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

All discussions

Phebs Anxiety controls my life
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I feel like my anxiety gets in the way of my everyday life. Like I still go to school and just getting off the bus sends me into a panic attack. I feel like none of my friends understand and push me to do things so that it helps me get over this anxi... View more

I feel like my anxiety gets in the way of my everyday life. Like I still go to school and just getting off the bus sends me into a panic attack. I feel like none of my friends understand and push me to do things so that it helps me get over this anxiety but to be honest it just makes it worse. Things such as talking in a group of people, just walking around near people and simply just sitting in class makes me so nevous and afraid. My family doesnt understand and just tells me to basically get over it. I would love to get over it but I feel like this is going to stick with me forever. Im even to afraid to go and see someone about it to get help. I really dont know what to do.

dougall what am I doing
  • replies: 77

I do not know how to use this site and was looking for someone just to chat with. I suffer from anxiety and have been suicidal quite a few times over the past 2years. I have a husband who left because he did not want to know and kept saying get over ... View more

I do not know how to use this site and was looking for someone just to chat with. I suffer from anxiety and have been suicidal quite a few times over the past 2years. I have a husband who left because he did not want to know and kept saying get over it already. Have a son who copes by hiding in his room playing games. Have no family all abroad. Find myself trying to push myself out of the quick sand and occasionally slipping under. Made a promise to son so have not gone as far as I have wanted to. Had counseling for 12 months. just don't know where or what to do as anxiety stops me from talking to total strangers. Very lonely and confused as to what is expected of me.

simmobc First 'proper' panic attack
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Hi All, Beautiful day in Adelaide! I had my first proper panic attack today on the bus, an awful experience. I was unlucky enough to not get a seat in a bus which was otherwise quite full. Not sure what brought it on, I was a bit anxious before I got... View more

Hi All, Beautiful day in Adelaide! I had my first proper panic attack today on the bus, an awful experience. I was unlucky enough to not get a seat in a bus which was otherwise quite full. Not sure what brought it on, I was a bit anxious before I got on the bus (not sure why) but I could just feel the feel the panic coming on to the extent that it felt as though my heart was about to jump out of my skin and my breathing was out of control. I felt as though all eyes were on me, they weren't obviously. Anyway, I got off at the next stop and walked the rest of the way to work. Its amazing, as soon as I got off the bus, the panic basically vanished and I was back in control - just goes to show that panic attacks are all mental. I didn't have my earphones today, music is normally my distraction and comfort. I must say, when I say first 'proper' panic attack, it is the first one where I have felt the need to escape. But in any case - bring it on brain, I look forward to riding the next one out and defeating you! Have a great day.

October14 new to the site. need to reach out
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Hi everyone. I am new to this site and this is the first time I have ever reached out to an online community. I've been battling on and off with depression and anxiety for years. Today brings me here as I am having panic anxiety attacks again. I have... View more

Hi everyone. I am new to this site and this is the first time I have ever reached out to an online community. I've been battling on and off with depression and anxiety for years. Today brings me here as I am having panic anxiety attacks again. I have been off medication since finding out I am pregnant. It's been ok but the last couple of weeks I have had anxiety attacks which leave me stressed out for days until I bounce back from it. In the last 24 hours, I've been thinking about too many things to the point of overthinking things. I am so worried that I am driving my self even more crazy and trying to reassure myself that I am good person and not everyone has to like me. Up to now I don't even know if my thread makes any sense. I am at work at the moment and struggling to concentrate. Thank you for taking the time to read this. xx

loth57 Going backwards
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Just want to relate/ask advice on my predicament and see if anyone else out there can offer ideas. Had to take 10 months off work due to anxiety and depression that, like many others, I didn't think was my problem. Did all the psychologist, counselli... View more

Just want to relate/ask advice on my predicament and see if anyone else out there can offer ideas. Had to take 10 months off work due to anxiety and depression that, like many others, I didn't think was my problem. Did all the psychologist, counselling sessions that did help, but got back to work and found work colleagues OK at first, but soon not accepting that I was struggling. Now drifting back to those sleepness nights, worries about how to fit everything in at work, panic about things I didn't have time to do and all the worry that goes with it. Approaches to Managers fall on 'deaf ears' with the usual "can't set a precedent by giving you special treatment" (didn't ask for that, but seems a convenient way out for them to not face having to help) Just wondering whether anyone else has faced this and can offer anything on what they did to cope/manage etc?

