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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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plippy Looking for tips on 'calming my farm'
  • replies: 2

Hi, I need help. I am too highly strung at the moment and am looking for tips on how to relax and not let things get to me. i swear i never used to be like this and lately feel that i'm getting worse. I just want to go back to the care free person I ... View more

Hi, I need help. I am too highly strung at the moment and am looking for tips on how to relax and not let things get to me. i swear i never used to be like this and lately feel that i'm getting worse. I just want to go back to the care free person I used to be. I have a great partner, a supportive family and close friends that i can talk to about anything, i am very lucky in life and logical me understands this and swears she is going to let go and just enjoy life, but a day or two later irrational me appears and starts to worry about everything and feels that my world will implode if.... (the dishes aren't done, or the dog isn't walked at this exact instance...trust me i know this is irrational, i just don't know how to shut it off) which in turn creates stress and tension between myself and my bf. i know this is going to be an ongoing battle but any tips or advise you can give to get me started would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Sunflowerrs Had a panic attack in a supermarket:(
  • replies: 18

I just thought I'd write here, its helps. I went to the supermarket today, I'm low on food. and had to leave the basket of food and run out of there. I normally try to stick around and let the feelings pass, but its been a hard day so it was intense.... View more

I just thought I'd write here, its helps. I went to the supermarket today, I'm low on food. and had to leave the basket of food and run out of there. I normally try to stick around and let the feelings pass, but its been a hard day so it was intense.. It just sucks because I really need some food right now. Also I thought I was doing really well, I haven't gotten to that point of panic in ages. and to know its still there sucks so much.

Chick1 Dealing with anxiety: Issues with work and stress
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, This is my first time posting and being a part of Beyond Blue online. Over the years I have suffered from a lot of anxiety and OCD type traits. It's been really difficult for me to deal with my own behaviour, which I know myself is not a... View more

Hi everyone, This is my first time posting and being a part of Beyond Blue online. Over the years I have suffered from a lot of anxiety and OCD type traits. It's been really difficult for me to deal with my own behaviour, which I know myself is not a rational way to behave. I have problems with needing to constantly move things, not in any particular way just needing to move everything that I notice has been touched by someone else- this mainly is only inside my home as I can control it in my work environment. The problem has been a lot worse lately. I am working for a company that is high pressure and i have been at this role for almost 8 months. I am yelled at constantly, but not just told off they scream at me in front of the other staff members, tell me I am hopeless and swear. I am constantly blamed for things that aren't even my fault. I thought that i was coping with the yelling, as I could go home and continue to work ignoring the problems, I don't even cry about it anymore. Although, I have noticed that there are physical effects from this that is contributing to my anxiety and my behaviour. I have been sleeping for hours on end, I go to bed at 9pm and sleep through until 7:30am- I have to leave the house at 8am for work and I use to walk my dogs every morning but I find that I cannot get myself out of bed anymore until I am almost running late every day. At times, I have been so stressed about going to work, that i have had issues with being sick. They offered me a full time job, but i could not afford the pay cut. They removed the offer and advertised for my replacement, who I will be training. I have not been told that I will be loosing my job, at this stage they have said that they are a back up in case I want time off- but I know this is not the case. I thought that i was okay and coping, but everything seems to be not only effecting me but it is having terrible consequences on my fiancé, who does not deserve to go through it. My fiancé has told me that I am nasty at the moment, that I keep talking about my job and making niggly comments to him about everything. Everything is annoying me but I don't seem to realise. In my sleep, I continually push my partner off of me, I won't let him near me but I don't know it is just sub consciously happening. On top of this, I cannot control my need to move things anymore- I know i need to see someone about this to but i guess that i dont want to admit to myself that i have an issue.

