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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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44Max44 How to ease imagined symptoms? (Health anxiety)
  • replies: 5

So a bit of backstory is a few months ago I had my first run-in with health anxiety, I pretty much tricked myself into thinking I had this or that and visited the GP like 10 times in a month for various random things... What I've noticed is that when... View more

So a bit of backstory is a few months ago I had my first run-in with health anxiety, I pretty much tricked myself into thinking I had this or that and visited the GP like 10 times in a month for various random things... What I've noticed is that when I'm occupied or busy doing something else (have my mind focusing on something else), I have no symptoms whatsoever, but the second I 'check' myself to see if I'm feeling those symptoms still, they magically re-appear. This is exactly what I was doing a few months ago too and it was miserable. I believe this type of thinking is called 'self-destructive' thinking, basically me assuming the worst when I feel any sort of sensation I don't recognize. My rational thinking says I'm completely fine and it's just placebo, but there's always that thought in the back of my head saying 'what if it isn't?'. This time around it's nowhere as severe as the first time I had it, but I'm worried that if it continues I might spiral again and that's the last thing I want as the last time I had it was the most miserable I've been in a very long time. So my question is, what are some good techniques to stop yourself from thinking that way and tricking yourself into feeling these symptoms? Any and all tips and help is very appreciated. Thank you guys

RedWolfe Anxiety controlling my sleep
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, I have severe anxiety and I have also been diagnosed with depression. I get anxiety a lot during the day but now, I’m also getting them when I’m sleeping and I’ll wake up while I’m having an anxiety attack. It makes me so scared to go to... View more

Hi everyone, I have severe anxiety and I have also been diagnosed with depression. I get anxiety a lot during the day but now, I’m also getting them when I’m sleeping and I’ll wake up while I’m having an anxiety attack. It makes me so scared to go to sleep. I mean I am really, properly scared. I’ve seen my GP but there’s not much more she can do. Just wondering if there might be any advice? Thanks.

assj the physical effects of intense anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi there, I'm currently feeling quite awful. I've had shortness of breath since yesterday. I'm wondering if shortness of breath or maybe low blood pressure is a sign of experiencing an intensely anxious period? My grandpa passed away last week. I had... View more

Hi there, I'm currently feeling quite awful. I've had shortness of breath since yesterday. I'm wondering if shortness of breath or maybe low blood pressure is a sign of experiencing an intensely anxious period? My grandpa passed away last week. I had to fly to my hometown and back, and I'm a nervous flyer. I had panic attacks on both flights. I had my period while I was in my hometown and it was a particularly bad one. I was in a lot of pain. On top of that I am grieving. I feel very fatigued. When I got home yesterday I smoked a small bit of marijuana, i thought it would help me calm down. Since then I've had shortness of breath while holding conversations. It feels like I need to take a deeper breath and I can't laugh too hard without feeling lightheaded. As of yesterday I officially quit smoking it because I don't think it helps me I only have it once or twice a year anyway. I can't tell if this breathing thing is an anxiety issue after such an emotional week or from smoking I'm healthy other than having anxiety and OCD. Any thoughts? I've never reached out on a forum before O:

Flower_Girl Feeling very anxious
  • replies: 2

Hi there, Bit of a background story.... I was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer 5yrs ago and I was extremely lucky that it was found early and I had an operation to take it out and I it was contained so I didn’t need chemo... I never knew what anxiety was ... View more

Hi there, Bit of a background story.... I was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer 5yrs ago and I was extremely lucky that it was found early and I had an operation to take it out and I it was contained so I didn’t need chemo... I never knew what anxiety was until I went through that. So every time something doesn’t feel right with my health I can’t help but worry and it causes horrible anxiety but it only lasts until I’m “back to normal” and the anxiety ends. Well almost 3 weeks ago I felt anxiety like I never have. I live a busy life with 2 young boys and work in the evenings from home. I don’t rest or relax much but at the start of August we had a family get away planned... the Thursday leading up to it I took myself to the physio and all was good but Sunday I woke up with a dead arm feeling and that was the start of the anxiety... Monday I woke up a little dizzy so took yaself to the chiro then Tuesday I started feeling nauseous... I couldn’t stop the anxiety taking over... I feel like all my symptoms have passed except for when I think about eating it still seems to make me feel anxious and when I do eat sometimes even though I’m only eating a small amount I feel full and that it’s sitting in the top of my tummy... so this keeps making me anxious 🤦🏼‍ My question is has anyone else’s tummy felt like this? Has it taken time to get ya tummy and eating back to normal after feeling anxious for a long period of time? .. I think I keep questioning myself before I eat if I’m going to feel sick and maybe that’s why it’s feeling like it does? TIA

