Immediate support
Immediate 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 discussion

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
Jump to
Start a discussion

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. Remeber, this is anonymous and the Beyond Blue team are here to help if you need it This section is for people who are experiencing anixiety 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 you 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 worthile 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 discussion

Travla Bombshell
  • replies: 1

I am just been diagnosed with depression anxiety and am still coming to terms with it. Over the last few months I have been trying to figure out what's wrong with me having headaches, dizziness, sore back, tiredness etc. I never even considered that ... View more

I am just been diagnosed with depression anxiety and am still coming to terms with it. Over the last few months I have been trying to figure out what's wrong with me having headaches, dizziness, sore back, tiredness etc. I never even considered that it could be my mental health that's needs attention so am slightly shocked but now at least it all makes sense to me. I moved from NZ to Aus 2years ago and although I love it here have struggled to make friends which has never been an issue for me before. Along with a couple of other things to juggle in my life this feeling of 'stress' has built up and got worse over the last few months. I now feel quite anxious sometimes when at work, in meetings or places with big crowds. I am quite hard on myself &dont think I should feel like this since I do have a good life and am only 26. My partner was quite confused when I told him asking me what I'm anxious about exactly... When there isn't one thing that causes it that I know of. I'd like to help him so he also knows how to deal with this & support me as I don't want him to feel at all responsible. I have started on meds (which I know can take a while to take affect) and am going to speak to someone. I am feeling quite nervous about the whole process but hope to make things better before they get worse...

lonely trying to cope
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone im new to this whole process, I have just been diagnosed with anxiety after having a stay in hospital to have my appendix removed. It was 4 days of crap, and then my nana fell and hurt her leg and has had currently 4 surgeries to fix, she... View more

Hi everyone im new to this whole process, I have just been diagnosed with anxiety after having a stay in hospital to have my appendix removed. It was 4 days of crap, and then my nana fell and hurt her leg and has had currently 4 surgeries to fix, she is 95 and in the mean time I went to the ed having trouble breathing and chest pains to be told it could be a blood clot, i recently had a friend loose her husband to a blood clot , so all very worrying, so after another 3 days in hospital multiple tests and scans turns out no blood clot, but same day I was sent home I starting feeling awful, teary, sweaty, nausea, struggling to breath and like there was always something in my throat, so back to any doctor I could find on a sunday and he said anxiety stress and prescribed a short term medication to help me relax, but of course i now have anxiety over taken this addictive medication. So have seen my doctor who has suggested taking it for a few nights and get a good sleep and see how I feel from there and only take them if I feel I really need to. So I have gone from being very happy and outgoing, to struggling to get out of bed everyday and even the simpliest things can be to difficult somedays. And of course now feeling worse as christmas is right around the corner and I have 2 kids and a husband that dont understand. And of course still havent taken any medication yet

Dexter2748 Anxiety and Depression
  • replies: 5

Hello,I have spent the last couple months suffering from both anxiety and depression, something I've had for years but now at it's worst. I take a range of medications however I still find it impossible to relax. Some friends and family know about my... View more

Hello,I have spent the last couple months suffering from both anxiety and depression, something I've had for years but now at it's worst. I take a range of medications however I still find it impossible to relax. Some friends and family know about my current health issues but I don't think they fully grasp what I'm experiencing. To be fair I'm pretty good at hiding my emotions at times as I don't want to be that sad guy in the corner, I want to be the one to motivate others and make them laugh Tomorrow will be my first appointment with my psychologist. I'm both excited and nervous about it as it's been about 6 years since undergoing any from of therapy, I know I really need it.I think about death a lot, each day even when not experiencing a panic attack I wish that I was no longer here. I've had these thoughts for years now but I don't think I could hurt my family like that and plus I'm only 23 so everyone tells me it's going to get better. It's most like I know I wouldn't hurt myself, just wish I could disappear somehow. I cry almost daily, doesn't matter where I am or who I'm with, I'm always scared and can never sleep even after taking a sleeping tablet.Any advice would be appreciated, I just don't want to feel so alone anymore.

