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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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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?

That_French_Kid First Time Posting! Vomiting fear and anxiety.
  • replies: 2

Hey, my name is Harry. I'm 14 years old and my life is being controlled by fear and anxiety. This is a big step in my life since I haven't talked to anyone about my problem yet because i'm not close to my Father ever since my parents got divorced and... View more

Hey, my name is Harry. I'm 14 years old and my life is being controlled by fear and anxiety. This is a big step in my life since I haven't talked to anyone about my problem yet because i'm not close to my Father ever since my parents got divorced and I don't want to tell my Mum because she already does enough for me and my sisters. So four weeks ago I got really sick with vomiting and diarrhea. Iv always had a fear of vomiting wheater it was the sound, smell or actually vomit I would cover my ears and run. After I was sick I was worried about throwing up again. I feel sick all the time like I'm about to throw up but I never do. I usually play a lot of basketball but I haven't lately because I feel sick before I play. I've fallen behind in school work and assignments because I lose focus in class because I feel sick. I feel like im about to be sick, I've started eating less so that I don't throw up and only drinking sips of water so that I don't have too much water so that I throw up. Its also keeping me up to late times at night, for the last month I have been running off 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I'm really looking for some help and guidance.

SilverLight Work Related Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Does anyone else find that working worsens their Anxiety? I've been a full time worker for close to 6 years since high school (took 2 years off to study in between and just recently had a baby) and every job I've had I've had to leave because my anxi... View more

Does anyone else find that working worsens their Anxiety? I've been a full time worker for close to 6 years since high school (took 2 years off to study in between and just recently had a baby) and every job I've had I've had to leave because my anxiety and depression flare up so bad that I start getting into trouble. I don't know what to do... My worst nightmare is not being able to work because mental health suffers so poorly with workplace pressure... I've had my share of bad jobs too... For example in my last job I was hit by a colleague for my mistakes. My boss was so abusive when I asked for help in day to day jobs that I was too scared to report it in case I was laughed at or fired... I was then shoved under a bus figuratively when I got into trouble for doing what my supervisor asked and my Supervisor told the boss she'd never asked me to do it... I was unfairly dismissed and thanks to some very dedicated family and my very pissed off husband we won a fair work case. Needless to say I don't want to return to the work force anytime soon... I'd rather stay home with my little boy. I'm scared one day though I'll have no choice and I'm panicking I'm going to have anxiety relapses again if I do...

45987 Social anxiety (disorder) without physical symptoms?
  • replies: 2

Although I've felt like I have some form of social anxiety for years, because I don't have any server physical symptoms like panic attacks (only really stomach butterflies, lack of sleep, stress) , I thought it would be impossible for me to have it, ... View more

Although I've felt like I have some form of social anxiety for years, because I don't have any server physical symptoms like panic attacks (only really stomach butterflies, lack of sleep, stress) , I thought it would be impossible for me to have it, and my parents also basically said it was rubbish when I asked them, and on another site for social anxiety I mentioned this to someone else I was chatting to online, and after this they completely stopped talking to me, so I assumed I'm some sort of disgrace to people with real anxiety/I'm not good enough to be diagnosed with anything. However I've recently been seeing a psychologist at my university who said there was definitely social anxiety there (without me specifically bring SA up, just from me describing my feeling/day to day life/experiences). Can anyone else provide an opinion or experiences regarding this? Is it really possible to have SA without having full on panic attacks? Thanks for taking the time to read.

Mrjoseph Severe death anxiety
  • replies: 1

My thoughts! Was talking to a friend saying I've been through so much in life hence why I feel so old ( im 25 ) then suddenly my mind turned to what if you feel so old because your time is up then I started thinking is my time really up? And the anxi... View more

My thoughts! Was talking to a friend saying I've been through so much in life hence why I feel so old ( im 25 ) then suddenly my mind turned to what if you feel so old because your time is up then I started thinking is my time really up? And the anxiety started. I've had a death anxiety for a while but I've been able to control it because of my faith every time I do a good thing I say to myself what if im doing all this good because I might die soon I've completely changed I've become so different Ive completely 360 degree changed since September 2017 now it's September 2018 I've become so nice it's scaring me im never like this and I know it's a good thing but my mind questions if im so good now because Im about to die and enter heaven, I know sounds dramatic but that's what plays out in my mind. Thank God im not sick im physically A ok so there's no need for me to think like this. I've been going through some really big changes in my life all positive and moving on to bigger and better things has anyone experienced something like this before?

