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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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NotSoSilent Job Issues and the flow on
  • replies: 1

Hi forum, First time poster and not really sure what to expect. About 6 months ago I was placed under investigation for a work matter and it has dragged on and on and on. They have recently advised me that the recommendation is termination. There is ... View more

Hi forum, First time poster and not really sure what to expect. About 6 months ago I was placed under investigation for a work matter and it has dragged on and on and on. They have recently advised me that the recommendation is termination. There is a process I need to follow to plead my case etc. While all of this has been happening I have continued to go to work everyday, but it is taking a huge toll on me and my family overall. I am now petrified that in this current virus pandemic that no one will be hiring so I won't find a job, we will be homeless (I'm the main money earner), I'll have to sell my car and and and... the thoughts keep coming. Everything is worse case in my head and I can't stop it. I will then just start crying, I'm a failure, my partner is going to leave me, I can't do anything right, it must be because I'm a bad person etc My logic side kicks in and my support network kicks my butt and I come out of the rut, only to fall straight back in to it. I'm highly sensitive when people are "off" around me and I ask if they are ok and then become obsessive. I did it to my partner tonight and I could see him get shitty because I was hassling him but nothing was actually wrong. I've vented a lot of "stuff" above but I guess it comes down to deep insecurities and feeling worthless. It's unfounded but so deeply ingrained in my personality I have no idea how to cope. I've seen GPs and used works EAP program but they keep saying that it's situational because of the work stuff and I feel it's deeper than that. When I get dismissed it devalues my feelings and then I stop wanting to ask for help because I think I'm crazy. I think I just need to stop typing now. Stay safe forum people, hope you have loo paper!

Butterfly_Wings_of_Hope My Experience with The Psych Ward
  • replies: 1

I apologise in advance if this thread comes off as a whinge/rant but I honestly believe that some of the nurses that "treated me" need to be exposed for their horrendous attitude towards sexual assault trauma and psychiatric trauma in general. So her... View more

I apologise in advance if this thread comes off as a whinge/rant but I honestly believe that some of the nurses that "treated me" need to be exposed for their horrendous attitude towards sexual assault trauma and psychiatric trauma in general. So here is my story, and I share with you the honest truth of what happened to me. My name is Beckie, I am thirty years old and I live with Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety. I recently admitted myself to hospital twice over the past month, because I was having paranoid delusions brought on by escalated anxiety and sleep deprivation. I stayed in the psych observation area for three days, went home and ended up back in the system due to relapse. When I went back in and was shown around the psych ward by the psych nurse, I realised I had a made a grave error. The place looked like a prison, and in truth my stay there was very much like prison even though I was a voluntary patient. In my opinion, a psychiatric hospital should be warm, encouraging and supportive but what I got was the opposite. For the first 12 hours of my stay, I was in constant tears and begging to go home to my mum and husband. All I needed in that moment was one of the nurses to hug me or just hold my hand but the nurses treated me like a leper and wouldn't touch me. Out of a team of about 10-15 psych staff, only ONE kind nurse called David had the emotional intelligence to give me a first pump. One other beautiful nurse called Margie listened to my poetry and gave me the time of day to help me with one of my poems. Besides those two, the others were all cold and/or condescending. One nurse even ignored my cry for help when I told her that I was afraid of being raped. I have sexual assault history and I had strange men walking up and down the corridor next to my door and I was afraid that one of the men might come into my room and rape me. When I went to the nurse for help, she told me I had nothing to be scared of and to just go back to bed. When I went to her a second time she shook her head at me, ignored me and went back to her paperwork. She didn't give a damn about how terrified I was that I could be raped, and her paperwork was more important than me feeling safe in my own environment. The lesson I have learnt from this, is that I will NEVER take myself to ED again. What I experienced was actual hell and people NEED to know about this. I don't mean to come across ungrateful but this is the reality of our mental health system.

Missy72 Baseline
  • replies: 2

Hi In 2010 I had a very traumatic experience & from that had severe constant anxiety for about 9’months. It gradually went away. I was had never experienced anxiety before that. I was 38. I’m now 47 and last November went through some further trauma.... View more

Hi In 2010 I had a very traumatic experience & from that had severe constant anxiety for about 9’months. It gradually went away. I was had never experienced anxiety before that. I was 38. I’m now 47 and last November went through some further trauma... and the anxiety came back, thick and fast. It’s now been with me for 4 months. My psychiatrist has told me that I have a good baseline and should recover & go back to normal anxiety levels. Has anyone had this happen? I’m afraid that this extreme anxiety is my new life. I’ve worked really hard in my career and life to get where I am. I currently can’t work & am on sick leave. I’m seeing a psychologist weekly and am taking an antidepressant. I was hospitalised for 6 weeks as it was so bad...I was hospitalised the last time for about 4 months. I just need to know that my brain will find its way back to normal.

