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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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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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Pixie15 High functioning anxious people.
  • replies: 78

I am not sure why I am writing this. Maybe because I am a high functioning anxious person. It is something I can do when I feel that something needs to be done. I would like to hear from other high functioning anxious people. How do you cope? How do ... View more

I am not sure why I am writing this. Maybe because I am a high functioning anxious person. It is something I can do when I feel that something needs to be done. I would like to hear from other high functioning anxious people. How do you cope? How do you deal with the need to do something when there is nothing to be done.

alby65 Worst case scenarios
  • replies: 11

Hi there i don’t think I’ve posted on a forum like this before. I have always been anxious. I have episodes of heightened anxiety where my mind can take a scenario, on the flimsiest of evidence, and immediately go to the worst case outcome, however a... View more

Hi there i don’t think I’ve posted on a forum like this before. I have always been anxious. I have episodes of heightened anxiety where my mind can take a scenario, on the flimsiest of evidence, and immediately go to the worst case outcome, however absurd. I then feel myself losing control over perspective, and the incredibly unlikely outcome becomes almost certain. I can’t shake the feeling with logic. When I think I may have reasoned myself out of the panic, my mind sabotages and tries to find fresh ways of looking at the situation which make the worst outcome more likely. When I do break free of the panic (and it could take weeks or months) and look back it’s amazing how silly it looks from a distance, but while I’m inside it I feel helpless. I’m there right now, in the middle of it. I’m having a lull at the moment as I type, but earlier this morning I was prowling, had trouble breathing, nauseous, and for a while I was howling and holding my head, rocking back and forth. I’m anticipating a lot of pressure at work soon (am on holidays at the moment, not helpful as there’s lots of spare time for my mind to mess with me), and I have been through a lot of physical trauma in the past 4-5 years with 2 different cancer diagnoses, extensive surgery, radiation and chemo. I have bowel surgery coming up in December because of Crohn’s diesease. I think I’m also just weary of the world. I’m not suicidal, I don’t think I’m depressed, but I feel really worn down and my anxiety and tendency to panic seem to have taken the opportunity to have a go at me...

Louise24 Anxiety about doing the wrong thing
  • replies: 33

Hi all, I am new to this blog but have been reading through it and have an immediate sense of relief knowing that others who suffer from severe anxiety like myself have been getting the right help and have/are finding ways to cope. I seem to have pan... View more

Hi all, I am new to this blog but have been reading through it and have an immediate sense of relief knowing that others who suffer from severe anxiety like myself have been getting the right help and have/are finding ways to cope. I seem to have panic attacks when I think I have done the wrong thing and I can't relax until I know that what I did isn't an issue or that it won't hurt anyone or hurt me. sometimes there is no way of knowing or finding out if I have done the right or wrong thing and so I overthink it for days on end until something else comes up that makes me anxious and so I forget about my other worries. I have been unable to work due to this and have started taking medication and getting professional help, but does anyone else suffer from this? Does anyone have any advice on how to manage this? much appreciated, thanks!

anony1357 Anxiety over having kids
  • replies: 10

Does anyone have experience with or advice for someone who is highly anxious about starting a family? I have always wanted this and planned for it but the last few weeks I have freaked out and nothing is calming me down. I have gone on meds and have ... View more

Does anyone have experience with or advice for someone who is highly anxious about starting a family? I have always wanted this and planned for it but the last few weeks I have freaked out and nothing is calming me down. I have gone on meds and have a psych but I feel like I need reassurance that anxious people have gone through this and still had a family and been ok.

