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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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Lone Parenting with social anxiety
  • replies: 5

Hi, i am a mum of a 6 year old with social anxiety. I am having trouble dealing with social aspects of parenting, play dates and parties and socialising with other parents. It is so bad that I often cancel engagements or withdraw as I have to talk to... View more

Hi, i am a mum of a 6 year old with social anxiety. I am having trouble dealing with social aspects of parenting, play dates and parties and socialising with other parents. It is so bad that I often cancel engagements or withdraw as I have to talk to other parents. I am so sad that I am making my daughter suffer because of me. I don't know what to do. Should I tell the other parents of my daughters friends. I am sure they think I am weird or strange anyway.

emmielou00 Bad chest pain only at night
  • replies: 2

Hi, I have Generalised Anxiety disorder and usually it's okay, but every now and then I wake up in the middle of the night with a sharp pain in my chest and i am unable to go back to sleep due to the discomfort. I am also a massive hypochondriac so I... View more

Hi, I have Generalised Anxiety disorder and usually it's okay, but every now and then I wake up in the middle of the night with a sharp pain in my chest and i am unable to go back to sleep due to the discomfort. I am also a massive hypochondriac so I have already looked up all the possible reasons for the pain but have been told by my doctor and my mum that it is just my anxiety. The pain is sharp but not sharp enough to be extremely painful, but it stops me from being able to get comfortable while lying down or falling back asleep. I was just wondering if there is anyone else who also experiences this and how they manage it. I usually just have to stay awake until it passes but I am in year 12 right now and need to sleep so i can study for my exams. Any help is useful.

Romy Anxious about being anxious
  • replies: 6

I have generalised anxiety disorder. I am in the very early stages of dating a guy and I can't stop the anxiety. He is so great, he has said he really likes me and I like him. He knows about my anxiety and I have told him that it might take me some t... View more

I have generalised anxiety disorder. I am in the very early stages of dating a guy and I can't stop the anxiety. He is so great, he has said he really likes me and I like him. He knows about my anxiety and I have told him that it might take me some time to be 100% comfortable. I don't even know what I am anxious about. I have never been in a relationship so it's all very new and exciting. Most of the problem I am dealing with at the moment is due to the fact that I'm anxious about being anxious. Leading up to dates I worry, "What if I'm anxious? What if I have a panic attack? What if I vomit in front of him? What if I ruin the date and then I feel even worse?" My biggest fear is never being comfortable, and feeling this anxiety forever. I want to see him, I like him so much, I just can't shift this anxiety. I should probably also add that I've only been seeing him for a couple of weeks. I am on medication which most of the time works well. I am completely anxiety free until I start dating someone.

Bridgetjane1980 How to overcome this and get my life back
  • replies: 3

Hi I was diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder. I have been having daily panic attacks since January. I started medication 4 weeks ago and no improvement. The physical symptoms I go through multiple times a day are terrifying, I live in a constan... View more

Hi I was diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder. I have been having daily panic attacks since January. I started medication 4 weeks ago and no improvement. The physical symptoms I go through multiple times a day are terrifying, I live in a constant state of panic having dizziness to the point I feel like passing out, heart palpitations, nausea so bad I cannot eat, tingling in hands and feet, chest pain and a few other symptoms. I have ended up at the emergency department a few times thinking I'm dying and have had a few ecg's and blood tests and all have been fine. I can't seem to accept that this is all just anxiety. I go through this from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep, it's no way to live it's affecting my life I can't even function properly and don't want to leave my house. I have 3 kids to care for and I feel I'm letting them down because I can't seem to get better. Can anyone else relate? I just want my life back. I'm fast loosing hope things will ever get better.

Anxietyandme Work and life - shrouded by anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting - feeling particularly emotional, tired and raw at the moment, so thought it a good time to post. Some background about me - I'm 28, and have suffered from depression and anxiety for the majority of my li... View more

Hello everyone. This is my first time posting - feeling particularly emotional, tired and raw at the moment, so thought it a good time to post. Some background about me - I'm 28, and have suffered from depression and anxiety for the majority of my life. I experienced some childhood trauma which left me depressed in my adolescence and early twenties. Anxiety was intermittent during these times, and came in full blown after 24 I'd say. I would describe myself as being a high functioning anxious person, and I managed it fairly well up until I was 26. I began full-time work after graduating at 25, and fairly quickly was promoted and secured several new roles at the same company. I moved into one role that I really liked, however my Manager at the time did not fully understand the nature of my anxiety, or had any empathy or consideration for that matter, which became evident after a few instances at work. This role was temporary, and when I interviewed to be in the role permanently, despite being in the role for over a year, having my contract extended twice, and having great feedback, I did not get the role. Through the 'grapevine' afterwards (totally in breach of Staff code of conduct) I found out it was due to me taking too much leave (mind you, it was within the amount I was entitled to as a full-time staff member). I was devastated. I left the company shortly after. Fast forward now, having moved into a new role where I am in a management position, and I feel like an anxious wreck. There is so much stigma around taking a 'mental health day' for me, in my head. My new role is highly stressful, and I am overwhelmed. I am already burnt out, and just feel as though I am hopeless. I desperately worry I am about to 'lose it' everyday. I feel dread about going to work, and I don't think I am capable in the role. I have received no feedback to the contrary, however, anxious minds breed deceit, don't they? I constantly worry about what my staff think of me, and if they think I am useful. I just feel I have been absolutely ruined by my last experience at my old company. It plays in my mind constantly, and I feel so much pressure to perform at my new role. Add to this - my new role is not permanent, and I was given a week of training and then left to my own devices essentially. I panic every day about going to work. If anything, I needed to just vent all this. However, if any of you have have experienced anything similar, or are struggling at work. Please post.

