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Anxiety

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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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Louise1993 Constantly in fear of dying
  • replies: 1

I’ve been really struggling with the fear of dying since moving to Australia from the UK. I never had this before then. I’ve had a lot of health issues since being here (nothing life threatening) but out of nowhere I will have these debilitating pani... View more

I’ve been really struggling with the fear of dying since moving to Australia from the UK. I never had this before then. I’ve had a lot of health issues since being here (nothing life threatening) but out of nowhere I will have these debilitating panic attacks where I feel like I’m going to die. It’s terrifying. I genuinely believe that I’m not going to make it home. I’m constantly Googling my symptoms, and body checking. I’ve become so hypersensitive to my bodily sensations. To make it worse, I witnessed someone who died in a motorcycle accident the other day where I was heavily involved (called the ambulance, checked for a pulse etc). I feel awful for him and his family, and I can’t help but feel that this has confirmed that I could just die at any moment. It probably sounds ridiculous and I know my partner doesn’t fully understand. I’m going back to the UK in a couple of weeks time, but even getting on the plane is scaring me in case something happens. I haven’t been able to get therapy due to not having Medicare or the money to afford it so feel it’s gotten worse. I guess I’m just trying to get my thoughts down and see if anyone has any advice, or has similar feelings to me? Thanks so much in advance x

apok90 Anxiety and advice on mental support
  • replies: 0

Hi, I’ve always struggled with social anxiety and it has been always hard for me to meet new people and make friends. It takes several times before I feel comfortable with someone and all the tasks (except for work) that involves going out my home in... View more

Hi, I’ve always struggled with social anxiety and it has been always hard for me to meet new people and make friends. It takes several times before I feel comfortable with someone and all the tasks (except for work) that involves going out my home in a social environment, often give me a stomachache and the need to go to the bathroom. I think the main issue is that I’m not feeling confident with myself and I often feel ugly and different. My situation improved the last years when I had to care for my son and my partner (that suffered from depression in a different way). Last year I moved here in Australia with my family so that we can stay closer to my partner’s parents and improve her situation, but after a few months she broke up with me and now I feel like I’m at the same point I started 9 years ago, plus the only people I know here are related to her. I spent the last five months just working and staying at home, without seeing anyone after work, except for my son when I got him the weekend. I’d like to change and find a way i can make friends and enjoy my life. I apologise for my English as is not my first language.

Belblu Struggles through med change
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, I'm at the beginning of a med change after 15 years on the same medication. The last couple of weeks have been hell. The mood the anxiety the worthlessness just seems so overwhelming. I have always been a go getter and this has floored m... View more

Hi everyone, I'm at the beginning of a med change after 15 years on the same medication. The last couple of weeks have been hell. The mood the anxiety the worthlessness just seems so overwhelming. I have always been a go getter and this has floored me. At the moment preparing a meal, cleaning the house takes everything out of me. I worked a day last week and was bedridden for 2 days. I'm hoping I get some relief soon but feeling very nervous the new medication isn't going to work. I do hope you are have a day that will bring you some peace and happiness today.

beny i have no friends how do i cope with it
  • replies: 1

I've lost all my friends over conflict & no longer have the option of being friends with them again. I feel like I don't know how to make a new group of friends as I've always been comfortable with all I had and never really bothered with making more... View more

I've lost all my friends over conflict & no longer have the option of being friends with them again. I feel like I don't know how to make a new group of friends as I've always been comfortable with all I had and never really bothered with making more friends besides the ones I had. i try my best to keep my mind busy with other things but sometimes with stresses from running my business, studying fulltime combined with the feeling of loneliness can be frustrating.

CeeCee33 Anxiety over moving out of home
  • replies: 9

I just bought a house by myself and am moving out of my parents home in my late twenties but ever since I bought it I’ve been so upset. I know it will be good for me and that I need to start gaining independence, etc. but I love my parents so much an... View more

I just bought a house by myself and am moving out of my parents home in my late twenties but ever since I bought it I’ve been so upset. I know it will be good for me and that I need to start gaining independence, etc. but I love my parents so much and am devastated to leave. I can’t stop crying or feeling anxious about it because I’m going to miss this house and living with them. Has anyone else felt this way or have any advice?

