Support
Support

Anxiety

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

Start a conversation

FAQ

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

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

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

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a conversation

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

Start a conversation

danger_mouse anxiety and low blood pressure?
  • replies: 2

Found out a week ago I have low blood pressure. I also have anxiety. I don't exercise and im overweight so it's not because I'm a fantastic physical specimen of a human being. I'm wondering if anyone else has this or has heard of it? High blood press... View more

Found out a week ago I have low blood pressure. I also have anxiety. I don't exercise and im overweight so it's not because I'm a fantastic physical specimen of a human being. I'm wondering if anyone else has this or has heard of it? High blood pressure runs in my family so I've always figured that'd be my worry, hereditary plus anxiety usually leading to high blood pressure, but now I'm faced with the opposite!

chloe33 Falling apart and trying to put myself together
  • replies: 2

Everything got too much. I took some leave from work but they are still contacting me and asking me to do things. I went to a GP but don't think I made a lot of sense. They were really good though and I think I can go back to seek the help I need but... View more

Everything got too much. I took some leave from work but they are still contacting me and asking me to do things. I went to a GP but don't think I made a lot of sense. They were really good though and I think I can go back to seek the help I need but it is so so hard to talk. I feel sick and so stressed about everything. I feel like I am letting everyone down. I don't know who I am at the moment.

mrsanxiety not right....
  • replies: 4

ive been going well with my anxiety and depression but today/tonight nothings going right!! My partner has started working which is so great. But he has to stay at his sisters house 1 hour away. Hes home every two or three days. He is my rocks. we ju... View more

ive been going well with my anxiety and depression but today/tonight nothings going right!! My partner has started working which is so great. But he has to stay at his sisters house 1 hour away. Hes home every two or three days. He is my rocks. we just got a new dog yesterday. bulldog cross hes 13 months old. its the first dog ive owned in 5 years. we adopted him... im just not feeling a connection with him. Hes very energetic and needs alot of training. im not sure why im feeling this way but everything is making me feel numb. I feel very alone and it hurts. i have no family who live close. Ive barely been sleeping i have a 6 year old daughter so no sleep makes life hard. I want help, no i need help! But i want someone who will come to my house where im comfortable. I know i need help. My depression is becoming out of control. i also got my implant contraceptive out a week ago after having it for four years and im wondering could that be affecting me?? I feel scrambled even in what im writing and im just asking if theres anyone thats felt this way? Anyone that can help?Thank you for reading. hope to hear from someone soon

Ann72 I'm going crazy
  • replies: 3

Hi I'm wondering if anyone else has issues like mine. I feel like I'm going crazy . My partner of 30 years wants to leave because of it.while I'm at work or even going to the shops without him I think he is cheating whether on internet chat or chat l... View more

Hi I'm wondering if anyone else has issues like mine. I feel like I'm going crazy . My partner of 30 years wants to leave because of it.while I'm at work or even going to the shops without him I think he is cheating whether on internet chat or chat lines . Gets really bad I think I'm ruining the best thing in my life which is his life. my children even think I'm nuts . What could be wrong if anyone had same as me let me know thank you

Angel87 Anxiety, difficulty breathing, loss of a loved one
  • replies: 3

Hi all, Im new to Beyond Blue but am here as I am desperate to get my life back to normal. Since January I've been getting bad heart burn, indigestion & chest pains. I saw my GP, he took a blood test & found my cholestral was high. Since then I've ch... View more

Hi all, Im new to Beyond Blue but am here as I am desperate to get my life back to normal. Since January I've been getting bad heart burn, indigestion & chest pains. I saw my GP, he took a blood test & found my cholestral was high. Since then I've changed my diet & started exercising more. Around the same time I also found out my grandmother only had weeks left to live. This is when my anxiety started. The difficulty taking deep breaths, chest pains, heart racing, not sleeping, constantly on edge, fidgety etc. Now my grandma has gone it still isn't any better. I have an appointment with a cardiologist & was reading about the forum on Cardiac Anxiety & this sounds like me. I truely miss when I could actually go through a day without constantly struggling to take a deep breath. I wish there was a day that I don't think there is something seriously wrong with me I know grieving is different for everyone & the time it takes to heal varies, but it has affected my entire life. I use to love my job & now I struggle to get through a day. It is really busy at the moment which doesn't help, but I use to love going to work & now not so much. Please tell me it will get better & my life, my breathing & sleeping will feel "normal" again one day..

Inner_strength Anxiety and itching
  • replies: 4

Hey I'm new to this site and I've have anxiety on and off for several years . Recently it's really bad and I've had to change medication which hasn't been fun ! I have a new symptom with my anxiety now and was just wondering if other people have expe... View more

Hey I'm new to this site and I've have anxiety on and off for several years . Recently it's really bad and I've had to change medication which hasn't been fun ! I have a new symptom with my anxiety now and was just wondering if other people have experienced the same . I have really itchy skin , mainly my back and arms . It's driving me insane and my skin goes all red and blotchy and raised which then makes me worry more !

RB33 I want my life back
  • replies: 6

Hi Team I'm glad I have found a place where people may be able to help make sense of what's happening in my mind and body. The last 4-5 years off and on I have been living with this demon that seems to show its ugly face for no reason at all - it's l... View more

Hi Team I'm glad I have found a place where people may be able to help make sense of what's happening in my mind and body. The last 4-5 years off and on I have been living with this demon that seems to show its ugly face for no reason at all - it's like a panic attack more than anxiety but I guess panic attacks is anxiety out of control? The biggest syptom I have is my breathing, I have this horrible fear of choking and not been able to breath, other times I have gas in my stomach and it can get uncomfortable but for some reason that turns into me thinking I can't breath, than the fear of dieng and cardiac arrest takes over and it is a tough battle to regain control over my mind and body, but what I can't work out im not unhappy or worried about my life? im excited about life but this thing is destroying me These last 6 months its been on my mind so much I can not live a normal exsistence - I have never told anyone about this but I recently moved in with my girl friend so she has now seen the real me which for me is very confronting - She was very surprised the first time it happen and did not take it well but I think it was more because she was so surprised as I am a very relaxed person who most of the time is having a laugh - but now she is very understanding, she holds my hand and tells me to breath, I know she fully doesn't get why I can't over power it but she has been really good the few times its happen. I'm 32 years old I'm an entrepreneur who wants to to live life to the fullest, but recently I can't get through a full day out in a scocial or non social enviroment with out having fear of loosing breath and having this feeling of fear, My girl friend is a medical student and things she sees a pattern - she says to stop drinking caffene, wine and beer, which I have started to do but not a big drinker any way. Excercise helps but does not destroy it. Has any one ever made diet changes to help with anxiety? and it worked, could something be missing in my diet? I love life and I'm very grateful for the one I have - I don't understand why I have this problem - I need to take these chains off so I can get back to living my journey on this planet

Jay95 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

mizzy83 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.

Blue_Nightingale 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";}

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright � 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map