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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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user9463728 still confused
  • replies: 9

I posted something on here a while ago and I'm honestly still confused. I just feel like something isn't right with me. I have no idea how to explain how I feel. I'm constantly searching around trying to find some kind of condition or something that ... View more

I posted something on here a while ago and I'm honestly still confused. I just feel like something isn't right with me. I have no idea how to explain how I feel. I'm constantly searching around trying to find some kind of condition or something that sounds like what I'm experiencing but nothing. It feels like I have a mix of a bunch of different disorders but that's not right. I feel like I've always thought of people and everything, in general, a little differently than others but it wasn't anything crazy. I've noticed, every month or so I get weirdly obsessed with something. And by weirdly obsessed I mean WEIRDLY OBSESSED. I can't stop thinking about it, whether it be a tv show, a person or even an illness. Ill do hours and hours of research and won't be able to think about anything other than it for a few days usually. However, sometimes the "obsession" lasts a few weeks or more. Last year I became obsessed with blindness. (No idea where it started. I probably saw an article on it or something.) So obsessed that I wanted to be blind. Like really badly. I was stupid and did research on how I could make it happen. I ended up staring at the sun for about ten minutes in one eye and less in the other. Told my parents I was "seeing a weird dot" in my eye so I could get it checked out. Had scans done and they asked me whether I had looked into any bright lights, of course, I said no. Was diagnosed with some other eye condition that presents similarly and to this day, I'm the only one who knows what really caused it. Not even my parents know I caused it. (cost them a shit ton of money too lol). I did it just for the attention. I got extra attention at school and loved seeing everybody's reactions to finding out I had a "rare eye condition." I pretend to be sad when my friends ask me about it but really I love their reactions and attention so much. I LOVE it. The "eye condition" reactions have mostly died down now. Everyone has forgotten it exists. Been having obsessions like this for a few years now but that's the furthest I've been with one. I've had a lot of smaller ones but still very annoying. When searching for answers I've been leaning towards the possibility of some kind of personality disorder. I saw an article talking about obsessions in borderline personality, but had only one other symptom. Even leaned towards antisocial personality disorder, as I have a few symptoms but it doesn't seem right. Any idea what this sounds like?

Santa_P How to make panic attacks go away
  • replies: 12

I’ve been experiencing what I think are panic attacks for the past few weeks. They come on without warning. I start to breath faster, struggle to breathe, start coughing to clear phelgm, burning sensation in the middle of my chest, radiates up into m... View more

I’ve been experiencing what I think are panic attacks for the past few weeks. They come on without warning. I start to breath faster, struggle to breathe, start coughing to clear phelgm, burning sensation in the middle of my chest, radiates up into my face. Feelings of fear, guilt, worry, engulf me. My main fear is that I have some issue with my heart. After the first attack, I went to the doctor, who did ECG and Blood tests. Both results showed I was OK. My problem is that although everyone has assured me that I’m OK, I still get these panic attacks. They happen several times per day, without warning. I also am worried about going to sleep at night, with the fear I will not wake up because my heart will stop. I have started a course of anxiety medication and intend to see a psychologist as soon as a can. So far, the medication does not seem to have had much effect on the panic attacks/anxiety. I have been taking the medication for 3 days. Just looking for advice on how to address the panic attacks until I can see the psychologist.

harry2222 Recent problems I’ve had
  • replies: 4

Checking in again after over a year. Far out its been up and down since. Can’t believe I’m almost 18, and the big day is the day of my first yr12 exam. How funny. Regardless, this year has been worse than most for me, and just like a lot of other peo... View more

