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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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TL1994 Lost my job
  • replies: 3

Hey, I'm not usually one for posting on forums but I feel like I have no one to reach out to about this. Some background, I'm a 25 yo gay guy living in Victoria, originally from SA. I've lived a year and a bit after years of wanting to move and it's ... View more

Hey, I'm not usually one for posting on forums but I feel like I have no one to reach out to about this. Some background, I'm a 25 yo gay guy living in Victoria, originally from SA. I've lived a year and a bit after years of wanting to move and it's been a massive struggle so far. When I moved here last year, I was bouncing from job to job, struggled to make new friends and my living situation wasn't always secure. Anyway fast-forward to this year, I get a job in marketing/communications which is the field I studied, so I'm over the moon. I finally have security and I move into a beautiful apartment and finally, after working so hard I finally feel like at a place where I can be content and just live. My job started getting a bit chaotic, the agency was very disorganised and my boss was beyond difficult. I started getting burnt out and my depression and anxiety was sky-rocketing, I wanted nothing more than to quit, but I refused to because being jobless was terrifying to me. I ended up getting sacked just two days before the end of my 6-month probation because she couldn't afford to keep my role (the company was super small, like 4 people so it was pretty unstable). I was relieved but moreso in shock. I wasn't paid out a lot, I only have enough money for five weeks here, then I will have absolutely nothing and will have to move back to SA to my parents. I'm feeling horrible. I've worked so hard to build this life for myself and now I feel like it's going away. I've been job searching like mad but nothing is coming back to me, and even things did I will need to be hired asap, but these hiring processes can take a really long time. I have friends here, and I have an awful relationship with Adelaide. It's a place I really feel miserable because of past traumas. I know it's not the worst thing to happen to someone, but I'm feeling hopeless and that everything is falling apart. I'm terrified at the prospect of going back to live at my parents when I've spent so much energy in getting away from them. I know this seems so juvinile, but I'm so lost and feeling so hopeless.

Here_I_am What do you do when anxiety flares up again?
  • replies: 3

So I've been coping well over the past couple of months, even though there has been a fair bit of stress going on with a change of job, some re-jigging of finances, and managing my first experience of anxiety which manifests in a constant state of ne... View more

So I've been coping well over the past couple of months, even though there has been a fair bit of stress going on with a change of job, some re-jigging of finances, and managing my first experience of anxiety which manifests in a constant state of nervousness and regular wakings during the night with (relatively minor) panic attacks. I've been relatively symptom free for around 10 weeks now, but just over the weekend I noticed the low grade chronic feeling of alertness and racing thoughts starting up again, and last night I had the return of the waking up with a real jolt a couple of times thinking about how much I am not enjoying my current job and worrying again about stability and what I can do to safeguard my future. I ride my pushbike to work a couple of days a week, which is a gruelling and solid 65 kilometre round trip. I very much enjoy this as it's great self care, a fantastic challenge (especially in the Darwin heat!), and leaves me feeling quite energised for the day. This morning however, I did the ride but felt like I was on autopilot. My vision was tunnelled, and I didn't even get to marvel at the beautiful paradise that I live and work in as it came to life around me. I am on meds, and have made an appointment with my GP to try and get my mental health plan changed to a different psychologist as I didn't get a great deal from my first assigned psychologist under the plan. I'm just curious - for those who are further on up the road in their anxiety journey, is it something that comes and goes (obviously with stress and circumstances) even when you're doing everything right and taking really good care of yourself mentally and physically? I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance that I'm not going to fall as far as I did when anxiety first introduced itself to me. That was a dark place and I don't want to go back there. Surely there is some capacity to catch myself or control the fall? Hopefully this is just a bad couple of days.

