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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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Trixiebell99 My current plan/thoughts
  • replies: 3

Hello all, I just felt like writing some of my current thoughts down. I saw a GP today and she gave me a prescription for anti-depressant/ anxiety medication. But, I don't think I want to go down that route as of yet. I think I would rather talk to a... View more

Hello all, I just felt like writing some of my current thoughts down. I saw a GP today and she gave me a prescription for anti-depressant/ anxiety medication. But, I don't think I want to go down that route as of yet. I think I would rather talk to a psych first. Anyways, after spiralling for a while I went for a run, and it has really cleared my head (I've never run for "fun" before). I think I have realised that in the end, it is up to me to make change. Only I can provide the change that I want - clearly I don't want to try the medication as of yet, so that means I have to find some alternative. I can't keep sitting here expecting things to change, but being too scared to actually implement that change. So my game plan is to try and go for a run each day (or every second) and clear my head, I just thought I would write it down in this discussion board so that I try and commit to this plan. I am going to try and be less harsh on myself - I am looking for a job, I am not going to expect to find the "perfect" job, I am going to find a job that gets me out of the house and earns me some money. I will try and stop comparing myself to others, and assuming that everyone has their life together. I am going to try and not assume people are judging me, and I am going to try and just be me. I want to stop belittling myself, and I am going to try and be my true self, without cutting the parts out that I think/assume people won't like. I think the biggest thing for me at the moment is that I ~need~ to get out of the house. I need to go out and do things, meet people, experience new things. Everything seems scary when I am in the house, but as soon as I leave, I realise that I do enjoy doing new things and leaving the house. Two years of on-off lockdowns has made me waaaaaay too comfortable staying home. This is how I am currently feeling, I am going to try and cling onto this for as long as possible and try not to spiral into a hole again.

Sally19felstead Anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi I suffer of anxiety disorder and it just gets out of control

Hi I suffer of anxiety disorder and it just gets out of control

Mitch95 Feeling overwhelmed and QOL is not good
  • replies: 2

Hey all, new member and not really sure what I want from posting on here but really just need help, feeling very overwhelmed recently I’ve been dealing with anxiety for the last 6 years of my life and now cope with it fairly well. But recently My QOL... View more

Hey all, new member and not really sure what I want from posting on here but really just need help, feeling very overwhelmed recently I’ve been dealing with anxiety for the last 6 years of my life and now cope with it fairly well. But recently My QOL has turned to crap. I’m constantly thinking and never living in the present moment, questioning what’s real and just irrational thoughts over and over. The only time I’m not thinking is when I’m at work doing a physical job, at the gym or watching tv/playing video games. I live a very healthy lifestyle and am doing all the right things for one to change their overall health lifestyle to benefit my mental health but it I’m still having to deal with my anxiety. I see a psych and always feel better once I have a professional telling me that it’s all in my head but I just can’t shift my racing thoughts/feelings. I’m terrified to take any medication or put any foreign substance in my body because I hate being out of control. But in saying that, when I do take anti-anxiety medication I feel fine and have no issue with my anxiety at all for that time being. I really don’t know what to do, I’m happy and my life is so good but the way my brain works and how I feel just isn’t livable and affecting my everyday life too much. I’m terrified to go on medications in the off chance they don’t work or make me worse then I have nothing else that will ever make me feel normal again as I’ve tried everything within my own control to manage my anxiety. These are all the thoughts that go through my head and I don’t really know what to do. I do acknowledge that things are up and down with anxiety but right now I feel like things are more down than up and it’s affecting my everyday life too much. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you all in advanced, and have a nice day.

Baileybasil How do I journal for depression, anxiety and self reflection?
  • replies: 4

I have been wanting to start properly journaling for a while but I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be writing down. Prompts online like “write things you’re grateful for” seems cheesy and pointless to me, I would like to figure out why or how fe... View more

I have been wanting to start properly journaling for a while but I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be writing down. Prompts online like “write things you’re grateful for” seems cheesy and pointless to me, I would like to figure out why or how feelings etc happen

Chloeellab04 Keeping in Touch With Friends
  • replies: 3

Hi, since I got social media and a phone pretty late, I never developed the social skills/etiquette required to text people spontaneously - whenever I do I feel like the conversation is really awkward and super short, and since I just finished high s... View more

Hi, since I got social media and a phone pretty late, I never developed the social skills/etiquette required to text people spontaneously - whenever I do I feel like the conversation is really awkward and super short, and since I just finished high school and aren't seeing some of my friends as often, its starting to hinder some of those friendships. Anyone have any tips on how to start texting people?

