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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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44Max44 Starting new job, very anxious
  • replies: 3

So I go in for my first shift at my new job today and I'm really anxious about it. It's not my first time working at a job, by at my other jobs I had friends working there that could show me the ropes so I felt a lot less anxious. Without going into ... View more

So I go in for my first shift at my new job today and I'm really anxious about it. It's not my first time working at a job, by at my other jobs I had friends working there that could show me the ropes so I felt a lot less anxious. Without going into too much detail, I applied for a job where I thought would involve me being at the store after hours and not having to interact with customers, but after getting to the interview and being offered the job I was told that I'd actually have to be in the store during working hours when customers are there. I don't have to directly interact with them but there is a possibility that one comes up to me and asks a question. The one thing I'm thankful for is that I get to wear whatever clothes I like to the job so to everyone else in the store I'd just look like a regular customer and not an employee which should cut down the interactions a lot. I'm anxious because I'm very introverted and don't like interacting with people and I'm worried I'll mess something up in the job or maybe get a complaint because of lack of communication skills or something. I don't know. Does anyone have any tips for starting at new workplaces? Any advice is appreciated. Thank you

elle64 struggling to recognise an unhealthy body perception
  • replies: 4

hi, this is my second forum here. i am writing to express my problem in recognising how badly my thinking towards my body and my eating habits has developed. my friend has been telling me everything i am doing is unhealthy, and up until now i've thou... View more

hi, this is my second forum here. i am writing to express my problem in recognising how badly my thinking towards my body and my eating habits has developed. my friend has been telling me everything i am doing is unhealthy, and up until now i've thought of my obsessive strategies related to food merely being based off a diet. now i can't lie and say i'm not aware of this growing infatuation with feeling skinny and achieving the standard and conventional appearance that i deem normal. i realise that my actions towards improving my body are suspicious and my friends have certainly not been turning a blind eye towards it. i think the scariest thing is that i know if a teacher at my school heard the way i talk about myself and the constant conversations revolving around calories and exercise that i think sound colloquial, they would immediately spot a red flag and would suggest the risk of developing something dangerous. at the end of the day, i am ultimately struggling to recognise the danger of what i am doing, yet i know if i was to talk this casually about it in a schooling or homely environment, it would draw drastic concern.

Autumn77 Self help books
  • replies: 5

Hi all, I've been off this sight for awhile and proud to say I've been doing really well. Reduced and discontinued most medications and been able to be strong enough to deal (?) with my anxiety...overthinking...worrying mind. Its been a year now, and... View more

Hi all, I've been off this sight for awhile and proud to say I've been doing really well. Reduced and discontinued most medications and been able to be strong enough to deal (?) with my anxiety...overthinking...worrying mind. Its been a year now, and so far this is what has happened. I've started a new relationship about 6 months ago...and still trying to feel absolutely comfortable around him. I still find it hard to show my whole self...and be completely open. And, I've just started a new job. So as you can see, I've gone through a few changes in the last 6 months and I would prefer not to return to my medications or the crutch as I like to call it. And I'm really looking for some great recommendations on some reading material. I've always loved self help books and did read them a lot in the past. Thanks for your help guys. Looking forward to your replies. Annie 🥰

TheWookie Pretty sure I have screwed up.
  • replies: 7

Just got back from my psychologist appointment. I have been antsy all week about it, and pretty wound up the last few days, because we were all set to induce the panic attacks using hyperventilation. Breathing is a trigger of mine. And once in a pani... View more