Joey7 anyone suffering physical anxiety symptoms
  • replies: 107

I've been having more and more physical anxiety symptoms and they are really starting to scare me I suffer from health anxiety so these symptoms are making me terrified and taking over my every day life. Has anyone else suffered from physical anxiety... View more

I've been having more and more physical anxiety symptoms and they are really starting to scare me I suffer from health anxiety so these symptoms are making me terrified and taking over my every day life. Has anyone else suffered from physical anxiety symptoms and if so what type of symptoms have you had and how did you deal with them. I just don't see how these weird symptoms and sensations are from severe anxiety I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle sometimes. SIMILAR THREADS Anxiety physical symptoms Physical anxiety symptoms I feel ok mentally. But now physical symptoms. Confused if they belong to underlying anxiety and depresssion or not..... Physiological symptoms of anxiety

danyankefoxtrot New depersonalization symptom
  • replies: 2

Has anyone felt like everything is super close up, like your fov is limited and you've got a magnify glass in front of you??? I had dp for 2 months when I was 17 and now it's come back at 19, living hell. Nothing looks real and when it might my mind ... View more

Has anyone felt like everything is super close up, like your fov is limited and you've got a magnify glass in front of you??? I had dp for 2 months when I was 17 and now it's come back at 19, living hell. Nothing looks real and when it might my mind reminds me to check, it's a cycle almost impossible to break, I don't know how I did it last time. It really is hell, like living in a nightmare that could be lived indefinitely. Impossible to get to sleep, I'm losing my grip and I don't know how to think my way out of it.

StillKicking House hunting in the grips of anxiety
  • replies: 12

I've been fighting depression for 33 years, with added social anxiety for the last 20 odd years, with all their ups and downs, and I'm still kicking. General anxiety decided to pay a visit about 5 years ago and I can't get it to leave. I feel trapped... View more

I've been fighting depression for 33 years, with added social anxiety for the last 20 odd years, with all their ups and downs, and I'm still kicking. General anxiety decided to pay a visit about 5 years ago and I can't get it to leave. I feel trapped, and as I get older I realise how ill equipped I am to deal with life in general. I have a number of diagnoses as well as physical disabilities, but things have been better before and I know they'll get better again. Although I've been renting for 30 years, it's no longer an option. Quarterly inspections where I'm chided for pre-existing issues have rendered me in fear of everything in the house. It's hard enough having someone come through my house, but when they criticise progress that I'm really proud of it sends me the message that no matter how hard I try, I'm a failure on the most basic level, and makes everything that much harder to face because it's no longer a source of pride but a source of shame. But I've been generously offered the opportunity for a private loan to purchase my own property. As a disability pensioner I thought home ownership was something I'd never experience, and this would be a way out of the 3 monthly anxiety cycle that renders me incapable of doing anything but curling up in a tight ball and crying for weeks around the inspection date and trampled all over what little self esteem i had left. The problem is now the actuality of buying my own house while I have paralysing anxiety, and I know how easily I trust people and can be taken advantage of. The whole process is overwhelming. I can raise more money to get a house that's not a total wreck by putting in a TPD claim but even this is too difficult, and i want to get out now. I really just want to be left alone. I've never had problems like this renting, and buying a house right now when i have to take two late teens into consideration makes it so much more difficult, as I know when they leave the house will be too much for me. If anyone can give me any guidance it would be much appreciated. Buying a first home is a mystery in itself. I have to change my circumstances to salvage some pride and move forward. Only I can do it, and my sons deserve better. They've already lost their dad. I'm sure I'm not alone in this situation and could just use a little support. My elder son also has anxiety and severe depression and I need to set a better example for him.

Renee2018 Stay at home mum returning to the workforce after 10 years
  • replies: 3

So here I am, 34 years old and up until recently I thought I had my sh!t together. I had never experienced anxiety until I started my new part time job 3 months ago. Que uncontrollable crying, dread, dizziness, heart palpitations and a general feelin... View more

