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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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Guest_598 Relationship Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hello All, I separated from my husband last year after nearly ten years together. Our relationship was often difficult and I have noticed a lot of legacy issues as a result. During the last year leading up to the separation, I sometimes had quite sev... View more

Hello All, I separated from my husband last year after nearly ten years together. Our relationship was often difficult and I have noticed a lot of legacy issues as a result. During the last year leading up to the separation, I sometimes had quite severe anxiety with ruminating behaviour, constant worrying and fatalistic thinking (i.e. everything would go wrong). A lot of these things stem from stress and the fact that everything was always my fault and my issue (that was what I was told). I now have a new partner. He is absolutely lovely but he is going through quite a bit of tough times himself at the moment because he separated from his alcoholic wife a few months ago. He is holding up well and seeing a psychologist but it is obviously all still hard, especially since he needs to sell their house and manage her finances. I am now really worried and anxious because we have to keep our relationship secret for work reasons and so that she does not display aggressive behaviour before the consent order is signed. Also, he is dealing with so much emotional turmoil that he cannot progress emotionally as fast as I, even though he started out faster than me and now is kind of slowed down by all the emotional stress. I have no doubt we have wonderful potential but sometimes, this situation takes a massive toll on my psyche. When I mention that it is tough, I get really worked up (sad) because I feel worried and guilty that I pile onto his stress. But I cannot just swallow all my concerns and neither do I think I should have to. We can communicate well but this week, it hit him quite hard when I had another episode of strong anxiety. I think it is becoming a bit much for him although he says he finds me wonderful. I am scared that I will drive him away because he is in a fragile state and I am dealing with my past and the current situation causes me a lot of anxiety because of the limbo I feel we are in. I am not sure what to do, I am seeing a psychologist next week to start sessions and I am reading up on strategies and providers for help on beyondblue. But I would really like some reassurance and advice from people who understand how I feel. I do not want to drive my partner away, I really care about us. But how can I best look after myself and his needs? And how can I make sure I do not lose myself and my own needs just to keep him. That would not be healthy either. I would really appreciate your help. Thank you in advance!!

Yvaine Work Anxiety
  • replies: 5

Hi all, This is my first time ever posting on here! So basically I've had anxiety since I was young and as far as I remember was consequently diagnosed with GAD. I've been working in a new job since June 2018 in a completely unfamiliar field and I've... View more

Hi all, This is my first time ever posting on here! So basically I've had anxiety since I was young and as far as I remember was consequently diagnosed with GAD. I've been working in a new job since June 2018 in a completely unfamiliar field and I've been suffering panic attacks and severe anxiety every day since. I've been finding it really hard to be happy or stay positive, I still attend social action the hope that they make the anxiety and pain go away, but half the time I'm thinking about work and about how unqualified I believe I am and start catastrophizing in loops. I lose sleep, fear that time is moving so fast and dread just claws away at every moment. I've never felt this bad before and I'm lost on what to do. I've been considering medication just to take the edge off because right now I'm just not coping well mentally/physically/emotionally. Doea anybody have any advice or similar experiences and can offer any support? Ps: my boss knows that I have anxiety but has told me that I have to find a way to put it aside and focus on my work because I'm just making mistakes all the time that I shouldn't be and they're getting more stressed and concerned about everything I'm doing on the job (making sure I'm doing it right). Hope that all makes sense. I'm just feeling very alone right now and feel that my anxiety is so out of control I can't feel content or happy without being reminded that anxiety and dread will always come back to take it away. Thanks so much for your support and responses in advance! God bless.

