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. 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

All discussions

Amanda 1956 Anxiety sufferers have a voice too
  • replies: 1

Some years ago I got ripped off my a scam of a dentist who overcharged me but did not do the job efficiently. I took my complaint to the Dental Board and was told that due to my anxiety no further action would be taken against him. Since when has a d... View more

Some years ago I got ripped off my a scam of a dentist who overcharged me but did not do the job efficiently. I took my complaint to the Dental Board and was told that due to my anxiety no further action would be taken against him. Since when has a dentist have the right to discuss my anxiety .I always thought it was a psychiatrist who is allowed to discuss such things. We anxiety sufferers have a voice and if we lodge a complaint about dodgy work we have the right to be taken seriously like everyone else. Am I being precious or have others been denied legal channels due to their illness.?

Thunder101 NewMedication
  • replies: 9

I suffer severe anxiety and depression and have been on anti-depressants for 5 years. Last week i got re-assessed and referred to a councillor (have to book an appointment) so i got weaned off my old meds for 5 days and put on a new med from the same... View more

I suffer severe anxiety and depression and have been on anti-depressants for 5 years. Last week i got re-assessed and referred to a councillor (have to book an appointment) so i got weaned off my old meds for 5 days and put on a new med from the same company. So its now been a week tomorrow since being on them, i'm still getting head spins/flickers and my emotions have been insane.. Cried every night. Have had 2 big panic attacks and this morning a huge rage fit.. normally i cry and am sensitive but i dont have panic attacks more than once every few weeks and i never used to get angry. I also believe im on a higher dose with this new med. my next appointment is not for another 2 weeks. I will try book councillor in the mean time. But i just dont know whats happening to me .. Its horrible .. And scary )): i just need somewhere i can talk about this, i dont know. Since ive dealt with this for a long time i have coping mechanisms but this is hard mainly for the people around me ..

Captain_f HOCD
  • replies: 5

I'm now 23 with a girlfriend who I'm sexually attracted too. Before meeting my girlfriend, I have suffered from hocd for 6 years. It has been torcher!!! All throughout high school I was a very sexually to attracted to girls, until my hocd started whe... View more

I'm now 23 with a girlfriend who I'm sexually attracted too. Before meeting my girlfriend, I have suffered from hocd for 6 years. It has been torcher!!! All throughout high school I was a very sexually to attracted to girls, until my hocd started when I found myself watching a soap tv show (neighbours) with my two sisters. My favourite character from the show turned gay. Thinking about the scene made me question my sexuality. I knew i was straight but I keeped doubting it or questioning it. Thinking about it became an obsession to the point where I had myself convinced that I was gay. I was constantly scared to watch the tele incase I found a dude attractive, scared I was going to turn gay with one of my mates, always looking at blokes to prove a had no attraction to them!! Everytime I get intimate with my girlfriend, I'm getting intrusive gay thoughts, questioning if I'm attracted to her or not. It is ruling my life. I'm scared im eventually going to turn gay with these thoughts. Has anyone else gone through something similar? I'm scared that with this hocd that IM going to turn gay!! I have a beautiful girlfriend who I don't want to lose. Go nothing against gays but I don't want to be gay!!

Snoopy01 Cant put phone in pocket comfortably
  • replies: 2

Hi all. Was hoping someone could help me with some good advice. somewhere along my life i developed a phobia of social media, in paticular facebook. If i put my phone in my pocket and walk around it would cause me to ruminate about facebook and not b... View more

Hi all. Was hoping someone could help me with some good advice. somewhere along my life i developed a phobia of social media, in paticular facebook. If i put my phone in my pocket and walk around it would cause me to ruminate about facebook and not be able to focus on what is happening around me. Thoughts would include, if i add a friend what if i regret it? If i delete them what if i want to add them again? Fearing losing control, posting something embarrassing, colleagues seeing it and me losing my job. The thing is i rarely even post, i was just worrying alot and not being able to get my mind off this sort of rumination. i have since told myself that if i can feel myself worrying like this i will stop and once i logoff, the thinking stops there. I wrote this on a note and saved it on my phone. It has helped me, however now my worry has changed to what if i delete this note, this will cause me to go back to my old habits. How do i stop myself from worrying and feeling overwhelming anxiety?

Mandyb Help with nausea
  • replies: 4

I have been dealing with another round of health anxiety for approx. two months. Now, I have started to become severely and persistently nauseated. I am getting very little sleep, so my ability to cope with my anxiety has also decreased. I would grea... View more

I have been dealing with another round of health anxiety for approx. two months. Now, I have started to become severely and persistently nauseated. I am getting very little sleep, so my ability to cope with my anxiety has also decreased. I would greatly appreciate any strategies that I can use to better manage this at home, or just to know that there are others who struggle with this. Thanks. Mandy

Lexj Handling Anxiety after loosing someone
  • replies: 2

I've suffered from Anxiety since my late teens. There having been periods while in therapy that I have had breaks, however its been pretty consistent. Allthough its effected my life allot, I was able to manage it, at least enough to have a normal lif... View more

