Immediate support
Immediate support

Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

Start a discussion

Daisy_field Living with anxiety for years
  • replies: 3

I've suffered anxiety for 12 years I'm on medication and still suffer panic attacks some days are great but most are hard My partner of 14 years left 2 years ago...honestly don't blame him. I have 4 amazing kids and parents that are a huge help! I wo... View more

I've suffered anxiety for 12 years I'm on medication and still suffer panic attacks some days are great but most are hard My partner of 14 years left 2 years ago...honestly don't blame him. I have 4 amazing kids and parents that are a huge help! I wouldn't be able to do this without them. I don't have many friends so social life is none! I'm so scared to drive a car, so makes getting out a hell of a lot harder...all I want to do is to be able to take my kids to school without dragging my mum behind me! I just can't seem to see that light at the end of the tunnel, one thing I don't understand is that I've had these issues for so long that I thought I'd just be used to the panic. I've pretty much been through it all even tried hypnotherapy! Feel so stuck!

Kree Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder
  • replies: 4

I have obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). It differs from OCD, although there are some similarities. I'm a perfectionist. It started in my mid-twenties (I'm nearly 40) and I'm now going to uni finally (nursing). I have very little self... View more

I have obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). It differs from OCD, although there are some similarities. I'm a perfectionist. It started in my mid-twenties (I'm nearly 40) and I'm now going to uni finally (nursing). I have very little self-esteem, I have social anxieties and performance anxieties to add to the mix. I am terrified of job interviews, but I'm stuck in a dead end job that doesn't suit my needs and I am not able to support myself on the meagre income it provides, so I MUST change jobs. I actually have a diploma of nursing that I've held for a year and a half but haven't used because there just doesn't appear to be any jobs for enrolled nurses which don't require experience (which of course I don't have). I started having full-blown panic attacks last year and in semester two, I started vomiting constantly and sleeping all the time. I lost 10kg in a matter of weeks because I just couldn't eat. I wanted to - I would have one bite and feel over full. I realised that I was miserable with the man I'd been married to for 17 years and I decided I couldn't stay with him and his bully of a mother. He shook my last March (just after my first major panic attack). In September, I asked for a divorce and finally moved out in November. I'm worried constantly about my daughter (age spending time with him because of his plethora of mental illnesses and chronic pain requiring opioid medications and heart condition also requiring medication. To gain full custody and get her away from him would require much more money than I can afford. I'm much happier since leaving him and I've been able to wean myself off the antidepressants, but not the sleeping tablets. I still wake many times each night and never feel rested. I have money problems (who doesn't, really?), but I'm frugal so I get by. My new boyfriend helps me incredibly - he's very calm and I find he soothes my soul, but I'm still neurotic - worrying about every little thing. I still can't concentrate on my studies. I'm 'smart' in that I seem to pass all my theory subjects without much study, but when it comes to the practical assessments and clinical placements, I 'bomb out' and nearly fail. My social anxieties don't help (my BF also has social anxieties so that actually relaxes me a little as I don't have to worry about being dragged to parties etc where I don't know anyone). Noting that OCPD is something that tends to get worse, is it possible to quash it? Or is this something that is going to eventually consume me? I've become isolated to only a few friends and most of the rest of my friends are online and I've never met them (and probably never will). I dread mistakes of any kind, I can't stand my house being too small with no storage so things are out in view (even though I don't really have guests) and I spend too much time making lists and then not completing tasks because I need to re-do tasks that were probably ok and should have been left alone. I feel like I am getting out of control with myself. I've tried CBT with a psychologist, but in the end, even though I could see her point, I couldn't put it into my own world. In my head, my obsessions and compulsions are needed and necessary. Like making the perfect lists. Has anyone else experienced this and beaten it? I'm sick of perfectionism controlling my life and getting me down because I can't achieve it.

