Support
Support

Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

Start a conversation

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a conversation

Pinned discussions

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

Start a conversation

MissBear26 Sometimes I just need space
  • replies: 2

Hello out there, I am 26 female and have had depression and anxiety for over 3 years. I have medication and I got all the help. I am unemployed and am struggling to find work. I went away last week with my family. I struggled with money the whole tim... View more

Hello out there, I am 26 female and have had depression and anxiety for over 3 years. I have medication and I got all the help. I am unemployed and am struggling to find work. I went away last week with my family. I struggled with money the whole time. Everyone else had more than enough. I finished the week feeling tired. I feel like I have run a marathon. I get home and all I want to do is be alone. I can't keep up the pretence of being okay. I need to disappear from this world for a while. My partner has trouble understanding. he doesn't understand why I haven't moved from the chair in our room for 2 hours and why I am playing stupid games on my phone the whole time. I just get so tired. Takes all your energy sometimes to be normal. I have come leaps and bounds over the last few years. but the anxiety and depression always seem to be waiting in the wings ready to pounce when I am weak.

Tkracer Finally putting my story out there
  • replies: 3

So here goes nothing. now for as long as i can remeber ive always Had anxious tendancies but nothing that ever rattled me bad. I would have little bouts of worry about things that people would say were silly. But a little over 5 years ago my life too... View more

So here goes nothing. now for as long as i can remeber ive always Had anxious tendancies but nothing that ever rattled me bad. I would have little bouts of worry about things that people would say were silly. But a little over 5 years ago my life took an unexpected turn. Like any other 19 year old boy i tried to "fit in" or have new experiences. So anyway 5 years ago a few friends bought some synthetic marijuana and told me its safer then natural weed because its untraceable in drug tests. Stupid for even believeing them i know. But after that night my life has never really been the same, the next day i had a huge panic attack, i was so freakin scared i thought i was having a heart attack! I told my parents straight away about what i had done and what was happening to me at that moment. From then on in i have had horrible debilitating anxiety on and off! From severe depersonalisation and derealisation to heart pulpiltations and just constantly feeling overwhelmed with fear. So scared that the weed had seriously messed me up! So i went to the doctors after a few months who had assured me that it isnt possible for someone to get messed up from this after one time! But he did not persuade me one bit. He said i would of had this anxiety with or without the weed because at the time i never really gave much thought about what was already going on in my head. Now i dont expect sympathy from anyone because i still believe ive done this to myself! But! Before this i was getting constantly bullied at work, had no proper friends and had no girlfriend so at the time i was not in a happy place to begin with i was just constantly negative. like any other anxious person i used dr google alot! And like everybody says never ever do that because you will make it worse and by golly gosh it did. From thinking i had psychosis and skitzophrenia to having ptsd. on a moRe possitive note i have never ever been out of work because of this. not saying that it hasnt been hard either but there has been alot of times when ive had to stop what i was doing to run to the toilets to just break down and cry because of whats going through my mind. In this time i have since become a qualified carpenter sucessfuly worked for my self, gained a girlfriend, Lost 20kg through hard work at the gym. And in the process of buying my first home. sorry to all you readers for my story its abit all over the place. But this is my story i hope its can help some of you warriers !

Navy I think i have to give in to medication
  • replies: 32

So i have tried every natural tabket possible and it nay have been working in the beginning but now its not. I think it was all in my head because i am getting to a point of frustration now and im not coping. I need some advice as i am terrified. Tak... View more

So i have tried every natural tabket possible and it nay have been working in the beginning but now its not. I think it was all in my head because i am getting to a point of frustration now and im not coping. I need some advice as i am terrified. Taking medication was my last resort and im scared wat if it doesnt help me. Or what if it does in the beginning but then i need to keep getting strobger ones. Please help im so confused.

