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

Rach28 stressed out by centrelink
  • replies: 1

hi everyone. thanks for reading this post it means alot. so.. im writing this post because currently on a exemption to not have to seek work/ study as im currently on centrelink jobseeker payment. ive been on this payment for the past 5+ years honest... View more

hi everyone. thanks for reading this post it means alot. so.. im writing this post because currently on a exemption to not have to seek work/ study as im currently on centrelink jobseeker payment. ive been on this payment for the past 5+ years honestly. i checked my MyGov profile account like i normally do to report/check for updates etc. Next week i have a super random phone appointment with a services australia office to 'help me'. they suggested that i could volunteer at a local disability employment services office. that sounds awful and i am not doing that! i just dont understand why they are bothering me during my exemption due to anxiety/depression. i just want to be left in peace to seek support from my psychologists and figure out what im going to do next in my time. Is anyone else struggling with centrelink not leaving you alone when your struggling with your mental health. right now my depression is quite high and my anxiety is severe. if you read my other posts you'll understand the circumstances that have caused this decline. i just want to scream right now. i feel like everything is out of my control and i just want a moment to breathe. i want a moment to figure out what i want without others telling me what to do. i'm sick of these appointments, phone calls, reporting. i'm sick of it and just want peace and quiet. is anyone else struggling with centrelink long term being unemployed. id love to hear from you so that i dont feel so alone right now in this awful feeling. thanks for reading x

Ash_music ALWAYS HERE
  • replies: 9

No matter how low you are feeling you have friends and family and people who can help you do much that love you. You are all amazing and smart and strong. And you CAN tell people that your not actually ok. Make them listen. They will want what's best... View more

No matter how low you are feeling you have friends and family and people who can help you do much that love you. You are all amazing and smart and strong. And you CAN tell people that your not actually ok. Make them listen. They will want what's best for you. So whatever your going through, and whatever challenges your facing, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. WE ARE ALWAYS HERE.

cvberwrld vent
  • replies: 1

hey everyonei just wanted some advice on something, i’m not sure if this is the appropriate place for it either but i’m studying a diploma of nursing currently and for about 3 months now, i’ve just been feeling very detached from it. i have veryyy li... View more

hey everyonei just wanted some advice on something, i’m not sure if this is the appropriate place for it either but i’m studying a diploma of nursing currently and for about 3 months now, i’ve just been feeling very detached from it. i have veryyy little motivation for continuing, i’m on campus four days a week and it genuinely feels like i’m on autopilot or something? that feels like the only way i can describe it . i had a practical assessment recently (which i failed) and ended up crying in front of my assessor, it was like an uncontrollable type of cry. it just feels like a wave of self doubt, lack of motivation, and frankly just an overall disinterest in a way? i constantly remind myself of the reason why i started studying nursing in the first place, but as of now i genuinely feel like i’ve made a mistake or something. if anyone has any advice lmk thank youuuu :))

PurplePenguin77 Medication for Physical anxiety symptoms
  • replies: 3

Hi, I’m a late teen and in my early teen years I went to a psychologist for a while for my anxiety. I struggle mainly with social and performance anxiety, but when I was younger, my main issue was the immense worry and anxious thoughts. I went to my ... View more

Hi, I’m a late teen and in my early teen years I went to a psychologist for a while for my anxiety. I struggle mainly with social and performance anxiety, but when I was younger, my main issue was the immense worry and anxious thoughts. I went to my psychologist for about a year and then I stopped, and honestly my anxiety has gotten much better and im able to regulate my worry.However, i still struggle with physical symptoms of anxiety, like trembling, heart racing, voice shaking, dizziness, when faced with situations like public speaking. But the thing is, I don’t feel like i worry beforehand or anything. It’s like i can’t control my body from experiencing these symptoms, even if my mind doesn’t feel anxious. I’m wondering if medication would help me. Should I go see my GP and is my GP able to see if it will help? Or is it a long process for anxiety medication, or will my GP refer me to a psychiatrist? Any other advice would be helpful

Unsure14 Feeling lost
  • replies: 3

Hi, I am struggling at the moment with a lot of anxiety and stress when it comes to work. The job is very demanding and can be very difficult. I only started this particular job 6 months ago so I’m still fairly new to it but the job itself as changed... View more

