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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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.

All discussions

Louise1993 Constantly in fear of dying
  • replies: 2

I’ve been really struggling with the fear of dying since moving to Australia from the UK. I never had this before then. I’ve had a lot of health issues since being here (nothing life threatening) but out of nowhere I will have these debilitating pani... View more

I’ve been really struggling with the fear of dying since moving to Australia from the UK. I never had this before then. I’ve had a lot of health issues since being here (nothing life threatening) but out of nowhere I will have these debilitating panic attacks where I feel like I’m going to die. It’s terrifying. I genuinely believe that I’m not going to make it home. I’m constantly Googling my symptoms, and body checking. I’ve become so hypersensitive to my bodily sensations. To make it worse, I witnessed someone who died in a motorcycle accident the other day where I was heavily involved (called the ambulance, checked for a pulse etc). I feel awful for him and his family, and I can’t help but feel that this has confirmed that I could just die at any moment. It probably sounds ridiculous and I know my partner doesn’t fully understand. I’m going back to the UK in a couple of weeks time, but even getting on the plane is scaring me in case something happens. I haven’t been able to get therapy due to not having Medicare or the money to afford it so feel it’s gotten worse. I guess I’m just trying to get my thoughts down and see if anyone has any advice, or has similar feelings to me? Thanks so much in advance x

CeeCee33 Anxiety over moving out of home
  • replies: 9

I just bought a house by myself and am moving out of my parents home in my late twenties but ever since I bought it I’ve been so upset. I know it will be good for me and that I need to start gaining independence, etc. but I love my parents so much an... View more

I just bought a house by myself and am moving out of my parents home in my late twenties but ever since I bought it I’ve been so upset. I know it will be good for me and that I need to start gaining independence, etc. but I love my parents so much and am devastated to leave. I can’t stop crying or feeling anxious about it because I’m going to miss this house and living with them. Has anyone else felt this way or have any advice?

Rosella12 Am I wrong/ out of line?
  • replies: 2

I feel this is weird and very specific but Ive had a singing teacher for a number of years who is also a counsellor, they often use counselling methods in lessons saying that singing often brings up difficult emotions, which it does. I am quite socia... View more

I feel this is weird and very specific but Ive had a singing teacher for a number of years who is also a counsellor, they often use counselling methods in lessons saying that singing often brings up difficult emotions, which it does. I am quite socially anxious and well often talk about things in lessons, often the discussion is too short and leaves me a bit unsure of myself. I actually don’t like discussing my insecurities much, it can help but it’s often caused me to cry in lessons. The teacher recently broke up with her husband stating emotional abuse and when I mentioned my mother not showing emotions much because she’s English, the teacher said no, that’s abuse very definitively and criticised my mum as a person that she’d dealt with in person. I was a bit shocked, she is certainly not abusive but very loving (just doesn’t tell you how she feels) and it really upset me, she will often be at concerts my teacher attends. I felt ashamed that I’d made my mum seem awful and wrote an email to the teacher telling her the reasons why my mum is the way she is and that she’s not abusive and that my husband (who she called manipulative) was not. The teacher thought I was stepping over a boundary and looking for counselling, which I wasn’t. I couldn’t sleep after this, I was a few days out of my period and it stressed me out so much that I called her to explain that I wasn’t looking for counselling, I was just really upset that she’d said my mother was abusive. She was quite angry at me and at the same time accused me of two things that I’d done which had upset her in classes recently, one which I can understand over a very silly joke that I acknowledged at the time but the other was completely fabricated.I felt completely gaslit and that it was all my fault for blurring boundaries but I feel that she’s always blurred the lines and breached my boundaries and perhaps she shouldn’t use counselling methods if she doesn’t want her students to feel like they can bring things up. She’s now put up a very ‘professional’ wall and won’t apologise for calling my mum abusive or acknowledge it, it’s all my fault. I feel quite destroyed over this, it’s really affected me, I feel like I can’t judge or trust people well as it is without someone I’ve worked with for so long making me feel like this. Her moods have been unpredictable in the past couple of years too, I don’t know what to make of her. I’ve also caught a couple of lies that were weird and pointless in the past.

