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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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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.

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JoJo1981 Health Anxiety and scared to see a doctor
  • replies: 4

Hi This is my first post here. I think i may be suffering from health anxiety. I just have never been diagnosed. Im 34 and all started when i was 24 working in a nursing home and had to deal with death. Being around the elderly and seeing a lot of si... View more

Hi This is my first post here. I think i may be suffering from health anxiety. I just have never been diagnosed. Im 34 and all started when i was 24 working in a nursing home and had to deal with death. Being around the elderly and seeing a lot of sickness. I will get headaches and think i have a brain tumor or other aches and pains and i just put it down to cancer or some horrible incurable disease. Its got to a point now that i wont even go to a doctor. Im so scared he will tell me something is terribly wrong. Most days are a struggle. Ill feel fine when i get up in the morning and as the day goes on i have these thoughts that im dying. Any slight ache or pain will trigger it. I get so tense during these episodes my muscles are sore for days afterwards. I had a baby boy in 2008, 7 years ago and have not been to a doctor since. Besides the few times i have gone in to panic mode and gone to the ER because of chest pain and been told everything is ok and put down to panic attacks. I had a medical check for my job today and they had to do a urine test and they found blood in my urine and they said it could be just a bladder infection and advised to see my Dr for antibiotics. So of course im in panic mode now. I know i need to go see my doctor. Just worried he will send me for blood tests and find something really bad. I just want to live and enjoy my life with my little boy. Instead of worrying everyday of my life. Im so exhausted. Has anyone else experienced this and can offer any advice? Thanks

Skye90 Needing to calm down
  • replies: 2

Hi This is my first time on here so im going to make this brief. My dad has suffered from real bad anxiety and depression as i was growing up. He would do psychological things to myself and my siblings that has now reflected so badly on me as an adul... View more

Hi This is my first time on here so im going to make this brief. My dad has suffered from real bad anxiety and depression as i was growing up. He would do psychological things to myself and my siblings that has now reflected so badly on me as an adult. I have severe anxiety and an ex partner that reminds me of my father in many ways with the things he says and does. Everytime my ex gets a certain tone in his voice or starts yelling i go into a panic and cant think straight and fell so attacked that i have tried many methods on how to deal with it when they occur but nothing seems to work. I really dont like the person he is

Felicity Working hard not to be anxious and sad, but...
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, This is my first post here. It sometimes feels quite lonely struggling with anxiety and sadness even though i do have a small group of people, including my partner, who know about what i am going through. But I think it's a great idea to... View more

Hi everyone, This is my first post here. It sometimes feels quite lonely struggling with anxiety and sadness even though i do have a small group of people, including my partner, who know about what i am going through. But I think it's a great idea to chat about it with others who know what it's like from the inside I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping for a while now and am crying a lot, feeling conflicted and overly concerned about so many things. There's a lot of reasons or triggers I guess - my life is changing ( resigning a job ), going through a 10 month period of travel/ art residencies, and hormonal changes (I am a 55 year old woman). So much of what is going on in my life is good in objective terms but its tough not to have thecomfort zone of a stable home and I am relating to new people and situations a lot, and trying to manage myself in this new phase of life. Its easy to feel a bit useless and rudderless, or to be overwhelmed by possible ways to manage ones time/ goals. I have some good strategies in place - daily mindfulness, and walking, limited caffeine and alcohol use, pretty good diet. I use a tranquillising medication only when I feel i just cant stand to have another bad night's sleep or to go on as I am when I'm feeling just too worried and obsessed about everything or crying all the time ( like lately) . But i am starting to wonder if it wouldnt be a good idea to be taking medication more regularly. I used to take antidepressant drugs - for 6 years - and they really did help with sleep and a generally damping down of extreme emotion but i didnt like their side effects on my digestive system and libido and the fact that i felt a bit numb. Getting off them was such hell for me however and that i decided i never want to take them again. In the past Ive done some CBT and it helped a lot, and try to do some of that by myself Sometimes. Lately i am feeling discouraged - i work so hard at dealing with this thing but it just feels like pushing shit uphill . And i dont want to have to think about it all the time. Also I am never sure how seriously i should take my desire to just withdraw socially for a while till i get through the bad patches, or whether thats the 'wimp's course' . And do you explain to people that you're not well or that youre anxious and a bit depressed? Anyone else feel this way, or have some ideas on how to keep oneself encouraged when it all feels so hard?