MargW Newly Diagnosed with PTSD
  • replies: 1

I am new . I ended up in hospital emergency because I was feeling a extreme fear feeling and didn't know what was happening, I was visited by the mental health team and with the link to a psychiatrist I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was in hospital for ... View more

I am new . I ended up in hospital emergency because I was feeling a extreme fear feeling and didn't know what was happening, I was visited by the mental health team and with the link to a psychiatrist I was diagnosed with PTSD. I was in hospital for 6 days while they adjusted some meds to help with night terrors and day time extreme fear feeling. I was loosing my confidence over the last 5mths and didn't know why. I had 2 brain tumours removed 6mths ago and haven't had a good time at recovery ,things just kept being thrown at me. The team at the hospital feel that this is my reason for feeling the way I do. I am on meds until I can have a vid conference with a psychiatrist next week. The meds seemed to be helping in hospital but not now I am home. My triggers are many and not sure what is what. The scared feeling is at times overwhelming and I don't know how to help myself get through them. I sleep better but I don't like waking up as that terror feeling is there and I deep breath ,go for walk and try to continue daily life through it but at times I find it hard and it takes over . Has anyone got some advice or tried methods that has worked for them to help calm down. I have been told I will be doing 'talk therapy' and am on antidepressant and a med to help calm me I find it is crippling me and my whole days now are consumed. I am trying not to let it by distracting myself.I havnt left my home since I have come out of hospital.

User1993 Anxiety. Anger.
  • replies: 2

Hey guys, im 20 years old and have just moved out of home about 2 months ago. i have noticed my anxiety over the past 6-8 months and have constantly told myself its just in my head but this morning at 6am after not sleeping for 24 hours (i havnt had ... View more

Hey guys, im 20 years old and have just moved out of home about 2 months ago. i have noticed my anxiety over the past 6-8 months and have constantly told myself its just in my head but this morning at 6am after not sleeping for 24 hours (i havnt had a good sleep in over a month if not longer) i suddenly felt this over whelming feeling of being stressed and worried at the same time and i was sweating and going numb and dizzy. i have anger issues and sometimes get the same feeling apart from the numbness and dizziness and im wondering if anxiety can affect my anger issues. i come from a good/ caring family with a history of ADHD and Anxiety and OCD with the ADHD coming from my dads side and OCD and Anxiety from my mother. im also in a very commited relationship with the best girl i have ever met but she is struggling very hard with Depression with episodes of wanting to kill herself which i have spend hours helping her through and have prevented it atleast 7 times in 6 months at about 8 hours each time. i have no trigger or anything, one minute im happy as larry then the next i feel nothing. i cant talk to friends or family about it because it makes me feel weak and everyone around me sees me as a foundation and i cant put this burden onto anyone else expecially my girlfriend. any replies would me extremely helpful.

Daisychain New Year thank goodness
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I haven't posted since about July last year when I was in the midst of a deep depression/anxiety. I am so glad to say that after lots of drug changes, seeing a wonderful psychologist and discovering meditation that I can finally feel the fog ... View more

Hi all, I haven't posted since about July last year when I was in the midst of a deep depression/anxiety. I am so glad to say that after lots of drug changes, seeing a wonderful psychologist and discovering meditation that I can finally feel the fog has lifted, although the anxiety in the pit of my stomach still rears its ugly head from time to time. Now the next battle is to get off the alcohol which during all that and the last few years has become a problem of a bottle of wine every night. At least one battle is nearly over and now to face the next, but with a lot more positive attitude. I didn't believe it when others said that there was a light at the end of the tunnel but it happened, and I am thankful for that every day. Best wishes.

