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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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ThomasJakeLim Anxiety from job search due to ageism
  • replies: 4

Hi there I am in my mid forties and just finished my 8 year contract work. Now back in the job hunting mode and feeling overwhelmed by uncertainties due to age. I hear too often about age discrimination and it's really hitting me hard not knowing if ... View more

Hi there I am in my mid forties and just finished my 8 year contract work. Now back in the job hunting mode and feeling overwhelmed by uncertainties due to age. I hear too often about age discrimination and it's really hitting me hard not knowing if employers or recruiters are actually discriminating me due to age. I fear for my future. Anyone had the same experience.

Beethoven48 Struggling with change
  • replies: 4

I’ve been in travel for 25 years but extremely unhappy in my current workplace. I started looking for a new travel job in Nov2019 but the pandemic hit and I became stuck having no idea what to do. My boss is a micromanager, watching like a hawk and b... View more

I’ve been in travel for 25 years but extremely unhappy in my current workplace. I started looking for a new travel job in Nov2019 but the pandemic hit and I became stuck having no idea what to do. My boss is a micromanager, watching like a hawk and badgering on every little thing, whether it’s done right or not. Repeatedly asking the same questions over again, pestering to double check everything, to contact or follow up clients every 5 mins. Makes you feel like you can’t do the job without supervision and you don’t know what you’re doing, can’t and don’t do anything right, like you’re in primary school and you can’t be trusted. There’s no encouragement, recognition, appreciation or incentive, and we have not been treated fairly or equally during the last year. I’m the youngest in the office by 15-23 years. My two colleagues have screaming matches in the office. One is the type that has been everywhere, done everything, worked for every company, met all the famous people etc. The other whinges and complains about everything under the sun - constantly. It’s a very negative, toxic workplace. I can’t envision an alternative that I’d enjoy doing. Apart from limited transferable skills like admin I don’t really have any other experience. I’m an introvert and not very assertive or competitive and don’t see my myself as a “salesperson”. Things like ‘meet kpi’s’, ‘sales driven’, ‘superstar’ and ‘team player’ etc. in job ads put me off. I see expectations so high that I can’t possibly meet them. I’ve applied for 16 and had a couple of interviews this year, but finding it extremely difficult. Jobkeeper ends soon and I’m not eligible for Jobseeker. I’m desperate to get away but don’t know what to do or which direction to take, afraid of jumping from the frying pan into the fire. I’ve always found it very difficult to connect with people and have virtually 1-2 close friends. My immediate family are quite close and supportive, though perhaps not fully aware of my anxiety. My partner is also supportive but doesn’t have an empathetic personality. My Dad was also an introvert and developed Parkinson’s and dementia very quickly and passed away in 2019. I see a lot of him in me and worry I’m becoming like him but don’t have any control over it. I feel very unsure, isolated, alone, lost and disconnected, even emasculated - like I don’t fit in or belong anywhere. My anxiety is through the roof, while happiness and confidence are in the basement.

44Max44 Trouble finding psychiatrist, Anxiety & (suspected) ADHD holding me back in life
  • replies: 4

Hi, I've been trying to see a Psychiatrist for quite a while now but to be honest I have no idea where to look. I've tried emailing a few but they're all booked up usually. Does anyone have any tips on how/where to find one? For years and years now I... View more

Hi, I've been trying to see a Psychiatrist for quite a while now but to be honest I have no idea where to look. I've tried emailing a few but they're all booked up usually. Does anyone have any tips on how/where to find one? For years and years now I've suffered from many different things ranging from depression, anxiety, healthy anxiety, generalized anxiety, and so on. I suspect that I may have ADHD or am maybe on the spectrum based off of the symptoms I experience. I meet most of the criteria for someone with ADHD but have never been to a Psychiatrist to get it checked out. As a kid I was always just a little bit odd and the 'shy' kid and everyone thought I'd grow out of it I guess, but 20 years later and I'm still the same but just with anxiety and depression on top of it. I've never been able to act normal in public and the only people in this world I can truly act normal around is my best friend and some family members. It's so hard for me to find jobs because my anxiety holds me back and any job that requires me to interact with any customers (so pretty much all of them) would be torture to me because I suck at socializing. Thanks for any advice

Nick_Elixir Job Interview
  • replies: 5

I have a job interview tomorrow afternoon and I was wondering if you had any tips as I am nervous.

