Anxiety

Scared to stop going to therapy

replies: 11

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting so I'm sorry if my post is not following any forum rules or etiquette. I started seeing a psychologist last year after dealing with anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts and procrastination. I had so many physica... View more

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting so I'm sorry if my post is not following any forum rules or etiquette. I started seeing a psychologist last year after dealing with anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts and procrastination. I had so many physical symptoms of anxiety, couldn't be home alone or by myself at all, and felt like I didn't know myself anymore. I was basically overanalysing and worrying about anything and everything. I was overthinking my entire life which was causing me to deal with so many different OCD themes and I experienced graphic, detailed intrusive thoughts. Fast forward 6 months and my psychologist said that if I feel comfortable, I don't really need to come back to see them anymore. I am definitely doing much better; I have a good understanding of my mental health and how my brain reacts to triggers and certain situations. I can be home alone and no longer feel like I am about to "lose my mind". Despite my improvement, I feel really scared to stop going to therapy. I constantly feel as though I am about to tip over the edge and lose myself again. I worry that if I do go back, my psychologist will think I am overreacting and am wasting their time when they could be seeing other patients who are struggling much more than I am. I guess I would appreciate some advice on what I should do. Do I have to be completely better to stop going to therapy? If I start to feel terrible again, am I allowed to go back and see my psychologist even if they have already given me all the tools I need to cope?

Has medication helped you with severe anxiety inducing phobia?

replies: 8

Hello, I'm just wondering if there is anyone out there who has found medication effective for helping with a phobia? I suffer with a severe phobia of a specific illness (I'm sorry, I can't write the name) but this phobia rules my life and stops me fr... View more

Hello, I'm just wondering if there is anyone out there who has found medication effective for helping with a phobia? I suffer with a severe phobia of a specific illness (I'm sorry, I can't write the name) but this phobia rules my life and stops me from functioning like a regular human. I'm suffering immensely, but there's also a follow-on effect for my husband and my children. Plus I’m a full time uni student and my assignments are suffering because of it as well. I'm just so completely overwhelmed by it and to be honest I'm so drained by it that all I want to do is cry. It consumes my every waking thought, and it often infiltrates my nightmares. I’m sorry for rambling, I just want to know if anyone had any experience with this sort of thing? And if you’ve tried medication, does it stop the constant thoughts? I just want the constant thoughts of my phobia to stop, I just want to think about normal every day things. I’m falling apart at the seams and it's getting harder and harder to be the mum and wife that I so desperately want to be again. Sorry for writing such a big post

Struggling with uni workload

replies: 2

Hi people, I’m just been feeling sick/off lately. I’m thinking it has something to do with my uni homework load. I have noticed in the past when I have a few big assessments due all at once I end up at the doctors a lot. I feel stupid feeling like th... View more

Hi people, I’m just been feeling sick/off lately. I’m thinking it has something to do with my uni homework load. I have noticed in the past when I have a few big assessments due all at once I end up at the doctors a lot. I feel stupid feeling like this but I don’t know what I can do to feel better and stop this from happening. Like I’m doing my work but it sometimes feels like a mountain and then my severe anxiety gets triggered it’s a mess. But I definitely noticed I go doctors much more especially when the workload is huge. Is this normal like to feel yucky/sick stomach for no reason because of this.

Feel like such an idiot!

replies: 11

Ive just had my second appointment with the psychologist. I feel it went really well, was able to open up more about a few things and got good feedback and solutions to a few more issues that have been bothering me. It felt good to talk about those t... View more

Ive just had my second appointment with the psychologist. I feel it went really well, was able to open up more about a few things and got good feedback and solutions to a few more issues that have been bothering me. It felt good to talk about those things and i really did leave with my head held high sort of thing. That was until i got to reception to book my next 2 sessions. I dont know who had put the idea in my head but i was genuinely under the impression that with my mental health care plan i had 6 free sessions with the psychologist! I dont know who had planted that thought but thats what i genuinely believed! Looking back i realise how stupid i was! The lady at reception said i had just walked out without paying last time and that i needed to pay for both then and there. This was despite seeing the reception lady last time about my next appointment and nothing was mentioned about having to pay anything! Usually that wouldnt be an issue. Id just apologise for what happened, pay whats due and go on with my day. But because ive been on placement the last 2 weeks and unable to work im literally broke right now. Have $53 until wednesday when i get my FTB payment which even then isnt much! After that its next thursday ill get paid all of just about nothing because ive had to be off work for placement. I dont get paid for completing placement and centrelink wont let me go on job seeker even though im now earning well under their max. The doom came straight over me as i stood there explaining this to the lady who really didnt give a crap and just needed me to pay now. After promising id be back on wednesday to pay both fees i finally walked out almost crying. Got into my car and all the emotions just came right up and in an instant i felt like self harming if i had the means then and there. As i drove home i just cried and still am. How could i be SO stupid to not realise that of course its not free! How had no one told me this sooner! Why did no one call me about it in the 2 weeks its been since my last appointment! My head hurts from crying now! Im always such an honest person and it really hits me when someones trying to say otherwise! I genuinely didnt know! So now ive gone from feeling pretty good to absolute crap. Of course ill be there first thing wednesday morning! I almost feel too ashamed to even go back for my next appointment.. What hurts even more is that when faced with something sudden like this, it was self harm my mind first went to..

social anxiety

replies: 3

Hi i am wondering has anyone actually got through social anxiety orrr is it just something you have to grim and bear through have tried program before it didnt really work for me at time might try agian...anyone tried the medication side of things? W... View more

Hi i am wondering has anyone actually got through social anxiety orrr is it just something you have to grim and bear through have tried program before it didnt really work for me at time might try agian...anyone tried the medication side of things? Would be very nice just to have a break from it every now and then or in the hard spots sometimes i dunno it can be verry draining sometimes.

