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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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Jaxdino Absolute Panic Driving
  • replies: 3

Hi there, first time here, thanks for reading! i have dealt with generalised anxiety and panic disorder since my mid twenties, I am now 41! Most situations I can handle, I know my triggers, and I work through my state of mind to get to the other side... View more

Hi there, first time here, thanks for reading! i have dealt with generalised anxiety and panic disorder since my mid twenties, I am now 41! Most situations I can handle, I know my triggers, and I work through my state of mind to get to the other side. Socially and professionally I am pretty much ok which I am proud of. however in my earlier days I had some massive panic attacks whilst driving on motorways with speed limits at around 100-110 and also on crossing a large bridge around the same speed limit. I have never ever been able to get over this. Which means I avoid it completely. I have avoided social weekends away with good friends family and our children because I simply cannot face the drive. Unless my husband is there to drive I cannot go... he understands why, and is very supportive however there are times when he is working and I could be taking our children away with friends and family but I cannot face the demon... what do I do? The guilt I feel and the shame is horrendous. Not to mention the embarrassment when it is simply just driving! The panic that overcomes me is terrifying as all of you would know who have experienced full blown panic attacks. I feel out of control and cannot focus, shaking, sweating, heart pounding, losing peripheral vision. Again something I would not want to experience with my children in the car and put them at risk... where to from here after so many years of fear with long distance high speed driving? Any tips, help etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks x

Itsgonnabeok OCD affecting all areas of life
  • replies: 5

Hi, I am new to this forum. I have OCD it has been affecting all areas of my life. I suffer with intrusive thoughts that make me feel like I have actually done awful things, as these thoughts happen while I’m in contact with someone. It started about... View more

Hi, I am new to this forum. I have OCD it has been affecting all areas of my life. I suffer with intrusive thoughts that make me feel like I have actually done awful things, as these thoughts happen while I’m in contact with someone. It started about 10 years ago when I was 16. My older sister had children young and her husband left and I was the one who was appointed to help her out. She went into a serious depression and I did a lot for the kids. I love them very much and always have. I would never want to hurt them. I have had a fear of changing nappies, holding/having kids sit on my lap ever since. I remember we took the kids to this church community event once and I just wanted to go and “confess” to the pastor that I had done awful things. I hadn’t done anything, but I felt like I had because if the kids sat on my lap and I had a thought I felt like I had molested them. Years past and It had gotten to a point that I was ok. I still had intrusive thoughts, but I knew that’s all they were. it might be important to mention that I was molested as a child by my father. I don’t remember all of it, so my ocd has been making my question if it really happened or if I made it up. My brother and another one of my sisters were also molested by him and my brother told me he wished I was making it up when I expressed my doubts to him, but I wasn’t. I really felt like I had to kill myself a little over a week ago. I was put on SSRI’s which put me into a state of psychosis and I feared I was going to harm my partner. I also started questioning if I had killed my cat (I love her dearly) and the man who came to the door. I found her under the bed and she was fine. I stopped taking the SSRI’s and that part has gotten much better. The problem now is that the OCD has extended to my work. I work with volnerable elderly people and I am now afraid of hurting/assulting them. physical contact is bound to happen in my profession. If I’m helping someone dress, Changing their pad, or helping with their seatbelt. This OCD flare up was triggered by high stress related to work and now I’m afraid to go back. there’s a lot more, but Not enough room to post. Thank you for any advice/input/suggestions.

Sam_B1 Anxiety vs Trust
  • replies: 1

I am having trouble with anxious thoughts causing me to act in a toxic manner towards my partner. I trust him completely, I know he would never do anything to hurt me, so why can’t I control these thoughts of ‘what if’? It’s so hard because it’s maki... View more

I am having trouble with anxious thoughts causing me to act in a toxic manner towards my partner. I trust him completely, I know he would never do anything to hurt me, so why can’t I control these thoughts of ‘what if’? It’s so hard because it’s making him think I don’t trust him. For example, if he’s on his phone I have this intense need to know who he’s talking to. Logically I know it’s just his mate, but my thoughts just start to spiral uncontrollably until I ask him and see for myself that it is indeed his mate that he is talking to. Then I feel guilty and small, it’s as if what’s come over me isn’t even a part of myself, because logically and emotionally I knew all along I was worried about nothing!! Please help me with experiences etc. as I don’t understand this part of myself at all.

mmenin Need some advice
  • replies: 2

So recently I’ve started having more and more anxious episodes and it is having a toll on my relationships, I wanted to just ask if any of you guys have some advice for me on how to mange these episodes and get it under control?? All advice appreciat... View more

