Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Suzi New start?
  • replies: 4

Just wondering if I'm making the right decision. I'm leaving my toxic job of 2.8 yrs Bernadine the bullying has become so bad from management and even other workers are noticing. They continue to bring up that I had a mental health crisis a yr ago at... View more

Just wondering if I'm making the right decision. I'm leaving my toxic job of 2.8 yrs Bernadine the bullying has become so bad from management and even other workers are noticing. They continue to bring up that I had a mental health crisis a yr ago at work. Panic attack. I am in the process of requiring another job. Just have to do the last few requirements.I heat wonder though am i doing the right thing. Could this new place and new start just be me stepping into another toxic company? Or is it better staying with the devil you know? So much anxiety. The pay is less in the new job but there are set shifts whereas where I am they cut and add shifts whenever they want.I'm casual but the new job is offereing perm - part time. No week is the same for the roster where I am currently, making it hard to budget. Thoughts?

iloveunicornsss Anxiety?
  • replies: 2

So last year in november, before exams I suddenly got this fear that I had bell's palsy as I had it in 2021 and it was scary for me back then, but I ended up not having it. Then, I had my exams but right after I started noticing that my chest would g... View more

So last year in november, before exams I suddenly got this fear that I had bell's palsy as I had it in 2021 and it was scary for me back then, but I ended up not having it. Then, I had my exams but right after I started noticing that my chest would get tight and I had a childhood fear of the wind so that got intense and I started getting so scared that I had a brain tumuor as I had head tension. Then, I was at a party and that was the first time I got an anxiety/panic attack and I felt super uneasy, dizzy and nauseous and lost my appetite. Then in december, I went to Japan for 2 weeks with my family and family friends,during then I was mostly fine as the intrusive thoughts subsided as I was having fun with my friends and starting to get my apppetite back. But when I came back, I felt the intrusive thoughts creeping back in and I wpuld jst not be able to sit still with the scary health anxiety thoughts and it would just change topics after I got over each one. Then i started to fear about me getting anxiety and how it would take over my life. Then on January 8th, I found out that one of my family friend's dad had passed away and that sent me into an extreme moratlity anxiety spike like I thought anything coukd happen at any time and it would scare me so much and it made me fear that the same was going to happen to me. Thats when my anxiety was the most physical, like i couldnt sleep at night as I thoght i woukd die in my sleep, i was so uneasy all the time, impending doom, no appetite, couldnt stay still like it was so bad, it gradually started being okay but not good still as I went to the GP and told him everything and he gave me reassueance. But in march, I suddenly got this fear that what if nothing around me is real and it sent me into the most scariest fear loop, like that was when I got so anxious and panicked that I would just be exhuasted all the time. During that i would feel so existential and when I told my parents, they are really loving but didn't support me having anxiety so I stopped telling them that this was happening to me. But I guess it eventually started getting manageable. But thats when my anxiety was mainly about my mental insanity and feared that I was going psychotic and my perception genuinely felt wrong and so scary. And now its like most of the time Im fine but after 2 weeks or so I get super unmotivated and flat and the feeling that im going psychotic. Like right now, I have my term break but before this I had back to back tests and MUN and stuff so I was super busy and felt super burnt out. But now I feel so unmotibated and feel like i def have psychosis and losing my mind and my perception feels wrong like I just dont feel normal. Is what Im feeling normal? Are these early signs of psychosis? Is this even anxiety? Like now i feel like i have gotten over the phsycial health anxiety and I just cant get over the mental health anxiety.

teenytiny frustrated with anxiety and panic
  • replies: 1

hey, im so frustrated at myself. anxiety and panic keep getting in the way of my life at times and it makes me feel really down. for example: i was going to go for a walk somewhere today and as i was driving i feel anxiety and panic start to creep in... View more

hey, im so frustrated at myself. anxiety and panic keep getting in the way of my life at times and it makes me feel really down. for example: i was going to go for a walk somewhere today and as i was driving i feel anxiety and panic start to creep in and i kept driving but then my mind was screaming saying “you’re going by yourself, you might have a heart attack and die” etc and i turned around and came home. i panicked the whole way back but once i turned into my street i was fine again (for the most part). i just don’t know anymore. i then beat myself up for it. i’m on medication and have done numerous therapies. it all started after getting a pretty bad concussion last year.