Stormgrl101 Feeling awful :( help
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Today has been such a bad day and i feel awful. Not sure I caught a bug or of if it's the anxiety. Am lying in bed tossing and turning. I can't keep still. I just want to cry, I should eat dinner but my stomach feels queasy. Have a psychologist visit... View more

Today has been such a bad day and i feel awful. Not sure I caught a bug or of if it's the anxiety. Am lying in bed tossing and turning. I can't keep still. I just want to cry, I should eat dinner but my stomach feels queasy. Have a psychologist visit tomorrow. Feels like it's been so long since the last one. I'm trying to distract my mind but I am at boyfriends house spending the night and I don't know what to do to calm down. Trying to concentrate on breathing but it's not working. Wanted to have a nap but can't relax enough. I think it's going to be a long night grrrr. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks for reading

Over_Thinker1 Anxiety that is brought on when in crowded places or surrounded by people... Any advice to help with this?
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I have always felt uncomfortable around a lot of people. I have introverted personality and naturally avoid big social situations and enjoy being alone most of the time. I have always hated being in crowded public places such as shopping centres and ... View more

I have always felt uncomfortable around a lot of people. I have introverted personality and naturally avoid big social situations and enjoy being alone most of the time. I have always hated being in crowded public places such as shopping centres and supermarkets. Over the past few years this problem has started to get worse and is having a negative impact on my day to day life. I try my best to do my weekly grocery shop early in the morning when there are less people in the supermarket but that isn't always possible so when I am forced to go shopping when the store has a lot of people in it I panic, I feel like I am being suffocated by all the people around me and feel like I'm getting in everyone's way. Usually I have to move aside for a minute to calm down before I can continue my shopping. After I go through this I stay very moody for a long time afterwards and can be unpleasant to be around for my partner or family. This anxiety doesn't seem to cross too much into other aspects of my life. Does anyone have any tips to help me with this so i don't have nightmares about every public outing? Thanks

heidisalone so it begins again
  • replies: 1

Endless nights no sleep I try so hard to srop. Switch off I cant. My world is collapsed and I cant breathe. I struggle day in day out feeling like im dying drowing in fears to which I cant explain. Help

Endless nights no sleep I try so hard to srop. Switch off I cant. My world is collapsed and I cant breathe. I struggle day in day out feeling like im dying drowing in fears to which I cant explain. Help

myfears59 I am Lost
  • replies: 2

I have lost myself and do not know how to get me back. This has been for three years now, I had a normal life up until then. two major incidents happening contributed to turning my life turning upside down. My sister passed away with cancer which was... View more

I have lost myself and do not know how to get me back. This has been for three years now, I had a normal life up until then. two major incidents happening contributed to turning my life turning upside down. My sister passed away with cancer which was a major struggle and then a year later my manager decided she wanted her girlfriend to take over my role as Team Leader at work and she just stripped the position out from underneath me making out my doing two roles of student supervisor and Team Leader was too much work as the job description was going to increase. There was no warning and I felt like a complete failure, this is where it all started and just got worse from there. I am seeing a psychologist but it doesn't seem to help. Writing, breathing, shifting my thoughts, paper bag breathing, packing and unpacking my thought closet, anxiety just sits there. I get so worked up that I faint, I've been hospitalised on many occasions then when I'm released and see my Dr he says it's something you just have to learn to deal with. I have a lot of allergies to medications so I am even anxious about trying meds due to side effects. A little bit about what I'm experiencing, my heart thumps so hard it feels like it will jump out of my chest, shaking hands, dizziness and light hardheadedness to the point of fainting, I can't catch my breathe, feeling like I am going to fall over. I work as a support worker for people with mainly intellectual and physical disabilities, I am a student supervisor/trainer and assessor, while at work I feel like I have a happy mask on, as soon as I reach home everything sets in. I've missed countless days off work due to this. Weekends are the worst, I'll cry all weekend feeling sick and just lay on the bed, I have laid on the bed crying and sleeping for a week, there have been two occasions I didn't sleep for four days to the point of exhaustion. I've stopped going out apart from getting to and from work, I've tried to start doing activities again but I just can't do it. I keep asking myself "what am I here for, what's the point of it" I wouldn't do anything to harm myself but I can see and understand why people do. I wouldn't do that to my mum, two daughters, grand kids or brothers. I don't know what to do to help myself when nothing seems to work. If I could lock myself away and become a recluse I would, I hate going outside my front door, if I could give my work up I'd do that too but I need an income. I hate my life right now

inneedofadvice84 Anxiety & Relaxation
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Although I have read a large number of posts on this forum, I have always been nervous to post....until now. For most of my life, I have had symptoms of anxiety, however I have always been too embarassed to admit there was something not right with me... View more

Although I have read a large number of posts on this forum, I have always been nervous to post....until now. For most of my life, I have had symptoms of anxiety, however I have always been too embarassed to admit there was something not right with me. Recently I have started seeing a Psychologist and have been told that I suffer from severe obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, general anxiety & an eating disorder. While I have started on a low dose of medication, I am still waiting to see a Psychiatrist to determine if I am taking the right medication. Although I do a lot of walking, I want to start some form of Relaxation / Mindfulness classes or sessions - is there anyone in Adelaide who can make any recommendations on good places to go? Or if you have tried a good online / audio program - I would be willing to try this as well. Any ideas with regards to relaxation would be greatly appreciated!.