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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. 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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Superdry87 Panic attack calm down
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone, I mostly just came here to try and calm myself down. I need to feel connected to people or talk to people when having a panic attack. Also wondering if there are other people out there that have an panic attack so bad that you vomit? I d... View more

Hi everyone, I mostly just came here to try and calm myself down. I need to feel connected to people or talk to people when having a panic attack. Also wondering if there are other people out there that have an panic attack so bad that you vomit? I don't usually have a problem with anxiety attacks, not for a long time. I am on medication for scitzoaffective disorder and when it is making me tired and I fight it, this is when i seem to have panic attacks. As mentioned, I really just came by to calm myself down. Thanks for reading

jade-elizabeth Fear of relapsing - Eating Disorder
  • replies: 4

Hi All This is my first post, so has taken me a lot of courage to write (and I hope I have done ok!) In 2014 I was "officially" diagnosed with anorexia. Although looking back, I have always had a strange relationship with food. I was obsessive about ... View more

Hi All This is my first post, so has taken me a lot of courage to write (and I hope I have done ok!) In 2014 I was "officially" diagnosed with anorexia. Although looking back, I have always had a strange relationship with food. I was obsessive about counting my calories, comparing what I ate to those around me. I soon began skipping meals, and distanced myself from all my friends. I found myself at a very unhealthy weight, and with severe depression and anxiety as a result of the thoughts that consumed my life. I was lucky to have the most amazing support network (my family) and health professionals around me, and I managed to re-gain a healthy weight within 12 months. During the initial recovery period I suffered severely with binge eating. Since 2014, I have resumed University study (which I had to withdraw from due to my illness), began working full-time, and become a gym junkie! Exercise has been my saving grace, as it has given me something else to focus on, and introduced me to a variety of new people. It has also helped to teach me that food is necessary to maintain the energy levels I need to train the best of my ability(I am very competitive). I have been training in the gym everyday for a year now, and I have put on a considerable amount of muscle in that time. Therefore, my PT suggested that I give the gyms 8 week nutrition plan a try to help further increase my muscle mass. I didn't even think twice, as although I still struggle with some obsessive food thoughts from time to time, nothing has been extreme for a number of years. I have been on this nutrition plan for only a week now, and I constantly have the urge to binge eat. The food is substantial, and although I am feeling tired (de-tox from sugar), I am not hungry. I have binged twice in the space of that week, but it is consuming my thoughts. I dont really know what is causing these feelings, perhaps the fact that I'm not in control of my food? I really want to see results in my training, so I know this nutrition plan is the best for that, but I am so scared of getting my old eating habits and thoughts back. Does anyone have any advice, or has anyone been in this situation?

sagejacob DSP for anxiety/panic attacks etc.
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, My name is Sage and I'm 19 years old, and it's my first time posting! I'm currently going to attempt to apply for DSP for my anxiety/panic attacks that have been persistent for as long as I can remember (but seem to have been getting wor... View more

Hi everyone, My name is Sage and I'm 19 years old, and it's my first time posting! I'm currently going to attempt to apply for DSP for my anxiety/panic attacks that have been persistent for as long as I can remember (but seem to have been getting worse as time goes on and more responsibilities become present). I'm currently working usually a max of 9 hrs a week as a pizza delivery driver but afraid to ask for a solid max of 9 as my partner and I are relying on this job to get by and my boss doesn't seem the type to be understanding and empathetic - especially to mental illness, but that could just be a bad assumption. Also I am currently taking medication and other tablets (for migraines) but none of which seems to really be effective. Currently I'm having to take additional medication before work so I can function and do my job without panicking but still have my partner on speaker phone for many of my travels. And honestly, I feel as though I am at the very edge of my capabilities and have been pushing myself so much I'm not sure how long I can keep it up. Luckily my shifts are only 3hrs long (maybe a bit over if we're busy) and it's only a 5 minute drive from where I live, but even so all the stress is giving me the worst stomach pains and muscle aches. I think my doctor wants my medical cert. to say I'm not fit to work in general but will see what my psych says soon. Anyways I was wondering if anyone has been in this sort of situation here and could offer any words of advice or encouragement? If you have read all of this thank you and I hope you're having a great week