Nic00 Overwhelming Anxiety
  • replies: 1

First post here from someone who prides themselves on being level-headed, self sufficient, resilient and kind of smart. All of those things makes this even harder to acknowledge, however the last few weeks has forced me too admit I am struggling with... View more

First post here from someone who prides themselves on being level-headed, self sufficient, resilient and kind of smart. All of those things makes this even harder to acknowledge, however the last few weeks has forced me too admit I am struggling with stress. In short, this due to a series of challenging circumstances in my life that keep getting piled on; I am going through separation, 2 young kids with over 80% care while working - incidentally where I been advised my contract is not being renewed so currently also job hunting, have also been advised of a medical issue (not virus), car broke down, phone died and general life admin .... all leaves me all feeling quite overwhelmed and anxious to the point where it has started to manifest physically with hand shaking. That was all before the recent and changing circumstances of the Corona Virus and 'panic buying' with support and minimal contact from the kids' father, I am feeling quite exhausted! Now that all sounds incredibly dramatic and likely I'll be told to seek therapy (which I do from time to time) usually I can stay on top of it all however these last weeks I have felt an unrelenting wave of exhaustion and stress where I am not coping emotionally, soapy at my beautiful kids, am clearly not sleeping which does not help of course. Simply writing this down has been more cathartic than all the thoughts rotating in my head for weeks! I don't have an issue expressing my vulnerabilities or openly discussing my struggles, we are all going through something and that's nothing to be embarrassed about and sharing does help - but I do pride myself on being able to manage and right now i have a problem that I can't see to get on top of it and have clarity of decisions that is so core to who i have always been. Even the little decisions seem very big right now and at times paralysing. My kids keep me grounded and sane and although exhausting somehow also give me the energy just by being; a core purpose to keep going and incredibly sobering and grounding. Any suggestions on managing anxiety (practical ways for a busy single-mum of 2 with little time or money!) as having both emotional and now physical manifestations for a prolonged period is obviously not a recipe for long term health & happiness! thank you

ZuSu Health anxiety flare up
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Hi all imhave been having treatment for health anxiety of a specific nature over the last year. Have improved greatly. Now with this Covid 19 stuff happening I am feeling increasingly anxious. I have managed to be ok about it but I can feel it gettin... View more

Hi all imhave been having treatment for health anxiety of a specific nature over the last year. Have improved greatly. Now with this Covid 19 stuff happening I am feeling increasingly anxious. I have managed to be ok about it but I can feel it getting worse. I have had a dry nose and sore throat for a few days so I am panicking. I have been checking my temperature often. That’s the OCD part, I know I need to find a balance. I probably should check my temperature but not constantly, o probably should stop checking symptoms online. I am concerned because I work with international students. A few of them arrived about 6 weeks ago, had 14 days isolation and 4 weeks of class. 2 of them were coughing a lot. I asked them to see a doctor and stay home. Now I get this sore throat. I do get allergies but how would one know? What I’m doing here. Is I’m seeking reassurance which is what you do when you have health anxiety, this isn’t really going to help me! I need to get off this cycle. But I can’t stop wondering about the symptoms. I’m not coughing, I’m not feverish so I just need to be firm with my brain. this is like a bad dream and I’m struggling. Yesterday I was fine....but today I’ve been thinking a lot more and going online.

Azmataz Ex-forces looking for advice
  • replies: 1

Hi all, just joined. I'm 32 and am looking for recommendations for a referral to get screened for ADHD. I'm ex-ADF and took advantage of psychology services when I was in, which had good results regarding my self esteem and anxiety. My psych at the t... View more

Hi all, just joined. I'm 32 and am looking for recommendations for a referral to get screened for ADHD. I'm ex-ADF and took advantage of psychology services when I was in, which had good results regarding my self esteem and anxiety. My psych at the time suggested that my distracted nature, and inability to concentrate on study could be attributed to my anxiety and we used exercises and worked at it from that angle. It was successful in helping me relax but not necessarily with my concentration skills. Now that I'm out the contributing factors have reduced significantly and I still have trouble concentrating and keeping on self-motivated tasks, whether it be for hobbies or study. I'm unsure of where to go to proceed further. Any help or advice is very much appreciated. Thank you. Aaron.

