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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. Remeber, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anixiety 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 you 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 worthile 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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R_A Self confidence
  • replies: 8

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. Recently I have been noticing that I have been finding it harder to control my worried thoughts. I catastrophiser about the future. Since about April or so I have always been worrying about ... View more

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. Recently I have been noticing that I have been finding it harder to control my worried thoughts. I catastrophiser about the future. Since about April or so I have always been worrying about not being able to get a job after I graduate from uni and that all my peers are way better than me. I know that this is irrational and that I am probably at the same standard as my peers but I can't stop thinking about it. I have planned for the future if I don't get a job and constantly think about where I am going to live if I cannot afford to rent or buy a house. I also wonder whether my brothers would take me in if I ended up living on the street. I also stress that my friends do not actually like me and that they only invite me places because they do not know how to get rid of me. Can anyone give me some advice please if they have been in a similar situation? Thanks!

Mysuperpowerispanic Terrified to start a new medication; what helped you?
  • replies: 2

Hi BB crew! Where do I start, I've got OCD coupled with panic disorder and CPTSD. Add to that social phobia, health anxiety and agoraphobia when my anxiety is really bad. I've experienced panic attacks for almost 2 decades. It's exhausting. There wer... View more

Hi BB crew! Where do I start, I've got OCD coupled with panic disorder and CPTSD. Add to that social phobia, health anxiety and agoraphobia when my anxiety is really bad. I've experienced panic attacks for almost 2 decades. It's exhausting. There were many periods of time where I went without medication just because I felt like I was "giving in"... I absolutely know this isn't the case. It's more societies label on antidepressants than anything else. Anyway I'll try to not draw this out. I finally began one SSRI in 2010 after my father passed away. It gave me pretty full on side effects for the first week but after that, absolutely amazing. I couldn't believe I'd not taken them sooner and got my life back! I had a HUGE reduction in OCD and panic attacks. I eventually stopped these a few years later. Then went without again for a period of time. Started these meds again in early 2016 and didn't quite work the same. In fact I was on a dosage that was far too high. I've since reduced the dose right down to try another SSRI BUT I'm absolutely terrified of the side effects. I'm so tired of being afraid and knowing it's not exactly LOGICAL to think the way that I do. Yet here I am haha. I think my fear centers around side effects. Then what if it DOESN'T work?! Or better yet what if it does work and I'm so upset with myself for not taking them years earlier. I know it's best not to let the mind wander. Anyway I'm looking for tips on how to overcome this huge fear of taking meds. I'm even fearful of taking things like vitamins at times. I'm one of those people that I feel has a legitimate chemical imbalance and requires store brought serotonin. So while talk therapy helps, I need to start these meds! Anyone else have an illogical fear of medications? How did you work through it? Did you overcome your fear and find the med actually helped? Thanks in advance

giggywick feeling extremely overwhelmed
  • replies: 2

Hello, I need advice on how to cope with anxiety and depression relapse. recently there has just been a bombardment of things in my life (on top of COVID) we're moving house, my custody arrangement is changing, my rabbit died, I have 4 assessments du... View more

Hello, I need advice on how to cope with anxiety and depression relapse. recently there has just been a bombardment of things in my life (on top of COVID) we're moving house, my custody arrangement is changing, my rabbit died, I have 4 assessments due and my best friend is leaving school. normally this would be manageable however this is all in one week. I have been experiencing physical symptoms of stress and anxiety and a relapse into depression. I was wondering if anyone could have any advice on how to cope with this, I do not want to relapse back into the mental health issues I had in 2019, I get worried about having a nervous breakdown (even though I have never had one, my old therapist thought I could have some slight hypochondriac tendencies, I get worried about any physical symptoms I might have and I associate them with a nervous break and I think I should check myself into a hospital even though it is not that bad). I apologies for the rant-like format of this post, I hope it was readable.

Kombivan Stress
  • replies: 9

Hi, I've been on anxiety medication for about 8months now and I have seen a therapist multiple times. I got to the point where I thought I was going to be ok on my own, but now I'm worried that it's happening again. When I do something wrong at work,... View more

Hi, I've been on anxiety medication for about 8months now and I have seen a therapist multiple times. I got to the point where I thought I was going to be ok on my own, but now I'm worried that it's happening again. When I do something wrong at work, with my family or with uni my head gets into these really dark places. All I can think about is the stress I'm feeling for these things. How much better it would be if I wasn't alive anymore, so I can just get out of my head. I have a really supportive family but I feel like they're sick of hearing about the same things over and over again. I feel like my problems are so insignificant. I know what I need to do to feel better, but it's like I don't have any energy. Just the thought of exercising or doing something other than studying or watching mind numbing shows on Netflix is exhausting. I'm feeling numb. Usually I cry a lot, but it's like I've got nothing left in me. I don't know why I'm on here, or what I'm asking for. I looked through my contacts and didn't feel comfortable telling anyone this, so I think it's better I do it this way, anonymously. I just want to tell someone. I know I have so much to be grateful for, but I think I don't deserve any of it. There are people out there who would do so much more with my education, family, friends, privilege than me. It's not fair on them that I have all of that and still think about how nice it would be if I could just shut my brain off, and be done here.

