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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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PomInSydney Anxiety after drinking
  • replies: 5

Hi there, I'm new to beyond blue so this is my first post. I had a heavy night out on Saturday, and had the 'beer fear' all of Sunday. I was pretty hungover so simply tried to keep myself distracted and calm, and put it out of my mind as 'just a hang... View more

Hi there, I'm new to beyond blue so this is my first post. I had a heavy night out on Saturday, and had the 'beer fear' all of Sunday. I was pretty hungover so simply tried to keep myself distracted and calm, and put it out of my mind as 'just a hangover'. Here I am on Monday, still feeling it. I was up early to get to the gym which did make me feel a little better, but I'm sat at my desk with my heart racing, body trembling, knot in my stomach, and I can't focus on anything. I feel very tired too, as I believe the anxiety I have been feeling meant I had a poor nights sleep and I had some stressful dreams. Is it usual to have heightened anxiety for two days post-drinking?

JellJell Dental Fear. Please help me!
  • replies: 5

I was hesitant about posting on here but my fear is getting the better of me and I don't know what to do. I'm having this massive fear when it comes to the dentist. I do suffer from anxiety in general which I think is making this so much worse. I hav... View more

I was hesitant about posting on here but my fear is getting the better of me and I don't know what to do. I'm having this massive fear when it comes to the dentist. I do suffer from anxiety in general which I think is making this so much worse. I have bad teeth. My mouth is over crowded and my brushing habits weren't the best when I was younger. I haven't been to the dentist because of this fear for quite some years. Recently I have noticed my two top wisdom teeth have come through. They aren't painful at all and I didn't even realise they were there but I can see there isn't enough room for them to come down to the same level as my other molars. I have also now started to worry that I can see a small part of one on the bottom left of my mouth. There is no pain top or bottom. I'm terrified that they are going to need to be removed. I know I need to go to the dentist and see what is happening but just the thought of being told they need to be removed is scaring me. My brain is just like panicking to find any way out of doing this. If anyone has any advice or thoughts that may help me at all please it would be appreciated. This fear is making me feel stupid. Thanks

Feeling_lowsy Feeling scared
  • replies: 15

Hi All, Doing everything I’m meant to be doing to deal with the anxiety and depression yet still feel scared almost all of the time. Even logging into this forum as a first time user is challenging my emotions. Please be kind on your reply.

Hi All, Doing everything I’m meant to be doing to deal with the anxiety and depression yet still feel scared almost all of the time. Even logging into this forum as a first time user is challenging my emotions. Please be kind on your reply.

Bigtony Sleep problems
  • replies: 5

Hey guys, I have a bit of an issue I can’t seem to find anywhere when I look on the internet, before I speak about it I understand a lot of people have sleep anxiety where they can’t sleep, but mines a bit different. Around 1 year ago this problem st... View more

Hey guys, I have a bit of an issue I can’t seem to find anywhere when I look on the internet, before I speak about it I understand a lot of people have sleep anxiety where they can’t sleep, but mines a bit different. Around 1 year ago this problem started where i got bad anxiety from drinking energy drinks and I tried to go to sleep at 4 am and I couldn’t I just laid there with bad anxiety, it didn’t happen every night after that but eventually it became a constant thing, (That was a one time thing with the energy drinks, I don’t drink energy drinks or coffee or do drugs) but after that I got a weird habit stuck in my brain where it I stayed up till 4 am or later I’d lay there having panic attacks not being able to sleep, and this was 100% of the time if I stayed up that late, if I went to sleep at 3 am or earlier I am fine no anxiety, but over time my sleep has gotten worse now I don’t like to stay up past 1 am, I can’t go out with friends because staying out late scares me incase I don’t make it home in time for my sleep schedule, but yes basically the sleep anxiety only exists if I stay up past my sleep boundary and I will have panic attacks all night until I realise I should stop trying to sleep, any suggestions? It sucks but it’s not the worst thing as long as I avoid staying up late

Void511 Returning to work 
  • replies: 1

I am so anxious to return to work it’s been 9 years since I’ve held done a job.Ive had jobs lots of them I only seem to last a few weeks.I am currently looking for work which is so stressful as you could imagine.I stopped socialising and basically cu... View more

I am so anxious to return to work it’s been 9 years since I’ve held done a job.Ive had jobs lots of them I only seem to last a few weeks.I am currently looking for work which is so stressful as you could imagine.I stopped socialising and basically cut me self off from the world completely 3 years ago.I noticed I was down right depressed and anxious all the time.Yes I was on weed at the time which wasn’t helping, I noticed I was just trying to do anything to escape reality.It was a year long struggle to become sober. Now two years clean with a couple of beers once every now and then and me dozen cigarettes a day habit.Yes I did stop cigarettes only lasted 6 weeks. Done that twice in past 2 years.So that’s a little of situation lately.

