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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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K4te08 GAD & panic disorder
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone. I have recently been diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder, it’s all extremely new to me considering never in my life have I ever experienced mental illness. I have not found how to properly cope with anxiety & p... View more

Hi everyone. I have recently been diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder, it’s all extremely new to me considering never in my life have I ever experienced mental illness. I have not found how to properly cope with anxiety & panic attacks, I’ve been through countless amounts of therapies and counselling and nothing has helped. I have also been for blood tests I feel anxious on a daily basis and experience 1-2 panic attacks a week, with no known triggers. I went from being an extremely happy & outgoing person to the complete opposite! I experience numbness in my left arm and leg, heart burn, chest pains & so on. My most recent symptom is getting flashes of light in my eyes, is this normal? It can be pretty scary. I would like to know anyone else who has been through this situation and what has helped them as right now I feel like I’m a dead end. I know that’s not the case but it’s very deliberating. thank you

sk2801 Surgery Anxiety
  • replies: 10

Hi everyone I have an appt to see a specialist early Feb 19 and surgery should follow at the end of March 19. The procedure I will be having is quite minor but the thought of surgery is consuming me every day. I have had surgery back in 2013 and frea... View more

Hi everyone I have an appt to see a specialist early Feb 19 and surgery should follow at the end of March 19. The procedure I will be having is quite minor but the thought of surgery is consuming me every day. I have had surgery back in 2013 and freaked out right up to the day of it. It was actually a really pleasant experience so I dont know why I'm freaking again??? I understand that it is normal to feel a little anxious prior but this is ridiculous. I just wish I could accept it and park it till later but easier said than done. Does anybody have any advise or tools I could embrace to get me through this? Thanks

Meowface Pregnancy & Anxiety
  • replies: 3

It’s been awhile since I said hello on these forums. I’m 21 weeks pregnant now and was plodding along doing pretty well but anxiety has reared it’s head again. I stopped my meds when I got pregnant because I have had severe morning sickness and nothi... View more

It’s been awhile since I said hello on these forums. I’m 21 weeks pregnant now and was plodding along doing pretty well but anxiety has reared it’s head again. I stopped my meds when I got pregnant because I have had severe morning sickness and nothing stayed down. Feeling very raw and scared now. I find it even harder to talk about my anxiety with something exciting growing inside of me - guilt really. I’m dealing with mega stress at work which has been my major trigger but feel stuck because financially we need the job until I go on mat leave. Im crying a lot on my own and feel frozen with others. I had a panic attack yesterday at work and am scared there will be more. I struggle to put myself first and self care has gone out the window. Combined with morning sickness I struggle to put proper meals together and am living off toast when I can be bothered. I might not get a reply and that’s okay but just wanted to get it off my chest.

Mumma7 Anxiety and ocd help
  • replies: 2

Hey guys! So I have ocd and anxiety/panic attacks. I struggle to leave the home without feeling like I can’t breath. I’m on new medication and it’s helping but I’m noticing something that I normally notice when I’m getting better, just wondering if a... View more

Hey guys! So I have ocd and anxiety/panic attacks. I struggle to leave the home without feeling like I can’t breath. I’m on new medication and it’s helping but I’m noticing something that I normally notice when I’m getting better, just wondering if anyone else has felt what I’m about to explain? So I used to control my breathing or have constant intrusive thoughts and constantly doing ocd behaviours, and now I’m starting to get better I notice ‘stillness’ so because I don’t control my breathing anymore or do these behaviours I feel when I sit down and am doing nothing I feel like nothings going on inside, like I feel like I need to start controlling my breathing or hearing my heartbeat to know everything’s still working. I find when I feel ‘still’ I almost feel empty inside and feel like I’m going to pass out or die. It’s so frustrating!!!! Does anyone else ever get this feeling?

