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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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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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Natsirt Depersonalisation; feel like I've lost all personality after 20 years
  • replies: 1

For as long as I can remember, i've dealt with generalised anxiety in one way or another. There were periods of my life where it was particularly extreme, such as leaving highschool and about 24 months afterwards, I was bunked up in my room, basicall... View more

For as long as I can remember, i've dealt with generalised anxiety in one way or another. There were periods of my life where it was particularly extreme, such as leaving highschool and about 24 months afterwards, I was bunked up in my room, basically unable to leave the house unless I was forced, but i'd be thinking about getting home and getting back into my room the whole time, completely uncomfortable with my surroundings. I spent a long time in my own head, living in my own world and basically just letting everyone else live their own lives while I was stuck in my own four walls, not bettering myself or even having any life experiences during pretty vital years. Now, after seeing a couple psychs and pushing myself to work and study, I just still don't feel right, it feels like I have no depth anymore, nothing interesting about me because I spent so long stagnant, too worried to attach a personality to myself because I was scared of judgement and scrutiny. I came across the term depersonalisation, and after a bit of reading it just feels exactly like what I went through, to an extreme level, but the word was never brought up by either psychs that I saw, I just don't know where I sit right now

Wondering_pri Can Anxiety cause you to believe things have happened?
  • replies: 1

Hi all About a month ago I was out with friends ( my husband had to go off to a meeting part way through) we had drinks and food and to be honest I got rather drunk. Firstly I want to say this couple are a lovely couple in their 50's and 60's we spen... View more

Hi all About a month ago I was out with friends ( my husband had to go off to a meeting part way through) we had drinks and food and to be honest I got rather drunk. Firstly I want to say this couple are a lovely couple in their 50's and 60's we spent time at their house playing darts and chatting. I finally got an UBER late that night after having a panic attack that something sinister had happened to me. they assured me nothing untoward had happened and got me an UBER home, I woke up feeling fine and called them to apologise for my actions and my mind was a bit of a blank. I have spent ages trying to bring the whole day together. To be fair I cannot even remember having a meal but we have photos they sent to my husband showing him they had fed me. What i am imagining though is being assaulted!!! and I cannot stop thinking about it. Now I cannot remember hardly anything else about the day apart from this image. I did not speak to my husband until a few weeks later about in and he is in total confusions as we have been happily going about our days with them even going on holiday for a week. I just cant get these images out of my head and had to speak to him about it. I have been going through alot of stress and anxiety of late through my dad getting last stage alzheimers, me being diagnosed with an autoimune dissorder and work issues, and i am wondering as I cannot remember much of anything else that day is my mind playing tricks with me i this issue i remember? Why would i only remember this and nothing else? is it I am thinking of the worse case scenario because i cant remember or did it happen, it seems so real in my head. any help would be greatly received thanks

ave Breathing
  • replies: 4

Hi, this is only my second post but recently I felt like I can’t breathe properly, like I’m breathing but not breathing in enough oxygen and I’m not sure how to help it especially when trying to sleep. Just wondering if there’s any tips or anyone tha... View more

Hi, this is only my second post but recently I felt like I can’t breathe properly, like I’m breathing but not breathing in enough oxygen and I’m not sure how to help it especially when trying to sleep. Just wondering if there’s any tips or anyone that relates to this. I try to focus on my breathing but it doesn’t really do anything.

Maddy10 Anxiety at work
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I’m reaching out for some help I am a flight attendant and I have been off work for about a week now due to having a huge panic attack during flight. It resulted me in throwing up and fainting in front of passengers. It was a really awful and... View more

Hi all, I’m reaching out for some help I am a flight attendant and I have been off work for about a week now due to having a huge panic attack during flight. It resulted me in throwing up and fainting in front of passengers. It was a really awful and embarrassing experience. I have also been struggling with a lot in my life like moving interstate, Struggling with shift work, my mum being diagnosed with cancer and my partner being away a lot for work (he is in the army). I have always suffered with anxiety all my life but I’m able to handle it at some extreme. But this time everything feels different I’m not able to handle my anxiety at all even going to the shops has been a struggle. I have been going to my GP a lot this week, she has up dosed my anti depressants and given me some anxiety medication to help with panic attacks.I have been seeing a psychologist but with my busy work schedule I’ve had to post pone a lot of appointments to see her. My next appointment is this Monday coming. My work has been really supportive about this all, they said that I’m able to take as much time off as I need and come back when I’m feeling better. Knowing this has been a good feeling but also I feel like I never be able to come back and possible loose my job that I love so much. Any advice would help me so much! Thanks, Maddy

gloria10 Social Anxiety Triggers
  • replies: 9

So the last couple of weeks I have been struggling with social anxiety. There were some people I knew, or thought I knew, in my local area and it was all friendly. Suddenly, things seemed to have changed; two are also my neighbours and it is making t... View more

So the last couple of weeks I have been struggling with social anxiety. There were some people I knew, or thought I knew, in my local area and it was all friendly. Suddenly, things seemed to have changed; two are also my neighbours and it is making things awkward. I am feeling judged for who I am and constantly worrying about how they see me. I've also been feeling like I cant go outside when they are they because they wont want to talk to me. I am a chatty, friendly person and I dont mean any harm by it, but I dont know if its off-putting for others. One of them says a short hello and is avoiding my eyes as well. I'm content with and happy hello and thats enough. Any advice would be great. It has gotten to the point where I been feeling it might be time to move from the area and I don't know if thats part of it, but if I can try and deal with this first that would be better. Ive just never been great dealing with social situations. Thanks

