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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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anita24 Accepting new job help
  • replies: 5

I really need some guidance here. I accepted a new job and I start in a few days but I feel sick to my stomach I don’t want to go. I’ve quit a lot of jobs. I think I go into flight or fight mode... everyone is telling me to give it a go but I don’t w... View more

I really need some guidance here. I accepted a new job and I start in a few days but I feel sick to my stomach I don’t want to go. I’ve quit a lot of jobs. I think I go into flight or fight mode... everyone is telling me to give it a go but I don’t want to as I’ve been struggling mentally so badly lately. Can I get into trouble if I email them and take back my acceptance in so scared of repercussions. Please help.

Gem28 Hey
  • replies: 4

Hey guys, I thought I would put myself out there because well I never have before and I thought it can only help right? I'm new at all of this but I thought id share my experience in hopes that someone out there can relate or help in anyway. For the ... View more

Hey guys, I thought I would put myself out there because well I never have before and I thought it can only help right? I'm new at all of this but I thought id share my experience in hopes that someone out there can relate or help in anyway. For the past few years I have suffered with really bad anxiety and at first it was just uncomfortable but now It is really effecting my everyday life and leaving me feeling depressed and really hopeless. I get everything from the chest tightness, to the jumbling of words to the constant thought of panic to the tunnel vision and everything in the middle. I have had a lot going on in the past few years my eldest sister was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. ( she seems to be doing really well at the moment) I had a strong weed addiction that I went completely cold turkey with which is when the episodes of anxiety really started to kick off. I am completely sober and clean now but I still feel like my past choices haunt me and have shattered me for the long run. I have currently moved out with my best friend which is great and still have a strong relationship with my whole family. I work two jobs and normally work 60 hour weeks one job being in childcare and the other behind a bar. Sometimes my job really stresses me out ( the childcare one of course) and sometimes I want to tell some co workers where to go which I guess is normal in the workplace. I moved back to my family from Sydney when my sister was diagnosed and even though I'm happy to be home sometimes it depresses me as well. I have began my diploma of children's services and I really want to get it done but lately my anxiety has been crippling me. Sometimes I can tell myself its just anxiety the feeling will pass but lately I have convinced myself that I have every disease, illness under the sun. I have gone to hospital thinking I am having a heart attack and constantly think there is something medically wrong. I feel really depressed and I feel like my mind is stuck in this horrible loop of fear. This has been a long intro but it feels good to get my feelings out there. Thanks for reading guys and I really hope you are all doing okay G xxx

Lowepar Anxiety... struggling
  • replies: 5

Hi, I have been struggling with anxiety for the past two years. I have struggled with anxiety in the past but not to this point. I have felt my anxiety worsen when my parents separated, my whole family tore apart and now my family doesnt talk to or h... View more

Hi, I have been struggling with anxiety for the past two years. I have struggled with anxiety in the past but not to this point. I have felt my anxiety worsen when my parents separated, my whole family tore apart and now my family doesnt talk to or have anything to do with one of my parents. That parent has moved on and found a partner who treats their kids as there own and forgets about their real family. That parent will not see me on their own without their partner and their kids. I feel constantly torn between the two parents. I feel lack of support from family, i talk to my partner but i feel it has gotten to the point where he has heard it over and over again, he's becoming tired off it.My anxiety is so bad i can hardly do everyday things, going to work is hard, going to the do the groceries etc everything that involves leaving the house, because i am constantly trying to fight off a panic attack and make a fool out of my self. I want to get help but even going to the doctors to get the help is hard. I feel as though i am becoming depressed because of my anxiety is taking over my life, i feel disconnected and i cant live my life the way that i want because of this anxiety.

