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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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Happygoluckymiss One for the ladies and of course gents if you can help!
  • replies: 8

Hey there BB community, the last 4 months have been well, out of control. To simplify, I was pregnant and had a termination (which was difficult and the right decision) and then I went on the pill. I went to see my gp (whom I cannot speak more highly... View more

Hey there BB community, the last 4 months have been well, out of control. To simplify, I was pregnant and had a termination (which was difficult and the right decision) and then I went on the pill. I went to see my gp (whom I cannot speak more highly of - he was wonderful!) and after 4 weeks of being on pill (and termination) I had a complete mind snap - I was out of control and insane. I scared myself and those around me. I couldn’t rationalise or put any sense into life. I recognised this and nearly took myself to hospital. I then in a complete state of desperation googled the pill, hormones and anxiety. To my surprise - absolute link. My question is have any ladies experienced this? If so, how did you address it? Gents, any thoughts on this greatly appreciated too. Thank you and new to community!

Shelleeb Saying it out loud
  • replies: 1

I have always found it very hard to say I suffer from anxiety. I am always the one to say everything is going to be ok even if my world has fallen apart. I have this fear that if I stand up and shout out to the world that I have anxiety, I take medic... View more

I have always found it very hard to say I suffer from anxiety. I am always the one to say everything is going to be ok even if my world has fallen apart. I have this fear that if I stand up and shout out to the world that I have anxiety, I take medication everyday and when it's really bad I need medication just to cope, then my life will coming crashing down around me. That there will be nothing left. I will have finally failed and succumbed to this awful illness. I hope this makes sense to someone else.

Dermona Panic attacks on SSRI also anxiety coming back
  • replies: 5

Hello friends, i was diagnosed with anxiety (without panic attacks at first)and started taking SSRI’s it helped me with anxiety. I take an SSRI. I used it for 10days then gave up because i thought i managed my thoughts but i was wrong, anxiety came b... View more

Hello friends, i was diagnosed with anxiety (without panic attacks at first)and started taking SSRI’s it helped me with anxiety. I take an SSRI. I used it for 10days then gave up because i thought i managed my thoughts but i was wrong, anxiety came back after 2days. Then i started taking medication again and i felt big improvements after few days. I m using it second time for 12days everything was improving i was very happy. I also go to CBT therapies. But yesterday i was lying in bed with my girl watching tv and i got panic attack(it was first time), i thought that i cant get enough oxygen. It lasted for few minutes but as i recently read about it i used breathing technique and calmed myself. I constatly get nightmares when my anxiety started and i wake up at night because of those nightmares (i dont have trouble getting back to sleep again). I thought everything could be handled and i was positive, but today i got panic attack that came again from nothing(there was NO racing heart/there was racing thoughts/frequent urination/pain in head/tingling in my limbs/and feeling that i m deattaching from world) is this normal on SSRI to have panic attacks? or it was not enough time to fully work? After my second CBT my panic attack started. Sorry for bad English(it is not my native language). Hope someone could answer my questions and maybe share their experience

brave_heart7 Managing Intrusive Thoughts
  • replies: 3

Hi! I'm new here and am unsure if I'm posing this in the right section. I have had anxiety for as long as I remember but was only diagnosed with GAD with panic attacks 4 years ago. I feel like recently most of my anxieties have revolved around catast... View more

Hi! I'm new here and am unsure if I'm posing this in the right section. I have had anxiety for as long as I remember but was only diagnosed with GAD with panic attacks 4 years ago. I feel like recently most of my anxieties have revolved around catastrophic and intrusive thoughts, that are out of my control. I know the thoughts are irrational but they still effect me and I'm unsure how to shut them down. These thoughts cause me overwhelming anxiety/panic attacks and are effecting my day-to-day life. I was just wondering if anyone is going through the same thing and has tips for managing them? Thanks!

Kad79 Anxiety over health issues.
  • replies: 4

A few months back I was having health issues. After begging my Dr for a ct scan I was found to have a minimally bulky pancreas head. The Dr said come back for a check in a year, but I had a niggling worry in the back of my mind and asked for a blood ... View more

A few months back I was having health issues. After begging my Dr for a ct scan I was found to have a minimally bulky pancreas head. The Dr said come back for a check in a year, but I had a niggling worry in the back of my mind and asked for a blood test. My results returned and my liver function was 107 when the maximum is supposed to be 105. I spoke to another Dr about my fears of having pancreatic cancer and she assured everything was okay. I had been suffering acid reflux so she put me on tablets. Two weeks later I wasn't feeling any better still thinking I had pancreatic cancer I went to yet another Dr who has now referred me to a gastroenterologist. Instead of being happy with this decision I thought this validat d my idea of having pancreatic cancer. I can't sleep and feel sick with worry all day. I have a ten month old son who is breastfed and won't take a bottle, I'm terrified that I'm going to die and leave him behind. I'm back at the Dr on Thursday, I'm going to ask for a ct scan instead of waiting to see a gastroenterologist (I'm going through the public system) I want to know what's wrong now. My anxiety has taken over. All my family lives interstate and my partner thinks nothing is wrong with me and I'm overreacting.

