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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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Anicca New to Beyond Blue forums
  • replies: 11

Hi, I'm Alison and my anxiety has bee quite debilitating over the last four weeks. I was hopeful when I saw the new Beyond Blue campaign on anxiety. My problem now is how to use the forums and follow threads. I've never done this before and I'm even ... View more

Hi, I'm Alison and my anxiety has bee quite debilitating over the last four weeks. I was hopeful when I saw the new Beyond Blue campaign on anxiety. My problem now is how to use the forums and follow threads. I've never done this before and I'm even anxious about posting questions in the wrong place!! I rang BB and all they could tell me was to get online and have a go. So, I hope this is ok. I'm fearful of people being rude, just because it is the Internet and no-one can see them. My psychiatrist is going on holidays in two weeks for three weeks. This is worrying me further. I've had depression and anxiety all my life. I like CBT and meditation but cannot do either when I'm so anxious. Thank you for this site BB. I feel a bit better for at least making a start on this site. Alison.

blondguy Do you Fight/Battle/Push Though Anxiety or Accept it?
  • replies: 47

Hi Everyone This is my second thread on the forums. After my first mega anxiety attack in 1983 I was in bed with cold sweats, nightmares, heart attack feelings, the inability to breathe.... It was awful and my memories of that first few days are stil... View more

Hi Everyone This is my second thread on the forums. After my first mega anxiety attack in 1983 I was in bed with cold sweats, nightmares, heart attack feelings, the inability to breathe.... It was awful and my memories of that first few days are still vivid. 25 Years later my anxiety is nothing but a 'memory' once I realised that the 'symptoms' were only bad feelings that were brought on by me overthinking with my 'tired' mind. I have since learned that being a 'perfectionist' is detrimental to my health and a waste of time. There is so much to be gained by not fighting so very hard all of the time. Whether at work or in a relationship there is lot to be said to adopt the mentality of being 'simple minded'. I have also learned the 'lesson' that "Pride Is a Poor Substitute For Intelligence" Your thoughts on 'Fighting/Battling' Anxiety/Depression are appreciated Paul

Zoostar84 Nothing gets me excited anymore....
  • replies: 10

I haven't had anything in my life that get me excited for quite awhile now. I don't have a passion for anything in my life.I used to enjoy playing poker with my mates and then we went our different ways and had trouble getting together. I then was pa... View more

I haven't had anything in my life that get me excited for quite awhile now. I don't have a passion for anything in my life.I used to enjoy playing poker with my mates and then we went our different ways and had trouble getting together. I then was passionate about collecting football cards and I still collect them but it doesn't give me that thrill it once did.I enjoy going fishing, watching football, going to the races, weekends away with my girlfriend and my family. Any suggestions?

Bluey_moon Feeling like a failure
  • replies: 99

Feeling like I'm failing! The new meds I think are working ok, I'm not as anxious! But I googled tonight, epic fail! I just want to feel normal again! I know I have to work harder! Today I just need encouragement!

Feeling like I'm failing! The new meds I think are working ok, I'm not as anxious! But I googled tonight, epic fail! I just want to feel normal again! I know I have to work harder! Today I just need encouragement!

awesomenesstocome anxiety revisited
  • replies: 13

Hi Im Tracy, Im 49, Have 3 children, a gorgeous partner Paul. starting the change of life, anxiety an everyday visitor, sometimes all day, mostly morning. I have had anxiety since I was 19, sometimes a bit of depression, but mostly generalized panic ... View more

Hi Im Tracy, Im 49, Have 3 children, a gorgeous partner Paul. starting the change of life, anxiety an everyday visitor, sometimes all day, mostly morning. I have had anxiety since I was 19, sometimes a bit of depression, but mostly generalized panic anxiety disorder. My health isnt the greatest atm, I have high sugar levels, high cholesteral, low vit D and low iron. Im on Iron supplement, Vit D drops, fish oil, getting sugar down by diet exercise. I have found myself floundering and despairing at how rapidly anxiety and thoughts took hold. Oh and having lovely new symptoms of anxiety that I havent had before. woo hoo got to love it.

