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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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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. Remeber, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anixiety 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 you 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 worthile 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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gettingthroughGAD new and hoping to feel different
  • replies: 4

I'm just beginning my journey although I've probably had undiagnosed anxiety for a several years. I wonder if it's supposed to get worse before it gets better...as you try to take control of your life the anxiety fights you. Perhaps it's the awarenes... View more

I'm just beginning my journey although I've probably had undiagnosed anxiety for a several years. I wonder if it's supposed to get worse before it gets better...as you try to take control of your life the anxiety fights you. Perhaps it's the awareness of the illness when you face it (rather than deny and self-medicate with alcohol and other drugs) and how it has the ability to affect every part of your life. I've begun telling friends and family but it's still hard for me to reach out and ask for support. Sometimes I can't feel any support from my boyfriend and I wish that he was able to support me better. I'm not sure if it's that he doesn't know how or that he doesn't have the patience with my anxiety disorder. If I am having a full-blown anxiety attack in which the physical symptoms are very clear then he's pretty helpful then but not so much when it's not so obvious. I understand that it's probably hard for him to cope with at times and I feel bad that I have this condition because I know it's a strain. I can't get rid of it though - all I can do is manage it and hope it will get easier. Today is a day where it feels like it won't get easier but who knows how I'll feel tomorrow. I've been reading posts on here and it's nice to know that I'm not alone and other people can understand this illness. If anybody has any tips or words of wisdom please share. Your honesty and support will be dearly appreciated. Candice

littleone13 New & Blue
  • replies: 9

Hi there I am new to the Beyond Blue forums, but after reading the threads here, I feel like this is somewhere that I can ask a few questions that I have about my own situation. I've only recently developed symptoms of anxiety to the point where I ha... View more

Hi there I am new to the Beyond Blue forums, but after reading the threads here, I feel like this is somewhere that I can ask a few questions that I have about my own situation. I've only recently developed symptoms of anxiety to the point where I have noticed it as a major issue over the past 6 months. Prior to this, it's not something I realised was out of the ordinary, though now looking back, I can see that there were symptoms back then too. I am currently undiagnosed, though between this site and other sites, as well as the options of my partner (who has had depression for a long time, and has his methods of managing it) and his mum (who has had severe anxiety most of her life), lead me to believe that I have an anxiety issue of some sort. Only in the past few months, I have started having panic attacks, where thoughts becomes so overwhelming that something miniscule (to the point that I don't even recognise what the trigger is) sets me off and I collapse in on myself, tears, hyperventilation, massive stress, fast heartbeat... My partner has been there every time bar one (which was at work, where I was on my own), to support me, and he is a massive help. Aside from the attacks, there are plenty of other moments where anxiety hits me. I seem to think that a lot of mine is stress-related. Stressing about things (from as little as where to eat out for dinner, to not getting washing done/cleaning or tidying the house, to bigger issues like money) seem to trigger anxiety. I have spoken with both my partner and his mum, who are extremely supportive, having had issues themselves. I consider myself extremely lucky to be with a man who is so empathetic to how I'm feeling at the moment, even if he doesn't 100% understand what sets me off. I'm not really comfortable saying anything to anyone else that I know yet, including my parents (I don't have enough characters to elaborate on this). I am considering seeing a GP, but as part of having moved interstate in the last year, 'my' GP is someone I've only seen once, not the doctor that I used to see regularly back in my home state. They don't know me particularly well, and I don't know how I feel about speaking to them. But I feel that I need to do something, otherwise I'm not going to be able to get a handle on this and that it's going to keep getting worse. How did some of you go about these initial steps? I'm a bit nervous about it and would appreciate any guidance you could give. Thank you.