HorrieH Health Anxiety is ruling my life
  • replies: 2

Hi, I know that's a melodramatic title, but I feel like I'm the worst I've ever been. I've struggled with health anxiety for a few years now, but I've always managed to get it under control in the past. Lately, though, over the last 6 months or so, i... View more

Hi, I know that's a melodramatic title, but I feel like I'm the worst I've ever been. I've struggled with health anxiety for a few years now, but I've always managed to get it under control in the past. Lately, though, over the last 6 months or so, it's taken a powerful hold over my daily thoughts. In the past it's been tied to cancer, but lately it's been DVT and (right now, this second) heart attack. I'm a male in my early 20s, and for the past week and a half I've had chest and abdominal discomfort. It's not gotten any worse or better. My GP says its reflux, my step mother (who is a nurse) assures me it isnt heart related, and yet I cannot get the thought that its imminently deadly out of my head. The ER is incredibly tempting.. I'm yet to see a therapist about this issue, but I suspect its time... does anybody have any coping tips for the meantime?

Shelleeb My soul is tired
  • replies: 3

I have suffered from anxiety for many years. I am medicated and have seen psychologists on and off over the years. My marriage of 22 years has just ended with my husband feeling he only sees me as a friend. I have put my whole life into this relation... View more

I have suffered from anxiety for many years. I am medicated and have seen psychologists on and off over the years. My marriage of 22 years has just ended with my husband feeling he only sees me as a friend. I have put my whole life into this relationship and raising our 2 children. I have no real answers. My anxiety has begun to spiral. I am feeling lost and alone. Humiliated and a failure. I have begun binge drinking until I black out which then leads to my anxiety going crazy with really negative thoughts coming through. I try and hold my head high and tell people Im ok. But I am not really ok. I'm just hanging in there. My soul is tired.

Zallin Given up hope in the world.
  • replies: 2

Seems like everything is failing for me, its been over a year since I quit my job because of bullying, no amount of job search is producing results, I've been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, my weight keeps increasing no matter how much exerci... View more

Seems like everything is failing for me, its been over a year since I quit my job because of bullying, no amount of job search is producing results, I've been diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, my weight keeps increasing no matter how much exercise I do or how little I eat, my friends abandoned me, all I get is fake advice from people and even doing UberEats seems to be failing. I'm so sick of....... everything and half the time it takes everything I have not to break down into a ball of tears and the other half I have to stop myself flying into a fit of rage. What point is there in this stupid society if nothing works?

Sezza_H Anxious and depressed
  • replies: 2

I have been struggling with anxiety for a while now but this past year it has been the worst its ever been. I have stopped meeting up with friends and have basically stopped leaving the house because of it. The anxiety is almost constant, and I am st... View more

I have been struggling with anxiety for a while now but this past year it has been the worst its ever been. I have stopped meeting up with friends and have basically stopped leaving the house because of it. The anxiety is almost constant, and I am struggling to cope with it. The physical symptoms (especially nausea and feeling faint) are so intense that I am convinced that there is something physically wrong, but all the tests come back normal. I try breathing exercises and mindfulness, but this just doesn’t seem to work. I feel as though anxiety has taken so much away from me as I don’t do anything anymore. I am just so sick and tired of it. I feel really down, and I have lost all motivation. I am also struggling to sleep and I am so tired. I went to see a GP and they wrote me up a mental health plan and referred me to a psychologist, but they didn’t actually send through any of the information to the psychologist (despite me thinking that they had) and the psych won’t see me until that’s sorted out. Its become such a debacle and there’s also a waiting list to see a psychologist anyway. I am so frustrated because I have been struggling for so long and it just keeps getting worse. I am trying to do the right thing by seeking professional help, but it is just so hard and I have to wait so long. I don’t know what I am meant to do and I am losing hope.

anita24 How to get by
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone so I really hope someone can understand what I am going through but I am in full panic mode now and need to vent. I’ll explain first off by I panic every day When going to work I feel like I am “ in danger” every time I go and everyone I ... View more

Hi everyone so I really hope someone can understand what I am going through but I am in full panic mode now and need to vent. I’ll explain first off by I panic every day When going to work I feel like I am “ in danger” every time I go and everyone I talk to I get anxiety with anyway I’ve had a few weeks off work as the company closes for Xmas period and it’s coming up to the time I have to go back and I am having anxiety attacks and cannot relax for a minute. I’ve had no support and just keep pushing myself to go but I’m at wits end. I don’t know how long I can continue. This happens at every job too. I’ve had to move out of home because of how toxic it was so I have no choice but to work. I’ve been to psychologists but they haven’t helped so far. If anyone has been in a similar situation as me please let me know what worked and helped for you to get by. Thankyou.