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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. 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

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yellowkiwi Health anxiety?
  • replies: 2

Hi all! I was just wondering if anyone else experiences this. Recently I have been feeling sick for no reason at random times, like random pains, throat stuff and a bit of nausea. I seem to be physically fine aside from this and was wondering if anyo... View more

Hi all! I was just wondering if anyone else experiences this. Recently I have been feeling sick for no reason at random times, like random pains, throat stuff and a bit of nausea. I seem to be physically fine aside from this and was wondering if anyone who suffers from anxiety experiences this too. It will normally come out of nowhere. Like I'll feel sick after taking a sip of water and then worry that there's something in it. Does anyone know if this is just paranoia? Does anybody have any advice on how to deal with stuff like this? Thanks!

Harddd Using music to help cope?
  • replies: 2

Personally, music is one of the only things that helps me deal with my anxieties and depression, mainly by ignoring, which is probably less optimal then dealing with it but it helps me i guess. Does this help anyone else? I usually listen to rather p... View more

Personally, music is one of the only things that helps me deal with my anxieties and depression, mainly by ignoring, which is probably less optimal then dealing with it but it helps me i guess. Does this help anyone else? I usually listen to rather pessimistic or "emo" music. I typically stan the likes of $uicideBoy$, lil peep, guccihighwaters, fats'e, guardin, xxxtentacion, lund, 4ever falling and more people that are less well known. Please tell me i'm not the only one this works for

Rose66 Anxiety at work and mental block
  • replies: 5

I started getting anxiety while at University about seven years ago, and ever since it has never gone away. I was able to manage it for a few years, but lately it has been getting worse. It feels like in a matter of seconds my heart rate can go from ... View more

I started getting anxiety while at University about seven years ago, and ever since it has never gone away. I was able to manage it for a few years, but lately it has been getting worse. It feels like in a matter of seconds my heart rate can go from 0 to 10 over little stresses that wouldn't bother the average person. At work when I need to speak infront of my team I find that I often get mental blocks, where I am tongue tied and unable to gather my thoughts. As a result, I sound convoluted and often stumble over my words, which can be embarrassing. I am only now looking to get professional help. I was thinking about telling my manager, but I don't want special treatment or have the nature of my work changed so I have avoided this. Any tips on how anyone has overcome this issue would be appreciated.

sam0259 Almost 30 with social anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi, I'm a 29 year old male, and this is the first real thing I've ever done regarding my anxiety. Ever since I can remember I've suffered crippling social anxiety in most public environments. I avoid group situations and social interactions with peop... View more

Hi, I'm a 29 year old male, and this is the first real thing I've ever done regarding my anxiety. Ever since I can remember I've suffered crippling social anxiety in most public environments. I avoid group situations and social interactions with people I don't know well, especially authority at work, females and confident looking people etc. I use my phone to avoid eye contact, I avoid the management office, I avoid phone calls, I've avoided invitations to the point of losing contact with potential or old friends. And when I'm feeling really worked up, I literally can't even get the words I'm trying to say out of my mouth, feeding the anxiety even further! But I'm not a total hermit. I do things like cycling with one or two mates at a time, solo travel, and I've done a lot of raving and partying, but over time I've realised that other than genuinely loving the music, this is kind of a coping mechanism as the alcohol, substances and loud music kind of mask the awkwardness and provide an escape for a few hours while getting my social fix. Albeit a shallow one. When I was younger I thought that it'd just go away over time as I became an adult. And it looked like it was going that way as once I moved out of home at 18, as I gained friends, experiences and attention I never thought I was worthy of during high school. But those were the easy-go-lucky days before true "adulting," and now I feel like I'm back at square one - 30 soon and still dealing with this debilitating problem that holds me back in most areas of my life. I can deal with daily tasks like work, shopping and exercise far better than when I was in my teens, but still usually with some level of anxiety most of the time. So, my questions are, are there any people with similar experiences who can share what has worked for you? and what are the best steps to take regarding help? I've never gone to a counsellor and I have no idea what kind of money I should expect to spend or even where to go. So any tips would be greatly appreciated, because I am so so sick of this!!

Jo999 Anxiety and work situation
  • replies: 8

I have bad anxiety due to a work situation and how the workplace has treated me being bullied and then excluded from work. I was on workers compensation but they are trying to get me off it. I hate the thought of not working as I want to be productiv... View more

I have bad anxiety due to a work situation and how the workplace has treated me being bullied and then excluded from work. I was on workers compensation but they are trying to get me off it. I hate the thought of not working as I want to be productive. I don't want to apply for disability, but my anxiety is overwhelming. I've never had anxiety before this and I find it hard to sleep as the same ongoing thoughts go over and over in my head about how badly my employer has treated me. I get anxious leaving the house. Does anyone have any ideas to stop the repetitive negative thoughts? I try to distract myself and find something else to think about, but it doesn't work. Thanks.

