Anxiety

is this normal or am i just afraid of communication/work?

replies: 4

I love my job, I'm an apprentice landscaper. Most mornings you'll find me parked on the side of the road sometime around 6:45 because I've gotten too anxious and too worried about work that day. I'll be fine but then a few minutes into the drive I ju... View more

I love my job, I'm an apprentice landscaper. Most mornings you'll find me parked on the side of the road sometime around 6:45 because I've gotten too anxious and too worried about work that day. I'll be fine but then a few minutes into the drive I just feel anxious, it almost feels like I'm going to be sick, it's only 20 minutes away and I know the people really well, I don't know whats wrong with me but its not nice having to deal with it just about every morning :s

hi. could use some advice

replies: 6

Hi all. Ive been an anxious person most of my life, but it had always driven high performance with no real drawbacks. The main challenge I'd always had was in getting to sleep. I had an overactive mind that I struggled to switch off but I'd come up w... View more

Hi all. Ive been an anxious person most of my life, but it had always driven high performance with no real drawbacks. The main challenge I'd always had was in getting to sleep. I had an overactive mind that I struggled to switch off but I'd come up with a routine that worked really well, that consistently and reliably allowed me to drop off. Things got alot tougher 4 months ago. Following a health scare my anxiety kicked into overdrive. I became very anxious over my health, and my sleep routine crashed and burned. I was prescribed sleeping tablets, which helped me sleep, but made me more anxious as I feared I'd become addicted, so I stopped them a month ago. Tests showed there to be no underlying medical issue after all but still my anxiety didn't go away.I after returning to the doctor several times I did a mental health plan with GP who referred me to a psychologist noting down that I should be given CBT treatment for GAD. I've had a few sessions but not sure there had been any real breakthroughs yet. the only things I feel anxious present now are a) that I won't sleep on any given night b) slight lingering worry about my health, and, c) That I still feel physical symptoms of anxiety (occasional sore chest, tingling hands or feet, weird tingling in neck, shortness of breath, burping) And that it's not going away. Why can't it just go away?!? I've made changes to try to combat this. Exercising more, taking stress supplements, yoga, breathing exercises, etc but I'm still unable to feel normal again, and the nights of bad sleep always causes the anxiety to ramp up again which sets me back. I just want to beat this and go back to being my old self. My GPo suggested ssri's to help me, but I'm scared to take them, and that they may do more harm than good, in particular that they might further interrupt my sleep. I also hate the idea of taking anti depressants when I have no depression. The things that I struggle to understand with all this: Has something physically changed in my body that means I'll never be the same again? Is my situation bad enough that i should actually consider meds? I feel that I only have mild to moderate anxiety. Are medications more likely to help me get better than therapy alone? Will they result in me becoming a lifelong user of them? Are Ssri's more likely to help or harm my sleep? Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Anxiety taking over

replies: 2

Over the last month, my major depressive disorder has morphed and is at present hugely anxiety ridden..... Something I have never had to deal with before. I am only just functioning, I feel like I am on the cusp of falling apart or imploding.I went t... View more

Over the last month, my major depressive disorder has morphed and is at present hugely anxiety ridden..... Something I have never had to deal with before. I am only just functioning, I feel like I am on the cusp of falling apart or imploding.I went to my gp, set up a new mental health care plan and she referred me to a local Psyche. Only problem is the psyche cannot fit me in till May! I am on a waiting list also, but that is no guarantee. I just don't feel like I can get through without help..... More immediate help. Is there somewhere I can go? Someone to speak to? I really want to get in with someone soon. Many ideas or advice? Thanks guys 800x600 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 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* 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:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}

new and anxious

replies: 3

Hi all,this is my first post and i dont really know where to begin. Im a 49yr old female that has suffered with major depression,chronic anxiety and agorophobia for 34 years. Agoraphobia has been an on and off thing. Im on meds and seeing a psychiatr... View more

Hi all,this is my first post and i dont really know where to begin. Im a 49yr old female that has suffered with major depression,chronic anxiety and agorophobia for 34 years. Agoraphobia has been an on and off thing. Im on meds and seeing a psychiatrist and psychologist. My anxiety has been spiralling out of control lately so was put on a different antidepressant and was quite sick but it subsided.then she wanted me to increase my dose then i got blurred vision. I stuck it out and after a very long 11days my vision came good. She wants me to increase a little more but iam too scared too. Ive had a really stressful few years. Looking after my elderly parents who unfortunately got to the stage where they had to both go into a nursing home. Then last year my beloved partner of 24yrs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the oncologist was very straightforward and said he didnt know if they could save him. I was devastated beyond belief. After nearly a year of chemo and a 10 hour operation the best news......they had got all the cancer! He has to go back in another month to have a ct scan and we are told that if its come back there is nothing they can do. Iam dreading this ct scan. Anyway ive rambled on enough for now. I have a few other issues i would like to talk about , maybe next time as this was pretty scary doing my first post! Shenlee

Anxiety out of its box

replies: 4

Hi all.This is my first post.My anxiety is very difficult at the moment after 4 days in hospital with pneumonia. I had a couple of days of hydro cortisone and am still in a reducing dose of steroid. I take an antidepressant at night. I am avoiding al... View more

Hi all.This is my first post.My anxiety is very difficult at the moment after 4 days in hospital with pneumonia. I had a couple of days of hydro cortisone and am still in a reducing dose of steroid. I take an antidepressant at night. I am avoiding all caffeine and don't drink.All this is as my mum is slowly leaving us after I made the decision to tell her that it was ok to go if she thought it was the right time. She is just a sad figure curled up in bed being very well cared for The mother I knew was gone some time ago. Any suggestions to help much appreciated.

