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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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STR Jumping to quick into my career
  • replies: 1

I think I'm starting to regret my career choice, and I don't know if I'm just in need of a break or if my job is not right for me. I think I jumped too quickly and that I was just 'ticking the boxes' because I ended up in a law degree. How do I know ... View more

I think I'm starting to regret my career choice, and I don't know if I'm just in need of a break or if my job is not right for me. I think I jumped too quickly and that I was just 'ticking the boxes' because I ended up in a law degree. How do I know if I'm in the right place? I'm employed as a paralegal in a boutique law firm in Sydney. I've been employed at this firm for approximately 2 years. I was admitted as a solicitor in NSW last year but because I felt I wasn't ready to practice, I have not obtained my practicing certificate. I was employed almost immediately after graduation, but I had never had any prior experience during my time studying so even to this day I feel like everything is very new. A law degree wasn't even my first choice when finishing high school. The uni course I ended up in, I didn't even remember selecting - and rightly so it was apparently my 7th choice at the time. I wanted to get into graphic design. I enjoyed learning about the law but even to this day I struggled to see how I would fit into the profession. I don't have the 'common sense' that lawyers do. Approximately 8 months ago one of the solicitors, who I had the most contact with and heavily relied on for guidance resigned without proper communication and I feel like I am still adjusting to this change. I feel like I don't know what I'm doing half the time but I'm expected that I should know. Because the change was so sudden, a lot of the roles got switched around. A lot of the administrative things that the previous solicitor did was given to me and I had to learn everything on my own. I felt like there wasn't anyone to seek help from. I'm now struggling to understand what's expected of me and I loathe going to work. Things I thought were done correctly are not and (I suppose rightly so because I should have just asked for help) I'm getting called up on it. My heads a mess right now. It has been since probably April and it's affecting my sleep and my appetite. My brain won't 'shutdown' and then it keeps replaying everything I've done and need to do like a record. I feel like I'm being ungrateful because unlike so many other law graduates I was lucky enough to get employed straight away. I also thought I was enjoying what I was done doing. But now I can't seem to stop thinking about anything work related, I'm stressing out, my head is a mess and I'm making mistakes that I don't realise until later. How do I know what I should be doing?

austin0095 Anxiety - Can't leave my house
  • replies: 6

I've been diagnosed with an underlying anxiety disorder and severe depression, meds help a lot but in the past couple of weeks they've not worked so great and I'm currently upping my dose by about half. Today I had a day off work and I've wanted to g... View more

I've been diagnosed with an underlying anxiety disorder and severe depression, meds help a lot but in the past couple of weeks they've not worked so great and I'm currently upping my dose by about half. Today I had a day off work and I've wanted to go into the city particularly Newtown to buy more clothes to wear etc. and I'm still here, at home, at 12:00pm because I'm too uncomfortable and stressed to leave my house. I put this down to not having anything to wear, as I've been looking through my clothes for the past hour, i feel so dumb writing this out. This doesn't happen everyday and I just get so stressed out and feel very very self conscious, staring in the mirror, looking at the time, giving up then thinking "I've gotta find SOMETHING" but ultimately i can't and i end up laying back in bed feeling so ridiculous that i can't pull myself together and throw something on. I keep thinking of how i look, how people will see me, if i'll look exactly how i want to, i am a complete perfectionist but usually i can get over this but today i couldn't and i feel like crying, i deep down hate how i look and thats fine but i really wish i didn't care so much, i'm just so down on myself and i can't bare leaving the house not feeling i look a tiny bit good. I don't know how to break the cycle.

Guest_554 New here....
  • replies: 19

Hi all. I have had anxiety for about 10 months. The worst feelings can happen, pressure feeling in the head, ringing ears, lightheadedness, skipped heart beats, tingling toes and fingers, sore shoulder blades... the list goes on. I am getting better,... View more

Hi all. I have had anxiety for about 10 months. The worst feelings can happen, pressure feeling in the head, ringing ears, lightheadedness, skipped heart beats, tingling toes and fingers, sore shoulder blades... the list goes on. I am getting better, self help. Massage, accupuncture, deep breathing exercises. I mostly notice I am worse of an afternoon whilst I kitchen.... anyone else have similar sensations? B.

biddles Extreme anxiety
  • replies: 5

At the moment I am feeling a lot of anxiety it feels like I am loosing my mind this really scares me. Has anybody felt this will it pass?

At the moment I am feeling a lot of anxiety it feels like I am loosing my mind this really scares me. Has anybody felt this will it pass?

