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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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Alice2261 First time posting about my anxiety and I’m scared
  • replies: 4

Hi there Ive been a long time sufferer of anxiety and have been on medication for approx 6 years which was working well for me up until recently. My dr has now weaned me off a medication and I have started on another medication a week ago. These past... View more

Hi there Ive been a long time sufferer of anxiety and have been on medication for approx 6 years which was working well for me up until recently. My dr has now weaned me off a medication and I have started on another medication a week ago. These past couple of days though I have been very down and in tears on the verge of a panic attack. I feel so flat and not functioning very well. I’m scared i will never get better. Has anyone else had this when starting new medication? Is it something that gets worse before it gets better ? Any advice would be very much appreciated Thank you

Its_an_emma_thing Relationship anxiety... reality or imaginary???
  • replies: 1

Hi all, I literally felt like I needed to leave work this morning until I found this website. I would really appreciate any help / advice from anyone who can relate.. I feel I can now say I am a queen of over analyzing and overthinking. Reverse back ... View more

Hi all, I literally felt like I needed to leave work this morning until I found this website. I would really appreciate any help / advice from anyone who can relate.. I feel I can now say I am a queen of over analyzing and overthinking. Reverse back 2 years ago, I moved to Sydney and moved into an apartment with a friend of friends (male) and we initially hit it off..during the first 6 months of living together we grew to be best friends, socializing and doing lots together. Feelings did develop after about 8 months of friendship and we did start a "secret fling". This was exciting and I was so happy. We pretty much still acted as we had always done as friends except we were in the beginning stages of a relationship. After about 5 months (a confusing time for us both) we finally made our relationship official and have been together since (6 months officially). Lately we have been arguing a lot, primarily caused by my own insecurity and trust issues. My boyfriend is my best friend, I love him to bits and the more I fear loosing him the more I seem to push him away!? There is no reasoning to this behaviour, and I cant shake off the incredibly negative thoughts that seem to consume me. I constantly think he is going to cheat /fall out of love for me /etc..(even though he always reassures me and is very good to me, even in my most needy & vulnerable stages) I literally wake at night now just to hear that horrible voice in my head play out another negative and fearful scenario.. I have started to experience horrible nightmares about my relationship fears also. I'm so panicked that I keep thinking of leaving him but the thought of us not being together makes me sick with upset. I find myself crying at any stage throughout any day and at this stage I'm finding it hard to differentiate between reality and what my mind is fabricating.. He is semi aware of my anxiety but I find it so difficult to fully communicate properly to him when I barely understand what is happening to me myself.. Only last month he expressed a few snippets of where he would like to see 'our' future together going and this nearly made me burst with joy & happiness, as I felt "YES, we are on the same page" and since then I feel like I am destroying us.why?? even now I'm fearing it's too late and he's probably trying to think of a way to get out of our relationship...Should I make an appointment with a GP ? I feel so confused and so alone but I so badly want & need to feel like 'me' again!!

Wander Cannabis withdrawal, bipolar and anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I have a dx of bipolar spectrum (still not sure where I lie on it though), and generalised anxiety. I have been smoking cannabis daily for 5 years now and it's been 3 days since I last used. I'm feeling restless and agitated, but exhausted an... View more

Hi all, I have a dx of bipolar spectrum (still not sure where I lie on it though), and generalised anxiety. I have been smoking cannabis daily for 5 years now and it's been 3 days since I last used. I'm feeling restless and agitated, but exhausted and despondent all at the same time. My mind races and it won't stop. I'm becoming increasingly overwhelmed and I can't relax. I've tried hot and cold showers and running. I've tried loud and gentle music but I've heard unintelligible voices in the music. I've tried meditation but it almost made things worse as I start to focus on how my body feels and that's not very pleasant right now. I have a headache, I'm nauseated, have no appetite, I feel weak and can't sleep. The physical stuff I know is likely just withdrawal and will pass but my thoughts are scaring me. I've tried to quit before but used alcohol and medication to calm me down and eventually started using again. To be honest I never believed cannabis could result in a withdrawal syndrome until I experienced it myself. I'm looking for other tips to calm my mind and body? Have any others had a similar experience when trying to quit smoking cannabis?

Zoe29280 I thought I'd beaten my anxiety (trigger warning, mention of suicide) 
  • replies: 2

I feel like my whole world is crashing down around me. I'd been doing so well for about 12months for the first time in forever I felt normal pfft.... well had normal reactions to situations instead of freaking out. I was happy with who i was inside a... View more

I feel like my whole world is crashing down around me. I'd been doing so well for about 12months for the first time in forever I felt normal pfft.... well had normal reactions to situations instead of freaking out. I was happy with who i was inside and out i was shining i could feel it. I'm a single mum abd I was loving life. and then I met someone, came completely out of left field we fell head over heels for each other and so quickly in a matter of weeks we could see our lives together. Then my sons dad committed suicide and it has thrown me, my new partner has been very understanding about my moods and has been a good influence on my son but I never imagined being a full time single mum. I've got no extra financial help, my mum and dad will take my son for a night here and there but only if I ask and my son isnt coping at school. My new partner is in the army and we're moving to NT in January but I'm scared and I feel like I'm bobbing in the ocean just keeping my head above water. My partner is away for a week with work and already I'm not coping with him being away, I'm so down nothing is cheering me up or getting me out of the mood I'm in he says hes there for me but I know how overwhelming my emotions can be for me what if he runs I haven't let anyone in in over 10 years, my ex wasn't very nice to me, and now I'm babbling.... Anyway I dont know what to do I'm so down when he calls me and bite his head off when he doesn't...... what do I do.