Meeper Anyone struggling with food-related anxiety???
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I've been struggling with my eating for years after job cuts in my work area in 2012. I have fairly severe emetophobia and I get reflux in periods of high stress. I thought if I didn't eat I wouldn't feel sick and I'd be sure not to miss... View more

Hi everyone, I've been struggling with my eating for years after job cuts in my work area in 2012. I have fairly severe emetophobia and I get reflux in periods of high stress. I thought if I didn't eat I wouldn't feel sick and I'd be sure not to miss work. Sadly then I started avoiding it all the time and then avoiding other things until I was almost a shut-in. I made some good progress until this year when life got really stressful and I got sick for a long time and my reflux kicked back up again. I live alone most of the time now and I just can't seem to find the courage to eat in case something happens when no one is around to help me. I know it would solve a lot of problems if I could make an improvement on this but I'm not sure how to break it down so it feels manageable. Does anyone else have anxiety-related food avoidance?

dreamcatchergirl Constant self doubt about selfworth and work
  • replies: 3

I am currently looking for a job in the field in which I have spent the last 3 years studying. It's a creative field and I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I pursued it anyway. It's not impossible to get a job, a few people that graduated with me ... View more

I am currently looking for a job in the field in which I have spent the last 3 years studying. It's a creative field and I knew it wasn't going to be easy but I pursued it anyway. It's not impossible to get a job, a few people that graduated with me have found one ( mind you that's only about 2 or 3 people) I am constantly held back by my self doubts. I fee like I shouldn't have pursued a creative career, I really struggle with getting my ideas across and selling my point of view because I'm worried about what people will think of me and I'm convinced that all my ideas are bad! In saying that though, deep down I believe I do have a true talent for this and that I can shine but I won't allow myself too. I have absolutely zero confidence in finding a job and envision myself sitting in an office like a mouse too scared to express myself and becoming a wallflower. Has anyone had similar experiences? Anyone over come these ever present feelings of self doubt? I have anxiety and have probably dealt with it unknowingly my whole life but only put a name to it 3 years ago. I'm in a constant state of worry and have obsessive thoughts about bad things happening to me or the people around me. This adds to feelings of stress and makes the simplest of tasks feel over whelming. All year I have said that I will put my portfolio together and email it along with my CV to lots of firms. I still haven't done this. I feel unmotivated and hopeless about it all. People say to "fake it till you make it" but I can't fake self esteem.

Titanium730 Anxiety is eating me up when dating!
  • replies: 3

I've always lived with anxiety, so I never realized how badly it was affecting me until this last year or two. I have dated plenty and have had some short term relationships and one long term relationship. I notice that when I start talking to someon... View more

I've always lived with anxiety, so I never realized how badly it was affecting me until this last year or two. I have dated plenty and have had some short term relationships and one long term relationship. I notice that when I start talking to someone of interest, I am cool, calm and collected. However, once I become interested after say a date or so, I almost get sucked into quick sand where I am in constant panic of "when will I see him again?!" " Why hasn't he texted me yet, he texted me always at this time!" I feel a constant need to know when I'm going to see him next and know what he's thinking. I think that this mindset has set me up to fail because I feel as though it's all or nothing because I don't want to be hurt. I start learning their pattern of communication and once that strays even a little, I panic and it affects my daily life. If they don't ask to hangout soon or talk about it, I panic. It's a vicious cycle that I do NOT know how to break. I internalize everything, so no guy has ever heard me say those things, but has anyone else ever experienced anything like this, and if so, have you found any strategies to just "let it be" and not feel like you have to know when every text, call, date is going to happen?

purple_dog anxiety related to food anaphylactic child
  • replies: 1

Hello to everyone out there who has an anaphylactic child... Apparently there is a high incidence of anxiety among these parents, particularly the mothers as they are responsible for food preparation and management of these children. There is growing... View more

