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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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A_2105 Anxiety attacks while driving?
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone. Just wondering if anyone else gets serve anxiety attacks whilst driving? And it just never seems to get better no matter how much driving you do?

Hi everyone. Just wondering if anyone else gets serve anxiety attacks whilst driving? And it just never seems to get better no matter how much driving you do?

pastlife Anxiety and panic help please
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, I am 34 and have suffered with panic and anxiety for a long time. Have tried CBT, medication and a LOT of herbal/natural supplements but nothing has helped. I am due to take a flight to Asia in less than 2 months (never flown before) and... View more

Hi everyone, I am 34 and have suffered with panic and anxiety for a long time. Have tried CBT, medication and a LOT of herbal/natural supplements but nothing has helped. I am due to take a flight to Asia in less than 2 months (never flown before) and to top things off i am agoraphobic too - i hardly ever leave my home. I am riddled with fear and panic just thinking about the flight, i have a support person (friend) coming with me but i am scared i wont be able to make it through check in/security or even board. I am scared I will be stopped from boarding due to my panic attacks. My partner is overseas and i am going to see him and i really want to be with him and see him but i am soooo scared. I am seeing my GP again next week to see if he can prescribe something stronger for me. My friend also suggested I request a wheel chair from the airline as it's 'easier' having a panic attack in a chair rather than passing out (from hyperventilation and dizziness) standing in a check in line! Does anyone know if i can be stopped from boarding? Are there any medicines that can help me to make this flight without freaking out? I am having trouble eating, sleeping and functioning.

Guest_2658 I’ve tried everything to sleep!
  • replies: 2

9 months ago I went to a Sleep clinic to see a specialist. I was hooked up to the sleep machine and had a follow up meeting with a specialist. During the meeting we almost came to blows. The specialist told me that I had slept for 6 out of the 7 hour... View more

9 months ago I went to a Sleep clinic to see a specialist. I was hooked up to the sleep machine and had a follow up meeting with a specialist. During the meeting we almost came to blows. The specialist told me that I had slept for 6 out of the 7 hours I was hooked up. I told him “Rubbish absolute rubbish”. I insinuated he was incompetent! At this point he asked me to leave. Anyway we both calmed down and he said to look at the scan. The scan showed that I was asleep after 6 minutes blah blah blah. In all I slept 6 out of 7 hours. Bloody rubbish!! what is wrong with me? Am I actually sleeping? Is there some part of my brain taking the pee? I feel that I’m lying there all night and not sleeping at all! has anyone else on this forum had this sleep problem? The problem occurred after I left a psychologically abusive marriage 2 years ago!! 2 years! I should be dead from lack of sleep!! I should have be happy (leaving) but anxiety said No! I’ve got you now and I’m going to do you over. Anxiety twisted the whole thing around and made it my fault that the marriage broken down!! I had a horrific 8weeks where I lost 15kgs and was pumping out enough adrenaline to power a city. I was stuck in fight or flight for 8 weeks solid. 24*7 with no respite. Two years later my memory is starting to go and other symptoms that are pointing to early dementia! Anyone out there with similar serious sleep issue?

SadDavo1337 Health anxiety has completely ruined me
  • replies: 1

Hey all I don’t know where else I can turn but I feel like my life is going in a downward spiral because of my health anxiety. For context I lost my mother when I was only 12 to lung cancer and normally I don’t worry much about health issues seeing t... View more

