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

Bec2002 Just want to talk to people like me...
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone my name is Bec, i'm new to BB and pretty confident I suffer from anxiety even though I haven't been professionally diagnosed. I have had anxiety attacks since the birth of my first child nearly 10 years ago. I tend to over think things an... View more

Hi everyone my name is Bec, i'm new to BB and pretty confident I suffer from anxiety even though I haven't been professionally diagnosed. I have had anxiety attacks since the birth of my first child nearly 10 years ago. I tend to over think things and worry excessively over things. I'm currently working through an attack which started just before christmas which was triggered by vertigo that i've been experiencing for a few months prior, plus Christmas on top of that and here I am. I just hate feeling like this and just want to feel normal again. I feel like i'm not coping with looking after my 3 children (9,7 & 2) as they can be full on most of the time and my husband does his best but I feel guilty passing that stress onto him. I'm hoping I can find some kind of comfort here at BB to ease my worries and help with my anxiety. Thanks for reading B

Shineshineshine Starting new job tomorrow
  • replies: 13

Hi I have come onto this forum in the hope of gaining some support and strength. I start a new job tomorrow and am super nervous! I haven't worked in 4 years due to anxiety issues. Have been offered and accepted jobs during that time, but after going... View more

Hi I have come onto this forum in the hope of gaining some support and strength. I start a new job tomorrow and am super nervous! I haven't worked in 4 years due to anxiety issues. Have been offered and accepted jobs during that time, but after going for the first day, or half a day, I always found an excuse to leave and reject the job, it has become a bad habit and I don't want it to continue into this year. I know that this is a bad cycle and I need to break it, otherwise my life will remain at a standstill like it has the past 4 years. I see other people achieve so much in these past 4 years,and all I have done is stay in my comfort zone at home and on Centrelink. I don't like that I'm wasting my life like this. Tomorrow is my first day at the new job and I am worried that I will find some reason to quit the job before even starting. It is a part time job, 25 hours a week, Mon-Fri, so I think it will be a good way to ease myself into working again. But I just fear that my anxiety will once again get the better of me and I will self sabotage like in the past. Any tips on how I can break this bad cycle so that I can reclaim my life back?

Kengy Anxiety won't let me go
  • replies: 10

Hi there I suffered a massive anxiety attack in September, to the point where I was hospitalised for a week. Since that time, my anxiety has been up and down, but mostly up. However, this last week, my anxiety has been dreadful. I had Monday and Tues... View more

Hi there I suffered a massive anxiety attack in September, to the point where I was hospitalised for a week. Since that time, my anxiety has been up and down, but mostly up. However, this last week, my anxiety has been dreadful. I had Monday and Tuesday off work, went yesterday, had a good day, then spent last night have strange dreams and hot flashes. I feel awful, and I'm at work. I don't know if I'll last today. I feel like I'm going crazy.

jenlee86 The last year has found me almost a complete agoraphobe
  • replies: 4

Hi I'm new to beyond blue and I need help. I have never been officially diagnosed with anxiety but I have been suffering with it for about 8 years. The last year has found me almost a complete agoraphobe. I live in the blue mountains and I dont have ... View more

Hi I'm new to beyond blue and I need help. I have never been officially diagnosed with anxiety but I have been suffering with it for about 8 years. The last year has found me almost a complete agoraphobe. I live in the blue mountains and I dont have any friends. I cant find a doctor to visit me at home and my partner and mother have had enough. I'm tired all the time and havr had enough. I need and want help I just dont know where to look. Please help me.

Teeko Living with social anxiety and body dysmorphic disorder
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone. I am new here, so I thought I would tell my story as an introduction. I am in my early 30's and I have been living with severe social anxiety for around fifteen years. It is hard for me to do simple things such as go into stores to buy t... View more

Hi everyone. I am new here, so I thought I would tell my story as an introduction. I am in my early 30's and I have been living with severe social anxiety for around fifteen years. It is hard for me to do simple things such as go into stores to buy things, as interacting with strangers gives me a lot of anxiety. I also hate myself intensely, and I think I have body dysmorphic disorder. It all became a bit too much to handle, and I dropped out of high school and ultimately gave up on everything. I have no qualifications and have only have a small amount of work experience. Because of this, I believe that nobody will hire me, and it causes me to lose even more motivation to turn my life around. I should of sought help a decade ago, but it was just easier for me to hide away from the world. Now I am paying the price for taking the easy way out.

