Anxiety

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

All discussions

worriedrachael panic attacks 5 -6 times daily
  • replies: 3

I didnt think it was possible to have panic attacks 5 or 6 times daily...mine have always been maybe once a week or fortnight. Dont get me wrong Im very anxious most days at some point... I have been having panic attacks where I feel like a cant brea... View more

I didnt think it was possible to have panic attacks 5 or 6 times daily...mine have always been maybe once a week or fortnight. Dont get me wrong Im very anxious most days at some point... I have been having panic attacks where I feel like a cant breath,or that its hard to breath...I take too many deep breaths as I feel like Im not getting enough oxygen ,then I start feeling dizzy or course..and then my chest starts feeling tight. I have allot going on in my life that I'm trying to work through...but these panic attacks are really scaring me. Does anyone else have troubled breathing when having panicking? It helps me knowing other people go though what I do. xxx

dan_16 How to cope with Anxiety?
  • replies: 19

Hi, I'm Dan and I'm 16 years old. For as long as I can remember, my mum has been horrible towards me. She doesn't like me, she picks on me, she yells at me for literally no reason and blames me for everything. Basically, I cannot say anything around ... View more

Hi, I'm Dan and I'm 16 years old. For as long as I can remember, my mum has been horrible towards me. She doesn't like me, she picks on me, she yells at me for literally no reason and blames me for everything. Basically, I cannot say anything around her (good or bad) without getting a negative reaction. I think she has depression and she sometimes admits it to try and get sympathy but when we encourage her to get help she says she's fine. My younger brother has autism and it has always been hard living with that. Up until about 7 or 8 weeks ago I had been fine. I had thought about seeing a counsellor but decided against it because I was coping well. Doing fairly well in school and in sport, and enjoying life. However I got sick and had to have an extended period of time off school. We were finally able to find part of the problem, but we think another part of my sickness was me having anxiety. I have always been kind of a perfectionist, and have worked hard at school. Its in my personality to worry a lot and be constantly thinking and I have tended to get nervous often in the past but have been able to keep myself calm. I think any anxiety I have, got a lot worse during the 6 or so weeks I was away from school as I had to stay home, with my awful mother, abusing me all the time. Sometimes I randomly get nasty headaches and even become dizzy. These can last anywhere between 60 seconds to all day. I get extremely sore stomachs, sometimes my whole abdomen area and again, that can be very up and down and come when I'm least expecting it. Also, over the last 3 days, I've felt at times my chest tightening up, my heart beating harder (I could really feel it pumping in my chest) and having a feeling in my throat as if I have to vomit. Sometimes I can be sitting there and not feel stressed out, not feel nervous or anxious about anything, yet I will still experience these pains. I'm not sure if any of them have been panic or anxiety attacks, its not as if I have fainted or anything like that. I am struggling to get back to school, I have been for 2 periods at a time for 3 days last week but even that is hard. Apart from my mum, and my brother and the problems I have to deal with there, school is always stressful as I'm in year 11 and I have missed a lot of school so catching up is going to be very hard. I am booked in to see a counsellor this Friday and have also told my year coordinator at school that I need to see the school counsellor, and I believe that I will be able to. Is there anything I can do in the meantime to help? I am considering using these "rescue pastills" that my younger sister uses as she gets nervous about catching the bus. For anyone that may not know, they are similar to a lolly and you chew them. Apparently they calm you down and have worked in my sister's opinion, but I wouldn't want to become dependent on them. Does anyone have any advice on this or other things to take or treatments to have to help? Any help is much appreciated and I thank you so much if you have read all of this!