I have a job interview tomorrow afternoon and I was wondering if you had any tips as I am nervous.

D Walsh Common cold and anxiety/depression
  • replies: 7

Hi, Does anyone else get exacerbations of their anxiety and depression when you are sick with a common cold? These last few days I’ve started feeling pretty average but the symptoms are similar to anxiety and depression and it makes me feel even wors... View more

Hi, Does anyone else get exacerbations of their anxiety and depression when you are sick with a common cold? These last few days I’ve started feeling pretty average but the symptoms are similar to anxiety and depression and it makes me feel even worse. Instead of just riding out the cold, my mind is jumping to conclusions and that my fogginess won’t go away!

ChickenKatsu Obsessive Thoughts about proving/disproving things
  • replies: 2

Hi I've been stuggling with anxiety and obsessive thoughts for around 4 years now. I'm seeing a consellor and taking medication however I thought it would be good to see if anyone is having similar obsessive thoughts to me. Lately I've been getting v... View more

Hi I've been stuggling with anxiety and obsessive thoughts for around 4 years now. I'm seeing a consellor and taking medication however I thought it would be good to see if anyone is having similar obsessive thoughts to me. Lately I've been getting very obsessed with people's beliefs - trying to understand why they hold them and obsessing with completely disproving them if I think that they are not true. Even if I know that a belief is silly and makes no sense I get really obsessed with being able to completely disprove it - often spending hours ruminating on thoughts and being unable to relax until I can say that I have completely debunked it. Even if I know that so many elements of a belief are silly I still get anxious that I can disprove every single aspect. The beliefs I get worried about can vary from conspicary theories to psuedoscience to outdated economic theories but they all are completely harmless to me - which is concerning why I get so obsessed with thinking about them. Does anyone else get anxiety and get obsessed about being able to say something is/isn't true?

Weaponsofmassdisstortion Second session with the psychologist...
  • replies: 1

As I write this, Nobody knows your heart, from the Princess Mononoke soundtrack is playing on loop. This is the kind of thing I always think about when I am down. The psych asked me about my background and of course we got onto the topic of my childh... View more

As I write this, Nobody knows your heart, from the Princess Mononoke soundtrack is playing on loop. This is the kind of thing I always think about when I am down. The psych asked me about my background and of course we got onto the topic of my childhood. I really hate talking about that. Having to fight the other kids all the time. Their parents encouraging it, because we were dirty foreigners. My mum not really caring(To be fair she had her own problems, she was a schizophrenic) When I tried ask for help, everyone just dismissed me and said I was putting on an act to be funny. Being bullied at school. Because I had to wear the same clothes every day. Always being malnourished. I was fighting back tears the whole time. I am so much bigger and stronger then most of the people who gave me a hard time growing up. I have had fantasies about repaying them for their abuse. No, I won't do anything, don't worry. Although it is tempting. I thought I did okay, but then I was on the verge of tears two days later. A part of me just wants to turn my back on the world. Just make a lot of money. Buy a massive piece of forested land. And go to sleep in the woods. Just live in the forest. God I would like that. It seems that nature and technology has been a better friend to me than society ever was. All of your sorrow, grief and pain Locked away in the forest of the night Your secret heart belongs to the world Of the things that sigh in the dark Of the things that cry in the dark.

JaiB Family says I have anxiety, I don't think I do.
  • replies: 4

So it's Vic public holiday home with the family and they decide to go out for breakfast, harmless right? Well as we drove around past several highly packed cafe's I said I can't be bothered and they passively aggressively said they would just eat at ... View more

So it's Vic public holiday home with the family and they decide to go out for breakfast, harmless right? Well as we drove around past several highly packed cafe's I said I can't be bothered and they passively aggressively said they would just eat at home. I'm not th first to do this. However they claim I always do it and I have social anxiety. I don't see it. My argument is if it takes me 20min to find a park then get seated and a 45min wait surrounded by people who all seem to be lining up fighting for who gets to give their money away first for over priced deli goods then their must be a better use of my time. I understand being social is important but honestly what a joke. There is some anxiety involved I guess just what I would call the norm, (you know being uncertain of what the he'll the barista just offered you or, looking up at the waiter as he newlines for your table just to turn away last second) but nothing I'm having an attack over. Example: My wife will drop the kids at school go off for a coffee with another mum then head to Kmart grab something the kids need then home to social media for an hour before picking the kids up. When asked how her day was she says good! I would call it wasted nothing was contributed to our family house or community. Help guys have I lost it?