KidJones Alright, here I go...
  • replies: 8

Hi everybody. I'm a 31yo male who has been trying to cope with on and off anxiety for around 4 years now. Not exactly loving this experience to say the least. To get down to what I want to say I'll just out right and say it. I recently was sick with ... View more

Hi everybody. I'm a 31yo male who has been trying to cope with on and off anxiety for around 4 years now. Not exactly loving this experience to say the least. To get down to what I want to say I'll just out right and say it. I recently was sick with what the doctors told me was bronchitis, taken antibiotics 3 times now and every time things got better it came back, so that kind of set my anxiety off about to the point I keep thinking it might be something else. I have on occasions get intrusive thoughts that freak me out every now and again, throwing that in there because it will become relevant in the minute. I was feeling content and recovered last night while playing PS4 when suddenly my intrusive thoughts decided to say hello! I was doing something in the game when my thoughts just went "quickly do this or mum will die" which threw me off and made me paranoid and anxious as all hell. I got tight in the chest, heart beating faster, confused, and began coughing. Was hard to sleep aswell as I was tossing and turning all night with very little sleep accomplished. Woke up and my ribs are in a little bit of pain, coughing keeps creeping in, feel like I might throw up sometimes, and feeling guilty as anything where I want to cry but can't. What is wrong with me? I'm trying to stay calm and relaxed but feel deeply regretful over that stupid intrusive thought. Wish I was normal like when I was a kid. Any feedback is appreciated, and thank you for taking time out to read my post. Very grateful.

bluenight Workplace anxiety is really bad for me at the moment
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, My anxiety has been so bad since I started a new job not long ago, I've always had bad workplace anxiety, low confidence and lack of assertiveness The job is killing me, it's overflowing into and eroding my confidence, self esteem and so... View more

Hi everyone, My anxiety has been so bad since I started a new job not long ago, I've always had bad workplace anxiety, low confidence and lack of assertiveness The job is killing me, it's overflowing into and eroding my confidence, self esteem and social anxiety in my personal life. There's a lot of talking to people and I struggle with that at the best of times and there's a lot of responsibility. I started drinking a week and a half ago and I don't drink that often nowadays. I know there's not much anyone can do really but just wanted to vent with other people who suffer the same thing.

Bulletin_Board_Archive Cancer phobia
  • replies: 28

Originally posted by: Anna on 18 February 2013Is there anyone reading this who knows what this is like or can help me? I am a 28 year old mum of two children, the youngest just a baby, and since the birth of my second, have been going through alot of... View more

Originally posted by: Anna on 18 February 2013Is there anyone reading this who knows what this is like or can help me? I am a 28 year old mum of two children, the youngest just a baby, and since the birth of my second, have been going through alot of general depression and anxiety. I've seen doctors and psychologists, and am reluctant to use medication as i'm concerned of the effects this will have on me breastfeeding. The main cause of my anxiety is a fear of cancer, which has become absolutely debilitating over the past few months. It's driving my partner mad, having effects on my oldest child, and preventing me from having social contact, as i feel unable to direct my focus to this phobia whenfriends are around (!). I have little energy for anything else in life but constantly checking my body for signs that I have cancer, and monitoring myself for any new signs. My latest fear is leukemia or some form of blood cancer, due to seven unexplained small bruises i have found on one leg, and the fact that i can feel my lymph nodes, despite being reassured by my doctor that they are within the normal size range. In the past year, i have "had": two types of breast cancer, cancer of the salivary gland, leukemia (seperate from this episode), brain tumor, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, skin cancer,bone cancer and lymphoma. They have all been talked over with gps, who have explained the symptoms with fairly non-sinister causes. Constant checking of symptoms online has fuelled alot of this in the past, but I have mananged to control this to a degree recently, to no avail. If i do check the net, I start out intending to seek reassurance, only to wind up in a complete state of panic, calling my partner at work to let him know I'm dying, and with usual panic symptoms (sweating, racing heart, numb fingers and toes, pressure headaches etc). It seems everywhere i go, everything I read, is saturated with the constant threat and reminder that cancer is out there, waiting to pounce on me. I'm so scared, as i have two children who are my reason for living, and who need me. I can't shake the image of myself lying in a bed somewhere with measured time to live. I have always been scared and confronted of death, but this is getting out of hand. The saddest part of this all is that i want to live so much, but am nott enjoying life at all for this stupid fear of dying. I'm always asking my partner for reassurance and pointing out my symptoms to him, and although he does his best to deal with it by reassuring me and reminding me off all the other times it's turned out to be nothing, it's taking it's toll on our relationship. Another niggling thought that makes the situation even harder is this: What if, in spite of all the false alarms, this time it's the real deal? I mean. how many bullets can one dodge in a lifetime. I have no family history of cancer, but figure someone has got to be the unlucky one, and I bet it's just me! Sorry for the long ramble. If anyone can relate to this, please let me know. xx

Lauraj54 Health Anxiety
  • replies: 6

I have a bump on my tongue and I’m so scared it’s cancer. Two doctors have seen it and said they don’t think it is cancer, dr google of course suggests it is. i can’t let it go. I have constant health anxiety fears

I have a bump on my tongue and I’m so scared it’s cancer. Two doctors have seen it and said they don’t think it is cancer, dr google of course suggests it is. i can’t let it go. I have constant health anxiety fears

Possuman Parents and friends
  • replies: 5

So I had a really intense exercise addiction/ anaoxia (two go hand in hand) and it is worn off on my parents. It's so weird. Since getting help and recovery I can't stand to do any exercise, I think I've done enough for one lifetime. But they're real... View more

So I had a really intense exercise addiction/ anaoxia (two go hand in hand) and it is worn off on my parents. It's so weird. Since getting help and recovery I can't stand to do any exercise, I think I've done enough for one lifetime. But they're really into weight loss and push me to exercise. Like 7 hour hikes (nope). Also they started to uses the same diet talk, talking about losing weight and being fat. It's super triggering, but also really sad that maybe my obsession with "health" has made them unhappy. Either that or I'm super sensitive to diet culture. Maybe it's been there all along and I'm just noticing it now. Honestly just wondering if anybody else has experienced this, like I see eating disorder behaviours all the time in my friends/ family and I hope it wasn't me that introduced it to them. idk

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