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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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MalcolmJD Music Performance Anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hello, I realize my problem is very minor compared to some, however, I am bothered by it. I have been a musician for many years playing the bass guitar. I have recently begun studying classical guitar formally, which means exams. I have sat two so fa... View more

Hello, I realize my problem is very minor compared to some, however, I am bothered by it. I have been a musician for many years playing the bass guitar. I have recently begun studying classical guitar formally, which means exams. I have sat two so far, and both times have been anxious to the point where it affects my performance. I know I can do much better and I know there is no logical reason for the anxiety (nervous yes, that can be channelled into positive energy, anxious no, that leads to tension). I have thought of trying to get beta-blockers, but that is a chemical solution (there were enough drugs in my band days!). I wonder if meditation might help, or cognitive behaviour therapy. I am interested to know if anyone else has experienced this problem, and their remedies. Regards, Malcolm

Avara Anxiety is killing me
  • replies: 2

It took a lot of guts to post something, I lead a somewhat successful life now, but I can't stop worrying. I've worked my way up career-wise but as soon as I'm home, "reality" sinks in...all I can focus on is an irrational thought pattern of "worst c... View more

It took a lot of guts to post something, I lead a somewhat successful life now, but I can't stop worrying. I've worked my way up career-wise but as soon as I'm home, "reality" sinks in...all I can focus on is an irrational thought pattern of "worst case scenario" where my child gets taken away, or I feel like I will go to court because I'm a few days late paying my phone bill. These scenarios just keep playing over and over in my head, progressively getting worse until I feel like my only way out is tokill myself to spare my family the shame of having a failure. None of it makes sense as I'm very happy and in the zone whilst I am at work. Everone there thinks I'm great. But as soon as I leave I feel like the worst person in the world and deserve to rot in prison. It's like I'm a fraud even though I'm not. Every conclusion points to me ending my life. As though ending it all will be the only thing that fixes all that is wrong. The dr said that because I am able to hold a good job, means that he isn't worried. The only reason I am still breathing is because I have a child. I just can't stop focusing on this immense, overpowering feeling of dread. It causes me to vomit. It causes me to do nothing but lay in bed all weekend. It causes me to wish that I was never born. It is like I have to be an actor in my own life just to survive. 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.

lightofday How did I get here?
  • replies: 29

Hi all Please bear with me if this is not well stated or there are gaps in detail - I am not a regular forum contributor on any site, and this is my first post here. I just wanted to reach out because you all seem very caring and supportive, and I am... View more

Hi all Please bear with me if this is not well stated or there are gaps in detail - I am not a regular forum contributor on any site, and this is my first post here. I just wanted to reach out because you all seem very caring and supportive, and I am struggling to cope at the moment. I will struggle to open up, because it's been so long since I have done so successfully. I have sought professional help but felt no connection or understanding from the person I saw - perhaps that is in part because I found it all too confronting. I'm a 37 year old who lives in complete isolation. Besides some small talk with people who pretend to care, and my lovely family who struggle to understand, I am completely, fully, on my own. I have no job. I gave it up after many years (more than a decade) - the last few of which were spent in a team which made me feel more and more worthless each day with constant put downs. I developed severe insomnia a year and a half ago, which is still destroying me (2.5 hours sleep last night). I also developed very bad drinking habits - this is the first day of a self imposed booze break so I'm feeling very raw with nothing to numb the feelings I'm having. I live alone. Well, I live with my dog who is amazing and deserves someone happier than me to care for her. I'm losing more friends each day because I simply cannot respond to people when I'm in this state, and if I do they just back away quietly because they don't know what to say. I feel like I need to rebuild my life piece by piece as I feel like a major disappointment to myself and my family. I am dying to get another job but am having trouble believing in myself so can't even fathom selling myself in an interview at this stage. I just feel monumental pressure because everybody wants to know whether I've found a job, and when I say not yet I'm perceiving their reactions as pity, disdain, disgust and the like. I need to rebuild some self esteem and lose the extreme social anxiety (and likely general anxiety) which seems to have taken over my life. My first step is to try to stop drowning in booze to numb the pain. My second is to post here. I hope I don't appear to be greedy or self centred, complaining when I haven't experienced any real, genuine trauma in my life, compared to a lot of people in the world, but I'm just putting my hand up because I truly do need some advice and support. This was painful to write. Not used to feeling raw instead of numb.

