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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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Maddy10 Anxiety with a career change
  • replies: 2

Hi guys, Let’s say I have had a pretty crappy year this year, I have been suffering from a lot of health issues I was diagnosed with glandular fever, a autoimmune disease and being diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder. Also having to deal with... View more

Hi guys, Let’s say I have had a pretty crappy year this year, I have been suffering from a lot of health issues I was diagnosed with glandular fever, a autoimmune disease and being diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder. Also having to deal with my mother going through cancer while living interstate and my partner being away for work most of the year (he is in defence). My anxiety has unfortunately left me to resigned from my job as a flight attendant. Resigning from my job has been my choice as I just don’t think it’s for me anymore. The job has caused me so many anxiety and health issues. It is so unpredictable and there is absolutely no work life balance whatsoever. I am now enrolled into tafe and studying my cert III in individual support (ageing), I am very exited for this career change as I believe I would suit this job better as I really do love helping and empowing the elderly. I eventually want to be a nurse so I thought this would be a great stepping stone. I don’t have a casual job lined up yet so I do have to find something before tafe as I don’t think I could study full time with being unemployed. I am also a qualified hairdresser but I have been out of the industry for a while now about 3 years so the thought of going back to hairdressing makes me anxious. Because I’m scared I have lost all of skills in hairdressing. Of course my anxiety is doubting everything in my life at the moment, I am absolutely terrified to resign from my full time job and go to studying full time while living on a casual wage. I just really hope I am making the right decision. And not a stupid one. I just want to know if anyone hasn’t been in a similar situation before where you hated your job and decided to try something completely different? And it was all a success!! I really hope I’ll evetually find happiness and do something I’m really passionate about. anything would be supportive! Thanks for listening I really appreciate it Maddy,

Mon68 Dating with Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi All; It has been a 4 year journey through the jungles of anxiety and depression that we all try and navigate. During the majority of this time, I have been single and used this time to work on myself. I have now entered a space where I would like ... View more

Hi All; It has been a 4 year journey through the jungles of anxiety and depression that we all try and navigate. During the majority of this time, I have been single and used this time to work on myself. I have now entered a space where I would like to spend time with someone and explore the possibility of a relationship. To be honest I never thought I would say this again. Can people share with me, how they have navigated this? How they dealt with it? What is the benefits and consequences of entering the dating scene? How did they not sabotage the possibility of a friendship that looked at becoming something more? Is there reading material on this subject? Would love your thoughts and ideas.

Pinkly Getting out of an anxiety fueled rut?
  • replies: 1

I'm currently 24, and over the past couple of years I've been struggling really hard with keeping up with work commitments. I quit one job due to stress, anxiety and issues going issues in the place (long story) and was unemployed for a couple of mon... View more

I'm currently 24, and over the past couple of years I've been struggling really hard with keeping up with work commitments. I quit one job due to stress, anxiety and issues going issues in the place (long story) and was unemployed for a couple of months. Then I got another job at a different place, and had many panic attacks both at home and at work because of work, and I ended up quitting again due to stress and anxiety and had 9 months of unemployment. I got a job again at the first place as they gave me a second chance, but it was just the same thing and I fell into the same rut and issues I had the first time, as well as a new wave of toxicity, office politics, cattiness between colleagues that did not help my mentality. So far I have been unemployed (again) for about 4 months and really struggling. In this 4 months, I've lost 2 family members that were extremely close (they both passed within a month of each other) and I haven't been able to deal with that very well which is not helping. I really want to get into doing study, because I feel like any place I go for work, I'm just going to continuously let my bosses/managers down with my unreliability and I don't want to continue my bad reputation I feel like I have, but I'm at a complete loss of what to do. I never really had a passion or drive toward anything in particular when I was growing up that made me think "that's what I want to do when I get older" and even though I've just thrown myself out there and actually just applied for some course of study, I'm filled with a ball of anxiety, doubt and for some reason regret, even though after months of weighing up all the courses and picking what seemed like the best out of all, I'm really not sure. Has anyone else had any issues like this or similar? What can I do to try and overcome this? I'm sick of going round and round in circles like I have been for the past 5 or so years of my life.

