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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.

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Jay_Bee Overwhelmed and spread too thin
  • replies: 1

Hi all, This year I very suddenly started having anxiety attacks and have since been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. My parents announced their divorce and it's very messy as my mum was quite abusive growing up with mental health and addiction... View more

Hi all, This year I very suddenly started having anxiety attacks and have since been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. My parents announced their divorce and it's very messy as my mum was quite abusive growing up with mental health and addiction issues. She is now attempting to fight for custody of my younger siblings. Things are messy and everyone thinks that I am exempt from the family distress as I live alone on the other side of the country. Thats just it, I'm alone. I was studying full-time and since this all started happening I'm now barely coping with 2 subjects at uni. I have work, I run a club at uni and am meant to be going on an overseas project for uni in less than a month. I am just very overwhelmed. I miss my family and friends from back home. I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above the water. Currently having issues with loneliness and lack of support and I'm not sure how to cope. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

247worrier Panicking about likely asbestos in my home. Please help!
  • replies: 13

Long time reader, first time posting. I have read every thread about asbestos..over and over. I’m desperate for some rational reassurance. I can’t stop crying, im sick to the stomach with fear. I have been in a rental for 6 months now. In the lounge ... View more

Long time reader, first time posting. I have read every thread about asbestos..over and over. I’m desperate for some rational reassurance. I can’t stop crying, im sick to the stomach with fear. I have been in a rental for 6 months now. In the lounge room, there is gap in the brick wall that is covered by a piece of metal. Behind it is copper pipe with what looks like asbestos around it. It looks like it is damaged/not sealed and I’m fretting that it has/is putting it in to the air. I didn’t realise what it could be until a few days ago. My children play right next to it as that is where their toys are and the cover has been knocked off a fair few times. I sent pictures to a asbestos removal company and they said it does look like asbestos insulation, the guy is coming tomorrow night to check it out. I don’t know what to do between now and tomorrow. And then if it is confirmed, I don’t know how I will cope. I have OCD and Asbestos has been a trigger of obsessive thought and fear for a long time, which is why I’m angry at myself for not realising what it could be until now. My worries are for my kids, not myself. My husband isn’t too concerned by it and tries to reassure me but it hasn’t worked. Any help is appreciated

Sprockett Blackouts
  • replies: 1

Hi Everyone! My daughter has started experiencing blackouts. So far nothing physical found . Has anyone on here experienced blackouts caused by their anxiety? Thanks

Hi Everyone! My daughter has started experiencing blackouts. So far nothing physical found . Has anyone on here experienced blackouts caused by their anxiety? Thanks

Onepa I'm terrified of driving
  • replies: 4

I'm 34. I am married. We want to start a family. But my husband has made it clear that until I get my license, there will be no kids. I understand his reasoning. If something happens, I need to be able to take them wherever. The problem is. I am terr... View more

I'm 34. I am married. We want to start a family. But my husband has made it clear that until I get my license, there will be no kids. I understand his reasoning. If something happens, I need to be able to take them wherever. The problem is. I am terrified. I sit behind the wheel of a car and I just start to shake and sob. I freeze and can't move. I have never been in an accident or been scared in a car so I don't know why I feel this way. I don't want to be the reason why we don't have a family but at the same time, I physically and mentally just can't get past this. I don't want to wait much longer before we start a family and I hate it that I'm the one holding us back and if we don't have kids, it will be my fault.

bimmadude101 Relationship anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I have posted on here a couple of times over the years about my anxiety and OCD... I have had OCD for around 2 years now and have really learned how to handle it. Although it does creep up on me and latches onto important things that are... View more

Hi everyone, I have posted on here a couple of times over the years about my anxiety and OCD... I have had OCD for around 2 years now and have really learned how to handle it. Although it does creep up on me and latches onto important things that are happening in my life that I value. Anyway, I recently got into a relationship with this wonderful girl. Everything just feels right about this girl and I'm pretty confident I'm falling in love with her and I'm very happy about that. I broke up with my ex-girlfriend around 8 months ago because I just didn't feel that connection with her as I do with my current girlfriend. Although ever since I made it official with my current girlfriend I have had OCD like thoughts about my ex. I keep getting thoughts of her popping into my head. Yes, I care about my ex and we did end on good terms but thoughts and memories of her just keep popping up. I do not have feelings for the girl and am glad I'm not in a relationship with her but the thoughts are just really bothersome. I know this is my OCD as now that I have a new relationship my brain just wants to sabotage it as usual. I guess you could call it ROCD? which I have suffered from in previous relationships although in a different form. Before asking out my current girlfriend I hardly thought about my ex but as soon as I made it official I just started getting all these annoying thoughts pop up. My ex and I are still friends and message each other here and there just to see how one another is going. I also get thoughts of worry about my ex like well what happens if something bad happens to her and I'm not there to help her. But then again I'm not really apart of her life and I don't want to be having these worries because I just want to 100% concentrate on my new relationship as I really see myself having a future with my current girlfriend. I know these thoughts will eventually subside and its just my OCD that keeps firing these thoughts off but i would love some advice or someone who has had a similar experience. Bimmadude.

Alizerath fear of losing people
  • replies: 1

hi. my name is ali, and for as long as I have been alive I have had the most detrimental fear of losing somebody. for example, whenever someone I love is even 10 minutes later then they said they would be home, I start panicking. I lose all consiousn... View more

hi. my name is ali, and for as long as I have been alive I have had the most detrimental fear of losing somebody. for example, whenever someone I love is even 10 minutes later then they said they would be home, I start panicking. I lose all consiousness and kind of enter a "new body". it's such an odd experience. I start violently shaking and sometimes crying, and I can't think of anything else but the person who isn't there. I am so scared to find out someone I love is not here anymore. sometimes during these episodes, I think incredibly irrationally. I often times find myself thinking life will never be the same, etc. I have looked everywhere online for anyone who has dealt with something similar, but no one has and it makes me seem crazy. what makes me feel worse is that I don't think I have any reason to behave this way. nothing in my past, nothing. I can't live like this anymore because it happens so often- every day, if not twice a day. I just can't bear the thought of someone not being there anymore. please, if anyone has even heard about this before let me know. it'd be nice to know if I'm not alone.

