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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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Fwuffy Contemplating air travel when I have a hard time just driving an hour away from home!
  • replies: 11

Hi everyone, Feeling sooo overwhelmed and down on myself. I have had anxiety and depression for over 20 years. One thing I have become very good at is avoiding travel because of panic attacks. I am now faced with this situation; One of my sons is gra... View more

Hi everyone, Feeling sooo overwhelmed and down on myself. I have had anxiety and depression for over 20 years. One thing I have become very good at is avoiding travel because of panic attacks. I am now faced with this situation; One of my sons is graduating, I want to be there for him, I have said I will be. BUT! I am finding the idea of two plane trips alone and more travel on top of that simply mind boggling and full of what ifs! I am wondering if anyone else has really forced themselves into this type of exposure therapy for family reasons and how they coped? Please, I welcome any input, thoughts and ideas, I really need to discuss this with like minded individuals that can relate. At the moment it's just going round and round in my head and I have 2 weeks till his graduation, so the pressure is on! TIA, Sarah

Jubbachub Health Anxiety Distressing Symptoms
  • replies: 5

Hi all, I'm new to this forum, but I'm hoping to have a chat with a few health anxiety sufferers, such as myself. I've had health anxiety for many years now. I've convinced myself that I've had cancer, tumors, ALS, almost every debilitating disease u... View more

Hi all, I'm new to this forum, but I'm hoping to have a chat with a few health anxiety sufferers, such as myself. I've had health anxiety for many years now. I've convinced myself that I've had cancer, tumors, ALS, almost every debilitating disease under the sun. The symptoms felt so real, however usually went away once I found a new illness to obsess over. What brings me here today, is that about 8 months ago I noticed a pain in my lower right abdomen, below the bellybutton but above the pelvis. I spoke to the doctor, and had an ultrasound, chest/abdominal xray and blood tests to check my organ function. All came back fine. This pain is still here to this day. It hurts to press, but not enough to disrupt my daily function. It hasn't gotten worse, but I can tell this isn't something anxiety related. At the moment I'm terrified I have bowel cancer, as my stools have been changing quite a bit in consistency/colour, but are still what I'd call within normal range. I don't want to have anymore tests. I'm a 22 year old male, and have now started seeing a psychologist about my anxiety, but have not yet brought this up. I guess what I'm asking is has anyone had a similar experience? Or can offer advice on what you have done to overcome these kinds of fears? Thanks in advance, Jacob, fellow hypochondriac.

Joels Getting out of the rut to help Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi everybody, I’ve recently been diagnosed with anxiety. I’ve only been seeing a Psychologist for three months now but one of the things that has been pointed out is alcohol has been a way of coping with my anxiety over a long period of time. My ques... View more

Hi everybody, I’ve recently been diagnosed with anxiety. I’ve only been seeing a Psychologist for three months now but one of the things that has been pointed out is alcohol has been a way of coping with my anxiety over a long period of time. My question I would like to ask others out there is how you have changed your habits with alcohol or drugs in a way that has helped you and your anxiety? I’ve just turned 30 and am starting to realise now that my weekends of partying need to stop for my mental healths sake.

Living_lighter Exhausted and alone
  • replies: 3

Hi guys, iv just joined to get some support or better yet not feel so alone with my anxiety and hopefully share what helps me and also and get some advice on what works for others. To begin I’m a 32 year old solo parent with a 10 year old. For the la... View more

Hi guys, iv just joined to get some support or better yet not feel so alone with my anxiety and hopefully share what helps me and also and get some advice on what works for others. To begin I’m a 32 year old solo parent with a 10 year old. For the last 5 years Iv been working full time with minimal support and about 2 years ago the exhaustion lead me to extreme anxiety and depression. I quite my job and only work part-time now and find I have a better balance. I got off my medication at Christmas just gone. I’m finding small things are starting to present themselves again with signs of high anxiety and lots of body aces obviously due to stress. Does anyone else get body aces with there anxiety and stress? I’m going back to the doctor next week to get on a mental health plan and also more exercise. I just feel really alone and isolated with my anxiety, I feel like no around understands mental health and those that do I’m to scared to talk to much because I feel like a burden. The ups and downs are exhausting.

Kajirin Where there's a will
  • replies: 6

Hi all, First time posting here, I have been lurking in the forums for weeks getting myself adjusted to this forum. I have always suffered right from my early teens, from anxiety and going into depressive states - they cycle depending on what's going... View more

Hi all, First time posting here, I have been lurking in the forums for weeks getting myself adjusted to this forum. I have always suffered right from my early teens, from anxiety and going into depressive states - they cycle depending on what's going on at the time. I did seek help years ago, but sadly at the time then anxiety and depression weren't foremost on GP's minds. It was deemed my problems were social and 'I'd get over it'. So I still have issues seeking 'professional' help, even though I know things have changed. Lately, my anxiety has been off the scale - I know it and am aware of it. I use magnesium supplements when I'm at my worst and that really helps calm my body and mind. Strangely I don't feel depression at the moment - they usually go hand in hand. I am the type to just bottle things and say I'm ok [which is silly I know, but it is hard for me to open up face to face with people]. Background circumstances are... 1. My Dad is slowly dying due to health complications, I am his primary carer [I share the load with Mum, but she works full time]. It is so hard to watch him slowly waste away bed ridden. He doesn't want to eat, can't force him. He basically eats to minimally sustain life, but he's skin and bone. He's prone to falling when he tries to walk, got him a rollator walker to help him, but still feel anxious when he uses it. His previous falls result in injury as he has paper thin skin. One fall left him having a seizure. He refuses all medical aid, sends ambulance people away refusing to go to hospital. So I have to tend to his wounds the best I can, in his diminished capacity he can't travel to a GP and there are no locums that service this area. I am here 24/7 for him and seldom venture off the property, seldom get decent sleep as he calls out during the night at times needing help. 2. Mum has been going through a rough trot with work. Workplace bullying for a few years, now she is going through PM on a lot of unwarranted accusations. She is suffering anxiety too and is copping things by the double between here and work. I try my best to help her - keep her spirits up, talk through her problems etc. She did seek help from a GP and a psychologist [but she felt she was just having her problems validated and not solved]. She's an amazing woman, but even she has her limits as we all do - just feels like a never ending nightmare. She is seeking Union help, so hopefully they can advise better than what I can.

