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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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BiancaAM Asbestos Anxiety
  • replies: 6

A few months ago at a block of land we were about to start building on, we had someone illegally dump rubbish from a demolition. We went to check it out with my 2 young children. Anyway we later found out that within the rubble were some cement sheet... View more

A few months ago at a block of land we were about to start building on, we had someone illegally dump rubbish from a demolition. We went to check it out with my 2 young children. Anyway we later found out that within the rubble were some cement sheeting at the back of some old tiles that likely had asbestos in them. I am now consumed with anxiety about the fact that my children may have been exposed to asbestos. I feel like I will have to live with this fear the rest of my life, wondering if they will ever become sick from it. Although I know it is likely a small chance they inhaled any fibres, it just terrifies me and I dont know how I will deal with this fear that I can do nothing about. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have a history of GAD but this has just pushed it into overdrive.

Soba_Kinoko a bad day at the office
  • replies: 3

Hi all I have only post once before on the forums but thought I might need some advice. I have been at my new job for about 3 months now and things have been pretty shitty. The job I got is mail sorting and it's a pretty good job to have while I am s... View more

Hi all I have only post once before on the forums but thought I might need some advice. I have been at my new job for about 3 months now and things have been pretty shitty. The job I got is mail sorting and it's a pretty good job to have while I am studying. I began studying a certificate IV in Disability. I am very excited for study but my job really gets to me. The staff are always stressed and gossiping. When I first started working there I met my other team member who I would be working with in the mornings. I start at 6am and have to get up at 4.30am to get the train to work. I work for 3 hours and then go home or to tafe. So to start with I met the other team member and introduced myself, she was not interested at all in who I was and gave a half smile and just said hi. Throughout my first week she had pretty poor communication and I tried my best to remain as friendly as possible. I know everyone is different and as an introvert I understand small talk can be annoying sometimes. anyway I could explain more on that but I actually have been having trouble keeping everyone's stresses out of my head. I took over from a previous sorter and she returned for work about a month ago. We get on great and she is an artist also. She has her own mental health issues going on too and we do talk about stuff together because no one else has the time to listen. I consider myself a pretty amiable and caring person and I love to help people. Our boss is on leave at the moment and she left us in the hands of another manager that is not up to the job. she is so stressed out and insensitive. I tried to talk to her today as to how I had been feeling and that I felt like I had done something wrong to offend her but she has such a rushed aggressive way of talking she barely listened to me. I said I am sensitive and I have social anxiety and the office has been pretty negative lately. To sum the conversation up she asked "could you toughen up and not be sensitive?" at that I gave up and pretty much listened to her rant off and I went home totally upset and I had to skip tafe today because of it. I'm not sure if this all makes sense. But I was hoping maybe I could get some advice, I actually talked to her on the phone and said it was almost bullying what she said and that I want to resign. This was my second job I have quit in a year and I am worried I am not making any progress. I don't mean to complain. Thanks for reading

Pixiejewelz Trying to Sleep Plagued with Intrusive thoughts
  • replies: 2

Hi all. Whatever activity im involved in (with my daughter and grandkids) during day. For example 5 kids my daughter myself went for 1/2hr car drive today. When it comes time for sleep I read first then when Im tired i turn out the light. My mind rac... View more

Hi all. Whatever activity im involved in (with my daughter and grandkids) during day. For example 5 kids my daughter myself went for 1/2hr car drive today. When it comes time for sleep I read first then when Im tired i turn out the light. My mind races and eventually the thoughts will emerge from the events that day. Scenarios play out where im watching my daughter drive and see the car go off the road i can also see inside the car during the accident. It makes me shake my head to rid the thought but then on goes the light to scared to sleep. This happens every night it may be envisioning one of my grandkids being hit by a car, kidnapped. The other day i took my grandson for running training. He was panting hard out of breath. That night the intrusive scenario played in my head that he collapsed from a heart attack on the oval. Or he passed in his sleep from an undiagnosed condition exaserbated by the training. Why is this happening. Yes i do have fears of losing them i fear my own death. I just cant seem to switch off these thoughts at night or control them stop them from happening. Its impacting on me day to day. Ive rapidly loss weight due to it. Im not sleeping so im surviving on 2-3hrs sleep a night. I feel like swiching my brain off so i can sleep making it go numb if it were possible. Please help im desperate

Grampians Anxiety is cancerous
  • replies: 3

Hello, fresh newbie here, I am a stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma patient and as my thread title suggests I'm struggling with the mental side of having cancer. I'm in no way been diagnosed with a terminal period or outcome but after battling Melanoma for ... View more

Hello, fresh newbie here, I am a stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma patient and as my thread title suggests I'm struggling with the mental side of having cancer. I'm in no way been diagnosed with a terminal period or outcome but after battling Melanoma for 3 years now it's starting to do my head in. It is a cancer that is not obvious apart from some physical scars or those undergoing treatment for multiple lesions. Stage 4 Melanoma means it has affected internal organs and luckily for me only one lesion on a lung which has been surgically removed, while I am currently doing well with no new tumors I find it's the unknown lurking cancer cells floating around that consumes my thoughts on a daily basis. I am very anxious at the moment hence this post, a recent scan completed and now waiting for the report (Friday 18th). I'm not new to the waiting for scan reports, it's the build up over time that has caused restlessness, flushes, night sweats, head aches and lack of sleep. Generally, I have always been a very positive person but now I have started to avoid situations at work, keeping my feelings to myself from loved ones so as not to cause alarm, I have to put on a brave face because I am relied upon to perform with everything I do. I am yet to pick up the phone and talk to a counselor or taken myself off to a Psychologist but I guess that's something I am very close to doing, costs involved for professional help has stopped me, sadly cancer has also taken its toll in financial terms.

sarahlouisexo Treatment of OCD?
  • replies: 3

Hi I have been struggling with OCD for a few months now but I'm unsure about getting help. If you have OCD, what route have you taken to receive treatment? What has helped you, what hasn't?

