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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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Joy1196 Fear of being alone/ physically isolated
  • replies: 4

I am a middle aged woman who has travelled by myself around the world, but as my anxiety has got worse, I have found it terrifying to be alone at night when my partner is away. This was somewhat helped when i started taking medication. but we have si... View more

I am a middle aged woman who has travelled by myself around the world, but as my anxiety has got worse, I have found it terrifying to be alone at night when my partner is away. This was somewhat helped when i started taking medication. but we have since moved to the beach where we are the only permanent residents. My nearest neighbours are 1 km away. My anxiety has got worse and i can't make myself walk alone on the beach when my partner is away. I see other women run/walk on the beach by themselves and feel so embarrassed. Is this something anyone else experiences?

Hollywould261 Anxiety about leaving work to finish uni?
  • replies: 5

Hi So I graduated from uni in 2016 and have been working full time ever since. I have also been completing my masters on top of this (which I applied for before I got my full-time job). I've worked for the same place for the last 2.5 years and felt I... View more

Hi So I graduated from uni in 2016 and have been working full time ever since. I have also been completing my masters on top of this (which I applied for before I got my full-time job). I've worked for the same place for the last 2.5 years and felt I was on top of my workload in both uni and work but over the last 6 months, I've been feeling more and more like I have a loss of control. I feel that less and less I have time to do things that make me happy and that I am sacrificing doing things for myself (including my masters) because of the demands from work. I've been having insomnia, panic attacks and other health problems which when I've taken time off to try and reset I've been told that these aren't really acceptable reasons. Although my manager has told me "I don't have to pretend my studies are invisible" and they will work with me, they rarely do and when I do ask for annual leave (even when it isn't related to uni) I often get bombarded with calls from work asking me to do things or come in. I've felt really under pressure to not let my performance slip at work which then gives me anxiety about failing my master's program because I'm not dedicating enough time to studying due to work demands. I've spoken to counsellors and they've told me that I really need to pick one or the other. Easy right? Well then I have anxiety about quitting work. I also get massive anxiety about if I don't quit my job to finish uni then I will continue feeling very stressed, anxious and ultimately have more mental breakdowns. Or what is the point of me working towards my masters (something I was so passionate about but feel lethargic towards lately) if I am just going to work where I'm working? So it's been a spiral really. I'm not sure how to approach my boss and let them know that I don't want to work there anymore because it is causing me to feel this way. I'm scared of how they will react and often have panic attacks about them not being understanding towards the reasons behind me quitting. I'm scared that they will try to pressure me into staying and that given the fragile state I'm in I will crumble. I'm not sure how to go about this without feeling like I've let everyone down.

Jaysmit Can someone please reassure or help me? I’m desperate
  • replies: 9

Sometimes I feel as though a tornado is going on inside of me. My chest feels strange almost like my heart and lungs are malfunctioning. My head is so light it feels like my brain is floating away from my skull. My eyes can’t focus.. they blur and it... View more

Sometimes I feel as though a tornado is going on inside of me. My chest feels strange almost like my heart and lungs are malfunctioning. My head is so light it feels like my brain is floating away from my skull. My eyes can’t focus.. they blur and it just honestly feels as if iv had WAY WAY WAY too much alcohol or heaps of drugs. It’s so terrifying especially when it’s all at once. It sort of feels like a miracle that iv made it through alive all those times. I have been struggling for 4 years straight with about 30-35 different symptoms ALL DAY. This one truly terrifies me though. I cannot function. It’s IMPOSSIBLE. It’s mind blowing. This cannot be anxiety. IT CANT. ITS TOO MUCH. It’s TOO PHYSICAL And it’s too real. If I have one or two symptoms I can sort of manage/control them but these ones ALL TOGETHER OH MY GOD. And when I’m driving OH MY GOD IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL Does anyone ever feel this?? Please.... reassure me.

Ocean_breeze Supplements
  • replies: 3

What supplements are good to take for anxiety ?

What supplements are good to take for anxiety ?

Rhysb93 Panic attacks
  • replies: 5

Hi second time posting but as of today had my first panic attack I was just in the couch and out of no where it happened thought I was dying racing heart freaking out sweating, I ended up calming down by just walking around the house I’m posting here... View more

Hi second time posting but as of today had my first panic attack I was just in the couch and out of no where it happened thought I was dying racing heart freaking out sweating, I ended up calming down by just walking around the house I’m posting here to ask how people manage panic attacks what they do to calm down etc? im looking forward to hearing what you guys do thanks.

Katherine22 Diet soda drinker? A tip that may help with your anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, just wanted to share what I learnt recently from a Natropath. I used to drink a lot (1-2 litres) a day of Pepsi Max. I never knew the link from Aspartame that’s found in diet drinks and some foods to anxiety and mental health conditions.... View more

Hi everyone, just wanted to share what I learnt recently from a Natropath. I used to drink a lot (1-2 litres) a day of Pepsi Max. I never knew the link from Aspartame that’s found in diet drinks and some foods to anxiety and mental health conditions. Apparently it blocks the production of serotonin and interferes with neurotransmitters. I wasn’t so sure about this BUT after giving up Pepsi Max my anxiety is definitely less pronounced. I’m less on edge every day and I’ve noticed a huge difference. May not be everyone but wanted to share in case it could help someone else.