Hey all I don’t know where else I can turn but I feel like my life is going in a downward spiral because of my health anxiety. For context I lost my mother when I was only 12 to lung cancer and normally I don’t worry much about health issues seeing the doctor very rarely (once or twice a year). When it comes to cancer though it’s a whole different issue. I’m really outgoing and seen as the funny one who loves a laugh but recently I’ve felt worse and worse inside. Im 23 now and recently I had pressure on the right side of my head for 4 ongoing days to the point I started to worry it was serious and went to the doctor who suggested I get a CT scan. I did the scan and it was clear but what has ruined me is the fact that I found out that CT scans are extremely high in radiation and the fact I let myself be exposed to it, that I didn’t say I want an MRI instead even if it would have cost a little. That my life could now be impacted because of a stupid decision to not speak up. I know it’s minor and my risks are low but it’s the fact that I don’t know what will happen in the future that terrifies me. Say if a medical machine had burned me then I’d be ok because it’s happened and that’s the end of it but when it comes to radiation and the long term affects it’s a whole different story. For the past week I’ve done nothing but attempt to do research and post in forums about CT scans and cancer and none of it is making me feel better. It’s all inconclusive what the long term effects can be and that just makes me feel worse. I just want some scientific reassurance that I’m going to be ok. I sit in the office not wanting to do anything putting on a smile and trying to act normal. I’ve started looking up videos about accepting death and what happens next. I want to marry, have kids and do so many things. My best friend, who also works with me, has noticed and mentioned to me today that he can tell I’m distracted by it and understands based on my past that it’s a real fear. He tries his best to tell me not to worry but I just can’t. I come home and whereas normally I’d go game, read a book or watch something. I now just come home and lie on my bed and try to do more research. I don’t look forward to anything anymore. This all sounds so stupid when I write this but I can tell I’m just slowly going down. I don’t know what to do.

anxietyalien Is Anxiety the monster?
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I've have written a post on my computer (Wordpad) and wrote it prior to creating an account here. I really feel like I need to reach out for some help. I would like to share it here on Beyond Blue, to see what kind of opinions or advice ... View more

Hi everyone, I've have written a post on my computer (Wordpad) and wrote it prior to creating an account here. I really feel like I need to reach out for some help. I would like to share it here on Beyond Blue, to see what kind of opinions or advice I might receive, and any helpful responses people might have. However, I notice that there is a 2500 character limit for a post, and my draft in wordpad is something like 5,718 words (30,386 characters). It's long, but I feel is necessary to convey what I need to convey. I feel like I should ask (out of respect) if it is alright to break my draft up into 15 or so segments and post each segment in order? Is this a ridiculous question? Thank you, Beyond Blue Community. I hope I may be able to post here.

markrob80 Health anxiety... help?
  • replies: 1

Hi guys, Long time reader, first time poster. I was "diagnosed" (such a weird word) with GAD and health anxiety 2 weeks ago. Long story short, in November a friend committed suicide, then over the following 2 months, 2 people I knew passed away and a... View more

Hi guys, Long time reader, first time poster. I was "diagnosed" (such a weird word) with GAD and health anxiety 2 weeks ago. Long story short, in November a friend committed suicide, then over the following 2 months, 2 people I knew passed away and another was diagnosed with cancer. To say that scared the hell out of me is an understatement. I've been to my GP (and 2 others) and all 3 say it's anxiety. I've had chest x-ray. Fine. Lung function tests. Fine. I started doing CBT with a psychologist this week. I regularly experience physical symptoms. It started as short, sharp chest pains back in November. Then in December (when I had my chest x-ray) they magically went away. Then I started to get shortness of breath. Then the feeling like there was a lump in my throat. Then that went away. Then the shortness of breath came back. And recently it's a "queazy" stomach feeling throughout the day, mixed in with some shallow breathing. My problem is that I'm not very good at focusing on anything BUT my body. I regularly scan. Like every 5 minutes. That leads to adrenaline and a worsening of physical sensations. And the loop repeats. I have medication but try not to take them. Running, weights and drinking (anything that distracts me) work to take my mind off things, but it's hard. I'm hopeful CBT will work. I'd love to hear from anyone who has/had physical anxiety symptoms and any advice on how to overcome them or train your brain to focus on the positives and not constantly be inward focused and scanning your body for sensations (which, of course, produces sensations and then amplifies them thanks to added adrenaline, etc). Thanks for reading...