GreyDonkeys Someone please help me! Feeling trapped!
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone. i have posted before on here but i really just need to get something off my chest and need your advice. these last few years i have had these so called memories come to me of when i was young. They are not happy ones. i have a feeling i ... View more

Hi everyone. i have posted before on here but i really just need to get something off my chest and need your advice. these last few years i have had these so called memories come to me of when i was young. They are not happy ones. i have a feeling i could have been possibly sexually abused when i was younger but i'm not 100% sure and i don't know what to do. in recent weeks i cannot stop thinking about it. it makes me sick to my stomach that it is a possibility and due to this my anxiety and depression have become a lot worse. i spent all day crying yesterday just thinking about how much easier it would be if i just went to sleep and never woke up. the more i think about it the more i feel it happened. i have these memories and i have always hated people touching me, i cant stand to look people in the eye. I've never had a boyfriend and i struggle with intimacy. i get distracted and cannot concentrate. i have had anxiety/depression for the last 7 years with no real trigger. it is effecting my life massively. i feel that i am always going to be alone and it really scares me. Please HELP!! i am going crazy.

BrodieJayne Just a quick question.
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I'm going to keep it as simple as possible, because it even confuses me at times. I first started to have anxiety/depression when I went into year 8 (first year high school). I had little understanding of what a mental health problem was. I met my fi... View more

I'm going to keep it as simple as possible, because it even confuses me at times. I first started to have anxiety/depression when I went into year 8 (first year high school). I had little understanding of what a mental health problem was. I met my first ever person who has depression, and I'll admit that I was jealous because of all the sympathy and attention. I didn't understand this wasn't something he could control. I then started to retaliate back and show the same symptoms he did and tried to win some of the sympathy and attention he got. 2 years later, I was diagnosed with extremes anxiety and depression. Because I forced myself to have this. I didn't realise that thinking like that all the time would ever had such a negative impact and I did all this to myself. I know now (and some years ago) that I was completely in the wrong, but I do not beat myself up for this. It was a silly mistake that I was un-educated about. My question is,though, is to ask anyone,at all, if they have discovered they have too done this to themselves, or know of anyone that has? And if so, how was the best way they coped with it? I mean, surely if the mind is strong enough to get me into it, it could get me,out, right? Thanks

hoz 10 years with no help
  • replies: 4

10 years ago I was doing many hours of studying and hurt my back from all the time spent sitting. The back pain eventually caused chest pain. I went to my GP and he immediately said that it could be my heart and I was rushed off to tests in the follo... View more

10 years ago I was doing many hours of studying and hurt my back from all the time spent sitting. The back pain eventually caused chest pain. I went to my GP and he immediately said that it could be my heart and I was rushed off to tests in the following days. That night after the Dr said about my heart I was laying in bed when it suddenly started racing like I had done a marathon. I went through a series of tests over the next few months where they found nothing serious. Only that I get occasional skipped beats which is considered "normal". However ever since this time I have almost always been aware of what my heart has been doing. I started to ignore it and started full time work. At this stage I started going out to night clubs and drinking lots regularly on weekends. It seemed to almost go away for a number of years, but I always felt something was there. I think it was more I just did not care at this stage in my life. As time went on my life circumstances changed. I bought a house, got engaged, and basically stopped drinking. As my life style has become more settled, I care more about myself and care deeply for my partner, my feeling of something wrong has increased dramatically. I was having constant neck pains, and my irregular heart beats became even more noticeable. The skipped beats feels like I am being hit from within my chest. I can be sitting watching tv, or at work, totally relaxed, then suddenly bam i get hit. I then am overcome with a feeling that I am about to die. I have been back to see Dr's over the years. Most recently I was sent back to a cardiologist and had further tests and comparisons to the previous ones. The cardiologist says that he thinks it's anxiety related. My GP also sent me to a Gastroenterologists about the chest pains. All tests showed nothing. They all agree that it's probably just anxiety and that's where its been left at. It has affected me because I find myself worrying about my heart stopping and how an ambulance would get to me if I am somewhere with no easy access. Eg in remote places I start getting chest pains, in crowds I get chest pains, and even areas I am not familiar with. I am not in fear of death, I am in fear of pain, not being in control and leaving people behind. I also get periods where I just feel agitated for no reason. I just can't sit still. I think about things lots and sometimes get cold sweats and feeling of passing out. I have constant tension throughout my back and neck which a physio also thinks is anxiety related. More recently I have been feeling like I am constantly tired. I can't concentrate at work and lack motivation. I feel like I can no longer perform my job properly anymore. I am not sure what to do to make myself feel normal, because I am not sure what is normal anymore, and multiple Dr's just saying "oh its just anxiety" doesn't help. I am also concerned that if I push to get further help then I will be permanently labeled with anxiety it will be harder to have life and travel insurance.

