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

All discussions

Lovedogs9 Anxiety Ruining Everything
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I have posted something to this a little while ago, but things have changed slightly and I wondered if anyone had come out of this the other side. long story short; I can’t stop overthinking my relationship, and it’s ruining it. We broke up (... View more

Hi all, I have posted something to this a little while ago, but things have changed slightly and I wondered if anyone had come out of this the other side. long story short; I can’t stop overthinking my relationship, and it’s ruining it. We broke up (again) last night, happy Valentine’s Day to me . We do argue a lot but I’ve come to realize that I accidentally start a lot of these fights. Especially when I’m anxious. My latest thing is, he’s not overly interested in traveling, which concerns me as it’s one of my big passions and I want to travel together. He has slightly different priorities, and is currently seeing a family court lawyer to get custody of his son who he hasn’t seen for almost a year. We recently terminated a pregnancy, which was really difficult, but if anything I feel like being pregnant made me less anxious, maybe just because my mind was preoccupied with that. I got home last night and saw all the cute stuff that my sister had left for her bf for Valentine’s Day, including a photo of her that said “love you forever” which really set me off. In the beginning, I was so happy. I had found someone who was everything that I had ever wanted. But then the anxiety crept it and started ruining things. He has never actually done anything wrong, yet we argue a lot. I feel like I am trapped in my own head. On the one hand I am worried that we are not the perfect fit for each other, and on the other hand I am worried that my anxiety is just ruining everything. Is it that big of a deal if we don’t have all the same interests or hobbies? We have the same values and sense of humor and are very comfortable around each other. I feel like an idiot for asking for advice, as most people say that when they’ve found the one “they just know”. But I feel like you can’t be sure of anything when you have anxiety. if anyone has ever felt like this and gotten over it, or had doubts but still ended up with their partner, I would love to know. I am really struggling, thanks for reading.

Sophie_S Depersonalization and anxiety
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Hello everyone, my name is Sophie I’m 21 years old from Queensland. Over the last 8 weeks my life has been living hell, I have been suffering from depersonalization and sever anxiety. I’ve lost 8 weeks of my life and 8 weeks of watching my newborn da... View more

Hello everyone, my name is Sophie I’m 21 years old from Queensland. Over the last 8 weeks my life has been living hell, I have been suffering from depersonalization and sever anxiety. I’ve lost 8 weeks of my life and 8 weeks of watching my newborn daughter grow up (she’s now 3 months old) my anxiety is stemming around death and the fear of dying. I’m sruggling SO MUCH! I’m struggling to see the end of this. The depersonalization feels like I’m living in a dream, like I’m seeing everything around me happening but feeling like I’m not there. I’m losing a lot of sleep, having panic attacks nearly every night. My anxiety is horrible, every physical change in my body, I panic. Every colour change in my skin, I panic. Every bad thought, I panic. I’m at a loss, I’m waiting to hear back from a psychiatrist but that seems like it’s taking forever. I just don’t know what else to do. I need help, I need tips, I need strength, I need to be here for my 3 kids, I need my life back. Thank you for taking the time to read this, any tips could be helpful right now.

Lovedogs9 Anxiety Affecting Relationship
  • replies: 6

Hi All, Every time I end up looking for advice on the internet I usually end up feeling disheartened or worse, but I figured this would be the right place to look for advice. Basically like a lot of people on here, I unfortunately suffer from the “ev... View more

Hi All, Every time I end up looking for advice on the internet I usually end up feeling disheartened or worse, but I figured this would be the right place to look for advice. Basically like a lot of people on here, I unfortunately suffer from the “evil twins” aka, depression and anxiety. Long story short, my relationship is really suffering. My partner is everything that I’ve ever wanted in a man. I’ve waited a long time to find him and god knows I’ve been through some shit with guys. Our relationship has moved quite fast, and I’ve had my fair share of freak outs, most of which he has been able to calm me down over. about a month ago we had a fight, and usually after we would argue I would never feel too stressed because I knew that we were meant to be and that everything would be okay. After this fight I just didn’t feel right, and I feel like that feeling has carried over until today. I keep questioning whether or not we are right for eachother, because if we were, I wouldn’t be so worried, right? These are the sorts of thoughts that I beat myself up about. I am constantly asking myself if this is a mistake, If it is doomed, if there is someone better suited to me out there etc blah blah. I’m really hoping that things get better soon because it’s really starting to get me down. Most times we end up seeing eachother I end up crying because I start feeling anxious. I just want things to go back to how they were. Hoping someone might have been through the same thing and come out the other side. Thanks for reading. x

Purpledolphin Anxiety how do you get through it
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I am new to bb. I have anxiety after a work injury and have had to start medication. It gets to the point I feel like I can’t breath or swallow. I try to breath through it but so many times that just doesn’t work. Any suggestions would be greatly app... View more

I am new to bb. I have anxiety after a work injury and have had to start medication. It gets to the point I feel like I can’t breath or swallow. I try to breath through it but so many times that just doesn’t work. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Sometimes talking helps and sometimes it doesn’t. I have had full blown panic attacks from this. They seem worst at night time but can happen during the day.