Sirius Anxiety and Depression Book
  • replies: 0

Hello, I have just finished reading the book "Coming back to me" by Marcus Trescothick (retired English cricketer). It has a very good description of an anxiety attack as he experienced it. When I was reading the relevant passage I could relate to it... View more

Hello, I have just finished reading the book "Coming back to me" by Marcus Trescothick (retired English cricketer). It has a very good description of an anxiety attack as he experienced it. When I was reading the relevant passage I could relate to it as if he was telling me what I have experienced. Just thought I'd mention it in case anyone would like to read the book and possibly get as much out of it as I have. Thanks and I wish you all well.

doit New to forum
  • replies: 2

Hey all Only just signed up don't know why I waited so long. Been struggling with anxiety for 10 years, hard to tell if its getting better or worse, the more it engulfs areas of my life it never used to, the better I get at handling it, so yea a bit ... View more

Hey all Only just signed up don't know why I waited so long. Been struggling with anxiety for 10 years, hard to tell if its getting better or worse, the more it engulfs areas of my life it never used to, the better I get at handling it, so yea a bit hard to tell if I'm making progress overall. About 2 years ago I got into mindfulness, and of all things I've tried it was the only thing that seemed to conquer it completely, and to anyone who hasn't tried it I highly, highly recommend it. I hadn't felt so relaxed since I was probably 12 years old. My problem is sticking to the tools, ie mindfulness. I will do the exercises and feel great but then after a while get lazy and slowly drift back in anxiety, or I will remodel my lifestyle to be more busy, but slowly get lazy and drift back to where I started. Often something bad will happen and it will rattle my resolve, testing my faith in tried and tested tools. Then I slip back in, beating myself up along the way. Anyway that's the basic outline of my story. Will leave it at that. Had a bad run the last week or so, same old story, get back on mindfulness, have a s--t day, lose momentum, start again.

Niki Does anyone else feel the same way?
  • replies: 6

Hi Guys, I have been suffering from panic attacks for the past three years. I was referred to a therapist who really helped me understand what causes them and how to react if I get one. The panic attacks never completely went away and lately they hav... View more

Hi Guys, I have been suffering from panic attacks for the past three years. I was referred to a therapist who really helped me understand what causes them and how to react if I get one. The panic attacks never completely went away and lately they have come back worse. I actually THINK about going to the supermarket and sure enough once I am in there I feel it coming on and I have to leave the basket on the ground and go back to my car. I always think to myself " Damn you Niki, you know what it is just punch through it and you will be fine". I have been doing my shopping through Woolies online-god bless the internet otherwise I would of starved! Its not only the supermarket its shopping centres in general (worst female EVER). I have also become scared of things that I never was- for example my partner organised a romantic trip which required us to travel some pretty windy roads- well I was too busy worrying about crashing than the beautiful scenery. The scary thing is they also happen at home with my 'safe person'. Humans are pretty strange creatures, its as if I would feel better if someone was suffering as much as I am- bad person.....My partner is so understanding and helpful, many a times he has driven from work or wherever to help me through it...but it seems as though he doesn't REALLY understand. Anyway, I feel better already! Thanks xx

charliegirl heart palpatations and anxiety
  • replies: 2

hello all, I'm trying to get an insight into my mother's anxiety. She has had anxiety for approx 2 years however she is in a bit of denial over it and is constantly going to the doctors to get other things checked, ie heart palpatations, fluttering e... View more

hello all, I'm trying to get an insight into my mother's anxiety. She has had anxiety for approx 2 years however she is in a bit of denial over it and is constantly going to the doctors to get other things checked, ie heart palpatations, fluttering etc. She has been under a psychologist but hasn't been prescribed any medication. I honestly think she needs some medication as she appears to be getting worse and constantly going to doctors to try and find another cause of what is wrong with her (and after numerous specialists ect, there is nothing physically wrong with her). Are heart palpations a major part of anxiety and wondering what people do to stop these from happening? I wonder why they wont prescribe something for her anxiety?