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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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DavidLikesGoats Sudden anxiety at a critical moment in my life
  • replies: 3

Hi my name is David, I'm in my 20s. I've struggled with mental health issues for as long as I can remember. When I was seven or eight I was diagnosed with autism and saw a therapist through primary school. Later in high school I was diagnosed with de... View more

Hi my name is David, I'm in my 20s. I've struggled with mental health issues for as long as I can remember. When I was seven or eight I was diagnosed with autism and saw a therapist through primary school. Later in high school I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I have recently started my third year of University. I failed a couple semesters due to poor time management and mental health issues. At the same time as this I've had a sudden period of really bad anxiety that's lasted weeks. I've had a lot of nausea, been unable to eat much food without gagging, and have a lot of tension and tremors in my body. I think I've lost about 10% of my bodyweight because of this... The mental stuff is really hard to deal with too. Every morning I'm convinced the world is going to end very soon. I get fearful that learning and reading about the things I love (art and art history) will make my anxiety worse and worse... I'm lucky I have a few friends I can reach out to but I don't want to bother or scare them since they have busier lives than me. In recent days my paranoia about a coming apocalypse has caused me to think of suicide a lot... Not as something I want to do now, but as a "way out" if things get too bad. I don't want to think like that and it scares me that I feel like I have to. I was really looking forward to my next semester, but the quality of my favourite class, mandarin Chinese, has suddenly dropped with budget cuts. I've looked into student advocacy and they told me some things I might be able to do, but the whole process has been stressful... It's compounded my feelings that I should change courses. Anyway I wanted to write down how I'm feeling so I could look back on it again and ask for some support or advice. If anyone's been in a similar situation please let me know.

RichoC My story and no help. And hated for it,
  • replies: 2

This is my story. Trying to see what has caused issues for me. My Wife hates me for it. I'm done, Thoughts why I have changed as I'm told I have, Previously I was very calm and kind easygoing all the time. Nothing bothered me. Did good things, played... View more

This is my story. Trying to see what has caused issues for me. My Wife hates me for it. I'm done, Thoughts why I have changed as I'm told I have, Previously I was very calm and kind easygoing all the time. Nothing bothered me. Did good things, played music, all good. Had good mates and family. Job was good at the first job. All good. Then, Left that job to start a business. First year was ok, not brilliant but ok. Then it all went to shit. Fucked over, not paid, hated it. Drank a lot to self-medicate. Didn’t help. Didn’t know what to do. Was embarrassed felt ashamed. A loser. I knew how to do the work but couldn’t run a business and make a living. Eventually, I gave up and got a job. Failure massively. Then changed jobs. Hated all of it they were assholes at this job. Ripped me off. Lied to me about pay. Hated being there. Was in a really bad state at the end, mouthing off on family holidays, seeking help, got none. It was a battle what to do. Then got the job at another place thank God. Great day! Thought yah this will be good. I’m back! It wasn’t. Stupid ways of working. Accusing me of failure. Hated that. Was in a real panic about what to do. Then got a call from a bank offering me a job. I thought wow this is so wonderful, thank you! So, I left. Though this will be so good. Then started turning on me. My boss didn’t like me because I was more qualified than him. Knew way more and proved it daily. Then ripped me for a small error that I fixed with no issues perfectly. Then went to sack me anyway. Told them they can’t. They did it anyway broke the law 100%. Then no job for 2-3 months. No income. Applied for 200 + jobs got nothing. No replies at all despite my qualifications and experience. Then got a job at a school. Thought this might be ok it’s a job. Pay was worst I’d ever had in my life. But it was a pay so ok. Then I got f---ed over there and booted because old mate coming back. Worked at new school. Hated it. Stupidity of people. Rudeness to me. Hated it again. Then applied and got the job at a uni That was the best day in years so happy still am. Very grateful. Very lucky. But only temporary. So have to manage that and apply fast. It’s hard again and a bi worry for me daily. So yeah, I’ve has some traumatic shit happen to me that broke me 2015 and beyond. Pushed me to the edge. Gave me anxiety for first time in my life. Depression badly. Drank to numb it all. No support. Very bad for me. So yeah, it changed me. But now I’m the asshole they don’t want to hear the why’s. Don’t care. Oh, and sacked from the band after 13 years of friendship. Pretty upsetting for me. I’m happy doing my thing now but miss doing gigs so badly. So why? Personality disorder? Maybe? Anxiety – yes! Feel on my own – yes. Feel hated by my wife – yes. Feel unwanted by my wife – yes. Feel like be good if I died today. Yep! Worthlessness 101. So yeah, I’m miserable a lot. I fire up to protect myself when people attack me. Feel like they want to hurt me, get rid of me. Then I get accused of being an abuser. Lovely. That’s my story since 2015 to 2023. 8 years of shit. Some really bad. Traumatic actually. Had a deep impact on me all of it. Perhaps it has damaged me and I just don’t know it? No one has been able to help me with any of it at all. What do I do now? Go away leave. Disappear for good. That be good for you! Seek help? Seems to not be there. Die somehow. That’s all I got, not a lot. Never in my life have I had issues with a job, nothing. Always fantastic. Then copped a string of it 8 years. Nasty cruel people.