Just got back from my psychologist appointment. I have been antsy all week about it, and pretty wound up the last few days, because we were all set to induce the panic attacks using hyperventilation. Breathing is a trigger of mine. And once in a panic we were using EMDR therapy to work towards ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy). So yeah I am kind of really drained and weirded out at the moment. Anyhow... I have my friend, the only person I have actual contact with, who is also my carer. We were introduced through a st vinnies program called Compère about 8 years ago. He is pretty much my only friend and support person. I have been seeing this psychologist for about 18 months now, and have had my friend in the session with me. As I have pretty chronic anxiety and agoraphobia he drives me to the sessions. I also have lived in his backyard in a converted pool house flat for 4 years just about. He is about the only person, family included, who has been there and been help to me over the time we have known each other. He has personal knowledge of depression and has had a panic on a plane previously so knows the depth of that fright. And I included him in the sessions as it is him who would take me to shops or appointments etc, out in public. So he could talk to my psych about support methods and such. He also has chronic pain and other health issues, and has not been in a good place himself for a long time now. I understand that, and have tried to not trouble him as ,ich with my own garbage. So. The point of this post. I have gotten a lot better at coping with the thoughts and sensations I get which would once have triggered a full panic. I know a lot of what comes out of me, thoughts and comments, are negative. I have a bad habit of setting myself up to fail. Like if we went for a walk around the block I would usually have an anxiety attack most of the way and I would try and prepare for that, but that came across as setting myself up for failure. I feel like I have failed if I am not able to do something without an attack. And the majority of what I say, I can’t breathe, I am going to die, am I breathing okay, my pulse is wrong etc etc is all repetitive. Regardless of whether I had done the same walk the day before, I will still come out with the same questions and comments etc. I know for a fact that is frustrating. And must be highly frustrating to hear the same thing again and again. Today, while in a panic, i barked back at him. I screwed up.

Michelle34 OCD and food
  • replies: 1

I have OCD around food. My problem is I can’t handle my husband cooking (we take turns) some thing he makes I can eat but he is the exact opposite of me. He eats expired food, handle raw meat and then rinses his hand (no soap) and I literally just ca... View more

I have OCD around food. My problem is I can’t handle my husband cooking (we take turns) some thing he makes I can eat but he is the exact opposite of me. He eats expired food, handle raw meat and then rinses his hand (no soap) and I literally just can’t put his food to my mouth. Which means because we have a limited food budget I’m basically starving every second week. He gets annoyed with me asking him questions about the meals, how he cooks them and intentionally cooks stuff I won’t eat because he says I’m being ridiculous. Get it, but I can’t change that right now. Is there any information I can give him regarding OCD and food so he will wash his hands properly?

Gerryboy90 How I handled most of my anxiety symptoms and only heart palpitations left to go.
  • replies: 7

Hello, some months back I posted how I didn’t want my anxiety to get worse because I was having symptoms like chest pain, headaches, blurry visions, back pains etc. And how I’ve had an ECG and heart Blood Test done and all came back fine. Well, I sta... View more

Hello, some months back I posted how I didn’t want my anxiety to get worse because I was having symptoms like chest pain, headaches, blurry visions, back pains etc. And how I’ve had an ECG and heart Blood Test done and all came back fine. Well, I started by embarking on my a research. I started reading on ways to keep my heart healthy and to relieve my anxiety. Please, before I continue. I don’t really know the particular food or exercise that started to reduce my symptoms. I’d like to think it’s a combination of everything. So during my research, i watched some videos and they mentioned “Dates”, so I started eating it, two per day. I started walking more because I heard walking helps reduce the likelihood of heart attacks and other cardiac events. I walk about 1 hour every day, about 5 to 6km competed every hour. Then I came across some article on the wonders of beetroots and how it helps to relieve blood pressure by relaxing your nerves, I started eating it and then started to eat at least 2 cloves of garlic a day, I read that it relaxes the hearts nerves. I mostly eat them at night. Also, at night, i make sure I eat at least one citrus fruit like orange or mandarin. I drink lemon water every 2nd day. Also, I added an apple, pear, kiwi , and some spinach to my nightly snacks and a cup of green tea. All these I heard are good for the heart. I now have strawberries, blueberries, almond and cashew nuts added to my morning cereal, added Mindfulness to my exercises. And for about 3 weeks now, I haven’t had any of those symptoms except for heart palpitations. I have also increased the number of my sleeping hours from 4 to about 5-6 every night. I used to be scared of sleeping cos I always feel like I’m going to die of a heart attack in my sleep. Also, thanks to the new ECG feature on the Apple Watch, I now check mine at least once a day. I keep track of my heart rates. And all of these helped in reducing my anxiety. Fingers crossed that soon, the heart palpitations would be gone. I hope this helps someone else.

