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

All discussions

yeahilovecats My poor fingers show that I have anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi friends, I was wondering if anyone else picks the skin around their fingernails when they are stressed/anxious? If so, how do you manage that? How do you stop the bad habit? I have stress from work (shift work and studying) but I’ve realised in th... View more

Hi friends, I was wondering if anyone else picks the skin around their fingernails when they are stressed/anxious? If so, how do you manage that? How do you stop the bad habit? I have stress from work (shift work and studying) but I’ve realised in the last couple of years that I have difficulty in social situations, and this bad habit of mine certainly isn’t doing me any favours. Any help would be much appreciated! J

Banks1992 New here, Anxiety Issues coming back around
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, My name is Callum and I've suffered with Anxiety ever since I was a teenager. In the past I have also dealt with depression, which was causing me to turn on my parents and friends before I seeked help and saw a psychologist. But since th... View more

Hi everyone, My name is Callum and I've suffered with Anxiety ever since I was a teenager. In the past I have also dealt with depression, which was causing me to turn on my parents and friends before I seeked help and saw a psychologist. But since then I have started a new relationship which is now in its 3rd year which is fantastic (the way it started was incredibly difficult, but I don't want to get into that just yet). But my partner recently moved to a town about 4 hours by car away from our hometown. I was unable to join her due to work initially which hurt a lot. I moved back in with my parents and felt quite alone despite having some friends I was able to catch up with. She eventually admitted to struggling by herself so we organised a months work for me so I could finally move down. I was enjoying the job I was doing in my hometown so it was difficult to leave even though I had good reasons. The work I ended up doing was not enjoyable and was working from home, so it was very lonely and isolating, especially in a new town. Since I have left my hometown I have felt a change in my body. I went to a doctor as I was certain I had an issue somewhere. But nothing was found and my doctor was quite sure it was anxiety. It felt different from when I was a teenager though. Since that initial months work in my new town I have been moving to and from my hometown doing odd bits of work just to keep some money in. But I keep having symptoms that make me constantly worry 24/7. We even went on a tropical holiday but I wasnt able to enjoy it much at all. In an essence it feels like the symptoms I am having for Anxiety are giving me anxiety and it feels like I can't get away from it. I have a new job lined up in a few months time and for now I am just keeping busy. I feel once I start this new job and start interacting with new people I will be able to relax more, but I don't know. I hope this makes sense to someone. I really would like to talk to people and try and understand a way to get out of this anxiety cycle.

Rebel_chamberlain Anxiety symptoms? stress?
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Hi everyone, how are we all? im new here, and its taken me a long time to sign up here, even though ive been on this site a long time. Let me just explain this as best as i can, i have generalized anxiety and depression, which was extremely high and ... View more

Hi everyone, how are we all? im new here, and its taken me a long time to sign up here, even though ive been on this site a long time. Let me just explain this as best as i can, i have generalized anxiety and depression, which was extremely high and is now quite moderate. i was taking medication for months.. and i ran out of it nearly 6 weeks ago, at the VERY same time my doctor was away for 6 weeks and trying to get a script for it from another doctor when its not a regular medication was a nightmare. so i instantly got it in my head that i was alone and just had to 'suck it up" and i have since gone through what feels like a nightmare. I thought i was almost out of the woods until last night.... I am waking up with a panic/anxiety attack (why? i dont know) and then it starts, my breathing is off, i feel like im in and out, my eyes open and close, i feel like im going to fall and pass out, and now something new has happened. Last night i was laying down trying to calm my breathing and all of a sudden my arm and hand was next to my chest and then its like it spasamed and it just threw its self of my chest down to the side of my body, like a nerve was hit and it couldnt handle it. i have really bad headaches, and im not eating hardly, i do try too, and my head feels like i can almost feel the blood rushing around in there. obviously im being a hypochondriac about that one but, i dont know whats going on with my body and if its actually anxiety and stress? or if something alot worse is going on. Im incredibly head strong and want to ride this out, but not at the expense of my safety. has anyone else had this happen to them? or should i really see a doctor. ? thanks

Brightwater Anxiety
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HI Everyone I'm a newbie here looking to chat with others who also suffer with anxiety I suffer from anxiety regularly but heightened at the moment after another fall , losing balance , I did regain my confidence but then developed a chest infection ... View more

HI Everyone I'm a newbie here looking to chat with others who also suffer with anxiety I suffer from anxiety regularly but heightened at the moment after another fall , losing balance , I did regain my confidence but then developed a chest infection and any confidence I had was lost. I can get in car and drive but getting out of the car especially when on own is terrifying , I am so frightened of falling .in my own environment I am confident but outside of this is frightening , I am attending physio to regain balance and I carry on like a baby and my self talk is so negative eg sorry for being a baby , I'm a basket case , I am told not to beat myself up like this. I want to be better yesterday , I have seen a Councillor , who as she said all is up to me , but it is not easy to suddenly turn my mind around . Can anyone else relate to the above , I just would like to chat to others in similar situation , get the the negative thoughts out , instead of bottling all up

Joycey83 The sky frightens me.
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Hi, i have had this fear for quite some time and it really scares me, it scares me to the point of having to run to somewhere indoors. I have a fear of the sky, when i'm out walking and i am out in a wide open area i start to have severe panic attack... View more

