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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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LilKiwi Health Anxiety has ruined me.
  • replies: 11

Not even two weeks ago, I woke up and had a pain in my right breast. The following week there was a small lump in my armpit but that had since passed. I had convinced myself I had breast cancer and went to see a GP, giving the all clear, I hoped all ... View more

Not even two weeks ago, I woke up and had a pain in my right breast. The following week there was a small lump in my armpit but that had since passed. I had convinced myself I had breast cancer and went to see a GP, giving the all clear, I hoped all my troubles would be gone and things would surely clear up. Apparently I was wrong. Not even a day or two later, I started feeling pains around my neck and collarbone. The right side of my face started to feel swollen and tingly. So what did I do? Good ole’ doctor Google. Breast Cancer. Meningitis. Brain Cancer. Dying. Cancer, cancer. I was destroying myself. My partner watched me changed before his very eyes. For someone who has mild to no anxiety most of my life, I don’t even know who I am anymore. I went to a new GP with my symptoms and he diagnosed me with Conjunctivitis and a bacterial infection in the right side of my face. Hoping that would help, I’ve noticed now that it seems my antibiotics aren’t doing anything and I have this horrible sleep pattern. Anytime I try to lay down, I feel tightness all around my neck and be back of my head. Sometimes it’s so bad, I can’t sleep. I’ll get two to three hours. Now I’ve just made myself so anxious and thinking something is wrong, I just can’t even think about sleep with out tensing up. I keep researching and researching, thinking I have a brain tumor. I’m not suffering from anything vision, movement or vomiting related. I’m literally tearing myself apart. This sickness is ruining my relationship and mental health. I can’t believe how I’ve become in a matter of two weeks. I honestly don’t know what to do. I’ll be returning to the GP again on Saturday.

Quivz Employment and anxiety
  • replies: 9

I have suffered anxiety most of my life, but was only diagnosed some years ago when the depression i developed got so bad i couldn't cope. I used medication for a while to help with the depression, but only until that went away. I only seemed to get ... View more

I have suffered anxiety most of my life, but was only diagnosed some years ago when the depression i developed got so bad i couldn't cope. I used medication for a while to help with the depression, but only until that went away. I only seemed to get depressed because my anxiety caused me so many problems and now i've come to terms with general and social anxiety i dont get depressed much anymore. I dont really like the medications so i cope without them. I have been unemployed since i was diagnosed and its been relatively easy to cope, living with my parents and not having to deal with work stress. But i cant do this forever and want to be working so i can support myself. However i dont know what sort of work to do. Everytime i go through the job listings and try to picture myself doing any of the jobs i might apply for i get anxious enough that i cant keep looking at the listings. I wanted to try volunteering one day a week as a sort of exposure therapy, but haven't even been able to manage that. I was on new start for a long time and not only did i not find a job, but the threat of actually getting one was terrifying. I would not have coped with the centrelink requirements without medication at the time and that was only looking for work, not even a job proper.. I tried going back to uni to change fields, but i couldn't deal with the pressure anymore. I did not qualify for the DSP at the height of my anxiety and depression. i've had a look at it and i doubt i could support myself on it anyway. I'm looking for independence, not some money while i continue to live with some sort of carer. So does anyone have any recommendations as to types of work i could try? Let me point out that even with medication i was no less anxious about any job i imagined myself doing. So while i would be willing to start meds again, it alone is not the solution.

Ellie13 Anxiety and bad experiences while job seeking
  • replies: 2

Hi, This is my first time posting and I am not the best at articulating myself so sorry if this post is a mess. I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for my post as it is not directly related to anxiety. I am mostly writing this because I need to... View more

Hi, This is my first time posting and I am not the best at articulating myself so sorry if this post is a mess. I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for my post as it is not directly related to anxiety. I am mostly writing this because I need to get it off my chest. I am very sad at the moment and it’s difficult for me to talk about with people I know. I recently completed a pet grooming course and I have been searching for a job. This job search has been so disheartening. I was told before I completed my course by the institute that there is a high demand for groomers but I was not told that no one wants to train you, they all want experience. And the ones that don't want experience want an "early school-leaver" so a 16-year-old that they can exploit for cheap labour. Also, every company you apply for wants you to do unpaid trials which are not directly supervised so therefore illegal. I recently applied for a job and received a rude message back from the employer. I do not understand why they were so angry at me. They said that I was clearly not suitable because I lived in another state but I have double-checked and the business is in the same state as me. This message has left me so confused and disheartened. Adding to this is a bad pet sitting experience with a family. I am so lost. I do not want to continue job searching in such an industry and my anxiety and bad experiences is making it almost impossible for me to do so. I am not really sure what to do. Thank you for reading this.

