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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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.

All discussions

Frustrated mumma Throat anxiety
  • replies: 5

Hi guys When I get anxious or am starting to have a panic attack I start thinking im either going to swallow my tongue or choke or my throat is going to close up. I honestly have no idea why I have these intrusive thoughts and I have no trauma etc to... View more

Hi guys When I get anxious or am starting to have a panic attack I start thinking im either going to swallow my tongue or choke or my throat is going to close up. I honestly have no idea why I have these intrusive thoughts and I have no trauma etc towards that area. Any advice on how to not let it affect me in my throat, tongue etc? I'm so over it

Janeie Work relations
  • replies: 4

I’ve been feeling really crap lately.For weeks. Work has been really stressful and crazy. I’ve been almost a breaking point. Constant anxiety.I like my boss, we get on well. But she is a micromanager and a procrastinator.Recently she overheard me tal... View more

I’ve been feeling really crap lately.For weeks. Work has been really stressful and crazy. I’ve been almost a breaking point. Constant anxiety.I like my boss, we get on well. But she is a micromanager and a procrastinator.Recently she overheard me talking about her to her boss. I’m so ashamed and embarrassed. The work environment is toxic. Everyone talks about everyone.I hate myself for behaving that way. My self esteem is so low. My stress so high,it is almost as though I was feeling so bad I set out to create a reason.I just want to curl in a ball and hide forever.

cacti Can't socialize for my own good
  • replies: 6

Greetings guys!I have been experiencing social difficulties for as long as my family and I can remember, which has been worsening by the year since adolescence. I've never had a net improvement even when I am motivated to try. I'm 16 and likely going... View more

Greetings guys!I have been experiencing social difficulties for as long as my family and I can remember, which has been worsening by the year since adolescence. I've never had a net improvement even when I am motivated to try. I'm 16 and likely going to attend university away from home in one year or so but I still can't hold the most basic conversation with peers and strangers. I struggle to buy groceries and order food in a restaurant despite planning what to say before hand -- the words either turn into gibberish or just disappear from my head completely because of how preoccupied I am by the fear of not expressing everything right. I have no close friends, because as others say and I quote, I look difficult to approach. But I make sure I'm as polite as possible all the time and can't figure out what is unpleasant about me. Because of this I am always the least informed in school. It worries me that I might not be able to live very well on my own since I can't interact with the outside world and will have no one to lend me help when needed. I'm so lost on this.

Doris1 My Anxiety Story
  • replies: 1

Hi to anyone who actually reads this, So I think I'm writing this not to actually get help or advice (although i would still love it) i think I'm just kinda writing to get it all off my chest. With my anxiety, I go through what I like to call "episod... View more

Hi to anyone who actually reads this, So I think I'm writing this not to actually get help or advice (although i would still love it) i think I'm just kinda writing to get it all off my chest. With my anxiety, I go through what I like to call "episodes". These so-called episodes started in my first year at high school- year 7. The first couple of episodes started with me really intensely worrying about one certain thing. I remember the first episode was me worrying about Suicide, like really worrying myself sick. I would cry every night to my mum and dad scared of this certain thing, worried i might do it or something. Which is silly anxiety, is what I call it. But eventually, as i kept on living and thinking of other things and just doing life again, I'd forget about it and then look back and think " Yep that was a silly thing to think about". And then I would have another episode, this time i worried about being a lesbian. Silly i know that now, because there would be nothing wrong if i was a lesbian, in fact i think i might be attracted to women and of course that doesn't worry me at all now. I had a couple more silly anxiety episodes after that, about two every year i guess, but they would only last up to a month max. Some that i remember where ending my life, being a lesbian, having cancer (that was a reoccurring one), identity crisis... i just never felt like myself during the silly anxiety episodes. I always remember every single time i was in an episode it would always end up with me crying my eyes sore on my bedroom floor and sobbing to myself, "Why cant i just feel normal" every. single. time. But they where never debilitating worries, it never stopped me from going to school or having fun with friends or worrying about anything else other than that specific thing. THEN, i don't think i will ever forget this episode, it is something like i have never experienced, they only way I can describe it is this- You are in a test and you getting that flighty panicky feeling when you forget the answers and you searching trying to find it but you start to panic your head gets light and you feel the walls start closing in. This feeling is how i felt everyday for just over 3 months, there was never any break. I felt like i didn't sleep the entire time. It was the scariest time of my life, scared that i was gonna be in this panic mode for the rest of my life. (continues to next post)

razzledazzle It feels like my last shot.
  • replies: 6

For the majority of the 19 years on this planet I've struggled with mental illness, I couldn't tell you what life altering moment happened to me that caused any of it to happen because I'm still trying to figure that out myself. The last 2 years have... View more