Plutonicmermaid Brand new to beyondblue and freaking out! (anxiety and depression)
  • replies: 3

Hi, I'm new here this is my first post on a site like this ever. Im feeling very nervous all the time, little things will just set me off and I would loose control of my emotions whether it be crying or yelling and slamming doors. In my head, I knew ... View more

Hi, I'm new here this is my first post on a site like this ever. Im feeling very nervous all the time, little things will just set me off and I would loose control of my emotions whether it be crying or yelling and slamming doors. In my head, I knew I was overreacting but I just couldn't control how I felt. My doctor put me on some anti-depressants and they seemed to be working and then when I started a new job I just lost control again. I would get up at 4.30am to head to work for 5 am. On my trip to work, I would have to stop my car and be sick on the side of the road everyday. Even when I would get to work I would have to stop several times to sit or be sick. Sometimes I would get so bad I would faint. I was the only one at work until 7 am. Then I would have to go back at 2 pm in the afternoons to clean until 6 pm. It was really hard to try to hide my feelings and panic when there were other people there. Some people think I was being rude and ignoring them but in actual fact, I was trying to get away from them as fast as I could and hide somewhere to get my breath back and try to calm down. I had no idea why I felt that way I just felt like I was going to die or I was going to fail. It's hard to explain. Anyway, any job I get I always feel like this and I have to make sure I do everything perfect. I don't want to stuff anything up or get in trouble and when I do I usually dwell on it. This latest job has been the worst I have ever been. Its hard to find work in a small town that I currently live in and when I feel like this it makes me mad at myself because I'm not afraid of hard work it's just the people or the atmosphere I have issues with. I work hard when I have too and am not afraid to get a job done. I have to go to my counsellor on Wednesday and I can't stop worrying about it. I find it hard to explain how I feel and what's going on in my mind. I am worried my doctor and counsellor think I am making this all up and same with my family. When my mum goes grocery shopping I sit in the hot car for about an hour and just sit there. When I do go into the shops Its usually early in the morning at like 7.30 because no one is around then and I can just get what I need and leave. I don't go out to parties or social events. I don't know I'm just really confused and mad and scared that I may never feel or be normal. Does anyone else feel similar or am I the only one? P.S. Sorry for the novel

TheBigSpecialPig Hi? I'm new-ish?
  • replies: 2

Hi? I'm kinda new to bb and umm i'm 13 and I've been Diagnosed with anxiety for 2 years. (sorry if I say lol, it's a coping mechanism) and my parents... they either are too apethetic or lazy to do anything about my diagnosis so here I am. Ok I can't ... View more

Hi? I'm kinda new to bb and umm i'm 13 and I've been Diagnosed with anxiety for 2 years. (sorry if I say lol, it's a coping mechanism) and my parents... they either are too apethetic or lazy to do anything about my diagnosis so here I am. Ok I can't write anymore.

azarrah Today's successes
  • replies: 7

Do we have a thread for this? Apologies if we do. I thought it would be nice to have a place where we can share our the successes of the day. They can be little steps forward or an enormous stride; we'll celebrate them all! Even if you think today ha... View more

Do we have a thread for this? Apologies if we do. I thought it would be nice to have a place where we can share our the successes of the day. They can be little steps forward or an enormous stride; we'll celebrate them all! Even if you think today has been terrible, something good has happened, no matter how small. They can be anxiety-related, school- or work-related, anything you like! Post as little or as much as you'd like. Let's support each other I'll start: Yesterday, I was panicking about an exam, in tears because I couldn't sleep and I thought all of my hard studying would go to waste as a result of my own brain's inability to calm down. Today, I kept a level head when writing the paper, and I think I did relatively well! I also overcame my intense fear of backwards skills in gymnastics, by doing my first ever back hip circle on the bars. Very exciting for me - it has been two years in the making. Now to perfect it, with more confidence and without a spot... What did you achieve today?

AnxSam Leaving job- people making me feel guilty.
  • replies: 3

Okay, so 4months ago I made a tough decision to resign from my job commencing later this month. The work I was in wasn't giving me any satisfaction and was one of the biggest reasons why I was getting anxiety, depression and negative thoughts. I real... View more

Okay, so 4months ago I made a tough decision to resign from my job commencing later this month. The work I was in wasn't giving me any satisfaction and was one of the biggest reasons why I was getting anxiety, depression and negative thoughts. I really disliked my job and in my current role, i have been there for over 2 years. I only stayed in this job because I had someone close to me offer me a position and I didn't want to let them down my resigning- However it got to the point that I was really unhappy and wanted to leave- as discussed in an earlier thread. When I leave I promised myself to do some travel that I have organised with my partner and upon my return look for a new career and start somewhere new. NOW being so close to my final day I feel like I have all this pressure from this person in making me feel bad that i have left this job. Yes I know they might have my best interests at heart (growth etc) but I really didn't see myself fit for this role, but i have this real bad guilt feeling for leaving! Should i feel horrible for leaving to pressure my own goals?