Guest_245 Please Help
  • replies: 10

Please can someone give me their perspective or advice of sorts. I am 26 years old and it has only dawned on me once I turned 25 that I may be suffering from Social Anxiety. I hate it. I don't know know who to talk to about it. Today I went to put ma... View more

Please can someone give me their perspective or advice of sorts. I am 26 years old and it has only dawned on me once I turned 25 that I may be suffering from Social Anxiety. I hate it. I don't know know who to talk to about it. Today I went to put make up on which feels like such an effort and when I have it on my face, why do i feel that when people talk to me they are looking at my moustache area which gets me realllllyyy self conscious about it and then I end up getting agitated in front of the person and hate them for it because I would never do that to them. And then I am worrying because of my lack of a social life that I have missed out on dating and getting a boyfriend which gets me nervous because when I do get one, I will be thinking that this is my first boyfriend, i have never been kissed and that I am only ever going to have one boyfriend in life. I just hate this all

SwansandSharksMan Hearing voices from your past
  • replies: 2

Does anyone ever constantly hear voices from their past? I often find my mind wandering back to my childhood or my past. I hear my parents being angry or unhappy. It was very common when I was growing up. There were lots of arguments about things. Mo... View more

Does anyone ever constantly hear voices from their past? I often find my mind wandering back to my childhood or my past. I hear my parents being angry or unhappy. It was very common when I was growing up. There were lots of arguments about things. Money was a common one. My parents didn't have a lot of money and it caused lots of shouting matches.

TomC Continuing Anxiety over HIV - Tests and Results
  • replies: 3

Good Morning, I'm continuing to struggle with the anxiety over a potential HIV incident I had almost 3.5 years ago. It was a very low risk or no risk accident, but I can't seem to move on from it. I eventually went against all doctor/parents etc... r... View more

Good Morning, I'm continuing to struggle with the anxiety over a potential HIV incident I had almost 3.5 years ago. It was a very low risk or no risk accident, but I can't seem to move on from it. I eventually went against all doctor/parents etc... recommendations and answered my anxieties questions late last year and had a full test done. All negative. This helped move my anxiety for a small period, but it has returned. At the moment - I go through periods of questioning the results, looking for symptons etc... I just can't seem to move on and forget the word and the incident. I am on medication to help, but still that word is in head, and I'm struggling to deal with it every day. Is there any suggestions, help, support anyone can give. I guess deep down I believe the results, but my anxiety will not let me move on from the them. Thanks in advance

KK7 Don’t know what to do.
  • replies: 10

Hi everyone, just looking for some advice, I suffer bad health anxiety which I’m taking medication and stuff for. My doctors has told me she can’t me anymore and I need to find a new dr, I’m just wondering if there someone higher then a dr who would ... View more

Hi everyone, just looking for some advice, I suffer bad health anxiety which I’m taking medication and stuff for. My doctors has told me she can’t me anymore and I need to find a new dr, I’m just wondering if there someone higher then a dr who would help me, I’ve hurt my left shoulder, and have a bad sinus infection waiting for ENT Appointment. I also stopped doing physio as it flare my shoulder up and make me panic which is annoying because that’s what I need to do to fix the pinched nerve, it freak me out because it my left side. I guess my question is. Is there anyone higher then a dr who can help. and how does everyone else function with health anxiety ? Thanks

Chicky11 Panic attacks/ heart racing/ fear of the worst happening
  • replies: 1

Hi I’m new to all of this and would appreciate any advise. I’ve been suffering from panic attacks on and off since about two years ago when I Randomly got really sick then my vision started playing up only for me to start googling and thinking I had ... View more

Hi I’m new to all of this and would appreciate any advise. I’ve been suffering from panic attacks on and off since about two years ago when I Randomly got really sick then my vision started playing up only for me to start googling and thinking I had a brain tumour. I had so many tests done, MRI, brain scans, eyes tested several times and no one could find what was wrong with me. I feared dying and it got to me so much, I found out I have an open valve in my heart, which scares me to think I’m going to have a heart attack every time my heart races also my neurologist put me on my first antidepressant after suffering chronic headaches and neck pain which seemed to block the neck pain but after 6 weeks it started to me with my head, I stopped taking the antidepressants then found out I was pregnant. As my pregnancy progressed everything seemed to be starting to ease a little, I was a lot happier, turns out I needed glasses for my eyes even though no one could find that. I’m now 4 months postpartum, yes I did suffer the baby blues at first then a panic attack here and there, my biggest fear is the heart pulpitations and my body seems to trembling when it happens which makes me think the worst is about to happen. I struggle to sleep when this happens and feel as every time I close my eyes and just get to sleep I’m going to choke or stop breathing and wake in a panic. I do struggle with this. I recently got the merina put in and since Sunday I have been suffering panic attacks everyday, trembles at least 4 nights and during the day, lightheadedness and crying a lot, it’s getting taken out on Wednesday, one of the doctors swears it’s nothing to do with what’s happening but I think it does. I feel like I’m losing my mind right now and I just want the help to get back to my happy self for my family and my beautiful baby.

G12345 Eating and body image
  • replies: 2

I’m a lean girl but I saw my weight today I wanted to cry i feel like a large elephant. Can someone help me not fear food

I’m a lean girl but I saw my weight today I wanted to cry i feel like a large elephant. Can someone help me not fear food