Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

Pinned discussions

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

DarwinMarceline Anxiety Advice
  • replies: 4

Hi, I am new to this forum and I'm looking for advice. I have always struggling with severe anxiety that my parents shrugged off to being "shy" I had a stutter and pulled my eye lashes and eyebrows out with tweezer to the point of not having any. Unt... View more

Hi, I am new to this forum and I'm looking for advice. I have always struggling with severe anxiety that my parents shrugged off to being "shy" I had a stutter and pulled my eye lashes and eyebrows out with tweezer to the point of not having any. Until my parents noticed this habit they finally took me to a doctor and his response was "what does a child have to be anxious about?" I eventually learn to control it but then started with panic attacks at 19 (i had never had one but my mum suffers with panic attacks this is how she knew what to do, Luckily!) I had these over 12month and has them at any small task that i thought was too big for little ol me to take on. Again i didn't get professional advice. They eventually stopped and i managed with all my anxiety. Since starting my current job 12 months ago i have gotten worse again. My stutter has come back and I have start pulling my eyelashes out again (I usually don't notice, it's my partner who point it out and tell me off) My jobs has been getting more and more stressful as the work is being piled on and i'm also studying online on top of working 6 days a week. My partner works odd shifts so we sometimes go an entire week without seeing one another, i have no family here and I have started to make excuses not to leave the house if i don't have to, which isn't good for my poor dogs who love their walks. I have started having a few days off here and there for "headaches" which i went to the doctors for and they told me i was "too stressed" This weekend just gone my partner sat me down and told me he thinks my anxiety is getting out of my control. I'm getting a lot more short tempered and being obsessive compulsive about things (cleaning the house over and over again in one day) I cry most nights when i get home from work because i don't know what to do. Everyone is telling me to quit my job but it's not that simple. I don't even have time to look for a new job let alone have an interview. My partner wants me to get professional help but i wouldn't even know where to begin. I have never sat down and told someone everything i actually feel let alone admit to a stranger that i can't cope anymore. I am struggling to admit to myself let alone someone else. Please help?

Keraw Worrying about worrying.
  • replies: 4

Hi, I'm new to the forum and am not sure exactly where to go. I have been dealing with anxiety for most of my life and have been medicated for depression for nearly 2 years now. I only received treatment for the anxiety at the same time I was treated... View more

Hi, I'm new to the forum and am not sure exactly where to go. I have been dealing with anxiety for most of my life and have been medicated for depression for nearly 2 years now. I only received treatment for the anxiety at the same time I was treated for depression (2 years). I live and work in a remote community in the NT and have very limited access to health professionals (we have a doctor in town every so often at the clinic then will be without one for quite some time). Recently I've been experiencing obsessive worrying in relation to issues with other staff members at work. It can be something as simple as a sentence but for days and even weeks later I will replay these issues in my head and worry constantly and have currently convinced myself that I am the most unlikable person in the world. Which isn't true, I understand this, but my brain and my body tell me otherwise. I'm always in a state of alert and am yet to find a way to switch my brain off. In a community this small I literally live my job, my students are outside of my door and my colleagues live next door also. There is no way to get away unless I go for a drive down the Tanami track, that's if we have diesel delivered in community so I'm generally fairly stuck. I'm unsure of what to do, I want to stop constantly worrying about these seemingly small issues and I'd like to be able to sleep restfully. The nearest chemist is 5.5 hours away along with any other mental health professional and I'm feeling really swamped with this feeling of dread and anxiousness. I plan on visiting my home state later this year, and will have an opportunity to consult a doctor about my current treatment and issues. until then I am kind of sick and worrying all the time about small things is becoming exhausting. any advice for how to ease my mind in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.

Tugboat Scared
  • replies: 9

Hi all, I get anxious whenever I have any sort of pain I automatically feel that I am dying.... It becomes so overwhelming I find it difficult to do anything other than worry 24/7.