Alel Still afraid of covid
  • replies: 1

TW HEALTH ANXIETY Ive only gotten covid once or twice. But lately I've been trying to overcome really bad anxiety and I live with a really really anxious mom. She is saying that the covid vaccine is bad and that covid is really dangerous which is sca... View more

TW HEALTH ANXIETY Ive only gotten covid once or twice. But lately I've been trying to overcome really bad anxiety and I live with a really really anxious mom. She is saying that the covid vaccine is bad and that covid is really dangerous which is scaring me as well as her which then scares me more. I can't stop worrying and panicking. I already got the covid vaccine couple years back. But I'm still scared of getting really sick or dying. Whenver I explain my fears to my family, they just say believe in God. I'm not religious and they don't know that, so it just feels like I have no one that understand how scared I am. I'm too afraid to read the news about australia and covid bc I don't want to get more anxious than I already am, but I also have an urge to read on it. What do I do? Does anyone have any tips for health anxiety and covid?

Rosella12 Am I wrong/ out of line?
  • replies: 2

I feel this is weird and very specific but Ive had a singing teacher for a number of years who is also a counsellor, they often use counselling methods in lessons saying that singing often brings up difficult emotions, which it does. I am quite socia... View more

I feel this is weird and very specific but Ive had a singing teacher for a number of years who is also a counsellor, they often use counselling methods in lessons saying that singing often brings up difficult emotions, which it does. I am quite socially anxious and well often talk about things in lessons, often the discussion is too short and leaves me a bit unsure of myself. I actually don’t like discussing my insecurities much, it can help but it’s often caused me to cry in lessons. The teacher recently broke up with her husband stating emotional abuse and when I mentioned my mother not showing emotions much because she’s English, the teacher said no, that’s abuse very definitively and criticised my mum as a person that she’d dealt with in person. I was a bit shocked, she is certainly not abusive but very loving (just doesn’t tell you how she feels) and it really upset me, she will often be at concerts my teacher attends. I felt ashamed that I’d made my mum seem awful and wrote an email to the teacher telling her the reasons why my mum is the way she is and that she’s not abusive and that my husband (who she called manipulative) was not. The teacher thought I was stepping over a boundary and looking for counselling, which I wasn’t. I couldn’t sleep after this, I was a few days out of my period and it stressed me out so much that I called her to explain that I wasn’t looking for counselling, I was just really upset that she’d said my mother was abusive. She was quite angry at me and at the same time accused me of two things that I’d done which had upset her in classes recently, one which I can understand over a very silly joke that I acknowledged at the time but the other was completely fabricated.I felt completely gaslit and that it was all my fault for blurring boundaries but I feel that she’s always blurred the lines and breached my boundaries and perhaps she shouldn’t use counselling methods if she doesn’t want her students to feel like they can bring things up. She’s now put up a very ‘professional’ wall and won’t apologise for calling my mum abusive or acknowledge it, it’s all my fault. I feel quite destroyed over this, it’s really affected me, I feel like I can’t judge or trust people well as it is without someone I’ve worked with for so long making me feel like this. Her moods have been unpredictable in the past couple of years too, I don’t know what to make of her. I’ve also caught a couple of lies that were weird and pointless in the past.

Samc87 I don’t want to fight my mental health anymore
  • replies: 1

I’m bipolar 2, recently stopped working due to a work place incident, living three hours from my two sons who I see briefly for one night every fortnight. I’m so sick of battling my mental health, I feel like I self sabotage everything and constantly... View more

I’m bipolar 2, recently stopped working due to a work place incident, living three hours from my two sons who I see briefly for one night every fortnight. I’m so sick of battling my mental health, I feel like I self sabotage everything and constantly struggle to cope with the situation I’ve found myself in. the truth is I don’t see any positives in the future and I’m tired of having the generic discussions with mental health professionals and family.

Alel I don't want to cope with it. I want to get rid of it.
  • replies: 1

I don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with anxiety, depression, fear of change and struggling to do every task in life. I want to be someone who doesn't have anxiety and depression. Who doesn't get scared of change and doesn't overwhelmed... View more

I don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with anxiety, depression, fear of change and struggling to do every task in life. I want to be someone who doesn't have anxiety and depression. Who doesn't get scared of change and doesn't overwhelmed by every task. I know things get easier. But that still means I have to deal with it. When I want it to go away forever. What do I do?

Alel Why does my mind purposely try to scare myself
  • replies: 1

It starts off with anxious thoughts, "what if something bad happens", " what if everything is going to be hard for the rest of your life" or "what if you won't be able to handle this for much longer" The it goes into self hatred, "your a toxic person... View more

It starts off with anxious thoughts, "what if something bad happens", " what if everything is going to be hard for the rest of your life" or "what if you won't be able to handle this for much longer" The it goes into self hatred, "your a toxic person", "your fake" or the hardest "your purposly making yourself sad because you like being mentally ill" I don't know what to do or belive anymore. What if I'm actually making myself mentally ill?