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Anxiety

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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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Puncar I lost control over my life
  • replies: 4

Hi all! First of all I feel a bit relieved knowing that maybe I'm not the only person out there that suffers from anxiety. It's nice to know that people have been through it and are here to help others like me to overcome anxiety. I started feeling a... View more

Hi all! First of all I feel a bit relieved knowing that maybe I'm not the only person out there that suffers from anxiety. It's nice to know that people have been through it and are here to help others like me to overcome anxiety. I started feeling anxiety back in 2012 but i wont bore you with all the details. At the beginning it was bearable but i have been deteriorating little by little due to my circumstances. I have live with my girlfriend at her mom's house about a year but I feel i havent been completely happy with this decision from the start even though it was my choice i feel i was forced into it by my girlfriend (which is really spoiled and controlling, her worst treats :/). There are good things about it as well like i pay less rent and stuff but I feel as I gave up my independence when i moved in. Last year I was going through a lot of stressing events as i was finishing my diploma at tafe, working and dealing with my girlfriend's family gatherings that have always made me nervous. I felt i suffered a major break down and the last months of 2013 i was exhausted and anxious nearly all of the time. Ever since then i have been feeling anxious, i stopped going to my girlfriend's family gatherings even living uner the same roof as i cannot cope with the anxiety and distress that that causes me and a month ago I stopped working because I reached a point where I can no longer spend one day without worrying or feeling scared that people are gonna hurt me or things of the like. In all honesty, im not even sure what is it that makes me scared, all i know is that i completely freak out when i have to talk to people in person and that has had its toll in my social life. Im not sure how to proceed anymore but its making me frustrated because i think the best years of my life are being wasted away and i have not much to do about it.

keena How to i get partner to understand
  • replies: 3

I'm suffering from anxiety and depression and I'm finding it very hard to get partner to understand how i feel and what I'm going through I feel like he doesn't believe me and I'm over reacting. Please any tips link anything that I can try to get him... View more

I'm suffering from anxiety and depression and I'm finding it very hard to get partner to understand how i feel and what I'm going through I feel like he doesn't believe me and I'm over reacting. Please any tips link anything that I can try to get him to understand Thank you

Heartbroken_dad paralyzed by anxiety
  • replies: 11

I've struggled with anxiety & acceptance since i was 9 or 10. I'm now 43, my life has disintegrated right before my eyes over the past 2 years. I've lost my job, my marriage (which was marred by the anxiety & my self deprecating thoughts & actions) m... View more

I've struggled with anxiety & acceptance since i was 9 or 10. I'm now 43, my life has disintegrated right before my eyes over the past 2 years. I've lost my job, my marriage (which was marred by the anxiety & my self deprecating thoughts & actions) my only son now lives with his mother in another country & I have no access to him as he has had all lines of communication taken away, his mother has been less than discreet discussing my "failures", something that always really irritated me during the marriage. I left the country we were all living in after suffering the crushing pressure from the very hostile separation. It ruined me financially and emotionally. My heart is broken.I' m afraid to do anything, have spent 7 months here, dwelling on what I could have done differently, worried out of my mind about what I will face next. The past 3 months or so, I've been completely paralyzed by fear, panic, worry. I don't want to go anywhere, have withdrawn from family, avoid relationships completely, avoid starting anything new for fear it too will fail. It's a huge, compounded mess.I feel like I'm a complete failure, my mind is racing with thoughts of past unpleasant dealings, failures, arguments, what I could do differently & feel hopeless & helpless trying to make sense of it all. Most recently, I've found myself sobbing uncontrollably, without warning, usually when I see a picture of my son, or think of some of the things him & I would do together. I get chest pain, am short of breath, nightmares, chills & sweats, can't concentrate, have lost all interest & enjoyment in life. I have lost hope of being happy again, mainly due to the despair of not seeing my son, possibly ever again. I haven't been able to find work, not that I feel like I could even manage to work with all my worry & physical decline over the past 3 or 4 months. I stopped exercising, I just watch TV, read news online (which really irritates me & makes me ever more cynical), I typically get up in the morning, have breakfast, shower, then sit on the couch most the day until I get dinner. I was working out 5 days a week & was extremely fit a year ago. In my previous job, I saw a lot of violence, images & video of brutal homicides, assaults, rapes & the job was very stressful.