Freoman New to this and worried
  • replies: 5

Hi , just wondering if its just me or anxiety. I suffer from occasional Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and have some heart artery blockages but not enough to warrant intervention as yet. I live alone and work in Victoria with all my family in WA. I constan... View more

Hi , just wondering if its just me or anxiety. I suffer from occasional Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and have some heart artery blockages but not enough to warrant intervention as yet. I live alone and work in Victoria with all my family in WA. I constantly worry about my health to the point of hypochondria. I constantly google symptoms and am concerned about having a heart attack and that I wont see my family again. I sit and worry about finances to ensure I have money to leave my children I have symptoms such as muscle pains, light-headedness, occasional dizziness, tight chest, nausea, burping consistently, bloating, stomach cramps (a friend suggested I have nervous stomach!!) but overall a general desire not to do much at all. If I plan to go out I worry that my AF will come back and I wont be able to go I see an osteo who loosens my muscles and I feel better in that regard for a day or two after. My cardiologist puts down my chest pains as muscular and not heart related. I have undergone an ablation which seems to have fixed the AF (I hope). But yet I still google every twinge and ache since the op. I do know that if I make an effort to go out and enjoy myself , I feel good and think , I don't feel light headed or sore and once I do that the symptoms start to come back. I smoke as a way of easing what I think is anxiety but want and need to give up. The thing is my health is on my mind as soon as I wake up until I go to bed. I am not enjoying things at all. I am putting off planning a trip to Europe next year with friends as I don't think my health will allow it. Any advice or similar experiences would be welcome.

Fizz_wizz Anxiety about full time work
  • replies: 4

Hi I currently have a part time job and the thought of working full time sends me into a massive anxiety attack I'm so scared of working full time because my home is my safe place, I was just wondering if this is normal for anxiety suffers and if any... View more

Hi I currently have a part time job and the thought of working full time sends me into a massive anxiety attack I'm so scared of working full time because my home is my safe place, I was just wondering if this is normal for anxiety suffers and if anyone else feels this way. Thank you

ave anxiety weakness
  • replies: 2

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced muscle pain and weakness due to anxiety. It affects me mostly at night but my body becomes weak, my arm begins to hurt and my face muscles begin to feel really tired almost like they’re not func... View more

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced muscle pain and weakness due to anxiety. It affects me mostly at night but my body becomes weak, my arm begins to hurt and my face muscles begin to feel really tired almost like they’re not functioning right. I’ve googled it and it says it can be due to anxiety but not being 100% sure stresses me out more. It’s al a bit confusing because there are so many symptoms to anxiety. When my body begins to feel tired, especially my face, I begin to work myself up which makes it worse - just wanna know if anyone else has experienced this or something similar. Thanks.

Barnzey87 Glandulor Fever Affecting IBS?
  • replies: 5

Hi Guys, So going through some trouble. 5 weeks ago I got diagnosed with Glandulor fever, i didn't feel well for the first week. But did alright during the 2nd. I then went back to work for a week, but the following day i had a fight with my partner ... View more

Hi Guys, So going through some trouble. 5 weeks ago I got diagnosed with Glandulor fever, i didn't feel well for the first week. But did alright during the 2nd. I then went back to work for a week, but the following day i had a fight with my partner (recently moved in with her 3 months ago). Got really sad and depressed but we talked it over and we made up. However 2 days later i started to get stomach pains. Felt a lot like IBS. (Got diagnosed 12 years ago with it). Over the following few days it got quite bad so organized a doctors appointment. During this time i had many moments where i was struggling with anxiety, always going over the bad elements in my head. After speaking to the doctor he reckons its my glandulor fever attacking my IBS then Anxiety. 2 days later, i got my mother to take me to hospital as i was on the floor in pain. Once again they believe its glandulor attacking my system. I'm currently just "resting" at home, waiting for this to pass. Every now and then i don't feel like i can cope with this, and the worst part is my parents just went on a holiday and my partner leaves in 4 days for 2 weeks. So i'll be alone, while trying to recover. Im stressing over work, as i was nearly fired 2 years ago while going through massive anxiety diagnoses. I hate just waiting hoping to get better from this. So just want peoples opinion, ever heard of glandulor attacking these symptoms?

Social_Dredd Looking for help :)
  • replies: 7

Hey all. I'm a 30 year old male who's suffering from social anxiety (self diagnosed). I'm looking for help. I've recently tried to become a healthier person (gym, eating healthy, less alcohol, no drugs) but I've used alcohol as a social lubricant sin... View more

Hey all. I'm a 30 year old male who's suffering from social anxiety (self diagnosed). I'm looking for help. I've recently tried to become a healthier person (gym, eating healthy, less alcohol, no drugs) but I've used alcohol as a social lubricant since I was a teenager and am now finding it next to impossible to work up the courage to go out in public and interact with people let alone socialize. I get anxious at the thought of a haircut, at the thought of sitting down for a meal at a restaurant, at the thought of interacting with people. I want to thrive in these situations, not run from them. What should I do?