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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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Stanlee14 Coping With Panicked Thoughts And Catastrophic Thinking
  • replies: 4

Hello All! Im new, hope this is in the right section. I was hoping to start a general conversation about managing panicked thinking and catastrophic thoughts. I was diagnosed with GAD, Depression and PTSD many years ago but have managed to cope for t... View more

Hello All! Im new, hope this is in the right section. I was hoping to start a general conversation about managing panicked thinking and catastrophic thoughts. I was diagnosed with GAD, Depression and PTSD many years ago but have managed to cope for the most part for many years. However in the last eight months my anxiety has begun to change into what my phycologist believes is a panic disorder. Most of my anxieties are health related as I live with a chronic illness. It is also important to note that despite a vague dizziness which started about 2 and half months ago, which I have seen multiple GP's and specialists about (who have so far found nothing) My doctors assure me I'm in remarkable health and as healthy as I've ever been. Although this would be reassuring for many it has done nothing to ease my worried mind. For months I have been constantly stressing and fearing the worst (almost as if I'm expecting my health to fail me). My days of late have consisted of running through various scenarios of possible things that could go wrong (my strange and sudden dizziness has not helped this). Back on track though I imagine I can't be the only one here that have battled their own heads like this and wanted to see if any one out have had similar problems and if any one out there has any advice on how to stop/manage catastrophic thinking. Cheers!

unseen1 Nothing Seems To Work
  • replies: 3

Hi, I have been experiencing PTSD and severe anxiety for the past 12 years. I am currently taking medication daily but my anxiety is still at an all-time high. Over the past 10 years, I have tried everything from seeing psychologists, psychiatrists, ... View more

Hi, I have been experiencing PTSD and severe anxiety for the past 12 years. I am currently taking medication daily but my anxiety is still at an all-time high. Over the past 10 years, I have tried everything from seeing psychologists, psychiatrists, GP's and support workers. Lately, my anxiety has been getting worse as I have an extremely stressful event coming up in a month that means I will have to public speak in court. I don't know how I am going to get through it without having a panic attack and making a complete fool of myself! I am at the point now where I cannot sleep, eat or think about anything else but that. My medications don't seem to be working at all and would like to know if anyone has any methods that can help me get through this really stressful period? I have used benzodiazepenes in the past but don't want to become reliant on them on top of what I am already taking. I am at a loss as to what to do and it is affecting every aspect of my life. I am 46, have no family and my grown children have all moved on so am now living alone. Any advice would be helpful. TIA

Mks90 Sudden prolonged panic episode HELP
  • replies: 4

I am a 28 year old business professional with generalised anxiety disorder most of my life, nothing too serious. Something happened I want input on. On New Years Day, I woke up 8:30 am with a mild hangover. At 10:30 I came over sweaty, weak, shivery ... View more

I am a 28 year old business professional with generalised anxiety disorder most of my life, nothing too serious. Something happened I want input on. On New Years Day, I woke up 8:30 am with a mild hangover. At 10:30 I came over sweaty, weak, shivery and sick in the stomach (standard fare for hangover) but also a sensation of being unable to breathe correctly. I could breathe fine, I just felt like I wasn't. So began the four day ordeal I am still in the throes of. The symptoms of the hangover subsided, somewhat, but never went away. For four days now I have been: experiencing severe breathing anxiety (ie. "I might stop breathing, I feel like I have to concentrate on breathing, my chest isn't working", etc) ongoing, non-stop nausea, enough to prevent me from eating - I have barely eaten this past few days weakness and shaking and shivering - hot flushes, and a feeling like my whole body is about to shut down, or stop working building sense of dread and terror about my condition that waxes and wanes but won't ever completely go away a sense of altered mental state or altered consciousness - like I'm trapped in a fishbowl, and everything is subtly off, subtly different, and I'm sick and wrong inside, but when I try to pin down what precisely is different, I can't pinpoint anything. This has never happened to me before. At first, I thought it was something the hangover did. I also took a small bit of weed to ease the anxiety, but that made me feel 1000% worse (never has before). In the last two days, realising it wasn't going to stop, I have had three bad panic attacks where I swear I thought I was dying. I shake, I get weak, I slide to the floor. Everything just feels like my last moments. I'm terrified. I feel like I'm constantly holding my breath. Just existing is stressful... I've been clear of any drugs or substances for days now. I'm not a heavy drug user, just a bit of pot now and then. This is new. I don't have any explanation for what triggered it. I've been stressed out a fair bit this last year, but I was on holidays and partying on New Years Eve when this all started. Someone, anyone, please tell me this is going to end. If this doesn't stop soon, I don't think I can survive. Its that bad; I will kill myself. I'm frightened. I just... need someone to tell me it will end. That I'm not broken beyond repair.