Corn_L Anxiety while driving
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I am a shy introvert at my late 20s and was first suffered from social anxiety 6 years ago (that was pretty much the same time when I started learning to drive). I easily get anxious when I meet people who are... View more

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I am a shy introvert at my late 20s and was first suffered from social anxiety 6 years ago (that was pretty much the same time when I started learning to drive). I easily get anxious when I meet people who are loud-spoken or who show any impolite/disrespectful manners. Few years ago, I failed my first driving test (I cried during the test as the examiner was loud-spoken. He didn't say anything disrespectful, but I felt really anxious because of his tone & voice). After that test, the examiner spent time talking to me and calming me down. He explained to me that was his natural voice, 'don't take it personal'. He also suggested me to try again in 2 weeks as I was close to passing the test. But I refused. I lost my confidence in driving. Then I completely stopped practicing for 2 years. I didn't tell anyone about the details of that test. It was too silly. I gave up just because someone did not talk gently to me. In recent months, my social anxiety has got better (I felt worst during COVID lockdown). I had a thought that I should start practicing driving again. A co-worker of mine recommended an instructor to me. As of today, I have practiced with him for a month. Now I'm struggling with whether I should stop practicing, again because he is loud-spoken. Also, he often made subjective comments/criticism on me, my family, and my partner. For examples, he called me lazy and said he couldn't understand why my family & my partner didn't take the responsibility to teach me when I was younger (implying they are not good parents/partner). When I said I don't agree with him, he replied he was just joking. I know I may be too sensitive. I appreciate his driving skills. However, his attitude and his tone & voice made me feel sick at times. I can control myself not to cry in the car, but my heart rate reached 130 in the last lesson. Nothing special happened on the road, just normal traffic. I just feel anxious every time when he raises his voice. After each lesson, I keep thinking about the negative comments for hours and hours, I can't sleep at nite. Even on the following day, I still have those conversations in my head, no matter I am at work or at home. I cried for a while today and yesterday when I was by myself at home. Thanks for reading my story. I hope to get some suggestions on how to deal with anxiety while driving and loud-spoken people. Thanks a lot!

99isthebest Health Anxiety - awaiting tests looking for assurance
  • replies: 3

Hi All, I’m writing here because as all my fellow HA suffers will understand I’ve had another panic attack and am looking for some reassurance. Of course I know whatever you say won’t change a thing (health wise) but any kind of comfort or advice at ... View more

Hi All, I’m writing here because as all my fellow HA suffers will understand I’ve had another panic attack and am looking for some reassurance. Of course I know whatever you say won’t change a thing (health wise) but any kind of comfort or advice at this point will be greatly appreciated at this point. Maybe a tip you use to cope or maybe even just letting me know if you have experienced something similar then realised it was all in your head. So to my story and why I’m so anxious right now feeling like the worlds closing around me. I have been single since 2017 when me and my partner of 6 years broke up. Since then I’ve had two sexual encounters. One was way back in 2019. I slept with a girl I meet on tinder, we did oral foreplay then had sex with a Condom. This was only once and after that she ghosted me as I had trouble getting it up (because of my anxiety go figure). At the time I never thought anything of it as my mind immediately goes to we had safe sex so no baby all good. But I never thought about the possibility of an sti more specifically something permanent and life changing like hiv. The second time was recently and the catalyst for this recent anxiety attack. I had sex again with another girl from tinder this time with no condom. Again at the time I never thought anything of it because she was on the pill and in the heat of the moment/my previous bad experience I thought not having a condom would help me with keeping it up. While both girls seemed like trustworthy people and not users of needles or anything crazy like that (one a teacher one a nurse) I didn’t think anything of it at the time but now I’m petrified that I could have something as even if they’re trust worthy people how can I know the people they’ve slept with before me are. Of course we had chats like this before having sex and they both seemed to be in long relationships before but obviously it’s hard to tell and of course the only way to know is to be tested. Another thing I’m petrified of is if I have cancer as recently I’ve noticed my hips hurting especially after sport and constantly tired. Although I have been very depressed and anxious which I believe adds to both as I have gone through happier periods where these symptoms haven’t really bothered me. I know that no one here can tell me for certain I don’t have these things but I guess I’m just looking for positive stories of fellow suffers and how it went. Any unusual symptoms etc when you were totally fine. Thanks.

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