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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. 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

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Checkthebatteries While I'm waiting
  • replies: 3

I have depression and anxiety and I'm in my 20s. No medication. I've also been told there is a possibility I have cancer and have to have tests. They are meant to be quite invasive. I'm told it's urgent, which has got me really scared about what's go... View more

I have depression and anxiety and I'm in my 20s. No medication. I've also been told there is a possibility I have cancer and have to have tests. They are meant to be quite invasive. I'm told it's urgent, which has got me really scared about what's going to happen and what the tests will say but every time I call the specialist I can't get through. I don't want to tell my mom because she has some serious health and safety issues going on and this will stress her out. Especially as I'm her golden child. My dad is seriously old school and will tell me to harden up. Our relationship is deteriorating fast. I've been out of therapy for six months but I've asked my therapist if I can come back. However, I asked a month ago to deal with some financial and emotional stuff that is still there and getting worse and never got a reply. I'm hoping it's changed this time. I have no friends or partner or other family to talk to or to help me through the process. I need some advice on how to get through this. I feel so ill and stressed out and I don't think I can function properly in the other aspects of my life like work and uni. And I don't exactly qualify for support groups as I don't have a diagnosis yet.

Tiffany1 Challenging myself to improve
  • replies: 3

Been on these forums before, they're mighty helpful and I love all of you for hanging on there and managing the mental illness and fighting the good fight each day!! Much love much love!! Since my last post, I've been to 4 sessions with a psychologis... View more

Been on these forums before, they're mighty helpful and I love all of you for hanging on there and managing the mental illness and fighting the good fight each day!! Much love much love!! Since my last post, I've been to 4 sessions with a psychologist. A lovely woc whom I feel very comfortable with and who understands my migrant experience without me having to iterate it. I've been diagnosed with anxiety. I've started a new job as a travel agent. I don't like it, but minimum wage is better than nothing. And this is still better than waitressing. I'm stressed out because I have to work an extra day at my family business a cafe, so I end up working 6 days a week. I don't feel like I am rested enough, I've been having panick attacks bc of it. I dislike talking to strangers to have to convince them to book their holiday with me. I am passionate about travel and different places and cultures, but customers are concerned about getting as good a deal as possible when travel cannot be discounted much. (Otherwise I would be literally paying for their travel) I got a full time job straight out of university bc my mum and dad were nagging me and mum was making me work at the cafe anyway. so I took the lesser evil, and thought at least this way I would have enough energy to work a desk job full time and do my own personal art (I went to art school) but because I'm working way more than I anticipated, I'm just always too tired or too anxious to do what I love and get downtime and rest. Ive spoken to ppl about this, I've got a variety of coping mechanisms from my psych. Friends and bf have suggested I take less days at work which I refuse to do because I am still proving myself at the travel agency and my mum needs help running the business. I also have anxiety when I try to draw anyway, bc of an abusive teacher I had in university. And bc of the negative thoughts which tell me I've never been good at art which is why I couldn't find an art job out of uni. I'm annoyed because a lot of people I talk to irl, they don't understand what that means, they tell me I'm just being silly and dramatic. They don't understand it's anxiety and that to a degree you can do CBT, but you can't just "stop". I'm trying to cope, which is why I'm here again. Because of my CBT I'm able to minimise the impact of negative thoughts. How do I start thinking nice thoughts about myself? Because I've never been able to do that.

Louis88 So anxious it makes me physically ill - too scared to seek treatment - need advice
  • replies: 11

I have dealt with anxiety problems for a very long time. I saw a psychologist during my teen years for depression & anxiety which seemed to help one but not the other. Things seemed to get better enough for me to manage on my own as I got older, but ... View more

I have dealt with anxiety problems for a very long time. I saw a psychologist during my teen years for depression & anxiety which seemed to help one but not the other. Things seemed to get better enough for me to manage on my own as I got older, but recently they've been getting worse and worse. I have a lot of responsibilities this year, have to do things (like chair meetings etc.) that give me really bad panic attacks. I have dealt with panic attacks on a regular basis for a long time (usually go to the bathroom and wait in the stall for half an hour / longer if I'm at university or work for the heavy, noisy breathing and feeling like I'm going to pass out to stop) but they have been so bad recently I have started throwing up, and feel completely wrecked for the rest of the day (sometimes multiple days after). I'm at the end of my rope. They seem to come out of nowhere and there's nothing I can do to anticipate them or stop them from taking everything out of me when they happen. I recently caught up with an old friend who I knew dealt with similar problems, and they told me they have had great success with short-term anxiety medication. From what they told me of their experiences with this as well as ongoing support from a psychologist, it seems like it would really help me. When these really bad ones hit it feels like the entire world is caving in, it feels like I'm dying. But I'm also too scared to talk to a doctor about this option for treatment because I'm scared of being seen as like a drug addict or something - as I have heard that people use this medication recreationally. The thought of my doctor seeing me in that light makes me extremely anxious. I don't know what to do because I have tried so many things (cbt, several antidepressants, etc.) and nothing has helped. I feel like I can't continue the way I am but I'm worried about getting help. Has anyone else dealt with a similar problem?