Kaksta Anxiety as a beginner.....
  • replies: 3

I can't tell you how long I have been struggling with anxiety and depression, I can't. I just don't know. It was only last November that I finally twigged that maybe I might have something maybe not quite right in my way of thinking. A visit to this ... View more

I can't tell you how long I have been struggling with anxiety and depression, I can't. I just don't know. It was only last November that I finally twigged that maybe I might have something maybe not quite right in my way of thinking. A visit to this website, followed by a visit to my GP, and voilà! Anxiety and depression! Prior to that, I honestly think I've been undiagnosed for as long as I can remember. Started treatment with meds and therapy, but experienced side effects and (with my docs ok) I eased off of meds. Seemed the right thing to do, I'd been on them for 3 months and I was feeling great, obviously I was better! *chuckle* I was fine for about 3 weeks, then I fell in a big hole again. Back to doc and on different meds and still seeing the psychologist. The meds definitely help, but I'm now seeing that they don't eliminate it completely. I used to think that the only people who had mental illness were those who must have had a pretty crap life. I hate to admit it, but I did see them as weak. I did. I thought it was an excuse to not deal with life. Changing my thinking on that has been a struggle in itself. Someday I would like to be able to contribute to changing the thinking of those who think about it like I used to. I've now accepted my illness for what it is and I'm really starting to understand that this is something I am going to have to do battle with. It's going to be a learning process, I'm not going to be able to just pop a few pills and talk to my psychologist and work out which part of my childhood to blame it all on. Nope, it's going to take work. This last week or so I have really struggled, so now I am searching for other ways to help myself, which is what has brought me here. I do use alcohol as a crutch, I definitely do. I am a wine enthusiast and actually work in the industry so I don't want to give up completely, but I definitely want to stop using it as my "go to" when the meds aren't working and I can't calm myself down. I know that may not be possible, that I may just have to *gulp* give up completely, but I would at least like to try get some control first. I do love my job I have been experimenting with meditation via apps and online resources and have found that very helpful so far. I just scanned the Self Help thread on here and thought there were some great tips there to try too. Anyway, that's me! Look forward to getting to know you all better and helping each other out

Elly_H Something needs to change
  • replies: 2

Hi All I am a long-term sufferer of social anxiety and panic disorder. I have been unemployed for the past 3 years, and am forced to study online due to my mental health. I feel like I'm wasting away as i sit at home EVERY day. I fantasise about a be... View more

Hi All I am a long-term sufferer of social anxiety and panic disorder. I have been unemployed for the past 3 years, and am forced to study online due to my mental health. I feel like I'm wasting away as i sit at home EVERY day. I fantasise about a better life, one where I am confident and capable. I want it so badly. And i need a change now. My partner is ready to buy a house. I want to live with him, but I can't live with the idea of not meeting him halfway for payments etc. He is so supportive of my condition, and is in no way forcing me into the workforce. However, this is something that I want. I want to be active. I want to start using my brain again. I want to feel normal. I have tried anti depressants. They didn't work. I have tried Beta blockers...they work to an extent, but my panic can be so severe sometimes that nothing seems to help. I feel like the next step for me is to talk to my doctor about something a little stronger. Something to take the initial edge off entering the work force again. As soon as i become familiar with an environment and the people within it, my anxiety disappears. Does anyone have any experience with low doses of benzos to help with panic? Is it a good idea to ask for this option from my doctor? I'm actually seeing my doctor later today, so am feeling nervous about the whole idea.

Polka_Dots Lack of support
  • replies: 8

I am being treated for anxiety/depression. I have tried for more but therapy once every six weeks is the limit. My estranged sister has a severe mental illness. So no matter how I tell my parents I have this they deny and trivialise it. It makes me f... View more