Guest_92 Intrusive thoughts at work
  • replies: 3

I have been suffering from Harm OCD thoughts over time and it got worse 2 years ago that I need to undergo medication to control my sickness. Recently at work there's been a new manager appointed and she has been keep checking on when I come to work ... View more

I have been suffering from Harm OCD thoughts over time and it got worse 2 years ago that I need to undergo medication to control my sickness. Recently at work there's been a new manager appointed and she has been keep checking on when I come to work and what I am doing on my desk which triggered those thoughts again, which were violent. Those thoughts made me feel stressed and angry to attend the office and it has affected my daily life that I notified HR about having those thoughts. Then they suspended me pending on independent medical examination and tomorrow I am going to have a meeting to discuss employment circumstances with them and also review the report. I am not feeling too well about it and I am not expecting return to work. I just want to know, if they decided to dismiss me, does it constitute discrimination or something that I can apply to FWA for General Protection based on my mental disability? Furthermore, is there something called 'Medical Retirement' that I can put on to? No matter it is dismissal or medical retirement, what is my minimum entitlement on those? The intrusive thoughts I have at work has not only applied to the work I am doing, but also applies to other's work that when I heard about people starting at ridiculous times, or being under surveillance of what they do in the office (or even out of the office), forcing them to do overtime, or some unfair rules/treatment at the workplace, I have those thoughts exist to harm people at work. I have been undergo treatment for this but till now I still feel struggling to eliminate those thoughts. As the result, am I eligible for Disability Support Pension or welfare payment that will eliminate myself from returning to work ever? I am worried if I run out of money, Centrelink will force me to do some certain work that I don't like to do and I would have been acting on those thoughts which can lead to significant consequences.

Sincere_guy Anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone it's my first time here, just want your input if anxiety can lead to eating problems. I just came out of hospital and told my anxiety caused my eating problem and didn't have an eating disorder so I'm thinking about getting a second opini... View more

Hi everyone it's my first time here, just want your input if anxiety can lead to eating problems. I just came out of hospital and told my anxiety caused my eating problem and didn't have an eating disorder so I'm thinking about getting a second opinion.

kned Grieving loss of job and being out of comfort zone
  • replies: 8

I recently resigned from my job, one I had been in for many many years. I am grieving the loss of my job even though the decision to leave was a good one (a completely different story).My family and best friend all think I made the best decision to l... View more

I recently resigned from my job, one I had been in for many many years. I am grieving the loss of my job even though the decision to leave was a good one (a completely different story).My family and best friend all think I made the best decision to leave. But I still can't help but grieve what I used to have. I had committed so many years to the job and I knew it so well. It seems that I am a creature of comfort. I stay where I am comfortable, so the idea of now finding another job is extremely scary! I am worried that the opportunities in my field are going to be very few and far between. I also think of changing careers or training but I have no idea what I could do. I guess I just feel that now I dont know what to do. I always had a focus. The job was a huge part of my identity. Is this something that will pass? How do I find my purpose again? How do I accept change? I just feel so low and so confused with what to do. I suffer anxiety so this uncertainty and worry is definitely not helping my anxiety!

GADman My anxiety has gone through the roof!
  • replies: 7

This past week has been mentally one of the worst weeks I have had in my life. I'm spending most of the day in bed because my anxiety and depression are at an all time high and I can't put my finger on what set it off apart from the chest infection I... View more

This past week has been mentally one of the worst weeks I have had in my life. I'm spending most of the day in bed because my anxiety and depression are at an all time high and I can't put my finger on what set it off apart from the chest infection I got in the days prior. Physically I am feeling better however I am eating much less than what I used to and am in bed most of the day. I am trying to go for two walks a day just to get out of the house but this cold weather at the moment is even making that difficult.I've lost interest in things I enjoy like television and games and my father has been sick too and am worried that something bad may happen to him. I can't even turn these on at the moment and concentrate for more than 5 minutes because my anxiety and depression are so bad.I'm 35 and live with both my parents and recently told work I can't come in due to the constant anxiety attacks. A few days ago I was getting out of the shower because of a panic attack and passed out and ended in hospital with a cut to my head. I'm worried that I'm going crazy and the best place for me may be a psych ward as I don't want to be a burden for my family and can barely function throughout the day. Sorry for the rambling, if anyone has any suggestions or advice I would like to hear from you.