Feeling Like A Caged Animal

replies: 10

Feeling so restless and anxious, pacing around and can't escape myself. I tried reaching out and being honest about where I'm at but it seems honesty is not always the best path as people tend to judge and even your problems have to fit a certain soc... View more

Feeling so restless and anxious, pacing around and can't escape myself. I tried reaching out and being honest about where I'm at but it seems honesty is not always the best path as people tend to judge and even your problems have to fit a certain socially acceptable standard. That's why I choose to stay away from people, such hypocrites . I just want to get away from my thoughts and this crazy restless feeling. Arrrghhh!!!

feek like I'm in a bubble of anxiety

replies: 4

I feel like I'm going crazy. My heart is pumping so fast, I'm all jittery. I'm frustrated, cross, annoyed. Noises are really bugging me, like any noise. More then ever before. I've had anxiety for asking as I can remember but at the moment im not cop... View more

I feel like I'm going crazy. My heart is pumping so fast, I'm all jittery. I'm frustrated, cross, annoyed. Noises are really bugging me, like any noise. More then ever before. I've had anxiety for asking as I can remember but at the moment im not coping. Nothing that usually calms me is working and I don't know what wrong with me. My moods and lack of patience is really frustrating my husband. I feel bad for him. Any tips or advice? I feel screaming!

Anxiety is WINNING! :(

replies: 10

I recently asked for a referral to a psychologist to tackle my long term issues with anxiety, depression and complete lack of self confidence. After several sessions I don't feel that they are very helpful as my anxiety causes me to freeze up in thes... View more

I recently asked for a referral to a psychologist to tackle my long term issues with anxiety, depression and complete lack of self confidence. After several sessions I don't feel that they are very helpful as my anxiety causes me to freeze up in these sessions and not speak more than one word answers and unfortunately my psych isn't a mind reader and I can feel her getting frustrated with me not opening up to her. I feel the more I 'dont talk' the less she tries and instead talks about day to day things that I SHOULD be doing to better my future wellness etc. that's all well and good but inside my head I'm screaming at her to help me overcome this anxiety, I know what I should be doing but it doesn't make it any easier. I feel like she's throwing me in a river and telling me to just learn how to swim! Basically social anxiety rules my life. Every decision I make day to day is out of avoidance of people and social situations. Self confidence is non existent to the point where I've quit my job, I'm losing the relationship with friends because I decline invites, I'm barely leaving the house because i need to avoid any social interactions. I've had a lot going on in the last couple of months and felt my anxiety is getting worse, not only in social situations but for no reason. I found myself getting anxious about 'getting anxious' and waking up at night with a racing heart and gasping for breath. This caused even more anxiety. I've asked for help and my psychologist is not helping, I dont know where else to turn. I'm constantly stressing over the next psychologist appointment because I know how terrible I am at talking, she's no longer trying to listen and is becoming frustrated with me. I feel like I'm sitting in a principals office getting a lecture and I feel defeated before I even walk in the door. Maybe if she'd ask the right questions she might get the answers she wants but instead she sits and waits until I say something....

struggling so much

replies: 7

I been really down lately, anxiety is constant. Today I had a meltdown. I still feel so lost. My hubby has disability which he slowly getting worse. My kids are at Times difficult. All pressure on me to hold the fort. But now I'm slowly collapsing. I... View more

I been really down lately, anxiety is constant. Today I had a meltdown. I still feel so lost. My hubby has disability which he slowly getting worse. My kids are at Times difficult. All pressure on me to hold the fort. But now I'm slowly collapsing. I really don't know what to do

Help.. am I just painfully shy or do I have social anxiety

replies: 10

Hi all, I am a 37 year old gay man and I'm not sure if Im just painfully shy or have social anxiety. I need some help. I avoid situations where there are lots of people (it exhausts me), going to parties where I dont know anyone and I really hate goi... View more

Hi all, I am a 37 year old gay man and I'm not sure if Im just painfully shy or have social anxiety. I need some help. I avoid situations where there are lots of people (it exhausts me), going to parties where I dont know anyone and I really hate going to bars or night clubs and It think its all due to this social anxiety. I just blame it on the bar saying I hate the kind of people that go there but really its me feeling anxious about it. An example of this was last week. I went to a friends softball game to support them. Not knowing anyone I retreated into my shy self and was afraid to speak to anyone preferring to stand away from everyone under a tree. When I did I felt like what I was saying must have been not funny, not interesting and they all must be thinking who is this guy anyway. I had no confidence to introduce myself even though I knew a few people there from social media. I had no confidence to go up to anyone or strike a conversation. Then after I left I just felt so bad at how I had behaved in that 1 hour that I felt like an idiot and its no wonder people wouldnt want to know me when I act like that. I probably came across disinterested. Knowing what the gay community can be like I have always felt like you're always under scrutiny and being judged on your body, clothes, job, car, money etc etc. I am in a relationship as have been for 9 years now and have no problem when it comes to being social with people I know in small groups. But over time I have lost all of my friends, our friends now are my partners friends from before we met. My problem now is I really dont know how to go about finding my own new friends when I am so anxious about talking to new people and being social. I really just feel at a loss as to what to do next. I dont want to be that socially anxious or painfully shy person. I know I am a good person but people dont get to see it as I retreat into my shy self . Please help. what can I do?

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