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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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

All discussions

samantha1988 anxiety/Panick Attacks
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone,I started suffering from anxiety in 2012 during my last semester of my nursing degree. Constant anxiety and panick attacks no more that 1 hours sleep a night, couldn't be alone blah blah.Anyway, I was started on one medicaiton which worke... View more

Hi everyone,I started suffering from anxiety in 2012 during my last semester of my nursing degree. Constant anxiety and panick attacks no more that 1 hours sleep a night, couldn't be alone blah blah.Anyway, I was started on one medicaiton which worked wonders for over 1.5 years. However, it made me gain over 20 kilos, I have always been slim and never had weight issues. I gradually weaned off it and was perfectly fine for nearly 2 years, manged to lose the weight and get back to normal.Working as a nurse doing shift work and all other shifts I started having panick attacks again. I've been on another AD for about 6 months and it has done wonders, the only issue is that the psychiatrist started me on another medication too . I've found it highly addictive and the longer I've been on it the more I need. I've tried to cut down but find I'm edgy and can't really sleep well without it. Has anyone else got a similar story or any advice?I desperately want to get off one of the medications, but happy to stay on the other one. It's so difficult. Why do doctors give you something so addictive that you depend on. I now take melatonin at night instead of sleeping tablets to try and get off all this crap.

Beachie Anxiety over my Self Worth
  • replies: 4

Hi, I am suffering anxiety constantly about myself. Feelings of being a worthless person, self talk about how bad I am and because of this cutting myself off from enjoyable things in life. I'm a single person, working 2 jobs & feeling like life is pa... View more

Hi, I am suffering anxiety constantly about myself. Feelings of being a worthless person, self talk about how bad I am and because of this cutting myself off from enjoyable things in life. I'm a single person, working 2 jobs & feeling like life is passing me by. I love to help my friends with their issues & try to help them feel at ease because I don't want them to go through what I am. Other people come first & because of my thinking, never do anything for myself. I avoid lunches, dinners & IF I am out with friends, I absolutely will not have any photos taken with me in them because of the way I feel about myself. I avoid going out with my friends who are married or coupled up because I don't want them to have to be with me because I am single and I am completely honest with them as to that reason. Does anyone else have an issue like this as I would love to talk about it.

Maccamuffin This is my anxiety awareness film
  • replies: 16

This is my anxiety awareness film. I used to suffer from an anxiety disorder for a large portion of high school, and this film is a personal account of my road to mental health. I have made this film in hope that it helps to guide others who are stil... View more

This is my anxiety awareness film. I used to suffer from an anxiety disorder for a large portion of high school, and this film is a personal account of my road to mental health. I have made this film in hope that it helps to guide others who are still suffering from anxiety, encouraging them to seek help. I hope that perhaps it can also help people to identify feelings of anxiety that they do not know are even there. So here is my Year 12 film project, which is designed and formatted as a web advertisement to be played before YouTube/ web portal videos (theoretically). I hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions about my experiences with anxiety, don't hesitate to ask. I'm glad to answer and help in whatever way I can. Stay safe.

tweet81 Newbie/Health Anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi there everyone,I am new to forums, i am glad to have come across Beyond Blue as i have read a few posts on here and see there are alot of understanding, caring people on here.I have suffered from anxiety since a young age, after giving birth to my... View more

Hi there everyone,I am new to forums, i am glad to have come across Beyond Blue as i have read a few posts on here and see there are alot of understanding, caring people on here.I have suffered from anxiety since a young age, after giving birth to my second child, i suffered from my first panic attack.In the last year and a half ive been stressing so much about my health, worrying that i have this illness or that illness, every ache in my body must be a serious health condition and its been so exhausting Im extremely luck to have an amazing husband who comforts me when im having a panic attack or thinking irrational.i have been on medication and with my drs supervision, gradually came off them.i recently took myself off my cholesterol tablets as i thought perhaps they were contributing to my body aches and pains, soon to realise they werent because i still have aches and pains all over every day. i shouldnt be feeling like this, im only 34 I wish to control my anxiety without medications as well as see if i can keep my cholesterol at the recommended levels... im 5ft 1inch and weigh 67kgs so im too much over weight, ( i hope!! ) but high cholesterol is a genetic type that i have.since coming off cholesterol tabs, ive been fearing of having a stroke or heart attack, and this causes my anxiety attacks more so at night... i do believe i will over come this anxiety and fearful worries, and its nice to know i can come onto this site and chat with others who understand.

