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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
  • 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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Jess_M anxiety within getting into a relationship
  • replies: 2

so im 15 almost 16 and this guy i like has told me he likes me too and I'm wanting to wait for all these restrictions during the pandemic to lower before i even think of getting into a relationship but I'm absolutely TERRIFIED. i have really bad soci... View more

so im 15 almost 16 and this guy i like has told me he likes me too and I'm wanting to wait for all these restrictions during the pandemic to lower before i even think of getting into a relationship but I'm absolutely TERRIFIED. i have really bad social anxiety and general anxiety as well and he knows that i am diagnosed with a few mental illnesses but i don't even know what to do. anyone got any advice?

relax16 Workplace anxiety
  • replies: 2

I recently started a new job after a couple of bad experiences with horrible people at my previous jobs. On paper the job seemed made for me. I was so excited to get it. Now it has turned me into a ball of anxiety. I am scared to start work every day... View more

I recently started a new job after a couple of bad experiences with horrible people at my previous jobs. On paper the job seemed made for me. I was so excited to get it. Now it has turned me into a ball of anxiety. I am scared to start work every day. Terrified to check emails to see what I have done wrong this time. I have just started on an SSRI and waiting for it to take affect. I was wondering if any one has any advice. If you have felt like this before what did you do to get through it? Quitting isn’t an option at the moment. I become a completely different person on weekends...enjoy myself and relax... then once the work week starts it’s early to wake ups again. I wish I could just toughen up and not take it all to heart but I feel like I can’t do anything right .

Gumtree77 Best Way To Rid Oneself of Health Anxiety!
  • replies: 3

Hi I have posted before about my health anxiety and the despair it causes me. Recently it all flared up again and I was suffering from ulcer on tongue and horrid dry burning mouth. I made an appointment to see my Doctor today and he was very terse wi... View more

Hi I have posted before about my health anxiety and the despair it causes me. Recently it all flared up again and I was suffering from ulcer on tongue and horrid dry burning mouth. I made an appointment to see my Doctor today and he was very terse with me. He basically said that I am frustrating and not taking on board the reassurances they have given me in the past. I was quite put out but on reflection am glad of it. I have written it all down so I can hopefully read what happened and try to cure myself of this vicious circle! I learnt very quickly that my mind is incredibly powerful and has 'created' these symptoms and my catastrophising is not helping. I don't know but I hope this may help others who suffer from HA. Yes it was harsh but I feel he did the best thing.

Unknown234 That heavy feeling
  • replies: 1

Everythings different now it’s not just as simple as my body weight and stuff like that it’s more I can’t explain it though. I have a really heavy feeling in my body all the time like I’m slowly drowning nothing seems to make me happy anymore. I don’... View more

Everythings different now it’s not just as simple as my body weight and stuff like that it’s more I can’t explain it though. I have a really heavy feeling in my body all the time like I’m slowly drowning nothing seems to make me happy anymore. I don’t cry anymore it’s like I have too much feelings that it’s not possible anymore. I act happier than ever cause the longer I go on the better I get at acting. I just want someone to notice me and to help but let’s be honest I’m alone and I’m never gonna get someone that will understand and appreciate the real me. I’m gonna lose someone really good again because I don’t know how to be my self I want to I really do but I don’t know how to But I could at least be the person that I show most people I just don’t want to lose another person I just hate who I am What I look like How I act I want to at least have some more Confidence I want to Yet I can’t

Em87 Hello :)
  • replies: 4

Hi all I’m new! Jumped on as I am struggling with anxiety just now... for me it is only triggered by noise. Otherwise, life is good! But when I settle in for the evening (not always the evening, but that’s the worst), noise outside of my apartment ma... View more

