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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. 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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allalone getting here
  • replies: 1

I think I work the site out at last. Wish it was so easy to work my anxiety out. I can't be anywhere with to many people are. Took me over two years just to go to the doctor now have to make myself go again thinking about it makes me sick. Just think... View more

I think I work the site out at last. Wish it was so easy to work my anxiety out. I can't be anywhere with to many people are. Took me over two years just to go to the doctor now have to make myself go again thinking about it makes me sick. Just thinking making an appointment is enough. It's hard when I have no one yo talk to. Spend most of my time at home

mjncoursecar Anxiety Disorder and Relationship
  • replies: 7

Hi, I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder a couple of years ago, but it took me a while to get me head around and accept it. Once that happened (about a year later) I explained what was going on to my girlfriend, who I have been with for ... View more

Hi, I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder a couple of years ago, but it took me a while to get me head around and accept it. Once that happened (about a year later) I explained what was going on to my girlfriend, who I have been with for 9 years. Ever since then, the relationship has started to degrade, and I feel like she is blaming me, without directly addressing the anxiety disorder (she refuses to discuss it), which makes me feel worse. Does anyone have any advice or supportive words? I'm really struggling to understand what to do from here.

misspossum Losing the battle against myself.
  • replies: 2

Never been diagnosed with a mental illness, in all honesty too afraid to even speak to anyone about whats going on inside. Ive always felt, odd. You wouldnt pick me to be different in a crowd, but inside my head is an absolute mess. Every day im torn... View more

Never been diagnosed with a mental illness, in all honesty too afraid to even speak to anyone about whats going on inside. Ive always felt, odd. You wouldnt pick me to be different in a crowd, but inside my head is an absolute mess. Every day im torn between two completely opposite sides of myself. Im in a constant panic attack of not knowing who im going to wake up and be in the morning. Its hard to explain but recently i feel like im being torn apart from the inside from all the confusion, indecisiveness and constant feeling of dread. To make matters harder ive been with my partner over two years and this is someone im excited to spend the foreseeable future with. But for months now ive been struggling to show and feel love for another person when im so lost with myself. The last thing I want is this relationship to end i honestly feel if it did i couldnt go on. But is it fair for myself or my partner to go through the pain of disappointment when the version of me that walks through the door isnt the girl he feel in love with. The girl i know i am? Im exhausted and weak and really struggling with each day. Im a smart girl and ive practiced anxiety exercises, set goals, done yoga... but i feel as if im inly getting worse with each day. I need help and i don't even know where to begin..

Layne Feeling out of control...
  • replies: 5

Hi, I'm 44 yrs old and have only in the past 3 yrs been suffering... Sometimes I'm sure that when I have an attack that it is actually the end of the world for me.. In my head I try to rationalise my fears and breathe... But I can't seem to calm down... View more

Hi, I'm 44 yrs old and have only in the past 3 yrs been suffering... Sometimes I'm sure that when I have an attack that it is actually the end of the world for me.. In my head I try to rationalise my fears and breathe... But I can't seem to calm down... I recall once my whole body was paralysed and I couldn't talk, my hands were all curled up and I had no movement in my body... I'll never forget the look on my husbands face when he thought I was dying... It devestates me that I'm not the strong level headed person I use to be... How did I become this sad pathetic shell of a woman... How do I stop this ruining my life? How did I become this person that I'm disgusted and ashamed of.... Makes me cry just typing this.

anxiety_sux A tough spell versus the need for medical review
  • replies: 1

Hi this is my first post here goes.....i have had anxiety for 13 years and have been on meds for most of that time.I have been through counselling, cbt and relaxation.I have had many times during which i have struggled and also many times where i hav... View more

Hi this is my first post here goes.....i have had anxiety for 13 years and have been on meds for most of that time.I have been through counselling, cbt and relaxation.I have had many times during which i have struggled and also many times where i have felt well.My question to others is this: How do you decide whether you are going through another rough patch and just need to continue doing what you know works or whether you are not doing so well and need to go back for medical review and possibly further counselling.Five weeks ago i lost my mum to parkinsons disease, i saw her go through many horrible things.My anxiety has always been health related and i now find myself struggling, i am not sure whether this is normal grief and a process i must move through or whether i need to revisit my doctor and increase my medication to help me cope or go back to counseliing to help me through the grief process.I am starting to feel as the weeks go by that i am not doing any better but instead getting worse.Anyone out there been through anything similar and what did you do????

Confused_joel First time speaking about my anxiety
  • replies: 8

Hey I am a 25 year old male and have been having severe crippling bouts of anxiety for a few weeks now. i first dealt with anxiety when I was about 10 years old and it was just as bad as now from memory, no appetite, shaking, constant worrying about ... View more

Hey I am a 25 year old male and have been having severe crippling bouts of anxiety for a few weeks now. i first dealt with anxiety when I was about 10 years old and it was just as bad as now from memory, no appetite, shaking, constant worrying about my health. However in time it passd (maybe a few month) i have not not had a relapse since then but out of no where they have begun again and have come back with a vengeance. i feel light headed, twitchy, worried about my health, nauseous, and lost my appetite. someone please help me with their own stories of triumph or anyone that suffers something similar. thank you

Eme STRUGGLE CITY, WAKING UP LIKE I HAVENT SLEPT
  • replies: 2

Hi, I have had an onset of Anxiety since giving birth 13 weeks ago, very long story. My problem is even if I have a great day, only snippets of Anxiety I wake up in the morning feeling so hungover.. I feel dizzy or lightheaded until my BLood Pressure... View more