OceanPhoenix Is this social anxiety?
  • replies: 5

So for some time, I have been struggling to interact with others specifically strangers. It would take me like 10minutes to get the courage to call the hairdressers for example on the phone and the whole time I would just stare at the call button. Ot... View more

So for some time, I have been struggling to interact with others specifically strangers. It would take me like 10minutes to get the courage to call the hairdressers for example on the phone and the whole time I would just stare at the call button. Other times it would be like me ordering food in person although I do it much more easily I still feel a bit anxious when doing it. Then there would be the case when strangers approach me I won't speak or speak very very quietly. All of this has happened on multiple occasions but I never thought it could be something more until about 2 years ago. I was told that I was just very shy which was possible as I was a very very shy kid when I was younger and I'm introverted as well. I was told that I should stop "making up disorders". It made me feel like my feelings were a figment of my imagination and I was just making it up. Yes, I searched up symptoms of social anxiety but it won't compare to an actual diagnosis. This is why I am here. I am interested to know how other people have coped with similar struggles.

Dakota_C How long do your anxiety symptoms last?
  • replies: 3

Hi, I've been struggling with some of the physical symptoms I get from Anxiety for the past two weeks Started off as chest / feeling like heart pain, been to Hospital twice and each time ecg and bloods were okay, even had a chest xray and appeared fi... View more

Hi, I've been struggling with some of the physical symptoms I get from Anxiety for the past two weeks Started off as chest / feeling like heart pain, been to Hospital twice and each time ecg and bloods were okay, even had a chest xray and appeared fine, getting a holter monitor soon as well just to be double safe Now mostly the pains in my chest have gone besides one random shooting one now and then, but for the last 3-4 days Ive been getting random bouts of lightheadedness, headaches, and really strained eyes / pressure behind my eyes, almost as soon as I wakeup, been trying to convince myself its not something else How long do your physical symptoms of anxiety last, and do they change a little bit over time to other areas?

DaffyDuck_ Anxiety??
  • replies: 3

Last few years I've always had trouble with anxiety but for the last maybe around year or 2, I just cannot handle it anymore. Recently I realised how I cannot stay focused in class, I'm always so sick of sitting down in class, I can almost never fini... View more

Last few years I've always had trouble with anxiety but for the last maybe around year or 2, I just cannot handle it anymore. Recently I realised how I cannot stay focused in class, I'm always so sick of sitting down in class, I can almost never finish any homework or tasks I have to do in class. My memory seems like it's getting worse and I'm having trouble remembering a lot of things. It may just be my anxiety, which I'm also not diagnosed so I probs don't even have anxiety but I feel like I'm going insane, I can't do anything and I'm falling behind in class because it's so hard to stay focused and remember everything. I'm starting to get really overwhelmed. I wanna speak to a psychologist but I don't want my parents included in it at all. I went to go see one but they never got back to me after the first meeting. My mum thinks I'm always being silly because of the way I think, and maybe I am and just overthinking it but my school work and at home is driving me insane, I can't tell if I'm faking it for attention(?) Idk, and I'm so sick of feeling so useless in my classes. I'm not sure if I'm being lazy either, because I try to do the work but it's just so hard and all my teachers expect me to know what to do. I just want someone to scan my brain and tell me what's wrong with me and why I'm acting like this. I just want answers because I'm so tired of it. I feel like I'm just in agony when I'm in class.

Ianna How to cheer up myself?
  • replies: 4

I have been suffering in so much academic worries recently due to the start of semester and adapting to new life in Australia living away from my family. I often feel lonely whenever I'm in my room, I feel loss of interest in most of the things, I mi... View more

I have been suffering in so much academic worries recently due to the start of semester and adapting to new life in Australia living away from my family. I often feel lonely whenever I'm in my room, I feel loss of interest in most of the things, I miss home sometimes, my friends, and my hometown. Although I have good friends here around the campus but I still feel a bit hard to stay happy. I can feel deep in my body I'm having so much to worry about, I just can't stop thinking about all the uncertainties that may happen on me. There's certain time of a day I will feel really tired and panic, such sudden anxious emotion just popped out, I can't even control myself not to overthink or stop worrying. There's like nothing that can calm me down, I always feel depressed and my heart rate increases every time anxiety attacking me. I can feel that anxiety is affecting my physical health sometimes. I really wish to be cheerful as before, but seems like I can't. How do you guys cope with anxiety attack?