Samc87 I don’t want to fight my mental health anymore
  • replies: 1

I’m bipolar 2, recently stopped working due to a work place incident, living three hours from my two sons who I see briefly for one night every fortnight. I’m so sick of battling my mental health, I feel like I self sabotage everything and constantly... View more

I’m bipolar 2, recently stopped working due to a work place incident, living three hours from my two sons who I see briefly for one night every fortnight. I’m so sick of battling my mental health, I feel like I self sabotage everything and constantly struggle to cope with the situation I’ve found myself in. the truth is I don’t see any positives in the future and I’m tired of having the generic discussions with mental health professionals and family.

Alel I don't want to cope with it. I want to get rid of it.
  • replies: 1

I don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with anxiety, depression, fear of change and struggling to do every task in life. I want to be someone who doesn't have anxiety and depression. Who doesn't get scared of change and doesn't overwhelmed... View more

I don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with anxiety, depression, fear of change and struggling to do every task in life. I want to be someone who doesn't have anxiety and depression. Who doesn't get scared of change and doesn't overwhelmed by every task. I know things get easier. But that still means I have to deal with it. When I want it to go away forever. What do I do?

Alel Why does my mind purposely try to scare myself
  • replies: 1

It starts off with anxious thoughts, "what if something bad happens", " what if everything is going to be hard for the rest of your life" or "what if you won't be able to handle this for much longer" The it goes into self hatred, "your a toxic person... View more

It starts off with anxious thoughts, "what if something bad happens", " what if everything is going to be hard for the rest of your life" or "what if you won't be able to handle this for much longer" The it goes into self hatred, "your a toxic person", "your fake" or the hardest "your purposly making yourself sad because you like being mentally ill" I don't know what to do or belive anymore. What if I'm actually making myself mentally ill?

Alel Struggling to move on
  • replies: 3

So I recently got diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. I had to go into psychiatrist care and take medication. I'm now at the beginning of taking new medication and it is working well. I am still working on some fears of mine like emetophobi... View more

So I recently got diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. I had to go into psychiatrist care and take medication. I'm now at the beginning of taking new medication and it is working well. I am still working on some fears of mine like emetophobia and agoraphobia. As well as working on my anxious and depressive thoughts. I still find it hard to do simple tasks that I am more than capable of physically doing them, just mentally draining for HOURS. For the most part, I am doing really well. I stopped having panic attacks and major depression. But I'm finding it hard to move on from what I went through. I'm afraid it might happen again or that it's something so serious I shouldn't just continue with life. I don't want to revolve my anxiety and depression around my whole life but I'm also afraid that I won't be ready if it come back. I don't know what this feeling is. I still got so much work to do and to heal from so much, but all I feel like doing is sitting on my phone for the whole day. I can't stop thinking about what I went through and what was happening before.

shayne w Adult ADHD ,
  • replies: 3

HiI was just wondering if there was anyone else out there with adult adhd who finds it hard to keep existing freinds or making new freinds ,which can lead to loniness.?

HiI was just wondering if there was anyone else out there with adult adhd who finds it hard to keep existing freinds or making new freinds ,which can lead to loniness.?

Amanda 1956 Anxiety of a possible failed relationship
  • replies: 3

Hi my name is Carmen and I am scared of ageing as I am 67 and getting lined and wrinkled My worry is that my partner is going to find someone who looks like a supermodel I do have grounds for this ...a few years ago he was having an affair with a gir... View more

Hi my name is Carmen and I am scared of ageing as I am 67 and getting lined and wrinkled My worry is that my partner is going to find someone who looks like a supermodel I do have grounds for this ...a few years ago he was having an affair with a girl who worked with him , 3 hour long phone calls every night, him getting angry at me for daring to ask questions about his work The list goes on, evidence of an affair was virtually slapping me in the face They don't have contact now and I think that he is blaming me for putting my foot down, was either her or me This has increased my anxiety and I'm worried I am losing him Please advise me on what to do Thanks in advance

PaulWatkins How effective is online children's therapy compared to traditional methods?
  • replies: 1

In the age of ubiquitous screens and virtual realms, can the digital embrace of online children's therapy rival the age-old, face-to-face therapeutic odysseys?

In the age of ubiquitous screens and virtual realms, can the digital embrace of online children's therapy rival the age-old, face-to-face therapeutic odysseys?