JonathanG Rugby Union
  • replies: 1

I play Rugby Union, and I’m extremely anxious and worried about getting a serious spinal injury resulting in quadriplegia or paraplegia from playing rugby union and I’m also extremely anxious and worried about fracturing my skull and getting a bleed ... View more

I play Rugby Union, and I’m extremely anxious and worried about getting a serious spinal injury resulting in quadriplegia or paraplegia from playing rugby union and I’m also extremely anxious and worried about fracturing my skull and getting a bleed on the brain resulting in a serious brain injury and possibly death What are some strategies I can use to stop my anxiety over getting a serious injury from playing my rugby union and what are some strategies I can use to stop worrying and catastrophizing about getting a serious injury from playing rugby union?

VeronicaLou Anxiety and nursing
  • replies: 6

Hello, This is my first time joining a forum and my first time discussing anxiety openly. I am 25 years old, working as a full time nurse at a busy hospital . This is my second year nursing and people would expect that the anxiety of working in this ... View more

Hello, This is my first time joining a forum and my first time discussing anxiety openly. I am 25 years old, working as a full time nurse at a busy hospital . This is my second year nursing and people would expect that the anxiety of working in this field would have minimised after two years. Unfortunately that's not the case. During my first year of working as a nurse, I had been mentored by a educator who was very tough and her expectation from me was more than I could reach at the time. I constantly felt like I wasn't doing a good enough job and that I was stupid. She even told me during an evaluation of my development, that I shouldn't work in a critical care area because it doesn't suit me. There were a lot of put downs instead of constructive criticisms that I received from her on a daily basis. It got so bad, I started waking up in a panic and became so afraid to go to work. I started calling in sick a lot because of the anxiety and it made me physically sick also. I decided that I couldn't cope feeling like this every morning and I seemed help from my GP. She referred me to a psychologist and gave me a prescription for antidepressants. I tried the antidepressant and after the second tablet, I had a severe adverse reaction to it. I went to the emergency room with dialated pupils, constant shaking for three days, racing heart rate, high blood pressure and severe anxiety. This medication made me worse. I came back to work and I had to let my manager know about what had happened between me and this educator. She was very supportive and spoke to the educator. My educator ended up talking things out with me, I'm not sure if she was attempting to apologise, but she didn't sound very apologetic. Nevertheless, I tried very hard to face her with a smile at work but the fear never went away. My heart would race every time I see her walking through the corridor. Even though I don't work with her anymore, I still constantly feel that I'm not doing good enough, I'm not a good nurse, this area doesn't suit me. I'm a very gentle natured person and I constantly doubt myself because of the things this person said to me in the past. I constantly feel anxious going to work, so much it's caused me to have tension migraines with vertigo, high blood pressure and racing heart rate. I am constantly afraid... it's made it so hard to function at work. I just want to be a good nurse and help people.

Dee_14 Anxiety Attacks
  • replies: 7

Although I am new here, I am not new to anxiety, I hope that by joining in here, I can both learn and offer my experiences. Right now, I am in a bad place with my anxiety and I am having trouble dealing with it. I just want to stay in bed under the c... View more

Although I am new here, I am not new to anxiety, I hope that by joining in here, I can both learn and offer my experiences. Right now, I am in a bad place with my anxiety and I am having trouble dealing with it. I just want to stay in bed under the covers and not leave the house. But, I have to get up and go to work, and that is the hardest. I'm sitting there, dealing with the public and my boss sits right beside me, my arms, face, legs are tingling, i feel like I'm going to pass out, or die, so I try to deep breath, but although it does eventually pass, it just keeps happening, and it's gone on longer this time than ever before. There was a trigger that started if off this time, but i just can't get control this time. What once was maybe once a week, is slowly becoming multiple times a day, and I just hate it, that out of control feeling, the doom, it makes me feel stupid. I can't tell anyone i work with what is happening to me, the environment is quite small and confined as far as work space goes. I'm hoping it passes soon, and I'm hoping that venting here will help me to at least put down in words what i can't say out aloud. I have visited many psychologists over the years, and the one thing I have learned is, it never goes away, it subsides. I don't think there is a cure for anxiety, and if there is, I'd love to hear about it.

anita24 Pyschatrist
  • replies: 4

Is there anyway I can see one without the costs? I can’t afford it but I feel I really need to see one.