MassaWassa If anybody could help
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Hello I'm 26 years old almost 27 I'm posting here because I need a bit of guidance on what my condition is. To start off I'm going to be honest I'm a recently retired drug user, 2weeks clean now from ice and 6months clean from weed. My problem is tha... View more

Hello I'm 26 years old almost 27 I'm posting here because I need a bit of guidance on what my condition is. To start off I'm going to be honest I'm a recently retired drug user, 2weeks clean now from ice and 6months clean from weed. My problem is that now that I have stopped I get these weird feelings when I want to go to sleep, almost like I'm scared of going to sleep also I have been getting down, to the stage of almost crying but I can't, then I feel like a I'm so heavy it's hard to describe and this really bothers me because I really don't know whats going on, I can't tell my parents because I don't want them to worry and stress about me. Has this happened to anyone here?? If anyone could help I would really like that, thank you.

sharpie2 Anxiety/depression and alcohol effects
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Hey guys, Anxiety sufferer here since mid last year. Has anyone else's alcohol tolerance reduced? I seem to feel the effects of alcohol a lot sooner than I used to since being diagnosed with anxiety and mental health issues. Can anyone relate? Cheers... View more

Hey guys, Anxiety sufferer here since mid last year. Has anyone else's alcohol tolerance reduced? I seem to feel the effects of alcohol a lot sooner than I used to since being diagnosed with anxiety and mental health issues. Can anyone relate? Cheers, Sharpie

To_be_FREE Anxiety and dizziness
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Hi all. I have managed to somewhat control my anxiety attacks but still get dizzy on and off through out the day. Like im about to have a panic attack. Sometimes it's so bad I feel faint or my head gets pins and needles on the inside. Especially when... View more

Hi all. I have managed to somewhat control my anxiety attacks but still get dizzy on and off through out the day. Like im about to have a panic attack. Sometimes it's so bad I feel faint or my head gets pins and needles on the inside. Especially when I'm walking, like in a mall or on the beach. Medically I'm fine physically so assume it is anxiety. Had it for 4 years. Any advice please. Feels like I'm rocking on a boat all the time!

aaz11 Anxiety towards work or stomach illness
  • replies: 1

I returned from an overseas trip last month with a bit of food poisoning which was bearable enough for me to soldier on and return to work as soon as possible. I love my job and colleagues. So despite how I was physically feeling, I wanted to get rig... View more

I returned from an overseas trip last month with a bit of food poisoning which was bearable enough for me to soldier on and return to work as soon as possible. I love my job and colleagues. So despite how I was physically feeling, I wanted to get right back into it and go to work. What I assumed to be food poisoning turned out to be a stomach bug that I was prescribed antibiotics to get rid of the bug. Initial signs of recovery were good and I was only expected to need one round of antibiotics. However, the day after completing the prescription I was extremely fatigued, so was prescribed a second round which I am currently getting through to make certain the bug is destroyed. I know these antibiotics make me tired temporarily, but I was still able to bear it and perform my role at work. Yes, I was disappointed when I found out I'd need to go through another round of antibiotics because my stomach is already sensitive as it is which causes a bit of anxiety, let alone adding a stomach bug and antibiotics to my digestive system. What is concerning to me is the fatigue and my mood. My energy levels have been so low for the past half-a-week, lower than what I would consider explainable by the antibiotics. Not just that, but I'm almost dreading returning to work and facing my work friends and managers etc. I wake up with no intention to dress for work, get the bus and telling my boss I can't come in again is making me feel like a weak team player. Even though he is the nicest boss in the world and says health is more important, I feel a burden to him. I am a genuinely bubbly, helpful employee that is talked to by many colleagues, so having such a down mood at the moment is really making it hard to convince myself I am able to return to the office. Because of my stomach illness, I have anxious thoughts on what might happen if I'm locked in a meeting room and desperately need the bathroom or if I flat out puke at my desk. The question really is: can symptoms such as extreme fatigue be attributed to an anxiety towards a job I love? Maybe I am overthinking these physical symptoms and attributing it to anxiety instead of the course of antibiotics, but like I said, this fatigue just seems different. There is a worrying feeling towards whatever this is, stomach bug or mental state, and gradual belief that this will never improve is scary.

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
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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!