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. Remeber, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anixiety 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 you 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 worthile 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

All discussions

TG2016 Taking a back step
  • replies: 1

Hi, Firstly not sure if this is the right topic to post in. It's a bit positive but I also think my anxiety is telling me it shouldn't be. About 12 months ago I was asked at work to become a manager. I was over the moon. It was great for a whilst unt... View more

Hi, Firstly not sure if this is the right topic to post in. It's a bit positive but I also think my anxiety is telling me it shouldn't be. About 12 months ago I was asked at work to become a manager. I was over the moon. It was great for a whilst until I realised how hard managing adults can be. I was given no training just told to do it with no prior experience. I was constantly being disrespected, dealing with drama, there was bickering, backstabbing you name it it was happening. It opened my eyes at just how childish adults can be. Now being an introvert combined with anxiety this was getting tough it was affecting my mood in a really bad way I was so down and angry which is not me at all. My next step was to find another job but you see I live somewhere with a high unemployment rate and I didn't want to move as I couldn't afford to so adding this to an unhappy situation was not doing good things. Yesterday I was pulled aside another manager of another department who wasn't aware of how much I was struggling and said he wanted to combine my team and his together and he would manage it I would then go back to doing what I was before and the pay stays the same (which is not my concern). I was so happy to say yes go for it. It was the biggest relief. I know it's all about doing what makes you happy but part of me is thinking I failed and that I'm weak for backing down but I know in my heart it was the best thing that could have happened.

jellybeans89 New...does anyone else feel like this?
  • replies: 13

Hi. Over the past few months (especially since starting my new graduate job) I've been struggling quite a lot with anxiety. When I make mistakes at work I'm really hard on myself & wonder if my boss regrets hiring me. Some days I'm okay but when I ha... View more

Hi. Over the past few months (especially since starting my new graduate job) I've been struggling quite a lot with anxiety. When I make mistakes at work I'm really hard on myself & wonder if my boss regrets hiring me. Some days I'm okay but when I have a bad day I've felt like I'm on the verge of a breakdown.​ one of the things I struggle with is I've been through so much worse - I was diagnosed with a rare cancer 10 years ago & have had several recurrences over the years - & yet my confidence in this job is just not there. I studied for years when I was very unwell to get qualified for this job, yet it's all so daunting. The other girls in the workplace are really close & I feel that I'm so different to them. Sometimes I feel like everyone at work thinks I'm stupid. I've also recently started a relationship with a lovely guy who I've known for quite a while, and I'm so happy with that part of my life, but it feels like I just can't relax otherwise. Anxiety is something that's not foreign to me; over the years it's plagued me especially with my health ups & downs. But even though now my health appears stable & there are no signs of cancer, I feel lost. And at time hopeless. And alone. I don't want to sound self pitying, I'm just really struggling. Does anyone struggle like this at work? Or thinking about work? I am new to this forum so I haven't had a good look around just yet, guess I just want to know what helps others when they're feeling stressed/anxious/out of place. I have had counselling in the past, and it's something I'm looking into again, have heard of some counsellors who work on Saturdays so that gives me hope. Hope this hasn't been too long-winded.

Shila Avoiding exposure
  • replies: 7

Hi, This is my first post and I'm not sure where else to turn. I have anxiety and ptsd and a huge trigger for severe anxiety attacks for me is clowns. Long story but last year I had a complete break because someone at work thought dressing up as one ... View more

Hi, This is my first post and I'm not sure where else to turn. I have anxiety and ptsd and a huge trigger for severe anxiety attacks for me is clowns. Long story but last year I had a complete break because someone at work thought dressing up as one after disclosing my phobia was funny and I was off work for 6 months. With the remake of a certain movie out at the moment my trigger seems to be everywhere. I'm now avoiding just about everything and it feels like the whole world is stopping me from recovering. I know that its the anxiety talking but it's like the world is out to get me. Does anyone else experience this and how do you cope in times of repeated and unpredictable exposure?

