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
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

All discussions

Start a discussion

WhereDoIBegin Struggling. Hopelessness.
  • replies: 13

Hello, I would like to start by saying that I am already seeing a psychiatrist. I think I have always had some issues. Never truly happy. My biggest issue is that I am always in my head - always making up false outcomes & worrying about the worst cas... View more

Hello, I would like to start by saying that I am already seeing a psychiatrist. I think I have always had some issues. Never truly happy. My biggest issue is that I am always in my head - always making up false outcomes & worrying about the worst case scenarios. Anxiety. I got with someone at a young age. We were happy. I have always been a good person, never abusive, always caring & thoughtful. We have 3 kids. After 10+ years, she left me for another man. I was broken. For my 3 children, I immediately seeked help. I spoke to friends, I saw a therapist. I met a girl. I started to feel better. I started to feel much better - However looking back now, I think it had a lot to do with the "Honeymoon period". After sometime, I began becoming jealous. Overprotective. I was scared to be heartbroken again. Let me be clear - I don't think at any point I was a'crazy' boyfriend. I didn't yell or get angry, I didn't tell her she couldn't do things. I was needed constant reassurance. I would get in my own head, and when it got a lot, I would sit her down and explain to her how I was feeling. She was always so supportive. She 'understood' because of everything I had been through. However it seems my issues have become to much for her, and she left me last night. She said it wasn't me, the issue is that she has her hands full with a small child that has issues of his own, and her 'cup is almost full' already. She sent me a message afterward to say she was sorry and I am the kindest, sweetest man etc. But this just made me feel worse. I feel trapped because I lost her because of my problems that I can't stop. I feel as though I just want to be someone else. I hate myself. I hate who I've become. I also have MAJOR issues with the man that my X is seeing. I can't stand it. Just any thought of him being there with the kids kills me. Is he abusing them? No. Is he a bad influence? Not that I can tell. He seems great with them. But again, I am jealous. Life is not fair. Why should a decision by my X make me lose time with my children? Why should it mean that the man she left me for gets to spend quality time with my kids? Why should it mean he gets to have first experiences with them? That I feel low all the time? That I'm overly jealous, protective & scared? I just feel like my mentality is ruined and I just can't do anything to help it. I am at my wits end. Exhausted. I'm done. I'm having some really messed up thoughts at the moment. I feel so hopeless. Please help.

oliver12345 Social Anxiety/ Depression.
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I m new to this forum community. I have been struggling quite alot with anxiety. i tend to relieve myself that this is normal and its just part of life to deal with these. But i somehow continue to get into the same situation whenever i met o... View more

Hi all, I m new to this forum community. I have been struggling quite alot with anxiety. i tend to relieve myself that this is normal and its just part of life to deal with these. But i somehow continue to get into the same situation whenever i met one of stressors. I overthink quite often, i devalue myself. I feel like I am being in a loop and i been trying to get out of it but i could not. Yesterday duing a legal phone consultation, i totally lost track of what the legal counsellor was saying i keep telling her to repeat only to find myself unable to understand. I felt bad for the lawyer and doubted myself of my competence and usefulness during and after my consultation and wondered if i was actually stupid. I self diagnose myself. I always tend to avoid situations that stresses me. I hate that part of me. I also find myself hard to connect with people and made a close relationship with them. I have social anxiety. I always seem to remember mostly the negative emotions of my life rather than the positive ones. I tried to see the psychologist and also seem to be in avoidant behaviour. I question myself of my values. I coop myself up inside my room to play games and watch movies thinking its normal tht Im a just an introvert.I loved being like this and a part of me hates this and tells me to be more socially engaging and active. The thing is im not good in coversations and put myself in a weird position when i talk with someone. I felt awkward around people and worried the other person will see me in the same way. Then i reassure myself you are just overthking it and the other person is probably not going to see me the way i expected. This is wht my close friend and family told. But i just cant seem to change that cycle. Then sometimes i hated myself for being a person I was. This led me to think of what could be possibly wrong with me and then it jus go away when I watche movies played games or sometimes cries in front my sister. But it comes back whenever i met with a stressor. I cant seem to find a way out of this cycle. I been trying to find a way but i feel like it is getting worse.I was wondering if anyone had faced and ovrercome issues similar to mine. Thank you

Mumofnah Has anyone had sudden weight loss from an anxiety flare up??
  • replies: 6

Hi all, just a quick question if anyone has experienced sudden weight loss from an anxiety flare up. As I weight around 63kg and now after a few months weight 58 and it’s kind of scaring me. I also have moment of upset burning in my stomach and on an... View more