Marlow2 Anxiety since a young age: Struggling to maintain motivation to try and fix it.
  • replies: 4

I have memories from primary school of anxiety thoughts and feelings and feel that it has always been present in my life (mainly social/performance anxiety). Of course I had no idea of what it was back then. Now, at 25, I am still dealing with these ... View more

I have memories from primary school of anxiety thoughts and feelings and feel that it has always been present in my life (mainly social/performance anxiety). Of course I had no idea of what it was back then. Now, at 25, I am still dealing with these same feelings. I have noticed my anxiety getting worse and having a bigger impact on my life over the past 5 or so years. It has really effected my social life and eats away at me daily at work. I used to be really good at hiding it, but the worse it gets the harder it is to hide. I feel varying levels of anxiety on a daily basis, struggle to concentrate on things, feel tired, avoid many situations, have a poor memory and experience feelings of depression along side my anxiety. I find it hard to be in the moment because of anxiety and feel I am missing out experiencing life to its potential. I have tried a couple of things over the years but just cant stick with trying to improve my anxiety levels. I get sucked back into the same rut. I have seen improvements in the past but I loose motivation, experience low energy levels, get caught up in bad routines or things, such as my job, take preference. (I think the pressures of my job and maintaining the appearance of being overly capable in my role are huge contributors). Does anyone else struggle to maintain motivation or easily get back into bad habits? What things or tactics have helped to keep you motivated?

white knight ANXIETY- how people view you
  • replies: 13

With anxiety we are so wrapped up in our misplaced energy we find difficulty in walking in another persons shoes, to view us warts and all. I've stumbled on such a topic. You can read the full site if you google "11 Things People Don't Realize You Ar... View more

With anxiety we are so wrapped up in our misplaced energy we find difficulty in walking in another persons shoes, to view us warts and all. I've stumbled on such a topic. You can read the full site if you google "11 Things People Don't Realize You Are Doing Because Of Your Anxiety" Here is my summary of this great write up, most of it is paraphrased due to word limits but you'll get the picture. We as sufferers should try to visualize what others see with the effects of our illness. We might be suffering but so are others in that they are trying to work us out or walk away due to the effort needed. 1. Declining invites but you might want to go The debilitating feeling of the date approaching, so overwhelming you cancel it 2. Obsessing over trivial things An unintended word or a glance can upset your mood. Others would be confused that you are noticing such minute distractions 3. Go to bed late, wake up early There is a cycle. Wake up early tired, over thinking things and mental exhaustion sends you back to bed. 4. In every situation, the worse scenario is you biggest thought This is really the negative thought side of you. Everything is bad, your health, job etc the problems are magnified 5. Rewinding conversations in your head, over and over You tend to say the wrong thing as you are anxious, so you rewind to examine if you said something wrong. Often you haven't said anything wrong but your mind haunts you of the possibility 6. When someone shows concern for you, you become more concerned about ...you Means if you are not well and it becomes noticeable then you must be worse than what even you thought. 7. That you are to blame for not replying straight away If someone doesn't reply immediately you cringe because you are anxious. Their attention could be diverted or are bad communicators. 8. Freaking out when the future is talked about You hide from the future as the present is difficult enough to deal with whereas others are excited about it 9. Comparing others success at the same age You see others as successful. You aren't envious just worried why you have reached such sstandard 10. You punish yourself over common mistakes that humans make All the while others allow it to slide as they accept its natural 11. Too exhausted mentally and physically to get out of bed Anxiety burns energy to the point where you stay in bed unable to find the strength to rise. Thanks. Tony WK

Blurry Need reassurance the clouds will pass
  • replies: 5

For those, if any, who have had fuzzy cloudy brain 24/7 does it ever leave? Since my first symptoms of anxiety I have had this brain fog, I feel as though I'm drunk every minute of the day. I was made redundant from a job I loved 6 months ago. Since ... View more

For those, if any, who have had fuzzy cloudy brain 24/7 does it ever leave? Since my first symptoms of anxiety I have had this brain fog, I feel as though I'm drunk every minute of the day. I was made redundant from a job I loved 6 months ago. Since then I had trouble finding work and had money worries. 2 months ago I went for a job interview and threw up before I left the house as I was so nervous, very out of the ordinary for me. I got the job, but 2 days later I woke with heart palpitations, nausea and dizziness. At first I thought it was a deficiency or virus but after many tests everything has come back clear. As these symptoms continued I worked on and off, some days were managable and I could get through work. But I have had the last 2 weeks off as I'm too sick to even drive most days. A week ago I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression (The depression I believe this is a result of being sick the last two months). I started on meds and feel overall I am improving. I have my appetite back and feel I am coping better day to day. But the one thing that has stuck around is the brain fog. Every minute of every day it is there. I feel like my mind races most of the day, but even when relaxed it doesn't ease. I am quite active and feel it's stopping me from getting out. I can't even read a book as I don't have the concentration. Is there anyone who has experienced this and does it ever clear?