Livvy18 Anxiety. Germs
  • replies: 7

I have always been carefree and relaxed. However, just over 2 years ago my sister was 3 months pregnant and I came in contact with someone who supposedly had hand foot and mouth. I was a total mess, as the thought of passing it on to her and her unbo... View more

I have always been carefree and relaxed. However, just over 2 years ago my sister was 3 months pregnant and I came in contact with someone who supposedly had hand foot and mouth. I was a total mess, as the thought of passing it on to her and her unborn baby terrified me. I never actually caught anything, but my brain kept telling me I had all the symptoms. It was as if I was seeing and feeling things that I didn’t actually have. Since then my anxiety over “germs” have become an almost every day battle. I have also had a son in this time. His 6 months old. He is my world and so is his daddy! My husband is very supportive but I don’t think he understands my anxiety fully. He is a very easy going person so the smallest thing that I find dirty wouldn’t even cross his mind. In a way it calms me down but sometimes it freaks me out. Anyway, I have asked people not to kiss my son as I’m terrified of him catching a cold sore (I know it’s not the end of the world but my brain tells me differently). I hate going out in public or to family/ friends houses as I don’t want people to touch him. If I do go out I’m watching him like a hawk, however I feel like I can’t tell people to not do something if I don’t like it. Then when I get home not only do I constantly wash my hands to the point that they bleed but I feel sick that I have let my son down and that he is going to catch something. I feel like my anxiety will eventually come between my husband and I or that my son will turn out just like me or have an awful childhood because of me. Am I the only one? Do you have any suggestions?

WendyRose Genuinely terrified
  • replies: 2

I have been concerned for the past nine months or more that I might be exhibiting signs of early onset dementia. The very thought of this makes me panic. I have suffered from depression all my life due to early childhood abuse but have never been a h... View more

I have been concerned for the past nine months or more that I might be exhibiting signs of early onset dementia. The very thought of this makes me panic. I have suffered from depression all my life due to early childhood abuse but have never been a hypochondriac. In fact, I almost never go to the doctor. It seems ironic that someone who has been suicidal all her life is now scared of leaving her children in this way. I am only 48.

Adeo90 Health anxiety
  • replies: 5

I am currently on a girls weekend and my anxiety has been really bad today. My psychiatrist recently diagnosed me with health anxiety. I can't sleep ATM because I'm too worried about my heart rate. In my eyes it's too low. Hovering around 50 bpm on m... View more

I am currently on a girls weekend and my anxiety has been really bad today. My psychiatrist recently diagnosed me with health anxiety. I can't sleep ATM because I'm too worried about my heart rate. In my eyes it's too low. Hovering around 50 bpm on my fitbit. I have an app as well that I use to check and it's around 54 bpm. I'm too scared to sleep because I'm worried that it will go even lower if I sleep, or even stop even with my anxiety it's that low. I have no one to speak to either as I feel like the girls I am with won't understand. I don't know how to stop worrying!

Roobot Lost a friend and feeling alone
  • replies: 5

So I've had a few minor panic attacks lately but seem to be learning to head them off before they go anywhere. Today in the supermarket I wasn't feeling the best, I saw a person who I used to be great friends with and tried to have a chat but got bru... View more

So I've had a few minor panic attacks lately but seem to be learning to head them off before they go anywhere. Today in the supermarket I wasn't feeling the best, I saw a person who I used to be great friends with and tried to have a chat but got brushed off. She never spoke to me much after I got diagnosed with epilepsy. Then I saw another friend. I complained at her last week that her kid messed up my kids room, thinking she'd take it OK. My kid has OCD anxiety and he doesn't like people moving his stuff. She took it so hard that she says she's not visiting me again. I tried to explain how I only have a limited amount of energy and it's usually gone by midday. I just can't be tidying all day or I'll make myself ill. I have 3 kids off my own to tidy up after. Anyway she totally didn't get it. She said if my kids messed up her house she'd just leave it. Anyway I'm really upset. I've lost a friend who I thought understood me and my child. But I'm alone. We are alone. My son and I. I'm sad he's lost a little friend too.

Koby16 How do you know?
  • replies: 2

I have been suffering anxiety and panic for as long as I can remember. I don't recall a time where I felt 'normal'. It has started to impact my wellbeing - where I used to manage it, I now can't seem to get a handle on it. I have physical symptoms al... View more

I have been suffering anxiety and panic for as long as I can remember. I don't recall a time where I felt 'normal'. It has started to impact my wellbeing - where I used to manage it, I now can't seem to get a handle on it. I have physical symptoms all day and am at a point where I can't tell if it is real or anxiety driven. I find myself going is this real chest pain, is this numbness real, do I have a cold? The truth is I can't tell..it all feels the same - debilitating. I am writing this now in the early hours of the morning because I have woken up with anxiety and can't seem to get it under control, How do I know wha is real. How do I manage the anxiety? It seems once I get one symptom under control, a new one pops up to take its place...