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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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OCDgirl88 OCD: My Story
  • replies: 6

Hi I'm Steph,I have battled OCD for as long as I can remember and as a budding writer I recently had the urge to share my experience with OCD on my blog. My main reason is to help my friends and family grasp what I go through daily (as I often get to... View more

Hi I'm Steph,I have battled OCD for as long as I can remember and as a budding writer I recently had the urge to share my experience with OCD on my blog. My main reason is to help my friends and family grasp what I go through daily (as I often get told to stop my rituals like it is that easy, or yelled at for following my compulsions; even though most of them have their own mental health conditions with mental illness embedded in our genetics, they don't have OCD however. Although I haven't had the guts to share the link with them either personally or on Facebook yet, despite publishing it a few weeks ago, I'm still building up to it.Another reason is I have always felt alone, and on bad days I often search the internet for personal OCD stories to feel a little less alone, but there's not too many that are searchable and I hope that by sharing my story I can give someone a little bit of hope as I've reached the stage where I see that 'things do get better' and to help others like myself feel a little less alone.Finally, I'd like to start spreading more awareness about OCD. Something I hope to do more publicly in the future (if I am fortunate to be a successful writer) Thanks,Steph

Mermaid_64 Breast Cancer Survivor now feeling anxious!
  • replies: 3

I am a positive, healthy, fun loving 50 year old woman. I am 8 years post my breast cancer "journey"..having had full mastectomy, oophorectomy (removal of my ovaries)...chemo and radio..the bic mac of treatments they say! I also had a full diep flap ... View more

I am a positive, healthy, fun loving 50 year old woman. I am 8 years post my breast cancer "journey"..having had full mastectomy, oophorectomy (removal of my ovaries)...chemo and radio..the bic mac of treatments they say! I also had a full diep flap reconstruction, which gives me a new right breast..all very good and positive. I also exercise around 4 times per week. I sailed through my treatment, choosing to take it a day at a time. Meditated for 18months, went back to painting and sculpting..and generally living the life i wanted. All seemingly going well. This year, i have since separated from my husband of 30 years..again..seemingly amicable..said goodbye to our family home and now reside with one of my adult daughters and her partner. I have since met the love of my life..who lives overseas. We have decided to make a go of living in 2 cities. I am extremely happy and grateful for this time in my life. I should ad, i am the support person for my closest friend..who's husband is dying of Mesothelioma, an insidious and cruel disease. So why now...? Do I start to have what i feel are symptoms of anxiety? I have not suffered from mental illness in the past, but have always been aware and conscious of changes in my thoughts. I would be described as an extreme optimist. My symptoms are: tightness in my chest, at times shortness of breath, a sore back, i am teary, tired and have trouble getting a restful nights sleep. The worst part, is the overwhelming feeling cancer is going to come back. I wake in hot and cold sweats sometimes..Every ache and pain, i panic. This has not happened in the previous years...it seems to be getting worse the longer i survive! Watching friends and public figures die from Cancer, does play on my mind also. .Makes me think "why am i still here, happy and healthy"..I don't believe in "i deserve happiness", because everyone does! .I have not been to a support group for cancer survivors, as they tend to be a bit dark and i tend to feel too much..I have not been diagnosed with Anxiety either, this is the first step i have taken to learn more and find out if anyone else feels or felt this way..and how did they overcome these feelings. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Mermaid 64. "

Nori00 My social anxiety...
  • replies: 2

I'm 30 yr old mum to one amazingly sweet girl and pregnant with another.. However I'm very socially anxious.. I actually have 2 very close girlfriends but I have trouble meeting and connecting with new people so much so that it actually prevents me f... View more

I'm 30 yr old mum to one amazingly sweet girl and pregnant with another.. However I'm very socially anxious.. I actually have 2 very close girlfriends but I have trouble meeting and connecting with new people so much so that it actually prevents me from doing the things I want to do.. I even avoid taking my daughter to busy parks because I don't want to be in a surrounding where people might see me as awkward or weird.. I don't know what's wrong with me.. I work 3 days a week but in an office with only 4 others and I've been in that job for 10yrs so don't have to socialize there really .. On the weekends my husband works so we don't get a lot of time to actually socialize together and I kind of hate going to family or couples events on my own...the funny thing is my husband has heaps of friends and is extremely good with people, he can put anyone at ease which is one of the reasons I love him so much but it also makes me feel incredibly inadequate...most of my days off work I spend with my 2 friends (1 has kids) or my parents because these are the only people I trust and feel comfortable around however it makes me feel weak, isolated and lonely that I can't make friends easier for my own sake as well as for my daughters sake..I feel depressed about it all but I don't want to go on any medications... I've always believed that exercise and diet is a natural antidepressant and I know they say you have to make time for these but between work, my daughter and house duties I just feel exhausted!

