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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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rogue86 Panic attacks, rapid heartbate, really need help
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I've been lurking here for a little while and have found a lot of really great posts that have helped me feel more normal in my experience. I'm hoping I can get some advice / encourage from some people here with similar experiences. I'm ... View more

Hi everyone, I've been lurking here for a little while and have found a lot of really great posts that have helped me feel more normal in my experience. I'm hoping I can get some advice / encourage from some people here with similar experiences. I'm 33 and was diagnosed with GAD and OCD at age 21. So I've been dealing with this for a while. My OCD is the worst trouble I have, as it's constantly evolving to find new ways to torment me with upsetting new thoughts and obsessions. Maybe 2 weeks ago, I woke up from sleep with a rapid heart beat. I was immediately terrified and stayed up all night crying until I passed out from exhaustion at 9am. This was an extremely severe panic attack, which I don't get too often. That week, I had chest pain on and off and heart palpatations, and just felt on edge and terrified at all times. I booked a visit with my GP, who knows I have a long history with anxiety and physical anxiety symptoms, and said she would put me on beta-blockers to manage the panic attacks. To ease my worried brain, she also booked me in for an ECG and an ECHO. (She is very understanding.) The next day, my panic attack came back and just FLOORED me. I had a pulse of 130, chest pain, I was weeping and felt too weak to move. My partner took me to Emergency where they immediately did an ECG. The doctor told me I had sinus trachycardia, which he said was normal with panic attacks and that my heart was healthy otherwise. He also did bloodwork before I left and an hour later, came back and said all the tests came back negative. He gave me some medication to take at home to try and calm down and sent me on my way. It's been 3 days since and I'm still so terrified. My pulse is high, I have no appetite, I can't control my thoughts, I'm terrified, crying multiple times a time and my chest keeps hurting on and off. I'm so scared to leave the house because I keep having panic attacks and I'm very embarrassed. My brain won't stop obsessing that something is wrong with my heart and I'm about to die. I can only sleep if I take medication, otherwise I wake up with a racing heart. Have you had similar experiences? Did you find beta-blockers effective for this? I'm also considering going on an anti-depressant, though I know it takes at least a month to really take effect. I just desperately need some relief from my anxiety symptoms or at least some assurance from others that these are symptoms other anxious people experience. What did you do? I feel so hopeless

Chloe90 Anxiety has come back after starting New Job
  • replies: 7

Has anyone ever felt extreme anxiety around new jobs. I left my part time job after 3 years for a full time secured government job. I haven’t had anxiety for a few years and am currently medicated. i was excited to be offered this job and the first d... View more

Has anyone ever felt extreme anxiety around new jobs. I left my part time job after 3 years for a full time secured government job. I haven’t had anxiety for a few years and am currently medicated. i was excited to be offered this job and the first day was fine however the last 2 I have been a mess crying and anxious. It’s not the weekend and the tears and anxiety have not stopped. i really don’t want to give up but I don’t know how to cope. Has anyone had this happen to them when changing jobs!

ElyseH I’m going crazy
  • replies: 2

I think I suffer anxiety. I have recently started to go off antidepressants I’ve been on for a few years (been lowering it for the last 2 month almost) plus I take medication at night mainly to help with sleep. I find it really calms my brain down wh... View more

I think I suffer anxiety. I have recently started to go off antidepressants I’ve been on for a few years (been lowering it for the last 2 month almost) plus I take medication at night mainly to help with sleep. I find it really calms my brain down when I’ve over stressed or been over thinking. I’ve always struggled to understand why I react the way I do getting really upset and thinking I’m just stupid and not smart if I encounter a moment I become worried I can’t do something right. I’m 31 and I’ve had this ever since I can remember. Now I remember when I was about 16 my mum has found out I had an abortion, and initially her reaction was supportive but soon after all she could say was “how could you be so stupid” being so angry at me so whenever I can’t get something right I feel like I stress out and tell myself I’m stupid.

