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

KawaiiOverlord Anxiety causing paranoia
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I have been diagnosed with anxiety for a while now and have always had my loving boyfriend to help me through it. Recently I've become paranoid that he is cheating on me and doesn't love me anymore. I want to believe him when he says no but voices al... View more

I have been diagnosed with anxiety for a while now and have always had my loving boyfriend to help me through it. Recently I've become paranoid that he is cheating on me and doesn't love me anymore. I want to believe him when he says no but voices always tell me he is lying. I am terrified of losing him and don't want to live in a world without him, I am worried my paranoia is pushing him further away. He has always tolerated my anxiety and panic attacks in the past but I'm concerned this will push him over the edge. I love him so much it hurts. Does anyone know how to stop paranoia, or actually get rid of anxiety? I feel like I have tried everything over the past 5 years (working with my psychologists) but nothing has ever worked. I feel like I am slowly ruining my own life but can't control my actions. Please help.

Constant_worrier Am I going crazy
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Hi everyone, I’m new here and I’m wondering if anyone else with anxiety or OCD has similar symptoms to me because I’m scared I’m developing a more serious mental illness. I have suffered anxiety for years and recently OCD type of thinking. I’ve manag... View more

Hi everyone, I’m new here and I’m wondering if anyone else with anxiety or OCD has similar symptoms to me because I’m scared I’m developing a more serious mental illness. I have suffered anxiety for years and recently OCD type of thinking. I’ve managed to find ways to deal with that and was just starting to feel better, then the other morning as I was waking up I started to random racing thoughts that didn’t feel like were mine I mean not that I was hearing voices outside of my head or anything just like the thoughts were racing and were in a different voice they didn’t make any sense and were just half sentences. It scared me so much that of course I started googling it big mistake now I’m terrier I am developing schizophrenia or psychosis. I have just had serve anxiety for the past 3 months now I’m really scared that my brain is just going to completely check out. Please help I’m worried I’m going crazy

whose_da_man88 Psychologist vs Psychartrists for physical symptoms
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Hi, I've had my times when I'm back to who I was, and times where I'm downhill again. I think they call this lapses or relapsing. My colleague who has been seeing a psychiatrist and is on meds, has said he has watched me suffer trying to deal with it... View more

Hi, I've had my times when I'm back to who I was, and times where I'm downhill again. I think they call this lapses or relapsing. My colleague who has been seeing a psychiatrist and is on meds, has said he has watched me suffer trying to deal with it the natural way via a psychologists with the wort being my most hardcore supplement and he is heavily recommending going to see a psychartist who might be able to review my physical symptoms better than my GP or psychologist. To this day, I still am questioning - is it anxiety? Or is there something else wrong. It probably is because I can be back to normal but everything is so tangled together. I recognised I need to change my life and calm down rather than to pop a pill - which is why I've been avoiding the meds path but I'm at a crossroad now where I've lapsed again and feel like crap and seriously contemplating the psychartist and med path in the hope that this gives me my life back where my physical symptoms are a long way back in the rear view mirror. A friend said to me that since I am going through so much physical symptoms that a psychiatrist is probably better than a psychologist. Has anyone been down this path as to which one is better? I did a bit of reading (as we all do ...) and it seems like a psychiatrist has more medical experience as well as having the ability to prescribe meds so maybe they would better understand my physical symptoms and implemented a better recovery plan than psychologist and talk therapies? Also anyone know of any psychiatrist that bulk bill in Sydney that has helped them? I've found literally no bulk bill psychiatrist aside from those that might do it if you are in difficult circumstances like unemployed. I can't say I'm in the poor category but I can't say I'm well off either so trying to find a balance between the wallet and getting better ... Appreciate everyone's input.

EarthlingEarth Feeling alone .
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Hello I’m new to Beyond Blue, I have had anxiety since my father died around 5 years ago, soon after this my husband had a nervous breakdown,then my daughter went through anorexia as well as my youngest having behavioural problems. Now I had mild anx... View more

Hello I’m new to Beyond Blue, I have had anxiety since my father died around 5 years ago, soon after this my husband had a nervous breakdown,then my daughter went through anorexia as well as my youngest having behavioural problems. Now I had mild anxiety at the time , but after this had occurred,I found out my own mother and brother had been backstabbing me for years, they never apologised so I have cut all contact with them , this made my anxiety worse .I basically feel alone as I have not many true friends , and no one seems to really care . I’m a middle aged woman who feels trapped in this anxiety nightmare feeling ,pit in the stomach every day and wouldn’t mind advice from people,on ways to cope with it . I currently don’t work as my youngest as at school still, but would love to return to work but I don’t have great people skills . Going back before this I was in a business with my husband doing the books, that ended and we moved interstate and I haven’t worked since . Thanks for reading my story .

daoga Fair Work Act 2009 and Social Anxiety Disorder
  • replies: 3

Is it a violation of the Fair Work Act 2009 to be told by a manager that I can't be promoted unless I am able to overcome my social anxiety? https://www.humanrights.gov.au/quick-guide/11935

Is it a violation of the Fair Work Act 2009 to be told by a manager that I can't be promoted unless I am able to overcome my social anxiety? https://www.humanrights.gov.au/quick-guide/11935

Guest5643 Panic or anxiety attacks?
  • replies: 12

I have comorbid mental illness and my anxiety has been realy bad this year. It takes the smallest thing to go wrong to set me off. Is there a difference between bad anxiety attack or panic attack?

