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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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.

All discussions

PQ123 Feeling hopeless
  • replies: 2

Hi guys, I'm new here. Trying to reach out. Recently, i've been crying my eyes out for small things. Actually it all started when I kept failing my exams. I'm a university student. Moved to a different country because my parents thought we will have ... View more

Hi guys, I'm new here. Trying to reach out. Recently, i've been crying my eyes out for small things. Actually it all started when I kept failing my exams. I'm a university student. Moved to a different country because my parents thought we will have a better future. All they want is for me to graduate. And I can't seem to do that. I keep failing. I haven't told them that I failed and they are expecting me to graduate this coming March. I don't know what to do. Ever since I failed, I kept feeling sad, crying every night. I can't help but to compare myself to my friends who have already graduated and are successful. I appreciat my parents, they only want me to graduate, and I already failed once. Ever since, they have been comparing me to my other friends who have already graduated and are successful. I get scared when they see a post from their family friend who had a child who recently graduated because I know that they will pressure me more. One time, my dad suddenly got angry because I still haven't graduated. I am still stuck, worthless and a failure. I've always had a low self-esteem. Maybe from all the criticisms that I always get from my parents that I only realized recently. I always feel so inferior. I work nowadays and my mental state is causing a problem. I don't like going to work because I feel like everyone is just going to judge me and look down on me. I get palpitations whenever I am on my way to work. I don't know what my problem is. I just feel so useless. A failure. Thats all I see in my parent's eyes. I have to tell them the truth soon. And I am panicking. I've been thinking so much about suicide but I've been trying so hard to come up with ways to live on. Like getting a new course that can make me motivated. Or just move out from my parent's house because I know as long as I am under their roof, I will always feel insecure and pressured. But still, the suicidal thoughts have been increasing. I don't know what to do. I want to live but I am afraid of the future. I don't want to feel this way anymore.

Emb05 Period related anxiety?
  • replies: 3

Lately I have felt terrible just run down all the time and can never get out of my head if I am alone. Sleeping is the worst for me. I believe my anxiety increases when I get my period and honestly I just want to die most of the time because all thes... View more

Lately I have felt terrible just run down all the time and can never get out of my head if I am alone. Sleeping is the worst for me. I believe my anxiety increases when I get my period and honestly I just want to die most of the time because all these invasive thoughts push everyone further and further away from me. This *attacks* cause me to not want to eat, see anyone, anyone see my body or prevent me from doing everyday normal activities like going to school or hanging out with friends. So really I was just wondering wether anybody else feels this way. And if it’s normal

T26 Balance issues just from anxiety?
  • replies: 46

Hi, This is my first time posting on here so I'm not sure if I'm in the right spot but hopefully I am! I have suffered from anxiety for years, as a teen I had depression and anxiety and really bad OCD. So I'm pretty use to all the things that come wi... View more

Hi, This is my first time posting on here so I'm not sure if I'm in the right spot but hopefully I am! I have suffered from anxiety for years, as a teen I had depression and anxiety and really bad OCD. So I'm pretty use to all the things that come with it and I know how powerful the mind can be over the body and the symptoms you feel but over the past 2 years I have developed a symptom that is hard to believe is all from my anxiety. I developed a panic disorder around 2 years ago and at the same time I was incredibly dizzy and off balance. It's hard to say if the panic came as a result of the dizziness or the other way around but it has been pretty constant over the past 2 years and today I just saw my 2nd ENT who told me that my inner ear ect is fine so there's nothing they can do to help me. That's great obviously but it doesn't help that I constantly feel like I have just gotten off a boat or like I'm falling over when I'm standing still! i have a young child and I can't even play with him which breaks my heart. When I feel dizzy I do panic more which I know is a vicious cycle but I just find it hard to see how all day constant off balance feelings can be from that. I know when I have a panic attack or when I breathe too fast I either feel light headed or like I will faint but this is different. I guess I'm just looking for personal experience from others who might have felt this horrible symptom of anxiety. My panic is related a lot around health so of course when my body feels terrible it's not a fun time for me! So if anyone has any tips to overcome it that would also be amazing! Thanks

Eirenuu I'm so scared that people hate me
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I messed up at work on Wednesday and someone got upset at me. Now, I'm so paranoid that everyone hates me or I'm saying things to upset people. That isn't the core of the problem though, why am I so intent to have everyone like me? Its a... View more

Hi everyone, I messed up at work on Wednesday and someone got upset at me. Now, I'm so paranoid that everyone hates me or I'm saying things to upset people. That isn't the core of the problem though, why am I so intent to have everyone like me? Its as if I don't have the self confidence and strength to be okay with people not liking me. When I had an anxiety attack on Wednesday, I felt like everyone was mad at me and that I was a powerless child. I'm still feeling the aftershock of the anxiety attack, waking up with a racing heart, digestive problems etc. Lovely people, how did you learn to be okay with some people not liking you? How do you not feel like a powerless child when you mess up?

