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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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KFPDW Sick and Tired of Intrusive Thoughts! >:(
  • replies: 11

Honestly, I'm at a point where I'm just done! I'm having intrusive thoughts all the time and I'm so sick and tired of being stuck in my own head. I do what I can to make changes to improve things but Noooooo, I try but it's still there. I'm Fed up!! ... View more

Honestly, I'm at a point where I'm just done! I'm having intrusive thoughts all the time and I'm so sick and tired of being stuck in my own head. I do what I can to make changes to improve things but Noooooo, I try but it's still there. I'm Fed up!! I'm so sick and tired of it. I constantly feel like I'm in one place and people are in another. I try to build a bridge the disconnect is still there. I'm trying my best and sometimes it feels like I'm even at my best, it's not good enough. I just want the thoughts to stop!!! I'm trying to move on and not let it get to me but it's not working. I look up what to do and all the websites says is accept them and move on. I need something more to work with than just that. I do know what to do and I need help to stop these stupid thoughts from popping up and have a more positive mindset. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can make more positive changes to stop the intrusive thoughts from happening?

D Walsh No real reason for relapse
  • replies: 4

I have had depression and anxiety on and off for most of my adult life. Usually there is a period of stress that brings it on. I am currently in a bit of a funk but I don’t really know what has brought it on. I know it will shift but I am finding it ... View more

I have had depression and anxiety on and off for most of my adult life. Usually there is a period of stress that brings it on. I am currently in a bit of a funk but I don’t really know what has brought it on. I know it will shift but I am finding it hard to reassure myself at the moment.

Butterfly26 I've developed a horrible intrusive thought relating to endless suffering, and I feel like it's ruining my life.
  • replies: 25

Hello everyone, I'm new here. I've been trying to recover from my latest bout of depression, but there's a recurring scary thought that keeps me down and makes me feel like I'll never feel joy again. Maybe getting it off my chest will help me at leas... View more

Hello everyone, I'm new here. I've been trying to recover from my latest bout of depression, but there's a recurring scary thought that keeps me down and makes me feel like I'll never feel joy again. Maybe getting it off my chest will help me at least a bit. First I'll give some background on my situation. I've suffered from anxiety and depression for as long as I can remember, and I've been finding it extremely hard to move forward in life and be independent. A year ago I had a huge mental breakdown from a long period of stress, sad events, fear and hopelessness and I was basically living in a perpetual panic attack for days on end. It was the first time I've experienced panic attacks and they hit me like a truck. A few days in, the suffering inspired a really scary thought. I was calming myself down from an attack with the thought that at least this horror can't last forever, for anybody, but of course my overactive brain thought up a concept where suffering can happen forever, and it will happen in the far future, or is already happening "somewhere". It got really weird and science-fictiony and told me I can never recover now that I know that. I couldn't do anything to shut the thought down, it's like the thought made itself impossible to argue with. So that thought alone created many more days of constant panic attacks and what seemed like severe existential OCD. At my worst I felt like I was barely even on Earth anymore and I really thought I was going to end up insane or die. To my surprise I ended up recovering (I had a few therapy sessions and medication for a while but I'm not sure to what extent that helped) I think from exhaustion and somehow convincing myself that the very fact that this thought is so ridiculously painful and unrelenting says more about my anxiety than actual "reality." But even so, that thought stayed with me, always in the background but quieter and easier to shake off. Then I had another long bout of stress this year and my mood tanked, and I started thinking about it too much and obsessing over it again. Now I'm depressed about how my brain can't shut it down completely and finally give me peace. I feel like all I'm doing is living a lie when I feel "ok". I don't know how there are people who truly believe this kind of thing (hell) and are mentally fine with it? I can't live with the knowledge of so much endless suffering. Does anyone have any kind of advice for me?

