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Anxiety

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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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ConcernedAbt Just diagnosed with Panic Disorder
  • replies: 3

Hi guys; I am a 33 year old male who recently got diagnosed with Panic Disorder. I was under extreme stress due to work (Human rights lawyer) and financial issues at the time. I subsequently developed a fear of being in elevators for several months. ... View more

Hi guys; I am a 33 year old male who recently got diagnosed with Panic Disorder. I was under extreme stress due to work (Human rights lawyer) and financial issues at the time. I subsequently developed a fear of being in elevators for several months. Then in October of this year I experienced a panic attack out of the blue whilst sitting in my lounge room. Immediately after this first panic attack I developed really bad anticipatory anxiety to the point where I was looking out for any signs of another panic attack 24/7. Since October I have had several daily limited symptom panic attacks and now I constantly live in fear of having future panic attacks. I have also now developed a fear that I have untreatable panic disorder and that I will never get any better AND that on top of all this I will no longer lead a normal life and that I will come to a point where I will be suicidal. This in turn freaks me out more and increases the panic cycle. I have been seeing a psychiatrist and she has now put me on medication. I have also been referred to a clinical psychologist for CBT. I have been on the meds for 4 days now but I have not seen any major changes. Although I must say no matter how fearful I get I no longer get the full blown panic attacks or limited symptom attacks. I just have constant anticipatory anxiety: stomach problems, constant irritability, low mood, extreme tiredness, anxious state etc. I have been reading online articles on panic disorder and it has freaked me out even more. Apparently, 20 to 40% of panic disorder suffers do not respond to treatment. Can anyone who was on medication please tell me if it has helped them with their panic disorder. How do I know if I have untreatable panic disorder? Will I ever be able to have normal days? Thanks in advance

JB43 Anxiety creating Depression
  • replies: 5

Hi All, First time poster, giving this a try with hope it makes me feel better. 23 year old male, fantastic job, sport lover, social and have many great friends. From the outside i would seem like a happy and successful young person but the truth is ... View more

Hi All, First time poster, giving this a try with hope it makes me feel better. 23 year old male, fantastic job, sport lover, social and have many great friends. From the outside i would seem like a happy and successful young person but the truth is i'm often struggling with Anxiety. I take medication and have for quite sometime, which i believe still helps (hard to compare as it's been a long time) but i have very hard stages, which leads to some very dark times. Anxiety holds me back from doing so many things i want to do, purely to avoid the potential attack that would be involved. Anxiety stopping me from doing things i want to do leads to bad depression. I can be feeling fine in a social setting, but suddenly the wave of anxiety comes along for no obvious reason and it makes me feel like i'm going to be sick and need to go to the toilet instantly. I avoid situations like dating, going out for drinks, holidays etc because of it, though when i have been in those positions, i push through and eventually feel absolutely fine. The fear of it coming is enough to deter me from doing these things, which leads to bad patches of depression because i can't do things i want to do. These patches of depression make me feel like everything is too hard and nothing is worth doing. It's better just to stay at home and work where i feel safe/fine. Just want to know if anyone else struggles with these same situations? it's such a shit thing to have to think of every possible situation before you even leave the home, i just want to live and live my life. Would love to hear from anyone

krystalramone Anxiety stopping me from leaving the house, some days ...
  • replies: 20

Hello all, I wanted to reach out and discuss this. I find my anxiety so debilitating that I find it hard on particular days to leave the house. I feel a sense that I don't want to be around people and feel safe/secure in my own home. I know this is n... View more

Hello all, I wanted to reach out and discuss this. I find my anxiety so debilitating that I find it hard on particular days to leave the house. I feel a sense that I don't want to be around people and feel safe/secure in my own home. I know this is not healthy and have been given some tips from my ongoing support worker. However I wanted some advice from those of you who suffer from this situation/feelings and what you do to overcome them/or help you? krystalramone

Ulysses How are people feeling today?
  • replies: 11

Just went for a nice camping trip. Fishing, swimming so refreshing but of course the minute I got back anxiety creeps in. I realise just the thought of Monday puts me into anxiety mode, and I’m not even working presently. I have to say though that th... View more

