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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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PuppyLover789 OCD back at it again...
  • replies: 1

Hey all, I'm new to the forum and I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to seek some help. I'm a young adult suffering from OCD for about two years now. Recently I've been suffering from intrusive sexual thoughts, which disgust me incredibly. The worst... View more

Hey all, I'm new to the forum and I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to seek some help. I'm a young adult suffering from OCD for about two years now. Recently I've been suffering from intrusive sexual thoughts, which disgust me incredibly. The worst thing about it is that my thoughts start connecting to objects, specifically my pencils, pens and stationary. However, I'm about to start school again, which is when my anxiety starts to flare up especially. Not only are my intrusive sexual thoughts connecting to my pencils, but they're connecting to pillows, my homework, my textbooks, my cups, anything really. It is incredibly distressing and at some times I feel like I can't breathe. As I'm writing this post, I'm avoiding English homework because I feel stressed with the thought of using my pencil. Even with trying my coping techniques, such as reading, it doesn't work because my intrusive thought will get attached to that too. It's gotten through to the point where I can no longer enjoy fun times with my family and friends, study, do homework, or enjoy leisure activities I previously found pleasure in (reading, listening to music). I'm afraid that I'll have to be admitted back to a hospital soon if it gets any worse, and that place scares me to no end. Not to mention, it means I might fail school with a bunch of missed days already. Please, does anyone have any advice for me to overcome this monstrosity that's taken over my life?

Bella_____ Inner chatter - Wish it would go away
  • replies: 17

I'm very new to this. But l have reached a point where my anxiety is determining my quality of life or rather my enjoyment of it. I am typically a very positive person and l don't believe in thinking otherwise. But it's like l have something inside o... View more

I'm very new to this. But l have reached a point where my anxiety is determining my quality of life or rather my enjoyment of it. I am typically a very positive person and l don't believe in thinking otherwise. But it's like l have something inside of me that is determined to think otherwise. I have so much internal dialogue. Usually all crammed in my head before l go to work.Thought's of too much to do. That l'm not got enough. That l'm not a good person. My mind goes off on so many tangents is just not funny. It's gotten to the point if l don't write lists. I can't get through a work day. And l forget easily on things l need to do. I get so caught up in these thoughts l waste time doing nothing and thus achieving nothing. Which sets me further behind. Then the snowball effect follows. I put things off that are so simple. For what reason l do not know. Then that just feeds me anxiety. I find it incredibly easy to help others and see what they need and l am able to give quite helpful advice. But l'm finding a disconnect when it comes to myself. It's like l set myself up for my own road blocks. Anyway this is just a little on how l'm feeling at the moment. Looking forward to reading what others are experiencing and finding a little comfort that l can move past this in a productive manner.

Bluenomore Unsure what this is and how to deal with it
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I'm still learning about depression and anxiety so it would be great to hear if anyone has had a similar experience to me. I started a new job in February, and barely two weeks in I experienced a traumatic family event. I was managing ok... View more

Hi everyone, I'm still learning about depression and anxiety so it would be great to hear if anyone has had a similar experience to me. I started a new job in February, and barely two weeks in I experienced a traumatic family event. I was managing okay and was supporting my family for the first four weeks, then something seemed to 'snap'. After 10 days off, I returned to work last week (as part of a graduated return that my Psych recommended) and had barely sat down at my desk when panic (or whatever it is) hit again. The best way to describe it is feeling like you're stuck in neutral - you are aware of being inside your body and know what you need to do but just can't move or think clearly. I was sitting there completely unable to get started on a pretty familiar and straightforward task that had been spelled out for me, even though I knew what to do. After sitting there for an hour completely blank and 'cloudy' I went home. In my experience this 'cloudiness' can last several hours. Having now had three panic attacks at work over the course of a month, I am starting to lose hope of being able to return to work in a reasonable timeframe. My boss has been very supportive but I can't see a way out of this at this stage - If even the most basic of tasks is beyond me, how do I transition back to full duties? These attacks have sapped my energy and are affecting my life outside of work. I've been having recurring 'down days' where I can't get out of bed and no longer feel like doing things I used to enjoy. I've started some anxiety medication and have had a few sessions with my Psych but am worried about how long it will be until I feel better. Perhaps dealing with my family issues and working in a high pressure job is simply beyond me at this stage?