Willow Jude Health Anxiety and Contamination OCD
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone, Last year I developed some mild chronic health conditions that give me symptoms similar to a weak cold, and as they went undiagnosed for a long time, they ended up having a big impact on me (many COVID tests, frequent days off work, not... View more

Hey everyone, Last year I developed some mild chronic health conditions that give me symptoms similar to a weak cold, and as they went undiagnosed for a long time, they ended up having a big impact on me (many COVID tests, frequent days off work, not being able to participate in my hobbies, not socialising, etc.). As a result, I became so worried about getting sick that I developed health anxiety and contamination OCD (in addition to existing social anxiety and depression). Even though I now have a diagnosis for my health issues, I still struggle when I feel like I am at risk of getting sick or when I have any symptoms/body sensations that could indicate some kind of illness. I am lucky that my mental illnesses aren’t overwhelmingly difficult to deal with on a day-to-day basis, but there are times when specific situations can lead to me feeling very low, and I also acknowledge that the habits I rely on to avoid getting sick (e.g. declining social invitations, being suspicious of those around me, limiting the role/s I can do within my job, etc.) might not be sustainable or might lead to me feeling worse. I was hoping someone out there might be able to relate or at least just send some good vibes my way. Thanks, Willow Jude

ToLate Brain zaps
  • replies: 2

Hi I keep getting brain zaps since I stopped taking anti-depressants. Now I know it's supposed to be a short term withdrawal symptom but.... I stopped it in 2014. I got sick as a dog with super high temperatures and ended up in hospital a few times. ... View more

Hi I keep getting brain zaps since I stopped taking anti-depressants. Now I know it's supposed to be a short term withdrawal symptom but.... I stopped it in 2014. I got sick as a dog with super high temperatures and ended up in hospital a few times. Does anyone else have "brain zaps" years after stopping anti-depressants? Does anyone have any solutions or advice to help?

jemma09 Anxiety impacting others?
  • replies: 4

Hi all, hope you are well Does anyone else find that their anxiety can impact other people? It makes me feel incredibly upset when this happens. It makes me feel like I don't want to exist anymore because I am bringing others' pain. It has just been ... View more

Hi all, hope you are well Does anyone else find that their anxiety can impact other people? It makes me feel incredibly upset when this happens. It makes me feel like I don't want to exist anymore because I am bringing others' pain. It has just been a low time for me at the moment. I met someone new recently and I really like them. I am very anxious around romance and I overthink a lot. I lock myself behind a wall and refuse kindness sometimes. I know I enjoy the romance between me and this person, because I miss it when it is not there. But I have now made this person feel worried because they're afraid of making me feel anxious. And I have made them feel bad with my overthinking. I have always had troubles with interaction. I worry about what other people think of me. So, I tell myself that I should be alone, that maybe I don't deserve to find happiness with another person because of the amount I would put them through. It just does not seem fair. Then I feel like I should lock myself away and stop interacting with people all together, it is very lonely. I do not want to do that. I want to keep talking to this person. I am not going to stop, because that would hurt more. I have someone I trust to talk to. They help me see situations clearer and help me find out what I am actually feeling. I realised I felt so sad about how I have impacted this person because I started crying. I said sorry again to this person I am interested in. They are very patient and understanding. This person tells me to take my time, which I really appreciate. But I just feel like I don't deserve it. I make simple things unnecessarily hard. I keep thinking to myself: I hate this, I hate my anxiety. I do not want to be this person. I want to be carefree and have fun. I am a young person who should be able to enjoy life and meet new people. But I feel so held back by anxiety and my past experiences. I start hating myself. I want to just stop feeling. I want it all to stop. I don't want to go to therapy again. I just don't know what to do. I feel hopeless. I don't really see any solution because I know I will be like this for the rest of my life. Anxiety has always been here, since I was a little kid. I have never had one break and I am honestly so sick of it. Someone told me to try and be kind to myself, but I don't even want to do that. I feel like I deserve to feel bad. I don't know if any of this makes sense. I want to thank whoever reads this. Take care & stay safe.

Pantera913 Being a first time mum (or mum in general) with anxiety
  • replies: 1

Being a mum is hard work. There's no clock off time. But don't get me wrong I wouldn't change it for the world! But when I start to feel unwell or have things with my body go wrong I go into full anxiety attack mode and worry myself silly because it ... View more

Being a mum is hard work. There's no clock off time. But don't get me wrong I wouldn't change it for the world! But when I start to feel unwell or have things with my body go wrong I go into full anxiety attack mode and worry myself silly because it always ends with me thinking the worst like what if something happened to me, I'd never see my boy again. It is so crippling. Does this happen to anyone else? Nothing has happened with my son yet, but I can only imagine I will be the same, if not worse if he ever had something happen!