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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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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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Saltbush_boy New days? Same days? Yesterday's?
  • replies: 1

Hey guys how do you feel when you wake up and it's a new day that you think and it's all as it was I go to sleep when my body lets me hoping for a bright new day and everyone else reminds you it's all still the same don't they understand a new day is... View more

Hey guys how do you feel when you wake up and it's a new day that you think and it's all as it was I go to sleep when my body lets me hoping for a bright new day and everyone else reminds you it's all still the same don't they understand a new day is all we hope for and they crush that idea when they try to help by telling you it's all still the same thinking that's a good thing it's just not like that anymore!

shyviolet79 My journey through severe anxiety, depression and an eating disorder...
  • replies: 7

Hello I just thought I would share a little here about my journey, and well, just say hi I suppose! I joined bluevoices quite a while back, but kind of lacked the courage to post... I am in my mid-thirties and have struggled with my mental health for... View more

Hello I just thought I would share a little here about my journey, and well, just say hi I suppose! I joined bluevoices quite a while back, but kind of lacked the courage to post... I am in my mid-thirties and have struggled with my mental health for basically as far back as I can remember... As a child, I was seen as very shy and sensitive, but as I reached my teens, I guess it stepped up a notch or two and I developed major social anxiety, depression and an eating disorder ~ not that I had a diagnosis back then... All I knew was that I was different and 'wrong', in my opinion, in every sense of the word... I didn't receive any help for this until I was in my early 20's, a mum of two very small babies and struggling to the point where I couldn't leave the house ~ I couldn't even check the mail, as my shyness was way too severe... The psychologist had to come to my house to see me and I could barely speak to her, nor make eye contact. To sum it up, I suppose you could say that I have spent my whole life dealing with mental illness, and I still do today, although I can now function far better than before, thanks to years and years of very intensive therapy under the mental health services... At my worst, I have been hospitalised as an involuntary patient due to self-harm, my eating disorder and a suicide attempt....At my best, I suppose you could say I have raised four children on my own for the last 12 years, and that, although they each have had to deal with a lot due to my illness, they are all loving, beautiful individuals I still struggle severely, still see a psychologist and have a support worker occasionally too... I cannot work, as my anxiety is just still too high for that, but I am studying (although that brings its own challenges!)... Mostly, I suppose I wish I could express to others that, no matter how very dark the depths of your despair may feel, this WILL ease in time... It is the loneliest, soul-shattering illness to battle, but in the end it does make you a stronger, more compassionate person when you come through the other side.... I have a huge desire to help others now, and although I can barely speak to people in person, I have found that I can write..... ... It is a huge part of me, but does not define me as a person Thankyou, Chantell

Sb123 Feels like I'm losing my mind! 😞
  • replies: 8

Hi all. i suffer from depression and anxiety. Up until 2 months ago I had it under control. But lately the panic attacks have started again, I keep thinking something is seriously wrong with me and I can't shake that feeling. I've been suffering with... View more

Hi all. i suffer from depression and anxiety. Up until 2 months ago I had it under control. But lately the panic attacks have started again, I keep thinking something is seriously wrong with me and I can't shake that feeling. I've been suffering with the worst headaches, like tension headaches. I've never had the anxiety this bad before. what does everybody else do to help with anxiety? And does anybody else with anxiety experience these nasty tension headaches? I've never had them before (Note: I've been put back on antidepressants)

Dozza How to cope
  • replies: 9

Hi this is my very first post ever on the internet. I am 44 yo male married with two children. I have had a white blood cell disorder now for approximately 7 years. I have had mild depression now for many years and about six months ago I started gett... View more

Hi this is my very first post ever on the internet. I am 44 yo male married with two children. I have had a white blood cell disorder now for approximately 7 years. I have had mild depression now for many years and about six months ago I started getting mild panic attacks and anxiety that is now so mild lol. To be very honest with everyone I am really scared crapless. I am currently taking medication and my doctor has put me on anothr medication as well at night to help with sleep. I just don't know how to handle this anxiety. Thanks for listening. ​

Mack_ Just a phase?
  • replies: 3

Hello, to keep it short, I feel like I'm relying on alcohol to cope with anything going on. Happiness, sadness, anxiety, stress - anything. I keep trying to stop drinking.. I seem to get two days, maybe three days max? I guess I can see it's an issue... View more

Hello, to keep it short, I feel like I'm relying on alcohol to cope with anything going on. Happiness, sadness, anxiety, stress - anything. I keep trying to stop drinking.. I seem to get two days, maybe three days max? I guess I can see it's an issue but k don't feel k want to stop because I enjoy the high. But I see my fiancé worrying. I struggle a lot with OCD. My mother has cancer but I would also classify as an alcoholic... I don't really know what I'm asking.. Maybe just advice? How else do I find a "healthy" high? Is this a problem? What should I do?