fearer101 Health Anxiety ruining my life
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I'm 17 and I'm worried about spending the rest of my life in fear of being sick (vomiting/gastro being my upmost biggest fear, feels like death to me) and the embarrassment and frustration of my OCD. I've been dealing with this for about 2 years now ... View more

I'm 17 and I'm worried about spending the rest of my life in fear of being sick (vomiting/gastro being my upmost biggest fear, feels like death to me) and the embarrassment and frustration of my OCD. I've been dealing with this for about 2 years now and have seen two psychologist and group therapy which was very insightful and my psychologists did help me but i still love day to day worrying about getting sick and germs and constantly washing my hands. I suffer from panic attacks and spontaneous bursts of anxiety for not real trigger. I'm in VCE and don't want this to affect my schooling and goals for the future and i do not want to live the rest of my life like this. How can i achieve a normal life with normal feeligns and knowing the differece between normal real feelings and anxiety?!

Jasmin Made redundant
  • replies: 2

Hi all, A month ago I was made redundant from state government and ever since then I have been a complete mess. I have suffered from anxiety from a young age and so did my mother. The redundancy experience was so demoralizing and completely horrible ... View more

Hi all, A month ago I was made redundant from state government and ever since then I have been a complete mess. I have suffered from anxiety from a young age and so did my mother. The redundancy experience was so demoralizing and completely horrible that I just want to block it out from my memory. Since the redundancy, I can do nothing but cry, shake, panic. I feel so incapable of being in control every again. I am well qualified but feel useless at everything even though people tell me that I am good at what I do. I am so scared ALL the time. I think that I will NEVER get a job again, I am too old (51). No one will want me. I have chosen to go back to Uni again as it is my 'safe place'. The trouble is I just think about who will give me a job when I finish? Did I choose the right degree? What is the point? Should I just walk in front of a bus. I have been to a doctor and taking medication for anxiety. It has stopped the physical panic reactions but not the dreadfully negative thoughts. I have never had trouble getting a job before, but now I feel like there is no hope. Has anyone else felt like this? I keep getting told I am very employable and that the age thing is just in my mind.

CareFactor Emotional Anxiety
  • replies: 1

When i was younger i was outgoing, had plenty of friends, and was a very active person. I lived with my mother as my parents were divorced, i had quite an abusive father who along with bullying at school, shattered my self confidence. At the age of 1... View more

