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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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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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Chloekat84 Not really knowing where to start! Im new to this board as well.
  • replies: 33

Hello my name is Chloe and im 29 years old with 2 children. One girl who i have full custody of and the father isn't involved and a son who spends most of his time with his dad. I have been diagnosed with anxiety/depression since my late teens and be... View more

Hello my name is Chloe and im 29 years old with 2 children. One girl who i have full custody of and the father isn't involved and a son who spends most of his time with his dad. I have been diagnosed with anxiety/depression since my late teens and been on and off various anti depressants for years. i have had a few bad times in my past but nothing compared to what i have been going through recently. Around 6 monthes ago i decided to come off my antidepressant which up until then was working very well for me, i just started to get some more bad days then good so my doctor decided to put me on a different drug so i tried another antidepressant but that didnt work either so we then started another and slowly increased the dose. I now wish i never went off my first antidepressant until recently with all the drug changes a started to feel unwell physically and emotionally. One day i was fine and the next i woke up like i had a really bad hangover but without the fun of drinkin the night before. I wasa mess that day and was hopin it was a one day thing and would go away the next day. Unfortunetly it didnt and every day got worse that i had seen doctors many times and even went to the emerency clinic as i couldnt stop shaking, was neausus and vomiting and had really bad restless legs. I have had restless legs in the past but nothin like this. It got to a point where i was crying 24/7 and even the most simplist thing like dressing/bathing/feeding and looking after my daughter was a struggle. This went on for a week when i had enough and couldnt cope. Previously the drugs didnt even work on me i was that anxious. Finally i went to the emergency with a referal from my GP and i stayed in hospital a few days as i needed sleep so badly as up until my bad attack started a week earlier i was having broken sleep for 2 or 3 hrs a night and hallucinating. My daughter had to stay with me as no1 could look after her so i couldnt have anything 2 strong to help me sleep. The next few nights my family helped and looked after her so i could get some much needed rest. I felt more positive when i left hospital. I am on an anti-pychotic drug which has helped a lot.

Lisa_C constant anxiety
  • replies: 4

I feel so hopeless and worthless. This constant anxiety is eating me alive. It feels like it's with me all day, everyday. The anxiety isn't always that severe but to carry just that little bit around me with me all the time is so uncomfortable and pa... View more

I feel so hopeless and worthless. This constant anxiety is eating me alive. It feels like it's with me all day, everyday. The anxiety isn't always that severe but to carry just that little bit around me with me all the time is so uncomfortable and painful. I'm 20 years old and I have felt like this for years to the point I have lost hope and feel like I have no purpose in life. To just leave the house to go and do something is such an effort, its like I really want to go out and do something today but my anxiety talks me out of it and then I feel even more anxious for not leaving the house and if I do I'll come back feeling like I can't relax as though I've had a panic attack or something. I don't know who I am and I will never find myself being the useless person I am. Seriously what is the point? I'd rather die than live like this. If I didn't have family who cared about me, I'd be happy to end my life now because I'm only living life for their sake. Yes- I have been on meds and done counseling and tried medication and that mindfulness stuff but its honestly never going to take away that anxious feeling. I guess I'm posting this to see if there are many other people who feel this way?

Anonymousanxiety Need help with my anxiety
  • replies: 3

My anxiety is really bad and effecting my life in everyday activities. I never used to be an anxious person but now I am suffering so bad from anxiety. I get the rapid heart beat short breath hot flushes sweats nerves to see people or be in public or... View more

My anxiety is really bad and effecting my life in everyday activities. I never used to be an anxious person but now I am suffering so bad from anxiety. I get the rapid heart beat short breath hot flushes sweats nerves to see people or be in public or drive my car. I don't know what to do I guess there is a bit of stress in my life right now but I can't control it and it's getting me down. I will randomly break out in a sweat whenever I over think something and than it jus brings on a panic attack or anxiety. I need help can someone please help me beat this.

Charlie_111 Relationship anxietu
  • replies: 4

I've had anxiety for a while now but in the last 6 months I've started a relationship that started off well but in the last 3 months I have grown paranoid and forever panicking about her .is it unusual to not trust anyone at all when in reality they ... View more

I've had anxiety for a while now but in the last 6 months I've started a relationship that started off well but in the last 3 months I have grown paranoid and forever panicking about her .is it unusual to not trust anyone at all when in reality they are a very trustworthy person ?? I get these ideas of her cheating or being sneaky or spiteful out of no were ? How do I control this ?is it usual from anxiety I've necer experienced it in a relationship before

tamarak severe anxiety - reaching out.
  • replies: 3

Hello. this is my first time on these forums although i have been on this site over the years. I hope in posting within the guidelines. i have a lifetime history of anxiety with occasional depression, which i began to recognise and manage in my early... View more

