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

Lostgirl815 Health anxiety - scared
  • replies: 4

Hi, this is my first post here. I’ve struggled with general anxiety and panic attacks since I was 4 years old. I have bouts of health anxiety also and it’s just surfaced again. Yesterday afternoon I started developing itchy lumps that looked like moz... View more

Hi, this is my first post here. I’ve struggled with general anxiety and panic attacks since I was 4 years old. I have bouts of health anxiety also and it’s just surfaced again. Yesterday afternoon I started developing itchy lumps that looked like mozzie bites. Over a few hours though they spread all over my thighs and lower back and eventually up my back and neck. They tuned into huge swollen welts. I was terrified, after a google search I discovered they were called hives and possibly an allergic reaction to something. They have since calmed down a lot over the last 24 hours, but the rash is still flaring up a bit then settling down. I have never had this before in my life and I ate nothing different or out of the ordinary to get them. I ended up staying awake all night to be on guard for an anaphylactic shock and and today I’ve been so on edge, thinking everything I eat is going to make my throat close up and I’ll die. Yes that sounds extreme but I can’t get rid of this fear now. I feel so insanely anxious and I just wish I knew what caused the hives. It’s the not knowing that is really affecting me. I’m not sure what my question is.. I guess I’m just looking for some advice to calm down and some logical input from others who also suffer anxiety to help combat the thoughts that I’m letting myself get carried away with right now.

MrAAndo A vicious cycle
  • replies: 3

Hey, I'm a 22 year old guy with anxiety and it's old pal depression. I'm currently getting stuck in a cycle which I can't seem to break. While I'm a bit introverted, I love chatting to people and feeling included. Over the past 6 months of university... View more

Hey, I'm a 22 year old guy with anxiety and it's old pal depression. I'm currently getting stuck in a cycle which I can't seem to break. While I'm a bit introverted, I love chatting to people and feeling included. Over the past 6 months of university I have been stuck in tutorials where I am nearly silent for a whole hour. For some reason I just can never start conversations with people and it feels like there is an invisible block between myself and them. This gets worse when I'm unsure of a topic as I completely shut down and try to avoid interaction. This then feeds into my depression as I feel completely alone. Does anyone know how you can try to remove this invisible block and feel comfortable chatting to other people? Any help would be amazing.

Obelina Needing advice.
  • replies: 3

Hi... Ive been managing my anxiety for a few years now without medication, however 3 months ago my anxiety took over (without me realizing until my life went a little upside down). So ive been seeing a dr and taking medication(which has helped so muc... View more

Hi... Ive been managing my anxiety for a few years now without medication, however 3 months ago my anxiety took over (without me realizing until my life went a little upside down). So ive been seeing a dr and taking medication(which has helped so much) being mindful and taking time for myself... but over the last few days ive been incredibly anxious again, overthinking ect... so i have a question, can the medication that has been working stop being as effective? Thanks.

forteloud Would love peoples thoughts
  • replies: 4

Hey, I'm here because i feel i may be struggling and have been struggling with mental health issues for a long time. I've always had a harsh outlook on life, i see things in a dim light and am extremely critical of other people, the world itself and ... View more

Hey, I'm here because i feel i may be struggling and have been struggling with mental health issues for a long time. I've always had a harsh outlook on life, i see things in a dim light and am extremely critical of other people, the world itself and of course, myself. I've been on a journey for a while now, I'd say i've been trying to discover how to function and how to feel like a human for a while. I've discovered a whole lot of things in my journey, the most important of which would be my discovery of what i believe to be true, authentic happiness with myself. I felt that, i believe i did, it was amazing and i strive to be back there because the fact that i can feel good, being capable of speaking to people, enjoying activities, being excited and hopeful for the future motivates me to improve every day. But i don't know if that was a rare state of euphoria or a sign of how i could be with good mental health. During a lot of school i would feel like shit, bad moods, dim and depressing outlook on life, its just what i know and what i saw the world as, i felt like shit every day but it was normal. This was life, i had nothing to compare it to. The more i became self aware the less happy i became, i slowly became aware of how my actions and words could hurt others, i never want to hurt people, or at least i know its wrong to hurt others. But i always was good at it, i suppose because of how critical and dim i was,i could find a flaw in anything, a true pessimist. Since late high school i went on a mission to change and improve, find a flaw, fix it, find another flaw, fix it. I did this through studying other people and of course, myself. A common practice for most people. I was at the same time look into how to be happy, how "normal" people think and feel and how to replicate those thoughts so i could feel the same way. I realised that constantly criticising myself was bad, i needed to stop but i did not want to go back to hurting other people. I'd say i'm pretty sensitive, i get hurt by things people say, but sometimes, if im not thinking, i forget that other people could feel the same way, i struggle to empathise sometimes. Its a brutal pattern.