Checking in again after over a year. Far out its been up and down since. Can’t believe I’m almost 18, and the big day is the day of my first yr12 exam. How funny. Regardless, this year has been worse than most for me, and just like a lot of other people too. But in particular, I’ve developed things over the past few months that have been detrimental to my mental health and consequently my physical health. Panic attacks. It’s honestly the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. There has been times where I suffer from these panic episodes for multiple days at a time, always at night for some strange reason, and it’s always the same symptoms every bloody time; tight chest, shallow breathing, tingling in the limbs… Awful stuff. I’ve thankfully discussed these problems with my psychologist and have been working to suppress it. But more recently I think these arising issues I’ve had, in combination with the stress and anxiety of school and not being able to see friends, has really broken me down this time. Like I think I’ve given up on school at this point, when it’s the home stretch; the time of year when yr12s are meant to be picking up the pace to smash out their exams. I’m done with it to be quite frank. I’d probably say I’m a bit of a hypochondriac, I’m always doing the research when I feel a slight alteration, creating links to diseases and all that crap for no reason. I know it’s all in my head. But what if it’s not, you know? I guess that’s the stress I’ve had quite a bit in recent times. But if anyone actually knows, every time something happens to me, I always get the fear in my heart, the tightness, the shallow breathing (pretty much ALL the time), is it some sort of heart problem? If some kind person would let me know I’d like to discuss it with my psychologist. That’s probably enough of me ranting, as I could honestly go on and on (sincere apologies to the moderators), but I appreciate whoever took the time to read this, and perhaps could relate to my situation. Just had to get things off my chest, that’s all.

sk8ergrl My extreme (?social?) anxiety related to getting a job is crippling me
  • replies: 5

In May 2019, I attempted suicide for the first time. I lost my job and since then haven't moved back into the work force per usual. Sure, I was at maccas for a couple shifts but even though it was much easier than my first job, I was too scared to as... View more

In May 2019, I attempted suicide for the first time. I lost my job and since then haven't moved back into the work force per usual. Sure, I was at maccas for a couple shifts but even though it was much easier than my first job, I was too scared to ask my manager for more shifts and just ended up leaving. I've applied for hundreds of jobs online, been to a handful of interviews and job trials - but the whole thing is so anxiety inducing that I don't know what to do. The problem is I feel like I complete and utter worthless failure for being unemployed, but every time I take the steps to get there, like prepare for an interview today - I feel so anxious like I'm going to throw up or someone's gonna kill me and my armpits get all sweaty, and my mouth gets so dry and my mind goes completely blank, How the heck am I supposed to be charming and employable with stomach problems so bad that I can't eat and the driest personality in the world, that probably makes think I probably hate them when in reality I'm just so anxious that I cant function properly. Side note 1: at my first job I got in trouble for my sweaty issue and it was the most embarrassing shameful thing in my entire life. Side note 2: I've also missed also social events because of my anxiety. like a couple months ago I travelled 2 hours to get to a class, arriving an hour early cause idk why, sat around by myself in a park for literally a whole hour, actually saw the venue and freaked out, then went all the way home again. A waste of money and time and a really dope opportunity to gain new skills. Its freaking exhausting, absolutely stupid (logically it makes no sense to my brain) and I don't want to be a worthless burden to my parents forever.

PsychedelicFur Taking new anxiety medication
  • replies: 4

This morning I started taking my new anxiety medication. I consulted my doctor because I could no longer afford the usual antidepressant as it was not available for student’s/people with concession. So I asked my doctor for a cheaper alternative. I w... View more

This morning I started taking my new anxiety medication. I consulted my doctor because I could no longer afford the usual antidepressant as it was not available for student’s/people with concession. So I asked my doctor for a cheaper alternative. I would never ever stop taking my anxiety medication abruptly. Because there are such substantial consequences to doing just that. And so I did what she advised me to do. And now every morning, instead of nighttime - I cut half of my new tablet with a tablet cutter and take 5mg. I feel like this is such a wonderful achievement for me because I did not just take myself off the mediation even though I cannot afford the full priced tablets. Instead I looked for a cheaper alternative because I know deep down that the medication helps me so much. I had been taking my previous medication for about 14 months now. And I saw a lot of significant and GOOD changes. feeling proud of myself that I am consistently taking my medication. It’s a priority for me. I don’t know if this is ok to post on here but I just wanted to do a little self care post.. just to remind myself and OTHERS that we can do this. We have most certainly got this! I’ve got this. PF.

Chloe90 Anxiety after Vaccine - can you mimic heart symptoms
  • replies: 13

Hi Fam, I have the covid shot last week and I’ve have chest pains etc since. I’ve had ecg and bloods that say my hearts OK so I’m hoping it’s just my anxiety running rampant. Has anyone else had this and did it go away?

Hi Fam, I have the covid shot last week and I’ve have chest pains etc since. I’ve had ecg and bloods that say my hearts OK so I’m hoping it’s just my anxiety running rampant. Has anyone else had this and did it go away?