RandR Does anyone suffer from Chest Pain Anxiety?
  • replies: 7

Hi forum members, Over the last week I've had TWO seperate incidences of severe pressure in my chest and throat and each time has lasted around 10 minutes and has made it harder to breathe. It almost feels like someone is sitting on my chest! I've ne... View more

Hi forum members, Over the last week I've had TWO seperate incidences of severe pressure in my chest and throat and each time has lasted around 10 minutes and has made it harder to breathe. It almost feels like someone is sitting on my chest! I've never had this happen to me before. Ever. I did some online research and came across chest pain anxiety. Has anyone ever experienced this or something similar? Would love to hear from you. Kind regards, Raman

SachaB Having trouble with uni and don't know where to go from here?
  • replies: 1

I'll start off with a bit of a back story. From as young as I can remember my parents never liked each other, in-fact they hated each other. I remember their entire relationship being terrible. They argued, physically hit each other, used to destroy ... View more

I'll start off with a bit of a back story. From as young as I can remember my parents never liked each other, in-fact they hated each other. I remember their entire relationship being terrible. They argued, physically hit each other, used to destroy each others possessions as away to get back at each other but they decided to stay together. My mum went to study abroad for a year, my dad disliked that he decided to throw away a lot of her possessions and chop down her favourite tree in the yard. He would yell at her when she called and sometimes wouldn't let me or my brother speak to her. I never understood it at the time but I saw my dad as the better of two parents simply because when my mum got frustrated or stressed with work after she finished studying she would take it all out on me and my brother. Saturdays used to be cleaning days and she simply couldn't make up her mind on what me and my brother should do. "CLEAN THE DISHES!" she'd yell. So my brother and I would start washing the dishes. 2 minutes later, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!!!" CLEAN YOUR ROOM!" she'd yell. So my brother and I ceased our current duty and strolled off to our rooms to clean them. 2 minutes later she would walk past the kitchen sink. "WHY ARE THE DISHES STILL DIRTY?! I TOLD YOU TO WASH THEM!!". I was so confused i didn't know what to do and I don't remember how I got through it. My parents finally divorced when I was 21. by this point in my life I was halfway through an apprenticeship as a chef and i stayed in that job hating it for 10 years. I recently left that career behind and embarked on a new journey studying science. I'm now stuck between a rock and a hard place. uni isn't going so well my confusion on how to tackle the work defeats me and i've found myself not doing it. I've tried therapy but it's become a burden seeing my therapist I don't feel he's helping anymore. I try to look at positives and I've made 2 really good friends at uni that i'm grateful for. I haven't had friends like that for years but it doesn't help with the uni work. I don't want to give up because I can't go back in a kitchen and if I give it up I don't know what i would do plus I have a genuine interest in what i'm studying. I can feel stupid at times and unworthy as a person because I can't get through these problems. Sometimes I feel fate has handed me my parents luck. I'm sorry if I babbled on, I actually would have included more but there's a character limit

Colt98 My Story with Anxiety and help with management or long term solutions
  • replies: 8

Hi Guys, This is my story with anxiety. Firstly since I was young i've always been shy and nervy person from time to time. When I was 16-18 I had to take blood tests monthly for Acne as was on a certain drug to heal my skin. Anyway I've been a fit pe... View more