For the majority of the 19 years on this planet I've struggled with mental illness, I couldn't tell you what life altering moment happened to me that caused any of it to happen because I'm still trying to figure that out myself. The last 2 years have been the worst mentally and physically for me, but when I say out loud what seems to be the centre of my problem -university and separation anxiety- it sounds so small and insignificant. It started in 2021, fresh out of high school and I was planning on taking a gap year, but my parents were very against the idea. Very long story short I went ended up going to a university in a different state, that I had never been to, living by myself, knowing that 5 years prior I was too scared to even sleep in my own bedroom without my parents. 5 days at the new state, after I had faced a lot of complications, I moved my luggage into my new studio and thats when something triggered. I had what I didn't realise at the time was a panic attack of some sort. I was so scared, all I wanted to was go back to my parents. Nothing could calm me down I had no one near and nowhere to go. There wasn't a moment in that studio where I didn't feel fear. Waking up to the same panic and anxiety and knowing that it would follow me for the rest of the day was unbearable. I couldn't eat, move myself, I was constantly crying, the back of my head would start to heat up and tingle almost like constant goosebumps and that when I could tell that it was going to get worse. That lasted for 4 days before I could drop everything and book a flight home because border restrictions were lifted and I wasn't trapped anymore. I didn't care that uni had already started, or how expensive the tickets were, or that my parents weren't exactly sure why I was coming back. I didn't/couldn't even tell my parents why, until a year later when I thought I should enrol into a uni a bit closer, in the same state but still a flights away, and do it online for a year, but that same feeling, came trashing back and caused me to drop out of it. My parents don't understand, they are very religious and mental health is quite taboo, they don't like the idea of me getting therapy and like to down play and complain about my situation to relatives.So now I am enrolled in yet another uni for midyear intake but this time its at home, and I can drive there. Its no way near as prestigious as the other two, and it starts in a few days and I'm so scared I'll mess it up.

DeeTwo Starting Over
  • replies: 3

Hi... I am feeling overwhelmed. A bit of back story, I am in my mid 50s, no children, second marriage, resulted in verbal, emotional and financial abuse. I left abruptly one night, when he laid into his 18yr old son.. I put all my finances into a joi... View more

Hi... I am feeling overwhelmed. A bit of back story, I am in my mid 50s, no children, second marriage, resulted in verbal, emotional and financial abuse. I left abruptly one night, when he laid into his 18yr old son.. I put all my finances into a joint named property that to be for our retirement (which I've just sold.. yeah).I've been living at my sister's & brother-in-law home for 7 months. I have minimal furniture remaining as he hid/took etc most of my things. All this at the same time I left my job, and started my own business.So, starting again... I have a few friends who have moved to the Gold Coast, plus some family there. Contemplating moving there also, but feeling overwhelmed at doing this step solo.I can't keep living where I am (I am soon to out stay my welcome).Any advice and guidance would be appreciated ☺️

Twinny Morning fear
  • replies: 10

Hello just wanted to reach out to someone who may be experiencing morning anxiety … so hard to get going alone every day feel so stuck and at my age I should have it all together but I don’t … with so much going on in the world plus the worst floods ... View more

Hello just wanted to reach out to someone who may be experiencing morning anxiety … so hard to get going alone every day feel so stuck and at my age I should have it all together but I don’t … with so much going on in the world plus the worst floods I am in a struggle for the fourth time to keep going .. does anyone else feel like this ?

Brno47 Sick of feeling like this
  • replies: 1

Hi all I've had anxiety most of my life its has gotten worse over the last 4yrs as my daughter lives in Perth and my eldest son is in Queensland and we have just found out that his wife is pregnant I drove up from Vic for the wedding but spent more t... View more

Hi all I've had anxiety most of my life its has gotten worse over the last 4yrs as my daughter lives in Perth and my eldest son is in Queensland and we have just found out that his wife is pregnant I drove up from Vic for the wedding but spent more time travelling than actually being there with them. I don't like flying but will have to do something about it as my daughter was married when covid first hit and I have not seen them yet I have an appointment for my gp this week as i haven't had my meds changed in 20 yrs so if theres any good books out there that yous can suggest i will have a look at them thanks Brno47

DocP EXISTING WITH ANXIETY
  • replies: 3

My name is Dennis, I am 77, married to an amazing lady for 55years who has been with me through thick and thin. I have had anxiety even before I knew the word. I try not to blame my condition on my early childhood but it is so hard. My last relapse w... View more

My name is Dennis, I am 77, married to an amazing lady for 55years who has been with me through thick and thin. I have had anxiety even before I knew the word. I try not to blame my condition on my early childhood but it is so hard. My last relapse was triggered when we moved to a rural area and I couldn't handle it so we returned to Adelaide and rented the house.i am at present being treated by The Older Persons Health Team who I cannot speak to highly about. Up to now I have not been one to conform to medication but I relize if I don't I won' t get better. Can anyone suggest more up to date texts on anxiety?

shellstar Pale Colourless Lips ? ANXIETY?
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I have had anxiety all my life, it is severe I suffer all sorts of deliberating symptoms:( although I have recently noticed my lips seem pale/colourless. My iron levels are fine. I’m starting to worry immensely thinking cancer ? Lung issues ?... View more

Hi all, I have had anxiety all my life, it is severe I suffer all sorts of deliberating symptoms:( although I have recently noticed my lips seem pale/colourless. My iron levels are fine. I’m starting to worry immensely thinking cancer ? Lung issues ? So please has anybody else experienced this as a anxiety symptom?