I've suffered from Anxiety since my late teens. There having been periods while in therapy that I have had breaks, however its been pretty consistent. Allthough its effected my life allot, I was able to manage it, at least enough to have a normal life. That was until 3 years ago next week, when I lost my 37 year old brother to a blood clot caused by a broken leg. He was my best friend and as for anyone who looses someone, It has been extremely hard. The problem now though is that my anxiety has multiplied and evolved into something that makes me feel like I'm going to die from a blood clot all the time and although I can manage it sometime allot of the time it gets the best of me. I have tried some therapy however nothing has really helped. I guess the reason I'm writing on here is not to feel alone, or even to get advice if anyone else has been through this. I'm so exhausted of not wanting to be alone (when I live alone in the country) and having to battle through the night telling myself I'm not dying and preventing myself from having a full blown panic attack. Anything that can help would be appreciated. I'm putting out my feelers to hopefully find a way to get back to a normal life or even to hear from people feeling the same, so I don't feel so alone in this. Thanks.

Peaches77 Emotional Dependency anxiety
  • replies: 5

Hi all, so im a married mum of two, 15 years with husband who is very emotionally/physically detached ( I suspect undiagnosed Aspergers), my Mum/best friend passed away from a sudden brain tumour 7 years ago. Im still struggling to deal with that, th... View more

Hi all, so im a married mum of two, 15 years with husband who is very emotionally/physically detached ( I suspect undiagnosed Aspergers), my Mum/best friend passed away from a sudden brain tumour 7 years ago. Im still struggling to deal with that, the grief still hits me very hard at times..it comes and goes. Have been medicated for depression for last 7 years and struggling to deal with a strong emotional dependency on what i thought was my best friend..shes been pulling away and any attempt i make to ask why or express how i feel causes her to pull away more and the anxiety has been building around these incidences. Medication has no affect on me.. its worse around PMT time.. Dr has just this week referred me to a Psychiatrist to get assessed.. (have been seeing a psychologist for about 6 months most recently) and im exhausted from constantly battling my own head with not getting stressed out when my friend hangs out with other people and it really seems like shes moving on. Im so afraid of losing her but the very thing i was anxious about...seems to be the very thing my anxiety has actually caused. I know how i feel is unbalanced and unhealthy for us both but its become an impulse that i find very difficult to control.So question is.. anyone got any experience with recovering and moving on from an emotional dependency/attachment? Cos im feeling kinda devastated..

Emma77 Feel like my world is getting smaller and smaller
  • replies: 9

I'll spare you all the boring details and just say that I've suffered anxiety / panic / depression on and off for 20 years. The last couple of years things seem to be feeling worse and worse. I just tried to buy a radio at my local K-Mart but couldn'... View more

I'll spare you all the boring details and just say that I've suffered anxiety / panic / depression on and off for 20 years. The last couple of years things seem to be feeling worse and worse. I just tried to buy a radio at my local K-Mart but couldn't do it. Tried and tried to talk myself into going in there, but was so convinced that I was going to panic that I just couldn't do it. And so now I'm kicking myself because I can't just buy a radio. My brain KNOWS that I'm not doing myself any favours by being so hard on myself, but I just don't know how to get myself through this again. And I really wanted that radio...

Lind779 Its back. Why?
  • replies: 12

I was doing so well over the last couple of months. Felt like I was completely over the anxiety until now.I know my eating habits haven't been great lately and was consuming high volumes of sugar for some reason but I feel my anxiety is spiralling ba... View more

I was doing so well over the last couple of months. Felt like I was completely over the anxiety until now.I know my eating habits haven't been great lately and was consuming high volumes of sugar for some reason but I feel my anxiety is spiralling back and I dont know why? Surely the medication isn't wearing off, I've only been on them for a few months?? This is day 3 and woke up being anxious again.Just need reassurance that I will feel better again and this is a little setback

Michaelhc Travelling overseas with anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hey Guys I am guessing this is a very common thread.. Never the less it is my first time travelling overseas since I started battling feelings of anxiety. I currently suffer from generalised anxiety disorder. I can still remember the day and time of ... View more

Hey Guys I am guessing this is a very common thread.. Never the less it is my first time travelling overseas since I started battling feelings of anxiety. I currently suffer from generalised anxiety disorder. I can still remember the day and time of my first panic attack, July 14th at around 1:30pm, 2014. OF all places to be I was in Bali, with my 9 of my best mates. In 5 weeks time I travel to India and Bali for 10 days. My India trip is business related and my Bali trip is more for relaxation. I will be accompanied by a friend whilst travelling. I would love some advise on what to do in the event of a panic attack overseas. I know I am setting myself up for disaster by even mentioning the worst possible outcome. I feel that given my situation though it's important to have safety plans in place. I would probably describe my anxiety as chronic and not debilitating. I feel a trip like this is the perfect opportunity for me to get out of the comfort zone and let go of my worries, even for a few days.. The hard part is actually learning how to let go... I am sure this is the case for so many of you. I do have medication which I will keep handy at all times, however this is only as a last resort. If I had it my way I would throw these meds out the window and never look back.. If any of you have been in similar situations where they have felt tremendously nervous or anxious about going overseas, please any advise would be great. In fact anyone with any positive suggestions i'd love to hear them.