Depersonalisation

replies: 4

I've been having this feeling where I feel like I'm not in control of my body and actions. Let's say I start a conversation with someone and in mid conversation, I forget what I was saying, or cannot say the things I want to say. I've been to many aw... View more

I've been having this feeling where I feel like I'm not in control of my body and actions. Let's say I start a conversation with someone and in mid conversation, I forget what I was saying, or cannot say the things I want to say. I've been to many awkward situations because of this condition. Another time, I feel like I've done something bad (that I obviously didn't do like murdering someone) and feel guilty about it. It feels like I have two versions of myself and my other half acts independently from myself. Has anyone felt the same? Should I bring it up with my psychologist? or do I need to see a psychiatrist?

Should I seek help for OCD/Anxiety?

replies: 10

Hey everyone, I have had anxiety for quite a long time now and I also think I have had OCD for a long time but this has never been formally diagnosed. It is at its worst when I am stressed or feeling anxious and effects me in a variety of ways For ex... View more

Hey everyone, I have had anxiety for quite a long time now and I also think I have had OCD for a long time but this has never been formally diagnosed. It is at its worst when I am stressed or feeling anxious and effects me in a variety of ways For example at the moment I have recently started the lab work component of my honours at university this year. Throughout the day my mind is constantly in overdrive when working as I am constantly checking and double checking things throughout the day. Whether or not I put things back in the fridge and closed the door properly, if I switched off powerpoints, if I put enough liquid in the jars, if I followed the right step, If I labelled things right etc. Even today I was the last one to leave the lab and I checked some of the powerpoints and fridges 4 or 5 times before leaving I was even heading to the door but had to double back because of that lingering anxiety feeling so I could check them all again. All of this is leaving me mentally and physically exhausted at the end of the day and my concentration is getting worse as all of my focus is going towards these habits. The work is enjoyable but the experience hasnt been great so far because im feeling constantly stressed. I've tried all these years to get over these issues using lifestyle changes and they somewhat help although I am not consistent and tend to drop things for a while when Im not in a great mood. Can anyone relate to or has overcome some of these issues? Any advice would be appreciated and thanks for taking the time to read

Anxiety around certain people

replies: 3

Hi everyone, I'm looking to get some advice on how to handle anxiety around specific people. My step sister has one really good friend who it seems she uses as a crutch a lot in social situations. While this is totally fine, the friend has said some ... View more

Hi everyone, I'm looking to get some advice on how to handle anxiety around specific people. My step sister has one really good friend who it seems she uses as a crutch a lot in social situations. While this is totally fine, the friend has said some bad stuff about me and has told people that she doesn't like me (she has even said this to my boyfriend of 4 years). She also very subtly puts me down when she's around by making snark remarks and laughing at me. I don't have the best relationship with my step sister already and I think this is what started it. Even though I have spoken to my step mum about how this person makes me feel (she makes me lower my self worth and the anxiety I get before seeing her makes me feel physically ill), my step mum still keeps inviting her to family gatherings. This is really upsetting to me and is another thing in itself as my family doesn't really take others into consideration. I just found out that this person has been invited to my families mother's day brunch on Sunday and already I'm feeling a pain in my chest, can't eat properly and having minor panic attacks. I can't bail on this brunch and I want to work on my resilience to be able to power through my anxiety in these situations. Does anyone have any tips on how to handle your anxiety around people who make you feel this way?

How to get motivated to exercise whilst living with anxiety?

replies: 9

Hi all, Wondering if anyone has tips on exercising whilst living with anxiety. I’ve had GAD (generalised anxiety) since childhood, am somewhat overweight and have never been able to stick to exercise well. I realise this is true for most people regar... View more

Hi all, Wondering if anyone has tips on exercising whilst living with anxiety. I’ve had GAD (generalised anxiety) since childhood, am somewhat overweight and have never been able to stick to exercise well. I realise this is true for most people regardless of whether they have good or bad mental health, but isn’t it ironic, a thing which can improve your health and longevity and your mood and life in general is so hard to do. Even when you want to do it. To make things worse I work full time and study and have 2 young kids and lots of creative projects (eg songwriting and recording, blogging). So definitely having too much on my plate is a problem. But anyway just wondering if anyone with anxiety had tips or stories to share for getting it done?

Not good enough

replies: 9

I’ve recently started a new job and it’s completely overwhelming me. I’ve developed a habit over recent years where my negative self talk is destroying my confidence to do anything and my fear of failure is paralysing. These feelings have overridden ... View more

I’ve recently started a new job and it’s completely overwhelming me. I’ve developed a habit over recent years where my negative self talk is destroying my confidence to do anything and my fear of failure is paralysing. These feelings have overridden any excitement I had for the new role and I’m missing the comfort of my previous long term workplace. I’d been there a long time but was also pretty miserable, I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t like the career path I’ve chosen or if I’be just become lazy and unmotivated. I use going out on the weekends to forget all about these thoughts, but this just comes back to haunt me on Monday and Tuesday when I feel like trash and the cycle continues. Struggling at the moment

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Scared to stop going to therapy

replies: 11