New to Beyond Blue forums

[Anicca]

Hi, I'm Alison and my anxiety has bee quite debilitating over the last four weeks. I was hopeful when I saw the new Beyond Blue campaign on anxiety. My problem now is how to use the forums and follow threads. I've never done this before and I'm even anxious about posting questions in the wrong place!! I rang BB and all they could tell me was to get online and have a go. So, I hope this is ok. I'm fearful of people being rude, just because it is the Internet and no-one can see them. My psychiatrist is going on holidays in two weeks for three weeks. This is worrying me further. I've had depression and anxiety all my life. I like CBT and meditation but cannot do either when I'm so anxious. Thank you for this site BB. I feel a bit better for at least making a start on this site. Alison. 

[Anxiety_Mum]

Hi Alison,
I'm new to this forum too and have been scared to post anything in the fear that I'll say something silly or I just don't feel helpful enough to say anything!

I have also suffered Depression most of my life, first diagnosed in primary school, the last 4 years, following PND I have suffered from severe anxiety. Some days I cant leave the house, some days I snap at the smallest things and yell at those at home and other days I feel like someone is going to knock on my door and take me away. I know its just the anxiety, and I can still carry on as normal, cook, clean, work, but it's a never ending thing this anxiety.

I've tried different types of medication, but don't like the side affects, I do yoga and breathing most days and it does take the edge off, but wish it would just go away!
I'll never achieve much in life if I always have the anxiety clouding my thinking constantly!

Has anything worked for you?
I'm hoping by opening up and talking to others that I can at least feel less alianated and 'normal' 🙂

[SharonBV]

Hi Alison,

I'm new on here too and still anxious about posting on here the other day. and I'm anxious answering this as well, but it's a place where everyone feels similar, and I'm sure no-one will be rude here. I reckon it's a pretty safe place to share your thoughts and feelings, and all posts are checked by moderators before they appear. It's still not an easy leap to make, so well done for taking it!

Hang in there, use your strategies, know that as I type my heart is thundering, I'm sweating, feel nauseous and am shaking like a leaf 🙂 But I didn't like the thought of you getting even more anxious about not having a reply, so I gathered the gumption to do it, so you know you're not alone. I guess since it's an anxiety forum we're all fearful and anxious about posting and replying to posts 🙂

Sharon

[Anicca]

Hi Anxiety_Mum,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it was as hard for you as it was for me. Yoga has definitely helped me over the years. I am 57 years of age so I've tried different things at different stages in my life. Meditation is the strategy that helped me the most and people say they noticed a difference in me over that time. Yoga and meditation in combination would be ideal. Also, because nothing else is working at the moment, I am trying Beyond Blue. Yesterday I was forced to stop thinking of myself and help someone I sometimes work for. The anxiety was huge beforehand but while I was doing my job of childminding for three hours the anxiety disappeared. I was ok when the lady came home too and able to be supportive of her. (Their pet is dying, very sad.) Helping others through different means over the years has always helped me to feel better. But then it is finished and I am on my own again with my fears of the future. I do have a beautiful dog that keeps me going each day. At the moment, my doctor is focussing on me learning to accept each day and not look in to the future. CBT works if you know it- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I have an app on my phone 'MoodKit' for CBT and journal writing, which is great and 'Mindfulness' app for meditation. I hope you get to see this post. It would be good to get an email or text when someone posts to the thread.

[Anicca]

Hi Sharon,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my post. I am sorry you are feeling the same way. It was very considerate of you to think about me. You are right, I would have felt strange if there was no response at all. Well, I guess we've both made a start now so it may get easier. It actually feels like I'm writing to a friend who understands.

Alison

[SharonBV]

Hi again Alison and hello Anxiety_Mum,

I typed a response yesterday but something went wrong when I clicked to post it, and I didn't want to face trying to re-type it then. 

I agree with Alison, if you haven't tried CBT, Anxiety_Mum, it's worth a go. Tho like you Alison, I find it hard or impossible to use when I'm really anxious, I just can't grab hold of my mind and make it focus.

I think my main strategy is distraction and trying to focus on something, which I find easier than meditation and trying to focus on nothing. It can be as simple as the taste/texture of something I'm eating, colours/shapes/textures of things around me, anything I can use to try and focus my concentration on. And if I can, to dismiss the 'unhelpful thoughts' with positive ones, we can be pretty hard on ourselves, usually much harder and meaner than other people would be. We worry continually about saying or doing the wrong thing, or something silly, and we shouldn't, because everyone does now and then!

I propose that we each take a deep breath and pat ourselves on the back, we were afraid of posting/replying, but we did it anyway! 

[Ann_Ziety]

I'm new here too.  I've had anxiety all my life but in the last few years it's become quite debilitating because of the physical issues I've developed.  I have 2 autoimmune diseases and a possible 3rd one.  I've had an enormous amount of stressful things happen in my life (some of them all at the same time) and those stresses have unfortunately taken their toll.

At the moment I have breathing problems which I know are from the anxiety and at times I panic when I can't breathe and I start coughing uncontrollably .  I'm having problems even now just because I'm posting and talking about it.

Over the years I've tried a host of different methods besides drugs, including CBT which I still use.  The latest thing I'm doing is EFT and I find that when I use it, it really helps, especially the hand EFT.  I found a good therapist who also counsels and I use the EFT most of the time when alone.  The hand one is especially good because I can do it without anyone knowing.

I think it will be very helpful to have a support group on the topic and I look forward to being able to discuss my anxiety with others who know what I am experiencing.

Ann

I find controlling my anxiety is a work in progress but with the EFT I feel I'm finally beginning to get somewhere.

[Anicca]

Hi Ann,

I'm glad you have found something that is working for you. 

It is good that you kept posting in spite of the anxiety. You are helping others by joining in and opening up the topic. If we can make it less scary I think it will get easier to manage. 

Keep well, 

Alison

[Anicca]

Hi Sharon,

Well said 🙂

I have a book from years ago titled 'Feel the Fear and do it anyway'. It worked well for me the n but as I get older it gets harder. 

I have avoided a stressful situation today and that is ok because it is not something I feel I have to do. I've given myself a leave pass. I agree, we are often our worst enemy. 

Kind regards,

Alison

[Neurotypical]

It's odd that I find myself in the Anxiety section of the forum, given that I don't suffer from anxiety these days. But I'm glad I found this thread. It's great to see people overcoming their personal barriers like these. Makes me all cheery inside, y'know? I imagine that the internet could be a scary place to the uninitiated.

Alison55 said:

We are often our worst enemy. 

That we are. I mean, don't get me wrong: in some ways I think I'm bloody fantastic. But in others, not so much.