Sami_Swilks Finding Right Service
  • replies: 2

I have extreme anxiety that is manifesting in a range of ways, and beginning to affect my interpersonal relationships. I really want to go and see a psychologist after about 2 years of having these feelings, but do not earn a lot of money. I was wond... View more

I have extreme anxiety that is manifesting in a range of ways, and beginning to affect my interpersonal relationships. I really want to go and see a psychologist after about 2 years of having these feelings, but do not earn a lot of money. I was wondering what the most cost effective and expedient manner by which I could be sitting and chatting with a professional is? It's getting all a bit too much and I need to regain control / get some kind of diagnosis. Thank you, Sami

Hope_for_the_best What do I need to do for "situational anxiety"?
  • replies: 10

This is my 1st post here. I am a nervous person. When I am stressed out, I get very distressing symptoms, but after the stressful events, I am completely back to normal. This happened to me twice in the past 6 years. The first time was in my undergra... View more

This is my 1st post here. I am a nervous person. When I am stressed out, I get very distressing symptoms, but after the stressful events, I am completely back to normal. This happened to me twice in the past 6 years. The first time was in my undergrad. I was very stressed out with exams for two semesters and I struggled to swallow food some evenings. I also got panic-attack like symptoms, e.g. racing heartbeats and shortness of breaths. That continued for a while after the exams. I went to a clinical psychologist and she reassured me that I was simply stressed out. I took her advice to enjoy my semester break and I recovered without any further support. Now, I am approaching the end of my postgraduate and writing up for my thesis. 8 months ago I was stressed out again because of data collection. The whole process seemed endless and the frustration set off another episode of intense anxiety. I felt awful on and off for several months. My muscles tensed up some mornings and I struggled to walk back to my office. I also had strong aversion to some daily bad smells, e.g. poops, as if these smells would harm me. When I finished data collection and made good progression of writing, I started to get better on my own, again without any support. I now feel completely normal. My psychologist reassured me that I was again stressed out and not having a disorder. She says I made very good progress in coping with stress and it is unlikely that I will develop mental disorders. However, I am still worried. I have family history of mental problems and I think I am predisposed to one. The two episodes were so bad that people around me thought I had an anxiety disorder. I don't wish to have stress like this anymore. What should I do for such "situational anxiety"? Do I go to a GP now or when I get stressed out again? It is strange to see a doctor if I don't actually feel unwell. Thanks for any advice.

Termo Had anxiety since I was 26 I now 52
  • replies: 2

It is driving me bonkers. It us also causing depression as I force myself to work , and come home to bed. I have been diagnosed with hiv and now cardio myopathy so chronic illnesses. It scares me but the anxiety is crippling . I get nauseous and last... View more

It is driving me bonkers. It us also causing depression as I force myself to work , and come home to bed. I have been diagnosed with hiv and now cardio myopathy so chronic illnesses. It scares me but the anxiety is crippling . I get nauseous and last night the usual tight chest, shallow breathing and so intense to the point I came home , then I get in bed and relax and if feels better . How do you cope if there are real traumas that you have had in your life . If I go to one more phycholigist and they try cbd like please relax and let’s get you rooted to the floor I will scream . I adjed the last phychologist, have they ever had severe anxiety and the snswer is NO im struggling as I need to work but I try my hardest to beat it but it gets on top so many times

Jane24 No emotional support
  • replies: 5

I've struggled with anxiety for many years, however lately I've lost my support system. I'm not working currently due to my anxiety, my boyfriend of 4 years broke up with me a few months ago, my 4 good friends have moved to different countries/inters... View more

I've struggled with anxiety for many years, however lately I've lost my support system. I'm not working currently due to my anxiety, my boyfriend of 4 years broke up with me a few months ago, my 4 good friends have moved to different countries/interstate. My parents aren't good at emotional support, they care but exacerbate my stress by trying to "force me out of it". My sisters aren't understanding of mental health problems & don't want to hear about it. I've had professional help in the past, but talking to someone for an hour a week isn't helpful, the last two psychs moved away as well. I just want a hug and someone to listen and care for me, go and have a coffee and nice time with. But I'm crying or panicking everyday & feel too overwhelmed to work again or meet anyone new. I don't want to push someone else away with talking about my issues. How do other people cope with it on their own?

diermaj anyone want to chat ?
  • replies: 7

I'm feeling a bit anxious and would like someone to talk too ? let me know

I'm feeling a bit anxious and would like someone to talk too ? let me know

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