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

All discussions

Guest_523 Worried about being judged, being misunderstood and not taken seriously.
  • replies: 26

I get medication that I take every now and then for panic attacks/sleep. I work extra hard to do the right thing and only take this if absolutely necessary. I am very responsible as I only get a small prescription every 3 or 4 months. I saw on the ne... View more

I get medication that I take every now and then for panic attacks/sleep. I work extra hard to do the right thing and only take this if absolutely necessary. I am very responsible as I only get a small prescription every 3 or 4 months. I saw on the news where they are going to make it harder to get this due to some people being uncool with it. Great, now I am worried that I will be judged in the wrong way. However my record does show that over the long haul that I have been responsible but you know me! I have to worry about something so now I am going over in my mind how I will be given the fish eye whenever I get my prescription filled. Jeez I worry a lot.

Crystal3 I don't know what's wrong with me
  • replies: 2

so it stared when I started to use drugs I thought I couldn't swallow and thought I was vomiting and chocking on my vomit, but awhile I had a different drug and I had my first panic attack or at least I think it was, I was at a party I started pacing... View more

so it stared when I started to use drugs I thought I couldn't swallow and thought I was vomiting and chocking on my vomit, but awhile I had a different drug and I had my first panic attack or at least I think it was, I was at a party I started pacing and my heart was racing I was dizzy and felt this werid feeling in my stomach I thought I was going to die all these thoughts were just going through my head and I was freaking. But after about 30 minutes it went away but recently I have had very bad health anixety like I just think about stuff and if makes me freak out and I think I'm dying when I'm not, like in class the other day I got the same feeling in my stomach I got when I had the second drug I was dizzy and thought I was going metal and felt like I couldn't breathe and was feeling really enclosed then I spoke to my dad and It calmed down but this happened after a family friend freaked me out and said that my brain is fried and I was at these formal photos and just looking at everyone make me freak out I got light headed and the other day I was at the beach in the water and it was hard to breathe, my breathes were short and my friends got me out and my heart was racing and I felt like I was choking which most of the time I think I'm choking. I feel that all the time and the other night I went drinking with my friends and I didn't drink much and I felt like I was going to die I got the feeling In my stomach I felt enclosed on the bus and really hot and light headed and I could breathe properly it was like short breathes, the other night I make my mum drive me to the hospital cause I looked down my throats and I could see my epiglotis I didn't know what that was I thought it was a bone and I felt like It was making me choke and the hospital told me it was a swallow tonisal and if it gets bigger go to the hospital so all night I kept waking up thinking I stoped brething So the next day I went to my doctor For that and another problem and when I thought I had something I started looking up all these symptoms and I felt like I had them and she told me I didn't and then it went away she told me that I should speak to someone about my aniexty so now I am

Tryinhard Hi I’m a newbie
  • replies: 4

Feel like my life is spiraling out of control. I’ve made some very poor decisions now I might be facing a jail sentence. Diagnosed with depression at 16, older I get the more anxious I get.

Feel like my life is spiraling out of control. I’ve made some very poor decisions now I might be facing a jail sentence. Diagnosed with depression at 16, older I get the more anxious I get.

anxiousgirl97 newly anxious & need some advice.
  • replies: 4

so for the past month i've been suffering from severe bouts of anxiety and panic attacks, and believe this was triggered by a bad comedown from a substance (which occurred almost a month ago), however have seen slight improvements within the weeks go... View more

so for the past month i've been suffering from severe bouts of anxiety and panic attacks, and believe this was triggered by a bad comedown from a substance (which occurred almost a month ago), however have seen slight improvements within the weeks gone. However, a few nights ago I had a few cups of black tea before bed (unaware that black tea had caffeine in it) so was up all of the night with insomnia stressing about not being able to sleep, and didn't sleep at all that night and I have slept the past night, but have woken up yesterday and today feeling just as bad as the time of the comedown, with constant rapid heart palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea, loss of appetite again. Therefore I reckon i've relapsed, I had started to feel better last week, and i've never felt this bad before and had some panic attacks prior but they never carried on, and would usually disappear. I'm 19, and am also at uni, so times have been stressful and it doesn't help when i'm feeling like death. It feels like there isn't any light at the end of the tunnel, it would be great if someone could help me out.

Kaylee13 Social Anxiety......
  • replies: 1

Today was my daughters preschool orientation and my social anxiety decided it would make an appearance as well. Within 10 minutes of being in a room crammed with parents, kids and teachers I literally couldn't handle it a second longer and politely a... View more

Today was my daughters preschool orientation and my social anxiety decided it would make an appearance as well. Within 10 minutes of being in a room crammed with parents, kids and teachers I literally couldn't handle it a second longer and politely asked for directions to the bathroom, as I walked into the bathroom I had an anxiety attack and sat in there for 10 minutes trying to get my shit together so I could get back to my daughter and partner who I knew would be wondering where I am. I couldn't bring myself to walk back into the room so instead, I sat outside on a chair looking at the paperwork we were given pretending to read it whilst really thinking how stupid I looked sitting outside reading paperwork when I should be inside the classroom with my daughter. I was plotting a way to make a quick escape without anyone noticing, can you believe that? It was my daughters special day and here I am trying to find a way out because I can't stand being in a room with other people. A teacher came over and asked if I was ok and if I would like a glass of water, I told her I was ok. She asked why I was sitting outside and by this stage, I was completely overrun with anxiety and anxious thoughts I couldn't even think of a lie I just told her straight up I had anxiety and I needed some fresh air, she seemed apologetic and said she was sorry for asking. I feel like a failure of a parent for not being able to walk back into the room and be with my daughter and I feel like an idiot for telling her a teacher I had only just met I had anxiety. It took me years to tell my family I had anxiety and here I am telling a teacher at my daughters new preschool I have anxiety. Today confirmed I really need to get some professional help and this Monday coming I'm taking the steps required to get some help.

