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

LouieJJ Anxiety / new job fear
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I apologise for putting this relatively minor issue on here, but I have no one to speak to. I’m 35, live alone and suffer with Aspergers, anxiety, Dysthymia, depression, and ptsd. I haven’t worked in 3 months, and prior to that I was working ... View more

Hi all, I apologise for putting this relatively minor issue on here, but I have no one to speak to. I’m 35, live alone and suffer with Aspergers, anxiety, Dysthymia, depression, and ptsd. I haven’t worked in 3 months, and prior to that I was working full time (up to 55 hours a week) and had multiple breakdowns. yesterday my DES told me I had a new job as a petrol station attendant at 15 hours per week. I am grateful for the chance but I’m absolutely petrified of going outside again. I’ve been so anxious to leave the house these past few months, plus my own personal issues. I have no spare emotional or mental energy just by surviving at this stage. I’m worried how I will react, and if I’ll have anxiety attacks at this new job and how I will cope physically (due to chronic pain). thanks for reading.

hanmnro My fiancé left me because i have anxiety.
  • replies: 3

Hello, I have previously posted on here when my boyfriend at the time was putting me down, he would comment on my weight and said that men would be more attracted to me if i was skinner. I went on to get engaged to this man, thinking that things woul... View more

Hello, I have previously posted on here when my boyfriend at the time was putting me down, he would comment on my weight and said that men would be more attracted to me if i was skinner. I went on to get engaged to this man, thinking that things would get better. He would commit to making me feel better and help me be the best i can be. There have been several red flags in our relationship, we had been dating for over two years and i still hadn’t been introduced to his grandparents who live about 20 mins away. Once we got engaged, there was no excitement on his behalf, no planning on having an engagement party or wedding plans.. nothing! I was so excited and couldn’t wait to make plans with him. He broke up with me about 4 months ago, i was suffering with anxiety and depression.. was doubting myself and that i was even attractive to him anymore. He left me, and since then we still live together and he has made more of an effort to make me feel attractive but not on committing back to being with me. I have worked on myself and continue to every day, I don’t see him making the same efforts and yet he says he loves me. I’m very confused and would love someone’s point of view on this. Thank you

Val_da_man Health anxiety and family, dumb thoughts
  • replies: 4

Well. Writing this mid-panic haha My thoughts have been spiralling hard. I can't say much, but I've been struggling with how to cope with my hate and anxiety about my mother being hospitalized. She's been horrible to me. Emotional blackmail, gaslight... View more

Well. Writing this mid-panic haha My thoughts have been spiralling hard. I can't say much, but I've been struggling with how to cope with my hate and anxiety about my mother being hospitalized. She's been horrible to me. Emotional blackmail, gaslighting, and sometimes worse, but the worse stuff's in the past. I truly can't word this in any other way, but I hate her. I know, the horrible excuse of a son and whatnot. But I can't cope with this household. She mocks my depression, ignored my identity, it's all jolly fun! And. she's been in the hospital for a month. Not from the virus. Just, stuff. My other family keeps saying I'll have to be 'nicer', as I tend to never speak to my parents outside of absolute necessity. And I get nauseous at the thought of having to tolerate her. I don't want her to die. I don't want bad things to happen. But now I keep feeling things in my own body and I think "Am I gonna die?" It's all a mess, really. I'm just so tired of living here. It's like my own [personal hell, where my only safe space is my room, and even that isn't sacred to these gargoyles. tldr: My emotions are mixed about my mother, and her hospitalisation has made it worse. What the hell do I do???? I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place...

M1ssjess89 Ooooh My gutt!!!!
  • replies: 15

I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster. The start of March my anxiety shot though the roof to the point I had pins and needles. It's only been in the last couple of weeks I've finally calmed down to normal stress for me. I've had gutt problems in t... View more

I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster. The start of March my anxiety shot though the roof to the point I had pins and needles. It's only been in the last couple of weeks I've finally calmed down to normal stress for me. I've had gutt problems in the past, but this time it's been lasting for about 6 weeks. I have Upper abdomen pain and sometimes feels tender to touch Lower abdomen pain Random sharp pain sometimes A dull ache on my lower right hand side of my ribs I'm not regular AT ALL and when I go it's not healthy I have the worst gas Cramps. Cramps all the time. Does anybody else have these issues? I've been to the doctor and had blood tests and everything came back clear. I eat well, exercise, drink water, have upped my fibre. It's frustrating. And it is making me more anxious thinking I have cancer or something like that. So it's all I focus on

Star84 When is it too much?
  • replies: 3

I am currently experiencing anxiety, possibly some depression as well. I am confused as to when one decides they need time off work, or is it better to keep working and stay busy to keep the mind active and distracted? The cause of my recent spike in... View more

I am currently experiencing anxiety, possibly some depression as well. I am confused as to when one decides they need time off work, or is it better to keep working and stay busy to keep the mind active and distracted? The cause of my recent spike in anxiety is I’m planning to move house, change kids school and find a new job a couple hundred kms away, we’ve been settled where we are now for many years. The change has been put off all year due to COVID and my ex (childs father) doesn’t want this. About to go through mediation and not coping.