Earth Girl Some Youtubes showing up making me stressed. Is there a way to stop them showing up?
  • replies: 23

Sometimes when I go on Youtube, it comes up with some videos/topics that make me stressed. I was wondering if there is a way that I can stop them from showing up? I've heard you can sort of do that if you are logged in, but only if you are logged in ... View more

Sometimes when I go on Youtube, it comes up with some videos/topics that make me stressed. I was wondering if there is a way that I can stop them from showing up? I've heard you can sort of do that if you are logged in, but only if you are logged in and even if you are, you can still only block these videos to a degree or press things like "Show less of these videos" until they hopefully stop? Let's say the Youtubes/topic that is making me stressed if depression for example, is there a way I can get it to stop showing up? Would I also be able to still look it up if I wanted to, probably on Google (I know that sounds confusing). I have been using different "profile" things. Whenever Youtube starts showing me too much of something that makes me stressed, I change the "profile" thing and continue using the new profile until it starts doing the same thing while using the new one and starts showing the stressful Youtubes again. Then I start a new profile and just keep doing that. I am sometimes able to delete search history on some of the profiles which makes it stop showing anything at all until I have typed in things in the search bar, but after a while, the topics slowly start showing up again even though I don't search them up. It would be great if I could get it to stop showing me these stressful Youtubes/topics on all the different profiles so I can go back to just using one as well as stop it showing these things when I am logged into Youtube. Another thing that would be great would be if I can block certain Youtube channels/users and their videos both when I'm logged in and when I am not.

Guest_10565 Don't know what to do
  • replies: 1

My main concern is a wind draft with lots of dust and debris getting in But I can also him them like I'm in the same room there's no exposed holes in the shared wall Can I pay somebody to get my privacy back as a female it's unsettling getting change... View more

My main concern is a wind draft with lots of dust and debris getting in But I can also him them like I'm in the same room there's no exposed holes in the shared wall Can I pay somebody to get my privacy back as a female it's unsettling getting changed in my own room most of the time my neighbours are always just lurking or loitering quietly in there bathroom side of things which is connected to my bedroom wall Housing officer won't help and keeps redirecting me to mental health I think there going to try and switch to injection anti psychotics about this issue and I'm not crazy

Janie223 Bought a puppy and anxiety took over
  • replies: 10

Hi All, For about a year now my family and I have been talking about getting a dog and I started doing lots of research. After much thinking and over thinking, last week we went to pick up a puppy from a breeder. I was really excited and so were the ... View more

Hi All, For about a year now my family and I have been talking about getting a dog and I started doing lots of research. After much thinking and over thinking, last week we went to pick up a puppy from a breeder. I was really excited and so were the kids. On day two I started feeling sick about the choice we made and it got progressively worse to the point I became completely overwhelmed and shut down. I couldn’t eat, sleep, think clearly, perform normal daily tasks and cried non stop for days. We decided to return the puppy and the kids were pretty devastated. I am so disappointed with myself because I wanted this puppy for company, to keep me occupied while the kids are at school, to give me a challenge in the training and I was hoping I’d be able to develop more flexibility and loosen up a bit (I take life way too seriously). I think I put to much pressure on this puppy to meet so many of my needs that were really not realistic. Now I’m so regretful that I couldn’t stick it out longer and wait for the overwhelm to pass. I feel like I gave up too quickly. I know anxiety can make life difficult but I wish I could be care free and go with the flow like other people. So many people have dogs!! Why did I have to make such a big deal about it? The value I was hoping to develop and wanted most of all from the experience of being a dog owner, flexibility, was the value I was least able to demonstrate when the situation called for it. I couldn’t overcome the change to my life and became so rigid and frozen.

ms_anxious_girl i really need help right now
  • replies: 4

right now I am doing this in the middle of homework but thats not impotant. right now, all these exams are building up and i have 3 due tomorrow, 2 the day after and another 2 the day after that. i have so much test anxiety right now and my mind seem... View more

right now I am doing this in the middle of homework but thats not impotant. right now, all these exams are building up and i have 3 due tomorrow, 2 the day after and another 2 the day after that. i have so much test anxiety right now and my mind seems to go blank and on top of that i have been getting really unstable and jealous of other people and im getting anxious on whether i might lose my friends. idk if it seems minor to other people, but its weighing hard onme right now. i have had insomia for the last 3 months and i cant seem to resolve it. and i'm also really anxious about my friend who is getting 1-3 hours of sleep. someone plz tell me what to do im getting way too much test anxiety :,(