Gruffudd When there is no reason for it.
  • replies: 6

Anxiety so often is about something, like talking to people or leaving the house. I can deal well enough with that. But today I have that tight chest, feeling of fear, like the world is watching, just some kind of impending doom really. To make it mo... View more

Anxiety so often is about something, like talking to people or leaving the house. I can deal well enough with that. But today I have that tight chest, feeling of fear, like the world is watching, just some kind of impending doom really. To make it more complicated, I'm not anxious about anything in particular, it is just the feeling. I haven't had this for quite a while. I'd rather like to shift it, any ideas?

MarkBt Health Anxiety back in overdrive
  • replies: 3

Hi there, I'm writing because I am really struggling at the moment. I have lived with generalised anxiety for most of my adult years, I'm on medication and most of the time I have had things pretty well managed. I'm able to function pretty normally a... View more

Hi there, I'm writing because I am really struggling at the moment. I have lived with generalised anxiety for most of my adult years, I'm on medication and most of the time I have had things pretty well managed. I'm able to function pretty normally after years of workin on the anxiety issues. My first child was born (and I was anxious about that for sure) things were going well when I fell quite sick. At first I thought nothing of it, but it dragged on and on. The doc started talking lymphoma, had to have a whole series of tests. It turned out just to be a nasty virus, but it really hit me were it hurts, it seriously raised my anxiety. Who wouldn't right? It was normal enough to feel that way. It left me with a nasty legacy though - health anxiety. The next time I got sick (a year or so later I must add) I kept checking my temperature, every hour, waiting for it to go down again. I was so scared, so anxious, then a couple of illnesses in a row. All relatively minor but I was so anxious. I lay in bed worrying about a more serious illness that underpinned all of this. It passed and I was relatively healthy again. Health anxiety had become a recurring theme, every ache and pain, every symptom. I'd google them and study the causes. Just recently I have had a blocked ear, it has dragged on for months. Doc said it would take a while to go but the I recently got some kind of cold and it has worsened. Of course I had googled this and one of the causes can be a tumor. I immediately sieze on this and now I am extremely anxious. I have seen the doc again she is relatively confident it isn't anything serious but had referred me to a specialist, hearing test etc. My anxiety is now in overdrive, I feel like avoiding this now, I don't want to confront another round of nervous waits for test results. The high levels of anxiety that go with it. As i'm writing this I feel like I'm whinging and seeking reassurance. But the fear is great and I don't want to confront it. I just know that the coming weeks will be hell, unable to function normally. I mentioned my children as my greatest fear is that I won't get to see them grow up. Really not sure how i'm going to cope. MarkBt

chociloni I need help
  • replies: 14

I dont know how coherent this post is going to be, so I'm just going to blurt everything out. And I hope I dont offend anyone with what I'm about to say. I have been unemployed for just over a year, ive had freelance jobs here and there. The process ... View more

I dont know how coherent this post is going to be, so I'm just going to blurt everything out. And I hope I dont offend anyone with what I'm about to say. I have been unemployed for just over a year, ive had freelance jobs here and there. The process of dealing with c'link is awful, plus having too much time on my hands, its ripped myself esteem and is crazy making. I have many qualifications and heaps of job experience, however I'm starting to think maybe it's because I suffer from depression and anxiety that I'm not getting a job and employers can see that I'm mentally ill and dont want to hire me? Am I paranoid? Is there something wrong with me? Am I defective? I had an abusive childhood, it was a weird childhood though. I was locked in a cupboard as a 3 year old, I had very controlling parents...I was controlled so much that I was barely allowed to leave the house, my father used to lock the door when I was a teenager so I couldnt get out. I was manipulated and brainwashed. As a kid I felt like I wasn't a real person, I was a science experiment. Everything was rules and structure. My father and his brothers and sisters all have some sort of emotional dysfunction, but have never had any major diagnosis' ....his parents (my grandparents, both died when I was about 10) were flat out batshit crazy. (sorry if I offend anyone here) My nanna had schizoaffective bipolar with a personality disorder, I have no problem with a person with this diagnosis but she was an evil twisted horrible person, my granddad never had any official diagnosis but he was a strange eccentric person and was an extreme socialist (or something? into all these radical ideas and had rules about how people should walk ...he died when I was a kid I was always very scared of him and didn't know him very well). I also remember visiting them in psych wards when I was a kid, it was very scary and confusing. I always wondered am I like this? My diagnosis has only ever been an anxiety disorder with dysthymic depression. I have always been very functional though. As I am unemployed and it's doing my head in my mind leaps back into this stigma of the mentally ill and my grandparents and how I should have some sort of stamp on my head, and how again now I need to classify myself and put into a structure the way my parents always did...although I do know that this isnt normal, but I feel hurt and alone. Yes I take meds and have a therapist, but how can I help and reassure myself?