Guest_6743 Autoimmune diseases and anxiety
  • replies: 1

Anyone else suffer from autoimmune diseases and severe anxiety?

Anyone else suffer from autoimmune diseases and severe anxiety?

jax_in_my_heart Workplace issues - is this what anxiety is?
  • replies: 1

I’m not sure if what I’m experiencing is typical of anxiety. I’d love some feedback from people experienced with this. About four months ago, I left a job I had been in for 18 months with a small business. They had a team of about eight people. At fi... View more

I’m not sure if what I’m experiencing is typical of anxiety. I’d love some feedback from people experienced with this. About four months ago, I left a job I had been in for 18 months with a small business. They had a team of about eight people. At first everything was great, but looking back I can see my self-confidence and faith in my abilities was gradually eroded over the course of that 18 months. Prior to this, I was a very confident person. By the time I left there, I walked on eggshells, with a pair of bosses that played mind games every single day. I will NEVER work for a small family business again after this experience. I enjoy my current job very much, but I feel the hangover from my previous one. If the boss is going through reports trying to find a discrepancy, I’m silently panicking and completely freaking out that it’s my fault and they’ll be so angry. I’m worried that they’ll sack me and I won’t be able to pay my mortgage. I over-explain myself about details that doesn’t actually interest anyone. I’m worried that I’m too loud, too over-the-top and no-one likes me. I genuinely have no idea how well I’m performing and I’m too intimidated to ask. I get flustered when I feel nervous or overwhelmed, and I make little mistakes as a result, which just makes it worse again. This really only comes out at work, I’m fine everywhere else. I have bipolar 2 disorder, which I manage reasonably well (I would like to think so anyway). I don’t share anything about this condition or how I currently feel with my work colleagues. I suppose I want to know if this is anxiety? If so, what are other people’s stories are and how did you manage it?

Anxious2019 Is it normal
  • replies: 5

Hi all I'm new on here just wondering what every1 feels when there anxious? Have feelings of fluttering in my chest heart palps does any1 feel like their fading away from their body? Gets tunnel visions like it falling from ur body in ur head gets bl... View more

Hi all I'm new on here just wondering what every1 feels when there anxious? Have feelings of fluttering in my chest heart palps does any1 feel like their fading away from their body? Gets tunnel visions like it falling from ur body in ur head gets black n white I've been put on medication have 3 kids I don't no if this is normal feel scared everyday waiting for another full panic attack help me please?

WomanGirl Hangover anxiety
  • replies: 3

I’m suffering terribly from hangover/cocaine use anxiety. This is a rare occasion for me to be involved in this type of evening but I’ve been suffering terribly from anxiety for the last 3 days. I dumped my entire life story onto people I know see ev... View more

I’m suffering terribly from hangover/cocaine use anxiety. This is a rare occasion for me to be involved in this type of evening but I’ve been suffering terribly from anxiety for the last 3 days. I dumped my entire life story onto people I know see everyday and I am so embarrassed. Can anyone suggest how to help this feeling go, or do I need to just run away? Thank you.

Ukgirl Health Anxiety
  • replies: 6

I suffer a lot with health anxiety and I have just had blood tests done and I am freaking out waiting for results Can't eat just want to sleep feeling very low Does. Anyone else get this I feel such a weak person

I suffer a lot with health anxiety and I have just had blood tests done and I am freaking out waiting for results Can't eat just want to sleep feeling very low Does. Anyone else get this I feel such a weak person

Stanlee14 Panic Attack In Sleep?
  • replies: 2

Hello all. Last night I had the strangest thing happen to me. I've suffered from various anxiety related problems for quite a while, the latest thing has unfortunately been panic attacks. I suffered my first one in October last year, something you pr... View more

Hello all. Last night I had the strangest thing happen to me. I've suffered from various anxiety related problems for quite a while, the latest thing has unfortunately been panic attacks. I suffered my first one in October last year, something you probably don't forget too soon. Over the last year I have slowly learnt to manage this new manifestation of my anxiety, thanks to the help of my phycologist, GP and some new meds. I have been in a rather good head space of late although on Friday I felt my anxiety rising. Long story short, I had a terrible night sleep that night. I tossed and turned all night and had the most vivid nightmares. When I woke early in the morning, firstly I noticed I had a thumping tension like headache. I also felt as though I had fought a Bear all night long, my back and shoulders ached and I even felt a bit nauseous. All the while my heart was thumping out of my chest. I was lying in pool of sweat and felt a strange cold flush type feeling. At one point I was so cold I turned my air-conditioner off even though its quite hot here where I live. I could quite easily just put it down to a rough night sleep however, the more I thought about it the more I believe I may have had a panic attack while I was sleeping. All my usual panic symptoms were there. My first question is does any one know if its possible to have one in your sleep and has anyone out there had this, as Im kinda new to this type of anxiety. Cheers Stan