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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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Jessicaloveslife22 Do you find you really have to push through even just to go for a walk by yourself somewhere outside your home?
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, I just realised one of my main problems definitely is anxiety around things around other people. I don't know about everyone else but for me I can take hours just to work myself up to go for a walk down the road the feelings can get so i... View more

Hi everyone, I just realised one of my main problems definitely is anxiety around things around other people. I don't know about everyone else but for me I can take hours just to work myself up to go for a walk down the road the feelings can get so intense. Once I'm on the walk I'm usually anxious the whole time but aware of where I am. Basically for me it starts whereby I want to go for a walk then I'll try to do something else because the feelings are so intense but because it's on my mind basically the anxiety builds and builds over a number of hours and when I finally go on the actual walk it's like this breaking point of twisted feelings inside. How does everyone here break through this sort of thing? I find some days I can push myself and just go and others it's near impossible. Jessica.

notsure23 My recent years dealing with anxiety
  • replies: 1

I've been researching some things about anxiety today because I haven't been feeling too happy recently and I need to feel like I have told anyone even if I am anonymously posting on a forum (I hope this is the right place for this). I have always fe... View more

I've been researching some things about anxiety today because I haven't been feeling too happy recently and I need to feel like I have told anyone even if I am anonymously posting on a forum (I hope this is the right place for this). I have always felt a bit anxious and awkward about certain things here or there, but from my early teenage years to this point it has gotten a lot worse. I struggle to do lots of things that would otherwise be easy for most people my age (17). When I was younger (like most kids) I got anxious about things that I'm sure is pretty standard. I used to love playing sport, going out with my mates and overall just being a happy and normal kid which was how things were until the age of around 13. Last year I was diagnosed with general anxiety and ADHD which really let me know what I was dealing with. It was nice to know why I had been struggling with doing like what seemed the easiest of tasks. At the age of around 13, it seemed like I was shutting people out, like my friends. I stopped going out because I was too worried that something bad might happen, I might see someone from school, I might get judged by a random person. To me it sounded dumb especially because everyone in my house is so charismatic and good in social situations. I thought it over to myself; this is so stupid, why would I worry about someone I will most likely never see again, but I couldn't shake that feeling like I was in danger. Being so scared of being judged by the outside world, I locked myself in my room and just started losing myself on video games. To me I see it as a way to escape my lonely life so I can live a more "ideal life"; To my mum she see's it as an addiction. She doesn't realise I stopped going outside because I am anxious she thinks its because I'm addicted to games. I'm very scared to tell her because she always has been that person that would push it aside and just say something like "no your just being silly" or something. And in her case, fair enough. I've come to figure out that my anxiety is really bad with people I'm not used to. For example, the people i was friends with before my anxiety got bad I don't have a problem talking to etc; which obviously applies to my mum. When i talk to people and when I'm not comfortable I always fidget and my whole body shakes like I'm freezing or something. Its quite hard to compress the past 4 years into 2500 words but I tried I guess.

K8lyn Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Can someone give me strategy to help with my anxiety please

Can someone give me strategy to help with my anxiety please

Savv Anxiety & depression
  • replies: 2

As ridiculous as it may seem,I need to know other people feel the same as I do,& have recovered. It’s like I need constant affirmation this depression is not me,it’s what i’m feeling & will overcome with patience. I am doing everything proactive but ... View more

As ridiculous as it may seem,I need to know other people feel the same as I do,& have recovered. It’s like I need constant affirmation this depression is not me,it’s what i’m feeling & will overcome with patience. I am doing everything proactive but it’s so hard. I walk my dog,I go to gym,I meet friends,I talk to a psychologist,I dutifully take my medication. But what I want is a lobotomy. I want my brain to function like it used to. I want to be me again. The mornings are the worst,I am so anxious & fearful. My heart races,I feel hot,I feel lost in a sea of misery.