Hi Guys, This is my story with anxiety. Firstly since I was young i've always been shy and nervy person from time to time. When I was 16-18 I had to take blood tests monthly for Acne as was on a certain drug to heal my skin. Anyway I've been a fit person for most of my life and done activity/basketball/sport since I was 6 but found I had low blood pressure and sometimes would get a light head when having blood tests so always laid down for them and did that why I was getting tests for the Acne. Also over time besides the blood tests I've always had small amounts of negativity in me about scenario's and life in general but normally try stay positive and there is known history in the family with negative thoughts and etc.. Anyway to the Anxiety and how it all started. I was about 23-24 and was getting a routine blood test but at the time forgot to lay down and once got up I fainted and landed and hit a desk then woke sweating and loss of energy. The next day I had a stiff neck and from then on had 2 years of ongoing tests including MRI's, CT's, more blood tests and etc as after the fainting incident I got some sort of whiplash from the fall and ever since that always got electric shocks in my head and chest, tingles through my whole body, pinching feeling in my chest and shoulders and list goes on.. My heart felt it was racing and going to explode and my anxiety was at full speed! Always the thinking I'm going to have an heart attack and yes I'm young but couldn't get the feeling out. Also always felt uneasy or uncomfortable. Sweating and blushes all the time. Even had physio and other treatments to my back and neck including osteo. Anyway 2 years later one day it just went away and only sometimes would get the electric shocks but wouldn't make me feel with anxiety and other symptoms. Since then I've had a lot of changes in my life with a child and etc. But since that fall I have a constant feel of scared of blood tests Now 3 weeks ago it has all come back!! why? Started to get all the same symptoms like I got 10 years ago. I'm now 35 and found out my dad got an heart attack and its in the family! Straight away after hearing the news it made my body change and got chest pain again, electric shocks, tingling sensation and just don't feel normal! Stressing out that I'm going to get one even though I eat differently and is no guarantee that I'll get one just because my Dad had one. Any suggestions for managing my anxiety to get back on track again?

startingnew does anyone have this problem?
  • replies: 2

Hi Guys so it has been brought to my attention a few times now, it makes me feel really self concious but im hoping that im not alone in this. so a few months back people were telling me that im constantly scratching. i didnt even notice it until the... View more

Hi Guys so it has been brought to my attention a few times now, it makes me feel really self concious but im hoping that im not alone in this. so a few months back people were telling me that im constantly scratching. i didnt even notice it until then. we thought it was the ADs so i went off those but it still continued. im now on new meds and it hasnt changed either. it was told again to me the other day. so this is the third or fourth times and i keep thinking its the meds but everything has all been changed so its all ruled out. ive now noticed that i do scratch a fair bit, and i tend to get to the point of making sores and then picking at them. im wondering if anyone else is experiencing this.. maybe its seasonal? maybe its my anxiety as i have severe GAD, maybe its habit but id really like some advice on what else to do as im feeling pretty stuck on how to approach this

wate0121 University trouble...
  • replies: 1

I study at university doing a double degree full time. I have never disclosed to teachers that I have anxiety because well I just don't want to I guess. I struggle at uni as it is, I haven't made a single friend in 2 years.. I go to campus for my com... View more

I study at university doing a double degree full time. I have never disclosed to teachers that I have anxiety because well I just don't want to I guess. I struggle at uni as it is, I haven't made a single friend in 2 years.. I go to campus for my compulsory lessons (most of the time) then I leave straight after..I sit by myself, rarely converse with others but I've been doing OK I think.. Well the problem isn't my quality of work .. it's the fact that my anxiety lets myself often miss compulsory classes.. even if I've told myself you going to that class tomorow, go to bed early, all my works up to date, and wake up early... I'll get ready to go and then the smallest thing like for example; I forget I need to get petrol on the way and then I tell myself that now the time I've allowed to get myself to uni isn't enough to get petrol too so I'll be late and then ill have to walk in late and then I find myself deciding oh yep nope it's way too late now I'll just stay home. We have to complete placement (we did last year too so it's not new to me) once a week for 10 weeks this year ... and first I was excited to go.. I emailed the site and didn't get a response.. Waited and waited and then emailed once more.. no response... by this time everyone else in the topic has started placement and I'm waiting for a response.. I call up and the manager isn't there so I just kind of give up for a week or so... by this time everyone else is on there 4th week and I'm not. Finally I get a response and am meant to start that week... but of course my anxiety kicks in.. and for 3 weeks I tell myself on Tuesdays oh nah not tomorow I'll go Friday.. Friday rolls around... I'll just go next Tuesday.. so im now about 7 weeks behind and the uni Liason visit is due... she goes there I'm not there and she calls me...(I've managed to not move from bed when my alarms gone off) and make up that I'm sick and I'll go twice of the next fortnight... and when asked what day up to out of 10 days.. I freak out and say day 4.. even though I haven't started.. I go this week finally!!! and LOVE it and can't believe why I was so anxious.. except by now my uni liason has spoken to the manager and knows I've lied and haven't been in for those 4 days... She's now reported me for a discrepancy in what I've said and I have to go in for a meeting to pass...WHAT DO I SAY!!! I don't want to tell them but I'll have to and now I'm freaking out and cannot think of anything else . HELP

