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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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gnomadicmind Extreme morning anxiety - Carer diagnosed with Cancer
  • replies: 4

Hello It's been a while since I posted but I do regularly read through the forums. I like to be able to relate to others experiences. I have severe depression and anxiety, possibly bipolar type 2. I am on medication and I have a particular (PRN) medi... View more

Hello It's been a while since I posted but I do regularly read through the forums. I like to be able to relate to others experiences. I have severe depression and anxiety, possibly bipolar type 2. I am on medication and I have a particular (PRN) medication that helps with my severe anxiety but I don't want to become reliant on it. It may be that I need to take it regularly, but that's something I will discuss further with my psychiatrist. My appointment is more than a month away though! I'm on a cancellation list but it's unlikely I'll get in before then anyway. My partner who is my carer has been diagnosed with cancer and I will now need to be his carer. I want to do this for him that's non negotiable, as radiation, chemotherapy and enteral feeding along with side effects is going to be very difficult, along with other medical procedures. I feel like it's the end of the world, everything has been flipped on it's head and my constant tears, churning stomach, feeling sick, no appetite, racing and disordered thoughts, heart pounding, shakes and trembling are impossible for me to control at the moment. I'm also feeling exhausted but feeling extremely guilty about needing to have a nap or any 'time out' for myself at the moment. I know that people will understand that I will need time out when treatment starts, and I do have fantastic support but at the moment I feel like I should be organising and racing all over the place to make my partner feel supported. It also doesn't help that my partner feels like he needs to protect me. I want him to talk to me about everything he is going through, and his wants and needs, but he's not forthcoming. Does anyone have any advice at all regarding my thoughts on meds - being afraid of becoming reliant? (I know we don't discuss names and doses of meds). Has anyone been in my situation before ie. becoming a carer after being cared for? Tips on morning anxiety and the symptoms I'm having? And does anyone have any experience or tips with trying to talk to someone with a serious illness when they're not forthcoming on their emotions and asking for help? And anything else that might help myself and my partner through this horrendous time? If you've read this far - thank you enormously!

Sara89 Newbie- at a loss of what to do
  • replies: 4

Hi All, I've been suffering with depression and anxiety (undiagnosed) since I was 16, probably before that. After finishing year 12, I was lost and confused & had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. \At the beginning of 2012, I decided to do a ... View more

Hi All, I've been suffering with depression and anxiety (undiagnosed) since I was 16, probably before that. After finishing year 12, I was lost and confused & had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. \At the beginning of 2012, I decided to do a Advanced dipolma in advertising, and really enjoyed it (receiving great marks and making a few friends). During this time, however I focused solely on my studies and neglected my social life. I also got a job whilst studying as a social media manager, at a Major Agency. After that I studied a bachelor of advertising, it didn't really feel like the right fit and in hindsight, I should have done marketing. At the end of 2013, I went to London to partake in an internship, during this time however I displayed some unusual behaviour, dancing in the streets, writing poetry to acquaintances on Facebook that I had not spoken to in a number of years. Upon returning to Melbourne, I was diagnosed with Bipolar 11. I suffered through the last year of my degree, and managed to graduate but became and hermit and was admitted to hospital. At the end of 2014, my dad had a major heart operation and almost lost his life, whilst I was completing my final assessments and preparing for "Pitch Night". A night organised by my university, where you pitch your portfolio and persona to Advertising Agencies. Overcome with anxiety, I cried infront of the industry professionals. In Feb of 2015, after a crying for months I suffered from a nervous breakdown and was admitted to hospital again.I'm still currently studying at uni (graphic design), but I am very far behind in my workload, feel like I have lost my ability to relate and have conversations with people and have no real social life or enjoyment. It's my 27th birthday in a Month and I have never been so frightened about the future, still living with my parents, constantly plagued with negative thoughts. My psych recently switched me to different medication and I'm suffering from blurry vision and the inability to concentrate. I feel ugly, weak, stupid and like I have no future. I had a difficult childhood as my sister suffered from anorexia and depression for 6 years, which effected my ability to study at school. That my grammar is poor, my handwriting is slow and inconsistent, my drawing abilities are horrendous and all my friends are either in successful jobs/ getting engaged/ live out of home.... I've just given up I guess..