Is there anyway I can see one without the costs? I can’t afford it but I feel I really need to see one.

Slap_Bass So sick of it
  • replies: 2

Hi everybody, I'm new to the beyondblue forums. I signed up today because I had another panicky/anxiety-scare moment and I just want to tell some people about it and maybe compare what they might have gone through with what I am experiencing. I've ha... View more

Hi everybody, I'm new to the beyondblue forums. I signed up today because I had another panicky/anxiety-scare moment and I just want to tell some people about it and maybe compare what they might have gone through with what I am experiencing. I've had problems with depression in the past, but I think I'm through all that. I've also had very occasional panic attacks in the past; one when I was about 16-17, one in 2012, one in June last year, and one in December last year. In almost every situation except the one in June, I had just been through a very stressful event, so I always kinda saw it as a normal response. Anyway, since early-mid last year, I was living with a person who was really stressing me out. In the second half of last year, I also had a lot going on and was getting very little sleep. Then, around February this year, I had an argument with a housemate (a different one to the stressful one), then had a joint, went to bed, couldn't sleep, had another two puffs on one and then freaked out, though I was having a heart attack, and called an ambulance. By the way, this was the only time I'd had this reaction to this drug except in June the previous year. Anyway, since then, I've quit weed, I've massively reduced my tobacco smoking (about 5 per day, gold strength, two filters), and I've quit coffee. But I'm still anxious every day and nearly panicking every couple of days. I'm super anxious about my heart and my general health. I often get a racing or pounding heart when anxious, and I start thinking I am going to have a heart attack and die. Today, for example, I had two sips(!) of a coffee that someone bought for me, then about two hours later, I had two drags on a cigarette, and suddenly I had the racing heart, a pain in my armpit, feeling of dread...I'm just so sick of it. I'm seeing a therapist but I only have three sessions left and I don't know what I will do when they run out. Even though I can rationalise all of this - it's muscle pain, I slept funny, it's a stress response, etc. - it doesn't make it any easier to cope with. I just want to be able to live my life without freaking out over the slightest things! I'm quitting smoking in two weeks, but I want to be able to drink coffee! Or not be afraid of panicking on a theme park ride! Or just have one day where I don't think about it... Anyway, almost at character limit, so I'll leave it there. Anyone else had this experience? Especially re: the heart fears

James1008 could I have adult adhd? How do I get diagnosed?
  • replies: 11

I base my assumption off the fact that I have a history of continual failures, horrible grades in every grade of school repeated grade 2 dropped out of grade 12 never went to uni I struggled to listen at work in one ear and out so hard to listen and ... View more

I base my assumption off the fact that I have a history of continual failures, horrible grades in every grade of school repeated grade 2 dropped out of grade 12 never went to uni I struggled to listen at work in one ear and out so hard to listen and follow instructions with any sort of depth I have years in between employment one workplace got rid of me as soon as they found out I can't understand basic math I did work for the dole for years, my whole life I just considered that I was just dumb low iq? ,maybe I am?, but I recently found out about ADHD in adults and the problems it can cause but I also found out apparently many Australian doctors don't believe in adult adhd is that true, is it even worth telling anyone about this?

Sunnyside6 Terrified and ready to quit
  • replies: 12

I am at my wit's end and I can't see a way out of this except leaving this world. I have renovated my house and it may have asbestos and I am having samples tested in a laboratory after I have been told by 2 people who deal in it that it isn't I can'... View more

I am at my wit's end and I can't see a way out of this except leaving this world. I have renovated my house and it may have asbestos and I am having samples tested in a laboratory after I have been told by 2 people who deal in it that it isn't I can't let it go. I have two kid's and I can't live with the guilt of thinking I have harmed them in some way.