MrShyB Nervous bladder with anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi I suffer from anxiety, mostly mild, but sometimes full on. One of the side affects of my anxiety can be what I call nervous bladder where I end up needing to go to the bathroom a lot when I am in stressful situations. I have recently started a new... View more

Hi I suffer from anxiety, mostly mild, but sometimes full on. One of the side affects of my anxiety can be what I call nervous bladder where I end up needing to go to the bathroom a lot when I am in stressful situations. I have recently started a new job where I will be in lots of meetings, on the road with colleagues a lot etc which are all situations this occurs in and can often lead to panic attacks. This job is a great opportunity to further my career and I wasn't going to let anxiety talk me out of it but I know I will have these issues. I was just wondering if anyone experiences this and has some advice on how to deal with it?

Bryns Terrified/Paranoid - Please Help Me
  • replies: 8

Hi, this is my first post - it's difficult to put this into words, here goes. I'm a 34 year old male who just over a month ago woke up feeling a little strange. At first, I put it down to having a big night out with the boys two nights prior - so I w... View more

Hi, this is my first post - it's difficult to put this into words, here goes. I'm a 34 year old male who just over a month ago woke up feeling a little strange. At first, I put it down to having a big night out with the boys two nights prior - so I went into the office as normal. As they day went on I knew these were not symptoms of a delayed hangover. I found myself (and still do) analysing EVERYTHING in my head, for example: 'would I normally sit like this?'/'would I normally type like this?'/'would my hands normally sit at my side like this?'/'would i normally itch my nose like that?'/'would I normally find that funny?'/'should I find that email stressful - would I normally find it stressful?' etc. Further to this I often feel almost outside of myself - like a looking glass I suppose. Conversations with people (even my own wife who I adore) have become difficult. I have always loved chatting with friends/family/co-workers and love good banter - this is now practically impossible. When I converse with people i can't enjoy the moment as I'm thinking: 'they are not going through the same thing - how must it feel for them to feel this way (normal)?'. This is not just when I'm communicating with others - whenever a person walks past me or I see someone on television I experience the same thing...ALL THE TIME. Subsequently it's not possible for me to enjoy books/television/movies - all things I would have previously counted as favourite pastimes. On that - I've always found enjoyment in many things: Friday night drinks and junk food with my wife, going to the footy with mates, cooking, hiking, long lunches with family friends - this 'problem' is making this increasingly difficult. I have always been a pretty anxious/stressed person (it's part of who I am and I don't want that to change) but never like this - it is running/ruining my life. I'm absolutely terrified this will be with me for the rest of my life - I'm really scared and I don't know what to do. Please help Bryn

gnark i have been really paranoid this is new to me and i need help
  • replies: 1

I have never experienced paranoiha until 2 weeks ago. Im not sleeping well maybe 3 hours a night, I think someone is going to break into my house while I'm sleeping and murder me. Everyone tells me don't be silly, and my little little dog Molly will ... View more

I have never experienced paranoiha until 2 weeks ago. Im not sleeping well maybe 3 hours a night, I think someone is going to break into my house while I'm sleeping and murder me. Everyone tells me don't be silly, and my little little dog Molly will go nuts at any noise. It still isn't helping me relax, every noise and I freeze, I lay there all night it seems listening. I have anxiety, depression and P.T.S.D but have never been paranoid, I've seen people paranoid and couldn't understand why they were worrying about there issues, now I understand but really need some advice if anyone can help me please

Kensington Like a grenade....
  • replies: 2

Today was a great day. Tonight not so. Helped my folks move out of their family home of 25 years. Today was settlement day. I call the solicitor to confirm and get bad news. The purchaser signed something wrong so it didn't go through today, moved to... View more