Hi all I’m new! Jumped on as I am struggling with anxiety just now... for me it is only triggered by noise. Otherwise, life is good! But when I settle in for the evening (not always the evening, but that’s the worst), noise outside of my apartment makes me feel sick to my stomach. It can be just a couple of people having a ciggy and chatting, it stops me being able to focus on anything else and I feel so ANGRY! I know it’s completely my issue and I’m massively over magnifying. Also footsteps upstairs/next door neighbours daughter bouncing a ball off the front door gets me. I have always really struggled with chewing/pen tapping/loud typing etc (misophonia), but luckily my partner isn’t bad and so the lockdown not awful on that side of things! Anybody else have any noise specific issues? Or can point me towards a thread that I can join/reignite? It’s nice to just not feel alone in all of this hey! Happy Saturday! Em x

crylics Fear of Anaphylaxis Reaction
  • replies: 1

Hi there. Sometime two years ago I had an anaphylaxis attack, causing my throat to swell up and me barely being able to breathe. It started off with a weird tingly feeling all across my body, some weird movement in my stomach then a runny nose, an it... View more

Hi there. Sometime two years ago I had an anaphylaxis attack, causing my throat to swell up and me barely being able to breathe. It started off with a weird tingly feeling all across my body, some weird movement in my stomach then a runny nose, an itchy eye and then the swelling of my airways. Half of my face swelled up as well. My mum brought me to emergency and I waited FOUR HOURS. FOUR. Nearly five. In the end the symptoms started to go away, and back then I didn't know about a second reaction being a possibility, so I just asked mum if we could leave. Biggest regret ever. I wish I waited longer because to this day, I still have absolutely no clue what caused it. I ate fish and garlic bread that day for dinner and then went for a shower about 3 hours after eating dinner, and after that it took about another hour for me to start having symptoms. The food we ate wasn't out of the blue, we had eaten it before. But even so, I convinced myself I was allergic to garlic, as it seemed like the only thing that explained it. But then again, I have't eaten any fish to this day other than small little bites or samples. But I was and still am so confused to this day. And with all that confusion, I've developed a massive fear of anaphylaxis, since I don't even know exactly what I'm allergic to. I've had moments where after eating, my throat feels extremely unusual so I convince myself "Oh no, I'm having a reaction." The symptoms aren't a reaction, but it's similar because I was having an anxiety attack. It happened just tonight. With all that's going on in the world currently, my dad won't let me go out and risk me getting sick, so I can't get tested for my allergy currently. But after tonight my fear has jumped and I'm DEEPLY afraid of it happening again. It was the worst feeling ever, I believed I was going to die on the spot. I haven't had another anaphylaxis reaction since that two years back, but I'm still so confused as to what it was. A strange coincidence as well, that day my little sister had an allergic reaction so we went to the doctors. Hers wasn't as severe as mine but she said if she started not being able to breathe to bring her back, and what do you know? That very same night I had anaphylaxis and I couldn't breathe. How do I stop being so scared of this happening again? And does anybody have an idea of what the reaction could've been to? I hate that this is starting to control me again. Thank you -Isabelle

KK7 Anxiety/ panic disorder
  • replies: 5

Hi there, I’ve recently been told I have anxiety/ panic disorder, Mine being triggered by my pregnancy, I had pulled a shoulder muscle and it triggered panic attack as I thought I was having a stroke and now every time my body hurts I panic, I can’t ... View more

Hi there, I’ve recently been told I have anxiety/ panic disorder, Mine being triggered by my pregnancy, I had pulled a shoulder muscle and it triggered panic attack as I thought I was having a stroke and now every time my body hurts I panic, I can’t control it and I’m having multiple a day which is draining my body, I’m waiting to get into speak with a Psychologist, but there is a 6 week wait, which makes me more nervous as I’m struggling to deal with the attacks I have just looking for any advice to help. Thanks

autumntree Newbie saying hi!
  • replies: 4

Hi There! I'm just struggling a far bit at the moment. I've had anxiety a lot of my life and usually it is somewhat manageable but about twice a year it becomes debilitating. A combination of the corona virus and a recent breakup is causing my anxiet... View more

