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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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shenlee new and anxious
  • replies: 3

Hi all,this is my first post and i dont really know where to begin. Im a 49yr old female that has suffered with major depression,chronic anxiety and agorophobia for 34 years. Agoraphobia has been an on and off thing. Im on meds and seeing a psychiatr... View more

Hi all,this is my first post and i dont really know where to begin. Im a 49yr old female that has suffered with major depression,chronic anxiety and agorophobia for 34 years. Agoraphobia has been an on and off thing. Im on meds and seeing a psychiatrist and psychologist. My anxiety has been spiralling out of control lately so was put on a different antidepressant and was quite sick but it subsided.then she wanted me to increase my dose then i got blurred vision. I stuck it out and after a very long 11days my vision came good. She wants me to increase a little more but iam too scared too. Ive had a really stressful few years. Looking after my elderly parents who unfortunately got to the stage where they had to both go into a nursing home. Then last year my beloved partner of 24yrs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the oncologist was very straightforward and said he didnt know if they could save him. I was devastated beyond belief. After nearly a year of chemo and a 10 hour operation the best news......they had got all the cancer! He has to go back in another month to have a ct scan and we are told that if its come back there is nothing they can do. Iam dreading this ct scan. Anyway ive rambled on enough for now. I have a few other issues i would like to talk about , maybe next time as this was pretty scary doing my first post! Shenlee

jupiter Anxiety out of its box
  • replies: 4

Hi all.This is my first post.My anxiety is very difficult at the moment after 4 days in hospital with pneumonia. I had a couple of days of hydro cortisone and am still in a reducing dose of steroid. I take an antidepressant at night. I am avoiding al... View more

Hi all.This is my first post.My anxiety is very difficult at the moment after 4 days in hospital with pneumonia. I had a couple of days of hydro cortisone and am still in a reducing dose of steroid. I take an antidepressant at night. I am avoiding all caffeine and don't drink.All this is as my mum is slowly leaving us after I made the decision to tell her that it was ok to go if she thought it was the right time. She is just a sad figure curled up in bed being very well cared for The mother I knew was gone some time ago. Any suggestions to help much appreciated.

OhmeOhmy Feeling Like A Caged Animal
  • replies: 10

Feeling so restless and anxious, pacing around and can't escape myself. I tried reaching out and being honest about where I'm at but it seems honesty is not always the best path as people tend to judge and even your problems have to fit a certain soc... View more

Feeling so restless and anxious, pacing around and can't escape myself. I tried reaching out and being honest about where I'm at but it seems honesty is not always the best path as people tend to judge and even your problems have to fit a certain socially acceptable standard. That's why I choose to stay away from people, such hypocrites . I just want to get away from my thoughts and this crazy restless feeling. Arrrghhh!!!

Smile_and_breathe feek like I'm in a bubble of anxiety
  • replies: 4

I feel like I'm going crazy. My heart is pumping so fast, I'm all jittery. I'm frustrated, cross, annoyed. Noises are really bugging me, like any noise. More then ever before. I've had anxiety for asking as I can remember but at the moment im not cop... View more

I feel like I'm going crazy. My heart is pumping so fast, I'm all jittery. I'm frustrated, cross, annoyed. Noises are really bugging me, like any noise. More then ever before. I've had anxiety for asking as I can remember but at the moment im not coping. Nothing that usually calms me is working and I don't know what wrong with me. My moods and lack of patience is really frustrating my husband. I feel bad for him. Any tips or advice? I feel screaming!

NightOwl Anxiety is WINNING! :(
  • replies: 10

I recently asked for a referral to a psychologist to tackle my long term issues with anxiety, depression and complete lack of self confidence. After several sessions I don't feel that they are very helpful as my anxiety causes me to freeze up in thes... View more

I recently asked for a referral to a psychologist to tackle my long term issues with anxiety, depression and complete lack of self confidence. After several sessions I don't feel that they are very helpful as my anxiety causes me to freeze up in these sessions and not speak more than one word answers and unfortunately my psych isn't a mind reader and I can feel her getting frustrated with me not opening up to her. I feel the more I 'dont talk' the less she tries and instead talks about day to day things that I SHOULD be doing to better my future wellness etc. that's all well and good but inside my head I'm screaming at her to help me overcome this anxiety, I know what I should be doing but it doesn't make it any easier. I feel like she's throwing me in a river and telling me to just learn how to swim! Basically social anxiety rules my life. Every decision I make day to day is out of avoidance of people and social situations. Self confidence is non existent to the point where I've quit my job, I'm losing the relationship with friends because I decline invites, I'm barely leaving the house because i need to avoid any social interactions. I've had a lot going on in the last couple of months and felt my anxiety is getting worse, not only in social situations but for no reason. I found myself getting anxious about 'getting anxious' and waking up at night with a racing heart and gasping for breath. This caused even more anxiety. I've asked for help and my psychologist is not helping, I dont know where else to turn. I'm constantly stressing over the next psychologist appointment because I know how terrible I am at talking, she's no longer trying to listen and is becoming frustrated with me. I feel like I'm sitting in a principals office getting a lecture and I feel defeated before I even walk in the door. Maybe if she'd ask the right questions she might get the answers she wants but instead she sits and waits until I say something....