I have comorbid mental illness and my anxiety has been realy bad this year. It takes the smallest thing to go wrong to set me off. Is there a difference between bad anxiety attack or panic attack?

Lostsomewhere Need to overcome this
  • replies: 5

Hello everyone, I went through severe and suicidal depression in 2016. The main reason behind this was my toxic work environment and my boss who'd made my life very miserable. I used to be under immense stress all the time until everything went out o... View more

Hello everyone, I went through severe and suicidal depression in 2016. The main reason behind this was my toxic work environment and my boss who'd made my life very miserable. I used to be under immense stress all the time until everything went out of control when I developed some other health issues related to it. Back then I used to be overseas and I left my job. Now I'm in Australia and still I get a different sort of anxiety when it comes to applying for jobs. I feel like as if I'm the biggest loser/failure. I even went to a therapist and she was helpful but not that much. I need to overcome this on my own and I'm badly stuck. I talked to a professional related to the industry I used to work in and he told me that I should create a Linkedin profile as he has found it very useful. I have created my profile there but I need to fill in details. I still get flashbacks of my abusive boss and people find it very hard to believe that I'm still getting flashbacks. When I joined Linkedin, it connected me to my previous employer's page and it ruined my mood. Now I how do I overcome this? I so badly need to get out of it. Sometimes I get thoughts of quitting but other days, I'm very motivated but it only lasts for a short time. Kind regards, LS

anotherpuglover Anxiety? I don’t know what’s going on
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Hi all, I posted a few days back saying I was feeling very depressed and crying all the time for no apparent reason. I have started to feel extremely anxious about going to work, this morning was the second time I had a panic attack in the last few d... View more

Hi all, I posted a few days back saying I was feeling very depressed and crying all the time for no apparent reason. I have started to feel extremely anxious about going to work, this morning was the second time I had a panic attack in the last few days before going. I don’t dislike my job, I want to go to keep my mind busy but I just stress about going so much. I am not entirely sure what I am fearful about, whether it’s the occasional rude customer, being away from the comfort of my home for so long or whether it’s about feeling as though I will break down in tears. I have so many emotions going on at the moment and I can’t explain why I’m feeling like this.

Booklover17 Struggling - anxiety and ptsd
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone, I have been struggling for about 2 weeks now and just wanted to share it with someone. I hurt my back badly dancing and now I am scared to dance. Dancing was one of my favourite things to do. At the moment, I am not looking forward to an... View more

Hi everyone, I have been struggling for about 2 weeks now and just wanted to share it with someone. I hurt my back badly dancing and now I am scared to dance. Dancing was one of my favourite things to do. At the moment, I am not looking forward to anything. My psych says it’s ptsd but I am in between appointments at the moment. I also have anxiety Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

steph1331 I can’t take much more.
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Hubby is depressed, angry, miserable, erratic behaviour, no patience. He is on meds (changed meds as first one wasn’t effective). I am anxious for various past reasons but now even more so having to deal with hubby’s behaviour. I feel I can’t take mu... View more

Hubby is depressed, angry, miserable, erratic behaviour, no patience. He is on meds (changed meds as first one wasn’t effective). I am anxious for various past reasons but now even more so having to deal with hubby’s behaviour. I feel I can’t take much more as I am constantly feeling anxious especially as I don’t know what mood he will be in next. Hubby has had enough of work, his boss complains a lot either -not enough work, too much work, & more, & hubby takes it to heart & personal. He used to love his job up until a few weeks ago. Our family & friends know of hubby’s depression so they are supportive of him when they are around. I hate to sound selfish, but other than one friend of mine, no one cares about how I feel. They are quick to give me advice on how to be -such as “he needs to do something he loves”, one saying to me, “don’t sweat the small stuff, you’re always on to him”, which made me feel as though it’s my fault he is depressed. They have no idea what living with him is like. I cry a lot, I’m anxious a lot, I try & be happy & positive however that changes when something doesn’t go hubby’s way & he gets angry & loses his temper, even for small stuff, He is not violent towards us, but he swears a lot & throws or slams things when he is angry, which causes stress on & tension (we have an adult son & teenage daughter at home). It effects me deeply & I think of splitting from him. I do love him & care about him & I don’t particularly want to break up, but our relationship is on his terms & I’m not happy. There‘s little affection, we‘ve talked about it & he says he will try harder & it will get better, & we’ll be alright. I‘be got to the point I don’t want to touch him as I‘ve been rejected so many times, I resent him, I’m too scared to talk to him as he doesn’t like what he hears & gets angry & says I don’t understand. It seems like it’s always about him & his depression. We have gone to couples therapy & he has seen the same psychologist prior for his depression (on my advice) but every time we‘re there she reverts back to his childhood & how it has effected him etc. & quite frankly I’m over hearing it. I‘ve had many days off work due to my anxiety, I don’t know what to do. I can’t live on edge, as that is what its like when he’s around. We just can’t tell what mood he’ll be in next. It’s not healthy to feel like you have butterflies squirming around in your chest most of the time. I don’t know how much more I can take of feeling like this.