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. 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

All discussions

InThePink58 from someone desperate to hold on....
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Hello everyone, I am not sure how to put into words how I am feeling. Lost would be an ideal description.I should be happy because I do have a good GP, Psychologist etc. BUT all I want is to get back to work, I have been away for close to 4 months no... View more

Hello everyone, I am not sure how to put into words how I am feeling. Lost would be an ideal description.I should be happy because I do have a good GP, Psychologist etc. BUT all I want is to get back to work, I have been away for close to 4 months now, with no end in sight. I am just holding on to see what the outcome is for me. Perhaps today is just another one of "those" days. Do others do this....holding on I mean? Thank you, stay well everyone.

shenlee dont know how much more i can take
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Iam in such a bad wayvwith my anxiety . Ive tried all the coping skills ive learned but to no avail at the moment. I think im pretty sure actually what is causing it. Ive had very bad pulsations in my left temple for 3months with the occasional pain.... View more

Iam in such a bad wayvwith my anxiety . Ive tried all the coping skills ive learned but to no avail at the moment. I think im pretty sure actually what is causing it. Ive had very bad pulsations in my left temple for 3months with the occasional pain. I put it down to a nasty sinus infection i had. But now my doctor seems concerned enough to send me for a MRI of my brain. He thinks it might be something vascular. Iam at my wits end with worry! Maybe its this maybe its that......What ifs. I cant sleep even on sleeping tablets, benzos and anti phsycotic meds. Im on antidepressants and am supposed to be increasing the dose but last time i went up i had bad blurred vision as a side effect for 11days. Iam creating so much tension in my head and have lost all control. Shenlee beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Lostinthought Is he right for me or am I just ridden with anxiety?
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Hi I'm new to beyond blue, I was in a two year relationship with someone I was very infatuated with but did not treat me well. I was obsessed with gaining this man's affection and when he was cold and mean to me I would do everything in my power to m... View more

Hi I'm new to beyond blue, I was in a two year relationship with someone I was very infatuated with but did not treat me well. I was obsessed with gaining this man's affection and when he was cold and mean to me I would do everything in my power to make things right. Until one day I couldn't take it anymore and I stood up for myself and left. He begged and begged and kicked and pleaded for forgiveness. But I stayed strong. I have now met a man who is an excellent boyfriend, very social, attentive, understanding and shows up to the relationship. We've been together 11 months and I have had anxiety about it the whole way along. I find myself in pure joy with him and affectionate sometimes. But lately I find myself extremely irritable toward him and the thought of him spikes my anxiety. I deliberate obsessively if I'm attracted to him or if I should be with him. It's killing me and making me feel like an awful person. I have accelerated heart rate, can't sleep and on the side of a breakdown. He's very understanding and I can't thank him enough. I feel trapped inside my head. Thoughts?

Sammo Cardiac Anxiety
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Hi all, I've been suffering anxiety and panic attacks since October 2014. I've been into hospital a few times, each time they could find no problem after blood tests and ECG's and said that I had anxiety/panic attacks. I've done a stress echocardiogr... View more

Hi all, I've been suffering anxiety and panic attacks since October 2014. I've been into hospital a few times, each time they could find no problem after blood tests and ECG's and said that I had anxiety/panic attacks. I've done a stress echocardiograph at a cardiologist and came back normal. The panic attack I had recently since the cardiologist review - I climbed 4 flights of stairs and became totally breathless with an extremely high heart rate - unlike the other people I was with. This was particularly worrying as a relatively fit 25 year old with low blood pressure, low cholesterol, no family history etc... I'm still having pains (sometime suddenly shooting) in my arm and hands, aches in my back and palpitations occasionally. I find all these symptoms scary, but doctors assure me these are normal anxiety related symptoms. The fact that they align so closely with cardiac related problems, and my last attack worry me - making me afraid to exert myself. I've seen GP's and cardiologists, but can't seem to feel reassured that I'm totally - making me anxious almost all of the time and starting to obsess over my health. Do any others get the same symptoms and, what are my next steps in dealing with this?