Guest_2658 I know what’s it’s like not to have anxiety
  • replies: 8

Hey! bit of a weird post this but here goes. I have had anxiety since day one. But only discovered I had it about 10 years ago when I was late 30’s. then about 7 years ago my circumstances changed completely. Because of this change my anxiety totally... View more

Hey! bit of a weird post this but here goes. I have had anxiety since day one. But only discovered I had it about 10 years ago when I was late 30’s. then about 7 years ago my circumstances changed completely. Because of this change my anxiety totally and utterly went away. Oh man for 5 years I know what life is really like. It was like I had been driving in the fog for all that time and now the road was totally clear. It was the most fabulous time of my life. Things were still going wrong but my ability to cope with wrong was incredible. My anxiety is now back and the fog has returned. I’m fearful of the past and future again. Sleep is non existent. But I’ll always be grateful for those 5years. It really is true what they say about anxiety. People who suffer from it ...we live in a parallel universe from non suffers. Our anxiety gives us an incorrect version of reality. I now know that for certain. As I say an odd post but it is what it is. Peace and love xx

yungtree unsure
  • replies: 2

hey all Im confused and unsure what im feeling Ok so over the past 6 months I have been under some amounts of stress and i've been feeling different / strange (could almost say derealised). It all started with me experiencing thought blocks during co... View more

hey all Im confused and unsure what im feeling Ok so over the past 6 months I have been under some amounts of stress and i've been feeling different / strange (could almost say derealised). It all started with me experiencing thought blocks during conversations with people. Id be having a conversation then I would panic for no reason about forgetting what to say and my mind would go blank. it would come back after a few seconds from calming down. This was once bad but has now kind of passed over. But now I fear telling stories as I feel ill forgot what im going to say and this makes me panic a bit as I feel i'm not capable of conversing. Anyway then my OCD started to kick in on intrusive thoughts. id have thoughts about hurting the ones I love and then this lead to me to having thoughts that I was going crazy. by the way i've always had OCD as a kid. I had bad OCD on checking the house making sure it was locked, looking in closets, under beds to make sure it was safe lol, thats passed. then I had an OCD phase of being extremely scared to be (physically) sick so id sometimes avoid eating and id avoid people who were ill etc. I got over that ages ago. I also always think I have something wrong with me, which I still have because now its this, i'm scared of going crazy and get thoughts of hurting loved ones. Im good with letting the thoughts pass through and to not overthink this but it always triggers me to think i'm crazy because I think like this. And now this is affecting the way I think about things. i'm scared to socialise with people because i've had these thoughts and I always second guess anything I say or do to make sure I didn't just do anything crazy. And then that leads to me overthinking everything I do now which makes me feel like i'm going back to my old self (I was becoming confident and happy before this happened) Now i'm having problems socialising again and don't know what to say in conversations. I also sometimes fear hanging out with just 1 person and would prefer a group of 3. Im completely fine around my family but I do fear my dad sometimes. Anyways now I feel strange most of the time and I can get derealised where everything seems strange like my surroundings, voice, thoughts and just reality in general. well theres whats been bothering me lol, it feels good to write this out, but please let me know if you've been through anything similar or if you have any ways to move on from this as its affecting my life Thanks all in advance

Asg Dealing with the past
  • replies: 10

I have suffered anxiety and social phobia for 28 years now and even though I have my good days like everyone else lately it has been that debilitating I am suffering headaches every day and have little strength to get through the day , I feel I may h... View more

I have suffered anxiety and social phobia for 28 years now and even though I have my good days like everyone else lately it has been that debilitating I am suffering headaches every day and have little strength to get through the day , I feel I may have made one of the worst mistakes of my life bringing up the past , because I am what people refer to as a forgotten Australia last year I decided to seek justice for my treatment as a child and now think it was a bad mistake , I worked hard for many years to deal with my social phobia and anxiety and had it under control but now that's all out the window and I am back to that feeling like I'm dying all the time , if anyone out there has been through this and has any ideas on dealing with this and getting back on top I would very much appreciate your time to talk.

