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
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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

Worried xgen My struggle to live in the moment
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Hi im new here,male in my late 30s married with 2 kids mortgage etc etc and have had a lifetime of on and off worry and anxiety from as long as i can remember. I know deep down I'm overreacting to most situations and i tend to overthink and run thru ... View more

Hi im new here,male in my late 30s married with 2 kids mortgage etc etc and have had a lifetime of on and off worry and anxiety from as long as i can remember. I know deep down I'm overreacting to most situations and i tend to overthink and run thru these in my head before and after events. I tend not to live in the moment thru life and look back at certain times and wished i could of relaxed more and enjoyed myself at the time. I think back and really enjoy those memories more than actually living it at the time. I was a shy quiet kid at school. Especially at high school where i went most days with anxiety of what may or may not happen. I have a social anxiety too which has eased over the years as ive gotten older but still comes out from time to time. Lately i have been in a bit of a rut with my worries getting me down. My wife has a chronic illness which she is in alot of pain constantly and can't work. So ive been the only one bringing the income in and i feel so much pressure to be the only one doing so. I feel burdened by this, sometimes i feel trapped. One of my kids has a learning disability and her struggles get me down and i worry about her future too. There are times i struggle to Sleep with my worries always on mind which add to the anxiety and periods of depression. Thanks for reading my post

lonelyglassesgirl Feel anxious that I will "go crazy" if certain things happen (OCD coming back?)
  • replies: 10

I have a significant personal history of mental illness including anxiety disorders and OCD diagnosed during my childhood/teens (and a major episode about 18 months ago), and also a family history which includes schizophrenia. As a result, a lot of m... View more

I have a significant personal history of mental illness including anxiety disorders and OCD diagnosed during my childhood/teens (and a major episode about 18 months ago), and also a family history which includes schizophrenia. As a result, a lot of my anxiety at the moment is me worrying that certain behaviours or situations will make my mental health issues get worse again, or even precipitate a psychotic break. One of the things I have convinced myself will "cause" me to develop schizophrenia is lack of social contact. What happened is that late last year, I read an article saying that if you are in a risk group for schizophrenia, it is important to have social contact as it can reduce the risk of having a psychotic episode, and also that social withdrawal is a sign that you might be about to have one. As a result, when I decided to move from a sharehouse into a studio flat after getting a full-time job, I developed some anxious thoughts that this (living alone/wanting own place) was either an indication that I was about to have a psychotic episode, or could actually cause one. Now with the lockdowns, I obviously have very little social life, and am worried that I could go crazy. At night I feel scared, or don't like it to be quiet, or get scared of shadows, or have broken sleep with bad dreams (usually related to coronavirus, e.g. being sick and taken to hospital but the "hospital" is actually a conference centre, etc). But then I worry that not sleeping enough, having weird dreams, feeling scared at night, or doing something odd (e.g. mindlessly brushing my teeth when I walk into the bathroom) are not normal for an adult and am signs that I am "losing my mind", or, more concretely, am about to have a psychotic episode. Is this normal, is there any way to stop it, and does it indicate that the stress might be causing me to have a psychotic episode?

peacock Anxiety and guilt over sick leave
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Hi, I am going through a difficult time at present with anxiety and depression. I saw my doctor yesterday and she gave me a week off work. Now I feel guilty for taking this time off as I’ve only been in the job four months. I sent a text to my boss e... View more

Hi, I am going through a difficult time at present with anxiety and depression. I saw my doctor yesterday and she gave me a week off work. Now I feel guilty for taking this time off as I’ve only been in the job four months. I sent a text to my boss explaining the situation and she was very supportive but I can’t stop feeling guilty about this. Has anyone else experienced this?

mads8796 Anxiety and relationships
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Hi all, I’m new here, and apologies in advance for the mess this post may be. I have struggled with anxiety for a long time now. I started dating this guy 6 months ago who I am head over heels in love with. But he doesn’t understand anxiety at all an... View more

Hi all, I’m new here, and apologies in advance for the mess this post may be. I have struggled with anxiety for a long time now. I started dating this guy 6 months ago who I am head over heels in love with. But he doesn’t understand anxiety at all and really struggles with my anxiety. I’ve tried numerous ways of talking with him about it, but nothing clicks. He gets stressed and frustrated. He’s got a very dismissive/avoidant attachment style when it comes to discussing serious things whereas I am very much an anxious attachment person. In every other aspect of our relationship, we are PERFECT. honestly, he is amazing and we work so well together. We got in our first massive fight last week, where our relationship almost ended (over the dumbest thing that was exaggerated by my own anxiety) and now he has gone on a trip to the snow with the guys this week. My anxiety is at an all time high. We worked throughout relationship before he left and we are “good”. However, at the back of my mind, there is a voice telling me he is going to cheat on me because he is still mad at me. He has given me NO reason to feel this way, and I know logically that it is my anxiety talking, but I can’t stop this pit in my stomach. I don’t want to be needy, or put this anxiety on him because he honestly deserves a fun week with his friends right now. I was cheated on in my last long term relationship when we were living together, so I know that trauma has something to do with this I guess my question is, how can I help ease this? And is it possible to to cope with my anxiety when my partner simply cannot understand it and has a very different communication / attachment style to me? im so scared of ruining the first relationship I feel so great about and can see a REAL future with. Please help.