Dean07 Anxiety or the stiuation?
  • replies: 4

How do you know if it is anxiety or the situation you find yourself in? I was diagnosed with GAD five or six years ago. Went on medication, lots of CBT and things settled down. Off the medication now. A couple of years ago I moved to a very busy city... View more

How do you know if it is anxiety or the situation you find yourself in? I was diagnosed with GAD five or six years ago. Went on medication, lots of CBT and things settled down. Off the medication now. A couple of years ago I moved to a very busy city with my wife but left my adult children, friends and family behind. The move was because of my wife's employment. Whilst my wife and I talked about the situation and we agreed to go, I was probably, in reality less enthusiastic about the idea. I am self-employed and had to move my business and set that up as well. Business has been going okay but not quite as well as it was in the first city. I have struggled settling in from day one. After being here for two years I don't feel part of the city or that I even want to be part of it. I haven't gone out and made friends. I feel like I'm just treading water, waiting for it to end and to go back to the original city. I just feel overwhelmed, out of place and anxious. I'm having trouble working out whether it is my anxiety or finding myself in a situation I don't want to engage in that is the problem. I am seeing a psychologist. This has been helpful but I find it difficult to engage in the CBT when I blame some of it at least on the situation I find myself in. I tell myself things would be ok if I moved back home though I have my doubts.

FxZIONZ Looking for guidance!
  • replies: 1

Hey All, I Just want some guidance. I have noticed minor things about my day which i feel are signs of bigger things. I think i have repetitive behavioral issues. I bite my nails/around the nails. Not to the point of bleeding or anything just i do it... View more

Hey All, I Just want some guidance. I have noticed minor things about my day which i feel are signs of bigger things. I think i have repetitive behavioral issues. I bite my nails/around the nails. Not to the point of bleeding or anything just i do it. I feel comfortable when i hold certain things. These things can be anything like pens etc. Which if someone else uses or someone else takes i feel annoyed/upset/uncomfortable. I get an attachment to these items, but not to a intrusive level. Just enough where i feel empty without this item if i am in my scenario without it. Ie work space, or my bed, or my car. I find i am unable to focus properly, and can very easily drift off and day dream. This can be both whilst working and focused on something as well as just in conversation. i can be still looking at the person and auto saying things like yep. But not even know what was being said. This works the other way to. I can be talking and get halfway and forget completely what i was wanting to say. I think if i do have any amount of OCD or ADD its unnoticeable because there is nothing obvious about it. its just very minor things. Since this is a forum, does anyone have experiences similar or what you did to help with any of it? Thanks In Advance!

anita24 Separation anxiety as a adult
  • replies: 1

My partner was been working away from home from monday to Friday for years and it never gets easier. I feel very alone by myself. Each week I get so upset that he’s leaving. Is this Normal? Because I just want to feel safe and content. I also get anx... View more

My partner was been working away from home from monday to Friday for years and it never gets easier. I feel very alone by myself. Each week I get so upset that he’s leaving. Is this Normal? Because I just want to feel safe and content. I also get anxiety at night and can’t sleep when I hear noises.

sadvet Excited but terrified of leaving current job
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone, I have made a previous thread of how my boss at my current job has been talking down on me since I started. Rather than being encouraging, she comments on how I fail at doing things (it's funny because I've ask my fellow ex coursemates ... View more

Hey everyone, I have made a previous thread of how my boss at my current job has been talking down on me since I started. Rather than being encouraging, she comments on how I fail at doing things (it's funny because I've ask my fellow ex coursemates and none of us are proficient at blood collection and yet, their superiors are very supportive and encouraging). I've found myself unmotivated to improve myself (she did say my university teaches crap) and more importantly, I've been so anxious and dreadful about going to work, because I'm just dreading the next time she belittles me in front of others (which happens almost always on a daily basis). After much talk with my family, friends and the wonderful people here, I have decided that I wish to look for another environment that is more supportive, and I have decided to quit at the end of May. In the meantime, I will be job hunting. But the more I think about it, the more frightened I am at quitting. It's not so much that I have second thoughts, but about how my current place would react. What if the boss comes to find me (she will be overseas when I plan to resign)? What if the rest of the staff at the clinic spams my phone number? They do have my address and contact details, and I live very close to the clinic. I fear going to the nearby shopping mall, just in case I run into any of them. And I feel like my boss will not take my resignation very well, knowing her personality. Yes, I do realise that I am afraid of her, hence the reason I am reacting this way. I know it's not ideal to burn bridges, but I do have more bad experiences than good ones there, and ideally I'd just like some space from the clinic for a while.