Hello. this is my first time on these forums although i have been on this site over the years. I hope in posting within the guidelines. i have a lifetime history of anxiety with occasional depression, which i began to recognise and manage in my early 20s (I'm 30 now). I have found psychology helpful several times, and feel like I have some good tools at my disposal for managing it. One issue I have is that as a child i learned to present very calmly despite extremely anxiety provoking situations, and this is generally a part of who i am as an adult. I think i, and my psychologists (who were very good) have underestimated how severe the anxiety is because of that. You know i guess it's easy to think you've got a handle on it and understand, but really the process of understanding yourself is very tricky. Well myself, i have found. anyway, my reason for posting, i am in a very bad way at the moment. I had been in a vulnerable place for a year (probably postnatal dep) aware of that, managing it fairly well. Things actually started to improve after i made some key changes to our life to reduce the pressure. Aaaand then a couple of weeks ago i got slammed with just about every trigger for my anxiety that I can think of. (Umm, abusive family issues, injury and subsequent financial issues, to name a few) i have a very loving husband who would like to help but shies away from emotion, cannot communicate (we've all got our issues huh) and unwittingly makes me feel much worse in his lack of response, if i try to open up to him. I am lucky to have supportive friends but it is almost impossible for me to expose just how vulnerable i am to people i know (my failing). it is very bad right now, we cant afford the Medicare psych program even, until my injury medical bills are paid. I have 2 children who need me sane and functional but at the moment i am in such an agitated state i can barely keep it together.i feel like one more thing, the slightest thing, and i will crumble. thankyou for reading, i realise this was long. Any advice, support, appreciated.

jodes76 anxious all the time
  • replies: 3

My anxiety is really high. I'm also having panic attacks as well. The kids fight alot which brings me down. My hubby puts me down and always telling me what to do. I feel like my meds are not working very well as I have had quite a few dark moments View more

My anxiety is really high. I'm also having panic attacks as well. The kids fight alot which brings me down. My hubby puts me down and always telling me what to do. I feel like my meds are not working very well as I have had quite a few dark moments

Jazly OCD? - Not sure
  • replies: 3

Hi .. I'm new here and I don't really know where to begin as I'm finding it hard to define what I'm feeling. My daughter had a baby a few months ago and I love the baby so much, I can't wait to see her and play with her and I often look at her photos... View more

Hi .. I'm new here and I don't really know where to begin as I'm finding it hard to define what I'm feeling. My daughter had a baby a few months ago and I love the baby so much, I can't wait to see her and play with her and I often look at her photos and they bring a smile to my face. The strange part is I keep feeling like nothing else can matter now. It's very hard to explain as I don't understand it myself. I feel like friends can't be important or interests or anything that I might like to do. It's like my mind is just going over and over things, analysing every relationship and I feel like the baby has to be the only thing that matters and now I'm just nothing and worthless. It's consuming. When people say that their kids are their life I get a sinking feeling because it feels like it's confirming the way I'm feeling. I don't want to feel like this as I can't have a life. I love the baby very much, she's just a delight. So why is this ridiculous thought pattern taking over. I probably haven't explained it very well as a lot of what I'm feeling really can't be explained - it's beyond me, it makes no sense, its illogical, I can see that - so why does it affect me so much? It's all very confusing.

WT__Whyme Why :'(
  • replies: 4

I'm new here.. I've only had anxiety & chronic depression for 8 months & is driving me up the wall. I have NO control on it, it comes & goes when ever it wants. It's emotionally & physically draining, that flight fight response leaves me in tears, ge... View more

I'm new here.. I've only had anxiety & chronic depression for 8 months & is driving me up the wall. I have NO control on it, it comes & goes when ever it wants. It's emotionally & physically draining, that flight fight response leaves me in tears, gets worse at night & starting to get worse during the day. I don't take medication as l can't handle it & l ain't gunna be doing the trial n error for it either cos l don't do roller coaster rides either!!

Ruota My anxiety and symptoms.
  • replies: 7

My anxiety is very weird. Mainly because I'm still trying to believe that I have anxiety. The doctor or should I say doctors have diagnosed me with anxiety. I have really bad symptoms. Such as trouble breathing, irregular heart beat, blurred vision, ... View more

My anxiety is very weird. Mainly because I'm still trying to believe that I have anxiety. The doctor or should I say doctors have diagnosed me with anxiety. I have really bad symptoms. Such as trouble breathing, irregular heart beat, blurred vision, always tired and my main symptom is ALWAYS being dizzy and lightheaded. Feeling like I'm spinning and about to faint. I keep telling myself I'm dizzy because of something else. Like I have something wrong with my brain or cancer or something. It's such a horrible thought. I've been referred to a specialist. Even though my doctor said it's anxiety. I feel like I have no reason to have anxiety. I mean I'm not depressed. To be honest, these symptoms are what make me depressed. I just want them gone. I see a psychologist but it isn't really working. Is there anyone else who sufferers or has suffered the same symptom as me? Dizzy, sense of spinning, feeling like you're going to faint. Please tell me if it's really anxiety.

El10 Just want to feel normal again
  • replies: 5

Hi I'm elyse and I'm 27, I had my first panic attack 10 months ago, I was just sitting on the couch watching tv then all of a sudden I went very dizzy got up to get a drink of water then all of a sudden I couldn't breath and my heart was going so fas... View more

Hi I'm elyse and I'm 27, I had my first panic attack 10 months ago, I was just sitting on the couch watching tv then all of a sudden I went very dizzy got up to get a drink of water then all of a sudden I couldn't breath and my heart was going so fast, I honestly thought I was going to die, my mum and partner took me up the emergency, and they told me a was having a panic attack, I was so confused and was like WHAT??? I went to the doctor and had tests done and they told me a have anxiety, so with that I was on google a lot...I went to Thailand in October last year ( got engaged ) and all my symptoms seems to go away. Ive been on medication since January.I thought I was getting better but the last month I've been a mess, keep getting this heavy head feeling, like a tight band is around my head, can't concentrate, and just tired all the time, It's so frustrating. I'm not depressed but this head thing is making my feel depressed.. Just get very emotional about it. My partner doesn't understand which makes it very hard.. Just want it to go away. I've had a mental health plan done for me but just need to make that phone call to make an appointment!!!! Any feedback would be great, just to hear im not alone!