So recently I’ve started having more and more anxious episodes and it is having a toll on my relationships, I wanted to just ask if any of you guys have some advice for me on how to mange these episodes and get it under control?? All advice appreciated in advance, thanks guys

CoraC People talking over the top of you
  • replies: 4

One of the reasons I find it hard to make social conversations is that people often talk over the top of me. Or I start a sentence and someone louder will just start talking about another topic. I always find it hard to think of things people will be... View more

One of the reasons I find it hard to make social conversations is that people often talk over the top of me. Or I start a sentence and someone louder will just start talking about another topic. I always find it hard to think of things people will be interested in in the first place and then to get shut down makes my low self esteem even lower. So then I stop talking and then people do that "you're so Quiet". That's my favourite..... Does this happen to others? any snappy replies people use to stop this?

LadyER New role new stress
  • replies: 5

Hello everyone, This is my first time posting and I'm looking for any advice to help my anxiety. I have been in retail for many years and this year took the leap and changed roles to a recruitment job. After a month it really started to affect my men... View more

Hello everyone, This is my first time posting and I'm looking for any advice to help my anxiety. I have been in retail for many years and this year took the leap and changed roles to a recruitment job. After a month it really started to affect my mental health so I quit, with no back up job but luck was in my favour and I landed a new better role very quickly. I had three week break before starting training in my new role that I took to relax and recover from quitting my last position. I wanted to be fully ready both physically and mentally and be at my best for a new opportunity. After a month of training I felt good about my new job and now another month in I feel like I have almost done a compete 360 back to where I was. I am nervous everyday. I a so worried I am going to mess it up and be fired. I question everything I do there because I am not confident in myself and feel that I will never grasp my role and become successful. The little voice in my head is always there putting doubt in my mind and when I finally come home from work at night, I will have an hour of feeling fine before the negative thoughts come creeping into my head and I doubt everything I have done for the day. It's just been the weekend and I spent all day Saturday in my bed panicking and questioning what work I did the last week and what mistakes I made and dreading Monday morning. I do want to be successful in this job and am lucky that the company does take mental health seriously. My manager is a mental health first aider (if you are struggling they can help with resources etc) and have already talked to him that I'm a "tad stressed" but haven't revealed the full extent in fear it will jeopardize my role. I don't know if this is nerves of just getting used to a new role and it will pass or if I am self sabotaging what could be a good career with a good company. I have a mental health plan and waiting to see a psychologist to help me get back on track but I want to know has anyone else felt this when starting a new role? Not just butterflies in your belly but full stress that you could stuff it all up and have a hard time dropping things at the end of the day?

Micklemac How do I manage my anxiety to cope with a very difficult, angry, resentful teenage daughter.
  • replies: 4

I have been having problems with our youngest child, who is 16, for the past 18 months. She is always angry and argumentative and talks very disrespectfully, mainly to me: I can’t even have a decent conversation any more. I feel I am fighting a lonel... View more

I have been having problems with our youngest child, who is 16, for the past 18 months. She is always angry and argumentative and talks very disrespectfully, mainly to me: I can’t even have a decent conversation any more. I feel I am fighting a lonely battle as a single parent, and I do try talking to her about her behaviour. I have tried to discipline her sometimes by taking her phone away, I have also considered big incentives but nothing seems to make her behaviour improve. As far as I can tell, she isn’t taking drugs or drinking, although her friends have. I know she is having difficulties with her homework as she has told me that she hates doing it and she is not doing well with her school grades but her teachers say she works well in class. She has lots of nice friends and socialises. I have had two chronic health conditions and her father and myself are no longer together. There have been many times when she has had to take herself with her older sister to school or make their own lunch or be home by themselves or organise their sports activities. I work fulltime. She often talks about having a baby and/or getting married and what kind of house she would like. I am not sure where this conversation is going. There is very little acrimony between her father and I but he is rarely helpful or supportive of his children. I worry that she has been affected by the divorce and the health issues in that she won't discuss her issues because she does love her father and wants to please everyone I think by not letting on that she is worried. I try to show her affection to her. Sometimes she accepts it and sometimes she literally pushes me away. I ask her to do things with me. Sometimes she will. But mostly she is loud and argumentative and illogical and demanding and as if she really wants to be spiteful to me. Her father doesn’t get this treatment. I have found her behaviour increasingly difficult and it is making me feel very down. I feel almost bereaved as if I have lost my daughter and anxious because I don’t how to help her or myself at times. We used to be close and talk a lot together and laugh a lot. I don’t know what to do. All I want is to have a relationship with her again. I love her so much.