Daisy_field Living with anxiety for years
  • replies: 3

I've suffered anxiety for 12 years I'm on medication and still suffer panic attacks some days are great but most are hard My partner of 14 years left 2 years ago...honestly don't blame him. I have 4 amazing kids and parents that are a huge help! I wo... View more

I've suffered anxiety for 12 years I'm on medication and still suffer panic attacks some days are great but most are hard My partner of 14 years left 2 years ago...honestly don't blame him. I have 4 amazing kids and parents that are a huge help! I wouldn't be able to do this without them. I don't have many friends so social life is none! I'm so scared to drive a car, so makes getting out a hell of a lot harder...all I want to do is to be able to take my kids to school without dragging my mum behind me! I just can't seem to see that light at the end of the tunnel, one thing I don't understand is that I've had these issues for so long that I thought I'd just be used to the panic. I've pretty much been through it all even tried hypnotherapy! Feel so stuck!

Kree Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
  • replies: 4

I have obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). It differs from OCD, although there are some similarities. I'm a perfectionist. It started in my mid-twenties (I'm nearly 40) and I'm now going to uni finally (nursing). I have very little self... View more

I have obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). It differs from OCD, although there are some similarities. I'm a perfectionist. It started in my mid-twenties (I'm nearly 40) and I'm now going to uni finally (nursing). I have very little self-esteem, I have social anxieties and performance anxieties to add to the mix. I am terrified of job interviews, but I'm stuck in a dead end job that doesn't suit my needs and I am not able to support myself on the meagre income it provides, so I MUST change jobs. I actually have a diploma of nursing that I've held for a year and a half but haven't used because there just doesn't appear to be any jobs for enrolled nurses which don't require experience (which of course I don't have). I started having full-blown panic attacks last year and in semester two, I started vomiting constantly and sleeping all the time. I lost 10kg in a matter of weeks because I just couldn't eat. I wanted to - I would have one bite and feel over full. I realised that I was miserable with the man I'd been married to for 17 years and I decided I couldn't stay with him and his bully of a mother. He shook my last March (just after my first major panic attack). In September, I asked for a divorce and finally moved out in November. I'm worried constantly about my daughter (age spending time with him because of his plethora of mental illnesses and chronic pain requiring opioid medications and heart condition also requiring medication. To gain full custody and get her away from him would require much more money than I can afford. I'm much happier since leaving him and I've been able to wean myself off the antidepressants, but not the sleeping tablets. I still wake many times each night and never feel rested. I have money problems (who doesn't, really?), but I'm frugal so I get by. My new boyfriend helps me incredibly - he's very calm and I find he soothes my soul, but I'm still neurotic - worrying about every little thing. I still can't concentrate on my studies. I'm 'smart' in that I seem to pass all my theory subjects without much study, but when it comes to the practical assessments and clinical placements, I 'bomb out' and nearly fail. My social anxieties don't help (my BF also has social anxieties so that actually relaxes me a little as I don't have to worry about being dragged to parties etc where I don't know anyone). Noting that OCPD is something that tends to get worse, is it possible to quash it? Or is this something that is going to eventually consume me? I've become isolated to only a few friends and most of the rest of my friends are online and I've never met them (and probably never will). I dread mistakes of any kind, I can't stand my house being too small with no storage so things are out in view (even though I don't really have guests) and I spend too much time making lists and then not completing tasks because I need to re-do tasks that were probably ok and should have been left alone. I feel like I am getting out of control with myself. I've tried CBT with a psychologist, but in the end, even though I could see her point, I couldn't put it into my own world. In my head, my obsessions and compulsions are needed and necessary. Like making the perfect lists. Has anyone else experienced this and beaten it? I'm sick of perfectionism controlling my life and getting me down because I can't achieve it.

Meeper Anyone struggling with food-related anxiety???
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I've been struggling with my eating for years after job cuts in my work area in 2012. I have fairly severe emetophobia and I get reflux in periods of high stress. I thought if I didn't eat I wouldn't feel sick and I'd be sure not to miss... View more

Hi everyone, I've been struggling with my eating for years after job cuts in my work area in 2012. I have fairly severe emetophobia and I get reflux in periods of high stress. I thought if I didn't eat I wouldn't feel sick and I'd be sure not to miss work. Sadly then I started avoiding it all the time and then avoiding other things until I was almost a shut-in. I made some good progress until this year when life got really stressful and I got sick for a long time and my reflux kicked back up again. I live alone most of the time now and I just can't seem to find the courage to eat in case something happens when no one is around to help me. I know it would solve a lot of problems if I could make an improvement on this but I'm not sure how to break it down so it feels manageable. Does anyone else have anxiety-related food avoidance?

dreamcatchergirl Constant self doubt about selfworth and work
  • replies: 3

I am currently looking for a job in the field in which I have spent the last 3 years studying. It's a creative field and I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I pursued it anyway. It's not impossible to get a job, a few people that graduated with me ... View more