Slaugh Work anxiety
  • replies: 7

Hey all, Been out of work for almost a year now. Just 'noped out' one day. Anxiety got to me too much this one particular day. I was an apprentice electrician just about to finish, all I had to do was finish one more module at TAFE and sit my final e... View more

Hey all, Been out of work for almost a year now. Just 'noped out' one day. Anxiety got to me too much this one particular day. I was an apprentice electrician just about to finish, all I had to do was finish one more module at TAFE and sit my final exams and I would become a licensed sparky. But this one particular day I just rocked up to a job and couldnt handle it. It was routine, nothing too strenuous, just something in me snapped... in that time I continued TAFE, did my exams, got my sparky and contractors license but still haven't worked since. I have applied for jobs and asked to star multiple times, but I just don't go. I can't handle it. There's certainly performance anxiety at play. I do not believe I'm a very good electrician. I don't know why I feel that way as the apprenticeship and course work was not easy. I got my contractors license to go out and do work on my own, so I could avoid doing dangerous work but still have a job. You see in construction, if you aren't willing to take risks (yes even on union sites) chances are your not going to have a job very long. But the bearocracy surrounding electrical work and running business is all just so cloudy to me. It requires a straight thinker, which I am certainly not. Also apart from saftey issues and general social anxiety I feel being low paid for all my working life has had a toll on my attitude. I am a network architect, a telecommunications technician and now an electrician. Highly skilled yet never earned more than $18 an hour. 34 years old with two kids and a wife (all deppendants). Too long working underpaid has skewed my perspective of my own self worth, and now I have a imposter of lack of competence complex. I see everyone earning so much more for doing so much less (minus the literal risk to my own life), and for some illogical reason I am yet to determine, I dont believe I can earn more. I know you shouldn't compare to other people, but I cant do anything most people can. Take my kids on holidays, have my own furniture (not just scavenged from hard rubbish), new cars. You know, stuff most people have when they have worked this hard with these skills and qualifications. Realistically I should have earning 80,000 pa 10 years ago. I have no one to blame but myself though. I feel like I've failed, choosing the wrong career paths, never pursuing careers beyond qualifications. My wife is really putting pressure on me to find work now, so anxiety is increasing tenfold.

Jimmy5 Anxiety about joint and eye heath
  • replies: 4

Hello, this is the first time I have posted anything about my anxiety, I have had it for ten years and all was been a over thinker. My Anxiety all started when I was at the gym and we were doing a work out with squats in it and my coach told me at th... View more

Hello, this is the first time I have posted anything about my anxiety, I have had it for ten years and all was been a over thinker. My Anxiety all started when I was at the gym and we were doing a work out with squats in it and my coach told me at the end that my form was off and I would end up needing knee surgery because damage because of poor form. The word damage has hunted me for the ten years. From that moment I have been so movement conscious and struggle to get in and out of a car with out worrying about hurting myself, normal jobs I now think about and of course work.by the end of the day I am so tyred. one of my passions is I draw,and my eye sight has all ways been not that great but my anxiety in the last six months has also been in my anxiety's sights and has created a fear of me damaging my eyes.i work in sales in a showroom that has a heap of glass and the sun comes through there fro 8 till 11 and I worry sick about looking at the sun and what it has done to my eye sight. It has become a problem as I am all ways on edge about getting the sun in my eyes' have found my self looking up at times ,as I wanted to reshoe myself that the sun was not were I looked and this causes more anxiety. Sounds very silly and I shake my had at what I have typed .I have posted this because I am 32 and have three fantastic kids all under 5 and a very understanding wife who I think deserves me to talk to someone else. I am tyred of been so stressed and worried each day that I have look at a computer too long looked at the sun, looked at my phone too much. I just want to be dad ..Not the dad that is to worried to kick the ball because some sun reflection or sun will cook my eyes or worry that I may hurt myself.i hope this makes sense and someone can relate . Thanks for reading.

Monkeysss Nighttime panic attacks?
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, ive posted here quite often I guess I just need reassurance that other people go through the same thing. My anxiety got worse in December I got put on medication. the medication would make me sleep through the night but lately I’ve been ... View more

Hi everyone, ive posted here quite often I guess I just need reassurance that other people go through the same thing. My anxiety got worse in December I got put on medication. the medication would make me sleep through the night but lately I’ve been waking up between 4am-5am and I feel like I’m about to panic. I get this feeling I can’t really describe, my eyes are blurry (most likely from the medication) and I feel like I’m not really here. I feel like I’m still asleep in a way I guess? I don’t feel short of breath or struggle to breathe but I feel like I’m not breathing like I’m numb in a way? And my face feels numb. I normally take medication and go back to bed but I don’t want to be reliant on it does anyone else get this and how do you deal with it?

