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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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harro123 I don't know.
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, I'm not really sure what to say on here so I'm just going to speak my mind. I've been really struggling lately with my mental health. I've always had anxiety but I've never had struggled this bad and honestly, I'm feeling really helpless... View more

Hi everyone, I'm not really sure what to say on here so I'm just going to speak my mind. I've been really struggling lately with my mental health. I've always had anxiety but I've never had struggled this bad and honestly, I'm feeling really helpless. I've always been the person my friends come and talk to if they are struggling but now I'm on the other side and I'm struggling with that thought. I also don't want to burden them with my struggles with anxiety, especially my roommate. I know it shouldn't be a problem but I just can't bring myself to tell my friends how I'm really doing at times. They know I'm dealing with anxiety and I am seeing professional help but I'm still feeling helpless. I want to talk to them but I hate the idea of them being worried about me. Also, my GP prescribed me antidepressants and I don't know if I should get a second opinion on whether or not I need to be medicated. Who should I go to about the second opinion? Thank you for taking the time to read this thread.

MissPink1 Down the rabbit hole
  • replies: 1

I am a 42 year old married woman with an adult son. I am well educated and have a professional career, a beautiful home, family and friends. I fear I am coming undone. I have had a problem relationship with drinking since I was 17 years old. My one s... View more

I am a 42 year old married woman with an adult son. I am well educated and have a professional career, a beautiful home, family and friends. I fear I am coming undone. I have had a problem relationship with drinking since I was 17 years old. My one serious attempt at sobriety ended a month ago, after I achieved 90 days. My husband and I started marriage counselling during that 90 days because, somewhat surprisingly, our problems were exacerbated by my sobriety. I have found the counselling both very difficult and helpful. Difficult because I find it so hard to talk about things (it took until the 4th session to talk about my addiction and it was excruciating) and helpful because I have lost this all consuming rage that I was starting to not be able to control and marital conflict has been markedly reduced and replaced with some tentative closeness. I also feel some relief although that is tempered with embarrassment. The problem is that, for some reason, I have been thinking about many negative things since starting counselling. My father suffers from mental illness and my childhood was defined by it and my mother's helplessness/hopelessness and focus on religion. It was predictably unpredictable - a cycle of conflict between my parents which, not infrequently, ended in minor physical violence against my mother. I am the eldest of 3 children and felt obligated to protect my siblings and, sometimes, my mother. As I got older I tried to help her take steps so she could leave, i.e. secure employment, but she seemed unable to and the church would say she had to stay anyway, so I gave up at some point and focused on finishing school and leaving. I spent my 20's and 30's been very busy. The only time I haven't had daily thoughts of suicide (no intention to commit just intrusive thoughts) is when I took an anti-depressant for about 12 months. The adverse side affects (a permeable glass wall between people and me) resulted in my stopping it. The withdrawal symptoms were terrible. I feel that I am defective and I will never be able to rectify myself. I feel worse with each passing day - sometimes I am so anxious I think I may lose the plot entirely. I don't feel able to talk about this with the counsellor because it would all be too much - how can one person be such a disaster? I know I need to get a grip on things but am unsure how to. There is no point going to my GP, because I am not taking medication and I am already in counselling. What to do?

Red_Robin Anxiety about work, me and life
  • replies: 17

This is hard to write. I feel like a failure as I write this and wonder if I will ever gain confidence to work again. Management has changed and the environment is awful. Under new management I feel targeted (as do other staff) for example I was aske... View more

This is hard to write. I feel like a failure as I write this and wonder if I will ever gain confidence to work again. Management has changed and the environment is awful. Under new management I feel targeted (as do other staff) for example I was asked by a colleague for some Panadol during work hours and was advising her of the pain relief, (she is pregnant - I was unsure what she could have). Management came straight up, stood directly beside me asking "is everything alright?" She stood there until my coworker took her choice and I continued work. What upset me is that while my actions were questioned another two colleagues were chatting (one even sitting on the others desk in plain site), and another had talked all day (she has a very loud voice) showing anyone and everyone her phone disagreement with her sister in law, continuing to do so all afternoon also. Neither of these were or are ever spoken to. One afternoon I was on lunch, and a manager yelled at me to stop gossiping and get back to work. Yesterday I was called into the office and my work was reviewed. The meeting was very formal and I was called out on errors made which I accept full responsibility for. However I am now told if I make these again I will receive a written warning. Other colleagues are making the same errors, one of which I discussed the process with recently and her response was to say she "doesn't give a shit" (same co-worker who never get in trouble). Other staff have left, saying they are glad to leave this toxic workplace. One While another has confided in me she has anxiety as a direct result from work. I am trying to apply for other work but my confidence in my own ability is gone. I am constantly nervous and trying not to make errors, and anxiety comes along and while i try to ride through the fear, shakes, nausea etc I am so scared I think I will vomit or poop myself at my desk. When I look at job sites i am so unsure of myself and my abilities I don't apply for anything for fear I am not able. The jobs I can apply for finish outside my childrens day care hours or affect my arthritis pain. I desperately need a new job and immediate confidence in myself but don't feel I am winning this battle or even "floating " through it gracefully. .I have had awful dreams all night and waking continuously. I am feeling a failure and bad example to my children.

