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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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Safeasmilk Panic attacks keeping me away from sport and public performance
  • replies: 7

Two years ago I started having panic attacks, which would arise during sport or any sort of public performance. I spent a season of cricket making excuses why I couldn't attend training, such as working late, because my anxiety was getting the better... View more

Two years ago I started having panic attacks, which would arise during sport or any sort of public performance. I spent a season of cricket making excuses why I couldn't attend training, such as working late, because my anxiety was getting the better of me. The next year I tried to quit but kept getting asked to play due to lack of numbers so I reluctantly played but never trained. I'm quite heavily involved in this cricket club, being on the committee and it being apart of my social life. I also enjoy being in the company of most of the people there. Once again this season we are short of players and I have been asked to play again or at least fill in. I really don't want to play as my anxiety has killed any enjoyment playing but being so heavily involved in the club I feel abliged to do so. Or if I say no to playing then I feel like I can't show my face there again because I've let people down. I was seeing a psychologist last year about this and am also on medication but I can't seem to overcome my anxiety. Just wondering if anyone had any advice for me as it is constantly on my mind. Thanks Ben

VenusInFurs Waking up paranoid/severe anxiety at night?
  • replies: 3

This is something that's been happening on and off for a few months now, but every now and then I'll have a night where I'll fall asleep easily, but I'll end up waking up feeling extremely paranoid. And it's not about anything in particular, I just h... View more

This is something that's been happening on and off for a few months now, but every now and then I'll have a night where I'll fall asleep easily, but I'll end up waking up feeling extremely paranoid. And it's not about anything in particular, I just have the general feeling of really bad anxiety, I feel really restrained and I can't keep my body still. Sometimes when I feel I might finally be getting to sleep, my body will suddenly jerk and it starts all over again. I lie there scanning the room feeling extremely uncomfortable and scared. This usually goes on for about 2 hours until I finally fall asleep, but usually after this occurs I end up having a nightmare. This has only haopened around five times in my life, and I can't pin point what's causing this. I'm feeling extremely alone in this and just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this, and maybe even some ideas on how to stop it?

AnxietyGirl222 Introduction
  • replies: 4

Hi All, I've just joined Beyond Blue after starting anxiety medication for the first time last night. I suffer from CHRONIC GAD and possibly OCD. I was terrified to take the medication after reading all of the horrible side effects online, but today ... View more

Hi All, I've just joined Beyond Blue after starting anxiety medication for the first time last night. I suffer from CHRONIC GAD and possibly OCD. I was terrified to take the medication after reading all of the horrible side effects online, but today I am feeling calm for the first time since June. I am so excited to see how this goes. I am looking forward to contributing to posts and to helping out when I can. Speak to you all soon x

Bookgirl news anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi, does anyone else get anxiety over the news cycle? When i have high anxiety i just get panicked by news stories about terrorism or wars or can be anything really. I have been doing this since i was a teenager. Think i should stop watching news bul... View more

Hi, does anyone else get anxiety over the news cycle? When i have high anxiety i just get panicked by news stories about terrorism or wars or can be anything really. I have been doing this since i was a teenager. Think i should stop watching news bulletins but nowadays its 24 x 7 and is everywhere. I think the media now makes it worse for us with anxiety.

Kengy Choking feeling when anxious
  • replies: 14

Hi all Does anyone else experience a choking sensation during the worst of their anxiety? I feel like my throat is tight, and I'm choking on something, making it hard to breathe. I'm just wondering if other people have this issue, and what they do to... View more

Hi all Does anyone else experience a choking sensation during the worst of their anxiety? I feel like my throat is tight, and I'm choking on something, making it hard to breathe. I'm just wondering if other people have this issue, and what they do to get rid of it?

Hymz Anxiety over things said or done
  • replies: 3

Hi I am just looking into information about anxiety of things I say to people in social occasions. Whether it be text messages to speech I always over analyse it to the point its makes me sick. I worry that I have offended people and its getting wors... View more

Hi I am just looking into information about anxiety of things I say to people in social occasions. Whether it be text messages to speech I always over analyse it to the point its makes me sick. I worry that I have offended people and its getting worse the older I get.

newtassiemum Struggling with post natal anxiety and sleep deprivation.
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, I am struggling so much at the moment. My baby is almost 4 months old, and isn't sleeping much at night. I'm getting about 4-5 hours broken each night. Lately even when she is asleep I can't sleep. I hit my head on the car boot a week ag... View more

Hi everyone, I am struggling so much at the moment. My baby is almost 4 months old, and isn't sleeping much at night. I'm getting about 4-5 hours broken each night. Lately even when she is asleep I can't sleep. I hit my head on the car boot a week ago and ever since I've had terrible non stop headaches. When I lay down I feel like my head is burning. I went to one doctor and she said my headaches are due to my anxiety and sleep deprivation. I went to another doctor for a second opinion and while my neurological symptoms checked out fine she offered me a CT scan which I took, and came back normal. I still keep worrying that there's something wrong with my head though, it hurts so much. I'm too scared to sleep as I am scared I won't wake up and that my little girl won't have a mum. It brings me to tears just typing this. I'm currently seeing a psychologist every fortnight but I'm still really struggling.

