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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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Sally1974 anxiety affecting relationship. Would love advice
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, what a beautiful community it is on this board I have read but not posted before. i am wondering if anyone has had this situation before? I have had anxiety on and off for years but in a really challenging place at the moment. I have anx... View more

Hi everyone, what a beautiful community it is on this board I have read but not posted before. i am wondering if anyone has had this situation before? I have had anxiety on and off for years but in a really challenging place at the moment. I have anxiety about most things so I find it hard to what's an anxious thought verys a real situation. i am having lots of doubts about my marriage. My husband of 14 years is beautiful in many ways and very practically supportive of me and caring for our three children. He has had his own issues with mental health and he is struggling at the moment. i feel we are very disconnected emotionally and although I have practical support there isn't really any emotional support. He doesn't really like talking so I feel very alone with how I feel. I have great friends but don't want to burden them all the time. we have had issues on and off over the years but I wonder if we do need to separate as I don't feel like we are really there for eachother. Maybe we would both be happier apart. i am wondering if anyone else has had this struggle and if so how did you manage it. We have done relationship counselling and I don't think he wants to be unsupportive he just isn't talking about feelings. thanks in advance. Sally

Calypso85 Anxiety and dealing with thoughts of dying
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I have anxiety, depression and bipolar. It's was well maintained and going pretty well up until mid 2015. I hate flying (but I'm well travelled as I love travelling), and I had a session about it with a psychologist (who I had seen for years ... View more

Hi all, I have anxiety, depression and bipolar. It's was well maintained and going pretty well up until mid 2015. I hate flying (but I'm well travelled as I love travelling), and I had a session about it with a psychologist (who I had seen for years about everything with great results). After this session I happened to have a week off work, which was planned leave to spend at home. I ruminated about our session as we had discussed my thoughts on dying. (Not suicidal thoughts, more like "when will I die? How will I die?") I never had given it much thought before then, just that I wasn't worried about what was after death. Suddenly I was obsessing about and it would get so distressed, all I could do was cry in my husbands arms, not getting words out, not understanding how others could go on with daily mundane tasks and not think about it. It got really bad, but I pushed on and increased meds etc. it's a bit better now but that still haunts me and it's like I've crossed a threshold, I'm never not going to be so aware of it again. It scared me off psychology which used to be so good for me. I worked with a psychologist who said they can be so damaging if they say the wrong thing. I guess I'm wondering does anyone else have these thoughts? On a bad day I think about it every five minutes. Some days recently I've gone all day with it only coming into my mind once or twice. It's disheartening to be constantly reminded and fearful but I'm trying to see the positive, life each day etc etc. Now I worry about my family and I can't see far into my future. Before I couldn't see the end of a day so I guess it's settled a bit. I miss when my mania wasn't well managed as then at least I was carefree! I would be scared of something but do it anyway. Have a big trip overseas coming up and I'm already getting anxious about flying and the countries we are going to. My thoughts haven't been helped by in the last 18 months had a few accidents with my horses and they are a major outlet. (Plus all the flying accidents in the last three years.) Just looking for someone else's perception on this and if you've felt the same. Anyway thanks for reading and would love to hear your stories.

alanamaree First time seeing a Psychologist
  • replies: 9

Hi All, I'm new here to the forum, and just wanted to ask what people's expectations and experiences were seeing a Psychologist and getting help for the first time? After ten years suffering from anxiety and other anxiety related phobias that impact ... View more

Hi All, I'm new here to the forum, and just wanted to ask what people's expectations and experiences were seeing a Psychologist and getting help for the first time? After ten years suffering from anxiety and other anxiety related phobias that impact my life, I am finally seeing a Psychologist for the first time on February 4th 2017. I don't know what to expect and am sure I won't be magically cured, but just wanted to ask what types of things I should expect? Kind Regards, Alana

Nicole511 Starting anxiety medication for the first time, after 20 years of chronic GAD.
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I'm 26 years old and have had severe anxiety since I was about 8. After years of living what my dr called a 'narrow' life, not being able to function as your average child, student, teenager, adult, etc. I had chil... View more

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I'm 26 years old and have had severe anxiety since I was about 8. After years of living what my dr called a 'narrow' life, not being able to function as your average child, student, teenager, adult, etc. I had children which means I have to get up and go and do all these new things. If I'm honest it's made me a lot stronger with my anxiety and i haven't felt this good in my adult years. But my anxiety is still constantly present and I have a lot of trouble concentrating and being present. I guess I'm so used to it that I learn to live with it. But it really effects my parenting so I decided I need to really think about getting on medication and after a long talk with my doctor he diagnosed me with chronic GAD and has prescribed me medication. I start tomorrow and of course the thought of starting it has given my anxiety. I'm worried about being alone with my kids on a farm, the side effects look pretty full on. Also I'm anxious to find out what it would be like if they worked?? Has anyone had anxiety for as long as they can remember and had medication? What's it like to not feel this way anymore? I can't imagine.

