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Anxiety

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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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Katyonthehamsterwheel I feel like screaming!!!
  • replies: 4

I can't stand these feelings - anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide - anymore! I feel physically sick and I just want to scream "someone help me!" Except who do I scream to? No-one seems to have any answers I'm so tired. I've lost so much. I'm so... View more

I can't stand these feelings - anxiety, depression, thoughts of suicide - anymore! I feel physically sick and I just want to scream "someone help me!" Except who do I scream to? No-one seems to have any answers I'm so tired. I've lost so much. I'm so alone. I don't know what to do. I keep trying to just put one foot in front the other but it seems purposeless.

Bluesman0103 Relationship Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting on a forum or anything so hopefully I'm doing it right I have a fair amount of anxiety when it comes to meeting women (I'm male) and then beginning a sexual/romantic relationship. Meeting women and being in ... View more

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting on a forum or anything so hopefully I'm doing it right I have a fair amount of anxiety when it comes to meeting women (I'm male) and then beginning a sexual/romantic relationship. Meeting women and being in a relationship with them just terrifies me and prevents me from being able to pursue a relationship, which makes life hard when you're 22 and a lot of you're friends are in healthy relationships. My best mate just started dating this girl who is really lovely and a type of girl I would like to date, but I know that if I was in his shoes there is no way I would even gotten to know her let alone ask her out. I always feel terrible when I hang around my friends and their partners, or when I go out to a club or a bar and seeing people meet and hook up. I think my problem my come from growing up. My parents (who are great, I love them dearly) were never supportive of me meeting girls when I was in school, believing instead I should focus on my work. And my Dad, while a great guy, is not exactly a leader in how to be confident. I'm not exactly sure what specific part of forming a romantic relationship I fear. I think it my be an issue with getting close to someone and then not being enough or messing up a relationship with an amazing girl. Being a virgin doesn't seem to help. Well hopefully I've managed to make this at least semi-coherent. I think it was a bit of help just getting my thoughts down on paper. I would love to here some of your thoughts and experiences with my problems. Thanks.

RedWolfe How to deal?
  • replies: 2

I feel like giving up. I want to and it takes so much not too. Ive had anxiety for nearly 10 years and I’m 24 yrs old, I can’t even hold a job and some of my friends don’t get how serious my anxiety has become. I have one friend who doesnt believe I ... View more

I feel like giving up. I want to and it takes so much not too. Ive had anxiety for nearly 10 years and I’m 24 yrs old, I can’t even hold a job and some of my friends don’t get how serious my anxiety has become. I have one friend who doesnt believe I have it and I can barely even leave the house, except for the odd occasion of a good day. Everytime i’ve seen someone I still feel like they don’t get me. My anxiety stops me from doing things a person my age should enjoy. I don’t know to keep dealing with it, I take my medication and everything, I go to yoga, but it’s still doesnt seem to be enough.

HummingbirdX Anxiety when having conversations
  • replies: 4

Hi. I have suffered anxiety for a long time, I have ibs, am legally blind and hard of hearing so I have a lot to deal with but I know I am not the only one. I have noticed that if I am wearing my sunglasses while talking to people I don’t get anxiety... View more

Hi. I have suffered anxiety for a long time, I have ibs, am legally blind and hard of hearing so I have a lot to deal with but I know I am not the only one. I have noticed that if I am wearing my sunglasses while talking to people I don’t get anxiety but if I don’t wear them I do. Does anyone have any idea what that means?

ChrissyStar Stuck in front of the TV!!!!
  • replies: 11

Hi, I have a request which may sound pretty funny or lazy at first - but it is a real problem of mine and I really need some advice here. I suffer from anxiety/depression + heroin use (where the come-down fuels the anxiety/depression). So, I am worki... View more

Hi, I have a request which may sound pretty funny or lazy at first - but it is a real problem of mine and I really need some advice here. I suffer from anxiety/depression + heroin use (where the come-down fuels the anxiety/depression). So, I am working through the opiate dependence and I don't need advice there. What I would appreciate advice about is a habit (?) I have developed where I sit in front of the TV and do nothing else!! I am afraid of starting anything in case I can't finish it. I am afraid of living in a shitty house yet I can't clean it - thus is stays shit. I can't do anything except watch TV. Anything else brings me too much anxiety. And my responsibilities are piling up. I need to find something to stop the anxiety - so that I can live normally. Any advice? Has anyone moved from this state to a better one - how did you do it?

MacJS I don't know what feeling I'm experiencing
  • replies: 2

Lately, I've noticed that I get this feeling where I feel overwhelmed and I just can't bear to stay in class any longer. When I feel like this, I am usually getting teary or I will cry silently so I draw no attention to me. It makes it even worse whe... View more

Lately, I've noticed that I get this feeling where I feel overwhelmed and I just can't bear to stay in class any longer. When I feel like this, I am usually getting teary or I will cry silently so I draw no attention to me. It makes it even worse when I can't leave the room, I've asked my teacher just to sit outside the door but they wouldn't even let me. Then I feel very distressed, I don't know if it's because I feel trapped and can't deal with my emotions and have to act like everything is fine in front of my peers. I want to tell my teachers but I also don't want them to know, so I feel even worse. Like, if I can't leave the room. I am super angry, irritated (like don't talk to me or I'll snap) and just REALLY want to cry. I don't know if this is anxiety or I just can't be in a class full of kids. I don't know why I experience this feeling or why it happens.

