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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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sparrowhawk Very conflicted
  • replies: 7

I have been doing support work for a couple of months and really love it. I’ve got three clients at the moment, which is great as it balances well with my part-time job. I came into this work after living in a very structured religious community for ... View more

I have been doing support work for a couple of months and really love it. I’ve got three clients at the moment, which is great as it balances well with my part-time job. I came into this work after living in a very structured religious community for almost ten years. Like everything being accounted for, often being supervised and criticised on performance, having very little independence. I left that life very unwell with anorexia and now live with that (I’m recovering) and PTSD, which has been dealt with on-and-off by professionals. One client is seriously unwell and has support workers round the clock. They live with family and they have set up a really clear system and routine for support workers. Support workers sign in, there’s a handbook for them, they need to record all the tasks they do, etc. My client is so lovely, but they’re also very assertive and direct. They are great qualities, and this might sound weird - I find myself a bit scared of them at times. Dealing with very direct people reminds me of my past, because directness has often turned into personal attacks, and because I was always expected to be perfect, all the time. I also find the routine and environment gives me a lot of flashbacks - being supervised as I do housework, being directed on chores to do, etc. Sometimes I actually dread going there. And it’s nothing they are doing wrong, these are all my issues, and that’s what makes me feel bad. I have thought about ending with this client, but I feel terrible doing so. I feel like I’ll let them and their family down because they need support. Part of me thinks they will understand if I explain it. I really love working with them generally, it’s just these things which have hit me unexpectedly. I guess I’m looking for a bit of perspective here….? Thanks!

Brent01 Anxiety and lightheadedness was
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone I am just wondering If anyone else gets anxiety where it really affects them being dizzy and lightheaded and it last weeks,been to doctor and they said it’s fine but the worrying about it is keeping me dizzy and nauseous does this happen... View more

Hey everyone I am just wondering If anyone else gets anxiety where it really affects them being dizzy and lightheaded and it last weeks,been to doctor and they said it’s fine but the worrying about it is keeping me dizzy and nauseous does this happen to anyone else thankyou

Sal2645 New experiences and anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone, I posted for the first time a few months ago and kinda wanted to track my progress. I’ve recently gone through a lot of new experiences with starting uni and a new job which have been quite challenging. New things bring up a lot of anxi... View more

Hey everyone, I posted for the first time a few months ago and kinda wanted to track my progress. I’ve recently gone through a lot of new experiences with starting uni and a new job which have been quite challenging. New things bring up a lot of anxiety and it is often super hard to deal with. I honestly I didn’t think I would be able to do it as I often cut experiences short due to overthinking and panic. However I’ve taken the time to reflect on the past few months and realised that I am indeed still surviving. Though it’s not easy and I feel like shit most of the time - like I’m too stupid for uni or I’m doing my job completely wrong, which led to a bit of a breakdown in front of my boss. And that no one likes me and all my friends want to leave me; I’ve realised that I’m actually sticking with it all. This is the longest I’ve held a job for (the last one I quit cause the thought of doing things wrong was too overwhelming), I’ve been getting good grades at school and I’ve even managed to make new friends at uni whilst still being in contact with old ones. it’s so hard to recognise my achievements when it seems like other people do all those things so easily and I’m drowning. But I’m proud of the fact that I now am able to take a step back and recognise that I am doing the things that I thought would ruin me everyday. Maybe this means I’m getting better at dealing with my troubling thoughts? I just wish I knew how to deal with things better in the moment. Hope everyone is well, just wanted to vocalise my thoughts.

Bell87 Physical symptoms of Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi, im not new but I haven't posted on here in awhile. im really struggling at the moment with physical symptoms of my health anxiety i dont know why im feeling this way as I haven't for quite awhile. I can breathe but feels like I'm short of breath ... View more

Hi, im not new but I haven't posted on here in awhile. im really struggling at the moment with physical symptoms of my health anxiety i dont know why im feeling this way as I haven't for quite awhile. I can breathe but feels like I'm short of breath it does come and come but it seems to be worse at night. Has anyone got any good tips to reduce this feeling? I find when I'm busy I'm fine but as soon as I stop I feel tightness. I'm scared I hate feeling this way I'm trying so hard not to go to the doctors because I'm breathing. I'm just scared and hope someone is/has experienced this before too as horrible as it is and wouldn't wish this upon anyone. I hate this feeling

Bee Still struggling with breakup months after
  • replies: 1

Hey, I know I'm not alone in struggling to accept and move on from a breakup. It's a tale as old as time and something most everyone has grappled with at some point in their life. It's been three months since my partner and I broke up. We were togeth... View more

Hey, I know I'm not alone in struggling to accept and move on from a breakup. It's a tale as old as time and something most everyone has grappled with at some point in their life. It's been three months since my partner and I broke up. We were together for five years- I believed I would marry this man. I imagined our future life-he and I often talked about it. Having children, creating a life and a home. And three months ago that came crashing down. I thought with even this small passing of time (3 months) I would be feeling better- if only marginally. I feel worse. I am able to function in my life, my job, my self care routine. But the pain of missing him, all the hopes, dreams and plans we made play out in my head. I know it's a grieving process, he wasn't just my partner, he was my best friend, my family, someone who was always in my corner. I really loved him. Still do. I am just so exhausted from this pain of not having him in my life. Of missing him. Everywhere I go, I'm reminded of five years' worth of memories- all with him. How do you learn to let go of someone you thought would be in your life forever? How do you let go of someone that you love so deeply?