Hi, i have had this fear for quite some time and it really scares me, it scares me to the point of having to run to somewhere indoors. I have a fear of the sky, when i'm out walking and i am out in a wide open area i start to have severe panic attacks and it frightens the hell out of me. I should not be fearing the sky, even on a beautiful sunny day. This is really affecting my daily life and it is a horrible feeling when the panic sets in, what the hell has happened to me?. The other day i went for a walk down to the shops and half way there i had a massive panic attack and started running for cover, now i am frightened to even go outside. Seriously if it is not 1 thing, it is another with me. I hate anxiety, i hate having fears, i am so mentally sick.

chris0626 How to cure this type of OCD?
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Hi, I am a 21 years old male who has been straight all my life, I always enjoy staright porn and I have a boobs obession. I have always have crushes on girls even though I never have sex before. Around two week ago, I suddenly start question whether ... View more

Hi, I am a 21 years old male who has been straight all my life, I always enjoy staright porn and I have a boobs obession. I have always have crushes on girls even though I never have sex before. Around two week ago, I suddenly start question whether I am gay or straight, It makes me feel extremely anxious and uncomfortable throughout the day. I would always look at other men and women to check if I am sexually attracted. I often get these random gay thoughts which scare me and digust me a lot. It makes me so stressed that I couldn't enjoy my straight porn as I was before. This gives me a feeling that I might turn gay. There were few days that I feel normal again and I start watching my porn collection. But after few days, It hits me again. How do I make it gone forever? Or am I really becoming gay. I have experience a OCD earlier this year when I thought I got a cancer or decease and I went to the doctor to check many times. And I experiecne social anxiety a lot.

Autumn77 OCD in public. What do you do?
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Hi all, As we know, with a lot of mental disorders, people haveOCD tendencies. I just want to know, that I'm not the only one. So I'll go first....at a supermarket, if a product is in the wrong spot, I pick it up, pretent to look at it, and then retu... View more

Hi all, As we know, with a lot of mental disorders, people haveOCD tendencies. I just want to know, that I'm not the only one. So I'll go first....at a supermarket, if a product is in the wrong spot, I pick it up, pretent to look at it, and then return it to its right spot. Ha!

BBUser90 Being happy makes me uncomfortable...
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So at the ripe old age of 34 I've just had the realisation that the biggest trigger for me when it comes to self medicating with drugs/alcohol is that I find it really uncomfortable to be happy and energised. I think this could be the reason that I’v... View more

So at the ripe old age of 34 I've just had the realisation that the biggest trigger for me when it comes to self medicating with drugs/alcohol is that I find it really uncomfortable to be happy and energised. I think this could be the reason that I’ve spent so much of my life in self destructive relationships where I essentially act as an enabler in the relationship with partners who have their own addiction issues. Now that life is going really well and I’ve gotten to a place where I’m not needing to “look after” my significant other and I’m in a job that I really love - I keep finding myself feeling fresh, excited, happy and proud of myself but it is immediately followed by a feeling of restlessness and discomfort that I feel like I have to quell by bringing my energy levels down via drugs and alcohol. What kind of bloody twisted wiring do I have in my brain that I can’t stand the feeling of being happy! Now that I realise what this feeling is I can remember feeling like this even back in primary school. If I was ever succeeding at something I would immediately freak and just quit or find an escape route. I can remember coming first in a cross country race and the moment I heard people cheering me on I panicked and stopped running. It’s like deep down I really don’t want to succeed or be happy? Is this just a deep, rooted fear of failure? Or a need to control my circumstances if I feel like I can’t control my emotions. Does anyone else struggle with feeling happy? How do I get past this so I can actually live life to my full potential instead of constantly self destructing and stopping my personal growth in its tracks.

Wayne86 Sleep Paralysis and extreme Déjà Vu
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I am unsure as to whether this is anxiety related but I have been subject to frequent sleep paralysis over the last 10 or so years (own research done to narrow down what this is called) eg. Wide awake unable to move or scream, Electric shock like pul... View more

I am unsure as to whether this is anxiety related but I have been subject to frequent sleep paralysis over the last 10 or so years (own research done to narrow down what this is called) eg. Wide awake unable to move or scream, Electric shock like pulse pulsating through my entire body, the feeling of someone or something present in the room and extreme fear. Whilst I am now used to the frequent “episodes” of this (whilst still very frightening) I have in the last couple of years been also getting what I believe is déjà Vu but it’s not like any déjà Vu I have experienced before. It feels like everything I see, read or do is something that I have seen, read or done before in a kind of loop of life in some ways it feels and it is very uncomforting and makes me feel light headed as if I am going to pass out. I have tried to explain this to people but I feel like they don’t understand or think I am making it up and that I cannot truly explain what is happening to me. Can anyone shed some light on what this is? How You deal with it if you’re experiencing the same thing?

Dwwmills Finding happiness uncomfortable.
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Hello. I’m just wondering whether anyone else has experienced this. I’ve found in the last year of my recovery I have times where I feel quite happy but I have times when I find it difficulty accepting or trusting this feeling. I don’t want to sound ... View more

Hello. I’m just wondering whether anyone else has experienced this. I’ve found in the last year of my recovery I have times where I feel quite happy but I have times when I find it difficulty accepting or trusting this feeling. I don’t want to sound like I’ve had a horrible life and I’ve never been happy before because this is just untrue. It’s as if it’s easier to deal with negative emotions than positive ones. I’m not anxious about it or obsessing over it. It’s just something that I had not expected.