CM97 Health Anxiety After Effects
  • replies: 5

Hi all, I have been suffering anxiety on and off most of my life. Unfortunately it has been different triggers near every time. The last one was a health scare and I was a wreck for a week. All the normal things fatigue, lack of appetite etc. Normall... View more

Hi all, I have been suffering anxiety on and off most of my life. Unfortunately it has been different triggers near every time. The last one was a health scare and I was a wreck for a week. All the normal things fatigue, lack of appetite etc. Normally once I have gotten thru it I feel quite normal. This last one I am over the hump. But my stomach is still a mess. Bloating one minute hungry next. Also I feel short of breath sometimes. But if I stop take some deep breathes it feels normal again but could happen again in 30 minutes. Is this normal? I have heard of anxiety hangover. But trying to stay away from Google. Cheers

whose_da_man88 Why anxiety/depression makes the bed so attractive?
  • replies: 1

Hi, I've searched and there are a lot of people that report they can't get out of bed - just like me. I use to have the lethargic/fatigued/insomnia etc which obviously makes you feel like you just want to continue sleeping. However these days I am sl... View more

Hi, I've searched and there are a lot of people that report they can't get out of bed - just like me. I use to have the lethargic/fatigued/insomnia etc which obviously makes you feel like you just want to continue sleeping. However these days I am sleeping OK ... like not the best but at least getting something, but when it is time to get up for the day, I'd much prefer to lay in bed even though I've been awake for a few hours really. Also during the day I would love nothing more than to jump back into bed ... I have an afternoon nap and it may last for an hour max and then I spend an hour or 2 more in bed just not wanting to get out. Why does anxiety/depression do this to you? Why does it make me crave the bed so much?

xjeansx Looking for people with the same anxiety/overthinking issues as me.
  • replies: 5

I’m posting this in hopes of connecting and relating to people who deal with the same anxiety symptoms as me, so I can feel less alone and start to understand myself a little more. i have suffered from some sort of depressive anxiety for at least 15 ... View more

I’m posting this in hopes of connecting and relating to people who deal with the same anxiety symptoms as me, so I can feel less alone and start to understand myself a little more. i have suffered from some sort of depressive anxiety for at least 15 years now. For the first 3 years I put it down to just being a moody teenager and I’ll grow out of it, then for the remaining 8-9 years I just sort of thought that everyone feels this way, life’s hard and this is how it’s always gonna be so I just gotta learn to deal with it. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally sought out help from a doctor and was referred to a psychotherapist. Unfortunately I don’t believe her type of therapy was what I needed and I am currently seeking new treatment and have a doctors appointment in a few days. but I wanted to just list and ramble a bit about my anxieties in hopes that I can relate to some others who may feel the same. So a lot of my anxiety stems from I think a huge lack of self confidence and esteem. And also past relationships where people have cheated and lied and treated me awfully have resulted in massive insecurity issues and a tendency to over analyse and over think literally everything. I create scenarios in my head and obsess over them, I overthink so much that I start believing and feeling as though the scenarios are real. This creates a permanent awful sinking feeling in my stomach because I know that it puts strain on my relationship, and even when my partner reassured me and gives me extra affection it still doesn’t make the feeling go away because my anxiety controls me so deeply. and in a non relationship way, my lack of confidence and esteem and belief in myself finds me feeling absolutely no motivation to better myself or progress in my dream career that I’m hoping to get into, and just in general improvement of my well being, I get so scared of failing or so sure that I won’t succeed because all I’ve ever felt is that I’m a failure, that I talk myself out of even trying in the first place. It feeds the unmotivated unwillingness inside me. I’ve never felt proud of myself because of the absence of confidence and esteem. i really want to get better, I want to change my behaviours and thoughts and I want to feel more secure in myself and with my relationship and hobbies and life goals. I am finally building up the courage to seek help. I just hope there are people who who can relate and that we can hopefully help each other through a discussion

Jmk22 I feel so scared all the time.
  • replies: 11

Hi everyone, this is my first post on here. I was just wanting to get somethings out of my head and see if anyone could help or share their experience with me. I have generalised anxiety and I feel like there’s a bit of depression there as well. Late... View more