Hi all, just a quick question if anyone has experienced sudden weight loss from an anxiety flare up. As I weight around 63kg and now after a few months weight 58 and it’s kind of scaring me. I also have moment of upset burning in my stomach and on and off runs when going to the bathroom(apologies for the detail) I did have about a week where I couldn’t eat as had to force myself to. Am eating ok now and get sudden hunger pains so am having smaller breakfast, lunch and dinner meals and snacking in between. Also is there any females that find a few weeks before there period that the anxiety really ramps up?? any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Dante_C_ Going to see a doctor about anxiety?
  • replies: 15

Hey guys, I was wondering if any of you have gone to see a doctor / GP about challenges you were facing mentally. If so what were your experiences talking with them like? Thinking about going in soon

Hey guys, I was wondering if any of you have gone to see a doctor / GP about challenges you were facing mentally. If so what were your experiences talking with them like? Thinking about going in soon

beejadee08 Anxiety- Hyperventilation to the point where my hands curl up
  • replies: 19

Ive been suffering from anxiety for the last 2 years. It started after a personal training session and after I had finished my heart rate wouldn't go back down and I ended up hyperventilating in my car alone on the side of the road to the point where... View more

Ive been suffering from anxiety for the last 2 years. It started after a personal training session and after I had finished my heart rate wouldn't go back down and I ended up hyperventilating in my car alone on the side of the road to the point where my hands tingled and curled up, I went all shakey, my lips tingled and I couldn't move my body properly. I feel like I almost fainted and thought I was dieing. I went to the emergency and they did an ecg and the docs freaked at my ecg. My heart was pounding out of my chest but eventually it went away. I followed up with more tests etc and my heart health is fine (I do have a family history of heart disease) and I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder . I now have been living in fear of that episode happening again for the last two years and any small triggers, negative emotions or nervousness cause my heart to go fast and my hands to go numb and tingly again within minutes and its just a big cycle of fearing these symptoms and waiting for it to happen again. I know about hyperventilation and breathing (health science degree) and each time an attack comes I control my breathing and slow it down and try to ground myself however I am now almost certainly convinced the exaggerated hand curling up and tingling in lips etc is not due to my breathing. I have lost work, friends and my social life because of this fear of these symptoms and can't ever be alone. I have also seen numerous doctors and psychologists even physio for my breathing and completely understand about anxiety and controlling my breathing but the symptoms keep happening and I feel like there is no way out. Has anyone else has something similar happen? please help

bluenight Intermittent fasting has helped reduce my anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone I have had all kinds of mental health issues ever since I was 19. Depression, severe anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, psychosis, and I've done a lot of self medicating with alcohol at times. My family relationships which were loving and stron... View more

Hi everyone I have had all kinds of mental health issues ever since I was 19. Depression, severe anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, psychosis, and I've done a lot of self medicating with alcohol at times. My family relationships which were loving and strong in childhood have since been very up and down with lots of arguments and shouting for years and years which has only made my confidence and self esteem worse. I have become very isolated, I get anxious in public places, I believe I look weird or act weird and people are staring at me. I always see people looking at me like I'm strange/weird. I have really bad anxiety and confidence/assertiveness issues in the work environment. I've tried medications and a lot of different natural medicine and lifestyle treatment. I could go on and on, we all have our problems. I want to share with everyone something that I have to be an amazing antidote to all of the above. Fasting, no food or drink is an amazing treatment for my mental health and emotional issues. It's free and good for your physical health. You have to be sensible, don't fast to a level that is unhealthy; but say for example, fasting from sunrise to sunset just as Muslims do in the holy month of Ramadan would be a good guide. It's also worth checking with your GP if it's suitable for you. I've found it is really healing and can help you lose weight and clear your thinking, bring about emotions you forgot you had and it's incredible for anxiety.

cakeboss anxiety panic disorder stress from applying for a dsp
  • replies: 3

Hi there not sure if we are allowed to talk about this topic at all .I have anxiety panic disorder .I am medicated and i have had this since my early teenage years .I and currently seeing a gp fortnightly ,and a psychtrist 3 monthly and a mental heal... View more

Hi there not sure if we are allowed to talk about this topic at all .I have anxiety panic disorder .I am medicated and i have had this since my early teenage years .I and currently seeing a gp fortnightly ,and a psychtrist 3 monthly and a mental health counciler monthly .I applied for a disability pension 2 half years ago .Based on the information i handed in it was rejected .I appealed the situation and due to lack of not knowing what to do and how to understand it it was rejected again .I then went to advocacy to act on behalf of me because my anxiety panic disorder i find it hard to understand it all .I scored 10 out of 10 for mental health .I cant work more than 8 hours a fortnight even that is hard with my anxiety . I recently appealed again with new letters from all the following drs specialists treating me for mental health .How can it be rejected again when letters from gp psyhcitrist and counciler all state into detail im not capable .IT has caused my anxiety panic disorder to get worse and my health has really taken fall from all of this .Is there anyone else on here that has fought tooth and nail for a dsp for severe anxiety panic disorder .