Tigers2017 Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi I am a 64 year old male married for 40 years , great job for 41 years , homeowner and due to move and retire - So why am I stressed ? Have a son been in jail , a wife who went thru bowel cancer a daughter looking for love and they are pretty happy... View more

Hi I am a 64 year old male married for 40 years , great job for 41 years , homeowner and due to move and retire - So why am I stressed ? Have a son been in jail , a wife who went thru bowel cancer a daughter looking for love and they are pretty happy so why not me . Had a couple recent stints in hospital with a bad heart but nothing wrong with it? All stress on my behalf yep have some prostate issues and some old footy injuries giving me grief but life compared to some others is bloody good, So why do I think so negative when I put my head on the pillow ? Negative thoughts and not happy ones about our life together next few years first time on so love some feedback who to see and how to change

byuuy892 Constantly reliving negative social memories?
  • replies: 3

Hello. My mind will constantly pop up with negative social memories from my past, particularly from late primary school and high school. I've been having this issue since around 2018. I'm in my early 20s and haven't socialised much since, hence not m... View more

Hello. My mind will constantly pop up with negative social memories from my past, particularly from late primary school and high school. I've been having this issue since around 2018. I'm in my early 20s and haven't socialised much since, hence not many opportunities for new negative memories (but some exist). Context:I've had persistently negative social experiences for a long period (or so I perceive). I was a very shy kid. From around the age of 10 I felt I was being mistreated socially, my mental health became overall negative, and has been there ever since. The core beliefs I have developed are something along the lines of "I'm unlikeable" and that "I don't know how to socialise". I remember having severe levels of social anxiety in school (sore stomach before school, constantly keeping hands in pockets, being unable to speak properly, etc). Whilst I'm socially anxious now, it's no where near to the same extent. Although my "social performance" still feels inadequate. Types of Memories:- Times people mistreated me (bullied, excluded, mocked, etc.)- Instances where I perceive that people disliked me (telling me to shut up, giving me that "why are you here" sort of look, etc).- Embarrassing things I did (usually the things need to imply that I'm unlikeable or socially incompetent, otherwise they aren't a big deal)- Times I was bad to others (I didn't do this super often, but I feel severe guilt about it) My question:So, what can I do to assuage/stop the constant reliving of negative memories I experience? Even if I assume I am unlikeable etc., I just don't see how constantly reliving the memories serves me. It's torturing me for no benefit, every day. It feels like something unresolved that my mind has been in severe strife about for a very long time. I understand people with PTSD will relive their memories, but that's much more understandable to me, it would be very difficult to process those sorts of experiences. It's driving me insane. Is this something I just have to accept until I maybe solve my social isolation/struggles in the future? Is this some rare issue only I face? What do I do?

blues23 The difficulty of making decisions
  • replies: 2

At the moment I’m really trying to justify staying in my job the hours are so bad like approximately 9 hours per week this fluctuates every fortnight and I’m basically struggling to keep bills rent ect to survive, I’ve asked my boss for more work to ... View more

At the moment I’m really trying to justify staying in my job the hours are so bad like approximately 9 hours per week this fluctuates every fortnight and I’m basically struggling to keep bills rent ect to survive, I’ve asked my boss for more work to fill up my rosters even go work in the nursing homes or do ad hoc duties which I got no reply back from my boss , the difficulty of staying is how to justify going to work for 3 hours , 1.5 hours ect each day and travelling 45 minutes to do said job of 3 hours or 1.6 hours, the difficulty of leaving while trying to get another job which I’ve been looking for months and no success. I kinda fell I’m stuck and my savings are running out I’ve got drs, a few specialists cause I have health problems and I can’t afford to go see them cause my wage or part of it goes on rent and food even now I’ll have to extend my gas bill cause I can’t afford to pay it this week because I only have a few 100 dollars left and i have to see a specialist this week as well which is 160$ down the drain , life is really hard right now with the lack of work hours and I can’t sleep much for thinking how will i manage to keep enough in the bank til pay day there’s no relief and no easy answer im on centerlink but even that with the little pay i get off work is constantly not enough to make ends meet.

Kane We're to find friends who have social anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi my name is kane and I have suffered social anxiety as long as I can remember so i find it quite difficult to meet people and have become very isolated which leads to depression feeling low,low confidence and self worth . I would like to ask people... View more

Hi my name is kane and I have suffered social anxiety as long as I can remember so i find it quite difficult to meet people and have become very isolated which leads to depression feeling low,low confidence and self worth . I would like to ask people who have experienced this as part of there life and slowly get some of my life back with people

Guest_78401401 Post Social Event Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Over the last few years I have found myself increasingly anxious after social events. I usually feel anxious leading up to the event and often find reasons to avoid it. When Im in the situation I relax and enjoy it. Then after for days I play the con... View more

Over the last few years I have found myself increasingly anxious after social events. I usually feel anxious leading up to the event and often find reasons to avoid it. When Im in the situation I relax and enjoy it. Then after for days I play the conversations over and over, feel exposed, vulnerable and embarrassed and very anxious. Its consuming. Is this something others experience? How do you cope? I used to be so social and carefree, but even old memoroes that used to be joyful cause me distress.

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