Zeffy Early Hours
  • replies: 5

Hey guys, I don't expect anyone to read this. More of a way to get my thoughts down on paper and if anyone has any advice I'm all ears. I struggle to type this because Im so tired. However when I close my eyes, my brain is overcome with thoughts and ... View more

Hey guys, I don't expect anyone to read this. More of a way to get my thoughts down on paper and if anyone has any advice I'm all ears. I struggle to type this because Im so tired. However when I close my eyes, my brain is overcome with thoughts and Im yanked back to my sleepless reality. Im finding it hard to stay rational. I can't help but think my sleeping will never return to normal.. but I want to believe it will! The more i think about a sleepless future the more anxious I get, thus the cycle repeats. The frustrating thing is I can view this cycle, I know its completely psychological, but yet I can't stop it.. It doesn't happen all the time. I don't know what causes it. The brain is a mystery. Would love to hear from someone who's overcome sleepless nights to once again enjoy the benefits of a nights rest. Just to know there is.. hope.

Jjjjj982 Panic attacks and overwhelmed! I'm so lost...
  • replies: 1

Hi there I am new to this group and very nervous to post but I need some guidance, assistnace, someone in the same situation etc.. Never have I ever had this happen. Had a panic attack a few days ago (atleast I think it was). On the floor, uncontrabl... View more

Hi there I am new to this group and very nervous to post but I need some guidance, assistnace, someone in the same situation etc.. Never have I ever had this happen. Had a panic attack a few days ago (atleast I think it was). On the floor, uncontrable crying, sweating, breathing so fast my chest tightened and I couldn't breathe. My partner nearly called an ambulance, he had no idea what to do the poor thing and I couldn't talk or understand what was happening. This has now happend 3 more times over 2 days (not quite as bad), and I am struggling, mentally and physically! My partner is amazing, but at 4am this morning when I went into panic mode, I felt I was being frustrating to him and it isn't fair as he works so hard and he doesn't need this burden, it's only my fault and my responsibility! I dont know what to do!

Italianstallion91 My silliest and most troubling ocd yet.
  • replies: 1

Usually with ocd I can deal with it okay depending on what it is however I’m currently having a lot of trouble getting past this current episode. I’m worried that I will forget how to move my arms and legs and be paralysed basically. It’s like I need... View more

Usually with ocd I can deal with it okay depending on what it is however I’m currently having a lot of trouble getting past this current episode. I’m worried that I will forget how to move my arms and legs and be paralysed basically. It’s like I need to use my brain to move and it’s making me exhausted and tired and I don’t no how much longer I can deal with this. I know deep down this worry is silly but would love to here you guys opinions and ways to cope. Thankyou

Dee_Bee New Here & Not Sure
  • replies: 1

Hi All, Just looking for a release/somewhere to get my anxious thoughts out. Not sure if I'm posting in the right place. I'm a 33 yo female, soon to be married. Diagnosed with GAD many years ago. Previously medicated, off meds but still seeing a psyc... View more

Hi All, Just looking for a release/somewhere to get my anxious thoughts out. Not sure if I'm posting in the right place. I'm a 33 yo female, soon to be married. Diagnosed with GAD many years ago. Previously medicated, off meds but still seeing a psychologist on and off. Had a "high flying" career in media/communications until about two months a go. I took a well paying job in an organisation in March 2018 that made me so stressed, gave me chronic insomnia and panic attacks. I quit this permanent job in November thinking it would solve everything and took a low paying contract job and a huge step backyards career wise and financially. I felt better for all of about a week or two. Now I find I am feeling worse. I am worried about money, I am worried the contract will end at any moment, I'm trying to plan my wedding, fiance says he is sick of my "whinging", family and friends have criticised my poor decision making. My mum especially ripped me to shreads over it for ruining my career. Terrible panic attacks, drinking almost every night. I have tried job hunting again to get something more permanent but I am living in area where the jobs I am qualified for a few and far between and the job situation is bad for everyone in general. There's hardly anything at all. I feel even nervous applying for things and have lost all confidence in myself. I just feel like everyone and everything is on top of me. Relationship with fiance is also very strained at the moment. He works away too so finding little sympathy and support. His attitude is "you made your bed etc" and I chose this. Maybe I didn't think things through properly. I just had to get "out" of that job and took the first job I could and now I feel worse in every way. Sorry for the long post. Just have so much bottled up inside and no one wants to listen or support me.