Shellyem I need your advice
  • replies: 2

Hi, I’m just wanting outside opinions on a situation I am currently involved in. A close friend of mine has recently become engaged and has honored me by asking me to be a bridesmaid. I was over whelmed and excited and of course said yes, I mean it’s... View more

Hi, I’m just wanting outside opinions on a situation I am currently involved in. A close friend of mine has recently become engaged and has honored me by asking me to be a bridesmaid. I was over whelmed and excited and of course said yes, I mean it’s an amazing thing to be a part of. But here is the issue. This friend and I met through my sister, they were best friends in highschool and I would hang around with them at sleep overs etc.. they’ve had a rocky relationship and we’re constantly on and off but me wanting to keep the peace I stayed in contact with both. I’m close with my sister and I’m also close with this friend. This Friend has helped me in many ways emotionally and Mentally. I don’t want to upset anyone with my decision on saying yes or having to decline being a bridesmaid but I asked my mum for her opinion and felt judged and lectured. She thinks it’s wrong I was asked in the first place and basically told me I needed to chose a relationship over the matter at hand and said if it were her and this was her decision no way would she accept.I asked her how do I bring this up with my sister and what’s the right way to go about it then? She couldn’t answer. I in no way want to disrespect my sister, but I do feel this will probably hurt her. My anxiety has been sky high with thinking about the right path to take, i don’t know what’s right or wrong in this situation and it’s really keeping me up at night. How do I talk to my sister about this? Do I bring this up with my friend and explain my concerns? I’m feeling confused and scared as to what the outcomes will be because either way I feel like my relationship with my sister or with my friend won’t be the same. I would love a strangers point of view on this. Please any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you.

Taylz2029 Anxiety affecting work performance
  • replies: 2

Hi, i have recently joined the forum to try and get some help and support for my crippling anxiety. I work in an emergency service and over the years I have noticed my anxiety being more prevalent. Although now it has reached a point where it is actu... View more

Hi, i have recently joined the forum to try and get some help and support for my crippling anxiety. I work in an emergency service and over the years I have noticed my anxiety being more prevalent. Although now it has reached a point where it is actually affecting my work performance. I am so paranoid about what my colleagues think of me and how I go about my work day that I avoid certain situations. My mind races, I forget things and I can’t concentrate. I know that I am not reaching my full potential. I know that if I don’t change things, I’ll be disappointed later on because I could not achieve my work goals. I know I am capable of so much more, but when it comes down to it I hide away and am afraid to make decisions for fear of judgement. When I was very junior in my role I was quite badly bullied. I was made a fool of by someone as I was still learning and they did not have the patience to deal with it. Following that I have been very embarrassed and felt like everyone was judging me. i have been on medication for depression before, however that made me gain a significant amount of weight and I hated it. I am not depressed at all now, just anxious. How can I get better and start to get on top of my work again? How can I start focusing and remembering things?

jollydolly A horse called Workplace Burnout
  • replies: 17

My racing thoughts made me think of horses. I've been suffering at work since about January this year, through a combination of imposter syndrome, actually being stretched by the demands of the role, periods of staff changes including being short sta... View more

My racing thoughts made me think of horses. I've been suffering at work since about January this year, through a combination of imposter syndrome, actually being stretched by the demands of the role, periods of staff changes including being short staffed, losing the trust of my managers, interpersonal conflict with team, financial worries, and relationship problems. And I have a two-year-old. So, normal life stuff, but I've reached my limit. I've been trying to make it to the end of the year / find another job, but the stress and my constant mistakes and resulting guilt and fear have caught up with me. I was crying every day over things people said to me or how they looked at me; it would take me half an hour to do something because I was so forgetful; I'd stutter and stammer and lose my train of thought. Added to this was layer of self-recrimination that I didn't take more action earlier; I'd seen this coming and didn't simply say "I can't do this anymore" because of my financial responsibilities and because my partner doesn't wholeheartedly embrace my condition (history of depression and anxiety). Over the last few weeks my worst nightmares have come true: work colleagues have seen me unravel, and my partner has seen how weak I am. I feel like I'm totally at rock bottom. So now I'm at home lining up appointments to get the documentation to get time off work, and am convinced I'm going to be fired. I'm pretty sure that performance management awaits me in January, but I've convinced myself that my boss will try to skip that step and just find a way to fire me for misconduct. Then of course, I'll lose the house, never get another job, and will lose my daughter. I know that those of you in these threads with anxiety will recognise these racing thoughts. I just wanted to share them to hopefully get this horse to slow down, maybe eat some grass and just wander off.