HelenM can anyone tell me what's going on?
  • replies: 19

I've not been on the forums for a week or two. I'm having new symptoms that don't make sense. By the beginning of June I was coming out of a 5 month depression - it was mild for me. Then one day I developed horrendous fear (mental rather than physica... View more

I've not been on the forums for a week or two. I'm having new symptoms that don't make sense. By the beginning of June I was coming out of a 5 month depression - it was mild for me. Then one day I developed horrendous fear (mental rather than physica ) that I'd go right down again. After an awful week it passed and I started back up. Within 4 weeks I was fine again then wham- the same horrible fear Which passed after a week. I went on to have 3 pretty good weeks - then fear again though not just as intense but debilitating. This went after a couple of days. So I begin to relax - then last Friday -just four days later here it is again - very like the one before in duration and intensity. My GP thinks it's unpleasant but has no answers. In 12 years of depression I've haven't had fear anything like this bad. My depression and anxiety are minimal - I don't know what's going on. Just now(ie in the last few days) the only thing that's holding me back is the belief that this will return. Because it's so new to me I am unable to see how it can possibly resolve. Can it? Please if any of the answers are negative don't tell me. Also I can't see a psychiatrist as they'd recommend CBT which I've done lots of. I feel totally lost in all this and whilst I'm grateful for the good days the fear is blighting my life. Thanks for reading, Helen

gmc Anxiety and ongoing treatment
  • replies: 3

Hello everyone, It's been 5 days already since I am in a state of anxiety that I can't actually calm down.I am going through some latent stress with a renovation and some of it accentuated lately, so based on some triggers that I already recognize, I... View more

Hello everyone, It's been 5 days already since I am in a state of anxiety that I can't actually calm down.I am going through some latent stress with a renovation and some of it accentuated lately, so based on some triggers that I already recognize, I have started to feel very worried again, on no reason, just thinking of "what if...' and anticipating all sort of scenarios. I have no one to talk about this, except my therapist, that I see once a week, and it's just eating me inside. I am ongoing treatment for anxiety and depression and I am thinking over and over that my dosage is not enough, because I am thinking that being in such a state is not normal while being in a treatment. I am seeing my psychiatrist in 2 weeks, but maybe I should see him earlier... My therapist said it's not about increasing dosages, it's about the way of thinking. My psychiatrist says it could be increased, as I am taking the lowest dosage. Maybe the answer is somewhere in the middle. I should talk to them more about this... I just can't calm down, even if I know how things will work. I am aware of my situation, at least part of it, but I can't stabilize myself more. I am fighting hard to keep this as "only time will make it happen", but it's too hard. Feeling of guilt just flood me. I can't think by myself of way to just sit and think of the possibilities and just realize the best of them - to wait. I know the end, but I can't stop and just not race in my head with a thousand miles per hour. I can't be alone, my I am, most of the time. Something just eats me inside. Should I see my psychiatrist earlier? Should I call my therapist or write to her? What can I do to just stop and slowly analyze?

viper57 anxiety when not feeling well
  • replies: 2

Hi I am still not well from sinus getting anxiety from it today im a bit off taken all medication including antibioctics and sinus tablets maybe its this causing anxiety dont know does anyone get this

Hi I am still not well from sinus getting anxiety from it today im a bit off taken all medication including antibioctics and sinus tablets maybe its this causing anxiety dont know does anyone get this

BigBunny Hello, new here *waves*
  • replies: 4

Hello beyond bluers *waves* I signed up today because recently my ptsd has been getting worse and I thought joining a forum like this would be a good idea. I've had anxiety/depression all my life but last year I was admitted to hospital and the docto... View more

Hello beyond bluers *waves* I signed up today because recently my ptsd has been getting worse and I thought joining a forum like this would be a good idea. I've had anxiety/depression all my life but last year I was admitted to hospital and the doctors misdiagnosed me with serotonin syndrome. they took me off my anti-depressant cold turkey and for 2 days I had shakes/tremors, lost feeling in my whole body and saw things moving around my hospital room eg: my blanket would move by itself, my heart rate would go up to 160 just lying there and once the doctors came in asking me "why aren't you breathing?". unfortunetly on my third day in hospital I asked if I could go home and a young doctor didn't want me too, he wanted me to go to the psych ward. as I wasn't well and not thinking I said 'ok' because I thought they'd help me but they made me worse I spent 10 days in the psych ward and because I was taken of my usual medication so fast I had a psychotic episode I'd never had one before. as a result of this all this I now have pts, I shake & have develop a stammer especially when I go out. several things can trigger what I call an "episode", if I think someone has said something negative to me it sets me off, I make a loud noise (like I'm in pain and don't stop), my arms go up in the air & get stuck there, I shake and cry. even the smallest thing can cause me to make a noise eg: the teabag tag falling into my cup of tea, or dropping a tea spoon. If you have read this far, I thank you >=:) and if you have pts or anxiety I would love to hear from you. BB