ashkey Dealing with Anxiety and a Narcissist
  • replies: 1

Hi there, I have popped on here before and asked for some help with feelings of a new kind of anxiety and I have managed to learn and process and deal as best as possible. It's still a work in progress but I feel better after the situation I have bee... View more

Hi there, I have popped on here before and asked for some help with feelings of a new kind of anxiety and I have managed to learn and process and deal as best as possible. It's still a work in progress but I feel better after the situation I have been dealing with has been resolved as best as possible. I have been dealing with a new manager I have had to train and learnt things about her through multiple mediations with her and our area manager supervising. This manager I have been training is a textbook narcissist and has been the cause of my huge anxiety attacks. She has offsided the whole team I work with and they feel horrible and she still won't take blame but puts it all on me. I have a narcissist in my family who we had to cut off cause he was just so toxic it wasn't good for any of my close family or extended family. But this one is someone who I work in the same company with so calling her out in the way I truly want can't happen cause otherwise I look like the bad guy, which is what a narcissist wants. So my question, does anyone have any tips on overcoming knowing a narcissist? I don't have to be near her anymore but obviously for work purposes I have to be professional and not look like I am wrong even though upper management know my worth and value so I am reassured by that knowledge. It just sets my anxiety on edge a bit and I hate the feeling of someone thinking they have control over me when they aren't even near me now. I want to take my control back. But yes, any help with dealing with the feelings of knowing a narcissist and how to push away the thoughts of knowing them and how their existence is purely frustrating would help. Thank you, Ashkey

marinadiamond My anxiety ruins everything
  • replies: 2

Ive recently been diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression a year ago and since then it has been getting so much worse. It began with me crying every few days but Ive now developed into a completely different person and having panic attacks almost every... View more

Ive recently been diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression a year ago and since then it has been getting so much worse. It began with me crying every few days but Ive now developed into a completely different person and having panic attacks almost every single day, ive been on medication and I'm seeing a psychologist but nothing seems to be working. It began after my best friend of 10 years completely broke off contact with me then pretended I didn't exist at school, saying terrible things behind my back and detaching me from our friend group. The only person Ive got is my girlfriend who has helped me through this but I feel like a burden to her and to everyone, I hate the pitying looks I get from people when I cry and I hate that my anxiety stops me from doing what I want to do. Just recently I was unable to go to my school camp because I was too anxious about it and having panic attacks every day leading up to it. I know that I wouldn't have been able to handle it but now that everyone has gone, including my girlfriend, I feel sad because I couldn't go. My girlfriend tells me to research ways to cope with my anxiety and depression but I don't know what to do and I feel so alone, The internet says quotes, meditation or eating healthy but none of these sort of things have been working How can I change my mindset and gain the confidence to be myself? Thanks

white knight Worry worry worry part 2
  • replies: 3

Hi again, In part one we dealt with "worry" and how non productive it is except for giving us ulcers. Here I'd like to explore other ways of reducing worry. Commonly we tend to tackle challenges on our own, many of us don't like passing on responsibi... View more

Hi again, In part one we dealt with "worry" and how non productive it is except for giving us ulcers. Here I'd like to explore other ways of reducing worry. Commonly we tend to tackle challenges on our own, many of us don't like passing on responsibilities to others, it causes us to feel we are cheating by getting others to do our work, how realistic is this? Take a factory for example. If two machine operators do the same work but one operator is supplied with a different order that places twice the volume of work onto the operator left. Changes would be needed like overtime or a third operator to work the machine during lunch hour. What I'm suggesting is when workloads are raised there needs to be changes like water finds it own level, so should workload. This leads to speaking up. Asking for help if you are snowed under with tasks is something you need to consider. Your partner or family members aren't mind readers. They could be lounging watching TV as you sweat over a hot stove, then the dog attacks a cyclist so you are out there chaining him up then your meal burns and you fall on your bed with resentment that "he didnt even help me". Instead "please darling can you tend to the dog, I'm cooking at the moment". Delegation can be so easy yet we dont often do it. The other mention is prioritizing. Some people are terrible at this. My first wife was a slow worker. She'd take 60 minutes to hang out the washing after I hung it out as I never hung it out "correctly". During that time I'd mind the children and be late for work. Things got way out of proportion and nothing was prioritized. Some people cannot co-ordinate tasks. eg the washing of dirty dishes is priority over mowing the lawn unless rain is close by. Hygiene more important than vanity and so on. If you think your prioritizing is non existent then ask an older person how to change. That not only makes you more efficient but your partner will no longer carry the burden of such absence of planning. As worry reduces smiling increases. Laughter returns and your heart will not give up early entering your twilight years. Such steps along with appropriate medication and therapy will get your life back on track. TonyWK

ClearQuartz Where to go when having a panic attack in public
  • replies: 3

I have been having frequent panic attacks over the past few weeks and a lot of the time they are when I am at work (Sydney CBD) or in public. I find when I am having one there is no where to go to calm down in private other than the bathroom which do... View more

I have been having frequent panic attacks over the past few weeks and a lot of the time they are when I am at work (Sydney CBD) or in public. I find when I am having one there is no where to go to calm down in private other than the bathroom which doesn't help because I worry other people will hear me hyperventilating. Where do you guys go to calm down in private?