Gogitto Intrusive thoughts and Severe anxiety disorder.
  • replies: 7

Hi guys. I’m writing today to talk about the kind of intrusive thoughts I’ve been having and scared that I feel this kind of way. About 15 days ago, I had an intrusive thought about hurting a friend of mine which set off a panic attack. Now for a few... View more

Hi guys. I’m writing today to talk about the kind of intrusive thoughts I’ve been having and scared that I feel this kind of way. About 15 days ago, I had an intrusive thought about hurting a friend of mine which set off a panic attack. Now for a few weeks I actually was annoyed with this friend over a little bit of a conflict situation but I obsessed over the incident and stayed annoyed with this person because of it. I don’t want to stay obsessed over it as it is forgetten and everyone has moved on but when I got the intrusive thought, it was accomanyed by anger. I don’t want to hurt anyone and I don’t want to feel annoyed or angry at this person anymore as its in the past but it feels like my subconscious won’t let it go and I’m scared its sending me crazy. Yesterday I had the same intrusive thought attack because mum spoke to this friend on the phone and it caused me to have a mild panic attack. I spoke to this friend on the phone to try and reassure myself I would’nt hurt her and wouldn’t get angry at her and I didn’t. I’m just very very scared of this feeling as I’m a good person and I want to let go of this anger and fear as I do care for this person and I don’t want to hurt her or get mad with her. Thanks for listening.

Whatsinaname Dreams ruining your day
  • replies: 5

Hi all, As usual just looking for some comfort in the solice that I'm no alone (hopefully). Last night my brain decided it would be fun the have dreams about every mistake I've made in my life so I could wake up anxious as possible. I know that my da... View more

Hi all, As usual just looking for some comfort in the solice that I'm no alone (hopefully). Last night my brain decided it would be fun the have dreams about every mistake I've made in my life so I could wake up anxious as possible. I know that my day is ruined, as I I'll spend it in my head, and odds are the next few days ill enjoy an anxiety hang over, just in time for this long weekend. Does anyone else fall off the ledge by a simple dream? Thanks,

Soberlicious96 Full Time work - Struggling
  • replies: 7

Hi all, I'm not new to BB, in fact have been on here for almost 18 months now. Mostly trying to offer up support for others. But lately, I am feeling some stress of my own. See, very recently I started full time work, in a job that I've been in, in a... View more

Hi all, I'm not new to BB, in fact have been on here for almost 18 months now. Mostly trying to offer up support for others. But lately, I am feeling some stress of my own. See, very recently I started full time work, in a job that I've been in, in a part time capacity for more than 5 years now. I haven't actually worked full time for about 14 years or more, and since this pandemic, work has been CRAZY busy. We've had a couple of people leave in the last few months, since lock-down started, one new person start, plenty of angry customers and people just being so impatient, and wanting a 'million dollar product' for the price of a carton of milk! ..... okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating slightly there, but not by much! Funnily enough, I've coped relatively well with the pandemic itself .... which is why I didn't post in that particular area of the Beyond Blue site ..... I mean, sure I had my tough days at first, but now I'm coping with that part of life quite well. I am just feeling so stressed by the end of the say that I can feel myself grinding my teeth, and swearing more and there's tension in my neck ........ yeah, I just feel quite stressed and anxious and like I just am not keeping up with the demands of the job. And the PHONE!!! Oh my goodness, the phone just won't friggin STOP!!!!!!!!!! What really gets my goat, is the way that so many people think they are more important than everyone else. "Oh, but I buy from here all the time" they say. And I think 'Yeah, and I bet you get your milk and bread from the same supermarket every week too, but THEY don't give you a discount/special treatment/free stuff just because you are supposedly loyal to them, do they?!' I just feel like screaming at them all and saying "Grow the hell up! Get off your high horse and accept your place in the world! Stop acting like spoiled little brats who can't get their own way! And STOP BEING SO IMPATIENT!" We're all doing the best we can with what we have. Why can't that be enough though? Having said all of that, most days I do actually really enjoy my job ..... most days. But some days ..... well, what else can I say? People just annoy me sometimes. And today was one of those days. Any suggestions on how to cope better with this new level of activity in my life? And btw, I don't want to go back to part time, if that's what you are thinking of suggesting. Anyway, the floor is yours ........ thanks for reading. Mel. xo