Stressedone New job anxiety
  • replies: 5

Not sure how to exactly start this but, I used to be very successful and highly motivated with my career, I’m a heavy machinery operator. I kept climbing the ranks then became a site supervisor, 4 years ago I became addicted to drugs I then lost my j... View more

Not sure how to exactly start this but, I used to be very successful and highly motivated with my career, I’m a heavy machinery operator. I kept climbing the ranks then became a site supervisor, 4 years ago I became addicted to drugs I then lost my job, it wasn’t a pleasant experience, my life was spiraling out of control I had job after job, the longest one only lasting a few months then I gave up. Still being a heavy drug I lost everything, house,cars,girlfriend,friends,family i eventually found myself in jail. When I got out I decided to get clean, I’ve been clean now for two years. And I’ve held a job for the same amount of time. The problem is it’s a crappy job that I found easy and it’s not what I was used to before I became addicted to drugs. Now the problem I have is I’ve been offered multiple jobs that are more challenging and with way better pay (sorta what I used to do before) on heavy machinery in the mines and I’ve either accepted the job offer and only lasted a day or two before I ring my boss and tell him I can’t do it anymore and I find myself going back to that easy job that I find safe.. I didn’t know it at the time but when I was a addict and I was going from job to job getting sacked one after the other I think it really affected me. Not at the time but now I can’t seem to leave the current job I’m at because I’m scared I won’t be good enough and I’ll get sacked. Drugs have really stuffed me up mentally and I basically don’t know what to do.. I know I have a anxiety and depression problem but I have no idea how to fix it. I saw a psychologist for a little while which didn’t help because I felt he had no idea what I was actually going through. I don’t want to stay in this (safe job) anymore I want to be the person I used to be and take that risk because I used to strive in any new job I’d go to before I became an addict I had no anxiety and saw every new job as a experience.. now when I get a new job I either quit before my first day or I find the courage to go but last only a few hours or I get through the day but I’m constantly saying to myself “your not good enough” “they aren’t going to want you back tomorrow” and more negative stuff.. I can’t even begin to explain how much of a toll this is taking on me to make it worse I’ve just been offered another awesome job in the mines, lots and lots of money, good camp,good roster bet yet again I’m thinking of turning it down and sticking to that “safe job” I’m misrible at. please help

Andy1998 Anxiety induced insomnia
  • replies: 5

Hi, all, I'm a first year university biomed student. I have to spend hours studying and memorizing stuff everyday and it has imposed a lot of stress on me. But I always had everything under control, I balanced life/study just fine. I got great marks ... View more

Hi, all, I'm a first year university biomed student. I have to spend hours studying and memorizing stuff everyday and it has imposed a lot of stress on me. But I always had everything under control, I balanced life/study just fine. I got great marks for my subjects and I was actually enjoying the pressure to a degree. It all changed a week ago. I think it all started because of a stupid video game I played last Sunday, it was kinda scary for me and I had some trouble falling asleep that night (took me about 1 hour). I didn't think about it too much on Monday, cause I've had some bad nights like that one before and I thought it was nothing more than just another tough night. And then, on Monday, I made the mistake of playing that video game again, after I finished work. Like I said, I really didn't think too much about the bad night before. Only now have I realized the night on Sunday was a warning sign for me. But it was too late, I played that game again, and I couldn't fall asleep the entire Monday night, I might drifted off for an hour or so but that was about it. I haven't played that game ever since, but I got so worried about not being able to fall asleep and cope with uni, that I got very anxious about sleeping from night 3. Initially the anxiety was from the video game, but starting from night 3, I think it had completely shifted to the fear of not being able to sleep.From night 3, I haven't been able to fall asleep within 2-3 hours of going to bed and had 2 more nights where I didn't fall asleep at all. 2 hours before going to bed, I could already feel my heart pumping fast, fearing I wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, and this fear always made that a reality. My heart would continue to beat fast on the bed, and I tried deep breathing, it didn't really help, my heart would slow down for a few seconds but then the anxiety would be back all over again. I tried telling myself: "Everything is fine." "Many people are having similar troubles, you ain't alone.", but I still couldn't stop worrying. I tried going downstairs to eat something, or to do something else before going back to bed, not much help either. I tried going out and jogging until I was physically exhausted, it helped slightly, but not much and I really don't want to do that every night. I've always been an anxious person but it had never been this severe. I guess the first 2 nights brought out my anxiety from uni&life deep within and now I can't stop the flood.

Sincere_guy Anxiety and chronic chest pain
  • replies: 2

I’m a 40 year old single male, I have severe anxiety and depression, I have chronic chest pain, no heart problem detected. Has anyone out there experiencing the same problem

I’m a 40 year old single male, I have severe anxiety and depression, I have chronic chest pain, no heart problem detected. Has anyone out there experiencing the same problem

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.