Jim_b New job, huge leap, out of my depth and no idea how idea I’m going to be able to do it!
  • replies: 3

Hello there! First post on here, so be gentle with me. So I recently started a new job as the editor of a magazine. Brilliant you might think. Well, yes, but the magazine is about something I know very little about and have even less experience of. I... View more

Hello there! First post on here, so be gentle with me. So I recently started a new job as the editor of a magazine. Brilliant you might think. Well, yes, but the magazine is about something I know very little about and have even less experience of. I started just under two months ago, and since I started, to varying degrees, I’ve been riddled with anxiety and worry. This is all the more difficult because while a bit of a worrier at times, I’ve never been through such a long period of misery. I struggle to sleep, and when I do wake I feel more tired than when I went to bed. I rise with a sinking feeling in my stomach, and shortness of breath on and off during the day. At least once a day I have a strong desire to cry. Often I do. In fact, things got so bad last week that I passed out in the office, had to go to hospital and take the rest of the week off. I actually don’t worry about what people think of me, but I do worry about the extended discomfort of doing something for 40-odd hours a week that I don’t enjoy. This is magnified especially by the fact that I excelled at my old, mostly unrelated job, but it was going nowhere. So hopefully you’ve got this far and can help me with the nub of my post - how do I get through this time? I’ve tried talking to people, I’ve tried mindfulness, I’ve tried exercise, I’ve tried drinking, I’ve tried not drinking, but nothing seems to have any great effect. The hope is that this job will help lead to something I love, so there is method to the madness of me trying to stick with it. Hoping others have been through similar and can offer some words of support and advice. FYI - saw a psychologist with NewAccess on Monday, first of six meetings. Hopefully that’ll provide some solutions.

Snowboard Paranoid about people talking about me
  • replies: 3

Hello, I've been dealing with an issue over the last couple of months. I will link back anything people say/do to myself in a very negative way. For example, If I cough and then the person next to me coughs I will think they are making fun of me. I t... View more

Hello, I've been dealing with an issue over the last couple of months. I will link back anything people say/do to myself in a very negative way. For example, If I cough and then the person next to me coughs I will think they are making fun of me. I think it sounds silly but this is where it has got to, I never use to be like this. Another example, I could be in one room of a house and hear people talking in the other room and I will find a way in my head to make it out as if they are talking about me even though i'm sure they are not. Or if i'm in a room of people and turn around and make eye contact with someone I will think they're just staring at me. I'm not sure what to do, I'm 23 and use to be a very confident and outgoing guy. Now I constantly hear at social events 'you should talk more.' This issue (although i'm sure is pretty minor compared to others on the forums) is having a pretty big impact on my social behaviour and mood in general. Has anybody dealt with something similar? Is there a name for this? Thanks.

Krystalinna My life is perfect but why am I so unhappy
  • replies: 4

I have a beautiful fiancé a furfilling job beautiful home good friends yet my days are becoming filled with sleep. sleep is where I can get away from feeling so empty feeling like nothing has meaning. I just don’t understand why my mind goes to this ... View more

I have a beautiful fiancé a furfilling job beautiful home good friends yet my days are becoming filled with sleep. sleep is where I can get away from feeling so empty feeling like nothing has meaning. I just don’t understand why my mind goes to this dark place.

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