Denv12 Lonelyness in SA. Ocd,agoraphobia and cfs contribute.
  • replies: 2

Hi. My personal life is bad.I live on my own,I have agoraphobia,cfs and recovering from ocd.I have 1 social visitor every week and 2 people helping me with my shopping once a week.The chronic fatigue means I dont have enough energy to go anywhere and... View more

Hi. My personal life is bad.I live on my own,I have agoraphobia,cfs and recovering from ocd.I have 1 social visitor every week and 2 people helping me with my shopping once a week.The chronic fatigue means I dont have enough energy to go anywhere and agoraphobia set in because the cfs keeps me at home all the time.I am alone a lot.I even have the symptoms of lonelyness where because I've been on my own too long I've been miming my own thoughts. The only way I can stop the miming thoughts is to have people in my life everyday.I need conversation.So much for trying that idea.I'm in many forums for all my problems.I still cant find new friends locally.In the time I've posted in this forum and the previous one nothing has changed in my lonelyness.The intenet gives me something to do by helping others and get through a day but not finding new friends in person.Can anyone relate to that? I have email contact with several internet friends but no companion.I cant even get into a relationship.How can you meet someone for a potential relationship in my situation? I'm lonely.Its that simple.Considering what I'm going through I dont get depression.Major bonus.No depressiion what so ever.I'm lucky there.

Abal Coping with depression, anxiety and ocd
  • replies: 4

Hi my name name is al. I suffer from serious ocd and anxiety. I was originally diagnosed in my late teens with anorexia so I believe the depression and anxiety along with the ocd stems from there. I am a clean freak and I clean constantly if I’ve tou... View more

Hi my name name is al. I suffer from serious ocd and anxiety. I was originally diagnosed in my late teens with anorexia so I believe the depression and anxiety along with the ocd stems from there. I am a clean freak and I clean constantly if I’ve touch one thing I feel it’s dirty and I have to clean the whole area or room I have enter with any small touch. It’s extremely disabling and I wondered if anyone had a advise or is going through something similar.

A_Marie Anxiety and nightclubs
  • replies: 2

I have had anxiety and depression for years (since I was a kid). I am in my late 20s now and manage my mental health reasonably well now with mindfulness and medication. But recently, my anxiety has created a new symptom - panic attacks in nightclubs... View more

I have had anxiety and depression for years (since I was a kid). I am in my late 20s now and manage my mental health reasonably well now with mindfulness and medication. But recently, my anxiety has created a new symptom - panic attacks in nightclubs! I get the fight or flight response kicked and usually have to leave straighaway. I only calm down when I get outside. I'm not sure if it's the alcohol or due to a recent incident when I got harassed by a stranger and touched on the back. Does anyone else have panic attacks in nightclubs? I'm cool as a cucumber in bars where the noise is not as loud, concerts and I see live bands play all the time. Thanks for reading.

Luna50 Work Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone I'm a long time sufferer of anxiety and a classic over thinker. I had a change in career earlier this year but the job never really took off and I wasn't exactly sure what my role was supposed to be. All that aside I got through it becaus... View more

Hi everyone I'm a long time sufferer of anxiety and a classic over thinker. I had a change in career earlier this year but the job never really took off and I wasn't exactly sure what my role was supposed to be. All that aside I got through it because I had a good team around me. A couple of months ago that changed and my team was disbanded and I was moved to a new department. My role is the same but the department I work for doesn't really have anything to do with me so now I don't have a support network and I feel very very lonely and isolated and all the anxieties I was able to control before hand have got completely out of control. I sit there everyday wondering what I'm doing there and I'm extremely bored with the little work I do have and sitting there for 8 hours with not much to do distresses me. On top of that my new boss could not be more different to my old one, he's extremely busy and our roles have virtually no cross over so that adds to the loneliness because I don't feel like I'm part of a team. As a person he's a really nice guy but I've raised my issues with him twice now and nothing has changed. I was once told have a fear of being bored and I think thats one way to sum up my anxiety. I obsess about how I'm going to fill in 8 hours a day and how I'll get through the week. I set my self mini goals just to get me through to Friday but then I start thinking if I'm that miserable why am I still sitting there? I get jealous of people who are busy and it almost becomes child like - why does their day get to go quick and mine doesn't?? Its completely consuming my life, I go home and stress out about it. All weekend I think about resigning but Monday comes and I back out because I'm worried being unemployed and on my own at home all day will be even worse for my mental health than being employed in a job I hate. Its becoming a vicious circle. I have an appointment this week for a referral to a psychologist and I'm booked in for the following day so I'm taking action. I've also started applying for new jobs so I'm trying to get myself out of the situation. Would be great to hear any coping strategies or similar stories. Thanks for listening. Luna50