Audrey_J Navigating Anxiety in a Relationship
  • replies: 4

I’ve not been feeling myself over the past few months. Only recently have I truly accepted that feelings of anxiety, insecurity and low self-worth have slowly but surely got the better of me. One minute I feel content and well-adjusted and the next I... View more

I’ve not been feeling myself over the past few months. Only recently have I truly accepted that feelings of anxiety, insecurity and low self-worth have slowly but surely got the better of me. One minute I feel content and well-adjusted and the next I’m visited by a heavy sense of gloom. Suddenly I don’t feel lovely enough and I worry, worry and worry. My chest tightens and my heart races. I forget how to breathe properly and I don’t feel worthy of love. I do realize the irrational and unhealthy nature of these feelings but it can feel very difficult to overcome at the time. The feelings I’m experiencing are not completely unfamiliar to me. Cognitive behavioural therapy I received a few years ago helped me cope with feelings of anxiety and worthlessness. I’ve been reconnecting with techniques that helped at the time, such as practicing mindfulness, self-compassion and meditation. In a short amount of time, I can already feel the positive impact of these actions. I’m in a loving relationship but I’ve been finding it difficult to communicate my needs and feel supported by my boyfriend. I’ve tried my best to explain what I’m going through and what it feels like when anxiety gets the better of me. I’ve encouraged him to seek information about anxiety too but it’s not something he wants to do. Oftentimes my boyfriend is distant and apprehensive to show affection and speak to me when I feel anxious. Last night he told me that I’m “uninviting” of affection when I’m sitting silently and feeling overwhelmed. He also feels that it’s best when he says “nothing” because he feels responsible and worries that his words would make things worse. I found that hurtful and explained that sometimes I just want to be held and comforted. He apologized and promised to be more supportive in the future, which I appreciate so much. I love him dearly and I know he wants for me to be happy but I do worry that my anxiety is pushing him away. It’s the first time I’ve experienced these feelings in a long term relationship so I would love to hear any advice you may have. I want to communicate effectively and feel completely supported whilst also being respectful of my boyfriend and his emotional needs. Thank you kindly. x

Maureen Accepting long term or permanent disability or is it giving up?
  • replies: 36

There are a few threads around about acceptance however I didn't want to hijack them with what I am struggling with. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, along with polyarthritis. Throughout these forums it is reiterated numerous times ... View more

There are a few threads around about acceptance however I didn't want to hijack them with what I am struggling with. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, along with polyarthritis. Throughout these forums it is reiterated numerous times that once we accept our condition it can be easier to bear. I am trying to accept this new reality, the ups and downs, too many tears, too many aches and pains and the inability to work in any capacity. I thought I had started well, returning to simplistic activities I enjoyed, some contact with remaining friends and family, physical activities I am still able to be involved in, and enjoying my menagerie of 2 cats and 2 dogs. Then I went to my 6 weekly psychiatric visit. I told her I now believed I wouldn't work again, but I had found a semi content state. She was not happy. Said I was too negative, I'd given up, I needed to get back on drugs and start seeing a psychologist. Hmmm, so much for thinking I'd finally found my happy place. Back to too many tears, never ending negative thoughts, increasing aches and pains, withdrawing into myself. I agreed to seeing a psychologist she recommended, psychiatrist agreed to 6 week trial of natural anxiety medications, but didn't think they would work and I needed to realise I obviously needed drugs. So what is acceptance and what is giving up? I'm 55, can only walk for an hour or so before sitting down, cannot organise anything without activating major anxiety, have no idea when tears will come, and have lost concentration abilities and a lot of logical thinking unless given lots of time to work things out. I'm mostly happy with some companionship, and doing simplistic things at home. How is that giving up? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you. Maureen

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