Guest5643 How to learn to say no!
  • replies: 10

Hi i want to start this thread for people to help others with tips on how to learn to have the courage to say no. I would add some but i dont have any because im still struggling with trying to learn it. Unfortunatly people see my weakness and take f... View more

Hi i want to start this thread for people to help others with tips on how to learn to have the courage to say no. I would add some but i dont have any because im still struggling with trying to learn it. Unfortunatly people see my weakness and take full advantage of it. Today my neighbour asked to use my dryer to get her cat hair off her sheets. She has clean sheets i have her cat hair in my dryer and due to my hyperosmia the fragrant smell left in what was an odour free dryer has sent me nauseas headache major anxiety. I wish there was a self esteem type workshop you could go to and magicaly come out with confidence to stop being used all the time. Cheers lynne

Samfromwa Strange symptoms, maybe from anxiety.
  • replies: 9

I was diagnosed with edhlers danlos syndrome a few years back which gave me really weird symptoms and one of them is extreme anxiety. I've tried many different mediations, seen a physcologist, therapy. Nothing works as it's a physical anxiety because... View more

I was diagnosed with edhlers danlos syndrome a few years back which gave me really weird symptoms and one of them is extreme anxiety. I've tried many different mediations, seen a physcologist, therapy. Nothing works as it's a physical anxiety because my body is always repairing itself because of my weak connective tissue. I now get so worried as it took years to diagnose and made me so worried 24/7. I now have been worried I may have multiple sclerosis for the past 2 months as I've had odd symptoms. It started with an itch below my wrist on the flexor which would last 10 mins max. It's a deep non rash itch that would occur after I wake up. It lasted 2 months went away for a week but came back after the first month and now it's gone again. I thought it was from hurting my wrist. Last week I started getting weird sensation in my toes and between my heel, like a tingly feeling, sometimes slightly pins and needles. Also a crawling sensation below both my wrists on the flexor. It comes and goes, sometimes last 10 seconds sometimes hours but doesn't stay in one spot it moves around like could be the left or the foot. I can go hours with no symptoms though. I'm having an mri done in 2 weeks. My neuro did the vision, walking tests and also few others on while I was there eg the hammer. He said it's all normal. I get no numbness either or anything else. He said it's stress/anxiety but issued an mri of spine and brain to help me so I stop worrying about it. Anyone had similar type of issues? I'm losing my mind. My wife is sick of me, no one listens to me lol. I've had the worst 6 years health wise but I've been suffering from anxiety since I was a kid.

jess_b Newly diagnosed with OCD
  • replies: 7

Hey everyone! so I have recently been (2 weeks ago) diagnosed with OCD in terms of intrusive/obsessive thoughts and don’t have another appointment with a psychologist for another 2 weeks which has caused me some anxiety! Anyway, 2 nights ago I had a ... View more

Hey everyone! so I have recently been (2 weeks ago) diagnosed with OCD in terms of intrusive/obsessive thoughts and don’t have another appointment with a psychologist for another 2 weeks which has caused me some anxiety! Anyway, 2 nights ago I had a really bad dream which is a side effect of the antidepressants I have been taking but since then I have had major anxiety and can’t get the loop of thoughts about my dream out of my head and it has worked me up so much that last night I tossed and turned until 3 am and feel so tired today! I was just wanting to get some advice or tips from other people who have OCD on ways that they can calm there mind down so I can get some rest tonight! Or just help me in general of how to cope when it gets bad because I have to wait another 2 weeks before I can go and speak to someone about some strategies in handling it! Any advice would be really greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Seekingaddvice8 Neighbour causing issues
  • replies: 1

Hey, My neighbour has been using a low frequency subwoofer or speaker of sorts, I'm guessing anyway - with the sole purpose to bother me. So basically during the night, they use low whispering tones and when I even managed to finally get some sleep, ... View more

Hey, My neighbour has been using a low frequency subwoofer or speaker of sorts, I'm guessing anyway - with the sole purpose to bother me. So basically during the night, they use low whispering tones and when I even managed to finally get some sleep, they boost it up to abruptly jolt me awake. Even when listening to white noise background music with earphones on, at high levels. The offending sound seems to get amplified as an result. Recording is not realistically as it doesn't quite catch the tone. Any recommendations? I was thinking about using some sound blocking material and somehow stick it into my earphones? Or captive the sound somehow? What do you guys believe I should do? Or what type of speaker could do this?