J__P__Penguin Social anxiety spreading like a dark fog
  • replies: 1

I think I am suffering anxiety I feel more and more reclusive every day. Simple things have become stressful mountains to climb over. Every thing I agree to do I want to cancel. I don't want to go where I've never been or meet people I've never met. ... View more

I think I am suffering anxiety I feel more and more reclusive every day. Simple things have become stressful mountains to climb over. Every thing I agree to do I want to cancel. I don't want to go where I've never been or meet people I've never met. I don't like phones because I don't have any social confidence. I'm starting to panic about everyday things especially traffic lights with cameras. I don't speed but feel like they will get me. I don't feel secure in any sense of the word. Is that anxiety? My son is Autistic and this has isolated us for ten years allowing this to creep over me. I have a huge sense of dread. I don't talk about it to anyone and I haven't seen a doctor because I don't like talking about it. I just know I will cry. XXX

Ca22a Feeling like I'm going around in a circle
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone. First time poster here. I am thirty-one years old and I feel lost. I work in a job where I am isolated and feel useless 100% of the time. I don't have many friends but the ones I do have I find myself isolating away from them. Some I que... View more

Hi everyone. First time poster here. I am thirty-one years old and I feel lost. I work in a job where I am isolated and feel useless 100% of the time. I don't have many friends but the ones I do have I find myself isolating away from them. Some I question if they are actually my friends anymore as they do not support me. I know I have trust issues as I am unable to open myself fully for my therapist either and have actually cancelled my last two appointments as I just feel like we're not making any progress. Along with working full time I am also studying online at university but I truly have no idea why. Part of me feels like maybe if I have a bachelor degree that people would start noticing me and respecting me, but I doubt it. And I don't know whether to stay or drop from uni. I am currently studying a BA in writing and English and I keep thinking 'what's the point'? This is not going to lead to a career and I don't even know what career I would like to go for. I have zero self-esteem and confidence in myself anymore and this job has definitely contributed to it. I am starting to feel paranoid that everyone around me is fake and I can't get out of my head to start living my life. I don't know how to express myself properly or back myself and it just....I just feel like I am getting no where and it's all my fault. I know what I should do but I'm just so stupid and lazy that I don't do it. I wish I was a stronger person to either fight this or accept it, but I'm not. I don't know what I am doing. I'm sorry, this is more a rant than a question but I just don't know what do. I am literally crippled from fear.

Elliebear Overwhelming scary feeling all the time
  • replies: 2

I don’t want to go into the entire background story right now it gets hard telling it over and over again. But I just need help I need an ear, I need a hand I have panic attacks that have started again I get sick feelings in my stomach and tingling l... View more

I don’t want to go into the entire background story right now it gets hard telling it over and over again. But I just need help I need an ear, I need a hand I have panic attacks that have started again I get sick feelings in my stomach and tingling like butterflies from my chest right down my arms to my fingers then spreads to down my legs I get feelings of such helplessness like I can’t help myself I’ve had extensive therapy no medication yet some haven’t worked. I want to feel happy again but I over think and need to safety plan and worry so much about what could go wrong from my past it’s destroying my relationships and existance. I have feelings I want to hurt myself I can’t! I have kids! How do you get past these unbearable feeling when you’re left to cry by the people you love you express to them directly what you’re feeling and get no concern back whatsoever I’m scared legitimately scared. I just need help a hand a friend someone not to get angry I just need someone to be there I’m so isolated and have nobody and have to be there everyday for 4 kids everyday and 6 kids every second week. What do I do? Any help is very welcomed thanks kindly Ellie

Toedmage Constantly paranoid about losing my job
  • replies: 1

Hi there - this is my first post so i apologise in advance as I know this may sound like someone whinging or complaining I was just unsure as what to do next. My current situation is that I am constantly worried about losing my job, even though I am ... View more

