could be because no one can hear what each other is saying and for me to speak up/louder heightens my anxiety. Lets say we all or the majority of us get vaccinated and the restrictions are gone, great! Then it mutates into a new, deadlier strain that we're not protected against and back come the restrictions and lockdowns everytime there is a case. What is the point of the vaccine if we still have to be locked in at home, wear masks anytime we leave the house and can't go anywhere even in our own country or town?? We won't die from covid which is fantastic but I feel like I may as well be dead, this is not living. I used to make myself leave the house to do my shopping and whatever else, either with my Mum or my assistance dog. I knew staying home wasn't going to be good for my anxiety but at first it was great, a relief from having to try and be more social. Now, I feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle, that all the work I did on myself has gone to waste and I'm just too tired and fed up so I give up. I'm getting groceries e.t.c delivered, I'm looking for a way out of my toxic environment job so I can work from home. I'll still walk my dog and take him to doggy daycare as he shouldn't suffer and be trapped at home just because I am but that will be it. I know the less I leave the house, the harder it will become and the more unwell I will become but I don't care anymore. I can't survive an anti social new normal while trying to manage social anxiety. If it wasn't for my dog I wouldn't be here, this world isn't worth living in anymore. So the anxiety wins, I'm too tired to manage it anymore and don't see the point.

Rainbow97 So alone
  • replies: 4

I think the worst part is feeling so alone . Whenever I try to book a psychologist apptment there is always a few weeks wait . And when I try to book one it means that I need it . The lack of support for mental health is so debilitating at times

I think the worst part is feeling so alone . Whenever I try to book a psychologist apptment there is always a few weeks wait . And when I try to book one it means that I need it . The lack of support for mental health is so debilitating at times

Myles5 Social / constant generalised anxiety taking over my life
  • replies: 3

Hi guys, I am wondering if anyone can relate with me, been really suffering lately. feel like I’m the only person in the world who could be going through this 28 yo male. Been suffering pretty badly with constant anxiety for around 5 years which all ... View more

Hi guys, I am wondering if anyone can relate with me, been really suffering lately. feel like I’m the only person in the world who could be going through this 28 yo male. Been suffering pretty badly with constant anxiety for around 5 years which all started after taking a lot of drugs at a party. But I believe it goes back further to when I was younger, with my traumatic childhood and my dad taking his own life when I was 15 I have tried pretty much every treatment since, the only thing that’s really made a difference is a good diet and joining the gym. but what seems to be getting worse lately is the social anxiety side of things. Getting to the point where I can barely speak to my own family and only feel comfortable when in my home. It’s really killing me and holding me back in life. It’s hard to explain, but whenever I’m in social situations I feel like everyone is watching and judging me for looking stupid/ on edge. My list of friends is going down big time and it’s impossible to go out and meet people/ talk to females its really upsetting because I used to be really out there when I was younger, now I can’t even put a sentence together when someone’s around. Whats triggered it a lot for me lately is seeing a lot of my close friends getting married/ having kids while I’m an anxious mess. guess what I’m asking is has anyone experienced similar issues and maybe got through it? If so what helped you. Really appreciate anyone taking the time to reply. thanks, Myles