Rod_NR93 Anxiety following fatigue
  • replies: 8

Hi all. Last week I travelled interstate for work and was really concerned about how it would affect my OCD related anxiety. I was going in to a very high anxiety provoking situation for me and I would remain in that situation for several days. It wa... View more

Hi all. Last week I travelled interstate for work and was really concerned about how it would affect my OCD related anxiety. I was going in to a very high anxiety provoking situation for me and I would remain in that situation for several days. It was scary to contemplate. The good news is the anxiety hardly eventuated and when it did I was able to bypass it and keep going without too much grief. That made me feel relieved and pleasantly calm. I enjoyed myself. It was, however, a full on week and I had trouble winding down and getting to sleep each night, for six nights in a row. I had inadequate sleep each night. By the week's end I was exhausted and on my last day I noticed my OCD related anxiety was coming back. Sitting at the airport waiting for my flight home I just wanted to go to bed. I was so tired that the day after I got home I spent most of the day in bed asleep. I suspect the return of my OCD/anxiety symptoms were fatigue related. I know fatigue makes life harder to cope with in general, including anxiety, but does anyone know exactly why this happens? Does, for example, fatigue cause our serotonin levels to drop and hence make us more vulnerable to anxiety? The fact I coped so well last week in such high anxiety provoking conditions is just that, a fact. Nothing can take that away from me. I feel really disappointed though that it fell in to a heap on my last day and has continued since. This is why I'm trying to find a 'concrete' answer about what is going on in our bodies that make us more vulnerable to anxiety when we are so tired. Thanks

Traveller73 Positive, possibly crazy things to do to overcome anxiety
  • replies: 6

Hi. Thought it would be fun to share some crazy fun things have done to overcome anxiety. I have only started this week but will let you know how progees. I get morning anxiety, so starting every day hunming 'Zippity-do-da' song every time worrisome ... View more

Hi. Thought it would be fun to share some crazy fun things have done to overcome anxiety. I have only started this week but will let you know how progees. I get morning anxiety, so starting every day hunming 'Zippity-do-da' song every time worrisome thoughts. The song lyrics are so positive. Try it! I am trying to eat more Spinach. Apparently Anxiety sufferers are often low in folate, so trying a folate rich/legume rich diet. I find playing a musical instrument helps. Difficult to play and worry about things. Maybe if you have some favourite positive things to add that may help others distract Overcome Anxiety by sacrificing Attention (to it) ​ ​

keeping_positive OCD lost and wanting to be in control again
  • replies: 6

I have ocd and at the moment not in a good place with it. I have had my ups and downs with it since "getting" it about 6 yrs ago but I must admit this would be the worst I have ever been. I feel as if I am letting my family down all the time. I can n... View more

I have ocd and at the moment not in a good place with it. I have had my ups and downs with it since "getting" it about 6 yrs ago but I must admit this would be the worst I have ever been. I feel as if I am letting my family down all the time. I can normally do my compulsions to stop my anxiety but this past few weeks its just never enough. My ocd is about blood, diseases etc anything that I believe has the potential to harm me and well this past month I have been tested to my limits. Only the other day while at the drs I sat on one of the seats normal yes not for me,my mind goes into overdrive thinking of what could be on the chair, only to look down and see dried blood on the seat and where I had been sitting. Sweats and panic took over as I couldn't do anything about it. Rationally I know it was dry and seemed to have been half wiped and they had missed a small part but when faced with something like that im not in a rational thinking space, to me its spread everywhere and must have a disease. Even now my clothes have been washed my car seat washed its just not enough!!! I haven't been back in my car since I just don't know how to face it or get past it. Did I overreact to wash everything or is that normal? I feel like I've lost all sense of reality and what is a rational way to react to something like this! I try to put myself back 7yrs ago and how would've I reacted then but that doesn't help as 7 yrs ago it wouldn't have been an issue to me at all so I probably wouldn't have even seen the blood and no matter how hard I try I just can't let it go. Sorry I know I'm rambling I'm not very good at writing it all down. I just want to feel in control again.