Hi there - this is my first post so i apologise in advance as I know this may sound like someone whinging or complaining I was just unsure as what to do next. My current situation is that I am constantly worried about losing my job, even though I am performing well and believe I am doing a good job. I have been in my current workplace for 3 months now but have had to take close too 2 weeks off due to having a viral infection in my eye which is highly contagious. A little history on myself is that a few years back I had a massive drinking problem as unfortunately I choose to cope with all my issues by drinking. Due to this i lost the majority of my friends and family ended up being in rehab and eventually homeless for a time. Fast forward to today - I have managed to get myself sorted thankfully and am so grateful as I am coming up 2 years sober now. Repercussions of those years of drinking is a lot of anxiety particularly around work - as holding a job a few years back was very challenging. I am a recruiter that is my job and it can be highly stressful. What i am currently telling myself is that i physically cannot go to work as if i make my entire office sick or even my clients/staff sick that this would cause way more troubles (plus my boss has told me not to come in till my eye clears) I guess I am just worried that my work will think I am not committed or dedicated or that I am someone who calls in sick constantly. I am very frustrated as I have now been to the doctors several times and there is nothing I can do to speed my eyes recovery up it is just going to take time. I have worked so hard to get to where i am today and i finally have a job that i love and am passionate about so i guess this is why i am so worried about it. I am just looking for other people's perspectives or thoughts on how i can come at this situation - at the end of the day when i finally do get back to work I will just work as hard as i can so that there isn't an issue - i need to work on more self love as a really am so highly critical of myself. If at the end of the day they do get rid of me for being sick then this wasn't the right place for me though i will be shattered. Having said that I have been through much worse and always make it out in the end. Thank you for reading and i wish a great day.

Nervybella Do you have a security blanket? Doesn't have to be a blanket...
  • replies: 3

I'm sitting here trying to apply for jobs and feeling generally miserable, I thought of this thread idea after a phone all from my mum - offering her support and being generally lovely... Do you have a "comfort blanket" person or thing? For me its my... View more

I'm sitting here trying to apply for jobs and feeling generally miserable, I thought of this thread idea after a phone all from my mum - offering her support and being generally lovely... Do you have a "comfort blanket" person or thing? For me its my mum. I'm an only child and she really is my best friend I would have to say. When the going gets tough she just knows what to say or do to comfort me. I know I am so lucky to have her... and yet, I just can't stop my mind from going where I don't want it to go.... one day she won't be here. Then what?? The thought makes me sick to my stomach and I burst into tears. I don't have many other people on my family. Only a few friends, and I am woried I will never have a partner or children of my own.. so one day I will be all by myself. I am scared Sh*itless for that day.... how will I be able to do anything?! Anyway I guess my real question here is - does anyone else have a support person or object maybe that they did lose somehow? What did you do? How did you cope? When I get caught up in my anxiety I just can't help but go to these thoughts of my Mum dying and here I am.... all alone best Bella.

Kate_21 My life has been taken over by social anxiety
  • replies: 1

For the past two and a half years, although I've never been professionally diagnosed by a doctor, I've been suffering from what I'm pretty certain is social anxiety. This constant feeling of anxiousness, loneliness and emptiness has completely and ut... View more

For the past two and a half years, although I've never been professionally diagnosed by a doctor, I've been suffering from what I'm pretty certain is social anxiety. This constant feeling of anxiousness, loneliness and emptiness has completely and utterly consumed my life; I'm terrified of so many things regarding social situations. My fears have left me isolated and without friends, I don't want anyone acknowledging my existence and always want to be alone. I distanced myself from the only two friends I had left because I've become so dysfunctional as a person who can barely maintain friendships or conversation, and they don't deserve to deal with someone me. I can't even trust my own family with my mental health because none of them take me seriously, they think they know me better than I know myself and try to tell me how I'm feeling rather than listening to what I'm actually telling them. Social anxiety is all I have left of me; I'm less than half the person I used to be and day by day my personality is just disintegrating. I'm completely lost within myself and don't know how to escape my feelings. If there's anyone out there reading this that relates to my struggles, I am sending you nothing but unconditional love and support. Please stay strong and remember that there is always a way out of the dark tunnel. I believe in you with all of my being.

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