Hi everyone, this is my first post on here. I was just wanting to get somethings out of my head and see if anyone could help or share their experience with me. I have generalised anxiety and I feel like there’s a bit of depression there as well. Lately I have become obsessed when it comes to my health. I always think something is wrong all the time. The latest thing is my teeth. Going to the dentist was such a massive fear for me there was a point I didn’t go for about 10 years. I finally talked myself into going as anxious as it did make me. That was last year. The dentist was so nice and understanding about my anxiety. I got a deep clean and found out I needed just one filling. Nothing was said about my wisdom teeth. I went back again in 2 months for another clean but had to see another dentist he basically told me just to get my wisdom teeth out to stop anything happening. 3 months went by and I finally worked myself up to get my filling. Yet another dentist I had to see. She could see a wisdom tooth on my X-ray but said you’ll have to get that out on day but not today. Then unexpectedly I had to go back because I was having a little pain (nowhere need my wisdom tooth) yet another dentist and she took a full face X-ray and is now telling me I need all 4 out under sedation. I’ve never had an operation so this is scary to me. I can tell you petrified doesn’t even cover this. After coming home I basically spent the rest of the day crying and panicking to the point I tired myself out so much I feel asleep. I know wisdom teeth aren’t always good. I was just wanting to hear others stories with them. My top two are through and fine. My bottom right is sideways but fully understand the gum. My left is sideways and poking a small amount through my gum but it has been that way for years (I check my mouth with a dental mirror I’m that obsessive) it’s not causing pain none of them are. Its at the point I’m driving my partner insane constantly asking questions or if he thinks my face looks puffy. We have an overseas trip planned for two weeks time and I’m worried my teeth and my anxiety are going to ruin it by either not being able to go or something wrong happening while we’re away. any advice would be helpful. I’m slowly driving myself insane.

jacques_g crippling anxiety is ruining my life
  • replies: 3

hey, this is one of my first posts so i hope its in the right area i'm 14, I have been diagnosed with separation anxiety, ocd, social phobia (severe social anxiety), depression and panic disorder. The last time I went to school was grade 7 and it was... View more

hey, this is one of my first posts so i hope its in the right area i'm 14, I have been diagnosed with separation anxiety, ocd, social phobia (severe social anxiety), depression and panic disorder. The last time I went to school was grade 7 and it was briefly, becoming the main cause of my anxieties and making me terrified of everything. I am in grade 9 now. I have a therapist and am working toward a schooling program but struggling hard. Recently my therapist of over a year quit, and my new one does not seem interested in me at all. In the past 4 months I've had 2 meetings with her and we make no progress. I'm trying to work my way back to school but i can't, I have panic attacks at the thought but i can't do anything about it. Is there a way i can find online homeschooling courses to get my year 10 certificate so i get have at least some form of education. I'm really struggling and anything helps. Thanks!

Phoenix29 Bipolar Disorder
  • replies: 2

Does anyone in here have bipolar disorder? I’m just looking to connect and talk with others who have biplolar disorder. My partner says I should join the bipolar bears but at the moment I am enjoying this forum. I might try bipolar bears too. I’m see... View more

Does anyone in here have bipolar disorder? I’m just looking to connect and talk with others who have biplolar disorder. My partner says I should join the bipolar bears but at the moment I am enjoying this forum. I might try bipolar bears too. I’m seeing a psychiatrist at the moment for help and diagnosis. I’ve had doctors guess and 5 years ago it looked like I had Bipolar 1 but my doctors are thinking it’s looking more like Bipolar 2.

Ben_k ANXIETY
  • replies: 1

What we first think when we hear or see the word "anxiety" is many things for every individual; confusion, fear, medication, the illness, the feeling, memories, and for many, what is actually is and why it causes so many people to struggle to live, d... View more

What we first think when we hear or see the word "anxiety" is many things for every individual; confusion, fear, medication, the illness, the feeling, memories, and for many, what is actually is and why it causes so many people to struggle to live, deal and manage with. "Anxiety" isn't just anxiety; anxiety it's the word used to describe what anxiety illness which branches off that word. To make things more simple, picture anxiety as a tree trump. Now, a tree isn't a tree without those branches that spread out from that trump and those leaves that further more spread out from those branches. If you can picture this, then let me elaborate, anxiety isn't a mental illness, its what the illness that 'branches' from anxiety is; which then is a illness from anxiety. Yes that sounds confusing, even for myself, but hear me out. Anxiety has many different characteristics regarding anxiety related illnesses being; attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many more that haven't been mentioned or characterised. Having anxiety is what makes you, you. It's one of those life lessons that not all have to deal with, that come at a different rate of intense for everyone, and that makes that person stronger, smarter and better than if they were to never have had any anxiety related disorder at all. It feels like voices in you're head that you cant hear but you can think, and it tells you how to feel, or how to act or what to say. Yet, it's all lies, tricks, manipulation which anxiety "says," or "feels," Such as overthinking to a point of having a rush of anxiety right through you, where you think of the worst and least possible situation that can happen and tell yourself that its the most likely situation to occur, so you fear, you panic, you get anxiety. However, once those thoughts leave, mainly after you know that what you overthought never happened, you have a sense of relief, and come to the realisation eventually, that it's you're anxiety lying and tricking you. Anybody who has anxiety wouldn't wish what they have on anyone else, because you know the pain, you know that struggle, the struggle of dealing with and fighting something in you're head that no body else can see and it cant be just simply patched up by a ban-aid. Dealing and managing it is a long process, its scary, but always you come out winning and you can only do that by never giving in, and keep on fighting.