Kats_au Drinking
  • replies: 1

I drink and then I need someone to talk to on the phone

I drink and then I need someone to talk to on the phone

findmeagain Anxiety and work and me
  • replies: 1

I really try not to feel insecure, have Low self esteem and confidence but that is what I feel when I get anxious. The worse thing is i am extremely caring woman who would help anyone but feel so lost when the anxiety sets in. I can't trust people I ... View more

I really try not to feel insecure, have Low self esteem and confidence but that is what I feel when I get anxious. The worse thing is i am extremely caring woman who would help anyone but feel so lost when the anxiety sets in. I can't trust people I don't know well I shut down I have been severely betrayed at a past job now I feel any job I do it will happen again. I feel like if I say something the manager will twist it and betray me. I also feel that when I am anxious I speak fast and say silly things because I am nervous. Other days i feel like I was 15 years ago a women who had such strength that no one would ever betray me or put me down. I am not embarrassed to say I have anxiety or get depressed sometimes what I don't like is how I have lost me and find it hard to find peace.

MacDonald I hate myself
  • replies: 2

I hate myself. So much. I have realised recently that this is my main issue. My Dad has constantly reiterated to me that this has always been the problem, but it has really intensified recently. 2 years ago I left my hometown Brisbane and moved overs... View more

I hate myself. So much. I have realised recently that this is my main issue. My Dad has constantly reiterated to me that this has always been the problem, but it has really intensified recently. 2 years ago I left my hometown Brisbane and moved overseas. I was shocked how much happier I was when I left. When I was forced to come back 6 months ago to finish my degree I felt all my past issues hit me in the face and I feel like my insecurities about myself and resentment from the past is ruining my life and all my relationships. I hate myself so much that the 2 years that I was away I lied to everyone that I had finished my degree. It made me feel better. How was I going to explain that I was 22 and hadn’t accomplished anything with my life? I know no one really cares what they’re doing except for themselves, but it made me feel better pretending that I at least had a grasp on things. The lie caught up to me, I was stupid to think it wouldn’t, and it has made me feel ashamed and embarrassed and I regret nothing more than telling this lie that ironically ended up hurting me more than helping me. My mum, who I have always been really close with despite our relationship being extremely destructive, is out of my life. She drank too me, hit me, and when I called the Police on her she turned her whole side of the family against me, including her parents (my grandparents) who I had been living with. They sent an email to my entire family (including my Dads side) advising them to beware of me and that I was dangerous and a liar. I was left homeless in the UK with no money where my Dad helped me go back to Australia. I lost all my belongings as they were at my grandparents and my Mum had stolen the house. My parents are now going through a divorce where Mum is trying to take everything. I think this abandonment from my Mum is a big issue in the scheme of things. The boy I was dating in London when things with my mum went sour told me on the same day it all happened that he had cheated on me. I was so emotionally damaged I let him keep sleeping with me and I pretended that he really did care and I wasn’t his toy. I needed to feel loved even if it was pretend.

Misscarlie Terrible physical symptoms of anxiety?
  • replies: 7

Hello im new here but have been diagnosed with Gad after under going every test possible health wise... i suffer from instant heart racing, feeling like fainting and nausea as soon as my body is waking up every morning and im scared!!! I also feel my... View more

Hello im new here but have been diagnosed with Gad after under going every test possible health wise... i suffer from instant heart racing, feeling like fainting and nausea as soon as my body is waking up every morning and im scared!!! I also feel my pulse through my entire body ontop of the symptoms above allll day i find it hard to accept as gad and keep thinking im dying does anyone else have these symptoms??? I feel like im dying every day i wake up i also have a heavy/ headache no pain all day... my health scares me so much i lost 7kgs in 3 months and i am so worried its something bad no matter what all tbe docs and tests say...

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