Meowface So long until psyc appt....
  • replies: 7

So a lot has happened since I’ve last shared. I’ve had a baby and moved interstate. All was tracking well but I’m now about 5 months post partum and anxiety has hit hard. I mustered the courage to see a brand new gp (daunting) for a new mental health... View more

So a lot has happened since I’ve last shared. I’ve had a baby and moved interstate. All was tracking well but I’m now about 5 months post partum and anxiety has hit hard. I mustered the courage to see a brand new gp (daunting) for a new mental health plan. I felt like the hardest part was over. Then I’ve found out today that the earliest I can see a psychologist is January. This has sent me into a spin. I had worked with my psychologist in my home state for 10 years and was devastated to leave her. Now to think I have to wait 3 months and build a new relationship makes me feel so alone and like the help isn’t there. I should have sought help sooner. I’m trying to put in place some other supports in this new state like finding a new yoga studio but I’m just feeling lost. I’m seeing another GP on Monday for a post-pregnancy issue. I might talk to her as well and see if she can get me into anywhere sooner.

Guest_1246 Anxiety symptoms/dizziness/off balance
  • replies: 5

Ok so im not sure if im in the right place but here it goes. Im, a 25 year old female, ive been going through this for nearly 5 years, Any anxiety symptom you can imagine. But my main concern and fear is my off balance and dizzy feeling which i get m... View more

Ok so im not sure if im in the right place but here it goes. Im, a 25 year old female, ive been going through this for nearly 5 years, Any anxiety symptom you can imagine. But my main concern and fear is my off balance and dizzy feeling which i get most of the time and out of the blue. Sometimes it starts off by a fuzzy feeling kind kf thing in my head, then a random dizzy off balance feeling and i feel like im going to pass out. Ive done blood tests which have all come out good ive also done a ct scan for my brian to rule anytbing serious out which also came out clear. Does anyone else go through this? I always seem to relate it to my heart that im having a heaet attack whihc makes things worse I hate ittt

GregtheEgg Work Anxiety
  • replies: 11

Hi, I have anxiety (specifically panic disorder) and it's particularly apparent in relation to my work, and it's having a very negative impact. I'm so anxious about checking for details that I miss details. I'm so anxious about researching the right ... View more

Hi, I have anxiety (specifically panic disorder) and it's particularly apparent in relation to my work, and it's having a very negative impact. I'm so anxious about checking for details that I miss details. I'm so anxious about researching the right area that I end up researching the wrong area. I'm so anxious about doing a good job that I make stupid, easily avoidable mistakes. I feel like I'm drowning and that I will never get to the place I want to be, careerwise. It's getting harder to motivate myself to go into the office each day. If anyone has gone through this or has any experience I would love some tips/strategies/advice/anything.

SwansandSharksMan Asking for a payrise
  • replies: 1

Hi I have been in my organisation for nearly 5 years. As part of my role, I can see payroll. I can see that there are others getting paid better than me. People who have started after me, are younger than me, and in some cases are part time and even ... View more

Hi I have been in my organisation for nearly 5 years. As part of my role, I can see payroll. I can see that there are others getting paid better than me. People who have started after me, are younger than me, and in some cases are part time and even have lesser roles. It is kind of frustrating as I feel I am putting in as much effort as them. I may have made the odd error, but so have they. It makes me very anxious, as I used to earn almost double. I was fortunate in this other role. I came in and progressed well. Then I quit so I could move the family to a new area (long story). I just haven't been able to get back to the same sort of level. Just wondering how I should go about asking for a payrise? It is not something I feel comfortable about doing. I am a little bit shy. TIA