Ah_mei Anxious, can't sleep
  • replies: 1

Hello, I am new here. I am 46yo, married with 2 kids. I have been anxious since Christmas Day. I think the trigger is the hot weather here in Melbourne, and an impending trip overseas to see family in a tropical country. I don't cope with heat and st... View more

Hello, I am new here. I am 46yo, married with 2 kids. I have been anxious since Christmas Day. I think the trigger is the hot weather here in Melbourne, and an impending trip overseas to see family in a tropical country. I don't cope with heat and stuffy places well so the thought of flying and being hot set my anxiety level through the roof. I had a couple of panic attacks in aero planes in the past. My current anxiety reminds me of the time when my first child was born and I had no idea how to cope with a constantly crying and not sleeping baby. Except that this time it felt more intense. I have been having trouble sleeping and eating, and I constantly feel thirsty. My bowel movement plays up too. I am seeing my GP in 2 days time, and hopefully she will do a mental health assessment with me. At the meantime, I have been trying some yoga and deep breathing exercise to calm down, but nothing has worked. Can anyone suggest something? ah mei

CoraC Unable to work - severe anxiety- explaining work gaps?
  • replies: 4

I am plannng to take some time off work due to severe anxiety. I'm no longer able to work at this point and need to take some time to allow myself to recalibrate, allow new meds to take effect and maybe get psychological help. I have tried everything... View more

I am plannng to take some time off work due to severe anxiety. I'm no longer able to work at this point and need to take some time to allow myself to recalibrate, allow new meds to take effect and maybe get psychological help. I have tried everything to stay at work but running out of ways to cope and am getting worse. This is a new job so I don't have any leave, I'm going To have to resign with nothing else to go to. This terrifies me but so does staying at work and having a full on breakdown. I think ive hidden it from managers and workmates so far but at breaking point now.My question to you is.. how do you explain periods of not working to next employer. I don't want to get into the whole story. Please share your experiences.

FauxElise Feeling constantly sick and anxious at all times of day
  • replies: 4

Hi all I have joined the BB community as I thought people could share with me their survival stories. I suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder and have for a very long time. My first anxiety attack happened in 2008 when I was 14. But with time (say... View more

Hi all I have joined the BB community as I thought people could share with me their survival stories. I suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorder and have for a very long time. My first anxiety attack happened in 2008 when I was 14. But with time (say, several months - up to a year), it healed. I still had panic attacks from time to time in the past few years, but nowhere as severe as then. My attacks would be very strong. Nausea would be the worst symptom of the attack, followed by raggedy breathing, heart palpitations, feeling clammy, shaky - no strength in my hands, hot/cold flushes, and the worst - a feeling of choking. Sometimes the feeling goes away within half hour, sometimes it can last a few hours. Now, late last month, same symptoms came back as mentioned above. They because so strong within 3 days, that I was forced to call the ambulance (thinking I was going to die) & the day after, I visited the hospital to see a Psychiatrist. But after waiting for over 7 hours, being sleep deprived and feeling anxious, I left the hospital with no solution. I have contacted my public local mental health team after my visit to the ED, but they unfortunately weren't much help and told me to consult a GP for a mental health plan to see a local psychologist. That is fine and all. I did so, started to feel better even. Then a week and a half later same symptoms started again. Nausea, palpitations, trembling. I am so scared of being sick that the sensation just stays with me and sometimes can stay for a long time. I am also emetophobic (fear of vomiting), so that certainly does not help. I am still waiting to see my psychologist (wait time was 6 weeks, and over 3 weeks have passed since my referral). I am very sleepless and have become dependent on sleeping over-the-counter medication. I was doing better with it. I am trying to come off it as I don't want to get any more addicted, and my sleep pattern, as well my anxiety has come back full circle. I was told by a pharmacist to stop them within 2 weeks, but my GP says it should be fine as it is an anti-histamine, therefore should not become addicted to it. As for my anxiety and physical sensations, it would normally be worst at night, but now it's at any hour. I have recently changed my SSRIs. It has been 2 weeks since change of meds. I was also prescribed medication for the nausea. I am also feeling strong heartburn.