Teacher9 morning anxiety
  • replies: 3

So i'm a relief teacher and have to wait for a call every morning for work. I've done this for many years and the anxiety is always there yet I've learnt to manage it better and it is usually only really bad after school holidays. Once I break the ic... View more

So i'm a relief teacher and have to wait for a call every morning for work. I've done this for many years and the anxiety is always there yet I've learnt to manage it better and it is usually only really bad after school holidays. Once I break the ice and get to work i'm fine but once I wake up and wait the anxiety grows. Growing up when I would be anxious going back to school or work I had family to talk to in the morning which diverted my attention, but I basically live on my own as hubby works away months at a time. This was first week back and I had a call in advance for work (which I usually prefer to get organised) but seeing it was just after school holidays my anxiety and anticipation was worse. Having been told in advance I had work, made my mind go into over drive and I woke up reaaal early thinking of everything and anything.To make matters worse I had bad period pain (sorry tmi) which amplified my emotions and I felt sick from this also. I got so overwhelmed I had to call in sick, which they were fine with but after a sleep and by mid morning i'm fine and want to slap myself for being so silly. Then I beat myself up over knocking back work. What can I do to stop morning anxiety until I get back in the swing of things. I only get this a few times a year.

Molly06 I don't know what to do now
  • replies: 12

My anxiety is back and it is just not going away. I'm on meds , I'm doing a course, I'm writing in a diary every day sometimes a couple of times a day, I'm walking, I'm deep breathing, I'm putting lavender on my pillow and feet at night, I'm challeng... View more

My anxiety is back and it is just not going away. I'm on meds , I'm doing a course, I'm writing in a diary every day sometimes a couple of times a day, I'm walking, I'm deep breathing, I'm putting lavender on my pillow and feet at night, I'm challenging my thoughts, I'm doing mindfulness meditation and still it's here , I feel like last night I had no sleep and all I wS trying to do was deep breathe through it. My next appointment with psychologist isn't until 22nd July and I can't get in earlier. i spoke to gp recently and asked if u should be changing meds and she thinks I am on the best one. I go back to work on Monday and I really need to get a handle on things before then, I am only on a temp contract and hope to have it renewed next year so I don't need to cause doubt in their minds . i feel like I have no where to turn , I had been taking some tablets to try to sleep at night but deliberately didn't take any the last couple of nights as don't want to become reliant or addicted to them. i am once again going to get in to talk to psychologist but pretty much know I can't, my gp doesn't work today. Many advise please???

Matai88 Panic attacks when taking care of dogs
  • replies: 6

I'm new here and have an issue I hope I can get some advice on. I love dogs. I've been around them all my life. Dad had hunting dogs, some were pets, friends I lived with for years had 4 spaniels. I've wanted to get my own dog since I was a child and... View more

I'm new here and have an issue I hope I can get some advice on. I love dogs. I've been around them all my life. Dad had hunting dogs, some were pets, friends I lived with for years had 4 spaniels. I've wanted to get my own dog since I was a child and for the first time ever that is now a possibility. I regularly volunteer at a breed specific shelter. I'm out of the house Mon-Fri, 7:30am-5:30pm, you can't really leave a pup alone so decided to get an adult dog. I rent a small house my fiance, we do hope to buy a house in the next couple of years. So recently we took on a female kelpie x on a trial. She was house trained but very timid and quiet. For some reason after 3 days with her I started having panic attacks. At first I thought I was just nervous and overwhelmed, but the panic attacks increased in duration and intensity. After 2 days of this I couldn't eat or sleep, I was wreck and not getting any better despite doing all I could to calm myself. We made the decision to return the dog to the lady who was rehoming her (a foster/rehoming service, not a shelter). I thought maybe it was just that the dog was so scared of everything and I didn't know how to train her. Maybe she just wasn't the right dog for me. I went to see a hypnotherapist for a few weeks and got treatment. I came out feeling confident and over the issues I thought I had. I decided that while we are renting it might be better to try fostering dogs, that way we won't have a dog all the time, there is more flexibility and 24/7 support with the dog and it's doing a good deed. On Sunday I picked up my first foster (from the same lady). This dog was lovely, very quiet, well trained and very obedient. I got her home and prepared myself for a few weeks of taking care of her. The panic attacks returned within hours. I couldn't eat all of Sunday, sleep at all that night and missed work on Monday. The lady running the foster service suggested I bring her back as I wasn't coping and it could effect the dog negatively. I'm devastated. I've battled depression for 14 yrs and anxiety for 4. I generally only have panic attacks in situations involving speed or extreme motion (due to getting motion sickness) but now it seems I have them when faced with taking care of dogs full time, or anything on top of my day to day life/responsibilities. I'm fine at the shelter on weekends and have great joy in my time there. I'm now put off owning a dog and absolutely heartbroken. What should I do?