Bluey_moon I just want to feel better
  • replies: 9

Hi guys, I'm just having a rough time at the moment and it's scaring me! As you guys that have read my posts before know, I've been diagnosed with GAD and obsessive thinking. My current obsession is a fear I'm getting scizophrenia! (Before it has bee... View more

Hi guys, I'm just having a rough time at the moment and it's scaring me! As you guys that have read my posts before know, I've been diagnosed with GAD and obsessive thinking. My current obsession is a fear I'm getting scizophrenia! (Before it has been ms, melanoma, bi-polar, you name it, I've thought I've had it). So, at the moment my sleep has been awful, it that light dream state, I've been having weird thoughts and it scares me. Last night my mind was racing! As per normal. But as I was thinking/ half asleep, I swear in my mind I saw a lady saying to me my thought. Well it freaked me out! I was like, that's it I'm hearing voices, seeing things. I'm going nuts! This obsession has been going on a while! I've been to see a psych, a psycologist and am on an SSRI. I have to admit though, this week, I have been having 2-3 alcohol drinks a day (we are on holiday). and loads of caffiene! Im scared my husband says I'm destroying myself and my family!

Elea Anxiety + Uni nursing placement
  • replies: 5

I start a 2 week nursing placement in the surgical unit of a hospital on Monday and I'm seriously questioning if I can do it. I've had anxiety and depression for years and until recently I thought I had it under control with medication, but lately I'... View more

I start a 2 week nursing placement in the surgical unit of a hospital on Monday and I'm seriously questioning if I can do it. I've had anxiety and depression for years and until recently I thought I had it under control with medication, but lately I've been feeling myself slipping back into feeling awful. Now I'm questioning whether I should even be doing this course and whether I can be a nurse. I've just finished my first year of my nursing degree and this will be my first real placement, where I'll be expected to do injections and administer IV therapy to patients. I'm so nervous and feel physically sick already. I keep asking myself why I thought I could do this. If I make a mistake I could hurt someone. I don't know whether I'm seriously questioning whether I want to be a nurse, or whether it's my anxiety making me want to run away when things get hard, which is my usual reaction to anything remotely stressful. I've dropped out of 3 Uni degrees and I can't do it again. But there is so much responsibility that comes with being a nurse, and I don't know if I can handle the stress. Thanks for listening xx

MisterM Fear of the sun
  • replies: 6

Hi all, For about 10 years now (since I got sizzled lobster red at the Aus Open tennis) I have had a fear of going out in the sunshine (even on overcast days) during high UV periods of spring and summer. I've talked about this fear with my psychologi... View more

Hi all, For about 10 years now (since I got sizzled lobster red at the Aus Open tennis) I have had a fear of going out in the sunshine (even on overcast days) during high UV periods of spring and summer. I've talked about this fear with my psychologist. I am pale and burn easy and I always fear I may get skin cancer from previous sunburns in childhood/teenagehood and at the tennis 10 years ago. Days out at work like work lunches or activity days in the outdoors used to cause me tremendous anxiety as noone would slip slop slap and I felt weird if I did so I always did my best to hide in the shade. If my manager organised a team lunch at a nearby restaurant I would scope it out beforehand to see if it was open to the elements or if there are shaded parts. If I get invited out by people to a park for lunch or any outdoor activity I get fear and apprehension straight away. I make excuses to avoid going or to arrive later in the day. I avoid the outdoors in spring and summer until the safe times. I often got/get made fun of for wearing wide brimmed hat and sunscreen. Once I got laughed at by colleagues for putting on sunscreen. Anyone else have this weird abnormal fear like I do? How do you manage?

ci Ocd big decision need advice
  • replies: 4

I'm having trouble with a decision I have ocd and it's at its worst ever at the moment I've been planning to go back to uni this year I'm a mum of three I also work from home part time so I'll be adding a lot to what's already a busy life. I'm wonder... View more

I'm having trouble with a decision I have ocd and it's at its worst ever at the moment I've been planning to go back to uni this year I'm a mum of three I also work from home part time so I'll be adding a lot to what's already a busy life. I'm wondering if anyone with ocd can help me part of me thinks getting out of the house (which I'm starting to find hard to do) will help to focus on something new and help with my ocd. Another part of me worried I'll just completely overload and hit breaking point? Any advice please?

Ashlou Breathing problems at nightime
  • replies: 2

Hi i have had anxiety on and off for many years. Right now i am going through probably the worst patch i have ever had going on 3 months straight of constant symptoms that are really concerning me. Probably my worst symptom right now is my breathing.... View more

Hi i have had anxiety on and off for many years. Right now i am going through probably the worst patch i have ever had going on 3 months straight of constant symptoms that are really concerning me. Probably my worst symptom right now is my breathing. At night time just as im about to drift off i feel like i stop breathing and jolt myself up out of bed then i really have to focus on my breathing like make myself breath its really hard to explain. This can occur many times in one night just before i finally fall asleep probably because im so exhausted. I have a doctors appt tomorrow to get a referral to a psychologist because i cant cope with the way i am feeling. I have this feeling of impending doom like im going to die or something. I have so many other symptoms like left arm and leg pins and needles. Waves of nervousness come across me many times during the day even just sitting on the couch watching tv . I also dont feel present like im just existing with no emotions, i cant even explain it. Is anybody else feeling like this? I am on the road now to getting some help.