Gordon112 Now im straight but scared i am in denial
  • replies: 3

Hey, so my entire life I have not only been certain I have been confident that I am straight, and I know that for certain deep down I am straight. But since the start of the school year I have been terrified that I am slowly turning gay, or that I ha... View more

Hey, so my entire life I have not only been certain I have been confident that I am straight, and I know that for certain deep down I am straight. But since the start of the school year I have been terrified that I am slowly turning gay, or that I have and am in denial. When this fear started it began with a massive bout of anxiety that slowly began to manifest itself in the form of intrusive thoughts. I have not only never had crushes on the same sex (I should clarify that I am male) and I have found the thought of being in a same sex relationship does not only sit well with me, It doesnt feel right at all. Fast forward a few weeks the thoughts have died down but I am afraid that I may have subconsciously accepted these thoughts as myself and that I am only in denial. This has left me freaking out to the point that I have developed what I can only describe as compulsions (looking at pictures of shirtless men vs naked women and seeing if I have a reaction down in my pants, picturing the images in my head to see if I enjoy them, watching gay porn to see if I have an reaction). I should also clarify that it doesnt feel like questioning, it only feels like intense to mild anxiety. I have also considered the possibility of having undiagnosed OCD because I have also had intrusive thoughts and anixety in the past about having undiagnosed Bowel cancer even though there was no evidence I had it, and have also had a bad panic attack last year involving a gory scene I had seen that made me terrified of leaving my house. I should again clarify that I have known my sexuality since I began puberty (halfway through year 4, very early bloomer at age 9). I havent really had any reason to doubt my sexuality because I have never had a crush on the same sex and any experimentation I did during early high school with gay porn also didnt fit right with me. I also wouldnt call this anxiety internalised homophobia because while I know im straight and homosexuality doesnt really sit with me, I understand that love is love (my sister is bisexual herself). I just dont want to be gay.

AgavePlant Can’t go to school because of Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi, For about 6 Years now I’ve been experiencing school related anxiety and panic attacks. I’m really unhappy at my current school, there’s lots of academic pressure and it’s a huge high school so I often feel very isolated and like nobody could unde... View more

Hi, For about 6 Years now I’ve been experiencing school related anxiety and panic attacks. I’m really unhappy at my current school, there’s lots of academic pressure and it’s a huge high school so I often feel very isolated and like nobody could understand, I have trouble making conversation, I feel very awkward in social situations and tend to avoid them. I tried trialling at a different school but I still felt isolated and was largely ignored. I’m considering homeschooling and I wanted advice to see if that might be a better option or if there are other alternative schooling options?

Stussylee PLEASE - Finding it hard to maintain employment
  • replies: 7

For the life of me I need support. I have a problem wherein land these jobs and then I just chuck in the towel. I just don't rock up , why? I don't know I am trying to get to the bottom of it. Find out how to live a life where I am not self sabotagin... View more

For the life of me I need support. I have a problem wherein land these jobs and then I just chuck in the towel. I just don't rock up , why? I don't know I am trying to get to the bottom of it. Find out how to live a life where I am not self sabotaging myself.

kned Antenatal anxiety
  • replies: 5

Thought I'd reach out on here to see if there are any mums (or dads) who have experience antenatal anxiety? I'm nearly 33 weeks and I think I can finally admit that I have some antenatal anxiety. I will talk to my Dr at the next checkup but I was hop... View more

Thought I'd reach out on here to see if there are any mums (or dads) who have experience antenatal anxiety? I'm nearly 33 weeks and I think I can finally admit that I have some antenatal anxiety. I will talk to my Dr at the next checkup but I was hoping others may be able to share their experience. What helped you get through the pregnancy? Did it go away after the baby was born? Do you have any online resources or books or apps you can recommend? This is my 3rd baby and I did have a bit of anxiety with the last 2 but not nearly this bad. Thanks

Scintilla Old "friend"
  • replies: 2

Hello! I'm not exactly new here, but it's been a while since I first posted here last year, and I would appreciate it if someone could help with my situation. I've graduated from high school and life's been good so far, I've reconnected with my old f... View more