Sif Wondering how others experience social anxiety
  • replies: 10

Hi All Just wondering how everyone else experiences their social anxiety. I feel as though mine isn't even "proper anxiety" because I've never had a full on panic attack in front of people. I'm sorry if I offend anyone by saying that. So. In social s... View more

Hi All Just wondering how everyone else experiences their social anxiety. I feel as though mine isn't even "proper anxiety" because I've never had a full on panic attack in front of people. I'm sorry if I offend anyone by saying that. So. In social situations I act fine. I can do normal chit chat and small talk, but other than that I completely freak out in my mind to the point I give myself a head ache. It shuts off my appetite and I cannot eat in front of people. My body language is stiff. So stiff that it's like an almost energy that radiates off me like a tangible substance. And more often than not the people in my vicinity are awkward too. My hands are always looking for something to do. I often speak very quietly, can't speak properly, and I stutter a every now and then so I try to stay quiet. I feel terrified during the entire encounter. And because I'm so terrified and paranoid at the same time, it affects almost every interaction I have with people. I know it's my anxiety and me overthinking most of it, but people truely are awkward around me because I'm awkward. Especially at work. I can't even take initiative because I'm so anxious and keep thinking everything I do is a failure. I always need direction from another worker becuase I feel like everything I do is "wrong." I just got a new job gardening and only been their a week and a half. I've already quit via email because I can't handle how awkward and tense I feel all of the time. I go home mentally and physically exhausted to the point that I cry so much either throw up or fall asleep. When it gets this bad I wake up with the sweats and my heart is racing a million miles an hour and I can barley breath.

Scotty2013 Do you think it completely goes away?
  • replies: 8

Hi been a while since i been here, Hi Neil and others, Life has been so so for me, normal roller coaster. Do you think it ever goes away Anxiety/Dep or just goes into remission?. I get so tired of having to feel it daily, push through it year after y... View more

Hi been a while since i been here, Hi Neil and others, Life has been so so for me, normal roller coaster. Do you think it ever goes away Anxiety/Dep or just goes into remission?. I get so tired of having to feel it daily, push through it year after year, it would be nice to be normal, what is normal?.

Simone1 New to the forum - My story.
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and lately I've been extremely anxious. I'll go through why I feel so bad in a little while, but I will give you a little back story. Essentially I've always had some form of anxiety - I had major social anxiety when... View more

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and lately I've been extremely anxious. I'll go through why I feel so bad in a little while, but I will give you a little back story. Essentially I've always had some form of anxiety - I had major social anxiety when I was younger and after I moved out of home I was forced to talk to people and my social anxiety has near but gone. But it really didn't "start" for me until around 6 months after I gave birth to my first daughter. I was sitting there one day and I had a panic attack out of nowhere. I thought I was dying and I raced to the doctors thinking I had a brain tumor. I developed what I researched was depersonalisation and the next 6 months that followed was pure hell - everyday I was living in fear (mainly health anxiety). But I learnt to not fight anxiety and just go with it and slowly I began to heal and I eventually felt like myself again. I then decided to have another baby, and my anxiety was low but it was always in the background. Everything was going well until my second daughter was around 8 months and anxiety crept back up again. This developed into a full blown health anxiety. Every little abnormality (particularly around my vision) would send me into major panic attacks. I've been trying to deal with it, sometimes it is manageable and sometimes I want to crawl into a hole and never come out - but I keep moving because I have 2 little girls to look after. Right now, my anxiety is at level 10 due to me getting scintillating scotoma 3 times in the past 2 weeks. I'm wake up in complete fear and I am constantly walking around in a dream like state. I am constantly focused on my vision, just waiting to have another attack. My quality of life had diminished and I no longer enjoy the things I used to. But am still working with my anxiety and not against it, and I am hoping that I can get it under control again. I just need some people to talk to, maybe some people having similar experiences as me. Simone

Annie_Blue Do you ever get angry AT your anxiety?
  • replies: 4

Today I am angry, really angry and exhausted and oh so over being a victim of my mental health. I find that after a run of "good days" a "bad day" just slays me. I want to take my anxiety out of my chest and slap it and pinch it and send it away fore... View more

Today I am angry, really angry and exhausted and oh so over being a victim of my mental health. I find that after a run of "good days" a "bad day" just slays me. I want to take my anxiety out of my chest and slap it and pinch it and send it away forever. Not looking for an answer, just needed a rant. AB

La_ney Don't know how to contain my thoughts OCD and now ROCD
  • replies: 3

Hey everyone, I recently posted on the Suicidal thoughts part of beyond blue and figured this part may assist me also. This is probably just a compulsion for reassurance but I really need something to help. I'm 22 years old and I believe I have been ... View more

Hey everyone, I recently posted on the Suicidal thoughts part of beyond blue and figured this part may assist me also. This is probably just a compulsion for reassurance but I really need something to help. I'm 22 years old and I believe I have been suffering from OCD and Anxiety since I was a child, from washing germs on my hands and locking doors etc etc, I don't do those things anymore and I had a pretty peaceful teenage-hood, until late 2012, where my mind was trying to convince me that I would one day become a pedofile, I tried to commit suicide and was bed ridden for weeks, even quit my job. This has subsided, does return occasionally but it dissipates again. But now I also have a mixture of other problems. Currently right now I'm doubting my relationship, like obsessing over whether I love my partner or not, when I know I do, I love him so so much, I couldn't bare to ever hurt him, this has been extremely intensified the past two days, two days ago I was paranoid that I was attracted to everyone and that I would cheat on him and vice versa, I bawled my eyes out all day and today and I still can't get the thoughts out of my head. 3 days ago I was having intrusive thoughts on hurting people violently, and that was also horrible. So I've been through 3 days of hell, but the thoughts run deeper, in 2013 I destroyed my relationship with a combination of these thoughts and the same the year before, so they have come and gone through the years, sometimes closer together or further apart. I've been with my partner for two years and I want to live the rest of my life with him, but these thoughts are getting so intense, I sought out help 3 days ago when the first initial relapse occurred and was provided medication and a referral to a psychologist, but since then, I've hit rock bottom. Does anyone relate to any of this? What did you do?

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