TheBon123 New to the Forum
  • replies: 18

Just saying Hi, was given the Beyond Blue's on line forum by a friend as a different way of communicating. I fit into this group so am looking forward to the tools and support etc for dealing with my anxiety, which has got worse of late. I have alway... View more

Just saying Hi, was given the Beyond Blue's on line forum by a friend as a different way of communicating. I fit into this group so am looking forward to the tools and support etc for dealing with my anxiety, which has got worse of late. I have always been good at using the techniques from my psychologist, but something has shifted in me and its not working, if thats the right word. Thank you

PsychedelicFur I’m so horribly unattractive
  • replies: 200

I’m so horribly unattractive. my toxic ex told me I was a ‘6/10’ and ‘plus size’ and embarrassing looking. That is why he showed me photos of other women in bikinis. I’m that unattractive that he lost interest in me and started treating me like garba... View more

I’m so horribly unattractive. my toxic ex told me I was a ‘6/10’ and ‘plus size’ and embarrassing looking. That is why he showed me photos of other women in bikinis. I’m that unattractive that he lost interest in me and started treating me like garbage. I know deep and meaningful relationships are not based off looks but he made me believe that I wasn’t very good looking. Even though I have had people, strangers come up to me, hundreds of time and compliment my eccentric clothing or my long wavy ginger hair. he said to me once ‘you’re looks don’t matter anyway because you are only a 6/10.’ I’m starting to believe what he said about me. please give some suggestions or advice. many thanks, lots of love, PF.

Hitchcock Share House Anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I've been sharing a house with a couple (James, Sarah) for the last 18 months and it's presenting a few difficulties and contributing to anxious feelings: I hope it's appropriate for me to collect some of my frustrations here in the hope for ... View more

Hi all, I've been sharing a house with a couple (James, Sarah) for the last 18 months and it's presenting a few difficulties and contributing to anxious feelings: I hope it's appropriate for me to collect some of my frustrations here in the hope for some advice. I had known James for 8 months prior but had never met his partner Sarah. James and I got along relatively well as colleagues and coincidentally were both forced into a quick exit from our previous living situations and felt it would be appropriate to move in together. We had a few interests in common, so we figured it could work. Sarah is a self confessed introvert - we have nothing in common and struggle immensely to strike any sort of rapport unless there are a few beers involved. If we're in the communal area, at most it's a "Hey, how are you? Good" and that only stems from me initiating the conversation, otherwise she will pass by like I don't exist. If I enter and they're present, she will almost instantly leave, allowing James and I to have a slight amount of chit-chat that more often than not feels forced (for the sake of us knowing each other prior. He isn't a brilliant conversationalist also) before he leaves. I love my downtime, but I guess I'm also relatively extroverted. I feel I often need to speak to break the tension within the room just to feel like there is even a small sense of community. I try to strike subjects that I know they're both interested in, even if I'm not as well versed to try and lay some foundation in the hope that the next day might not be as difficult. You can literally cut the tension most days like butter. When I eventually burn out and can't be bothered trying and want to ignore them myself, I'm the worst person ever however. I don't want to be best friends but I feel perhaps a little bit of effort on both of their behalves would go a long way in making the house a little more enjoyable. I respect their space when cooking and will join the kitchen from my room once they've sat down to watch some television, but more often than not find I'm locking myself away in my room just to avoid the uncomfortable situation that inevitably awaits me. This is an ongoing thing during lockdown and its starting to affect my mental health hugely. Constant stress and anxiety; avoid them - feel bad, try to help, feel worse. It's a really uncomfortable environment. Apologies if this is a ramble, any thoughts or experience with this is greatly appreciated. Thanks kindly.

Nervybella Why do people want to be outside their comfort zone?
  • replies: 9

Hi all ive Been thinking a lot lately about why people are always encouraging or pushing others to step outside their comfort zone. I started a new job a few months ago that’s certainly outside the realm of what I used to do. Some days are ok, but so... View more

Hi all ive Been thinking a lot lately about why people are always encouraging or pushing others to step outside their comfort zone. I started a new job a few months ago that’s certainly outside the realm of what I used to do. Some days are ok, but some tasks are so far outside my comfort zone that I have immense anxiety and feel miserable! I am getting a bit over all these inspirational quotes saying to step outside your comfort zone, only good comes from this etc etc would love to hear others opinion on this too… is there something wrong with me staying in my own comfortable bubble?? best Bella