Hello! I'm not exactly new here, but it's been a while since I first posted here last year, and I would appreciate it if someone could help with my situation. I've graduated from high school and life's been good so far, I've reconnected with my old friends despite my busy schedule. This week, I have free time and think that reconnecting with an old high school friend would be a good idea this weekend. My friend, "F", very kind and overall nice friend, but the thing is she's too nice. She told me that she can go hang out with me this weekend. But then, she mentioned her friend "D" and she said she would like to go together another time. And between me and D, let's say that we're not in the best terms, and every time someone mentioned her name, I have a sudden feeling of panic and fear and I feel like I'm suffocating. I don't know if I'm being anxious, just dramatic, or overreacting, but back in middle school, D always clinging to me and... let's say she manipulated me through her words. In middle school days, she hated the girls from other class and wouldn't allow me to interact them, hell, even when I only greeted the girls with a wave of hand, she slapped my hand and told me if I talk to them, she would never talk to me ever. D had done pretty bad things to me; "borrowing" my money just to buy phone data, told me I was heartless when I decided to go to different extracurricular club than her, breaching my privacy by seeing through my chats between me and my family and friends, seeing my diary, teasing about my "crush" on a boy that I wasn't interest that I deemed to be a good person, and many more. She even made an upperclassman confronting me because I take her "joke" badly when in reality it hurts me and I don't want to be joked about my non-existent crush. Overall, she trapped me. I once talked about my problem with D to my teacher, and apparently D got a wind of it and things got worse. It's a miracle I've survived two years of middle school with her presence around before I moved away and never get "triggered" of her name. Now I'm back, and it's been a while that I've heard her name, and now I'm getting flashbacks and horrible memories. I'm scared. I thought I'm over with her, but her name gives me those flashbacks again and I couldn't help it. It makes me anxious. I don't want to see her. What should I do? What should I say to F that I don't want D in my life anymore? Scintilla.

Aliceshea Work Conversation
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone this is my first time posting. I’ve been struggling with anxiety and depression for some time now. I’ve recently started antidepressants medication. im concerned about work. I’m considering having a conversation with my manager about what... View more

Hi everyone this is my first time posting. I’ve been struggling with anxiety and depression for some time now. I’ve recently started antidepressants medication. im concerned about work. I’m considering having a conversation with my manager about what to do with work. Although I don’t know if I should wait and see how I cope with the medication or if it is worth having the conversation. I’m wondering if anyone one here has had this kind of experience? i also was wondering what kind of things to say or how to start the conversation? thanks everyone Alice

Totaldeano Health anxiety physical symptoms
  • replies: 2

Hi all first time poster. I had a panic attack apparently 2 years ago had the tingling all over numbness burning sensations and of course I went to the ER and followed job with go MRI of brain all clear but my anxiety spiraled out of control took me ... View more

Hi all first time poster. I had a panic attack apparently 2 years ago had the tingling all over numbness burning sensations and of course I went to the ER and followed job with go MRI of brain all clear but my anxiety spiraled out of control took me months to get back to normal with phcs mental health plan. But I have over the last couple months have had another hit. With different systems started after I had both my bottom wisdom teeth out. Sore neck left front like pressure saw jaw (I know I grind) but the worst is there is this feeling of a lump in my throat. Had blood test done 2 separate doctors can eat and drink without swallow without pain or difficulty but I just can not let it go sometimes I just try to cough it up lol. My sister had the same lump in the throat feeling for 12 months and it was anxiety. So why can I not let it go Thanks I am on meds and a mental health plan

Strawdog Anxiety
  • replies: 6

Well here we are... never thought ild be on forum re this topic. Pretty much 20yrs anxiety free then out of the blue a full blown panic attack in the middle of a conference (200+ people). Extremely debilitating and scary.. not sure what brought it on... View more

Well here we are... never thought ild be on forum re this topic. Pretty much 20yrs anxiety free then out of the blue a full blown panic attack in the middle of a conference (200+ people). Extremely debilitating and scary.. not sure what brought it on but had two back to back. 44 yr old male father of 3.. how did i get here?? Manage to compose myself enough to leave the room... been difficult two weeks since. Recurring attacks in staff meetings, client visits... its been horrible. So... where to from here? Anxiety feeds on anxiety so you start to worry about what might occur and that in turn hightens your anxiety. 20ys of public transport... attack on a crouded train WTF!! Anyway... i feel like sh*te, cant tell anyone and you live in a state of fogg/ stress making it difficult to function at timed. Curious to know if im not alone with this... and how to regain myself after a poor month if anxiety. Thanks