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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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ImLost HELP: Anxiety+Panic Attacks+Depression - Work+study+Life
  • replies: 1

October last year I was officially diagnosed with: Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks and Depression. Over the last few months I have been handed from place to place. One said "We can't help you." I am still trying to find a psychologist that I can go t... View more

October last year I was officially diagnosed with: Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks and Depression. Over the last few months I have been handed from place to place. One said "We can't help you." I am still trying to find a psychologist that I can go to as my current isn't working out. I'm on my 4th medication *fingers crossed*. I am hoping I am not alone in this situation. I am starting to feel like a burden on my family (currently living with), my partner and friends. I am currently having to take a few months off work due to it being a large trigger. Even thinking about heading into work sends me spiralling down. I also study part-time which I have not attended in weeks due to not feeling up to it. I've managed to keep up with the work online hoping to finish the course as I am interested in the topics. I'm hoping someone has had a similar experience. After talking with my partner and family + doctor and Psychologist I have been thinking about leaving my work to spend some time to work on my health. I really would like to get myself at a level where I could go to UNI and complete a degree in something I really enjoy. I'm scare about how to do this, my workplace is like gossip central. From the moment I walk in I feel like they all watch me like hawks. I don't think many of them understand what I'm going through and think it's like a cold that will "Go away soon" and I'll be back to normal. Does anyone else feel like they are missing parts of them selves? I always loved photography, reading books and doing arts and crafts but I feel like all my creativity is gone. I have a hard time sitting still long enough to enjoy a book or trying to create pictures that I imagine. I know I need help but every time I try I either feel like a burden or I get passed around a system that doesn't know what to do with me.

nikooo health anxiety
  • replies: 1

hiya! the last week my anxiety has been through the roof with so many new symptoms that it’s scary. like: sharp pains in arms and legs, migraines, stomach pain, sore teeth and brain zaps. it’s a little all too much that i’m starting to think it’s not... View more

hiya! the last week my anxiety has been through the roof with so many new symptoms that it’s scary. like: sharp pains in arms and legs, migraines, stomach pain, sore teeth and brain zaps. it’s a little all too much that i’m starting to think it’s not my anxiety.

Luketheanxious Fear of cancer,
  • replies: 7

Greetings everyone, my name is Luke. i have been battling GAD for quite sometime now and have recently started medication, it’s working wonders. im a chemistry student and an explosives engineer, recently I was doing a daily examination of my testicl... View more

Greetings everyone, my name is Luke. i have been battling GAD for quite sometime now and have recently started medication, it’s working wonders. im a chemistry student and an explosives engineer, recently I was doing a daily examination of my testicles when I noticed a lump. It was about the size of a peppercorn and didn’t hurt. I was born with an un decsended testicle and it’s been a problem my whole life, I learned that I would be at a greater risk of cancer etc. anyeah, I left it for a few days and checked agai, sure enough it was still there, I’ve booked an appointment to see an endocrinologist ASAP but in the mean time I’m severely distressed. as far as cancer goes, how bad is testicular cancer? Could it be a cyst? Thank you all for reading, any support is appreciated

Jobby24 Anxious Thoughts
  • replies: 4

After suffering with Anxiety for 5 years, I finally started meds and have been on them for 1 week. I realise they don’t start working for a few weeks. My problem is at the moment - I take a perceived issue and snowball it in my mind to this huge big ... View more

After suffering with Anxiety for 5 years, I finally started meds and have been on them for 1 week. I realise they don’t start working for a few weeks. My problem is at the moment - I take a perceived issue and snowball it in my mind to this huge big “my life as I know it will end” thing. When I get stuck on something like this it’s all I can think about - I wake up in the middle of the night and just keep building it up bigger and bigger. I remind myself that hardly anything I ever worry about actually happens but that doesn’t help because what if this is the first big thing that does happen and my life (I love my life with my family) will be over and I will be devastated? I can’t seem to budge the feelings for a few days and then they diminish but never go away completely and I might be reminded of them in a vague way and then all those anxious feelings I felt come flooding back. I get worried that my gut instinct is all out of whack - I don’t know what feelings to trust and what ones not too. Each thing I worry about seems very huge and important and worthy of my thoughts. I’m not even sure I’m making sense. I try to practice mindfulness but I can’t always make it work. Any advice? Also unsure if the meds will help this? Thank you for reading this!