Little_Rascal paranoia?
  • replies: 9

So just becoming more awater of my reactions ... sent two texts to my partner, saying i love you, and only get xx back, if he has the time to reply surely he has the time to say i love you back. I feel on hold untillt I hear from him now. I have fina... View more

So just becoming more awater of my reactions ... sent two texts to my partner, saying i love you, and only get xx back, if he has the time to reply surely he has the time to say i love you back. I feel on hold untillt I hear from him now. I have finally had 2 good night's sleep and now im edgey and paranoid I know he's at work, and now I don't want to drive all the way to work if he has an issue with me just to have a fight and then drive all the way home

ALL Questioning...
  • replies: 18

Hi, I’m just wondering, does anyone with anxiety ever questioned whether they actually have it or not? is this a part of it? I have been diagnosed with it but I just can’t seem to come to terms with it, and I keep questioning if I am forcing myself t... View more

Hi, I’m just wondering, does anyone with anxiety ever questioned whether they actually have it or not? is this a part of it? I have been diagnosed with it but I just can’t seem to come to terms with it, and I keep questioning if I am forcing myself to be this way, or I could control it or the professionals were wrong. I tried to reason with myself that everyone’s experience is different and if I could have stopped I would have, but it’s hard. Sometimes I can feel myself loading more anxiety on, like it’s addictive in some way. This just makes the questioning worse! I assume the questioning is a part of anxiety???

Willsdog Getting worse before getting better
  • replies: 2

Hi all. I started suffering anxiety in August. I went to me GP and was put on an AD. After a few weeks I started to feel "normal". I have been on my AD (a Tricyclic) for 8 weeks now. I am starting to feel anxious again and a little depressed. My doct... View more

Hi all. I started suffering anxiety in August. I went to me GP and was put on an AD. After a few weeks I started to feel "normal". I have been on my AD (a Tricyclic) for 8 weeks now. I am starting to feel anxious again and a little depressed. My doctor says this is a sign the medication is working and that sometimes you will feel worse before you feel better. I am just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

Sarah_C1 I think I have anxiety?!
  • replies: 2

Hello Umm I don't really know how to start or what exactly to say, I'm new here but I think I am struggling with some sort of anxiety and/or depression. I feel alone and lonely, I feel like no one cares, and I don't know what to do. I should apologis... View more

Hello Umm I don't really know how to start or what exactly to say, I'm new here but I think I am struggling with some sort of anxiety and/or depression. I feel alone and lonely, I feel like no one cares, and I don't know what to do. I should apologise in advance for a lengthy post as well, if anyone can help thank you! 6 months ago my boyfriend and I relocated, I started noticing a change in myself. I noticed I gradually became withdrawn and less involved with everything. We moved so I could be closer to university and he would be closer to work and we had both lived together before, and only now are we starting to have problems. Uni was and is a very stressful aspect of my life, I struggle to stay on top of assignments and homework! The hardest part is getting myself there, I love it when I am, I have a few friends and feel relatively comfortable. Leaving the house and getting the bus is so hard and I will often wag out and come up with petty excuses at the last minute. I know at the time I should be there I know I should just go, stop making excuses but for some reason I just can't motivate myself. I realised this but even despite my efforts I don't know what to do to break it. I also understand procrastination but it is something more, for a while I thought these feelings and my actions are a result of some sort of anxiety or depression but only today after I stumbled across an article about generalised anxiety disorder and the symptoms did I stop, message my boyfriend and say I think I have every single one of these?! I also have a very loving caring family who I am so lucky to be so close with but I can't really talk to them, they contribute to the stress (unintentionally I think) because of the expectation of uni and succeeding and making something of myself - they think I should be having the time of my life because I am young and have the world at my feet and I am 'so lucky' but for some reason I can't remember the last time I felt happy. There is a lot going on with them as well, a lot of worries which doesn't help I guess, Im also very isolated, all my friends for different reasons have disappeared My mum says she always had this feeling that I would be alright no matter what because I am "strong" I don't want to be anymore, I dont think I am alright or it is alright to assume strength, I want order in my mind again I want to be able to sleep at night and go back to thinking worrying is a waste of time but I just dont know how.