Amandaejh Amanda E
  • replies: 1

Hi, my first post with worries about my 13year old daughter. She has grappled with anxiety since she was 4. She has worked with a number of therapists and we have finally secured a clinical psych appt but not until August. Over the last few months he... View more

Hi, my first post with worries about my 13year old daughter. She has grappled with anxiety since she was 4. She has worked with a number of therapists and we have finally secured a clinical psych appt but not until August. Over the last few months her symptoms have escalated-triggers vary and of late it is small changes around our home-yesterday a new heater arrived and when she walked into the room and saw it installed she ran back to her room crying to please get it out of the house-she normally recovers after a few hours - but she has remained in her room refused dinner and breakfast - refusing to talk about it. Any ideas...... my husband and I are trying to help but struggle when she closes up and refuses dialogue etc. thanks in advance AE

Rainbow_Swan Anxiety & Getting A Job
  • replies: 7

Hi All I'm a guy in my early 40's with GAD, OCD and a mild physical disability (affecting one leg). Until 4 months ago I lived at home. I've been seeing a great Psychologist for a couple of years as well as a Psychiatrist. I've never worked, and woul... View more

Hi All I'm a guy in my early 40's with GAD, OCD and a mild physical disability (affecting one leg). Until 4 months ago I lived at home. I've been seeing a great Psychologist for a couple of years as well as a Psychiatrist. I've never worked, and would love to find ease into it by finding a part-time job and work my way up to full-time. I was hoping to find an agency that would hold my hand and find me a patient, understanding employer so I contacted a disability employment service 2 months ago, and still haven't had an induction interview with them! They won't even return my calls. I've looked at the reviews for disability employment agencies and they're all terrible. The whole job interview process scares me terribly! So my question is, how have people who also struggle with anxiety managed to find a job? Do you have any tips? Thanks!

so_so_sad worried about sons anxiety and depression
  • replies: 2

Hey, I am worried about my son who is struggling atm with his anxiety and depression. He is 26 nearly 27 and unable to find a job, never has had one but spent years getting to a better place with his mental health. Now it has all gone up the creek wi... View more

Hey, I am worried about my son who is struggling atm with his anxiety and depression. He is 26 nearly 27 and unable to find a job, never has had one but spent years getting to a better place with his mental health. Now it has all gone up the creek with one comment made online, stupidly of course but we all make mistakes. He was doing volunteer work and there was a complaint made to the company he did that for and now after 3 years of hard and loyal work for them they wont let him come back because of one mistake. He had a mini mental breakdown today and I am at a loss of how to help as it was one of 3 things that happened today but this was the one that ended up breaking his spirit today. Can anyone help this mother who loves her son very much

Joey7 Severe Health Anxiety
  • replies: 103

I suffer from severe health anxiety and have for the past 6 years which all started after my son was seriously iill and we came very close to losing him thankfully we didn't. Since that time my anxiety has gotten a lot worse these past 2 years have b... View more

I suffer from severe health anxiety and have for the past 6 years which all started after my son was seriously iill and we came very close to losing him thankfully we didn't. Since that time my anxiety has gotten a lot worse these past 2 years have been so bad with my physical symptoms worsening to the point I'm googling my symptoms all the time constantly thinking I have some disease that relates to the symptoms I have at the time. I guess I just don't believe that even though my anxiety is so severe it can cause these weird sensations and symptoms in my body which with having health anxiety the symptoms just escalate my anxiety and I can't function at all. I'm constantly waking up anxious hoping I won't have a the symptom that day then when I do it makes me so upset and frustrated I think I must have a serious disease for it to still be there. Can anyone else relate to this and has the horrible scary physical symptoms that go along with anxiety what did you do to help I don't want to be like this anymore the Physical symptoms are horrible.

babs04 I can’t sleep
  • replies: 6

I really struggle to sleep because I get really paranoid and anxious. I have a major fear of sickness so as soon as I get anxious and feel sick I spiral into a hole of feeling awful. I’ve gotten up in the night multiple times to go into my mums room ... View more

I really struggle to sleep because I get really paranoid and anxious. I have a major fear of sickness so as soon as I get anxious and feel sick I spiral into a hole of feeling awful. I’ve gotten up in the night multiple times to go into my mums room and ask to have a shower to try and calm me down. It’s really hard for me, I really want to be put on medication to help me because i’ve been to a psychologist and the doctors and nothings working