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Anxiety Issues

Invictus1998
Community Member

Hello, I'm in my mid-20s and live in suburban Sydney. I've struggled with anxiety for most of my life due to growing up in an environment where my parents were quick to yell at me (and each other). Due to their lack of support, I haven't been able to seek help from a GP, though I do plan on seeing one about it in August. My low self-esteem, tendency to put pressure on myself, and fear of failure lead to me locking up and shutting down in highly stressful situations. This has already cost me one job, and it may cost me my second after only two weeks. I need to change things if I'm going to hold down a job, and so I came here. I hope the content I find here, along with the other methods I'm trying, will help me turn things around. Nice to meet you all! 🙂

4 Replies 4

Croix
Community Champion
Community Champion

Dear Invictus1998~

Welcome here to the support forum. It's a good move on your part as if you look around you will see how others have coped with anxiety. Having this condition makes life terribly hard and affects one's judgment. Seeking to reduce this is very sensible.

 

As someone with an anxiety condition I found there were a fair number of things that helped, and medical assistance (therapy and medication) played a big part, but not all of it. All together I'm now in a pretty good place and live a life without too much excessive worry (I'm still on meds and treatment). One big thing is I can rely upon my partner to give me a more realistic view of matters when my worry goes overboard. This is an enormous help.

 

May I ask if you have anyone in your life like that , who you can speak frankly to and rely upon?

 

Other things are well listed in Beyond Blue

 

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/anxiety

 

Plus personally I find two particular things. The first is an app called Smiling Mind, which with practice does break up that constant loop of worry and leaves me calmer.

 

The second is to get into the habit of having something, no matter how small, to look forward to each day. It can be anything from particular food, a walk, to a book, a movie, a talk with a friend ... You would know what you will enjoy and be taken out of everyday life by.

 

This is a sort of self reward, and over time self esteem can build -or so I found - as if I'm rewarded every day I get to believe I'm worthy of rewards.

 

I hope this helps as a starting point, you are welcome here anytime to talk more

 

Croix

 

Thank you!

 

I've heard of Smiling Mind, and I gave it a try once, but I need to get into the habit of using it. Unfortunately, I don't have anyone in my life who I can speak to about it; my parents aren't exactly supportive of the idea of mental health. But I appreciate your suggestions!

Croix
Community Champion
Community Champion

Dear Invictus1998~

Smiling Mind does work BUT it takes practice. Just trying to use it first off will probably not do much. It has a very large range of exercises, and some have different times between been nagged to stop the mind wandering

 

I've the attention span of a goldfish and need a constant reminder -fortunately there is one there that suits me

 

You may be pleased to know you can turn the background music off:)

 

Croix

Thank you for the advice!