Kathy_S How I Experience Social Anxiety
  • replies: 1

It feels as though I keep everyone around me at a distance, constantly avoiding any sense of connection or closeness to other human beings. A reflection of my social anxiety and fears around intimacy. With many people I automatically behave stiff and... View more

It feels as though I keep everyone around me at a distance, constantly avoiding any sense of connection or closeness to other human beings. A reflection of my social anxiety and fears around intimacy. With many people I automatically behave stiff and robotic, only talking when a part of me deems it necessary. I rarely ever express any of my real feelings (because god knows what would happen if I did that), even ones of affection or concern and the thought of expressing my emotions makes me feel very uncomfortable. So I tend to suppress everything. This feels very much out of my control making me feel lonely and frustrated. Like no one really know me. Like I'm trapped inside my own head desperately trying to escape but never able to. A prison cell of my own making.

Rjade It might help you...
  • replies: 1

I just wanted to post this to reach out to other anxiety sufferers because as someone who has always suffered from it, I have found this to work for me. Everyday, especially on the ones that make me feel extremely nervous (just recently, training at ... View more

I just wanted to post this to reach out to other anxiety sufferers because as someone who has always suffered from it, I have found this to work for me. Everyday, especially on the ones that make me feel extremely nervous (just recently, training at a new job), I think of one thing that I know might go wrong. For example, I knew I would make a mistake or two (or ten!) but it made me extremely nervous to think about it. Instead of exhausting myself and waiting for something to go wrong, I welcomed the possibility of a mistake and it made the experience a whole lot better for me. Simple enough, but when you’re overcome with anxious thoughts, it’s hard to find that light that can make it a little easier. It’s certainly not the cure for anxiety but it can help. I think it also helps knowing that you’re not the only one who is suffering. To all who are, give it a go. It may take some getting used to but welcoming the possible negatives instead of fearing them can make you feel less anxious and may help you learn quicker from your mistakes. Take care.

Anxious_1 Day 1 of meds
  • replies: 5

hi all i just started my meds for anxiety but have been getting pain in chest, sweaty on and off all day, is it just symptoms of the medication?

hi all i just started my meds for anxiety but have been getting pain in chest, sweaty on and off all day, is it just symptoms of the medication?

Fidgety My husband wants a family, but one of my panic triggers is pregnancy how can I move past it?
  • replies: 4

Hi, I have been suffering with panic disorder since I was 19, it began when I started having sex with my partner, and every month I would be sent into a spiral of worry, panic and panic attacks over the idea I might be pregnant. The obsessive cycle w... View more

Hi, I have been suffering with panic disorder since I was 19, it began when I started having sex with my partner, and every month I would be sent into a spiral of worry, panic and panic attacks over the idea I might be pregnant. The obsessive cycle would repeat over and over again, and even taking pregnancy tests would only abate the feeling for maybe two days and I would begin again. I am often triggered by health concerns and that was the biggest trigger in my early 20's. I was medicated and have been managing well for 14 years now. My husband recently has been expressing his desire to have a family, as we are approaching an age in which it begins to get harder and more complicated to have children 35+. Whenever he brings up the subject, it triggers a panic attack, my body's learnt response to the idea of pregnancy. My panic prevents me from discussing the topic, or even having rational emotions to it. Lets face it change is hard to anyone suffering from anxiety and this specific trigger is not helping me at all, I need to get rid of this negative response so I can with a clear mind make a decision with conviction and no doubts to eat away at me. The more I struggle with this, the more I feel myself slip backwards into the constant worry and it is beginning to consume me. I need help I am terrified that this will sabotage my relationship with my husband.