AKay_ Struggling with generalised anxiety
  • replies: 3

I am really struggling with my generalised anxiety at the moment. I've always had anxiety and managed it on and off with AD and meditation/yoga, sometimes better than others. After my daughter was born 10mths ago, I suffered PND. I actually think I h... View more

I am really struggling with my generalised anxiety at the moment. I've always had anxiety and managed it on and off with AD and meditation/yoga, sometimes better than others. After my daughter was born 10mths ago, I suffered PND. I actually think I had depression during pregnancy also-I did not enjoy it at all and felt very disconnected to my baby. I have a very supportive husband and some family, however they all work full time. The rest of my entire family live 11 hrs away interstate. My Mum who I was extremely close to passed away 5 years ago. She would have been my 'support network'. I have slowly noticed my anxiety getting worse and worse over the past few months. We have moved house which I found extremely unsettling and difficult, a friend passed away from cancer, my daughter started childcare (I decided to put off returning to work for some months so I could try look after myself better as I feel like I never get a break). Over the past 2 months, a relative has also died and my daughter and husband had gastro and a cold over the period of a month. Because of this, my worries and anxiety have gone through the roof. My stomach is so upset and I have been vomiting over a couple of days - I thought I had gastro but I've realised now it's like I've had terrible anxiety. I've tried meditating but it just sends my breathing and stomach into a spin. I worry about anything and everything. Today I worried about whether I did have gastro and would make the rest of my family sick. Then I panicked about what I'd do if that happened as I don't have any support to come help. Then my husband went out with my daughter and was gone a lot longer than expected. I couldn't get onto him so I panicked they'd been in a car accident. The same happened when he went out tonight and was gone for longer than expected. I am also terribly paranoid of getting an upset stomach again - it's a vicious cycle!! I've never quite been this bad - panicing about completely irrational things. I'm on an AD due to my PND and going to try make an appt with the Dr this week as well as my psychologist. I don't know what else I can do for myself in the meantime

SG1993 Work causing Anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi, my first post here and looking to seek some assistance. I am quite concerned with the possibility of developing some kind of Anxiety and/or Depression disorder due to my job and based on how it has been affecting my well-being and quality of life... View more

Hi, my first post here and looking to seek some assistance. I am quite concerned with the possibility of developing some kind of Anxiety and/or Depression disorder due to my job and based on how it has been affecting my well-being and quality of life. I've been employed in a Government job the last two years. Starting this job I was quite happy and keen seeing that it has been my dream job, however this all soon changed. A few months into my job, I went through some issues with a now ex-spouse which was quite distressing for me involving legal action etc. I sought help and advice from my workplace to be moved closer to home in a bid to deal with these issues, with my workplace not allowing me to move closer to home and being un-supportive.. To cut a long story short, in this time in my work place I have been bullied and have been branded a "trouble maker" by senior colleagues for speaking up about certain issues, which had at the time resulted in me becoming quite nervous and even anxious before going to work. Before work I would get heart flutters, some mild feelings of sickness in my stomach and just emotional detachment to loved ones at times when I would know that I would be going back to work. I still experience these to this day - however prior to this I have been fine with nil symptoms, and am normally a happy and out-going person. Outside of work I do enjoy life and I feel I have zero anxiety or depression symptoms. Outside of work I am able to enjoy time with my spouse, family and friends and keep quite active, however whenever it comes to my current job I seem to just "break down" and feel anxious before and during shifts, missing my spouse and also thinking about other occupations. I'm looking for advice on what to do here, as whenever I am going back to work or at work I seem to have a roller coaster of emotions and feelings which I find extremely draining and even negatively impacting my work performance. My biggest concern is developing a disorder of some sort, as these ups and downs are quite large for me. I've been using sick leave at times because sometimes I just cannot front up to work, where-as in the past and in previous occupations I would never do this due to job satisfaction. I dream about work nearly every night, and taking holiday's for weeks to even a month hasn't seemed to alleviate the problem going back to work. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

RedRose123 Can I be forced to work more hours at my job then I'm contracted to?
  • replies: 2

I'm not sure if anyone here would know but I need some advice...Due to my anxiety (and depression) I work permanent part-time 4 hour shifts, 4 days a week. I feel like I have quite enough hours as it is. Some times it feels like way too much as it is... View more

I'm not sure if anyone here would know but I need some advice...Due to my anxiety (and depression) I work permanent part-time 4 hour shifts, 4 days a week. I feel like I have quite enough hours as it is. Some times it feels like way too much as it is. I've really been struggling. On Friday my boss mentioned that she needs me to work more hours. Due to what was going on at the time we couldn't really discuss it. It was just said in passing. But I want to find out my rights before we do. I want to say no. I'm honestly already at my breaking point. I do not want more hours. Can I be forced to work more then I'm contracted to on a regular bases. (My boss does know about my anxiety and depression which is why I work part time in the first place). It's not that I want to make things difficult for her. I'm just trying to look after myself. As far as I can tell from reseching the law she can't. I feel so stressed now. I don't want my boss mad. But I'm already sick enough. Please help.