tatey81 I'd appreciate any feedback :-)
  • replies: 4

Hi all, This is my first time posting on this (or any) site. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression at the start of 2007, just 2 years after my father had passed away. At the end of 2006 I received a large promotion at work, and purchased my fir... View more

Hi all, This is my first time posting on this (or any) site. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression at the start of 2007, just 2 years after my father had passed away. At the end of 2006 I received a large promotion at work, and purchased my first house. These were both incredibly exciting times in my life; however unknowingly they triggered off my anxiety and depression. At first, I was off work for nearly 3 months, house ridden, in and out of doctors and hospitals trying to figure out what was wrong with me, before finally my GP diagnosing me with anxiety and depression. Over the years it has come and gone, and most times with ongoing medication, both natural and prescription, I've been able to keep it under reasonable control. However since breaking up with my partner (I'm gay) of 5 years 3 years ago now, my anxiety and depression has returned. Feelings of loneliness, of not being good enough, not being accepted for who I am because of physical appearance (I'm not Zac Effron's twin but I'd like to think I'm not that ugly), feelings of not being in control of my thought processes, etc, have started to have a large effect on my quality of life. Especially when I start to get close to someone - I start to over-react and read into each text message too much as to the meaning behind it, I tell myself I'm not good enough for the other person - "why would they want to be with me", which results in my behaviour changing towards them, getting very anxious each time I meet them. Each time I have told the person I suffer from anxiety, they conveniently come up with a reason why they don't want to date me any more, which leads to me feeling incredibly worthless. I also get very anxious about events that I should be excited about - travelling, going to a show, social outings, etc. Its like my body/brain gets the feelings confused. Lately I find myself not being able to control my thoughts, turning all thoughts into negative ones, which only encourages the anxiety and self doubt. Most of the time, I just take prescription medication and 'just push thru' the physical symptoms, as bad as I do feel. A little about me - I'm mid 30's, business manager, single male, exercise 3-4 times a week (walking & bike riding), enjoy the outdoors, sports, music, theatre, travel, property, etc. I could go on and on, but I'm sure I've said enough so far haha!! I'd love to hear your thoughts, and suggestions on methods to resolve some of these issues. Thanks.

Bona New here. Need advice and support.
  • replies: 12

Hi everyone, I'm really nervous about discussing this but I need some support and advice as I'm feeling really alone at the moment. Recently at work have been told I am not performing well and have been told to leave on my own terms or get fired. I h... View more

Hi everyone, I'm really nervous about discussing this but I need some support and advice as I'm feeling really alone at the moment. Recently at work have been told I am not performing well and have been told to leave on my own terms or get fired. I have not been given enough time to make this decision and it is making me feel worthless and incompetent. It has really been playing on my mind and my anxiety is reason why I am in place. Over the past year, my anxiety has been getting worse and has really played a big role in my work. When I get into an uncomfortable situation with others, I began to feel scared and get into this state of not wanting to talk​ and face the situation at hand. It makes it even worse as it is a high pressure job with a high workload. This leads to not returning calls or e-mails as I don't want to be in a confrontation or uncomfortable situation as I really doubt myself and didn't want to face situation. I wish that my anxiety didn't control the way think and the self doubt that I have. I feel like I have no one to talk to about it and I am feeling really alone as I don't want to burden people with my issues. I keep up a happy facade in front of others but I have broken down and have had few mini panic attacks when I am alone. Please give me some advice on how to best handle this situation.

Maryjane93 Does anyone else feel like this?
  • replies: 7

I feel like my mind is constantly thinking about everything and I can never relax. I even went to the gym today and I just couldn't switch off. It just makes me feel like I'm totally crazy. How do I not let my over thinking get the better of me and j... View more

I feel like my mind is constantly thinking about everything and I can never relax. I even went to the gym today and I just couldn't switch off. It just makes me feel like I'm totally crazy. How do I not let my over thinking get the better of me and just let things be?