Roscoe88 Can’t shut my mind off
  • replies: 1

Hi There I’m a generally happy person but have recently been really nauseous and overthinking every task at work, family conversations and feeling exhausted. My mind won’t shut off and feel in a rut. I have love from all my family and partner surroun... View more

Hi There I’m a generally happy person but have recently been really nauseous and overthinking every task at work, family conversations and feeling exhausted. My mind won’t shut off and feel in a rut. I have love from all my family and partner surrounding me but feel numb sometimes. Definitely never had any suicidal thoughts. Life is smooth in general with no issues but wake up everyday overthinking things that are trivial to a point I have made myself tired and nauseous. I talked to my GP last Friday and told me before going on anti- depressants I should look at jumping on here and chatting daily with everyone with same thoughts and issues. See where this leads. I have also started breathing excersises to help relax. Think it’s working but only been a few days so far. I’ve also gone off social media for good. Got to start somewhere I guess. R.

SMER Supporting my BF and his anxiety HELP!
  • replies: 5

After some advise please! My boyfriend sinks into a terrible hole when anxiety rears its head. We don't live together, and he would prefer to SMS me only when he feels unwell. He has come a long way, by admitting how he is feeling on occasion. Howeve... View more

After some advise please! My boyfriend sinks into a terrible hole when anxiety rears its head. We don't live together, and he would prefer to SMS me only when he feels unwell. He has come a long way, by admitting how he is feeling on occasion. However, it's now been about three weeks, and he's starting to get a little abusive. I know it's coming from the anxiety and lack of self belief. It kind of feels like he's unconsciously testing me. I've not changing my behaviour the whole time, and checking in daily with a hello...not necessarily asking any questions. Sometimes I do. I figured it would gently help him to know I'm not going anywhere. The advise that would really help me....if I stop my daily msg, would that cause more anxiety issues? I've not ever encountered anxiety at this level before. I just don't want to cause him any more stress. Understanding anxiety is important to me. Our relationship broke up once before because of his anxiety management. I want to support him, because when he is healthy he's amazing.

Rubix Death of a distant family member has triggered some anxiety
  • replies: 6

I don't really have a point to this post other than I needed to express myself. I learned that my godmother passed away over the weekend. I was not close to her and had not seen her for the best part of 15-20 years. But she represented a part of my c... View more

I don't really have a point to this post other than I needed to express myself. I learned that my godmother passed away over the weekend. I was not close to her and had not seen her for the best part of 15-20 years. But she represented a part of my childhood that has such fond memories. Xmas. Xmas Eve was such a family tradition where us four kids would put on a concert (singing carols etc) after a lovely dinner. It would always be my godmother, my godfather (not partners) who was a beautiful human being, and a 'surrogate' grandmother. With my parents they were the regulars every single year. As kids (looking back) we were so lucky to have had such a great experience over many years. Fast forward (I'm now nearing 45) and she is now the last of those regular attendees to pass away. It's the end of an era. Closure on one of the few great times in my life. My parents are still alive but have aged. After a marriage breakdown 5.5 years ago I moved in with them. I'm still here. I seem to be shutting down my life and just living each day the same. About the only thing I do that is a positive thing is exercise regularly. Used to be triathlon but now it's a lot of riding (after a knee injury put my favoured running on ice). I ride to work every single day, rain, hail or shine. Last night I rode home a longer way. I just wanted to reflect on my godmother a bit more. She passed away in a nursing home with dementia. I always intended to go visit but never did. There's an element of guilt. As I rode home I shed tears. I reflected back on the positive memories her presence contributed towards all those years ago. One particular memory always springs to mind of her watching us whilst my parents were on holidays. I was sick with flu. She kept me home and gave my back the 'karate chop' treatment to help me cough up phlegm, Strange memory to have but it's there. I was saddened to think that now that the three Xmas Eve visitors had passed it just left my parents. I started freaking out a bit because my life has little direction and I don't know what I'll do when that time comes (given current conditions). My father showed me some death notices. There was one generic one from the family (she had two sons I never met) and a funeral parlour one. It got me depressed to think how alone she was at the end. It made me think that's how it's going to be for me. I've shut my life down and have few (if any) to talk to. As I said, no real point to this. Just wanted to write.

AndyBB Insomnia, Anxiety, sFI
  • replies: 3

Hello, I am 31 years old and had my first panick attack at age 23 but have had anxiety as long as I can remember. About 2 months ago I started to develop insomnia, not sleeping the full night or having poor sleep. I did some googling and came across ... View more

Hello, I am 31 years old and had my first panick attack at age 23 but have had anxiety as long as I can remember. About 2 months ago I started to develop insomnia, not sleeping the full night or having poor sleep. I did some googling and came across something called sporadic Fatal Insomnia and now I think that I have it hence the symptoms match. How do I get rid of the fear of sFI and how do I get rid of this insomnia. The insomnia is not acute, I am not like other sufferers that went nights in a row without sleep but I wouldn't want it to end that way. I also have fears of being rejected from work if people find out I have anxiety. My life is pointless and I have accomplished nothing. Not married, part time job, no house, no car. But I have GAD, health anxiety, insomnia, fear of death, fear of dying young, social anxiety and fear of being killed by thugs. Why is my life so pointless?