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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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Coralie1963 Partner avoiding money talks
  • replies: 6

So my partner avoids talkimg about money in particular today when I asked our savings goal, we both agreed to save 50 dollars a week towards our wedding and house deposit. Every time I ask how its going he says "I will have a panic attack and melt do... View more

So my partner avoids talkimg about money in particular today when I asked our savings goal, we both agreed to save 50 dollars a week towards our wedding and house deposit. Every time I ask how its going he says "I will have a panic attack and melt down can we not talk about it" or changes the subject or answers without answering, but I feel like we should be able to discuss this good or bad. I don't think saying don't talk him saying I'll have an anxiety attack each time I bring it up is constructive, I want to understand his perspective but I am struggling, I feel like he might be hiding something but I don't want to go to a place of judgement. Has anyone got any advice on how he might be feeling or how I should approach this?

VelvetThunder panic attacks where i need the toilet 
  • replies: 4

I’m a 28 year old male suffering from some pretty debilitating anxiety that leads to depression. So, when I’m at home and know I don’t have any plans i feel great. As soon as I need to leave the house I get a strange panic feeling and need the toilet... View more

I’m a 28 year old male suffering from some pretty debilitating anxiety that leads to depression. So, when I’m at home and know I don’t have any plans i feel great. As soon as I need to leave the house I get a strange panic feeling and need the toilet. If I’m driving my car and get stuck in traffic, I start to panic knowing I can find the nearest toilet available. I have seen a doctor and he’s put me on medication. I’ve been on it for 4 weeks exactly and haven’t felt any different . I also get the feeling where I’m too scared to eat outside of my home. Fear that I will get sick, but as soon as I get home I’m starving and can comfortably eat. I know this stems from some stomach issues I’ve had in the past, but I’ve been healthy for years and this anxiety has gotten worse and worse over the past 2 years. Going to work and being at work is fine but anything else terrifies me. To the point where my girlfriend told me she was stuck on a train due to some line works, just the thought of that gave me anxiety. I wasn’t even on the train! I’ve been stuck in traffic before. Has the feeling of needing the toilet so bad that I turned around, found a spot on the side of the road and was prepared to completely humiliate myself.. As soon as I got out the car I had a second to calm down and felt completely fine. How can someone go from the feeling like that any second to feeling fine and not going for another 3 hours when I got home. It’s rather depressing because there’s nothing more I would love to do than go out with friends, have a meal, hang out somewhere and not have to look everywhere for the nearest toilet. Any feedback, advice or help would be greatly appreciated .

HearMe Social media - delete?
  • replies: 3

I deleted Instagram a long time ago because I noticed it was impacting my mental health. I recently created another Instagram profile and the same thing happened so I deleted it again. my friends comment that I am always off and on social media and I... View more

I deleted Instagram a long time ago because I noticed it was impacting my mental health. I recently created another Instagram profile and the same thing happened so I deleted it again. my friends comment that I am always off and on social media and I can see how that might be unusual to them. I can’t describe to them how it affects me because they don’t understand. I battle with the way that social media and news apps make me feel, anxious, scared, inadequate. but I can’t stop looking ! I want to delete it all and live a life without it all but when I do I feel so disconnected and fear I’ll miss out and lose friends. I then return to social media and it’s a cycle of this over many years now. Does anyone else have these problems with social media? what should I do to get over this behaviour

Amanda2000 anxiety at home - cannot relax
  • replies: 10

I experience anxiety when the rest of my family is at home with me (husband + 2 teenagers). I feel guilty and crazy at the same time. My closest-and-dearest will not harm me in any way, but why do I feel the urge to run and hide when I hear them appr... View more

I experience anxiety when the rest of my family is at home with me (husband + 2 teenagers). I feel guilty and crazy at the same time. My closest-and-dearest will not harm me in any way, but why do I feel the urge to run and hide when I hear them approaching?! It's like a feeling of being attacked. My house has a long hallway downstairs. Getting from one end to the other is always stressful - the constant fear of someone coming out of a room along the way. The sound of a door opening makes me jump every time. Any noise they make irritates me, whether it's their footsteps or talking or closing of the kitchen-cupboard or running of the tap. My negative reaction is instant. I have no time to adjust my thinking. I would avoid going into common areas like the kitchen until no one is there. If anyone walks past me, my heart would start racing. Weekends and school holidays are the worst. They might sleep-in so I cannot wash the bed-linen until they're up. They might eat breakfast late so I cannot start the dishwasher. Then someone decides to use the washing machine just as I was about to put in the bed-linen. OK I'll go to clean the bathroom but someone is in there. It's like they're all over the house and it's always that exact same second when I'm there. I'm doing chores in-between when things are not in use, one thing after another. I can't relax at all. Watch TV for 10 minutes and then the washing machine beeps. My head ends up in a total mess. Now it's started to affect my sleep. I cannot unwind and calm my mind until they've all gone to bed. I need total silence and solitude. But then as I finally get into bed late, I start thinking about the next day and how to dodge them again. It's a vicious cycle. I know the thoughts are irrational but I cannot stop the triggers. I use various coping-strategies to get me out of these anxiety episodes, but it's mentally exhausting when I'm doing this over and over again throughout the day. I have a wonderful family and I really should not complain, but I just cannot relax when they are around. Any thoughts?

Guest_1055 No good at small talk
  • replies: 100

Today I find myself thinking, probably over thinking.....well I am not good at small talk. Anyone got any thoughts on small talk? I know it can be helpful in a way but seems meaningless in other ways. OK bye now Shelley xxx

Today I find myself thinking, probably over thinking.....well I am not good at small talk. Anyone got any thoughts on small talk? I know it can be helpful in a way but seems meaningless in other ways. OK bye now Shelley xxx

Tripleshotcapnosugar ADHD in adults
  • replies: 1

Anyone been diagnosed with adult adhd and how have the symptoms affected your personal relationships?