Hi I have been struggling with OCD for a few months now but I'm unsure about getting help. If you have OCD, what route have you taken to receive treatment? What has helped you, what hasn't?

FMercury Medication: can it get worse before it gets better?
  • replies: 3

Hi all I'm on week 3 of medication, and hadn't really noticed too much change until this week. Started to feel somewhat more positive on Monday, but then yesterday was a complete disaster and i was very very low. Then today, feeling more positive aga... View more

Hi all I'm on week 3 of medication, and hadn't really noticed too much change until this week. Started to feel somewhat more positive on Monday, but then yesterday was a complete disaster and i was very very low. Then today, feeling more positive again. I wondered if maybe this rollercoaster could be part of the beginnings of new med? TIA

James1008 So bored all the time?
  • replies: 3

does anyone else get this? i find nearly everything very boring things were more exciting when i was a kid im Unemployed now I know you will say Its because I dont have a job But I was just as bored when i had a job its just all so boring Working/Not... View more

does anyone else get this? i find nearly everything very boring things were more exciting when i was a kid im Unemployed now I know you will say Its because I dont have a job But I was just as bored when i had a job its just all so boring Working/Not working I miss being a kid so alot now there is little happiness to be found , anyone know this feeling

BSL Anxiety? Or am I being dramatic?
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting and I'd really like to to get others opinions on what I've been experiencing lately. For the past 3 months, but the last 4 weeks in particular, I have been feeling incredibly anxious. It's this feeling of dr... View more

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting and I'd really like to to get others opinions on what I've been experiencing lately. For the past 3 months, but the last 4 weeks in particular, I have been feeling incredibly anxious. It's this feeling of dread and nervousness in my stomach that I cant shake, no matter what I try. It's as though I'm waiting for something awful to happen, and I have horrible butterflies all the time. I've tried changing my diet, exercising and meditating but these only seem to help temporarily, and the feeling always comes back. Lately the anxiousness has increased to the point where I feel like I might cry, I can't catch my breath or I feel faint, and I can't draw my mind back from this overwhelming feeling in my stomach, even though I can't figure out what is causing it. Uni, work and my relationship are all stressful, but I don't feel as though there has been a dramatic change in any of these areas that would warrant the feelings that I have, and when I try and locate a direct cause I struggle to find it. Another issue is this anxiety is causing me to become seriously unmotivated. Now whenever I think about anything even slightly stressful such as uni, work or driving lessons it makes me feel so sick that I can't bring myself to attend class or go to work and I'll spend hours just laying around at home. What I want to know is does this sound like an anxiety disorder, or just usual stress that I need to work harder at overcoming? It doesn't feel normal to me, but I also don't feel like I'm experiencing overly dramatic symptoms such as panic attacks, and I am fine (almost better) when I'm socialising. Thank you!

Luna_Eclipse very worried
  • replies: 4

I had a anxiety attack whilst driving and been on edge all the way home keep having this horrible heat sensation in my chest area and everything I try to do like the breathing exercises and distraction techniques does not help me at all. Starting to ... View more

I had a anxiety attack whilst driving and been on edge all the way home keep having this horrible heat sensation in my chest area and everything I try to do like the breathing exercises and distraction techniques does not help me at all. Starting to feel anxiety when I go to work and I am not coping with any of it. Can't seem to find anything that helps diffuse the horrible feelings I am getting. I still feel as tho there is something actually wrong with me and none of this is actually anxiety.

FMercury My anxiety symptoms seem unique
  • replies: 5

Hi all I am a brand newbie. Thanks in advance for this community - can't believe I didn't join it sooner. I've been suffering anxiety for about 20 years. It has reached the point where it's completely taking over, so I've taken my approach to managin... View more

Hi all I am a brand newbie. Thanks in advance for this community - can't believe I didn't join it sooner. I've been suffering anxiety for about 20 years. It has reached the point where it's completely taking over, so I've taken my approach to managing it to a new level, and making some significant changes in all areas. I've started a new medication (3 weeks in), seeing a new psychologist (who I love), changing my diet (greatly reducing sugar intake, eliminating coffee, increase vegetables, reduce alcohol), exercising daily, giving up facebook, replacing "time wasting" activities with productive ones, and spending more time with the people that matter to me. I'm also reading / researching more about anxiety than I ever had before, including this website and joining this forum. One thing that I'm struggling with in the process, is that I feel like my anxiety symptoms are so completely different to others'. I've done a search in the forum on 'anxiety symptoms' and read a lot of those posts, and I can't find many that I can relate to. My main symptom is that I feel like I can't get a proper breath. There's a very rare feeling of utter satisfaction or even ecstasy when, on the very very rare occasion, I'm able to breath deeply enough to properly fill my lungs. I often imagine that if I was anxiety-free, breathing in would feel like filling up a balloon to the max, then breathing out would feel like deflating it all the way. And yet for me, breathing in feels like the balloon only fills up a quarter of the way, then breathing out deflates it. And no matter how deeply I try to breathe in - I even breathe breathe breathe in until I can't fit anymore air in, and it's still only a quarter full. I have tried many many breathing techniques but none of them reduce this feeling of not being able to get enough breath. Other symptoms I feel are: Constant dread. Constant butterflies in my stomach. Constant adrenaline. You know that feeling when you're running down a flight of stairs and you slip and skip one, and your heart skips a beat? I have that sensation constantly. I guess I'm just interested to hear if there are many others experiencing symptoms of a similar nature, as I don't experience the ones that I've seen discussed frequently on these forums. Thanks in advance

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