Hi all, I get anxious whenever I have any sort of pain I automatically feel that I am dying.... It becomes so overwhelming I find it difficult to do anything other than worry 24/7.

Natz Anxiety - Vomiting...
  • replies: 6

I was wondering if anyone else's anxiety manifests into vomiting? Mine always starts this way; i am really tired then sweaty, fidgety, sick in the stomach, then i will vomit and can't stop retching until i fall asleep then i usually have to take it s... View more

I was wondering if anyone else's anxiety manifests into vomiting? Mine always starts this way; i am really tired then sweaty, fidgety, sick in the stomach, then i will vomit and can't stop retching until i fall asleep then i usually have to take it slow for a few hours - i aways thought i got tummy bugs too much but apparently not!

Goingtogetbetter Anxiety has come back after years
  • replies: 2

Hi all this is my first post as new to the board. I suffered anxiety late years at high school, then again after the death of some close people. After working on this for a few years it was manageable and not really existent for the last 4-5 years. I... View more

Hi all this is my first post as new to the board. I suffered anxiety late years at high school, then again after the death of some close people. After working on this for a few years it was manageable and not really existent for the last 4-5 years. It use to stop me from enjoying social activities, work I always hid it but got anxious in meetings/seminars etc.. My anxiety makes me feel like I have to go to the bathroom constantly which is frustrating to know what is real and what isn't. Now after an event a few weeks ago it has come back. I'm speaking again over the phone to previous psychologist but they no longer see patients but is helping out where they can which has been great. Im thinking I might need to go back on medication (temp) to help as it's been a few weeks. I talk to myself to advise not as bad as I was and I'm stronger than I was previously I know that but I panic about things coming up. I'm using the smiling mind app to try and relax. Does anyone else suffer from these symptoms and what do you do to help in those situations. Feeling very tired and frustrated... Thanks

thidmed Why does nausea spin me into panic mode?
  • replies: 4

I woke up this morning feeling nauseous. I have strong resources for coping with anxiety and depression but when I am nauseous I spin into total panic mode and cannot access any of my coping systems. I just wondered if anyone has this problem or has ... View more

I woke up this morning feeling nauseous. I have strong resources for coping with anxiety and depression but when I am nauseous I spin into total panic mode and cannot access any of my coping systems. I just wondered if anyone has this problem or has any idea what is happening. It's like my brain disengages completely and runs away to hide! I feel hysterical which doesn't help when you are throwing up and when you have young children around !

tigers Thanks Beyond Blue
  • replies: 4

hi all as of last week I have never open up to a group like this or really admitted to anyone or myself that I suffer from anxiety and have panic attacks, and suffer from depression and iam a long term sufferer. Within a week this site has helped me ... View more

hi all as of last week I have never open up to a group like this or really admitted to anyone or myself that I suffer from anxiety and have panic attacks, and suffer from depression and iam a long term sufferer. Within a week this site has helped me to understand more about what I go through, and how to respond to an attack or negative thought.And most importantly iam not alone nor is anyone else that seeks help and support. Iam on antidepressants which I have had to increase over the last week which is a good thing because they are helping,iam also waiting for an appointment to speak to someone. I don't like taking the tablets but they help and make me feel better most importantly I can enjoy my life. The biggest help for me this week was admitting to myself that I have anxiety instead of constantly fighting it. and telling myself that I will control my anxiety it wont control me anymore its a start I know I have to work on it daily. today was a good day as I was able to go to work for first time for a week with no panic attacks and that's important as iam self-employed.Iam going keep working on my illness so I get better and start doing things that I have missed out on in the past instead of playing it safe at home all the time that's my plan anyway. So please people seek help take the first step,read through the posts I know its hard but things do get better. thank you

CoffeePowered My anxiety is stopping me from doing anything
  • replies: 3

I've been seeing psychologists for it for years, my latest one for over a year and i'm not really getting any better. I've been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and unsure about ADD and Aspergers. (probably not) My main problem is my anxiety is st... View more