Today was a great day. Tonight not so. Helped my folks move out of their family home of 25 years. Today was settlement day. I call the solicitor to confirm and get bad news. The purchaser signed something wrong so it didn't go through today, moved to 3PM tomorrow. Boom. Joy and happiness of today morphs into fear & horror. All possible scenarios rush through my head & I can barely pay for dinner. I'm overwhelmed, feel my heart start to race. What if this.... What if that....the delusional thinking takes over. My night destroyed. How will I sleep? It's not the end of the world yet somehow in my head it is. 3PM tomorrow cannot come any sooner yet it seems so far away. Even writing this I'm getting anxious. Maybe I should just ignore it? Sleep is great, until I wake up & that first thought pops into your heard & I can say goodbye to peace & calm and say hello to a stomach in knots & a feeling of cold. It's horrible. Medication keeps things relatively under control, but the downside is such lucid & deep dreams that the last time I slept peacefully was almost 3 years ago.

Macka90 New to anxiety HELP PLZ
  • replies: 7

Hi I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety, I have been reading this forum for a few days now and have found it quite helpful but I need help with dealing with some of the affects of anxiety like not sleeping well, health wise I'm good other then... View more

Hi I have recently been diagnosed with anxiety, I have been reading this forum for a few days now and have found it quite helpful but I need help with dealing with some of the affects of anxiety like not sleeping well, health wise I'm good other then not eating much and can't poop (sorry for to much information). I have been under a it of stress because of one of my partners family members which I think set me off in the first place. I have struggled with depression before but I got a lot better once I gave birth to my beautiful son just over a year ago. It all started last week when I was admitted to hospital over night as I had this terrible feeling of something stuck in my throat, I asked DR GOOGLE and yes I know very well I should NOT have done that, so my partner took me to the emergency room and they admitted me, that night I cried nearly all night after my partner went home as I felt alone and didn't want to be in the room where they put due to my grandfather passing away in a room right down the hall the next day I had an endoscope put down my throat to see what was there and they also took biopsies of my throat and stomach once I awoke from the sedative they told me they took the biopsies and that scared me even more due to I figured they had found something bad, they discharged me that night and I went home. I went to my GP a week later like they told me to so she could chase down the results of the biopsies, for that whole week I was a wreck, I would get up and my kids ready for school but get my partner to take them as I wasn't sleeping well, I didn't want to do anything that whole week, when I went to my GP I also asked her to cut out a cyst that was in my back that I didn't need to get removed I only done it cause of everything I read on google about cancer, I also have one on my chest that I am getting her to cut out, which they are called epidermal cyst. I have been doing ok but having a little trouble on controlling myself from thinking about all the bad things Google said I find myself checking every part of my body for something even a little pain sends me into over drive. HOW DO I HELP MYSLEF CONTROL THIS please help some tips ons controlling would be great. BTW my biopsies came back normal there was nothing there, the GP said it was globes sensation which can be caused from anxiety.

Skaters Intrusive thoughts. Care to share yours?
  • replies: 9

Hi everyone I have been diagnosed with anxiety, PTSD and obsessive compulsive personality disorder. I have been seeing various therapists been on various medications etc.. I find it really annoying with the intrusive thoughts and obsessions and I fin... View more

Hi everyone I have been diagnosed with anxiety, PTSD and obsessive compulsive personality disorder. I have been seeing various therapists been on various medications etc.. I find it really annoying with the intrusive thoughts and obsessions and I find it very hard to explain and articulate what is happening. Some examples are; I obsess over people 24/7 from my waking moment and often find myself constantly fantasying through out the day, My mind constantly talks to me like a record and discusses schedules that i already know about even when I acknowledge the thought and say "yes i know about that" it will remind me again every few minutes it is extremely annoying and even though i'm a mother of two and work nearly full time hours i still have all of these obsessions and intrusive thoughts! So anyone else have these or any other type of obsession and/or intrusive thoughts? What do you find helps? Do you think it is "Normal" on some level to have intrusive thoughts? I wish i could see what a "regular" brain thinks like lol! Other obsessions are; Religious thoughts- worry about punishment and back karma. Images of bad things like my child hurting themselves etc, Worry about superstions effecting me. Thanks everyone :))) SIMILAR THREADS Intrusive thoughts