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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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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

Bubble202 Not sure if I am the only one...
  • replies: 1

Hi All, just looking to see if anyone else can relate or has found ways to help through similar times. I have always struggled with OCD as a child and with age I managed to get a good grasp on it, but of late I have noticed tiny bits of it sneaking b... View more

Hi All, just looking to see if anyone else can relate or has found ways to help through similar times. I have always struggled with OCD as a child and with age I managed to get a good grasp on it, but of late I have noticed tiny bits of it sneaking back in. I am very type a, and feel like I am always worrying about SOMETHING. What that thing is just depends on my biggest “fear” at the time. Sometimes I’m anxious I will lose my job, or I will get sick, or someone I love will get sick or die. I am constantly imagining a world of worst case scenarios and this probably doesn’t make sense but it makes me feel almost too scared to be happy. whenever something good happens, almost immediately something that I am worried about sneaks in and I’m back to be worried. Sometimes this makes me unproductive - and almost too scared to do anything. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and my heart is racing and I few like I’ve been awake for hours, other times I’m so tired all I want to do is sleep. I often also feel like I am a “little” sick, almost as if I am getting sick but very rarely do. This then gives me anxiety as well. Can anyone share similar experiences and let me know what has helped? Thanks

Julie3392 First day at work, felt very anxious
  • replies: 6

Hey everyone, So I just finished my first day at work, and I’m feeling very overwhelmed and anxious. I can’t help but feel like I was more of a burden to the company, and I’m not sure I can handle working there long term. I was hoping to work for at ... View more

Hey everyone, So I just finished my first day at work, and I’m feeling very overwhelmed and anxious. I can’t help but feel like I was more of a burden to the company, and I’m not sure I can handle working there long term. I was hoping to work for at least a year, for the experience and also for my resume. But I’m afraid I can’t control my anxiety, or that it will get worse. I know it’s only the first day, but I’m afraid my fears and anxiety are getting to me.

WorriedFather 16 y.o. boy housebound with anxiety - help needed
  • replies: 7

Hi Everyone, I'm writing this in the hope that I might be able to get some advice from a parent out there who may have experienced a similar problem with their child. In the middle of 2018 my son (let's call him Jay) at the end of 1st term school hol... View more

Hi Everyone, I'm writing this in the hope that I might be able to get some advice from a parent out there who may have experienced a similar problem with their child. In the middle of 2018 my son (let's call him Jay) at the end of 1st term school holidays was "feeling sick in the stomach" and was unable to go to school for a few days. That didn't strike us as abnormal at that point. At the end of second term school holidays the same thing happened - he felt sick in the tummy, couldn't go to school. This time however he was off for a couple of weeks. He managed to get back there for a day or two but that was it. At that point we were thinking he had some kind of stomach issue. Jay had a large group of friends, all good kids, he was happy, socialising all the time. We took him to the GP, had blood tests done, this test, that test but nothing came back as being a problem. We then took him to see a gastroenterologist, he had a gastroscopy procedure which showed he had a mild hiatal hernia but nothing which should have prevented him from going to school. A couple of months had passed by this stage and Jay had not really been back to school since the holidays. School work was being done at home but he was becoming increasingly resistant to leaving the house to go places. He started having mild panic attacks, feeling sick in the stomach at shopping centres and restaurants. We took him to see a psychiatrist who diagnosed Jay with anxiety. Jay refused to believe this was the case as there was nothing bothering him. He was prescribed anxiety meds but they really didn't help. The psych sessions yielded nothing of any real value. Jay really didn't have anything to say about his feelings because from his perspective there wasn't a problem in that area. We'd now gotten to the end of the year and he hadn't been back to school and was doing all schoolwork from home with parental guidance. He went and saw another psych over the summer but again it didn't help. So now here we are in March 2019. Jay barely leaves the house now and is doing VCE via distance education. He isn't depressed. He is for the most part a happy kid. He's chatty, makes good eye contact, involves himself in conversations at the dinner table etc. He does spend most of his time in his room though. I'm hoping there's someone out there who has had a similar exp with their child. Any advice you could give would be appreciated. We are desperate to get our son's life back Thanks

Courage11 is distant education the answer to managing anxiety?
  • replies: 3

Hi I need advice pls. My daughter has started high school this year and is struggling with anxiety she is 12. She has a previous OCD diagnosis (3 years ago) . Our problem is anxiety around attending school. She is insistent on doing high school by di... View more

Hi I need advice pls. My daughter has started high school this year and is struggling with anxiety she is 12. She has a previous OCD diagnosis (3 years ago) . Our problem is anxiety around attending school. She is insistent on doing high school by distant education. I am worried her anxiety will manifest in other ways. Her GP says bad idea, her psychologist says bad idea, her dad (we are divorced) says she should be allowed to choose and do it. I have told her I will be on board if a professional thinks that's the best option for her academically, socially and emotionally. Is there any one in a similar situation or is there anyone who can offer me advice, please and thank you.