I am being treated for anxiety/depression. I have tried for more but therapy once every six weeks is the limit. My estranged sister has a severe mental illness. So no matter how I tell my parents I have this they deny and trivialise it. It makes me feel unimportant and alone. Now I prefer to hide it from them and I can’t rely on them to support me in this part of my life. I don’t cope with change and my moods are up and down. Spilling tea can change them. I have no other family, no friends and no partner. I tried the “making friends” things but my anxiety is so bad it makes it worse. Outside of my GP and therapist only one other person in my current life knows. I have arthritis (under 30 still) and have been seeing the same podiatrist every few weeks for years. I do it so I can keep up my walks and work. She worked it out alone and asked. No one has ever taken the time to do that. It was a huge relief. It is great to finally have someone not involved in the treatment know and at least pretend to care. She just asks each visit how I’m managing and does and says a few helpful things. Nothing in depth. We are not friends and we only see each other through paid and booked appointments about feet. Today she says she will be quitting her job in a few months. I felt like I had been punched. I know it is her life not mine and I’m just another paying client. Her job is not a therapist, I don’t know her well outside of feet and yet I am upset because such a huge chunk of my support base will vanish with an approaching deadline. I just don’t know if I can cope with having no outside of treatment to touch base with again. It takes years for me to build up even superficial relationships so even if I met someone (ha!) I felt OK with - say the person who replaces her, I couldn’t say anything. It would be inappropriate to ask to talk outside of the clinic and the different dynamics would be awkward. I’m feeling very lost and very lonely but also selfish about being upset. It’s one person I don’t know but when they have been one of the few people helping you with something that owns your life it’s big. I’d like to know what people think I should do (Please don’t say “discuss with therapist.” I know that). I often use acquaintances who I get on with as a crutch. When they move on with their lives I always have problems with coping, although because of her knowing about this it is going to be harder. I know people change but I also know I don’t know how to take it.

Maryjane12 Really struggling
  • replies: 6

Hi I have been reading the posts up here for a while and have decided that maybe by talking about what I am experiencing I may be able to hear from some people who understand/have also gone through this. I will start from the beginning. I have had de... View more

Hi I have been reading the posts up here for a while and have decided that maybe by talking about what I am experiencing I may be able to hear from some people who understand/have also gone through this. I will start from the beginning. I have had depression and mild anxiety for the past 3 years. About 6 weeks ago there was a drama with my housemates. I absolutely hate conflict, and although I hadn't actually done anything wrong in this situation I couldn't help but feel like everything was all my fault and I was a terrible person. Since then I have been having the worst anxiety of my life. I continuously get memories that make me think that I am a really bad person, and despite other people saying I am not, I can't get these thoughts out of my head. They are making me so stressed, and depressed and I am getting some physical symptoms like sweating, stomach churning, heart racing also. I don't know how to cope with these terrible thoughts that keep popping into my head, and as soon as I get passed one thought, a new one pops up. I feel like I can't get any relief and am struggling to cope. I am really struggling with uni at the moment because of all of this. I am terrified this will go on forever and I won't be able to function like a normal person. Has anyone else had this before/ managed to deal with it effectively?

daisytrousers Binge eating as a coping mechanism for anxiety
  • replies: 9

I would like to know if there is anyone else who uses food as a way to cope with anxiety. I've started to binge eat as a way to deal with my heightened anxiety. It's really bizarre, almost like an act of self harm (I used to physically self harm in h... View more

I would like to know if there is anyone else who uses food as a way to cope with anxiety. I've started to binge eat as a way to deal with my heightened anxiety. It's really bizarre, almost like an act of self harm (I used to physically self harm in high school) as I eat until I am immensely ill. I binge to feel that sickly, horrid feeling. I just want to punish myself. My binge foods aren't even things I particularly enjoy eating. I've been known to binge on odd food items like brown rice or peas. Which is actually laughable when I think about it. I suppose that's the most difficult thing about overcoming anxiety, recognising and managing irrational thoughts and behaviours. Binge eating is seen as such a shameful and gluttonous behaviour that I fear talking to anyone about it and because I've begun to put on weight I'm just isolating myself more which feeds my social anxiety. The common vicious cycle. This is the first time I've spoken about my behaviour and was hoping that anyone who has experienced something similar would kindly offer some advice.

mizzy83 Need help believing
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I thought I was getting on top of this whole anxiety thing I've had for the past 4 months. I'd been in therapy, I was sleeping well again, but was still feeling some anxiety symptoms and some lingering worry about a health issue. But was gene... View more