jodes76 struggling so much
  • replies: 7

I been really down lately, anxiety is constant. Today I had a meltdown. I still feel so lost. My hubby has disability which he slowly getting worse. My kids are at Times difficult. All pressure on me to hold the fort. But now I'm slowly collapsing. I... View more

I been really down lately, anxiety is constant. Today I had a meltdown. I still feel so lost. My hubby has disability which he slowly getting worse. My kids are at Times difficult. All pressure on me to hold the fort. But now I'm slowly collapsing. I really don't know what to do

sociallyawks Help.. am I just painfully shy or do I have social anxiety
  • replies: 10

Hi all, I am a 37 year old gay man and I'm not sure if Im just painfully shy or have social anxiety. I need some help. I avoid situations where there are lots of people (it exhausts me), going to parties where I dont know anyone and I really hate goi... View more

Hi all, I am a 37 year old gay man and I'm not sure if Im just painfully shy or have social anxiety. I need some help. I avoid situations where there are lots of people (it exhausts me), going to parties where I dont know anyone and I really hate going to bars or night clubs and It think its all due to this social anxiety. I just blame it on the bar saying I hate the kind of people that go there but really its me feeling anxious about it. An example of this was last week. I went to a friends softball game to support them. Not knowing anyone I retreated into my shy self and was afraid to speak to anyone preferring to stand away from everyone under a tree. When I did I felt like what I was saying must have been not funny, not interesting and they all must be thinking who is this guy anyway. I had no confidence to introduce myself even though I knew a few people there from social media. I had no confidence to go up to anyone or strike a conversation. Then after I left I just felt so bad at how I had behaved in that 1 hour that I felt like an idiot and its no wonder people wouldnt want to know me when I act like that. I probably came across disinterested. Knowing what the gay community can be like I have always felt like you're always under scrutiny and being judged on your body, clothes, job, car, money etc etc. I am in a relationship as have been for 9 years now and have no problem when it comes to being social with people I know in small groups. But over time I have lost all of my friends, our friends now are my partners friends from before we met. My problem now is I really dont know how to go about finding my own new friends when I am so anxious about talking to new people and being social. I really just feel at a loss as to what to do next. I dont want to be that socially anxious or painfully shy person. I know I am a good person but people dont get to see it as I retreat into my shy self . Please help. what can I do?

willow87 i need help
  • replies: 5

I need help,,,, my health anxiety has brought me to my limit. I have had health anxiety for as long as I can remember. I am 28 now... and exhausted. I have been convinced so many times that I have had cancer of just about any type you can think of. I... View more

I need help,,,, my health anxiety has brought me to my limit. I have had health anxiety for as long as I can remember. I am 28 now... and exhausted. I have been convinced so many times that I have had cancer of just about any type you can think of. I even thought at one stage after a bad case of the flu, that I had HIV... even though I have never even been exposed to it.. for some reason I thought I had it. right now I am convinced that my hair is falling out. every single strand that comes out on the brush I obsess over. I even shower in the dark because I don't want to see any hair that comes out or I will make myself sick with worry. I have seen psychiatrists, psychologists, been on medication, taken valium, seen naturopaths, and here I am... I don't feel as though this is ever going to get any better, I am so so tired... My husband is supportive of me of course, but I know he is tired of this too. does anyone else feel this way? I feel like I am the only one...

Amino Anxiety newbie
  • replies: 6

Hi all! Took me quite a while but I've finally dragged myself to say hi to you all. I'm suffering from anxiety for the last 5 months now but the problems may have started earlier than that. It's just that this time the anxiety decided to stay and set... View more

Hi all! Took me quite a while but I've finally dragged myself to say hi to you all. I'm suffering from anxiety for the last 5 months now but the problems may have started earlier than that. It's just that this time the anxiety decided to stay and set up shop in my head. I was a mess until my doctor put me on a 6 month prescription antidepressant. It's been good since, able to sleep coz insomnia was a big problem when my anxiety strikes. Now I can sleep peacefully most nights because of the antidepressant . Still gets relapses every now and then but never as bad as when I first had it 5 months ago. I have one month to go with the antidepressants but not sure what would happen after that. I may have to take up another prescription for another 6 months, see how I go first. anyway thanks for listening to my rant, sure to talk to everyone individually soon. See ya

KP24 Anxiety & Relationships
  • replies: 4

Hi, I am new to this online forum and was hoping to find out some strategies or idea's of how to deal with my anxiety. I have always been a worrier, but these unaddressed issues have seen my relationship suffering and are also impacting my work. At t... View more

Hi, I am new to this online forum and was hoping to find out some strategies or idea's of how to deal with my anxiety. I have always been a worrier, but these unaddressed issues have seen my relationship suffering and are also impacting my work. At the moment I see a counsellor who said I am your Type A personality one that strives to excel yet these simple life functioning skills around my anxiety are non existent. I want to save my relationship, I also what to learn as much as I can about how other's have coped as I do not see the bright light when I am in the midst of it all. I am now living in the house by myself and I am struggling with handling everything and I don't want to resort to drinking which is something I have done in the past to slow my brain down. Any idea's?