Migz Homosexual Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
  • replies: 2

There was this one time when i saw a penis, i suddenly got aroused. I don't know why i got aroused but i'm sure that i'm not attracted to men and will never want to be with a man. I keep getting thoughts that i'm gay or bi but deep down, i know i'm s... View more

There was this one time when i saw a penis, i suddenly got aroused. I don't know why i got aroused but i'm sure that i'm not attracted to men and will never want to be with a man. I keep getting thoughts that i'm gay or bi but deep down, i know i'm straight, then i read about HOCD (Homosexual Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and felt that this is what i'm suffering from. Am i really straight and is this just HOCD?

x__Kt__x Making Mistakes
  • replies: 2

I'm in need of advice/help here. I started a job in whitegoods sales about three weeks ago. Long story short I made a couple of mistakes in one day which were delivery errors. Now I'm obsessing over my mistakes which is something I do all the time. A... View more

I'm in need of advice/help here. I started a job in whitegoods sales about three weeks ago. Long story short I made a couple of mistakes in one day which were delivery errors. Now I'm obsessing over my mistakes which is something I do all the time. Any advice on how to obsess less over mistakes and errors?

mayab physical pain caused by anxiety
  • replies: 6

hey everyone, so i've had anxiety, OCD and depression for about 5 years and its been getting very bad recently. I'm so restless all the time; I can't stop moving (ie. tapping my legs, cracking knuckles continuously) and I have a really painful wrench... View more

hey everyone, so i've had anxiety, OCD and depression for about 5 years and its been getting very bad recently. I'm so restless all the time; I can't stop moving (ie. tapping my legs, cracking knuckles continuously) and I have a really painful wrenching feeling in my chest. I wake up with this feeling- being so exhausted and in physical pain as soon as I awake in the morning makes me want to just burst into tears, as pathetic as that may sound. The agitation caused by my anxiety feels like something inside me that I can't get out, it makes me so uncomfortable and like I need to scratch my skin off or scream or jump off something, just to make something happen, so I can feel something. It's so uncomfortable to sit through and just makes all the mental/emotional aspects so much more difficult to deal with. Any tips would be greatly appreciated x

cakeboss Mindfullness
  • replies: 2

Hi i am recently going through servere anxiety panic disorder .My doctors have said i over catastropfi the situation which isnt helping.I am on medication and drs visits every 2 weeks .I was told to try mindfulness for when these waves of anxiety set... View more

Hi i am recently going through servere anxiety panic disorder .My doctors have said i over catastropfi the situation which isnt helping.I am on medication and drs visits every 2 weeks .I was told to try mindfulness for when these waves of anxiety set in .Sounds like a good idea whats everyone elses ideas.Im also having counciling next week .

ZiggOh What does it feel like to not have anxiety? and how did you get there?
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, I have had anxiety pretty much my whole life and I am wondering what it feels like to recover from an anxiety disorder? Also for those of you who have gotten help and are living a less anxious life, what was the best thing you did to get... View more

Hi everyone, I have had anxiety pretty much my whole life and I am wondering what it feels like to recover from an anxiety disorder? Also for those of you who have gotten help and are living a less anxious life, what was the best thing you did to get there? Thanks! Zig

Birdy05 Just wanting some advice...
  • replies: 4

Hi all, just wanting some advice. I want to start by saying I have never been to a Psychologist or a Doctor about my mental health however I feel after the past 7 months it may be time to. Over the past 7 months I have been feeling so clouded in the ... View more

Hi all, just wanting some advice. I want to start by saying I have never been to a Psychologist or a Doctor about my mental health however I feel after the past 7 months it may be time to. Over the past 7 months I have been feeling so clouded in the head and like my brain never turns off. My biggest issue at the moment is that whenever my other half goes away I get lots of moments of anxiety from being away from him to a point where I struggle to sleep and I wake up with a nervous feeling in my tummy for no reason. I lock my bedroom door if he isnt there and will check its locked multiple times before I am happpy it is. I do get this way sometimes when he is home as well, I just get over whelmed and break down into tears or just go quiet and wont talk. I am an overthinker and have been my whole life however I am worried this is crossing more to anxiety and OCD now. I study and work full time and I have moments where I will break down in tears as I am scared I wont pass or wont get a job in my preferred career however I know I am perfectly capable of passing and achieving my dreams. I also experience moments of anger and outrage when I am in a social setting without someone close to me where I just get tense and assume everyone is judging or looking at me. This has gotton to a point where I have almost said things to others that could land me in trouble. Through some self googling I believe I also might suffer from OCD. For example I HAVE to take photos of my oven or hair straightner before I leave for work or I will spiral into thinking the house will burn down and then my partner will leave me. If I dont have this photo I will turn back from my way to work or go home to check. I have also been having some in intrusive thoughts about my sexuality which is causing me anxiety as I identify as straight and have never questioned this before but watching a movie a couple of months ago made me just think 'what if I am?' And my brain has never let go since. I do enjoy a healthy emotional and sexual relationship with my male partner and want to continue this forever. I guess what I am seeking is if anyone has experienced these feelings before and has found actually seeing a Psychologist has helped? I am sick of constantly feeling mentally exhausted and I want to be my confident and self-loving self again. Any advice would be appreciated.

jess334 Passing on anxiety to children
  • replies: 2

I have a long history (15 years) of anxiety and depression. I am fairly stable now and managed to come off medication about 2 years ago. I had my first child in January, and while I managed to side step post partum depression, my anxiety has been wor... View more

I have a long history (15 years) of anxiety and depression. I am fairly stable now and managed to come off medication about 2 years ago. I had my first child in January, and while I managed to side step post partum depression, my anxiety has been worse. I have a mental health plan and am seeing a psychologist too. However recently I have been overwhelmed with feelings of guilt that my son might inherit my anxiety. Mental health problems are rampant in my family, although my partners family doesn't have the same issues. My psyc says to remember that there are good things that anxiety brings with it; such as compassion, sensitivity, ability to think through situations etc. While I agree with this, I don't think the trade offs are worth it tbh. I know if he gets the genetics there isn't much I can do to stop the anxiety from occurring, but does anyone else have anxious children? Are there any signs I should look out for? Is there a way to start teaching him how to cop from an early age?