Diandra1 Panic & vommiting
  • replies: 3

Does anyone else have a fear of vomiting? Everytime I have a panic attack I vomit constantly and the nausea feeling and the vommiting is the worst experience! I am not sure if my increased dosage is having side effects or my anxiety is playing up but... View more

Does anyone else have a fear of vomiting? Everytime I have a panic attack I vomit constantly and the nausea feeling and the vommiting is the worst experience! I am not sure if my increased dosage is having side effects or my anxiety is playing up but I haven’t had panic or vomited yet but the over thinking about it is killing me and is also causing me stress and making me nauseous anyone got advice?

ScaredBetty Feeling lost
  • replies: 6

I was walking along the beach and I felt like I was going to explode, I felt like I just wanted to start running far away and not stop. I felt like I was going to burst at any second, and I was trying to hold back tears. I had wound myself up through... View more

I was walking along the beach and I felt like I was going to explode, I felt like I just wanted to start running far away and not stop. I felt like I was going to burst at any second, and I was trying to hold back tears. I had wound myself up throughout the day, my printer wasn’t working, my assignment was stuffing up, my tv wasn’t working and a lot of little annoyances put together had slowly brought me to a point of feeling agitated and overwhelmed like I was going to snap. When I sat on the beach I felt hopeless and lost, I felt like I should have every reason to be happy right now yet why wasn’t I ? I could feel tears coming out and I felt like giving up on everything for a moment, I wondered to myself what the point of my life was and if I will ever feel like myself or normal again, what’s the point of continuing if I am going to keep feeling this horrible sometimes. I felt like there was a knot inside me and it was getting tighter and tighter, I felt hot and dizzy and my vision was surreal around me. I don’t know if this is my anxiety or depression, I feel like I keep taking 2 steps forward 1 step back

HermitCrab Decision making
  • replies: 1

Hi there I've always had trouble making decisions, I always like to put other people first and tend to analyse what would be best for them and make them happiest, which has led to me usually pushing the decision making on them so that they will be ha... View more

Hi there I've always had trouble making decisions, I always like to put other people first and tend to analyse what would be best for them and make them happiest, which has led to me usually pushing the decision making on them so that they will be happy. This has extended so that I'm often incapable of making decisions, even simple ones like what to have for lunch can have me stumped all morning as I think about how much money I'm willing to spend on lunch and what the most convenient place is etc. Recently it's becoming a problem with my boyfriend. I do my usual thing of letting him make most of the decisions because if he leaves it up to me I'm worried that I'll choose something that will not make him happy, and in the end I don't really mind which decision is made. Its gotten to the point where he holds off decision making in case what he decides upsets me, because often I don't realise what I actually wanted until I start doing it. Is there any advice on how I can stop agonising over simple things like what to wear or where to go for dinner with friends and maybe start thinking about what decision I actually want? Thanks

Mischiefthecat16 anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hello my name is maria . I have just joined up recently to beyond blue. I would like to receive some support around anxiety but I would also like to help other people who are suffering from the condition.

Hello my name is maria . I have just joined up recently to beyond blue. I would like to receive some support around anxiety but I would also like to help other people who are suffering from the condition.

jessypixie Battling an Eating Disorder that I don't understand as well as Panic/Anxiety Disorder...I don't know what else I can try....
  • replies: 10

Hi all you beautiful Souls, this is my 1st post, I've kinda run out of options so I thought I would give this forum a try. Im a 30 year old female, who has suffered with some type of "eating disorder" since I was 3 years old. At the age of 14 I start... View more

Hi all you beautiful Souls, this is my 1st post, I've kinda run out of options so I thought I would give this forum a try. Im a 30 year old female, who has suffered with some type of "eating disorder" since I was 3 years old. At the age of 14 I started suffering from Depression, which has now lead to me battling with severe Panic/Anxiety Disorder for the past 5-6 years. I can't make sense of this eating disorder, I have been to 4 different therapists in the past 5 years, have tried Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, amongst other things, and NOTHING I do works. So, from the age of 3, one day I stopped eating meals. My family says that I just refused to eat pretty much every single food known. The only thing I would eat for dinner is hot chips, sandwiches/toast & certain fruits (and this still continues to this very day) I find it really hard to explain, because this is something I am so ashamed & embarrassed about. I try & hide this from anyone new I meet, & I strongly believe that the reason behind me developing Anxiety is because of the way I eat (I constantly fear death, think I'm having/will have a stroke or heart attack because of the way I eat) I know what you're probably thinking, How hard is it to put food into your mouth and simply swallow it? I have tried over and over again to try new food, especially healthy foods that I know are good for me. Everytime I do this, even if the portions are so minimal, I freeze up, I cry, I feel nauseous and am completely resistant to it. There has been a few instances where I would put a piece of carrot (example) in my mouth, chewed and eventually swallowed the food that's in my mouth but I cannot bring myself to have a second mouthful. I think the easiest way to describe it is that I have a phobia of food I guess?? I have a partner of 13 years, and I can cook he's food and be around the food, I just CANNOT put it in my mouth and eat like a normal person. My anxiety has stopped me from doing research online, because I can't even really describe my problem, so how can you find the answer right? This has already taken about 2 hours just to write this. I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who suffers or knows someone who suffers from something similar? Where there are very minimal types of food you will eat & even with those foods, you're still very fussy and particular about them? To anyone reading, I appreciate your time. I am so lost and confused, any advice would be so appreciated. Peace & Love