macadamianut Guarded
  • replies: 3

Hi, I thought I'd post something I've been dealing with as others might be able to provide some outsider perspective. I've been dealing with anxiety on and off for years (currently under control), and think it leans towards social anxiety. I'm quite ... View more

Hi, I thought I'd post something I've been dealing with as others might be able to provide some outsider perspective. I've been dealing with anxiety on and off for years (currently under control), and think it leans towards social anxiety. I'm quite outwardly confident and bubbly with others, working in customer/client facing roles over the years, but am truly more of an "introvert" in disguise and recharge my batteries alone. While I like being social and am friendly etc, I often dread social situations and feel extremely awkward as I'm very hyperaware and overanalytical. I am a people pleaser, and while I don't overly "care" what people think, I find myself always trying to make people like me - albeit not in an overbearing way. As a result I dread certain social situations as I find them tiring and sometimes just can't be bothered. In certain settings like the gym or work lunch room I don't want to speak to anyone and while I try to be polite, I just want to be left alone. This makes me depressed as I compare myself to others like my sister who are super chatty and have friendships wherever they go. I started a Meetup group a few years ago which was super successful but eventually dwindled, as I found it took way too much emotional effort to maintain due to the (unexpected) popularity. I've tried volunteering but didn't meet anyone w/ similar age/interests/etc. I love my own company and never feel lonely. I like seeing friends from time to time but more so in a "scheduled" context and not just having people "drop in". I've had friends move out of the city and come and go, and am finding myself feeling quite isolated. While I don't mind it, I'm feeling like it's ruining my quality of life. I eventually want to marry my partner and while I have a few friends here and there from different social circles that I can have close, honest convos with, I don't have a big group of besties I've known for years and have no idea who I'd even pick as bridesmaids as I don't have those kind of relationships. I'm so guarded and thus can't quite seem to make friends as easily as others, even though I get along well with most people. I had a complete meltdown a couple of months ago about 8wks into a new job and had to take 2 days of sick leave, and a doc gave me a mental health plan to see a psych. It's still expensive though and having just moved in with my boyfriend I've had so many other expenses. Just thought someone might be able to relate or provide some advice.

Diamondback The Anxiety is building up
  • replies: 2

Not sure if others have experienced this but las week I had started to feel half normal again but this week I feel like the anxiety is growing more and more every day and the more I try to calm my self the more I feel scared that I'm going to have an... View more

Not sure if others have experienced this but las week I had started to feel half normal again but this week I feel like the anxiety is growing more and more every day and the more I try to calm my self the more I feel scared that I'm going to have another anxiety attack I feel like I am building myself up to it getting ready again for the flight or fight I'm really paranoid it will happen at work or when I have my son I am seeing the councillor tomorrow which I'm hoping will help. I think the worst thing is I just feel like I want it to go away again and as I've learnt before the worst thing to do is fight it.....

Alex_Aardvark Acknowledging my anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hey there. I've suffered from anxiety my whole life, but I'm only now realising this to the full extent. I've had anxiety in many situations, some are under control now (sexual, social) and some are not (work, chronic pain, sleep). I'm 24, male. I al... View more

Hey there. I've suffered from anxiety my whole life, but I'm only now realising this to the full extent. I've had anxiety in many situations, some are under control now (sexual, social) and some are not (work, chronic pain, sleep). I'm 24, male. I always had ambitions, but now I'm realising that if I'd just kept doing what I was doing, I wouldn't survive having a lot of responsibility at work (and/or having kids). Right now I'm learning to accept that and putting my own mental health ahead of my career goals. I've started getting treatment. Looking for other people like me to talk to.

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright © 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map