EmeraldEmphasis Anxiety Over Partners Family
  • replies: 2

I have been in a long distance relationship wih my boyfriend for 3 years now. It began whilst we were both living in the same state/area but quickly due to the home life of my partner changed to long distance. We have been long distance for 2 years o... View more

I have been in a long distance relationship wih my boyfriend for 3 years now. It began whilst we were both living in the same state/area but quickly due to the home life of my partner changed to long distance. We have been long distance for 2 years out of the 3 now. He moved, and has been living with his mum and siblings. Firstly, I got along with them all. I am shy but can hold a conversation, just getting a bit nervous before each visit but no anxiety. At the dinner table each night his mum would watch me eat. (She serves up the dinner). And would comment on me not finishing saying stuff along the lines of 'you should have that last bite' etc basically of having the clean plate mentality. This isn't what i've grown up with and being 22 find it a bit 'rude' to push an adult to finish a serving they didn't serve themselves? I don't know if thats just the way I've been brought up but we never were pushed to clean our plates. Anyway, that started getting my anxious about meals and so i decieded when i visited i would meal prep and make my own food. I love cooking and cook at home everyday so I would prefer to cook anyway. But by not eating when they eat, I have less reasoning to leave my boyfriends room. And find myself in a way avoiding leaving it when i know people are home etc. If it is just us I walk around use the kitchen etc. I think its also due to feeling like a don't want to intrude and if his mum gets home from work in a tired mood etc I don't want her feeling like she needs to hold back in front of me. She doesn't say hello to me or acknowledge I'm there. I don't know if that means she is 'respecting' my and my boyfriends space when I am there or if she has given up on our friendship. She would give me xmas presents etc but this year nothing. Have I pushed her away and made her hate me or? I would just like to add. I do find things that my boyfriends mum has said in the past to be rude and thats when I found myself growing apart. I always do the washing and cleaning of the house when i visit and pay board and for my own food. To show respect and thankfulliness for staying (my boyfriend doesn't do the same when he visits mine but i am on top of that stuff at mine). She mentioned to my bf that i don't offer to help so go out of my way everytime now to help even more. I don't know what to do. I have been at his for up to seven days and haven't spoken to his mum or seen her in the whole time. How should I change?

Sezza_H Should I tell others about my anxiety?
  • replies: 19

Is it ok to tell the people around me about my anxiety? I have struggled for quite a while with anxiety, but the strange thing is my anxiety doesn’t really manifest itself in anxious thoughts but more so in physical symptoms such as nausea, feeling f... View more

Is it ok to tell the people around me about my anxiety? I have struggled for quite a while with anxiety, but the strange thing is my anxiety doesn’t really manifest itself in anxious thoughts but more so in physical symptoms such as nausea, feeling faint, shaking, etc. I suppose I then worry a lot about these symptoms, and feel locked in with them whereby I am just so caught up with them that I struggle to be “present” or in the moment. This probably doesn’t make much sense but it’s the only way I can describe it. These symptoms appear whenever I’m out with people or whenever someone comes over and it is difficult for me to have to put on a brave face and act “normal” when I feel horrible on the inside. Sometimes I wish I could just tell the people around me how I am feeling and how much I am struggling. But then I wonder, am I selfish for doing so? Everyone has problems and a lot of people are facing difficulties much worse than mine so would me telling the people around me (family, friends) be like me complaining or whining to them? I know this sounds a bit ridiculous, but it is something I am concerned about. I guess I am wondering if I should tell my family and friends what’s really going on with me as I feel like I am sort of lying to them? Also, if I do tell them, how would I explain my anxiety?

Tiddles82 A prisoner in my own body
  • replies: 3

Well i have been diagnosed with complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder late last year. My major problem is that my anxiety is getting alot worse, simple tasks like going shopping or visiting my parents (who only live about 30 min drive from... View more

Well i have been diagnosed with complex PTSD and borderline personality disorder late last year. My major problem is that my anxiety is getting alot worse, simple tasks like going shopping or visiting my parents (who only live about 30 min drive from where i live) are very hard for me. I am seeing a psychiatrist and a psychologist and a Gp on a regular basis but even that i find really difficult atm with the constant severe panic attacks i am having. Every relationship in my life is suffering atm from my 16 year old daughter who i have not seen in over four years to my romantic partners becoming violent and me left to pick up the pieces of my broken life all the time. Well today i woke up crying so right away i knew i was having a bad day, my father had invited me out to see him today and i really wanted to go so i wiped my tears away and got dressed packed my stuff as i was going to stay the night and left. I had only just left the street and felt the anxiety starting to build but kept driving as i was trying to push myself like i always do.... got to the highway and all of a sudden bam panic attack full flight, so i immediately called my dad on the handsfree device in my car crying and telling him i couldn't come and see him as i was having a severe panic attack and asked him to talk to me until i got home. Driving slowly cause of the panic attack and feeling totally disoriented and extremely fearful and balling my eyes out he spoke to me until i got home. I am sick of my panic attacks they are ruining my life and it seems that there is no end to it,i have been suffering since the age of 14,i feel like a prisoner in my own body and i feel so alone and depressed most of the time, i really dont know what more i can do to improve my quality of life. I feel like giving up at times.

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