Unforgettable_fire Anxiety is crippling at the moment
  • replies: 2

I am really struggling at the moment, about a month ago my mother had a massive heart attack. Throughout that time I've been to the hospital every day and also trying to arrange permanent in home care for when she gets discharged. I'm also trying to ... View more

I am really struggling at the moment, about a month ago my mother had a massive heart attack. Throughout that time I've been to the hospital every day and also trying to arrange permanent in home care for when she gets discharged. I'm also trying to managing care for my father who has agoraphobia and anxiety and depression. I thought I was coping ok but the last week I've had this overwhelming fear that comes over me in the mornings and only starts to subside by about 5pm. I am also juggling some concerns I face with a tax debt which has really knocked the wind out of my sails. I am trying to put on a brave face for my parents but it is taking a lot of me to keep going and appear normal

Xyz-12_ Anxiety and not able to eat in public
  • replies: 6

I am an international student who graduated from university last month. I have anxiety problems. The main issue is that I am not able to eat in public ( restaurants, in family dinners , with friends etc). I can only eat a very limited amount or less ... View more

I am an international student who graduated from university last month. I have anxiety problems. The main issue is that I am not able to eat in public ( restaurants, in family dinners , with friends etc). I can only eat a very limited amount or less amounts of food without any drink ( as drinking increases vomiting ). I am going to join job soon. I will not be able to have lunch in my office or any proper meal with others. This is causing me stress . Even if I do not eat lunch in office everyday, I may get some problems or health issues associated with skipping meals .This can lead to some diseases also. I did talk to my therapist about anti vomitting medication , but they cannot be had everyday, as I will be going for my job everyday. I am a healthy person with no medical history till now. I had taken therapy session in my university ( twice every month ) , but it has not been that helpful. I do try sometimes to eat with others , but can only eat very less quantities. Please help with this. Is there any treatment?

BeyondDepression Anxiety over my effect on others
  • replies: 13

Over the years I have been slowly withdrawing from contact with people. In that time my anxiety has been manageable. However lately I have HAD TO have contact with more people and have noticed as a result that my anxiety symptoms are increasing again... View more

Over the years I have been slowly withdrawing from contact with people. In that time my anxiety has been manageable. However lately I have HAD TO have contact with more people and have noticed as a result that my anxiety symptoms are increasing again. This has brought on self reflection, and I think my problem can be summarised as follows: "when I interact with people and have the potential to hurt them in some way, then I catastrophise about the worst case scenarios of the resulting POSSIBLE damage to an excessive degree, and this causes me a huge amount of anxiety. This anxiety really is unfounded as these worst case scenarios have never come to pass, but to me they take over my life until I have shown that they are in fact unfounded" I am not meaning to hurt them, I should make that clear, in fact that is the last thing I want. Examples Physical - when I do meet someone I can catastrophise for days afterwards about whether I am in the early stages of for example covid or some other communicable disease and that I have inadvertently passed it on. Yes I know I cannot possibly help that sort of thing, but my mind nonetheless goes into overdrive thinking of what MIGHT happen, not to me, but to them, who they might pass it onto and how that might affect those people. Emotional - if I am chatting to someone and I say something, and in assessing the response, I may think I have offended someone and caused them some hurt. I will then catastrophise to an abnormal degree about the repercussions of this. How I have hurt their feelings and possibly made them feel bad about themselves. I have come to realise that my withdrawing is in truth due to me not wanting to cause myself unnecessary anxiety, but can also see how this is self defeating in the long term. I KNOW this is not normal, and when people do mention it to me on occasion, it makes me want to withdraw even more as I know it is not normal and feel therefore that I am not normal. It is causing me a huge amount of mental anguish, and so I am wondering if anyone has any tips, books, websites etc or insight on the problem?

Guest_85888434 Anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hello I struggle with very bad anxietyand panic attacks I finally have a good support network that is safe and and am loved but my anxiety is becoming on again and again what do I do any help I'm feeling really alone struggling and ashamed

Hello I struggle with very bad anxietyand panic attacks I finally have a good support network that is safe and and am loved but my anxiety is becoming on again and again what do I do any help I'm feeling really alone struggling and ashamed

Guest_10120 How to cope with anxiety while undergoing IVF treatment?
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I often lurk on this forum, reading other people’s posts and stories, so it already feels like a safe space. I am currently undergoing the IVF procedure from the best IVF centre in Punjab. My doctors are all extremely accommodating and u... View more

Hi everyone, I often lurk on this forum, reading other people’s posts and stories, so it already feels like a safe space. I am currently undergoing the IVF procedure from the best IVF centre in Punjab. My doctors are all extremely accommodating and understanding. However, I have had a history of miscarriages, and therefore, I am really nervous about it happening all over again. Does anyone here have any experience with undergoing IVF treatment and dealing with anxiety? I would appreciate all the tips and tricks. Thanks in advance!