Lilley_55 Anxiety and Libido
  • replies: 3

Hi im new here ! I just wanted to share my experience and hopefully have soem answers ! recently I was going so well and my anxiety was very controlled I would say it was like it wasn't there, then an accident happened and I had to take the morning a... View more

Hi im new here ! I just wanted to share my experience and hopefully have soem answers ! recently I was going so well and my anxiety was very controlled I would say it was like it wasn't there, then an accident happened and I had to take the morning after pill (would like to mention I had a very bad reaction to the normal form of the pill e.g anxiety depression and mood swings ) and that is where everything went in a downward spiral my anxiety and depression was spiked badly,I had an hour long panic attack leading to me feeling down and just really depressed, as a result my libido feels like it has completely left me and I hate it because I have a boyfriend and I want to do it, we both enjoyed it so much but I can't and everytime it comes to that stage i feel really panicked and scared because I'm not feeling it but I want, so I end up with anxiety over not having a libdo, it very upsetting and frustraiting

Bluey_moon When does it get better!
  • replies: 18

I'm so impatient for things just to be "fixed". For those that have ready post previously would know part of my anxiety and obbsessive thinking was thinking I had scizophrenia. I have been assessed multiple times and told I don't have it. and I do be... View more

I'm so impatient for things just to be "fixed". For those that have ready post previously would know part of my anxiety and obbsessive thinking was thinking I had scizophrenia. I have been assessed multiple times and told I don't have it. and I do believe them. But I have a hard time believing anxiety could cause what it does, for me thinking I hear things because I became so on alert about "hearing voices". And while I beleive that anxiety causes all this, it's hard some days not to fall into the old thinking habits.

RYT Feeling down
  • replies: 9

I don't really know what I want from this post, I just feel like I need to let out some of my worries. This is my first actual post. I've just hit the year mark of having GAD, agoraphobia and panic disorder. All year I have tried what feels like ever... View more

I don't really know what I want from this post, I just feel like I need to let out some of my worries. This is my first actual post. I've just hit the year mark of having GAD, agoraphobia and panic disorder. All year I have tried what feels like everything - seen a couple different psychologists, been on different medication, changed my diet, read books, the lot. It feels like a constant roller coaster ride, but with more bad days than good. Recently I stopped taking the medication that I'v been on for about five/six months and am now suffering from terrible withdrawal symptoms. Since I stopped taking it I feel very ill and haven't been able to sleep (which makes the anxiety harder to manage). However I can't go back on that particular medication, so I just hope these withdrawal symptoms fade soon. I guess what got me posting today, was the 'simple' act of getting a blood test (to check my thyroid), which was just a five minute walk down my street. On top of feeling ill, and being awake since 2.30am, the anxiety really kicked in today and I don't even know how I managed to get it done. I'm home now, but have already cried because I struggled so much to do it. I just really hope that I can beat this, because I don't want it to take another year from me. I've missed out on so much, and I feel guilty every time I have to back out of something. I feel like i'm about to go for round two. Does anyone else feel so defeated when they can't do 'simple' things anymore, due to anxiety? I sure do. Regards, RYT

Saltbush_boy What now?
  • replies: 7

G'day I'm new here I have dementia had coronary by pass and currently in hospital I'm 42 married and very scared of being useless I farm a few sheep and try to grow barley and saltbush and make hey my wife is a conservationist and hates farming I hav... View more

G'day I'm new here I have dementia had coronary by pass and currently in hospital I'm 42 married and very scared of being useless I farm a few sheep and try to grow barley and saltbush and make hey my wife is a conservationist and hates farming I have no liscence and live 40 Klm from town what should I do now she has to take over something she doesn't like I just everyone to be happy

Traveller73 Physical symptoms
  • replies: 4

Hi. New to this site. I have had anxiety all my life, but it has gotten particularly bad this yearwith upcoming overseas trip anxious about and change of job. I have physical symptoms. High heart rate and light headed, jittery and easily startled (by... View more

Hi. New to this site. I have had anxiety all my life, but it has gotten particularly bad this yearwith upcoming overseas trip anxious about and change of job. I have physical symptoms. High heart rate and light headed, jittery and easily startled (by loud noises). I find CBT is not working like it used to and distractions do help (movies/outings)-but its quick to come back. Seeing a psychologist Friday so hoping he can help. I dont want to worry all the time. My physical symptoms make me worry more (have got all clear from GP). If its all in my head why can't I stop this???? ​

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