Hi, I have had an onset of Anxiety since giving birth 13 weeks ago, very long story. My problem is even if I have a great day, only snippets of Anxiety I wake up in the morning feeling so hungover.. I feel dizzy or lightheaded until my BLood Pressure settles I'm assuming. As my body is tired as I'm not going into a deep sleep. I don't have a problem getting to sleep or staying asleep but it's that my mind isn't shutting off so I'm not going into a deep sleep. Does anyone else have this problem?! Thanks Eme

Wilma Problems asking for help
  • replies: 2

I have major anxiety problems that have been caused from me not being able to open up to anyone. I have had a good gp who has helped me in talking to them at least and have seen a psychologist and therapist but my problem is when I leave their office... View more

I have major anxiety problems that have been caused from me not being able to open up to anyone. I have had a good gp who has helped me in talking to them at least and have seen a psychologist and therapist but my problem is when I leave their office it is so easy to see what to do but so hard to put into practice. I feel I need more than a visit a fortnight to help me. My gp has now moved out of town so need to start all over again. My partner can't understand me when I don't either and I have turned away and don't show any affection to him which we both don't understand. I seem to have given up on everything I can't fix which isn't good considering I have a family and run a business, which are both feeling it. I don't see any friends or family much and when I do I tell them I am fine. One of my sons has anxiety problems which with my own problems are not helping him because I can't be strong for him like I need to. I have tried medication but they made me feel unwell and don't know if I can wait months to try other ones. Everything just seems so hard when it's not really, it's just the way I see it. My partner also has depression problems and it is seeming harder to help myself with the other problems around me. I have been told not to take on my partners problems, only my kids, but it's so hard not to take them on as I know he takes mine on. I have no suicidal thoughts which being in a country town puts you near the bottom of the list. Just very confused, broken and lost.

sagebrush suggestions??
  • replies: 4

I have terrible insomnia that keeps me awake until 2-4am, which would be so bad if I didn't have to work at 6am. Then every time I do sleep I have horrible nightmares. Even if I doze off at work for 10 minutes on my break I'm having nightmares. Now b... View more

I have terrible insomnia that keeps me awake until 2-4am, which would be so bad if I didn't have to work at 6am. Then every time I do sleep I have horrible nightmares. Even if I doze off at work for 10 minutes on my break I'm having nightmares. Now before I had panic disorder, I had normal nightmares, but these ones are disturbing!!!! I was on medication for anxiety but my anxiety forced me off them... I constantly feel like god is going to strike me down, but then I'll do things deliberately so I know he's going to get me. My resting heart rate is over 100 so I always feel like I'm about to die. I have been to hospital a few times but they don't care because I'm not dying. Everyone I try to talk to about it ends up turning on meIt's a constant battle to stay with it... then I end up sabotaging myself at home or at work. Even when I don't do anything wrong I still get blamed for it cuz it's just me. I'm too scared to see a psychologist because my family disapproves of them, I could see one in secret but if they find out!! When I do open up to someone they're like your life sucks. I'm like yeah thanks not like I already didn't know that.....My family deliberately attacks each other verbally and physically, but won't stay away from each other!! I can't run away because of my work and family commitments, without which I would be nothing and empty.Now somehow I feel like writing this helps in some way but what way I don't know.maybe I'm not crazy at all but the world around me that is.circumstances never change unless you change them. Just remember to breathe, learn to enjoy this simple task as it's all that matters. Anything else is just what you put into it. Remember that in 10 years time nothing will be the same.everything and everyone will have changed whether we believe it or not.Life is just a culmination of everyone's past choices, the future is whatever you make it.whether you decide to change it or not is up to you. that is your choice as free will.what's worse, more of the same or something different?there's a balance in life that will even itself out, it just takes time, how much time is up to you.there is a solution to every problem, it's your Job to find it, just hang in there.good luck. btw, God's really forgiving

EHall_92 Anxiety and Alcohol?!
  • replies: 5

Hi, I'm 23 and been suffering chronic anxiety and major depression for many years. I'm taking a beta-blocker at the moment and was recently seeing a counsellor, though I have stopped going as I have been feeling great and just started to feel frustra... View more

Hi, I'm 23 and been suffering chronic anxiety and major depression for many years. I'm taking a beta-blocker at the moment and was recently seeing a counsellor, though I have stopped going as I have been feeling great and just started to feel frustrated when I do go. In the last week or so ive suddenly had a bit of a turn and I can feel the anxiety coming. In this time it was my birthday and I drank quite a bit (which is never a good idea for me) which ended up with me being rude to my boyfriend and crying at the end of the night. This has happened quite a few times whether it be toward family, my boyfriend, or friends. Now I'm still feeling high levels of anxiety, I've also just run out of my medication and I probably can't get to the doctors till next week. I've been waking up depressed and embarrassed, but I know it's from the anxiety, over thinking, and the alcohol. This weekend I will be seeing the same group of people at a bar one night and at a festival on another day. I don't want to drink but that is the only way I have any confidence. Now I'm considering not going to the bar and selling my ticket to the festival because of the crowd of random people is overwhelming, and I still feel embarrassed in front of my newish group of friends and they don't know my issues so they probably just think I'm an annoying over drinker! My questions!.....Does anyone else rely on alcohol with their anxiety? Do you find it hard to not drink in social situations? And how do you substitute/replace it or avoid it in these types of situations? Any advice please!! RELATED THREADS Anxiety after night out drinking? Drinking anxiety Anxiety and alcohol equals despair Anxiety, depression and alcohol Severe anxiety after a night out drinking alcohol