Hi There! I'm just struggling a far bit at the moment. I've had anxiety a lot of my life and usually it is somewhat manageable but about twice a year it becomes debilitating. A combination of the corona virus and a recent breakup is causing my anxiety to flare up really badly. I want to get better this time and do everything I can to get my anxiety under control and live a mentally healthier life. So I guess I'm just reaching out to this community for some tips and to feel some hope that I can overcome this. Thank you and wishing that everyone is coping okay

NZthrower Anxiety about sexual matters
  • replies: 2

Hello everyone! What has been really bothering me quite a bit has to do with me analysing numerous attitudes surrounding sex. One common attitude is the idea of saving sex before marriage. Owing to my religious upbringing, it is a pretty deeply entre... View more

Hello everyone! What has been really bothering me quite a bit has to do with me analysing numerous attitudes surrounding sex. One common attitude is the idea of saving sex before marriage. Owing to my religious upbringing, it is a pretty deeply entrenched attitude and I have been recently questioning it. I have been asking myself what exactly is wrong with premarital sex? A common analogy I have been exposing myself to is the idea that having premarital sex with someone is like chewing a piece of gum, once you lose your virginity, you're worth less just like how a stick of gum is worth less after you chew it. This implies that entering into a relationship with someone who has already had sex before marriage is like eating a piece of gum that's been already chewed. I have been learning how this can be damaging to people, as it can prevent rape victims from speaking up or seeking help. Even when I was relatively religious, I still made an exception for rape since I understood that the victim didn't willing give up her/his virginity. This has been giving me quite a bit of stress, as two sides of me come into conflict with one another. Another problem I have been struggling with is promiscuity and porn use. I have been using porn on average once per day/two days. One common message that I have been taught is that promiscuity is bad. I also have always internally seen that casual sexual activity is shallow, lacks depth and that you ultimately don't end up forming stronger emotional bonds with your partner through such activity, just that I willingly give into my urges to watch porn. I am still trying to find out what are the circumstances that result in sex leading to a stronger emotional connection between a couple, as sex with a prostitute is still consensual, but no emotional bonds are formed, nor love expressed.

HelpsAlwaysNear96 Health Anxiety Has Taken Over My Life
  • replies: 14

Hello, I have had anxiety related to my health for nearly 4 years now, but these last 6 months or so it has gotten to the point where I’m starting to lose hope that I’ll ever overcome this and my days are being consumed with my fixations on physical ... View more

Hello, I have had anxiety related to my health for nearly 4 years now, but these last 6 months or so it has gotten to the point where I’m starting to lose hope that I’ll ever overcome this and my days are being consumed with my fixations on physical symptoms. This stops me from getting other things done and doing things that I used to enjoy. I go through phases of being concerned about varying medical emergencies and diseases or conditions. In a normal week I am at the doctors at least once, more commonly twice. I also go to lots of different doctors because I feel like if I keep returning to the same one they won’t take my seriously. I’ve spent a lot of time and money on lots of different tests for different conditions. This has included MRIs, blood tests, eye tests, monitors and more. I also spend hours googling symptoms, which always gives me a dire diagnosis which sets off even further anxiety. My heart is something that is always of concern. I check my pulse over 100 times a day and am constantly at the doctor about it. I’ve had ECG testing and the 24 hour holtier monitor, as well as general blood tests. The doctor said my monitor does show minor ectopic beats but apparently they are nothing to be worried about. Despite the doctor reassuring me, I still can’t get through a single day without thinking I’m having a heart attack. I even get other physical symptoms like shortness of breath and left arm pain. I’ve presented to the emergency department multiple times but they never find anything wrong. I have episodes of very fast heart rate multiple times a week, which I’m guessing are panic attacks, but I worry it could be a heart rhythm issue. I do see a physiologist, but even with her reassurance that anxiety can manifest itself in many physical symptoms, I can’t seem to accept this and move on. Does anyone else suffer from this kind of anxiety because I feel like I’m the only one and that I’m just crazy. Is there any advice for overcoming it? Thanks for taking the time to read my long post.