Monicas What I have found that helps
  • replies: 2

Being aware of your fears and worries and processing them. Fear sets it off and worry perpetuates it. STOP WORRYING and let it go. Try to think more positively. Have faith that things will work out. Learn to catch it quicker and rationalize it. Feel ... View more

Being aware of your fears and worries and processing them. Fear sets it off and worry perpetuates it. STOP WORRYING and let it go. Try to think more positively. Have faith that things will work out. Learn to catch it quicker and rationalize it. Feel free to ask me questions when you need support.

Anxious_Steve1 Anxiety is back after nearly a decade
  • replies: 9

Hi, I'm currently going through some really bad anxiety. I haven't had to deal with anxiety for nearly 10 years, and I have forgotten how draining physically and emotionally it is. I am a 35 year old father of two, with the most supportive partner in... View more

Hi, I'm currently going through some really bad anxiety. I haven't had to deal with anxiety for nearly 10 years, and I have forgotten how draining physically and emotionally it is. I am a 35 year old father of two, with the most supportive partner in the world. I have been having really bad anxiety for the last few weeks, and am 6 days into medication to treat the anxiety. It is waking me up a couple of times a night, so I'm not really getting much sleep, so the cycle just continues every day. I have had a lot happen over the last 10 years, and I think I have bottled it all up and now it's trying to escape. I lost both my parents between the ages of 25 and 29, and I never really sought out help for that. I don't really feel depressed, just constantly anxious and nervous. I'm really struggling to cope with it. It's at the point now where I'm taking time off work for it.

CoraC Taking time away from working due to anxiety
  • replies: 4

I'm at the point where I feel I will need to quit my job to get my mental health into a better place. Has anyone been through this? How did you explain work gaps on your cv and just leaving a job with nothing to go to? im scared to leave but I'm mire... View more

I'm at the point where I feel I will need to quit my job to get my mental health into a better place. Has anyone been through this? How did you explain work gaps on your cv and just leaving a job with nothing to go to? im scared to leave but I'm mire scared to stay. I've tried various options to make it work where I am but it's become impossible. I work about 70 hours per week, I'm exhausted.

notquiteright Anxiety about existence, feeling trapped
  • replies: 4

I posted here a while back, and although things have gotten better in some respects I'm still really struggling. Sometimes I think I'm going absolutely insane, and I don't have anyone to talk to about it. I'm sorry to just unload, it's probably going... View more

I posted here a while back, and although things have gotten better in some respects I'm still really struggling. Sometimes I think I'm going absolutely insane, and I don't have anyone to talk to about it. I'm sorry to just unload, it's probably going to be a bit of a rambling mess, but I don't have anywhere else to express this. I'm in a job where I don't know what I'm doing. It's mostly people in their 40s working here (I'm 22) so I find it a bit difficult to relate to the other guys. The thing is, they're hardly ever there. Most of them work from home, and the ones that don't work upstairs. It's just me sitting in a cubicle alone, often for days on end. There's a manager that's supposed to be 'managing' me and telling me what to do, but it's radio silence from him. I'm being paid to sit here and entertain myself. I feel like I'm living in some sort of Trueman-show universe, with the 'powers that be' seeing how long they can keep up the charade. I have worked on maybe two projects while here, taking up like 5% of my time if that. I feel like a fraud, and a failure. And a child. After work I go to gym, I've been going 5 days a week for over two months now. I do it mainly to get my mind off my anxieties, and try improve my mental health, although I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to get fitter as well. A few days ago I was happy with how I was progressing, then for no reason at all I felt like I was a failure in this too and wasn't going to the gym 'properly'. I feel like I'm in a world surrounded by normal people who have normal activities, work normal jobs, and just generally are able to function in society. I feel like everyone is keeping a 'big secret' from me, everyone's in on it but me (that's more metaphorical btw, I don't literally believe this). Sometimes I'm able to convince myself everything is ok, I am normal, and this is what life is like. But then this delusion will fade the next day. Whichever state I'm in, I see the one that I'm not in now as the delusion, and I honestly don't know which interpretation of my life is real. I don't get panic attacks at work anymore, so that's something. I used to sit there, get numb fingers, tingling sensations, and feel my chest getting tighter. Sometimes I worry this isn't an improvement and maybe I'm just getting numb to the monotony of my existence. The one solace I have is spending time with my friends on the weekends. That's fun, but for the rest of the week I feel so alone,and in my head