azarrah Panicked beyond exhaustion by health anxiety
  • replies: 12

Hey all, so I know health anxiety is a common trend here. I suffer from it also, so I always try to offer my support to other people who are going through the same thing. But now, I could really use some reassurance of my own... Basically, a few days... View more

Hey all, so I know health anxiety is a common trend here. I suffer from it also, so I always try to offer my support to other people who are going through the same thing. But now, I could really use some reassurance of my own... Basically, a few days ago, I found this mole underneath my chin. It's new, it's large, it's dark, it's different, and it's slightly irregular. You can see the problem immediately, I'm sure. I think it came from a pimple, but whatever it used to be, it's a dodgy-looking mole now. I did what you shouldn't do: I turned to Dr. Google for help, which naturally told me I had melanoma and should go to a doctor right away because melanoma can kill you within 6 weeks. Joy. Normally, I ignore that stuff. The problem is, this thing actually does look rather like a melanoma, and it is new, and it has come in very quickly. It fulfils most of the "warning signs". It would honestly be stupid not to get the thing checked. By a complete coincidence, I have a surgeon's appointment to get another mole removed - for purely cosmetic reasons - in two weeks. I don't think I can wait that long. Is it even wise to wait that long? I'm going to explode with dread! I was kind of okay with it until tonight, when an article I was reading said two terrifying things: if the (potential) melanoma is raised already, and if little black dots can be seen in it, you're in trouble. Well, my mole friend has both of those things. This cold panic just washed over me. To reiterate, I know it's unlikely. But it's not impossible. That's the problem. I just can't stand the thought that this mole might, possibly, be growing and doing evil things while I live a normal life. I can't stomach it. I want to throw up, I'm so scared. I guess this is partly health anxiety, and partly legitimate fear. I know the likelihood of my mole being a melanoma is very slim, but the possibility is there, and it does fulfil the criteria. How do you guys deal with such panic, in the meantime? Meditation doesn't work for me, unfortunately.

Kaelon Health anxiety brain tumor (25)
  • replies: 8

Does anyone else here suffer from health anxiety?I thought I had left it in my past after suffering debilitating month long anxiety attacks about having ALS, HIV, some sort of bird flu and a few others.And at the moment I feel utterly convinced I hav... View more

Does anyone else here suffer from health anxiety?I thought I had left it in my past after suffering debilitating month long anxiety attacks about having ALS, HIV, some sort of bird flu and a few others.And at the moment I feel utterly convinced I have a brain tumour. My symptoms are as follows: - trouble recalling the right word or name of a colleague - constant brain fog and headaches (seven weeks going now) headaches are relieved with ibuprofen - occasional ringing in my ears - constant post nasal drip down the back of my throats despite no blocked noseI've been to a doctor who gave me numerous cognitive and neurological tests. All of which I passed perfect. He's booked me in for a blood test and an MRI. However due to the holiday season I'm unable to get these tests done for a week and a bit.All I can do is sit in my room and obsessively read threads of brain tumour stories and initial symptoms having a mild panic attack every time I find one that matches my symptoms.Has anyone else suffered from this and can you offer any advice?

kned Anxiety and work
  • replies: 9

I'm due back at work soon, after a year off with my second baby. I have a history of Anxiety and social anxiety and the past year I've felt the best I have in ages! I guess I didn't have the stress of work, I was busy focusing on my kids and feeling ... View more

I'm due back at work soon, after a year off with my second baby. I have a history of Anxiety and social anxiety and the past year I've felt the best I have in ages! I guess I didn't have the stress of work, I was busy focusing on my kids and feeling comfortable in my own abilities. I have been looking forward to my return to work. I've missed my workplace and the clients I work with. I was excited until yesterday where I had a meeting with my boss. My boss has told me I'll be returning to a different role. At first I was flattered that they want me to do this role. But once it sunk in, I started to panic. Im so upset that I can't do what I was doing previously. The role is similar but I'll be moved from my office (and the colleagues I know) to working on my own, from a hot desk in a busy office. The role involves lots of approaching people... Something that I don't feel comfortable doing at all with my social anxiety. I've been feeling anxious enough about returning to work, and now this on top has caused me to completely panic. I rarely slept last night and feel so sick today. I could talk to my boss but what can I say? That I have Anxiety about this new role? That I want my old role back but know this is being filled by someone else already? I'd look weak and really being socially anxious is not something I see them accepting. I'm at the point where I want to quit, which is extreme. We cannot afford for me to quit. I do like employer and I want to work . I just don't want the new role they propose. I also don't want to be anxious all the time, that will then affect my husband and children. I get distracted, irritable, panic.about irrational things (kids getting sick or harmed, losing my husband etc) when my anxiety is bad. I want to be relaxed and calm like how I have been. I can't see a way around this. I also don't want to have to see a psychologist just to be able to function at my job. I'm not sure what advice people can give but I need to write this down, possibly to those who understand how I'm feeling. I don't know what to do..

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