Guest_672 I dont know if to leave the forums
  • replies: 8

Im worried im going to accidentally hurt someone on the forums. I always mean well but always seem to say the wrong things to people when i mean well. I dont know if its better to leave

Im worried im going to accidentally hurt someone on the forums. I always mean well but always seem to say the wrong things to people when i mean well. I dont know if its better to leave

Guest_672 Why do i keep trusting people
  • replies: 3

I dont know what section to write this in i am not with it today im super stressed and super tired. My dog has a lot of health issues and has an extensive vet history. I was told by a vet im on a black list with them. Ive always paid upront. Never ev... View more

I dont know what section to write this in i am not with it today im super stressed and super tired. My dog has a lot of health issues and has an extensive vet history. I was told by a vet im on a black list with them. Ive always paid upront. Never ever have i been rude. I will however leave truthful negative reviews and if i disagree with there opinion i will politely say so. I will also go to another vet for a second opinion. My dog has never been aggressive with them. Ive had tests done where ive paid upfront and havnt got results. Thats just a taste of mistreatment from vets. Yet i keep going back. My dog has a mild rash and i immediately jump to a vet even though i know its a complete waste of money cause i never get any proper treatment. Im paying off centrlink loan for last visit where i was charged double consult and rash wasny even looked at, but because im the least threatning person they always get away with it. I booked another consult with a different vet that although ill pay i can in no way afford considering i know ill just get burned again like always. Why do i keep doing it too myself. Why do i keep putting trust in people who i shouldnt? Its like ive completely lost fath in my judgements i think

Laus Throwing up anxiety attack
  • replies: 6

Hi guys, i have server anxiety and often throw up us a result when i have an attack. The only way to stop it is if i make myself sleep and even sometimes that doesn't work. Does anyone have any tips on trying to ease the anxiety before it even gets t... View more

Hi guys, i have server anxiety and often throw up us a result when i have an attack. The only way to stop it is if i make myself sleep and even sometimes that doesn't work. Does anyone have any tips on trying to ease the anxiety before it even gets to the point of me being sick? Any advice would be great.

ElifAriadne GAD diagnosis
  • replies: 2

I have been recently diagnosed with GAD. I didn't actually know what this was until I did some research after being diagnosed and realised it perfectly describes the terror I have been living in for the last 10 months, and to a lesser extent the anxi... View more

I have been recently diagnosed with GAD. I didn't actually know what this was until I did some research after being diagnosed and realised it perfectly describes the terror I have been living in for the last 10 months, and to a lesser extent the anxiety I have experienced over the last 10 years. I thought I just suffered from a specific phobia, but it does make sense as there are also several other triggers to my anxiety and panic attacks. I also have phobias/depression, which are tied in with the generalised anxiety. It is horrible. I don't know how to go about this: do I tell my close friends, my work, etc? It really makes every day things unbearable for me and what gave me the courage to go to a GP about how I was feeling was the depression and suicidal thoughts that I have been having as a result, which have developed over the past few months. I have panic attacks at least once a day, they are triggered so easily, even by just consuming, intrusive, racing thoughts in my mind. I am starting treatment with a psychologist next week, so I will see how that goes. I just want to know how to deal with this constant anxiety that is now combined with depression, it is so horrible I would not wish this upon anyone. I get so anxious and depressed sometimes as I feel like I will never be free from this. I make life so much harder for my loved ones, I just want to be back to normal again.

Parwana Over Thinking Every Single Thing
  • replies: 7

Over thinking everything. Thats how it all starts. Anxiety. Iv had it for 9 years now. I'm sick. Trying to fight an invisible battle every second of my life that no one can see. You think about something so small and insignificant so much that I turn... View more

Over thinking everything. Thats how it all starts. Anxiety. Iv had it for 9 years now. I'm sick. Trying to fight an invisible battle every second of my life that no one can see. You think about something so small and insignificant so much that I turns into this heavy rock on your chest . Your hands start to ache, your heart is pounding 200 miles an hour and you worry what the people around you are thinking as its happening. You keep it to your self because your think no one understands or cares. everyone else is so happy, so motivated about life, so joyful. And then there is you. Who can't get out of bed. who hates washing dishes. Then everything just falls out of place. So much worry and sadness from over analysing things. I would like to people who understand. who are on the same boat. who understand the pain and worry.

Freya10 Moving and feeling overwhelmed anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi all, Thanks for your time. I need some advice. We used to live in an area for 8 years and had to sell our house. We moved to a rental down in a much quieter seaside town where it's sleepy except tourist season. 40 mins away We have a 7 and 4 year ... View more

Hi all, Thanks for your time. I need some advice. We used to live in an area for 8 years and had to sell our house. We moved to a rental down in a much quieter seaside town where it's sleepy except tourist season. 40 mins away We have a 7 and 4 year old and my husband has to travel over an hour too and from work each day. We are looking at moving back to where we used to live for closer for my husband for work, more opportunity for me when i start work full time next year. And give the kids more opportunity in general with more things around them. My son has also started a sport down our old way (which is 40mins travel) to and from each week and its not available any closer so it's making it a long day and night after school. The thing is when we look at it all on paper it seems sensible to move back and family is down that way too. When i think about really doing it and sorting school and kinder it makes me freak out a little. I'm just so scared of making the wrong choice for the kids and pulling them out of where they have been used too with school and kinder. It's a big deal to get used to a new house and new school and somewhat a new area. we have also seen the perfect house we would love to rent (if we get it) but it we do get it we could be moving in a months time! I was thinking of just traveling back to the kids school and kinder until we get settled but not sure if i should... Even though it's 40mins back down the road why does it feel so big!? I feel like i can't make a decision anymore.