sophialy making stupid mistakes and needing help
  • replies: 6

this is my first post. I am sorry if I do something wrong or post it in the wrong place. Since February this year I have been noticing changes in my attitude towards many things. My parents have never exactly been relaxed with each other and get into... View more

this is my first post. I am sorry if I do something wrong or post it in the wrong place. Since February this year I have been noticing changes in my attitude towards many things. My parents have never exactly been relaxed with each other and get into verbal fights quite often. This would stress me out as I am fearful of my father who has threatened me before if I were to interfere. My friends at school have been telling me I am getting fat and would snatch food I bring out of my hands, forcing me to not eat the entire day. I have not told teachers this, since my friends say it's better if I eat as little as possible. This has now made me extremely anxious of what others think of me and began to venture into other alternatives to skipping. I dealt with this for about 4 months but for the past 3 months I have began to purge often, almost weekly. I do not enjoy it but I believe it will make my friends think better of me and possibly make them respect me. This stress makes it difficult to focus on classes, my grades have been slipping, which does not aid in my parents situation. My parents have been fighting a lot more lately and restrict my technology use meaning I cannot message family members or call a counselor. I am trying to fight this on my own, without friends, without parents but I am beginning to crumble. I don't find things as amusing as I used to. My purging episodes are becoming more frequent, to the point where I feel so weak I lay on my bathroom floor. Even now, I'm crying while typing this. Please someone help me.

The_Sensei Experiencing anxiety and depression, worried it's about my relationship.
  • replies: 2

Hi Everyone I'm new to Beyond Blue and this is my first time posting. A little background about myself i'm 30 years old and over the past 6 months have developed allot of anxious and at times depressive feelings. My parents divorced when I was 14 and... View more

Hi Everyone I'm new to Beyond Blue and this is my first time posting. A little background about myself i'm 30 years old and over the past 6 months have developed allot of anxious and at times depressive feelings. My parents divorced when I was 14 and my father passed away suddenly 6 years later we had a strained relationship when I was growing up but had grown closer prior to his death. Throughout my life I have always been a pretty positive person and generally have coasted through life until this year. At the begining of the year me and my partner of 8 years decided to part ways which was for the best at the time and at my place of work there have been allot of sudden and radical changes which at times have been very challenging as I am at a managerial level in the company and am relied on to implement allot of these changes. Around 6 months ago i started feeling very down and then started to have these overwhelming feelings in the pit of my stomach. It got to the point a few times when I would have to walk out of the office and go sit on my own for a bit and do my head space app. During this time I have actually reconnected with my partner who I love very deeply and really do want to make things work with and have a happy life together. I initially thought that my anxious feelings might have been because i missed her but they are continuing to plague me. My feelings are very up and down some days I feel great and experience really great feelings about her and work isn't so bad, but then I have days where i feel like shit and I begin to question everything with her "do I really want this", "will it work", "will I hurt her" and then begin to feel guilty and makes me feel even worse. Has anyone experienced feelings like this? I know when my head is clear and I can tell my self that this is the anxiety that's making me feel this way that I do feel better and really good, but far out some days get hard and it really can pull me down. I am seeing a counsellor through work which i find really does help. He thinks allot of issues from my parents divorce and the death of my father that I never fully faced when I was younger have started to come to the surface. I'm taking a month of work and going on a holiday with my partner which i haven't done in 3 years so hopefully getting away from work will help calm things down. Has anyone got any advice or gone through anything similar? Is it worth seeing my GP and talk to him?