Hi all, I thought I was getting on top of this whole anxiety thing I've had for the past 4 months. I'd been in therapy, I was sleeping well again, but was still feeling some anxiety symptoms and some lingering worry about a health issue. But was generally feeling like I was very close to feeling normal again. I kept trying to tell myself the symptoms are just anxiety, not a heart problem. But now that seems to have caused me to accept that, but to then go into overdrive thinking and obsessing about the anxiety and that I have it and need to get rid of it. It's caused me a reasonable setback, and I'm quite dejected about that fact. I've come back to this site and the internet in general looking to read accounts of people who have recovered from anxiety, but all I seem to find is more people like me crying out for help. I don't know anyone who has anxiety so I feel very alone. I want to know that there are many people out there who have recovered from anxiety, and many people out there for whom medication worked. I need to hear from these people and believe that I can become one too. I need to believe that one day I can not have this chest pain and breath shortness. I have been reluctant to try medication but now I think I will need to try it, but I am scared of the idea of it, and that I might need to try every med on the planet to find one that worked. How long will that take? Can anyone here who knows more people than me or had some personal experience provide me some reassurance? I'll be forever grateful. Thanks.

april_123 is it anxiety?
  • replies: 2

About 10 months ago somebody tried to break into my house. They didn't actually get inside but I feel very traumatised by the event because I was home alone. I know it's normal to be bothered by these kinds of things, but ever since I have been havin... View more

About 10 months ago somebody tried to break into my house. They didn't actually get inside but I feel very traumatised by the event because I was home alone. I know it's normal to be bothered by these kinds of things, but ever since I have been having vivid nightmares just about every single night since the event. I can't sleep at night and have been relying upon Stilnox to get me to sleep otherwise I am just too jumpy and nervous and wake up every 2 minutes. Even when I am awake at home I can't relax for 5 minutes. I am literally driving myself insane and this has been going on for 10 months now and I can't see it coming to an end. Basically what I want to know is this normal or is this some form of anxiety that I can get treated for? In the past I have been treated with depression and anxiety but that was before this happened. Thanks for your help.

susiem new here. need advice. anxiety/ panic attack journey
  • replies: 3

Have been searching the net and thank goodness found beyond blue site. I am a 50 year old lady. Had severe anxiety attacks and used meds to help me through in my late 20's and early 30's. Decided back then to learn about this horrible condition.So I ... View more

Have been searching the net and thank goodness found beyond blue site. I am a 50 year old lady. Had severe anxiety attacks and used meds to help me through in my late 20's and early 30's. Decided back then to learn about this horrible condition.So I read books and talked to trusted people and over a couple of years (which at the time felt like forever) I came through it. At my worst I remember being in such a state that I couldn't remember how to drive and I was driving at the time! I couldn't remember what to do when I got to an intersection. I remember heaving when I tried to eat, climbing under the covers and crying because I didn't know what was wrong with me and my then Dr not being any help at all. My worst came when I was lying next to my husband in bed and told him I was going to die that night and he would have to raise our 2 girls on his own. Even though he didn't understand he tried. That was the night I promised myself that I had to help me. It wasn't easy. Far from it. My best motivation was our girls. I had to get up and get them to school. I slowly started to do things that I had been avoiding. I read and with a supportive Dr and meds found my way back. Now roll forward nearly 20 years later and 'IT' HAS RETURNED!!!!!!! I had a HUGE panic attack when I was overseas in September last year. I thought I was going to faint and to say the waves of ??? that were going through my body was unpleasant is an understatement.For days afterwards I would felt anxious and somehow get myself through, holding my now husband of 29 years hand. Since then I have been to my Dr twice. These feelings are awful. She thinks they are hormonal based due to my age and offered to put my on HRT. I said no thank you at this stage. My 2nd visit she gave me a med to take which gave me the a HUGE attack and I vowed I won't take them again. The thing is I can go weeks and be okay and then WHAM like today had such bad anxiety.Where I had such overwhelming waves of I guess adrenalin going through my body. Felt panicky but I wasn't doing anything to cause it. These are the ones that scare me the most as I don't know what is causing them so I start to think something else more sinister is happening. I know I can do this with no meds. I have done it before. I just need some advice, support and guidance from you lovely people. Sorry for my long post. Thank you for any help. Susie