Roogirl14 Anxiety affecting my work
  • replies: 5

Hi.my anxiety is effecting my work. Girls are constantly goi going to my boss complaining about me. I don'tknow what to do and i dont want to lose my job

Hi.my anxiety is effecting my work. Girls are constantly goi going to my boss complaining about me. I don'tknow what to do and i dont want to lose my job

nmc333 Stuck. Cannot return to work
  • replies: 7

Hi there, First time poster... here goes! I am a professional worker with over 11 years experience. I have worked in a serious of high pressure roles. My last three I was reasonably unqualified for, but as they said I 'felt there fear and did it anyw... View more

Hi there, First time poster... here goes! I am a professional worker with over 11 years experience. I have worked in a serious of high pressure roles. My last three I was reasonably unqualified for, but as they said I 'felt there fear and did it anyway', and threw myself into them to learn something new. Problem was that most of the people I worked for didn't know/care that I didn't have the traditional experience, so I really had to learn on the spot and faked it until I somewhat made it. I found that really difficult and scaring, although on the outside you would never know. My last role in particular I was bullied and left the contract job prematurely. I was working 14 hours a day, and completely cracked under pressure. I wasn't sleeping anymore, started drinking heavily etc. I have now been unemployed for almost three months. First 6 weeks, I just got back to healthy routines and started to feel like myself again, but obviously bills need to be paid so I am looking for work again. To avoid me having to work in roles that I am not familiar with, I am trying to avoid similar positions as my last three, that caused me such trauma. I have had 2 interviews, both of which I never made it to due to anxiety. I truly feel broken down from my last roles, have no confidence in my professional thinking or ability anymore, and just cannot face any of it. I am quite senior in my experience but I have even tried applying for junior/part-time roles so that I am not under that much pressure and responsibility again, but the employers all reject me. I feel it is as though I'm overqualified. People I have spoken to also think its weird I would want something so junior, so I think the employers probably share this feeling. I really don't know what to do now. I am trying my best to keep putting myself out there, but I feel totally stuck. I have been seeing a Psychologist and have been diagnosed with GAD, but my therapy with her made me feel worse so have stopped for a while. I am now feeling less triggered since stopping the sessions. Any suggestions or words of advice?

BreeFree90 Mental Breakdowns (the positives)--Share your Story
  • replies: 1

Afternoon everyone, I hope you're all enjoying your weekend. I wanted to tell you my story and not because I'm looking for sympathy, but because I look back on it now as something almost positive. Of course though, at the time it felt like I had lite... View more

Afternoon everyone, I hope you're all enjoying your weekend. I wanted to tell you my story and not because I'm looking for sympathy, but because I look back on it now as something almost positive. Of course though, at the time it felt like I had literally collapsed into a hollow shell. It all began on an average weekend. My fiance was getting ready to visit his parent's place for a birthday celebration. I was supposed to go along, but the idea of being around people and two very energetic dogs was panic-inducing so I decided to stay home. I felt so low that I stayed in bed all afternoon. The next morning I woke up for work and almost immediately felt so completely overwhelmed. Trying to get dressed left me in a mess on the floor, tears streaming down my face and my mind whirling. I called my fiance and told him something was really wrong. He didn't hesitate and came home immediately. By then I was starting to shut down and all I could think was, what was happening to me? I went to my doctor & I couldn't say a word so my fiance did all the communicating for me. At one point he was so desperate to help me that, under the advice of my doctor, he took me to the hospital to be assessed. Again I couldn't say or do anything. I felt so empty as if all my emotions had been drained from me. Everything going on around me was so overwhelming that I just wanted to hide. In the weeks that followed my fiance slowly had to reintroduce me to the world. Literally. A walk around the block was terrifying, going to the shops almost wrecked me and then I had to face going back to work. However, with help from my doctor, medication, a psychologist and most importantly my fiance I rebuilt myself and got back into my life. It's a time in my life I will never forget and in fact, I look back on it as my "inciting incident", the moment my life changed for the better. It's now quite clear to me that I have mental illnesses of which I have had since I was very young and something I have openly discussed with my Mum. What I went through to truly understand and acknowledge this about myself wasn't easy, but I'm glad it's happened because I have a newfound sense of who I am. I am a normal person living with mental health issues. Daily life can and is still a struggle, I just quit my job because I had a relapse, but I accept & understand that. Anxiety and depression won't define me, and I'm glad I can acknowledge that they are apart of me after so many years of not knowing.