Anne1303 Severe Work Anxiety
  • replies: 10

I have struggled with depression and anxiety on and off for years. I went off medication six months ago thinking I was feeling great, but since then have slowly gone downhill until I have totally crashed this week at work and have had to take time of... View more

I have struggled with depression and anxiety on and off for years. I went off medication six months ago thinking I was feeling great, but since then have slowly gone downhill until I have totally crashed this week at work and have had to take time off. I have extreme anxiety that I will miss something really important at work and something terrible will happen because I have missed it. I obsess over it now and found my constantly rechecking things just in case but still get into a panicked state just thinking about it. I saw my dr yday and have restarted on medication but am just so obsessed with worry that I am actually thinking about quitting my job and looking for something in a much less stressful environment , but then I worry am I just running away from my fears and will I find something to obsess and worry about in a different job anyway? Just so miserable and down and panicked .

Elda01 Anxiety/ Work
  • replies: 4

Hi. I’ve recently been really struggling with anxiety and my job has been a massive contributing factor. I’ve only been there about 4 months but the nature of the work means I deal with a lot of angry people which has made my anxiety worse. I’ve neve... View more

Hi. I’ve recently been really struggling with anxiety and my job has been a massive contributing factor. I’ve only been there about 4 months but the nature of the work means I deal with a lot of angry people which has made my anxiety worse. I’ve never seeked help for anxiety but I am at a point now where I need to and I’m going to see my GP this week. I informed work about my mental health and basically my work told me thy were suprised I’m only bring this up now and that they will talk to HR but I’ll probably need a fit to work certificate and not just a medical certificate. They were really unsupportive about the whole situation. I basically just want to know my rights, am I entitled to take a week off work and do I have to provide I fit to work certificate?

stackcats False anxiety/depression diagnoses
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I'm posting here because I'm becoming frustrated. I feel like mental health professionals are not listening to what I say, and are too keen to tell me what I'm dealing with is anxiety/depression. I have issues with focus/concentration/organis... View more

Hi all, I'm posting here because I'm becoming frustrated. I feel like mental health professionals are not listening to what I say, and are too keen to tell me what I'm dealing with is anxiety/depression. I have issues with focus/concentration/organisation and it's detrimental to my quality of life. I struggle to get things done. I know I'm not stupid, but I was unable to do well at school or go to university because doing homework/assignments/studying is almost physically impossible for me. As I get older it's become easier to manage, but I'm trying to go back to school in my 30s and running into the same concentration issues. Every time I've spoken to a professional about it, they've told me it's anxiety, that I'm scared of failing, that I'm beating myself up for not being perfect. I'm not! I've been through serious depression in my 20s and I'm out the other side now. I know I'm prone to anxiety but this is not it! This difficulty focussing doesn't just apply to studying it applies to things like cleaning, shopping, reading a book, watching my favourite TV show. I've been like this all my life. I feel like I have some kind of learning or attention or memory issue. But I feel like doctors see a 30-something female and go "anxiety/depression/self-loathing" almost reflexively. It's almost like they've decided what to say to me before I get half-way through explaining my problem. Am I just being obtuse and they're right? Or are my feelings of dismissal valid?

Health_Anxiety_Gal Daily Dizziness and Anxiety IBS
  • replies: 6

Hey everyone, Just reaching out to the community to see who else suffers with the same symptoms to know I'm not alone in this struggle. I have been struggling with IBS for a few years now and it really took a toll late last year. I started getting di... View more

Hey everyone, Just reaching out to the community to see who else suffers with the same symptoms to know I'm not alone in this struggle. I have been struggling with IBS for a few years now and it really took a toll late last year. I started getting dizzy every day and really bad headaches and neck pain. I visited my GP multiple times and was referred to many specialists to figure out what the issue was with no one being able to tell me what was causing my dizziness. During this time my IBS was so bad that I was convinced I was dying. I eventually went in for an MRI to find that I didn't have a tumour (which helped a little, but still needed to know what was causing my dizziness) and found an amazing physio who helped relieve my neck pain and eventually my dizziness. During this time anxiety was never discussed with my GP as I didn't even really know what that was or that these issues could even be related. Then one day at work I had a sip of water and was convinced I had drunk poison and was dying (I know.. sounds so ridiculous). I couldn't shake this thought from my mind and found myself having a panic attack (without knowing). I was fortunate enough that my husband knew about anxiety and managed to calm me down telling me I was having a panic attack and not dying. The next day I went to the doctor and asked for help. She put me on a mental health plan so I could see a psychologist and suggested medication. I was so hesitant to go on the medication but felt I needed some further help. Going on the medication was the best thing I ever did - my IBS completely went away. I could eat anything I wanted and enjoyed this so much. Eventually I knew I had to come off it as we are planning to have a baby in the near future. It took me months to come off the medication, a small reduction every month. I have now been off the meds for 3 weeks and boom... my dizziness is back and my IBS is too. But because my anxiety is health related I just can't seem to be able to shake the thought that it's something more serious. I know it has to be anxiety as it disappeared on medication. It's depressing trying to live my life while I feel like i'm on a rocky boat and it something makes me nauseous. I'm booked in to see my doctor, naturopath, psychologist and physio for help but wanted to know who else out there has these same symptoms??