Hello to everyone out there who has an anaphylactic child... Apparently there is a high incidence of anxiety among these parents, particularly the mothers as they are responsible for food preparation and management of these children. There is growing number of anaphylactic children in our society today, and unfortunately experts at this point in time do not have the answers as to why this is happening, and no real treatment only management. I myself have an anaphylactic child, and believe this is when my anxiety started and skyrocketed to ridiculous proportions. The stress of trying to feed and manage my child was overwhelming, as my son was diagnosed many years ago and there was very little awareness or acknowledgement in society and schools as there is today. My husband took a back seat and let me deal with it all, this just escalated my anxiety further. Yes I was introduced to other parents who had similar children, and yes they were just as anxious as I was, some better, and some were even worse. I had mixed experiences in these interactions. Some mothers were great and if our childs allergy was the same, we discussed food options and meal preparation ideas which was helpful. However there were some negative experiences, with some mothers trying to "win" whose child had the most life threatening allergies/medical conditions. I found this very draining as I felt that we should have all been supporting each other. So...I have survived almost 17 years of anaphylaxis, and hopefully have educated my son enough for him to make safe choices and manage his anaphylaxis as he now becomes an adult. I will still constantly worry about him, and that unexpected phone call I may receive informing me that he is in hospital due to a reaction. Experts are working on food anaphylaxis and I am waiting for that breakthrough to help improve the lives of those affected. I would love to hear from others who can relate

Lookingforpeace Anxiety and dark thoughts
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone Just have a few thoughts buzzing around in my head and wanted to air them out here and get your thoughts. Last year I was bullied at work, had relationship problems and also became physically unwell for about 8 months. I don't think I dea... View more

Hi everyone Just have a few thoughts buzzing around in my head and wanted to air them out here and get your thoughts. Last year I was bullied at work, had relationship problems and also became physically unwell for about 8 months. I don't think I dealt with each of these problems (except perhaps the illness) at the time. Is it possible to suffer from anxiety months and months after such events? Whilst they were upsetting at the time, I feel like it is only now that I am feeling the mental effects. Also I had some strange, dark imagery enter my mind as I was trying to go to sleep the other night. It is hard to explain but I had images of a large black spider and dark smokey shadow creeping over my brain. This was obviously quite disturbing and was the first time I've had those kind of "thoughts". Anyone else experience something similar?

zouzou Need help
  • replies: 6

Hi,it's my first time here ive been suffering from anxiety for years now I've been on meds and slowly reducing them and it's been a roller coaster just want to know when I would start feeling better again.

Hi,it's my first time here ive been suffering from anxiety for years now I've been on meds and slowly reducing them and it's been a roller coaster just want to know when I would start feeling better again.

Rubyrose15 Fear of loosing my child is taking hold of me
  • replies: 3

For months I've had a terrible fear of loosing my little girl to the point where I fear I've given her to much medicine and not realized or I haven't cleaned or cooked something properly and she will get terribly sick or that she will somehow find a ... View more

For months I've had a terrible fear of loosing my little girl to the point where I fear I've given her to much medicine and not realized or I haven't cleaned or cooked something properly and she will get terribly sick or that she will somehow find a tablet or cell battery and swallow without me knowing and I'll loose her or that one day I'll go crazy without realizing and harm her like what's been on the news with other kids and then I become afraid to be alone in case that could happen even though I know I would never want to hurt her . I fear so much that I cry at night and hold her tight . She is sick at the moment and I'm petrified she will stop breathing and visualize the hospital trying to resuscitate her. I sound pathetic but it's what goes through my head and it's eating me up that I feel like a useless mother

Matilda26 I feel like I am running on pure adrenaline
  • replies: 3

I've never posted on here before, but I was wondering if anyone feels any similarities to this. I feel like I am running on pure adrenaline, I just can't seem to feel calm. I feel like I'm constantly whining and I can't stand myself. I am in a stress... View more

I've never posted on here before, but I was wondering if anyone feels any similarities to this. I feel like I am running on pure adrenaline, I just can't seem to feel calm. I feel like I'm constantly whining and I can't stand myself. I am in a stressful job, but I feel like I'm less than everyone there and I could be a better person than I am currently being. I do enjoy my profession and I'm also studying my post graduate certificate in my field. Along with the anxiety comes the lack of self worth. I have good friends, but currently find it hard to comprehend why they would want to spend time with me and this leads me to start isolating myself. i just wish I could feel calm and happy or just peaceful.