I am currently looking for a job in the field in which I have spent the last 3 years studying. It's a creative field and I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I pursued it anyway. It's not impossible to get a job, a few people that graduated with me have found one ( mind you that's only about 2 or 3 people) I am constantly held back by my self doubts. I fee like I shouldn't have pursued a creative career, I really struggle with getting my ideas across and selling my point of view because I'm worried about what people will think of me and I'm convinced that all my ideas are bad! In saying that though, deep down I believe I do have a true talent for this and that I can shine but I won't allow myself too. I have absolutely zero confidence in finding a job and envision myself sitting in an office like a mouse too scared to express myself and becoming a wallflower. Has anyone had similar experiences? Anyone over come these ever present feelings of self doubt? I have anxiety and have probably dealt with it unknowingly my whole life but only put a name to it 3 years ago. I'm in a constant state of worry and have obsessive thoughts about bad things happening to me or the people around me. This adds to feelings of stress and makes the simplest of tasks feel over whelming. All year I have said that I will put my portfolio together and email it along with my CV to lots of firms. I still haven't done this. I feel unmotivated and hopeless about it all. People say to "fake it till you make it" but I can't fake self esteem.

Titanium730 Anxiety is eating me up when dating!
  • replies: 3

I've always lived with anxiety, so I never realized how badly it was affecting me until this last year or two. I have dated plenty and have had some short term relationships and one long term relationship. I notice that when I start talking to someon... View more

I've always lived with anxiety, so I never realized how badly it was affecting me until this last year or two. I have dated plenty and have had some short term relationships and one long term relationship. I notice that when I start talking to someone of interest, I am cool, calm and collected. However, once I become interested after say a date or so, I almost get sucked into quick sand where I am in constant panic of "when will I see him again?!" " Why hasn't he texted me yet, he texted me always at this time!" I feel a constant need to know when I'm going to see him next and know what he's thinking. I think that this mindset has set me up to fail because I feel as though it's all or nothing because I don't want to be hurt. I start learning their pattern of communication and once that strays even a little, I panic and it affects my daily life. If they don't ask to hangout soon or talk about it, I panic. It's a vicious cycle that I do NOT know how to break. I internalize everything, so no guy has ever heard me say those things, but has anyone else ever experienced anything like this, and if so, have you found any strategies to just "let it be" and not feel like you have to know when every text, call, date is going to happen?

purple_dog anxiety related to food anaphylactic child
  • replies: 1

Hello to everyone out there who has an anaphylactic child... Apparently there is a high incidence of anxiety among these parents, particularly the mothers as they are responsible for food preparation and management of these children. There is growing... View more

Hello to everyone out there who has an anaphylactic child... Apparently there is a high incidence of anxiety among these parents, particularly the mothers as they are responsible for food preparation and management of these children. There is growing number of anaphylactic children in our society today, and unfortunately experts at this point in time do not have the answers as to why this is happening, and no real treatment only management. I myself have an anaphylactic child, and believe this is when my anxiety started and skyrocketed to ridiculous proportions. The stress of trying to feed and manage my child was overwhelming, as my son was diagnosed many years ago and there was very little awareness or acknowledgement in society and schools as there is today. My husband took a back seat and let me deal with it all, this just escalated my anxiety further. Yes I was introduced to other parents who had similar children, and yes they were just as anxious as I was, some better, and some were even worse. I had mixed experiences in these interactions. Some mothers were great and if our childs allergy was the same, we discussed food options and meal preparation ideas which was helpful. However there were some negative experiences, with some mothers trying to "win" whose child had the most life threatening allergies/medical conditions. I found this very draining as I felt that we should have all been supporting each other. So...I have survived almost 17 years of anaphylaxis, and hopefully have educated my son enough for him to make safe choices and manage his anaphylaxis as he now becomes an adult. I will still constantly worry about him, and that unexpected phone call I may receive informing me that he is in hospital due to a reaction. Experts are working on food anaphylaxis and I am waiting for that breakthrough to help improve the lives of those affected. I would love to hear from others who can relate

Lookingforpeace Anxiety and dark thoughts
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone Just have a few thoughts buzzing around in my head and wanted to air them out here and get your thoughts. Last year I was bullied at work, had relationship problems and also became physically unwell for about 8 months. I don't think I dea... View more

Hi everyone Just have a few thoughts buzzing around in my head and wanted to air them out here and get your thoughts. Last year I was bullied at work, had relationship problems and also became physically unwell for about 8 months. I don't think I dealt with each of these problems (except perhaps the illness) at the time. Is it possible to suffer from anxiety months and months after such events? Whilst they were upsetting at the time, I feel like it is only now that I am feeling the mental effects. Also I had some strange, dark imagery enter my mind as I was trying to go to sleep the other night. It is hard to explain but I had images of a large black spider and dark smokey shadow creeping over my brain. This was obviously quite disturbing and was the first time I've had those kind of "thoughts". Anyone else experience something similar?

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