Chloekat84 Anxiety and restless leg syndrome
  • replies: 7

Hello I suffer from bad anxiety as well as getting bad restless legs at the same time. I know they are related but don't know how to control it. it gets soo bad sometimes that I need to use medication but that often doesn't work. im constantly shakin... View more

Hello I suffer from bad anxiety as well as getting bad restless legs at the same time. I know they are related but don't know how to control it. it gets soo bad sometimes that I need to use medication but that often doesn't work. im constantly shaking my legs and cant stop it till night time and im soo worn out physically and mentally. any suggestions on how to manage this. I already take magnesium supplements at night. can someone please help me

Mindful_bubbles Anxiety over Allergies
  • replies: 1

Can't shake anxiety over a peanut allergy I have. Had a close call today when I brought some makeup that had peanut oil in it. Didn't use the makeup, but now just feel rubbish. I hate two things. Anxiety. And living with a peanut allergy

Can't shake anxiety over a peanut allergy I have. Had a close call today when I brought some makeup that had peanut oil in it. Didn't use the makeup, but now just feel rubbish. I hate two things. Anxiety. And living with a peanut allergy

mr_marvel iv never reached out before
  • replies: 3

i wouldnt know where to start, it seems to be one big ball conecting all things to something, every time i try to start it just dosent sound right, things seem out of place, i always thought i had no right to complain, that it was my job to suck it u... View more

i wouldnt know where to start, it seems to be one big ball conecting all things to something, every time i try to start it just dosent sound right, things seem out of place, i always thought i had no right to complain, that it was my job to suck it up, because so many people are worse off than me, that i have to tough it out so that i can be strong for others, but im so tiered of being strong, it would be so nice to have someone be strong for me, to pick me up when im feeling low, but im the one picking others up, and i listen to there problems without hesitation, it all sounds so trivial, some things they seem to complain about are so small, iv got a morgage to pay, rates and bills, food to put on a table and in bellys, and im so sick of hearing that there head hurts from drinking, or they have no energy because of such and such, iv got no energy because im tiered from staying up late worring about money, or worring if the bills will get paid on time, or if im even being too much of a bore for my family or not, on top of work stuff, i feel like at work im the only one working, that all the time and effort that i put in counts for nothing, i give all that i have and it seems to go to nought as soon as i turn my back, its so hard when you give 100%, but it feels like everyone else gives only 50%, iv considered looking for other work, but its full time work i have now, and iv got the house to pay off before i look at doing anything, some times i wish i didnt have the burden of this house, i never had a chance to muck around like all my friends, i had the responsibility of the house, i couldnt go out and forget about it, the bills come in, and the money goes out, it would be so nice though for anyone at all just to call up and say, im on my way over, wanna hang out, in the 5 yrs iv had the house, iv never had anyone come over to hang out, but i never really had too many friends, i was allways the odd one out, sat on my own at school, didnt want to cause friction with the cool kids, now im 30, and i dont have much to show for my life, and i feel lost, i dont even know where im going with this, its a rant, a winge, what ever you want to call it, like i said i dont know where to start, or how to pull things away from the ball of things that this has become, if this makes any sence is beyond me, its just the voice in my head screaming things to my fingers at this stage.

Bobo123 I smoke when I'm stressed out
  • replies: 1

Hi all, I smoke when i'm stressed out. I overthink things. I'm scared of life. Maybe nothing can cure me, but i'd like to hear from anyone feeling the same.

Hi all, I smoke when i'm stressed out. I overthink things. I'm scared of life. Maybe nothing can cure me, but i'd like to hear from anyone feeling the same.

Mr_Potatohead Dreams
  • replies: 1

Been taking medication for anxiety and having totally weird but not distressing dreams since. My psychiatrist won't take a phone call ( I am away at present) as she is only interested in the money at an appointment. Anyone else having the dreams thin... View more

Been taking medication for anxiety and having totally weird but not distressing dreams since. My psychiatrist won't take a phone call ( I am away at present) as she is only interested in the money at an appointment. Anyone else having the dreams thing?

Mr_Potatohead Anxiety tip
  • replies: 1

One thing I learned recently to say to yourself is " thoughts aren't real "

One thing I learned recently to say to yourself is " thoughts aren't real "

Sofala I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!!
  • replies: 1

I plain and simply HATE IT!! I hate that it has such control over me, I hate feeling like my nerves are shot ALL THE TIME, feeling so alone, so isolated, desperate for help and strength, desperate to feel 'normal' to do normal things to be happy and ... View more

I plain and simply HATE IT!! I hate that it has such control over me, I hate feeling like my nerves are shot ALL THE TIME, feeling so alone, so isolated, desperate for help and strength, desperate to feel 'normal' to do normal things to be happy and free from it. Why is it my sister is capable of jumping on a plane last minute and have a weekend alone, go to shows alone, go out for a cuppa alone and enjoy it? Why does the idea of just going to the supermarket send me into a panic? I just want to enjoy life, feel safe in my own skin, have faith in my mind and body, is that really too much to ask?