Guest_10092 Derealisation and managing to detach
  • replies: 5

Hi therejust wondered if others have tips on how to cope with derealisation - I have anxiety and panic disorder, with depression and lately I have had more and more derealisation experiences, after a tough medical diagnosis for my husband (lymphoma b... View more

Hi therejust wondered if others have tips on how to cope with derealisation - I have anxiety and panic disorder, with depression and lately I have had more and more derealisation experiences, after a tough medical diagnosis for my husband (lymphoma blood and likelihood of chemo). i wondered if the derealisation is a reaction to these stresses and my psychological state trying to protect me as I’m very overwhelmed with this diagnosis. i just wanted to ask others if they have at stressful times experienced more heightened derealisation and if they have any tips to manage this experience.. when it occurs I feel like I’m not real, out of my body, not present and the world is a stage of actors who I can’t connect with. I often flee home which is a stable environment and go to a friend or my sisters seeking reassurance of safety and then I have to rest for long periods afterwards as my nervous system is exhausted. It’s a very scary and difficult experience. mum also on a more recent medication (mine is to manage anxiety but in the anti psychotic class of drugs) and was wondering if anyone else has had this experience.i just wanted to not feel so alone and check how I can slow my mind down to get back to reality or to understand how others have helped themselves. thank you - I pray for all people with mental health struggles as we all can use these prayers and support

Tired976 Just need to put it out there
  • replies: 9

Hi, sorry I’ve never really done this before. I just feel so alone right now and I have such a supportive family but they just don’t understand. I have an incredibly stressful job and at the moment nothing is going well and I’m not in a position to l... View more

Hi, sorry I’ve never really done this before. I just feel so alone right now and I have such a supportive family but they just don’t understand. I have an incredibly stressful job and at the moment nothing is going well and I’m not in a position to leave and my team is looking to me to keep things held together, the guilt would be too much. I’m just sitting, crying, feeling nautious and not wanting to sleep because I don’t want to wake up and go to work tomorrow. I don’t feel like I have anyone to talk to who gets what I am going through everyday and I feel like I’m going to be alone forever. I’m sorry this has been such a word spew I just needed to get it out into the world. If you got this far, thank you for reading.

de4d2thew0rld 27 & I can't talk about 53X 🤢
  • replies: 4

I'm weeks away from turning 27 and I am "terrified" of sensuality. Terrified might be a little dramatic.. I mean, I'm not a virgin. But I saw & heard things a child should never when I was young, and I suffer from PTSD due to it. But I also suffer in... View more

I'm weeks away from turning 27 and I am "terrified" of sensuality. Terrified might be a little dramatic.. I mean, I'm not a virgin. But I saw & heard things a child should never when I was young, and I suffer from PTSD due to it. But I also suffer in other ways. I can't talk about the S word, I can barely even say it. I get squirmy thinking about it sometimes, and I get SUPER awkward and UNCOMFORTABLE when S scenes come on in a movie or series to the point I want to rip my eyes out and my skin off. I don't understand why I have such a strong negative response to something that is "so natural". It makes me cry. I do enjoy doing to do when I decide I want to do it, but any other time, I cringe over it. I'm beginning to wonder if I have a physical trauma that I can't recall, because my reaction seems far too strong for someone that only saw & heard dirty things. Unfortunately, from my own mother. I feel so lost and stuck, and I'm a really spiritual person, and I'm trying to heal and grow and evolve, but... apparently sensuality is such a huge part of coming into my divine feminine power, and Idk how to do that when these thoughts alone still make me want to tear the skin off my body and scream until I lose my voice. Is anyone else in the same boat? I feel so alone. The first issue I typically have in a relationship, is that I'll be so "excited" in the beginning due to the dopamine rush, but when that wears off, I can't be touched without flinching, or slapping their hand away (out of reflex, not because I actually want to. I just freak out when I'm not in THE mood.) And it's a huge issue, because my partners end up feeling like I'm not attracted to them anymore, which I very much am, I'm just not attracted to the idea of IT anymore, until I'm ovulating. 🤦🏻‍ I need help here, but every therapist I've seen about it has no idea how to help me, which is mind boggling to me, because isn't it their job to know how to help people in these situations!? I just don't want to feel so alone anymore. I feel asexual 75% of the time, and like a Divine Sensual Goddess the other 25%. And I wish I felt the latter all the time. I don't at all enjoy feeling this way about something I WANT to enjoy, but I have so much fear and yucky feelings around it.

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