T95 Quit Job
  • replies: 3

Hi, For the last 2 months I have been working at a new job. During this time my anxiety has been the worst it's even been. I've had so many panic attacks which I've never had before. The people at this job are nice, the work load is a lot and stressf... View more

Hi, For the last 2 months I have been working at a new job. During this time my anxiety has been the worst it's even been. I've had so many panic attacks which I've never had before. The people at this job are nice, the work load is a lot and stressful. I ended up wanting to quit a month ago but thought maybe I was being hard on myself and just needed to settle in. My anxiety for worse since then and the thought of going back makes me wants to crumble into 1000 pieces. I saw my doctor yesterday and she put me on a "low" does anxiety medication. However, today I have no appetite and a migraine. Has anyone else experienced this? I also decided to quit my job. My partner wasn't very supportive of this decision as I don't have a job to go to until I find one. I've always stuck jobs out and always had one before I've left but this time I just couldn't and I feel like a failure. Now we have to live off my partners income and it's just going to tear us apart.

white knight Anxiety -mind over matter
  • replies: 4

We've heard the saying "mind over matter", that is to be mentally strong enough to endure lifes challenges like abuse, rejection, mental daily challenges and even basic action like going outdoors to shop. One of the many problems with anxiety, that w... View more

We've heard the saying "mind over matter", that is to be mentally strong enough to endure lifes challenges like abuse, rejection, mental daily challenges and even basic action like going outdoors to shop. One of the many problems with anxiety, that was highlighted in1987 during my first therapy session was realism. He asked me regularly when I mentioned my thoughts during the week- "is that realistic"? 90% of the time it wasn't hence, an anxious mental state. Eg I wont park in a one hour zone to enter a newsagents or I might get a parking fine. Unrealistic as I'd only be there 5 minutes. I wont take a train into the city as there might be a train strike and I'd be stranded. Getting things into perspective is a key to recovery with anxiety. What about "matter over mind"? It is another theory of mine. Many times during my decades of anxiety now largely conquered, I'd question my ability to carry out a basic task like driving to a town I not often visited. Yet when I finally found the courage the task proved easy. Some of this process involves changing our mind Google Beyondblue Topic switching mindsets Essentially that theme is to allow your physical actions to commence a task BEFORE you think too much about it, knowing that it is my minds anxious makeup that is enabling me to feel I cant do those tasks. Mind over matter is an impossible thinking process if it is beyond your capability. "Matter over mind" is more possible by temporarily detaching your over thinking, over analysing mind. A process more likely within your capability. It is a different path to the same objective...to overcome our unrealistic fears that can lead us back towards a normal life. Freedom from anxiety took me 30 years. Matter over mind had a significant role in that recovery. TonyWK

Rod_NR93 Adopted a pet by mistake?
  • replies: 2

I wasnt sure where to post this thread but as I suffer anxiety this seemed the best place. I adopted a kitten only three days ago and feel I have to return it. I thought long and hard about adopting. It was not a decision I made on impulse. Having th... View more

I wasnt sure where to post this thread but as I suffer anxiety this seemed the best place. I adopted a kitten only three days ago and feel I have to return it. I thought long and hard about adopting. It was not a decision I made on impulse. Having the kitten has almost turned my home life upside down. The cat also demands my constant attention. I can't handle it and fortunately the RSPCA will take her back. I've decided to reassess on Monday. I feel just awful though.

Jimbo86 Depersonalisation
  • replies: 5

Hello everybody does anyone have any helpful tips on depersonalisation

Hello everybody does anyone have any helpful tips on depersonalisation

CourtneyJ Post kitten adoption regret - can anyone relate?
  • replies: 8

Hi 31 year old GAD sufferer here. I've just recently adopted a 12 week old kitten named Henry. For a kitten he's very well behaved (uses the litter box, does scratch too much etc.) Now I didn't adopt on a whim. I thought about it for a while and did ... View more

Hi 31 year old GAD sufferer here. I've just recently adopted a 12 week old kitten named Henry. For a kitten he's very well behaved (uses the litter box, does scratch too much etc.) Now I didn't adopt on a whim. I thought about it for a while and did a lot of preparation. But now I have him home I am f-n miserable. My anxiety levels are through the roof. I can't eat, don't sleep and even forget to shower. I don't want to pet him at all and I cry all the time. And I resent the changes he's caused to my living space (not being able to have open doors in my house to the bedroom or balcony). I have a 1 bedroom apartment and I've alway been very introverted and valued my personal space and not having to share it with anyone else. All my friends say that it's a phase, that it'll pass and that eventually I won't be able to live without him. I don't see this happening (probably because I'm consumed by my anxiety). I just want to return him to the RSPCA and I have 1.5 weeks to decide. Has anyone else been through this? Does anyone have any advice? Note: Please don't say anything about "adopting 2 kittens" because that is not going to happen.

Guest_2574 How do i deal with my abusive neighbour
  • replies: 2

My neighbour adjoining my townhouse is psychologicaly abusive to me and my dog. I have nothing but polite and helpful to her. I have given her expensive things. Helped her pets out. Even bought her a washing machine. Never got a thankyou for any of i... View more

My neighbour adjoining my townhouse is psychologicaly abusive to me and my dog. I have nothing but polite and helpful to her. I have given her expensive things. Helped her pets out. Even bought her a washing machine. Never got a thankyou for any of it. I hadn't seen her out her front for awhile and even knocked on her door to ask r u ok? For quite awhile now shes been realy rude to me in subtle ways. Not once has she asked about my mental health. She gives me a slanty eyed look or avoids eye contact altogether. She knows im the least externaly angry person so knows it will bottle up inside me. Shes put a bin against the fence and piling her dogs poo in plastic bags up in it. You can imagine the smell on a hot day. I wish i could move where theres no humans but im stuck here