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

Meremortal My mind
  • replies: 2

i think i'm losing my mind i've been diagnosed with complex ptsd depression and anxiety i've been to therapy where recently in the last couple of months i had feelings of suicide but i've not let my family know because i have a good life execpt for m... View more

i think i'm losing my mind i've been diagnosed with complex ptsd depression and anxiety i've been to therapy where recently in the last couple of months i had feelings of suicide but i've not let my family know because i have a good life execpt for my mind so i feel so guilty complaining about anything and my thoughts have been feeling to tempting and i think i'm losing control and i'm worried because i can't see a future for myself

Doc80 Overwhelming anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi all, just reaching out for some support. For the last 8 weeks I've had terrible anxiety, it's become so bad I'm not sure if I can survive it. I've been so anxious I find myself in places and I can't remember how I got there. It's work related. My ... View more

Hi all, just reaching out for some support. For the last 8 weeks I've had terrible anxiety, it's become so bad I'm not sure if I can survive it. I've been so anxious I find myself in places and I can't remember how I got there. It's work related. My boss is a bully who always criticises and gaslights me - and tells my colleaugues her mistakes are mine. She's really disorganised but also a micro manager which makes it incredibly hard. I'll send her a document to review and she'll send it back to me with a heap of negative feedback but she'll give the feedback on the wrong document. This happens all the time. Or she'll tellme to do something, which I do, but she later tells me that it was wrong and why did I do it like that. When I point out her mistakes she just gets more angry. I don't trust HR, another staff member went to HR to make a complaint and they never even responded to her email. I'm lost. I need the job as I have young children - but how can I get through this?

GenL fear of death and general anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone I have been suffering from a major fear of death. The idea of one day never waking up terrifies me. I get mini panic attacks when I first start thinking about this and then I go into a period of what I call mini depression. It usually dos... View more

Hi everyone I have been suffering from a major fear of death. The idea of one day never waking up terrifies me. I get mini panic attacks when I first start thinking about this and then I go into a period of what I call mini depression. It usually dose away eventually but I believe it is brought on with stress and anger. I also get extremely stressed when something doesn't go to plan or is outside the usual routine. i have no Idea how to deal with this anxiety. It get's to the point where I actually start crying. Sometimes it is over the stupid reasons for example, going on a walk, Doing something I don't want to do. I have told my parents about this and they usually brush it off or just say I am being unreasonable. I have mentioned anxiety to them before and they said it is just teenage hormones. I do agree with them but I also believe it is something more. When I first started high school, I started getting bad anxiety and stress. After I lost most of my friends I went into a depression. I have never told anyone about this as I usually keep things to myself. by the end of the year I found friends and I was happy. by this year I have severe anxiety because of school and the idea's of death. my only escape from this is when I am with my friends. I spent a lot of time online because of this and my parents just say I am addicted. Maybe I am but A lot of people don't realise it is a coping method for me. I was never an introvert but after years of bullying, teasing, stress and anxiety I keep to myself. Can anyone help me and maybe suggest how I can cope with all of this.

AYU_227 Health Anxiety
  • replies: 1

These days I’ve been going through a tough time. I just moved to Australia in February for my master’s. I felt so happy to be here. But since June I was feeling very anxious regarding my health. I suffer from health anxiety & I often get anxious thou... View more

These days I’ve been going through a tough time. I just moved to Australia in February for my master’s. I felt so happy to be here. But since June I was feeling very anxious regarding my health. I suffer from health anxiety & I often get anxious thoughts. Recently I fell & dislocated my knee, it happened during my uni trip. Even since I started feeling so anxious & scared that I start assuming something definitely is wrong with me & I’ll suffer. It got worse when I discovered a small lump in my body. I started assuming the worst possible things & it flared up more when I searched on google. I can’t stop thinking about it 24/7, I can’t eat or sleep. I feel broken, I don’t like going to doctors, it makes me more anxious. The paragraph is getting too long…..

Chin_Up Scared to death, OF DEATH.
  • replies: 35

To all the fellow sufferers of anxiety, Ever since I was a young child I have suffered from an extreme phobia of death. If I so much as think about it, I will have hot flushes and feel faint. My mind cannot fathom the thought of being here on earth, ... View more

To all the fellow sufferers of anxiety, Ever since I was a young child I have suffered from an extreme phobia of death. If I so much as think about it, I will have hot flushes and feel faint. My mind cannot fathom the thought of being here on earth, creating all of these loving relationships and then having it all erased. I'm not a religious person, so I don't have the comfort of saying to people 'see you on the other side' When for me, I have yet to experience any proof of this so called eternal life. I believe this fear is a large reason for my anxious and depressive personality. Does anybody have any feedback on there thoughts, feelings and fears of death.. I think I just need to talk about it. Hugs to all, ChinUp.

Worriedatwork Work stress and work bullying from management
  • replies: 5

At my current job I have been thrown into the deep end doing two full time roles as one person. The stress is getting to me and I have been getting extreme anxiety. I have expressed to my manager/management that it’s too much and they just say oh it ... View more

At my current job I have been thrown into the deep end doing two full time roles as one person. The stress is getting to me and I have been getting extreme anxiety. I have expressed to my manager/management that it’s too much and they just say oh it will get better in time. But it hasn’t. The branch manger is very hard to approach on the best of days he is very good at making you feel lesser and belittling you. On several occasions he has called me a sook for not feeling well and that has only made me feel worse about myself. I try to push through my feelings but I can’t ignore them anymore. I have been looking for different work to get me out of this male dominated industry (my boss is 60 and thinks even if you are sick you should be at work) he is always swearing at all the other staff members and is extremely proud of how many people have quit because of him. How do I return to work after being sick and not let his comments affect me?