Peter_A-W Hello, new to this so I thought I would say a little something
  • replies: 3

Hi my name is Peter and have just decided to check this forum after joining Blue Voices. I'm 36 and only a couple of years ago went to see someone to help me get my life sorted out. I always thought any problems I had were just who I was and that I h... View more

Hi my name is Peter and have just decided to check this forum after joining Blue Voices. I'm 36 and only a couple of years ago went to see someone to help me get my life sorted out. I always thought any problems I had were just who I was and that I had to live my life around my fears and inadequacies. Having spent most of my life this way, always questioning everything and really struggling social and just having no confidence and really low expectations about myself and my life, to find out that I had severe anxiety and social phobia and there was a way for me to get more out of life was amazing. I have been very lucky in that the doctor I am seeing was someone I was very comfortable with straight away and we had a connection that has allowed me to trust him. Also a family that have always backed me and never once throughout my life of just doing nothing have done anything but support me. I haven't got any friends, it has always been hard to trust people and get to know them but I know why now. I haven't really worked either over the years but am trying hard to get work now. This for me is the hardest part and something that frustrates me. As I don't have much experience or work history and at 36 years old people don't want to employ me. I've written letters to places, even mental health places and told them my story but no luck so far. I have written about my anxiety in some cover letters to explain my lack of a work history but don't know if that puts them off. Anyway I feel incredibly lucky to be where I am now and thats why I wanted to join blue voices and this community. I want to be able to pass on any support I can to others as I know how much that building your confidence can help. Also the biggest part of getting to where I am was being able to talk to other people with similar stories, to find out you are not alone was just an amazing feeling. So hello everyone nice to meet you and hope to talk more soon.

BigBunny anyone else have PTS?
  • replies: 5

Hello, I didn't title my first thread well, just put 'hello, I'm new here'. I would like to talk to others who have been diagnosed with ptsd (post traumatic stress disorder) mine has been getting worse as I posted in my first thread. thank you for re... View more

Hello, I didn't title my first thread well, just put 'hello, I'm new here'. I would like to talk to others who have been diagnosed with ptsd (post traumatic stress disorder) mine has been getting worse as I posted in my first thread. thank you for reading BB >=:)

kafrinbear Panicking in the traffic
  • replies: 2

I've been reading a few threads and I'm not having a very good day. So, through the tears that are streaming down my face right now I'll try and write some things that will hopefully make me feel a bit better. My family are out right now so I am home... View more

I've been reading a few threads and I'm not having a very good day. So, through the tears that are streaming down my face right now I'll try and write some things that will hopefully make me feel a bit better. My family are out right now so I am home alone. I am home alone right now because of a busy intersection. I laid awake most of last night and have given myself a headache on top of the last of a winter cold (stupid cough is driving me crazy) because of the fear of driving through an intersection I dislike. To go out with my partner and my kids today I needed to be able to drive through this intersection, a busy multi-directional, multi-laned intersection that was the scene of an awful fatal accident just a few weeks ago. It's not just this intersection, there are a few around that I avoid. I hate the traffic and being boxed in the middle lane when driving about my city. I like the left lane, I can easily escape the road if I need to, pull over or take the turn into a side street, catch my breath and continue on. Sometimes too I can take the left turn, do a u-turn and go straight through an intersection in the left lane without hiccup. My tactics for doing what I need to do. Today however I couldn't avoid this intersection in a daunting part of town that's not familiar at the end of an again-daunting freeway. I thought this was new, well worse in the last year but I've come to realise that I always got overwhelmed in traffic. I grew up and learned to drive in the country, when I went to the city I got panicky in the traffic. It's just as I didn't live in the city it wasn't that often that I went there and as it was a big trip my ex-husband would mostly be driving. Now I have moved to the city so I'm hit with these problems once a week and not once every 6 months as it used to be. So I now realise it's a big problem. Today it's stopped me from spending time with my family and I can't accept that. I've seen the doctor (maybe 4 months ago) about this and I have a referral to see a psycologist but I just haven't picked up the phone and made the appointment. edit: there's more I had to cut this post down for the character limit.