Tasguy Gym anxiety
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone two months ago I had a panic attack at the gym. I've had ECGs done 24hr heart monitor and the doctor upped my meds but today at the gym I still get anxiety. Worried my heart will race out of control and have a heart attack. I've had panic... View more

Hi everyone two months ago I had a panic attack at the gym. I've had ECGs done 24hr heart monitor and the doctor upped my meds but today at the gym I still get anxiety. Worried my heart will race out of control and have a heart attack. I've had panic disorder for 5 years anyone know how i can stay calm while I excerise

Cocomax Trying to help young daughter
  • replies: 5

Hi. I am new here. Out of the blue, my 12 yo heard a song she didn’t like & it stuck in her head constantly replaying over & over again. Now that’s gone & replaced with a different thoughts over & over again. She also starts counting how many time sh... View more

Hi. I am new here. Out of the blue, my 12 yo heard a song she didn’t like & it stuck in her head constantly replaying over & over again. Now that’s gone & replaced with a different thoughts over & over again. She also starts counting how many time she drinks, goes toilet etc. then it stopped to be replaced by the feeling of something stuck under her tongue. Basically, her mind keeps replaying different thoughts and this distress her. At first I could give her words of encouragement but it is getting harder & harder. I am sure at some point she even managed to convince me her problem will never go away. She has started seeing a psychologist but haven’t been given a ‘name’ for her condition. Has anyone experience this kind of condition?

harrypotterntheturtle Homesick or Separation Anxiety at 21
  • replies: 6

Hi there, Something I've struggled with for the past year is homesickness. I'm nearly 21 and met my boyfriend nearly a year and a half ago, and since then I've pretty much moved 3 hours away to be with him (by pretty much- I mean I still travel home ... View more

Hi there, Something I've struggled with for the past year is homesickness. I'm nearly 21 and met my boyfriend nearly a year and a half ago, and since then I've pretty much moved 3 hours away to be with him (by pretty much- I mean I still travel home if not every weekend, every second weekend). When I'm away, I miss my family and the location I live in so incredibly much. I often cry when I leave and am upset until I'm back in routine at my boyfriends house, where I work 2 days a week and study fulltime at uni (I have 1 class on campus and 3 online). I have 3 small dogs at home that I grew up with that are mine that I struggle leaving as well. I can't figure out if this is homesickness or separation anxiety. When I was younger I couldn't go on school camps or sleep over at my friend's house because I refused to leave my mum. In high school, I grew out of this, but now that I'm away from home I can't help but feel like my homesickness is actually anxiety? I'm not sure what I'm hoping to gain out of this if I am honest. Any tips or guidance or anything will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Benny10 Health anxiety - heart pulpitating
  • replies: 3

Hi there, i suffer from health anxiety. i had chest pains the other day and ended up in hospital because of an irregulararity on my ECG, an arrhythmia occasionally in my heart. They discharged me and told me to see a cardiologist, im just worried I’m... View more

Hi there, i suffer from health anxiety. i had chest pains the other day and ended up in hospital because of an irregulararity on my ECG, an arrhythmia occasionally in my heart. They discharged me and told me to see a cardiologist, im just worried I’m Going to have a sudden cardiac arrest because of this should I be concerned? thanks

Gigi991 Memory problems with bipolar/anxiety???
  • replies: 1

Hi, This is my first post and am having experiences that are really starting to scare me. I have a long history of severe anxiety and Bipolar type 2. I've recently been on a big low plus having panic attacks nearly every day. Over the past few months... View more

Hi, This is my first post and am having experiences that are really starting to scare me. I have a long history of severe anxiety and Bipolar type 2. I've recently been on a big low plus having panic attacks nearly every day. Over the past few months I frequently find myself in the middle of an activity with no memory of starting it, having conversations that I completely forget about and unable to remember what I just did that day/day before. Does anyone else experience something like this as part of that depression brain-fog? Thanks in advance