Catobun86 Extreme anxiety and moving out of home
  • replies: 5

Hi All, I'm new here but not new to anxiety. I have had GAD, SAD, and Panic Disorder my entire life. Generally I handle it well, I work full time in a school, I have hobbies and I am active, expect I do have periods when it gets on top of me. I am ju... View more

Hi All, I'm new here but not new to anxiety. I have had GAD, SAD, and Panic Disorder my entire life. Generally I handle it well, I work full time in a school, I have hobbies and I am active, expect I do have periods when it gets on top of me. I am just recovering from a dark episode that saw me in bed, unable to move, eat or do much but sleep for days. This was all bought on by signing a lease for my first unit on my own and then regretting it. I am 32 and have lived at home most of my life, except for periods here and there, including a four month stint that ended last week. I can live alone, I actually prefer it, but the idea of signing a lease, getting my own furniture and committing made me spiral. I have since cancelled the lease. Now I'm anxious that I'm the oldest person alive still living with their parents!!! I am slowly recovering from what the Dr call a "mental health crisis" after he put me on some pretty heavy meds. I'm going back to work tomorrow after three days off - albeit against Dr's orders - because being away is making my anxiety worse as I'm scared they will fire me as I take so much time off for anxiety related things. To top things off, when I told my bestfriend, she turned it back on me saying that I needed to make a decision if I wanted anxiety to rule my life. I do get that, but when you are in crisis mode and are considered a danger to yourself, I don't know that this comes into it, unfortunately. I guess what I'm asking is, does anyone/has anyone dealt with the same issue (moving out/signing a lease) making their anxiety spiral into crisis? How do you remedy it? Thank you all in advance.

Alyssa95 Someone to relate to?
  • replies: 6

Hi guys, I have been suffering from anxiety since a huge event in my life but recently I tried an antidepressant and had a massive increase in anxiety and panic attacks so I stopped the medication. Although I think my anxiety has improved since stopp... View more

Hi guys, I have been suffering from anxiety since a huge event in my life but recently I tried an antidepressant and had a massive increase in anxiety and panic attacks so I stopped the medication. Although I think my anxiety has improved since stopping it is still worse than before the medication. Im really worried that I am going to lose my mind or go crazy when im anxious and that the thought of being riddled with anxiety and panic attacks for the rest of my life is really stressing me out. Just looking for some sort of reassurance that feeling like this is normal and that it will improve? Thanks!

ZARA73 Tired of having anxiety every day!
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, i have suffered from really bad anxiety for years to the point where i can't socialise with any one, i get all funny in the stomach, feelings of paranoa like every one is watching me for no reason, if i have to socialise i have to drink ... View more

Hi everyone, i have suffered from really bad anxiety for years to the point where i can't socialise with any one, i get all funny in the stomach, feelings of paranoa like every one is watching me for no reason, if i have to socialise i have to drink alchol to do so, does anyone else feel this way, i'm so drained by it, tired of drinking alchol to cope with it. Does any one know what i should do as i don't have family support to help me.

AshleighD Seven - My battle with OCD
  • replies: 6

My alarm went off at 6:40 today, I didn’t want to get out of bed. But I did. Everything was so quiet, my mind was quiet. I felt calm. I felt... anxious. Why am I anxious? I touched all of the doors, I checked the locks. The kitchen was fine. One... T... View more

My alarm went off at 6:40 today, I didn’t want to get out of bed. But I did. Everything was so quiet, my mind was quiet. I felt calm. I felt... anxious. Why am I anxious? I touched all of the doors, I checked the locks. The kitchen was fine. One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... “I have to leave for work, I’m going to be late.” But leaving doesn’t feel right, do it again. One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... Seven. Breathe. On my drive to work my mind is loud. Was the garage shut? Did I run a red light?Was I speeding? It doesn’t feel right, turn around and do it again. I’m going to be late. At work there is no routine, my day is unpredictable. This feels nice. Sometimes I question myself, “why did I say that”, “I wonder what they think of me” But today, I didn’t count at work. My drive home was long, I had stopped and turned around twice. It didn’t matter because that felt right. I’m tired, my mind won’t shut off. I need sleep. I need quiet. I need... I need to check if I turned the microwave off. One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... That didn’t feel right, do it again. One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... Lights off, walk away. The doors are locked, the lights are off. Go to bed. Did I leave the oven on? I didn’t even use the oven. This doesn’t feel right. Out of bed, lights on. One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... Four power point switches and seven knobs on the oven. Seven feels right, why doesn’t it feel right. One more time... Why can’t I stop? I am so frustrated but I have to do it until it feels right. I just want it to feel right.