Loststriver Severely anxious and losing hope. Nothing feels normal.
  • replies: 3

I don't know what to do anymore. Ever since the vaccine mandates for HCW's last year, I've been on a downwards spiral of severe anxiety. I gave up studies and my job and that further increased my anxiety to record levels. I ended up having to get the... View more

I don't know what to do anymore. Ever since the vaccine mandates for HCW's last year, I've been on a downwards spiral of severe anxiety. I gave up studies and my job and that further increased my anxiety to record levels. I ended up having to get the jab and returning to work because I need income. I had a very bad reaction to the second dose and ever since then I've felt lost and hopeless. I'm stuck in the same old casual job that I have been in the past four years, which I now hate and is making me miserable. I can't move my life forward. My living situation is uncertain and is stressing me out. At this point in time, it's impossible to find another rental. I don't want to move in with my grandparents and alcoholic father if I have to get out. Everything is too overwhelming because I don't know what to do to make my life better. Everything feels out of control and I feel really bad on the inside. I can't cope day to day anymore.

A1989A 3 weeks chest infection and anxiety.
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I’m 33 female. So it’s been 3 weeks now and I still have this chest infection. The doctors gave me antibiotics and steroids. I’ve been using my puffers and have a tone of Vitamins and minerals. The antibiotics are just giving me a furry tongu... View more

Hi all, I’m 33 female. So it’s been 3 weeks now and I still have this chest infection. The doctors gave me antibiotics and steroids. I’ve been using my puffers and have a tone of Vitamins and minerals. The antibiotics are just giving me a furry tongue feeling. I’ve been on them for 6 days and it doesn’t seem to be helping anyway. It’s giving me anxiety having breathing issues and coughing. My chest is sore to and my tongue and mouth feel yuck from that furry feeling. I just want to be better. It scares me being sick like this. It’s not easy trying to see a doctor either.. even though they say if you feel sick still give us a call and I call back there no appointments. Anyone else had a chest infection for ages? what’s made my anxiety worse to use my uncle got pneumonia and then covid and has been in icu.. so that’s scared me a lot more to.

Guest_5608 Low Tolerance for Stress
  • replies: 5

Hi There BB Folks, I have suffered from Anxiety and Depression for 15 years now, in earlier years (before I got help) I could still some what function, had two jobs, manage a social life and graduate university. In the last two years there has been a... View more

Hi There BB Folks, I have suffered from Anxiety and Depression for 15 years now, in earlier years (before I got help) I could still some what function, had two jobs, manage a social life and graduate university. In the last two years there has been a huge shift and I just can't do anything but the bare basics anymore. I have been also increasingly become more social isolated due to friends getting married, and barely seeing anyone, plus trying to hold on to a toxic job so I can pay for weekly pyscholgist sessions and an ongoing chromic medical condition. I guess what I'm saying is although I have struggled with Anxiety and Depression along time why now am I not coping anymore? I have recently reached a point where I easily crack, for example, I started crying and screaming in public a few weeks ago because one of my only few friends bailed out on me by phone for a planned catch up, I was a nervous wreck after this, and took me hours of being at home to recover, this worries me as my emotional regulation is gone compared to a few years ago. I just worry about myself as everything feels like survival. Also, my pyscholgist fees are rising so I will no longer be able to afford weekly sessions anymore. Any advise would be wonderful.

cocolemon Anxiety and Loss of Confidence
  • replies: 5

Hi. I’m a 21 year old masters student and recently my mental health has just gone downhill. I caught covid about a month ago and have been suffering from long term symptoms including fatigue and brain fog, which is impacting my studies, sleep, appeti... View more

Hi. I’m a 21 year old masters student and recently my mental health has just gone downhill. I caught covid about a month ago and have been suffering from long term symptoms including fatigue and brain fog, which is impacting my studies, sleep, appetite and general well-being. I’ve just completely lost my confidence and I feel so utterly overwhelmed by everything I just don’t know what to do. I went to see a psychologist the other day and I don’t know if it helped because they said they “couldn’t help me with strategies for my anxiety”, so now I’m just confused and feeling a bit let down. I feel like I’m in a vicious cycle and I don’t know how to get out. If anyone has any advice I’d really appreciate it - like any strategies for dealing with anxiety or sleep. Thanks.