Rascally Am I paranoid or very aware?
  • replies: 6

I feel someone is contributing to a lot of trouble in my circumstances. (I have a very poor health) this person works at a hospital & once boasted she could access any file. Her motive seems to be an obsession with my sister, with whom I was very clo... View more

I feel someone is contributing to a lot of trouble in my circumstances. (I have a very poor health) this person works at a hospital & once boasted she could access any file. Her motive seems to be an obsession with my sister, with whom I was very close to. She has stolen from me & given those things to my sister. Once she worked at at a law firm. I received a letter, demanding I give my sister money. I took it to that same law firm & they had no knowledge of it. This woman once told me she wished she had my family instead of her own. There have been many lies & manipulation for the last 20 years. My siblings do not interact with me at all. Even after I tried many times to meet with them, this person was always there & humiliated in front of my siblings. Do to my continual health issues, I feel she is interfering somehow. Things don't make sense. I really don't know what to do anymore. My family were a very close unit, we did everything together. "Character assassination" comes to mind, yet if so how do I deal with that?. I now live in total isolation, Acquaintances have approached me on a few occasions discussing how much trouble she caused in their lives. At times I'm fearful, a car was parked when I put my bin out. The young man was on the phone & said " yeah, here lights came on, she's here" I really do wish it was paranoia, but my gut instinct tells me otherwise. I have no proof & am a nervous wreck. If I do see her, she gets no reaction from me... none... what hurts are my siblings, celebrating birthdays, Xmas all getting together. Close relatives have passed & no one told me.. I don't get it. I was always there for them, we laughed & played all the way into our 30s. This is devastating me & because of the thievery, lies & betrayal, I can't move on.. I have no one

Guest_10569 separation anxiety
  • replies: 2

every time my my mum goes away for a few days, to a week, to get away from demented husband. i always break down crying, on and off a few times during the day/s.i do go for a walk around the block, once or twice a day. but, when i'm back at home, i j... View more

every time my my mum goes away for a few days, to a week, to get away from demented husband. i always break down crying, on and off a few times during the day/s.i do go for a walk around the block, once or twice a day. but, when i'm back at home, i just break down again. however, when i start drinking alcohol, anxiety decreases. and people say alcohol is a bad thing.

Horrendous_Hexapod Politics are
  • replies: 2

I don’t know how much longer I can do this. Not a day goes by where I’m not being bombarded by some comment about how dumb, evil, and wrong whatever gender, race, age demographic, side of the political spectrum, etc are and always have been. Where di... View more

I don’t know how much longer I can do this. Not a day goes by where I’m not being bombarded by some comment about how dumb, evil, and wrong whatever gender, race, age demographic, side of the political spectrum, etc are and always have been. Where did all of this even come from, I swear things weren’t this bad a few years ago, but now all of a sudden everyone’s at each other’s throats. I’ve even been guilty of this myself, as I’ve forced myself to look at the posts or reposts or people I follow online to make sure they don’t have the “wrong” opinions, because I’ve been so burned and browbeaten into worrying that people are either evil or stupid for holding unpopular beliefs, or that if they repost something objectionable then I’m no longer allowed to like the art they post or interact with them about my hobbies. I don’t know how much longer I can do this. Not a day goes by where I’m not being bombarded by some comment about how dumb, evil, and wrong whatever gender, race, age demographic, side of the political spectrum, etc are and always have been. Where did all of this even come from, I swear things weren’t this bad a few years ago, but now all of a sudden everyone’s at each other’s throats.I’ve even been guilty of this myself, as I’ve forced myself to look at the posts or reposts or people I follow online to make sure they don’t have the “wrong” opinions, because I’ve been so burned and browbeaten into worrying that people are either evil or stupid for holding unpopular beliefs, or that if they repost something objectionable then I’m no longer allowed to like the art they post or interact with them about my hobbies.