Just went for a nice camping trip. Fishing, swimming so refreshing but of course the minute I got back anxiety creeps in. I realise just the thought of Monday puts me into anxiety mode, and I’m not even working presently. I have to say though that this website’s forums have helped me so much and that I find comfort in it when I feel anxious. Hoping everyone out there had something nice happen to them this weekend.

daoga Meeting Anxiety
  • replies: 1

I'm in the IT industry. I don't know how many here suffering from Social Anxiety are working in the same. The growing trend in this industry are so-called Scrum Stand-Up Meetings where the team meets daily for 15 to 30 minutes, and each member of the... View more

I'm in the IT industry. I don't know how many here suffering from Social Anxiety are working in the same. The growing trend in this industry are so-called Scrum Stand-Up Meetings where the team meets daily for 15 to 30 minutes, and each member of the team takes turns reporting what they worked on the previous day, what they will work on the current day and what obstacles they need help with. Before this trend, I was working comfortably with computers 8 hours a day with minimal interaction. Since these meetings were introduced, I've had a couple of panic attacks (I had to step out of the meeting to grab a cup of water). I get very anxious prior to these meetings, and I worry about the next day's meeting after coming home at night. I am on a mental health plan and since then I have been recommended mindfulness meditation (using the app Headspace), do cognitive rehearsal, and apply positive psychology (noting positive thoughts about myself daily). I have also since excused myself from this daily activity. I don't know if I will ever have the courage to do this again. Does anyone here experience the same? I have also since then been silently advocating "neurodiversity" sensitivity in the company, with the hopes to make such meetings optional for those who are of a different neurotype like me.

MV11 Anxiety for no reason
  • replies: 1

So I’m 17 and I’m not the one the ever get depressed or anything. I’ve never really been depressed and I have always been pretty normal, I get happy I get angry but usually I’m in between. But recently and I don’t know why when I’m on my own mentally... View more

So I’m 17 and I’m not the one the ever get depressed or anything. I’ve never really been depressed and I have always been pretty normal, I get happy I get angry but usually I’m in between. But recently and I don’t know why when I’m on my own mentally like it’s just me with my thoughts I get anxiety for no reason like I don’t think about anything important at all and it’s really hard to fall asleep. But this anxiety thing comes and goes and the only way I can sleep is if I’m really tired or I have a podcast playing while I sleep so i can’t really talk to myself. I mean sometimes I get into really deep thoughts like life after death and about space and stuff and for some reason it puts me on edge and I hate it and I’m really trying to do the best I can to rid my self. but if anyone has any suggestions like drink something before I sleep or like read a book or something it would be much appreciated

michc04 Need some help to keep going
  • replies: 1

Hi, while I haven’t been suffering from servere panic and anxiety for too long (it has come on in the last 5 weeks and won’t leave) i just need some motivation to keep going and trying to get over this. I have tried everything and recently just start... View more

Hi, while I haven’t been suffering from servere panic and anxiety for too long (it has come on in the last 5 weeks and won’t leave) i just need some motivation to keep going and trying to get over this. I have tried everything and recently just started on some medication but it is taking such a toll on my quality of life. i just want to know that there is some hope and things will get back to normal

sjay88 Panic attack BEGONE...Proud of myself
  • replies: 2

So I am a paid Elite Table tennis Coach, and recently the coaching sessions I run have been a trigger for extreme anxiety and panic attacks, both before and during the session. Most recent attacks are a result of anxiety that I will have another pani... View more

So I am a paid Elite Table tennis Coach, and recently the coaching sessions I run have been a trigger for extreme anxiety and panic attacks, both before and during the session. Most recent attacks are a result of anxiety that I will have another panic attack during a Coaching Session. I have had a number of severe panic attacks during Coaching Sessions in the past 6 months, although been mentally unwell for many years. Things just got that bad that the panic attacks started to creep into my passion and only paid work, and that is teaching/coaching children Table Tennis As you can imagine kids between 9 to about 17 years of age don't necessarily understand what a full blown panic attack looks like and having them in front of these kids was extremely intense, and no doubt scary for them to see their Coach freaking out. If I taught adults they would understand a little better, but kids don't as much, especially the young ones. Anyway, tonight I had a Session with 15 children, leading up to tonight's session I could feel the anxiety building, and about 10 mins out before the session started I was sitting in my car just wanting to try and make some excuse why I could not do the session, it was a bad one coming on. Anyway, I was able to practice breathing and mindfulness techniques to bring myself back into control of my thoughts and the bodily symptoms that occur with my panic attacks. I was able to go on and run one of the best session I have delivered in the last 6 months. Things could have turned out really bad, but I kicked its butt...So I am pretty proud of myself, Sjay88