Hi, I am struggling at the moment with a lot of anxiety and stress when it comes to work. The job is very demanding and can be very difficult. I only started this particular job 6 months ago so I’m still fairly new to it but the job itself as changed dramatically within those months. When I first applied for it I was confident and excited but lately that excitement has gone away, we have had many changes happen very quickly and very little support. I feel very lost and I keep getting anxiety attacks about having to go into work. I’ve been in the industry for a long time and have moved up into a different role and I no longer feel comfortable doing it anymore due to all this stress anxiety. I feel lost, it was never going to be a forever job but I have never known what I have actually wanted to do in a career. I’ve tried techniques that I’ve been taught over the years but in my heart I know it’s not the job for me but I feel stuck and unsure on where to go next. Especially financially as well. I can’t afford to just quit. I just want to know if there’s anyone else out there feeling the same and if their any tips or guidance.

yur Anxiety?
  • replies: 1

I think i might have social anxiety I don't know, i can't get it checked out or whatever cause my mum will say "I'm just shy" and I'm too scared to get it checked out anyways....i never really questioned it until now. likee i used to not care when a ... View more

I think i might have social anxiety I don't know, i can't get it checked out or whatever cause my mum will say "I'm just shy" and I'm too scared to get it checked out anyways....i never really questioned it until now. likee i used to not care when a loud noise would happen, but now i jump when i hear any unexpected sound.i always feel nervous and have a need to get home asap when im out at the shops but it only happens when i go with someone else and i dont need to buy anything. another is when im walking especially on the main roads i cant look up when cars are coming i always keep my head down cause i dont wanna stare at anybody but there was this one incident that happened at school for me so like i was playing volleyball, i used to play for school but quit the team but like i was playing in a PE class and the whole session, my heart was racing, and i was shaking alot but i kept playing through it cause i wanted to win. i tried to calm myself down but i couldn't and thugged it out. i think it was because my friend i quit volley with wasnt there with me, and the other class we were playing against i didn't like them. yeah thats all i can be bothered to type

DavidLikesGoats Sudden anxiety at a critical moment in my life
  • replies: 3

Hi my name is David, I'm in my 20s. I've struggled with mental health issues for as long as I can remember. When I was seven or eight I was diagnosed with autism and saw a therapist through primary school. Later in high school I was diagnosed with de... View more

Hi my name is David, I'm in my 20s. I've struggled with mental health issues for as long as I can remember. When I was seven or eight I was diagnosed with autism and saw a therapist through primary school. Later in high school I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I have recently started my third year of University. I failed a couple semesters due to poor time management and mental health issues. At the same time as this I've had a sudden period of really bad anxiety that's lasted weeks. I've had a lot of nausea, been unable to eat much food without gagging, and have a lot of tension and tremors in my body. I think I've lost about 10% of my bodyweight because of this... The mental stuff is really hard to deal with too. Every morning I'm convinced the world is going to end very soon. I get fearful that learning and reading about the things I love (art and art history) will make my anxiety worse and worse... I'm lucky I have a few friends I can reach out to but I don't want to bother or scare them since they have busier lives than me. In recent days my paranoia about a coming apocalypse has caused me to think of suicide a lot... Not as something I want to do now, but as a "way out" if things get too bad. I don't want to think like that and it scares me that I feel like I have to. I was really looking forward to my next semester, but the quality of my favourite class, mandarin Chinese, has suddenly dropped with budget cuts. I've looked into student advocacy and they told me some things I might be able to do, but the whole process has been stressful... It's compounded my feelings that I should change courses. Anyway I wanted to write down how I'm feeling so I could look back on it again and ask for some support or advice. If anyone's been in a similar situation please let me know.

RichoC My story and no help. And hated for it,
  • replies: 2

This is my story. Trying to see what has caused issues for me. My Wife hates me for it. I'm done, Thoughts why I have changed as I'm told I have, Previously I was very calm and kind easygoing all the time. Nothing bothered me. Did good things, played... View more