So here I am, 34 years old and up until recently I thought I had my sh!t together. I had never experienced anxiety until I started my new part time job 3 months ago. Que uncontrollable crying, dread, dizziness, heart palpitations and a general feeling of panic. It's affecting my relationships and my outlook on life. There's not much I look forward to at this point. When I'm physically at work I do not feel any of the above yet when I walk out the doors at the end of the day the cycle begins again. 2 days 6 hours and 45 minutes until I'm back. I dread it. Perhaps it's the environment, I've gone from playschool, fairy bread and finger painting to corporate corporate corporate. Yes, minimal responsibility work wise but 0 conversion, minimal human contact and just an overall feeling of being out of place. I'm so terribly lonely. And I won't begin on my rock bottom confidence. My question is... is this just life? Are we meant to suck it up and move forward? At what point should we accept "hating our job" as a new reality. Are you a quitter if you think "this just is not working for me". help.

thomas1029609 work and anxiety - change career
  • replies: 4

Hi posting back as it's been a while lots of changes in life work and anxiety now working part time as full time got too much my current job just makes me feel I don't want to go back, this is my third week calling in sick, I've tried noting down rea... View more

Hi posting back as it's been a while lots of changes in life work and anxiety now working part time as full time got too much my current job just makes me feel I don't want to go back, this is my third week calling in sick, I've tried noting down reasons, fears and feelings I'm unable to put it to reason as to why just a lot of negativity and hate for the job. my GP has been very understanding and my psychologist appointment is next week though three weeks ago could not get any earlier just feels a lot of waiting and unable to process my thoughts. I've come to the conclusion that this job is not right for me through counseling with my psychologist - factors including the office / city location travel / call centre / IT job / 100% constant customer service and very fast paced and KPI's work environment i just need a change. part of it is just me (round peg square hole or round hole square peg) my partner feels I have some autistic traits due to some things I say and do and the way I think and my actions to situations, (currently looking into getting assessed) and feel this impacts how I interact with people and deal with situations and causes of some of the issues I'm facing. some of it I may be able to change just not sure how though other parts it's just me and also my upbringing. The IT industry now leaves a bad taste after also issues with my previous IT job, I'm feeling I need to change to something else. To add to that a sudden change in health early this year has limited me physically to what I can do. As a desperate "I need to change things" I have booked in to get a license and white card with the hopes I can get some temp work with an agency with no experience (one agency I called I was told is possible) and totally different industry. I feel a bit uneasy making a major change and if it will help or lead me back to wanting to running away and hide my question is have other people found a career change a positive to reducing / eliminating anxiety and if other steps are needed as to not get stuck going back down the same path. Thanks for reading my long rant / post

LFC99 Anxious over quitting my job
  • replies: 2

Hi, A few months ago I decided I wanted a career change so started studying online whilst working full time at my current job. I haven't enjoyed my job for some time now and I want to leave. I want to find a part-time job so I can focus on my study a... View more

Hi, A few months ago I decided I wanted a career change so started studying online whilst working full time at my current job. I haven't enjoyed my job for some time now and I want to leave. I want to find a part-time job so I can focus on my study and pursue my new career, and my wife fully supports this decision. I went through a tough time 3 years ago and never spoke to anyone about it until now, and the thoughts are coming back into my mind. I went to the doctors 2 weeks ago and he diagnosed me with severe depression. I am now on medication and will be going on to a mental health care plan and will be seeing a psychologist soon. The doctor also gave me 2 weeks off work to rest. During these 2 weeks off work so far, I have not stopped thinking about my assessments and how much I don't want to go back to work. I constantly overthink things and my mind is going round in circles. I haven't progressed with my assessments and I haven't rested. I'm feeling worse. I feel so sick in my stomach about the decision I have to make. My wife doesn't want me to go back to work. She has noticed a dramatic change in my health. I am seeing my doctor on Monday and I feel like I need another 2 more weeks off work to try and rest but I'm worried what my manager will say. My wife has offered to call my manager to hand in my resignation, I don't want to put my wife in that position, but I feel like I can't do it myself at this moment of time. I know I should go in and do it myself as it's the right thing to do, but I don't feel like I'm up to it. So I'm not sure what to do? Any suggestions/help greatly appreciated.