sagebrush Resolving the Negative?
  • replies: 20

Hi all. My question is this: People who have had horrible things happen to them in their lives, How do you actually get over it? I know I am lucky to be alive. I know that I am better off than people in third world countries. I know I am fortunate to... View more

Hi all. My question is this: People who have had horrible things happen to them in their lives, How do you actually get over it? I know I am lucky to be alive. I know that I am better off than people in third world countries. I know I am fortunate to have a roof over my head. I am greatful for all the basic things in my life. I am at a point where I am relatively stable with my anxiety/depression. But the past 30 years have just been one horrible situation after another, is there really light at the end of the tunnel? I know my life is also dotted with awesome things, and happy things, but the negative of the past haunts so prominently, that it detracts from everyday life. Its been 1 year since the absolutely most horrible thing that I thought that would never happen, happened, but situations just keep coming up that bring me down. I try to have hope for the future, but then something reminds me that there is no point having hope. Life has been a daily struggle for most of my life, why would this suddenly change? How can I make this change when the things that happen are out of my control?

SleeplessInKtown Sleepless nights..
  • replies: 6

So maybe 2 days ago my house got broken into.. Fairly common thing here in this neck of the woods. There was no sign of forced entry but a significant amount of money stolen. I called my other half who is away in another state to see if he'd come hom... View more

So maybe 2 days ago my house got broken into.. Fairly common thing here in this neck of the woods. There was no sign of forced entry but a significant amount of money stolen. I called my other half who is away in another state to see if he'd come home early and not told me because he was the only person I knew who knew where the money lived and it was the only thing that got taken. He thought I was over tired (I get 3 hrs sleep on average a night when he goes away) he said maybe I took the money and forgot but I couldn't have lost that much money. Any way he's still away and I'm terrified at night. I sleep with the front light on (I live in a unit complex and my neighbours do the same) I only have a front door which is a deadbolt and flyscreen. I lock both and then wedge a chair under my bedroom door and usually sleep with the light on. I started trying to sleep without it on but I suffer from sleep inertia and I see all kinds of things in a half woken state. Any way for the last couple nights I've had horrible nightmares about people being in my room, I'm so anxious and scared that I can't sleep until well after midnight even with guided sleep meditation which normally has me out like a light. And I wake up every hour on the hour and stare at the door. I sweat all night even with the aircon on but I'm too scared to get out from my blanket. And the dreams are so bad I wake up screaming. Everything that goes bump in the night makes me jump. I'm too scared to put headphones in in case I don't hear someone come in. This leaves me exhausted during the day and I sleep all day on my days off. I start work again tomorrow and have 2 jobs to go between until my partner returns.. I can't afford to be this tired and don't know what to do.. At those hours I have no one to call or message..

kiwilass New to this
  • replies: 2

Hi, I have suffered from a health anxiety for approximately 10 years (after my husband required urgent heart surgery) I had little support to deal with so drs have said i suffer from PTSD. I worry about everything health related, dentists, drs, cance... View more

Hi, I have suffered from a health anxiety for approximately 10 years (after my husband required urgent heart surgery) I had little support to deal with so drs have said i suffer from PTSD. I worry about everything health related, dentists, drs, cancer. It consumes me most days. I am on anxiety medication, a very low dose, which does that the edge off it. Since Xmas I have noticed my symptoms peaking again. I guess being at home at not at work being kept busy doesnt help. I made a list of medical things I have to do. I booked in for a mammogram but feel physically sick about it, I need my eyes check, booked the kids in but their dad is going to have to take them because I am too anxious. I am diabetic diagnosed in last 2 years. Cant accept it so still trying to keep on top of it. Luckily I now have a very understanding dr who although i am afraid to book in is very gentle with me. I dont feel my husband understands how I feel. I am very moody and emotional most of the time because of the bad thoughts that go through my head. I did book in and saw a hynotherapist and she was amazing. Like everything i found it hard to keep up but feel I should go back for another session.

happyannie My Journey
  • replies: 11

My battle with anxiety and severe depression started for me when I was nine years old after something traumatic happened to me. I then became a teenager and trouble for me began, I was always restless,had lots of friends but always felt alone I alway... View more