kaydeedoubleu Increasing number of anxiety attacks
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Hi,Iv recently been under quite alot of stress- i study at uni full time work permanent part time, play a sport twice a week and commit to exercise classes 3 days a week. At the moment I have one full day off a week. I am crippling under the stress. ... View more

Hi,Iv recently been under quite alot of stress- i study at uni full time work permanent part time, play a sport twice a week and commit to exercise classes 3 days a week. At the moment I have one full day off a week. I am crippling under the stress. Im not getting assignments done on time and feel like im flailing, even though im not. Over the past 3 days I have had 2 panic attacks, one last 1 hour (with the help of medication) and the other 1hr and a half. They are excruciating and the pain in my chest is so unbearable. I am really struggling to control my breathing and keep calm, positive thoughts so not to worsen them. I am so terrified of the onset of them, that even something like heartburn will bring on an attack. I hate them so much and I just cant bear it anymore. I have had them in the past and they always seem to last for at least an hour. Im trying to actively reduce the stress in my life, trying to exercise more and eat well- trying to time manage better. But I just need some advice on how to possibly work on lessening the severity of the attacks? does anyone else experience this? My last attack i was trying to physically hurt myself to take away from the panic/pain in my chest. I cant keep going on like this.Thank you

_savinme_ How do I know if I have anxiety?
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Hi all, just joined this forum. I think it's a beautiful thing to have this. Just thought I would post a question that has been on my mind for a while. I don't know if I have anxiety but lately I've been getting this feeling where my heart would sudd... View more

Hi all, just joined this forum. I think it's a beautiful thing to have this. Just thought I would post a question that has been on my mind for a while. I don't know if I have anxiety but lately I've been getting this feeling where my heart would suddenly race and I feel extremely nervous and no amount of steady breathing or calming thoughts can change it. I'm a full-time final year uni student and work at uni as a tutor as well. And on the days I have classes this feeling would heighten to the point where I can't concentrate on study and have to go to the toilet several times. But once the class time comes, my mind stops this worrying and I can sort of get through the class without must problem. Then the cycle repeats again. This also happens sometimes during one-on-one conversations with people. I would suddenly feel very self-conscious and my cheeks will start to tremble and I can feel myself getting embarrassed even though the conversation might be about something totally normal like movies. It's so bad to the point where I can't look the person in the eye. I don't know what it is but it scares me. Lately, I've also lost motivation to do things. I'm currently on a mid-semester break from uni and I planned to do assignments over this break, however, I cannot bring myself to focus. I wake up everyday then sit in front of the computer but get distracted very easily. Like I would open my assignment up and then feel overwhelmed by sadness and then try to cheer myself up by watching funny YouTube videos but that ends up wasting my entire day. I can't help it. I've never done this before. I don't know why I'm not motivated. My parents don't know because I hardly talk at home. It's hard to talk to them because they don't understand depression or anxiety. My dad thinks it's all in my head and that I can just change my thoughts in an instance. When I once told him I was sad he said things like "Don't think so stupidly, just change the way you're thinking and you'll be fine" so I have never told anyone anything since. I think the major reason why this feeling has blown up is because I'm worried about not securing a graduate job next year. Companies are recruiting at the moment and I haven't been to interviews and got rejected by 2 of the companies I applied for already. I'm an introvert and I just can't make myself seem employable. It's so sad. Anyway, sorry about the rant. Hope someone can tell me what it is I'm feeling Thanks everyone!