Anyone been diagnosed with adult adhd and how have the symptoms affected your personal relationships?

Anon285 I want to stop
  • replies: 3

Hi there, I am trying to stop worrying about two things: my appearance, and my health (because of long/term injuries that limit my ability to exercise). I know no one cares about my appearance, and it feels stupid. I keep these concerns to myself - I... View more

Hi there, I am trying to stop worrying about two things: my appearance, and my health (because of long/term injuries that limit my ability to exercise). I know no one cares about my appearance, and it feels stupid. I keep these concerns to myself - I take photos throughout the day to check what I look like in different angles, clothes etc. I purposely disabled my camera for half a year, but as soon as I put it back on again, I’m taking them again and I’m disappointed in myself, I’ve tried many times to stop, and I started this 4 years ago. I’ve seen a psychologist about it, who recommended thinking about positive aspects of my appearance and thinking realistically (example ‘no one cares and if they do it doesn’t matter’ and not looking at photos. For some reason I can’t kick this habit - like I get something from it, either reassurance that I look fine, or look ‘not good’. Thinking about it deeper, maybe it stems from insecurity from negative social experiences, I don’t know. I also worry about my health because I have injuries that keep flaring up preventing me from exercising (this has been going for nearly a year, they’re getting better though). I’m waiting patiently for the injuries to go away, doing physio exercises, and then I accidentally injure myself again and I get worried about how long this will last because I’m losing fitness and I gained a bit of weight since I’ve been unable to exercise a lot like before. I distract myself with funny videos, work, study and volunteering, but if I’m not doing those things, I’m literally thinking about this. For hours a day. It’s an unhealthy obsession, unhelpful to anyone because there are so many things in this world that matter more than these things. I don’t have friends, because most people are spending their time doing stuff while I spend it obsessing about these things. I’m not relatable because I worry. And I don’t want to talk about that, so I don’t talk. I have done that since year 10 (5 years ago) and had no friends throughout that because of this too. My question is: have you experienced anything similar to this before too? Also, any ideas about what to do with your free time? Thanks

emily_p Anxiety physical symptoms
  • replies: 2

Hi guys I have anxiety I just want to know if it's normal/does anyone Relse get pain in the middle of there chest between cleavage. Sharp pain comes and goes even when you feel normal.. I've been to my docs and he said it's my anxiety, just never had... View more

Hi guys I have anxiety I just want to know if it's normal/does anyone Relse get pain in the middle of there chest between cleavage. Sharp pain comes and goes even when you feel normal.. I've been to my docs and he said it's my anxiety, just never had this And it keeps coming back sort of like a burning feeling with a sharp pain Doesn't last long. Hope makes sense. Thankyou

John_z Cardiac heath anxiety
  • replies: 2

I’ve been dealing with health anxiety for about 3 years, as well as anxiety and body dysmorphia for 5 although I’ve largely moved past my dysmorphia. I’m 17 years old. I can track my fear of heart related issues back to when I first went to hospital ... View more

I’ve been dealing with health anxiety for about 3 years, as well as anxiety and body dysmorphia for 5 although I’ve largely moved past my dysmorphia. I’m 17 years old. I can track my fear of heart related issues back to when I first went to hospital with issues about anxiety and self image, as my eating habits had changed they tested my blood and found I had low potassium levels and decided to do an ECG which came back clear but there was confusion about prolonged QT syndrome, it was just a misreading on the doctors part and it was checked by a specialist who ruled it out although that moment would forever change me, the panic I felt when being told that my heart had been damaged by my mind was terrifying. I was fine for the following year until I had my first experience with chest pain. It was sharp in my left side and lasted only a few seconds this would trigger a line of panic attacks until one day I had a panic attack so severe about my heart and pain I went to the ER they did an ECG, blood tests and an x-ray and found nothing except for lower potassium yet again. worried about long qt syndrome as low potassium can be a symptom of it my GP and I decided I should see a cardiologist. Had an echocardiogram and another ECG and my heart was in perfect conduction and my QT was perfectly within the limit. I continued to fear my pains that would continue as well as heart palpitations that were a lot rarer than the pain itself but felt like 1 or 2 very loud beats like my heart was changing gears. I decided to get help for the anxiety and after being prescribed medication and seeing a therapist a went a year without panic attack constant cardiac fear. This was success for me as my pain was still there but I could tell that it was muscular skeletal and not related to my heart but rather my back and sternum. BUT recently 6 months after coming off my mediation and stopping therapy I a had a panic attack with the stabbing pain again and now I get constant heart attack symptoms I went to ER got an ECG a X-ray and blood tests and was told I was fine although again, low potassium. I felt amazing for a day until I found that prolonged QT syndrome and low potassium were closely linked and rushed myself to a hospital to get another ECG, there they found my QT was again normal and assured me that prolonged QT syndrome would always be present in ECGs and I was fine. I felt good for a day but now i’m crippled with anxiety i’m scared to exercise, I feel so ill and alone.

PersonAnonymous Anxiety of Disappointing Someone? Please share
  • replies: 5

I have been dealing with my anxiety for years now but have on realised in the last few months that I have a fear of disappointing people. If you have any stories please share and maybe we can find people like us to know we're not alone.

I have been dealing with my anxiety for years now but have on realised in the last few months that I have a fear of disappointing people. If you have any stories please share and maybe we can find people like us to know we're not alone.