Wallflower1 Public speaking
  • replies: 3

Hi there, I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on public speaking for people with anxiety? I practiced none stop for about two weeks, but of course within two minutes of talking I forgot what I was saying, repeated myself, minced up words, wen... View more

Hi there, I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on public speaking for people with anxiety? I practiced none stop for about two weeks, but of course within two minutes of talking I forgot what I was saying, repeated myself, minced up words, went bright red, ran out of oxygen etc. I tried to convince myself that it didn’t go as bad as what I thought, but today I get an email from my boss with a list of about 9 things I did wrong and that I needed to practice more etc. So now I feel super sh*t. What can I do to get better at speaking in front of others?

cj_horror Recently OCD
  • replies: 4

HI, I was recently diagnosed with OCD alongside a number of other issues. My doctors want me to go on medication. I won't lie, I'm terrified. I'm sick of being the way I am, but I have no faith in there being any possibility for a change for the bett... View more

HI, I was recently diagnosed with OCD alongside a number of other issues. My doctors want me to go on medication. I won't lie, I'm terrified. I'm sick of being the way I am, but I have no faith in there being any possibility for a change for the better. I feel like I'm drowning. I drink heavily and use narcotics to cope, but this can't last forever. I don't know anymore. Any pointers or relevant experience is welcome.

Rubykt Anxious
  • replies: 4

I feel fake and numb but continue to live a daily life where my partner and family think im ok. I absolutely love my wife and my family but I still feel detached, going through the motions. I'm sure everyone feels like this but how do you get over it... View more

I feel fake and numb but continue to live a daily life where my partner and family think im ok. I absolutely love my wife and my family but I still feel detached, going through the motions. I'm sure everyone feels like this but how do you get over it. Without being told to just get over it.

isabelle1188 Anxiety is preventing me from getting an education
  • replies: 3

I have had anxiety since I was very young, but over the last 5 or so years it has become unbearable. A short time after I started 8th grade I stopped going to school completely because of my anxiety and I haven’t gone back since. I am supposed to be ... View more

I have had anxiety since I was very young, but over the last 5 or so years it has become unbearable. A short time after I started 8th grade I stopped going to school completely because of my anxiety and I haven’t gone back since. I am supposed to be in 10th grade this year and every day I worry myself sick in terms of what to do about my education. My dad is pressuring me to attend a mainstream school, my mum on the other hand is looking into homeschooling, but I am afraid I can do neither as my anxiety prevents me from leaving the house and I find it difficult to find the motivation to do schoolwork at home. I have been seeing school counsellors, social workers, and psychologists on and off about my anxiety since I was as young as 6 years old but I have yet to find anyone that has been genuinely helpful. I have had psychologists tell my parents they will no longer see me because I’m too difficult to work with, which has further contributed to my feelings of hopelessness. I have been told to see a psychiatrist, but my mum can not afford to pay for one and my dad doesn’t believe in using therapy or medication to manage depression/anxiety. I feel like I’m running out of options and I don’t know what else to do.

lilykitten Panic attacks on holidays
  • replies: 6

Hello folks. I have GAD but seem to manage it very well using all the breathing methods etc. I work as a teacher, have 2 demanding teenage girls and my husband is out of work but despite a racing brain which makes me a bit forgetful, no one would not... View more

Hello folks. I have GAD but seem to manage it very well using all the breathing methods etc. I work as a teacher, have 2 demanding teenage girls and my husband is out of work but despite a racing brain which makes me a bit forgetful, no one would notice. It's in my downtime that the panic attacks hit. As the meal arrives at the dinner or as I am about to get on a plane or when arriving at a swanky hotel. The symptoms are pins and needles across my scalp, fuzzy vision, clamminess, nausea but most of all diarrhea. I can get through it with deep breathing and many visits to the loo but I wonder if I am destined to never fully enjoy a holiday. I am looking at two options 1. medication for anxiety or 2. mediation for nausea and diarrhea. Do you think either is worthwhile? I'm the sort of person who never takes medication and doesn't drink.