My battle with anxiety and severe depression started for me when I was nine years old after something traumatic happened to me. I then became a teenager and trouble for me began, I was always restless,had lots of friends but always felt alone I always had the feeling that something bad was going to happen,these feelings where so bad I felt sick most of the time. I left school, got a job as a hairdresser in the family business, I worked hard, and I also learnt how to party hard, I discovered a numbing agent it was called drugs and alcohol. I was twenty,full of life but always searching for something better, I soon discovered that my life was very complicated and that holding onto my secret since I was nine was coming to the surface, so my way of coping was numbing myself as much as possible. Then one day I was at a friends house and her cousin was visiting from the Gold Coast, and I was in love, he was gorgeous he had blonde hair and was riding a motor bike. So we went out a few times as a group but soon discovered we only wanted to talk to each other.Well he never went back to the Gold Coast, he stayed, got a job, and we fell madly in love. I thought everything was pretty good in my life but I still had my demons. We got engaged and twelve months later we got married. Everything was beautiful, we started our lives together but I was always anxious and on edge. We moved to my hometown where my amazing parents and brother lived, my brother was a hairdresser as well he was the salon manager. I was twenty four and we just found out that we where going to have a baby. Our beautiful daughter was born and I soon discoveted very early on that being a Mum

Supergirl IS THERE SUCH A THING AS OVER-EXPOSURE?
  • replies: 4

Six months ago I suffered from agoraphobia and was unable to leave the house for fear of panic attacks and of what other people would think of me. I am obese and very self conscious about my weight, I have been bullied for most of my life and verbal ... View more

Six months ago I suffered from agoraphobia and was unable to leave the house for fear of panic attacks and of what other people would think of me. I am obese and very self conscious about my weight, I have been bullied for most of my life and verbal abuse seems to stick in your mind for a long time. I have a good Psychiatrist and with some counscelling I was able to start leaving the house doing short exposure therapies. Each time I did a bit more, and with each success came confidence and the paranoia less. A few months down the track I found I was going out all the time and about a month before Christmas the crowds were insane. I think in the field of Psychiatry they call this therapy flooding. I wasn't sleeping and was extremely anxious and stressed which resulted in a severe panic attack last Friday in the midst of a crowd of people at a shopping centre I know well. I didn't pass out and was able to escape the crowd and get into a quiet place and spend 10 minutes breathing deeply and then meeting up with a friend to go home. I had to go back into the shopping centre so this was stressful as I just wanted to crawl into bed and never venture out again. Had I regressed? I feel that I have done too much shopping in busy places and it doesn't seemed to have eased off any since Christmas. I am irritated, exhausted, fed-up and ready to give up. I have to ask the question has all this exposure been too much? Have I gone to the other extreme and has it been detrimental to my health? Has anyone got any advice? I have 3 days at home to rest for now, but have to face the crowds again after that and am not looking forward to it. How should I handle it. I need to put into practise some relaxation techniques and deep breathing when I'm not anxious so that when I am, I can use this to my advantage. Anxiety disorders take up so much energy in your life and prevent you from living a life that you really want to live. I have suffered from social phobia, panic attacks, depression and agoraphobia on and off since I was very young. When my condition started there was no information available and no-one to talk to about what was happening, it was a terrifying experience and one I'll never forget. Thank goodness there is so much information out there now for young people, they no longer have to suffer in silence. I would appreciate any feedback anyone else has in the area of exposure? How much is too much. I find with everything,, I am an all or nothing girl. HELP!

SimAly Thinking something is going to happen
  • replies: 7

Hi i haven't posted before, so here goes. Hoping someone can help me or understands what I'm feeling. I'm 35 and I have been suffering anxiety for just over 5 years now and it was bought on after I had my first daughter. I had PND and anxiety bought ... View more

Hi i haven't posted before, so here goes. Hoping someone can help me or understands what I'm feeling. I'm 35 and I have been suffering anxiety for just over 5 years now and it was bought on after I had my first daughter. I had PND and anxiety bought on by discrimination from my workplace after having my daughter. I moved on and slowly have been fighting this battle. I was good for a while.... Now the last few months I have had a bad feeling that something Is going to happen. I convinced myself that I was having a stroke after a close relative had a severe stroke. I was taken to hospital for tests by ambulance and after tests and a MRI I was told I was fine. I have numbness around my left side of my mouth and when I have anxiety it gets worse. My husband has been diagnosed with a heart condition and I'm finding it hard to keep positive. All I think about is the worst, think how am I going to cope raising 2 small children if something does happen to him. I have also started to think that there is something wrong with both me and my loved ones. If my daughter tells me that she has a pain in her head or arm, I start to get anxiety and think that something going to happen to her. I'm so scared that someone i love is going to die, and I get anxiety and panic. I'm constantly on edge and can't help but think that something bad is going to happen. Today I Have bad anxiety and I think that something bad is going to happen, then tonight my daughter wasn't feeling well and I freaked out and I want to cry. How can I overcome this? I'm not seeing a psychologist at the moment as money is tight and I can't afford to see one.