Tryinhard Do I have depression or anxiety
  • replies: 5

I’ve been taking anti depressants on and off since the age of 16. My counsellor has told me that she thinks I suffer from anxiety as opposed to depression. I tend to agree but the anti depressants are a big part of my life, are they really what I nee... View more

I’ve been taking anti depressants on and off since the age of 16. My counsellor has told me that she thinks I suffer from anxiety as opposed to depression. I tend to agree but the anti depressants are a big part of my life, are they really what I need though? I worry about everyone and everything. Never feel I’m good enough and yearn for other people’s approval. When things get hard I just go to bed and sleep

RainbowBird Help for high-functioning anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I'm so glad I found this little hub- I have been searching for a while for a place I can communicate and finally tell people what I am feeling. I'm 35 years old and suffer from high functioning anxiety and what I think is social anxiety also.... View more

Hi all, I'm so glad I found this little hub- I have been searching for a while for a place I can communicate and finally tell people what I am feeling. I'm 35 years old and suffer from high functioning anxiety and what I think is social anxiety also. It's really hard for me to talk about, as on paper my life looks perfect to an outsider. I work for one of the biggest tech companies in the world where I have achieved and won an award for ny performance. I have a great home, I'm putting myself through university part time, I'm travelling overseas on a dream vacation in a few weeks etc. But the truth is I'm breaking up inside. Working at a company where extraversion, being social, and building relationships is highly prized and valued, is so so hard for me- I suffer from huge bouts of anxiety being in groups, talking to clients, getting my work wrong- basically 'imposter syndrome' where I'll be found out to be a fraud and not having the skills to do my job. it's bad enough it keeps me up at night and working like at all hours to keep up. Everything is about collaboration and sharing, and I get so tired at always having to be 'On' when basically I am scared all day long. I have few friends because of my anxiety- basically because I struggle to connect with people, and don't have a boyfriend as I really struggle to even talk to a guy I really like, making me come across as aloof and not interested. I'm wondering if I'm even displaying selective mutism here as I cannot physically talk to someone I really like ( men I'm not attracted to I can talk to normally). I'm super worried at 35 I will be alone forever- I'm aware of my age and would like to have a child in the future. I have a history of domestic violence from my childhood, my parents were not emotional people, and I was bullied in both primary school and high school. I hate being in groups, especially groups of women- probably a past trauma from my high school days at an all-girls school and being bullied, which is hard as I work in an all female team. I have little support in real life except for a few friends. I force myself to socialize and network and usually drink to make it easier but it feels forced and inauthentic. I have had therapy in the past for a year, but it's all still there and I have no idea how to work through it. I can't talk about it as I fear no one that knows me would believe me or would think I am complaining about nothing due to what they see on the outside.

Mumworrier Food poisoning/germ anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hello, I am new here and just coming to terms with the fact I likely have anxiety/OCD. I am currently spinning myself out because I let my children lick the beaters when we made cookies and now am sure I have given them salmonella. It is exhausting i... View more

Hello, I am new here and just coming to terms with the fact I likely have anxiety/OCD. I am currently spinning myself out because I let my children lick the beaters when we made cookies and now am sure I have given them salmonella. It is exhausting in my head and each day I get through feels like I have just barely survived. As there always is at schools there is a vomity big going around at the moment and from the second I hear about it, I feel sick and unwell. My body cooperates with my anxiety and I do often have an upset stomach etc which compounds it. I could hardly eat at a friends house the other day because I had no idea how long the roast chicken had been sitting out for. I am planning on going for help soon because I can’t continue to live like this but can anyone give me some reassurances in the meantime?

beehivesweetie nervous and feel nausea at the thought of going out
  • replies: 4

hi i'm not really sure what been going on but for quite some time now i have been getting really nausea and nervous of the thought of going out in public in any way, i can leave my front gate without my heart starting to race and feel like i'm gonna ... View more

hi i'm not really sure what been going on but for quite some time now i have been getting really nausea and nervous of the thought of going out in public in any way, i can leave my front gate without my heart starting to race and feel like i'm gonna pass out. seeing or being around people i do not have a close relationship with is like hell. i cant finish my sentences because of stuttering from nerves, as i'm talking to someone i don't know i tend to find myself going red in the face and just not being able to talk. Going to school is terrible every bell that rings means i have to just see more people. i was wondering on what peoples thought are on this cause i have no idea but i know its not healthy as it is progressively getting worse

kayley_jane Getting help for Anxiety
  • replies: 2

I was diagnosed with anxiety really young and it hasn’t ever really decreased in severity since. I’ve recently had to finish with my psychologist due to finances but I still need help. I know Medicare has the 10 session rebate but now that I’m finish... View more

I was diagnosed with anxiety really young and it hasn’t ever really decreased in severity since. I’ve recently had to finish with my psychologist due to finances but I still need help. I know Medicare has the 10 session rebate but now that I’m finished with those... what now? It seems as though my options cost so much money that I don’t have but I know I really need help. I don’t really have much of a support system and I want help really badly I just don’t know where to go from here. Any suggestions?