themadchatter Psychiatric watch
  • replies: 1

I didn't know which thread to post this on exactly, so I thought I'd post it under the anxiety topic. Just questions I need answering. How does one go about committing themselves for a short amount of time under psychiatric watch and what kinds of th... View more

I didn't know which thread to post this on exactly, so I thought I'd post it under the anxiety topic. Just questions I need answering. How does one go about committing themselves for a short amount of time under psychiatric watch and what kinds of things can a person be dealing with in order to commit themselves?

Gamermum13 New and Anxious
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I've turned to these forums today because I feel like my anxiety is at a tipping point and I am drowning under its waves. I've suffered from it most of my life (I'm in my late forties), I'm on medication, I've seen psychologists..but it'... View more

Hi everyone, I've turned to these forums today because I feel like my anxiety is at a tipping point and I am drowning under its waves. I've suffered from it most of my life (I'm in my late forties), I'm on medication, I've seen psychologists..but it's still there, like a tsunami waiting to engulf me on a daily basis. No one at work knows I suffer, as I wear an extrovert's mask which, in itself, is exhausting. I was just wondering if anyone else feels like they're being constantly punished for something because bad things seem to happen on a daily basis? Even when I dare to feel content or happy, it never lasts long and now i'm just too scared to feel thhat way because I know I will be punished for it. Might be the Catholic upbringing I had..I don't know. All I know is today, I wish I could curl up in a corner and avoid the world. I'm sick of pretending to be strong and that I can cope, because I can't and I don't want to. Apologies for the bleak post..probably not the best intro.. Regards, GM13

DesperateForChange Does anyone else struggle with making decisions?
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, I'm not sure what I hope to achieve by posting this thread. Maybe the reassurance that I'm not the only one going through this? I seem to be incapable of making decisions, no matter how minor they are. I am often paralyzed by a wave of a... View more

Hi everyone, I'm not sure what I hope to achieve by posting this thread. Maybe the reassurance that I'm not the only one going through this? I seem to be incapable of making decisions, no matter how minor they are. I am often paralyzed by a wave of anxiety and fear. I still experience anxiety when I look at a menu, am in a food court, at the supermarket or have to choose whether to buy a Nook, Kindle or just a tablet for reading my books. What's going on here? I just want to be a functioning adult who is capable of coping with the daily challenges that life throws your way and which most people can take in their stride. My life has effectively ground to a halt because I am avoiding situations where I have to make choices. It's unsustainable but I am at a loss over how to change - the fear always wins out. I want to find a psychologist who can help me, but ironically the fear of choosing the 'wrong' psychologist has thwarted my efforts. I've done at least 40 hours of researching psychologists in the past week and am still no closer to deciding. What's going on? What is wrong with me? I feel like something must be defective or malfunctioning in my brain. Is this indecisiveness and procrastination something that most anxious people suffer? Could it be a phobia of making the wrong choices (if that even exists!) Is it OCD? I have read that people with OCD struggle with decision making. However, whilst I can obsess and obsess about my choices, I don't identify with the intrusions or compulsions associated with OCD. Is it a dependent personality disorder? If you can relate to anything that I'm saying, please post. I could use the support. Thank you.

loooodle Not coping
  • replies: 5

Hi, First time posting in the forums here. I'm really struggling.. I'm suffering from crippling anxiety which is affecting my ability to function. I can't sleep, I'm barely eating and I just don't want to keep feeling like this. I've been diagnosed w... View more

Hi, First time posting in the forums here. I'm really struggling.. I'm suffering from crippling anxiety which is affecting my ability to function. I can't sleep, I'm barely eating and I just don't want to keep feeling like this. I've been diagnosed with anxiety and depression but I've had it for so long that I don't remember what anything else feels like. I've started anti-anxiety and antidepressants earlier this week but circumstances in my life are taking a real toll on me and I'm not coping. My husband and I have a business, which is rapidly going under. We've had a terrible 12-18 months with multiple issues taking its toll on us and I've finally come to breaking point. The business has run out of money, we can't pay ourselves a wage and I'm steadily coming to terms with the fact we are going to lose everything. It's 4:30am and I've been awake since 1am thinking about everything, trying desperately to get some sleep but it never comes, I start to relax and then my body wakes up again and it all starts again. I'm currently writing a list of everything I need to get organised to move out of our rental and back with my parents. I'm sorry if this is a rambling post, I just needed to get it out of me somewhere...