LingYuk New Member - Mania verses Anxiety and Panic Attacks - are they all the same thing?
  • replies: 6

Hi Everyone, I'm very new to the 'forum' style of communication but hope to get support concerning some serious panic attacks and acute anxiety that I have been experiencing over the past week. I feel like I am about to loose control at times and tha... View more

Hi Everyone, I'm very new to the 'forum' style of communication but hope to get support concerning some serious panic attacks and acute anxiety that I have been experiencing over the past week. I feel like I am about to loose control at times and that no-one could really understand what I am experiencing. I can't focus or concentrate when conversing with colleagues and I'm terrified of saying the wrong thing and embarrassing myself. I am involved in a new and very complicated project at work and am having difficulty grasping my new job scope. I'm feeling very stressed and fearful that my boss will decide I'm not the right person for the job and terminate my contract. I know I can do the role if I can just relax, settle down and focus, which I am finding very hard to do at the moment. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder which I understand to mean cyclic bouts of depression and mania. The mania frightens me the most as it has led to some very embarrassing and regrettable actions in the past, which have landed me in serious trouble. The anxiety and panic attacks I am experiencing at the moment feel very much like the manic episodes I have experienced in the past. Is mania, anxiety and the panic attacks all part of the same syndrome? I am on meds now which I have used in the past only when I feel I am starting to experience manic symptoms. I started these meds again about 2 weeks ago and consulted my GP a week ago. Normally I feel completely symptom free after a week on medication but now after two weeks I am still experiencing panic attacks and anxiety which is distressing. I will make another appointment to see my GP as soon as he can fit me in. Thank you so much for accepting me into the group and listening to my concerns. I look forward to reciprocating.

Alannah57 I feel so drained from being in public :(
  • replies: 6

I have a problem: I feel drained from being in public. I feel ashamed of myself, embarrassed, and like I stick out like a sore thumb. My heart rate goes up, I can’t concentrate, and my self esteem just plummets. It’s a problem because I’m looking for... View more

I have a problem: I feel drained from being in public. I feel ashamed of myself, embarrassed, and like I stick out like a sore thumb. My heart rate goes up, I can’t concentrate, and my self esteem just plummets. It’s a problem because I’m looking for jobs at the moment, but every part of my body is basically screaming “get home, close the curtains and hide!!!”. I mumble, fidget and walk around really fast, or my voice shakes. If I’m out for a few hours, my mental anxiety gets so bad that I have to shut myself away in my room for hours, sometimes days. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’ve been struggling with this for so long, and it’s getting to a point where I have to be able to find work/go to work and go to uni without feeling exhausted, confused, ashamed and overwhelmed. Does anyone else experience this? How have you gotten help? I would love to discuss this.

Mikes84 Weight loss and anxiety, worried
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, my Anxiety is mainly centred around my health. I have had black pain for some time now and is causing alot if heightened anxiety. Doc thinks it'muscular so that is helping but the pain still makes me anxious. I havel lost about 5 kg and ... View more

Hi everyone, my Anxiety is mainly centred around my health. I have had black pain for some time now and is causing alot if heightened anxiety. Doc thinks it'muscular so that is helping but the pain still makes me anxious. I havel lost about 5 kg and being skinnyalreadyits concerning. Doc also seems to think the anxiety is causing the weight loss, but 5kg!!?? I have changed any eatinghabits either. Anyone else experienced this? Thankyou.

obwan bad health anxiety
  • replies: 1

hi im 17 and for the past 5 months i've had severe health anxiety, sometimes it goes away if i take my mind off things but recently i've been looking up symptoms on google (neck pain and slight pain at back of head), and its completely triggered it a... View more

hi im 17 and for the past 5 months i've had severe health anxiety, sometimes it goes away if i take my mind off things but recently i've been looking up symptoms on google (neck pain and slight pain at back of head), and its completely triggered it again but so bad, i am worrying if i have something wrong with my head or whatever, right now as i type this its hard to breath in fully because im so scared, i've always had anxiety but last year i had a problem with my eyes that turned out to be blepharitis, which sort of triggered it all, now i dont know what to do, is there anyone else suffering like me? im afraid that i might die or something i keep having thoughts all the time and its making me sad like i can't be happy at all, please respond.