dougall Friday Night
  • replies: 13

My Friday nights are usually not good, it is the weekend, people are visiting relatives, have somewhere to go, have people to see. I am at home wanting company but too panic stricken to go out and mingle. It is a feeling of what is it all about, next... View more

My Friday nights are usually not good, it is the weekend, people are visiting relatives, have somewhere to go, have people to see. I am at home wanting company but too panic stricken to go out and mingle. It is a feeling of what is it all about, next Friday night will be the same if I don't get my act together and make the effort. How will anyone know I am lonely if they don't talk to me. You still can go out and be alone. It is times like this that my brain and heart have two different conversations, one wins, which one who knows. I'm not making sense so I shall go and do what I usually do on a Friday night, watch television and go to bed at 7.00pm.

mrsanxiety Its not what i expected.......
  • replies: 6

it was like any normal night. My daughter was in bed sleep i was up with my partner watch a movie. I was just falling into a deep sleep when i woke up to my partner telling me she was on the she. She was my friend. she was crying. She proceeded to te... View more

it was like any normal night. My daughter was in bed sleep i was up with my partner watch a movie. I was just falling into a deep sleep when i woke up to my partner telling me she was on the she. She was my friend. she was crying. She proceeded to tell me 'he' was dead. he had taken his own life. 'he' being my daughters biological father. I went into a state of shock. I was hyperventilating, i was standing then sitting. i was in pain then i was numb. My partner did his best to console me. Knowing that the man who just died i spent three years of my life with, i was abused mentally and physically by him, i hadn't seen him in a year. This man who had taken his life started my anxiety. I dont blame him, i dont blame her for caalling me. I blame my brain for dealing with it how it did. I had so many sleepless night. SOmetimes i still do. I turned into a bad person. Stressing about another bad phone call. Putting stress on my current partner. I broke down one day and knew it was time to get help. I seen someone and explain to them what was going on. from there i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I had suffered from depression since i was 15 (after being hit by a hoon driver and becoming dependant on a forearm crutch for life) this was nothing knew to me. But anxiety what was that?? I spoke to people spoke to a man who was a professional. i upped my dosage of meds. I was doing well. He tried hypnosise on me... i didnt like what it done to me so i never went back. i was good i stayed on my meds for a year. that was my longest ever. Usually id last a max of 6 months. I took myself of them thinking i would be fine. and i was. but lately its come back. Its become really bad. So today i went to the doctors and asked to be put back on my meds. But he didnt help, he didnt refer me to speak to someone. Unless its covered by medicare i cant afford it. So he didnt help.How can i just control these irrational thouights without someone to talk to??? I love my partner he is my rock but i know is taking a toll on him. My daughtr shes the reason i put two feet on the floor in the morning.

TheSunsetTree I think I have social anxiety
  • replies: 7

I don't really know where to start off but I feel like I have always been super shy and just put it down to being quiet but now it is getting a bit out of control. I find it really really hard to mix with and met new people. I feel like when I talk t... View more

I don't really know where to start off but I feel like I have always been super shy and just put it down to being quiet but now it is getting a bit out of control. I find it really really hard to mix with and met new people. I feel like when I talk to someone new or especially a girl I just freeze up and unable to talk. I sometimes can say hello, but never able to get past that. This has really limited my ability to ask girls out. I sweat really bad when in social situations, my leg shakes uncontrollably, I feel nauseous and my heart beats so fast I feel like people can hear it. I find myself always worried about things and am quite anxious. I am extremely fidgety too. I haven't talked to anyone really about it, apart form jokingly saying how scared of things I am. I feel really embarrassed to talk to my family about it. Mental illness seems to run in the family so I feel extremely guilty and do not want my parents to have another problem or issue with their family to deal with. It is really starting to effect me as I am trying to find a part-time job while at university. I use to work as a waiter but found it so scary and difficult to talk to so many random people and it was so busy where I worked. I am just not very good in high pressure and busy environment. I am just not sure how to go about trying to address this issue and find a part-time job so I thought it would not be very scary to post on here.