Nickb1701 Anxiety and Panic Attacks Causing Physical Pain
  • replies: 2

Hello, First time poster here, so i'll just get straight down to it. i am diagnosed General anxiety disorder (GAD) Panic Disorder, Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Schizophrenia. My main problem is in regards to my anxiety and panic attacks. j... View more

Hello, First time poster here, so i'll just get straight down to it. i am diagnosed General anxiety disorder (GAD) Panic Disorder, Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Schizophrenia. My main problem is in regards to my anxiety and panic attacks. just last night i had to be admitted into hospital for an unusually high heart rate. but what people don't seem to understand is i have panic attacks every day. this day much worse. it had gone on for 3 days. i had a pounding heart. a constricted and crushing feeling in my chest that hurt physically. A lot. a sore stomach. weakness and trembling. the hospital was more concerned about my heart and conducted x-rays and blood tests, followed by tests on my heart to eliminate heart attacks. once they all came back clear. they discharged me with a letter for my GP to adjust my anxiety medication to try control my panic and general anxiety. it does get hard, often waking up in full blown withdrawal from the short 6-8 hour half life (i'm lucky to get 6 hours). these physical feelings i am experiencing daily. the crushing / constriction of the chest? the sore stomach? difficulty breathing. does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for what i could do with myself or my GP to try alleviate these symptons. because my doctor is of a different nationality to me and has trouble understanding me and what i'm trying to say. so theres a big barrier there. i also have another doctor i see once a month who is much more open and helpful to all my needs. but hes located further away than comfortable. any suggestions would be helpful to help me gather perspective on what i should do to approach my problem. thank you in advance. if you are experiencing similar issues please feel free to post your experience in this thread.

distelfink New here, long term sufferer
  • replies: 11

Hi there. I'm reaching out because I feel like I'm losing control. I have anxiety and depression and health anxiety. I lost my Mama 8 years ago, when I was 23 to cancer and since then EVERYTHING I have is about my health. I have a pain, "omgosh I mus... View more

Hi there. I'm reaching out because I feel like I'm losing control. I have anxiety and depression and health anxiety. I lost my Mama 8 years ago, when I was 23 to cancer and since then EVERYTHING I have is about my health. I have a pain, "omgosh I must have cancer"... A few weeks ago I had a really bad run, like the worst I've ever had with anxiety and panic attacks. Since then, I've been physically feeling parts of my body. My breast started to feel different - it was just my bra/clothing. Underneath the same breast it felt like I had bubbles or an unexplainable feeling - I have been noticing or been hyper aware of my clothing touching just this side. I have become so hyper aware of what my body is doing, I feel like it's driving me insane. I'm completely fine when I wake. No pains, no feelings - until I start thinking about it. I'm completely fine when I'm with friends or helping people - until I'm alone or left to my own devices... then everything becomes apparent. I have this throat 'burn' it's like a burn but it doesn't hurt.. and then my tongue feels like I've burnt the tastebuds - but haven't. Or it gets numb... but only when I concentrate. I saw a therapist a few years back and she recommended some herbal meds and mindfulness techniques - I've tried them.. and I was good for awhile. I have been looking for work; which I think is a major trigger... I'm terrified to work I found what I thought was a great help but now when I take it, I get bloated (or am?) I feel gassy but can't get relief - or I get relief when I stop taking these tablets. On them my anxiety is less. I tell you, I had a great week.. and then I started with the belly aches.. that over took my mind and here I am. I'm going crazy. Because if I'm busy or not thinking about them.... I can't feel a thing. I'm scared to see the doctor. I'm scared they're going to tell me I have cancer. I keep telling the same stories to my friends and then I feel bad because it's all they hear. I'm losing control. I'm going from QLD to VIC in March, (want to) and I'm already stressing about leaving my friends and my dad; but this was my decision. I did the same thing when I left VIC to come home. I want to go back... but I wish I could take my friends. My dad is 70 and all I think about is losing him but at the same time I can't stay here. There are so many 'normal' things going on and in my stupid head... it's torture.