2manyTabs So lost. What to do when nothing helps?!
  • replies: 2

I am a 34yo Mum of 4. I have been diagnosed with high-functioning GAD, which to me basically just means I have learnt to hide it very well (a practice which is exhausting). I have been on medication for just over 5 years: All SSRIs. I have also been ... View more

I am a 34yo Mum of 4. I have been diagnosed with high-functioning GAD, which to me basically just means I have learnt to hide it very well (a practice which is exhausting). I have been on medication for just over 5 years: All SSRIs. I have also been to 4 different psychologists over the years and done a 6 week mindfulness course. The thing is... nothing works. My body is almost constantly in fight or flight mode, I am always hungry, always tired. I excercise a lot because it is the one thing I can control and relieves stress (temporarily). I get jumpy, teary, and then completely flat. I can act completely “normal” for the kids/work/in public, and people often comment on how I have it “all together: how do you do it?!” Which is such a joke because whenever I am alone I fall in a heap. I have no one I can talk to about my anxiety (except the psychologists, who cost a bomb and haven’t helped). Breathing/meditation sometimes works for the time I am doing it but within minutes of finishing I am anxious again, so it’s a waste of time. I know this all sounds so negative but I am frustrated at having no idea how to fight the monster in my head.

Guest_98 Total confusion am I just being a sook?!?
  • replies: 2

So when around to many people I get really nervous to join in on conversations I can’t look at people in the eyes I actually don’t even no were to look when a group may b having a conversation near me coz I feel like if I say something it’s gona be t... View more

So when around to many people I get really nervous to join in on conversations I can’t look at people in the eyes I actually don’t even no were to look when a group may b having a conversation near me coz I feel like if I say something it’s gona be totally wrong and stupid and I wish I would have just kept quite, I always feel like people lie to me like constantly I have major trust issues, then I get a feeling as if they think I lie to them?! I tend to say things I truly don’t mean like saying yes to things want to say no to or things like that.... I will think and rethink situations in my mind all the time it drives me crazy, Wishing I did things differently! I care what people think of me way to much I think they all think I’m just a weirdo, I tend to not be able to be around people for to long because I think there getting bored of me and I’m annoying them and it all comes back to not being able to hold a conversation.... but then at the same time sometimes I don’t wana be alone but I don’t wana talk to anyone eaither.... I have a constant feeling that I need to be changing my job or my life i tend to stay at a job for 2 years or need something going on in my life because if I don’t then get really nervous and I feel as if I’m gona get fired or something so I’ll quit and start again somewhere new.. or I moved to Queensland For a bit and then I went on an overseas holiday for 5 weeks and now moved out of home but still now have this feeling I need to do something again.... it’s not a good feeling I get!! I’ve worked so hard to get my little flat but just have this terrible feeling in my stomach all the time that things aren’t good enough!! I feel as if I need to move back home or something and re group myself but I just don’t no sorry to vent I just don’t understand y I think so much on the things I feel so shitty about

imogen56 I love thinking about really horrible things..?
  • replies: 5

Just wanted to reach out and ask on here because I can't find anything on google. I really enjoy thinking about really bad things happening. Overall just really bad stuff usually involving me getting very badly injured. This is even though I would ne... View more

Just wanted to reach out and ask on here because I can't find anything on google. I really enjoy thinking about really bad things happening. Overall just really bad stuff usually involving me getting very badly injured. This is even though I would never want these things to happen in real life. Everything I've looked up online people complain about thinking horrible things like this and want to stop it, but I really like it. I don't want to fix it or anything I just wonder why I do it. Everyone I've talked to about it seem really weirded out and like they would never think such horrible things. Does anyone have any ideas?? Thanks