moviefreak Worrying For The Sake of Worrying
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I am a 22 year old guy and have anxiety surprise surprise in this day and age haha. I have been seeing a psychologist since I was 16 because during this time I felt I needed one. I was bullied a lot in high school for having scars from a... View more

Hi everyone, I am a 22 year old guy and have anxiety surprise surprise in this day and age haha. I have been seeing a psychologist since I was 16 because during this time I felt I needed one. I was bullied a lot in high school for having scars from a cleft lip I used to have as well as my cultural background which was Irish (typical). Everyday it would happen and I would be so nervous about going to school and seeing them there knowing I would be judged. One particular guy would always argue my point and he would make me so nervous that I would overthink my comebacks and sometimes end up saying things that didn't make sense. I was heavily embarrassed by this. This went on for most of my high school years until around year 11 and 12 when I mustered up the courage to find new friends. I would come into school everyday feeling so worried and anxious for being judged. I would go down a rabbit hole of worrying. That was almost 5 years ago and think I have realised this is where part of my anxiety has come from and perhaps also being super anxious when I was young when going into operating theatres to have multiple surgeries due to having a cleft lip back then. These days I still have that state of mind I had during high school when I would go down a rabbit hole of worrying. How I would describe is it like having a bully inside of you that won't shut up. Whatever self talk I use there is always something that comes up to counter that argument. I hate it so much and I don't know why I can't help do it. I have taken new medication recently which I think has helped in some parts but I end up just going down a rabbit hole of worrying about the medication and wondering if it's helping? I have successful days where I am pleased for having great interactions with people and pat myself on the back for it but then I start wondering can I keep up these good interactions? When will there be a day when things start going bad? During Covid last year I ended up talking to someone online I met at a bar with friends. I really liked her but when we went on a date the chemistry wasn't there and we agreed to not see each other after that and then I started going down hill for months after that. I thought I should go off my medication but that made things even worse. I hated that period so much and was probably one of my darkest periods in my life. I worry something like this could happen again.

Not_Batman Who am I?
  • replies: 48

My father died when i was 10, and so was raised with 2 other sibblings by mum. We grew up in some form of poverty, so didnt have the same oportunities as my fellow classmates. Very quick background, i know. It wasnt until i was in my 20s where i real... View more

My father died when i was 10, and so was raised with 2 other sibblings by mum. We grew up in some form of poverty, so didnt have the same oportunities as my fellow classmates. Very quick background, i know. It wasnt until i was in my 20s where i realised a lot and despised as much about my childhood. All seemed to be going well until the panic atacks started when i went to uni in my mid 20s. These subsided after a short while, then flared ip when i had both my children and reflecting on not having a father growing up, which pains me imensely to this day. After having a very difficult and demanding period at work i fell in a hole, and was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and quickly got put onto medication (which has helped with the Anx&dep) Reflecting on my past, and my present, i have come to the conclusion that i have no idea who i am. How do i put my past behind me, how i settle my nerves, How do i find me? so many questions.

BobbyOz Anxiety attacks daily
  • replies: 3

Hello, I’m currently dealing with a problem for 2 years that every time I put food in my mouth I gag and feel like throwing up, I’m NOT trying to lose weight, but I’ve gone down from 60kgs which was a healthy weight for 172cm to 48kgs which is severe... View more

Hello, I’m currently dealing with a problem for 2 years that every time I put food in my mouth I gag and feel like throwing up, I’m NOT trying to lose weight, but I’ve gone down from 60kgs which was a healthy weight for 172cm to 48kgs which is severely underweight. I am not sure how to stop the gag reflex and this is affecting other areas of my life as I can’t do much physical activity. Does anyone know how to stop the nausea when the food enters my mouth? I also suffer from panic attacks mostly agoraphobia and social anxiety. Every time I go outside or talk to someone on the phone I get a panic attack, I have no idea how to stop them or what to do. I try breathing and grounding, but they never seem to work. I’m on medication but I don’t know if it helps the anxiety. I do not have many friends and I always get rejected by women too. What should I do?