Sami15 Avoidance & relapses
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I have been a sufferer of anxiety for a few years now and also went through a period of depression. I only just joined today as I am feeling quite useless and disappointed in myself after an event this morning. I have been really stable ... View more

Hi everyone, I have been a sufferer of anxiety for a few years now and also went through a period of depression. I only just joined today as I am feeling quite useless and disappointed in myself after an event this morning. I have been really stable lately. I have managed to take control of my anxiety and have been quite proud of myself. I just started in a highly acute area of nursing in the last month which is high stress. I surprised myself and others by facing this huge fear of mine and have managed pretty incredibly in some emergency situations. I haven't had a panic attack since I've been working there.... Until this morning.... I can't figure out what triggered it but I could not get out of my car to go to work. The usual symptoms were back - chest pain, breathing troubles and the overwhelming feeling that I "can't do it". It truly felt like I was going to die by going into work. So I called in sick and went home feeling like a failure. I am good about avoiding anxiety, it feels so much better initially and then the sense of failure and embarrassment kicks in. I am also now anxious that I am wasting my sick leave and am going to get fired. Such an awful cycle! Can anyone tell stories of how they overcame their relapses? Or any avoiding "avoidance" strategies? Or any nurses out there who can relate to my job anxiety?

Daisycqt The simple act if sitting still
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I'm finding that the simple act of resting for a day is causing me to panic. Having been told since I was six years old that "if you are asleep, you should be awake, and if you're awake you should be working" I now reach the point that I can't work d... View more

I'm finding that the simple act of resting for a day is causing me to panic. Having been told since I was six years old that "if you are asleep, you should be awake, and if you're awake you should be working" I now reach the point that I can't work due to physical restrictions, but not working means I mentally have a terrible time. Because I'm not working, that induces a panic attack. My brain knows I can't do any physical labour at the time as I am physically restricted (I have fibromyalgia and osteo lipping on my spine which is very painful) but by not working, even the act of "taking a day off" causes my to panic and then I need to take a calmative. the guilt I've been programmed to feel by not doing hard physical work each day is so ingrained now that the mental effect on me is devastating. How can I overcome 44 years of programming to enjoy a simple day off?

Lilyrose Hoping for change soon...
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Hi all this is my first post. ive been dealing with anxiety for a little while and had an escalation which lasted 3 weeks in January. I try to stay positive, see a psycologist, exercise, I'm on medication (only for a short period), be mindful and kno... View more

Hi all this is my first post. ive been dealing with anxiety for a little while and had an escalation which lasted 3 weeks in January. I try to stay positive, see a psycologist, exercise, I'm on medication (only for a short period), be mindful and know that anxiety management takes time to master. My main issue currently (which I've had the whole time)is early morning waking with anxiety which leads to me getting physical symptoms, worry, constant thoughts but I ween it down with distractions such as watching my favorite tv show. i just want to go back to my old self full time! Any suggestions on what I can do to get on the road to recovery quicker and I just don't know how long it will take to have things more under control. Feeling frustrated. Suggestions welcomed...

tweedcoaster Social Anxiety? I am not sure, please help!
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Hi,I am new here and just signed up. I am 34 yrs old, with a wife and 2 kids. For years I have been dealing with this social anxiety and I need help with this. I cant go to social gatherings unless I drink alcohol, I cant go to the front of my house ... View more

Hi,I am new here and just signed up. I am 34 yrs old, with a wife and 2 kids. For years I have been dealing with this social anxiety and I need help with this. I cant go to social gatherings unless I drink alcohol, I cant go to the front of my house with my kids as I feel weird and feel everyones watching me, I literally freeze up when I venture to far in the street, I avoid conversations with the neighbours, I only drive into the house and out of the house. I cant go and play with my kids in the front yard or the road, only at the back where I don't feel anxious. I struggle with taking kids to sports events where I have to deal with too many people. the list goes on and on, but this is a brief description, I could go on for days about whats going on in my head. I cant keep going like this, I have better days where I feel a bit better, sometimes I feel I should live in a area where the neighbours aren't so close where I can live freely and walk outside, i feel locked in living in suburbia where houses are close, but that's not fair on my kids . I don't know whats wrong with me. I need help or advice what I should do. I do take medication but doesn't help with anxiety. Should I take any other medication that would help this? some advice I would really appreciate. its really getting to me mentally, and its wearing me down to a really low point). please help .beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.