I've been seeing psychologists for it for years, my latest one for over a year and i'm not really getting any better. I've been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and unsure about ADD and Aspergers. (probably not) My main problem is my anxiety is stopping me from doing anything. Most predominantly the thing I've been trying to do the most which is write. This might sound a little pathetic but I'm starting to think i need someone to help me do pretty much anything, at least for a little bit. At the moment my anxiety is stopping me from doing anything, and the only time I've been able to is when I've had someone with me to coax my ideas out. I don't need someone to tutor me in specific subjects but just someone there in general. Otherwise I freeze up and do nothing, even if I do kinda know what I'm doing. I kinda get this overwhelming feeling like i'm not allowed to or I can't, and I don't even know why. I don't even know if anyone can help with this. Is there some type of life tutor out there?

tigers day to day battle with anxiety
  • replies: 11

hi my name is richard iam 48yrs old I have been married for 27yrs with three adult children and one granddaughter who I adore.i have lived with anxiety for more than twenty years and panic attacks which still affects my daily life. it started when I ... View more

hi my name is richard iam 48yrs old I have been married for 27yrs with three adult children and one granddaughter who I adore.i have lived with anxiety for more than twenty years and panic attacks which still affects my daily life. it started when I was in my twentys I thought I was having a heart attack at work I was taken to hospital and after a few hours they told me I have anxiety.after that day nothing was suggested to me to seek help or treatment.so as time went on my anxiety started to develop it was so bad that when I had an attack no matter where it was outside my home I would always flight instead of fight but I knew no better I had no knowledge of what was truly happening to me.it started to put a strain on my home life I would always ring my wife for reassurance when I was feeling anxious I did not understand or realize what pressure I was putting on her.as time went on the only thing I done to control my anxiety and panic attacks was to always stay in my comfort zone,and now I look back at that and realize how many things I have missed out on in life just so I could feel safe and comfortable. as I got older nothing changed until my sister started to fall ill with cancer and i was always on edge and very anxious battling the negativity and what ifs and the constant over working of my brain constantly thought after thought eventually it wore me down and I had a bit of a break down my wife had had enough so I was told I need help which I did get in the way of medication which iam still taking and I spoke to a councillor for several visits.she was so understanding on my first visit we sat outside so I would be more comfortable(this was because at this stage I could not even go shopping without fear or sit in a drs room unless I could make a quick get away if I needed to sometimes I would walk out of the drs surgery before my name was called because of feeling so anxious)with the help of the tablets and the sessions I got better and I understood that iam not alone.. I returned to a normal life for me anyway and things did improve my confidence got better and I felt better within my self,i went through some tough stages with my life the death of my sister was very hard and still is but with the medication I got through it. my anxiety has returned not that it ever left me so with the help I have had and get and talking about me for the first time I wish to get better and enjoy my life instead of the daily battle. richard

Skaters Inability to do daily tasks due to Anxiety.
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone! So I have been diagnosed with anxiety, OCD and depression and I am currently medicated for all off these. For the past 6 months I am struggling greatly with everyday tasks and constantly get stuck. Some examples are; I cant open bills/le... View more

Hi everyone! So I have been diagnosed with anxiety, OCD and depression and I am currently medicated for all off these. For the past 6 months I am struggling greatly with everyday tasks and constantly get stuck. Some examples are; I cant open bills/letters or even retrieve items from my mailbox, I get obsessive about money and can't touch my accounts or even look at them, Inability to answer phonecalls... my list could go on and on. So very recently my inability to do daily tasks are now starting to effect me, because I cant open letters I am not paying bills or missing important things, because I cant use my phone I am uncontactable and I am no longer even able to work, because I obsess about money I go weeks even over a year without paying a bill (my electricity has been switched off 4x and unpaid for 15 months) So does anyone else get stuck like this? What am I going to do? I have no family support so can't lean on that. Are there any services in Australia? I am just getting to a point in my life where everything is about to crumble and because I get stuck I am literally witnessing my own demise.. Any advice would be brilliant