Appleblossom Anxiety turned physical needing advice.
  • replies: 2

Hi all im 52, been in and still am in, therapy on a weekly basis. ive done CBT, on medication and know a lot about managing anxiety. but it seems I still have so far to go.. im in a place in my life that even my therapist says is extremely tough. but... View more

Hi all im 52, been in and still am in, therapy on a weekly basis. ive done CBT, on medication and know a lot about managing anxiety. but it seems I still have so far to go.. im in a place in my life that even my therapist says is extremely tough. but I desperately need help. i am suffering permanent physical pain across my diaphragm and nothing is getting rid of it. ive read all the forums on things to help with anxiety and am SO GRATEFUL for all the help. The music helped for a day then stopped working.. the breathing techniques (which I had ‘down pat’ are not touching it. my only sense of relief is medication (and I’m on the top levels) and sleeping. i run my own business and NEED this pain to stop. ive been in bed for nearly two weeks now. Like a complete cripple. this has NEVER happened to me before. i would be so very very grateful if anyone knows ideas to help. im loosing weight as I can’t eat (which is probably making things worse?) the pain is debilitating!!! 8/10 so please ANY advice would be so gratefully received thankyou for any help I appreciate everyone on here

Jessah I just want to be alone all the time
  • replies: 2

When i'm around people I'm charismatic, bubbly, funny, friendly, and I have really great conversations with people...but I don't want to. There is never a time when I actually want to hang out with people. Every time I have a choice, I choose to be a... View more

When i'm around people I'm charismatic, bubbly, funny, friendly, and I have really great conversations with people...but I don't want to. There is never a time when I actually want to hang out with people. Every time I have a choice, I choose to be alone. My partner is often on call for work, and I get so happy when he has to go off to work so I can have a couple of hours by myself, and i'm miserable when I know that time is about to end. I hate catching up with friends to hang out, but I feel like I have to. I'm a school teacher, so I go to work every day dreading my day. I actually had to stop working full time because I couldn't handle the stress, the pressure, and having to work on a team all the time. I don't call my family, who all live in a different state (I moved away so I wouldn't have to be involved in social family things), because when i have some time to do that, i just don't want to spend it in a conversation. I struggle so much when I go days without at least 5ish hours completely to myself. I don't mean in a room alone...I mean when I am home alone, and I don't see anyone or hear anyone's voice. I can't stand watching movies or tv because the constant chattering of actors drives me insane. I don't know if this is normal, but I suspect it's not. It feels normal and healthy for me, and i can cope with people sort of every second day if I have a whole day to myself in between. Sometimes when I have been bombarded with people, I will go without food because I can't bear to leave my home to go grocery shopping. I aborted twins a couple of years ago because I was afraid that if I had them and I couldn't handle having them always around, that something bad might happen. I've decided not to have kids at all because I just don't think I could handle them, and also having to socialise with other parents, and run them around and do all of that crap. It just sounds like hell to me. I don't want a family or partner at all. My partner of 14 years is leaving in February, and although I'm sad about him moving out, and the fact that we'll probably break up, I'm looking forward to having a bed to myself and a flat mate instead who I don't really have to have anything much to do with if I don't want to. I have friends, and I have deep connections with them all, but I very rarely crave their presence, and usually when I catch up with them, it's because I feel guilty for not having done so for ages. Is there something wrong with being this reclusive?

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