123hank Social anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi all Im 20 yrs old and this past year or so I have been feeling overly anxious around my mates. Sometimes I spend days leading upto events just trying to control my emotions which then interrupts my work cause I can’t think straight. At the events ... View more

Hi all Im 20 yrs old and this past year or so I have been feeling overly anxious around my mates. Sometimes I spend days leading upto events just trying to control my emotions which then interrupts my work cause I can’t think straight. At the events or gathering sometimes I feel really anxious so I don’t really speak and then I start feeling overwhelmed and more anxious and feels like I’m in a spotlight. I’m so grateful for all the people around me and I would hate to lose relationships because of this but sometimes it feels like I just can’t help it , I could not show up but I feel like a coward. Just needed to share this to get it off my chest and I hope someone can benefit from this message thank you wish you all the best

Tiredjs Sick and tired of Anxieties.
  • replies: 1

I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I'm nearing my thirties, still in uni and getting so burned out and I just want it all to stop. I'm so incredibly useless when I've got all this support from family and I'm doing nothing with it and I can't help a... View more

I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I'm nearing my thirties, still in uni and getting so burned out and I just want it all to stop. I'm so incredibly useless when I've got all this support from family and I'm doing nothing with it and I can't help anyone. I don't even want to listen to anyone's problems anymore because then it affects me mentally and it just takes a toll on me, but at the same time I can't stop them because then they'll have a mental breakdown because they won't be able to vent and they've shouldered so much burden I just can't stop this vicious cycle. Paying for a psych/counselling is also so fucking expensive in this economy even with a mental health plan that I have to fight every fucking doctor for, but at the same time I'm not living in the streets or even in a tragic family situation besides traumatises immigrant parents, I hate that I am an emotional anxious ridden prison. Why can't I just talk or do things without thinking so critically of myself and others all the time. Why do care so much but don't care at the same time. I care enough to find the words to comfort people in the moment but I don't want to talk to anyone ever after that, I won't initiate conversations or even say hello. I just hate that social cycle, I'm not built for it or I just have no patience for it. I'm so fucked in the head. It doesn't help that I'm someone with basically no social skills, nonexistent work experience because I've basically isolated myself up until now. I hate that I can't function on my own at all and I'm berating myself for bitching about it cause other people are having it worse and I'm just being a little shit that can't face mild adversity of simply trying and accepting failures. Except I'm not 18 anymore failures mean I can't pay bills, I drop out and have nothing to show for it, I leave my family I love an care about in distress. I'm so stuck and so tired of this shit. What do I do, what do I even want to do I don't even fucking know anymore.

Apollonia Work Anxiety
  • replies: 3

I made a mistake at work 2 days a go.I'm due back at work in 2 days time.I may have sent something containing sensitive information incorrectly.Is it a dismissals offense, no?At worst, it gets lost in the mail and there's no tracking of it or it fall... View more

I made a mistake at work 2 days a go.I'm due back at work in 2 days time.I may have sent something containing sensitive information incorrectly.Is it a dismissals offense, no?At worst, it gets lost in the mail and there's no tracking of it or it falls into the wrong hands.I've been sick all weekend. I even took an antidepressant I haven't taken in over a year and it's heightened my paranoia and made me nauseous.I feel like I've burned a bridge with my direct manager when I was open about how a coworker made me feel. Her approach was that I needed to help myself my self-regulating my emotions and that I was a valued employee and yo carry on with what I'm doing with more positivity.Of course, my only take away from that I'd that I'm too emotional, overreacting and dramatic.Part of me wants to address the issue tomorrow, the only part just hopes the mail reaches where it's meant to go and I don't have to think about it again.But right now...that's all I'm doing thinking of all the could've/would've/should've. I've cancelled plans to go out, I've thrown up, passed out....I know people have made worse mistakes. I know I'm not the most incompetent person on the planet. I know I'm a good person who trues hard and like to help anyone. But once that Self Critic in my head gets feed, I'm trapped in a war with myself. Even if I do get called in and reprimanded - nothing they can say is worse than what's being said in my headrighg now. I just want to rest and cut myself some slack but the self loathing is relentless. I have booked an appt with a psycologist I was seeing post surgery a couple years back but that's not till Sept 4th. On top of all that, we're juggling family issues regarding the appropriate care for elder members in our family. It's just a lot, all at once. And I can't wind down. No mindfulness apps are working. I'm just you wired in panic mode. I hate that I've come as far as I have come...and still recognize the downward spiral. And I'm spiraling....

marls- Sour stomach
  • replies: 3

Hi there, my anxiety is spiraling, in the past few days I am struggling to get through daily tasks, I’ve had a medication change and the side effects feel like they are making my anxiety worse, I suffer from health anxiety and it’s being amplified at... View more

Hi there, my anxiety is spiraling, in the past few days I am struggling to get through daily tasks, I’ve had a medication change and the side effects feel like they are making my anxiety worse, I suffer from health anxiety and it’s being amplified at the moment, my stomach is so sour and I feel so nauseous all I want to do is lay in bed, has anyone else experienced this? What did you do/eat to help?