Guest_13432 Today’s thoughts made me have a full blown panic attack, can anyone help?
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Hi, as I’ve posted on other threads I have massive anxiety that I am going insane and developing a serious mental illness like schizophrenia, today as I was driving I started having these thoughts that I’m delusional and everything around me is just ... View more

Hi, as I’ve posted on other threads I have massive anxiety that I am going insane and developing a serious mental illness like schizophrenia, today as I was driving I started having these thoughts that I’m delusional and everything around me is just my imagination and nothing is real, it let me to have a panic attack and it terrified me that I had these thoughts, I don’t believe it but it t terrified me, where do these thoughts come from and can it be me losing touch with reality? thank you.

Monty89 Needing an ear.
  • replies: 4

I'm new to this and not sure if i'm even posting in the right forum. I'm not one to talk about mental health. I find it difficult to speak to others about it and will often bottle things up. I'm really struggling tonight after receiving an email abou... View more

I'm new to this and not sure if i'm even posting in the right forum. I'm not one to talk about mental health. I find it difficult to speak to others about it and will often bottle things up. I'm really struggling tonight after receiving an email about my studies. Long story short, I feel like i'm not being supported by my work to grow and typing this makes me feel silly to say out loud but I just feel like I can't win. My friends are trying to encourage me that I can get past this but I honestly feel like I can't. Am I overreacting? I just feel broken and can't stop crying.

Jillian_T Fear of having depression
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Hi this is my first time doing anything like this. so. So my fear was and still is having depression. I know its really stupid but I can't help it. It all started when my cousin told my mum I had depression, luckily my mum isn't stupid and she asked ... View more

Hi this is my first time doing anything like this. so. So my fear was and still is having depression. I know its really stupid but I can't help it. It all started when my cousin told my mum I had depression, luckily my mum isn't stupid and she asked me if I did. I said no. But now I've been thinking about it more and more, my anxiety doesn't help, and I have recently been searching how to know if you have depression and its scaring me because I don't have the strength or courage to ask my mum for help. I don't understand why I'm so worried, I used to been in control of my anxiety but now this topic is starting to bring it back. I don't understand and I'm seeking help.

wiwolf Going Out With Social Anxiety
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I'm trying to get out more to help my depression. For example I joined a gym, and it gives me free access to a pool. I'm excited about that, but in my mind I have no idea how I can do that. I can't fathom how I alone could go and swim in a pool. Or l... View more

I'm trying to get out more to help my depression. For example I joined a gym, and it gives me free access to a pool. I'm excited about that, but in my mind I have no idea how I can do that. I can't fathom how I alone could go and swim in a pool. Or like, do laps? Do I get in, swim a certain number of laps and then just get out? How do I not look creepy?

Bennyboy10 digestive issues due to SSRI
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Hi Everyone just wanted to know if anyone has experienced stomach issues while on an SSRI? I have been on them for about a year and suffered really bad with stomach pains and Diarhea. Problem is im not sure if its my anxiety or the medication that is... View more

Hi Everyone just wanted to know if anyone has experienced stomach issues while on an SSRI? I have been on them for about a year and suffered really bad with stomach pains and Diarhea. Problem is im not sure if its my anxiety or the medication that is causing this. And it just becomes a vicious cycle as i suffer with anxiety about my health.

Felixblack Muscle twitching, bizarre soreness, tingling hands and feet
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Hi all I'm new to this forum and just reaching out to see if anyone out there has or is experiencing muscle twitching all over, strange muscle fatigue and soreness particularly in calves and forearms that cannot be explained, tingling/pins and needle... View more

Hi all I'm new to this forum and just reaching out to see if anyone out there has or is experiencing muscle twitching all over, strange muscle fatigue and soreness particularly in calves and forearms that cannot be explained, tingling/pins and needles in hands and feet...as though there's not enough circulation there.. occasional sharp shooting pains in muscles or possibly nerves. I have had a very stressful past 12 months so I'm hoping these odd new symptoms are anxiety related. I have definitely had the worst health anxiety ever this past year... could these new symptoms be my body's way of telling me I'm in fight or flight? Two doctors do not seem to be concerned. I'm worried about MND or MS or something else and am I am booked to see a neurologist next Monday. I'm trying hard to stay positive but I cannot believe anxiety/stress could cause such blatant physical symptoms. Feeling scared and alone. Hope to hear from someone!