This is my story. Trying to see what has caused issues for me. My Wife hates me for it. I'm done, Thoughts why I have changed as I'm told I have, Previously I was very calm and kind easygoing all the time. Nothing bothered me. Did good things, played music, all good. Had good mates and family. Job was good at the first job. All good. Then, Left that job to start a business. First year was ok, not brilliant but ok. Then it all went to shit. Fucked over, not paid, hated it. Drank a lot to self-medicate. Didn’t help. Didn’t know what to do. Was embarrassed felt ashamed. A loser. I knew how to do the work but couldn’t run a business and make a living. Eventually, I gave up and got a job. Failure massively. Then changed jobs. Hated all of it they were assholes at this job. Ripped me off. Lied to me about pay. Hated being there. Was in a really bad state at the end, mouthing off on family holidays, seeking help, got none. It was a battle what to do. Then got the job at another place thank God. Great day! Thought yah this will be good. I’m back! It wasn’t. Stupid ways of working. Accusing me of failure. Hated that. Was in a real panic about what to do. Then got a call from a bank offering me a job. I thought wow this is so wonderful, thank you! So, I left. Though this will be so good. Then started turning on me. My boss didn’t like me because I was more qualified than him. Knew way more and proved it daily. Then ripped me for a small error that I fixed with no issues perfectly. Then went to sack me anyway. Told them they can’t. They did it anyway broke the law 100%. Then no job for 2-3 months. No income. Applied for 200 + jobs got nothing. No replies at all despite my qualifications and experience. Then got a job at a school. Thought this might be ok it’s a job. Pay was worst I’d ever had in my life. But it was a pay so ok. Then I got f---ed over there and booted because old mate coming back. Worked at new school. Hated it. Stupidity of people. Rudeness to me. Hated it again. Then applied and got the job at a uni That was the best day in years so happy still am. Very grateful. Very lucky. But only temporary. So have to manage that and apply fast. It’s hard again and a bi worry for me daily. So yeah, I’ve has some traumatic shit happen to me that broke me 2015 and beyond. Pushed me to the edge. Gave me anxiety for first time in my life. Depression badly. Drank to numb it all. No support. Very bad for me. So yeah, it changed me. But now I’m the asshole they don’t want to hear the why’s. Don’t care. Oh, and sacked from the band after 13 years of friendship. Pretty upsetting for me. I’m happy doing my thing now but miss doing gigs so badly. So why? Personality disorder? Maybe? Anxiety – yes! Feel on my own – yes. Feel hated by my wife – yes. Feel unwanted by my wife – yes. Feel like be good if I died today. Yep! Worthlessness 101. So yeah, I’m miserable a lot. I fire up to protect myself when people attack me. Feel like they want to hurt me, get rid of me. Then I get accused of being an abuser. Lovely. That’s my story since 2015 to 2023. 8 years of shit. Some really bad. Traumatic actually. Had a deep impact on me all of it. Perhaps it has damaged me and I just don’t know it? No one has been able to help me with any of it at all. What do I do now? Go away leave. Disappear for good. That be good for you! Seek help? Seems to not be there. Die somehow. That’s all I got, not a lot. Never in my life have I had issues with a job, nothing. Always fantastic. Then copped a string of it 8 years. Nasty cruel people.

Unforgettable_fire Anxiety is crippling at the moment
  • replies: 2

I am really struggling at the moment, about a month ago my mother had a massive heart attack. Throughout that time I've been to the hospital every day and also trying to arrange permanent in home care for when she gets discharged. I'm also trying to ... View more

I am really struggling at the moment, about a month ago my mother had a massive heart attack. Throughout that time I've been to the hospital every day and also trying to arrange permanent in home care for when she gets discharged. I'm also trying to managing care for my father who has agoraphobia and anxiety and depression. I thought I was coping ok but the last week I've had this overwhelming fear that comes over me in the mornings and only starts to subside by about 5pm. I am also juggling some concerns I face with a tax debt which has really knocked the wind out of my sails. I am trying to put on a brave face for my parents but it is taking a lot of me to keep going and appear normal

Xyz-12_ Anxiety and not able to eat in public
  • replies: 6

I am an international student who graduated from university last month. I have anxiety problems. The main issue is that I am not able to eat in public ( restaurants, in family dinners , with friends etc). I can only eat a very limited amount or less ... View more

I am an international student who graduated from university last month. I have anxiety problems. The main issue is that I am not able to eat in public ( restaurants, in family dinners , with friends etc). I can only eat a very limited amount or less amounts of food without any drink ( as drinking increases vomiting ). I am going to join job soon. I will not be able to have lunch in my office or any proper meal with others. This is causing me stress . Even if I do not eat lunch in office everyday, I may get some problems or health issues associated with skipping meals .This can lead to some diseases also. I did talk to my therapist about anti vomitting medication , but they cannot be had everyday, as I will be going for my job everyday. I am a healthy person with no medical history till now. I had taken therapy session in my university ( twice every month ) , but it has not been that helpful. I do try sometimes to eat with others , but can only eat very less quantities. Please help with this. Is there any treatment?