When i was younger i was outgoing, had plenty of friends, and was a very active person. I lived with my mother as my parents were divorced, i had quite an abusive father who along with bullying at school, shattered my self confidence. At the age of 16 I had a fallout with my father over sport and trying to make time for him, i was never invited around to his house to seem him again. I still have not spoken to him in 11 years. When i was 19 my mother was diagnosed and died from cancer, my sister and i had to grow up quickly. How i dealt with it all is i turned to computers. I stopped socializing with friends, i stopped my active lifestyle and i started eating unhealthy. My weight went up and down but it never got to the point where it was an issue. After completing a course i was studying, i went to get a job in computers. It got me out of the house but i found myself sticking to the same lifestyle as it was still an indoor job, and i was in a bad place. At the time i had a supporting cousin who would try get me out of the house, and thankfully i did. I went to a party where i met a person i hadn't seen in years, and they asked what i had done with my life. I told them i had gotten into computers, and i heard their disappointment that i hadn't followed my childhood dream of becoming a "_". This reignited an interest back in it and i decided to get into the industry. I got a job that involved quite a large crew of both girls and guys, and all of a sudden i felt thrown into the deep end sociably. It's like i had forgotten how to interact properly, and i was scared of awkward silences or situations(particularly around girls). I had developed anxiety, and began to worry what others thought. I took some time off to go on a holiday with a friend to a party destination. I felt the need to drink in order to be calm around others(i still do) and so when one night when i was not up to drinking i decided to do something stupid... I tried a drug in order to put me to somewhere where i thought i would be more comfortable, but it had the opposite reaction. It made me notice everyone's eyes, and i thought everyone was looking at me. It made me panic, and this is when i thought i had an anxiety attack and couldn't breathe properly. Upon coming back home i found my anxiety issues were flared up even more, i was even nervous talking to my closest friends - people i lived with! I was diagnosed with anxiety and saw a psychologist. It helped me calm down quite a bit but i still found the need to drink every time i went out to get over the nervousness. After a year or so i stopped taking the medication as i thought i could deal with it on my own. Now it's just a certain people that i get nervous around, always those who i "care" about what they think of me. So in pursuit of this new career i went overseas to study(i had been told it was a great avenue to go down). I had a good friend who was meant to come over with me but pulled out at the last minute. He said he could not handle it financially. I was in a position i could not pull out of, i had sent over my furniture and i had to go. I had a caring girlfriend who would come over and visit, but i found the isolation and dealing with the coming and going all too much. I was getting down. It started to effect my study, my brain wouldn't shut down at night(i thought it was a sinus/breathing issue i had been suffering from) and i was then struggling in class. It was a vicious cycle. So one day i went to a hospital and after multiple tests and a HUGE bill, they thought it was a relapse of anxiety issues and prescribed me with the same medication. That night after taking it i woke up sick as a dog, and i knew enough was enough, i needed to return home to see doctors at a more affordable rate. The doctors at home found my white blood count to be abnormally low, as if my body was fighting something. But after many many tests they could not find out what it was. Another doctor decided i was depressed, and prescribed me medication to deal with my sleep. I got back to running and getting fit and after a few months the doctors released with my "levels starting to go back up", and said i could go back to study, of which i felt i needed to do. The sleeping issues were fixed for the time being(helped with medication and nasal decongestants). But because of all of the problems i was getting fed up with myself and my ongoing issues, and it took a toll on the relationship with my girlfriend which ended. I completed my course overseas with flying colors, i was committed and focused. I was happy with how i went. But the biggest challenge for me is still a challenge i face, it is the return home and seeing friends and family. There's the expectations i feel from everyone, that i should "show" i am happy to see them. I "care" too much what other people think. It has started to get to me that much that even when watching TV i put myself in other peoples shoes and dwell on negative thoughts. *My biggest concerns are "not showing emotion" to those i care about, and/or worrying about "looking nervous". I am constantly thinking of situations where i would probably be nervous in. It eats me up. It makes the situation that i may be facing all that harder. I think the aspect of showing emotional happiness would come with genuine happiness. I have not felt good or healthy for a long time, and given that i was released with levels on their way up i thought it was important to be tested as soon as i had returned. Thankfully they are ok, still on the low side but not at dangerous levels. Furthermore i had tests for my breathing/nasal issues. The doctors said i am highly allergic to something but they can't determine what. They said i would need to go on a 2 year study to determine what it is, but the profession that i have chosen will not allow me to spend 2 years getting tested. I thought my breathing issues could also be leading to my anxiety. I am heavily medicated taking allergy decongestants and nasal sprays, and combined with plenty of exercise i am hoping that they could fix itself. But i have had a sinus/breathing problem for years, so i am doubtful - i worry it is a far more serious issue. I have considered seeing a Psychologist to help me with my anxiety issues. I am sick to death of caring what other people think. I just want to live my life and not worry about it. It is important going into the career i have chosen not to have these issues. This is why i have also opted to avoid the medicare rebate as i do not want anxiety on my medical records, it would not fare well when looking for a job. This is why i am also trying to phase out the depression medication. Are there ways to combat the anxiety regarding "showing emotion"? And avoiding being worried about "looking nervous"? Like i said these only really effect me when seeing friends/family/girls that i care what they think of me. There's that expectation of when having not seen alot of these people in a long time that i should "look happy" to see them. Even when i do i struggle to show it. Even a smile to a complete stranger becomes a struggle sometimes.

Bulletin_Board_Archive Ocd:lack of self care/hygeine:It has a name
  • replies: 10

Originally posted by: Chris on 3 March 2013I discovered this over the weekend that the version of ocd thats been affecting me actually has a name.Its called: Functional Impairment.It just means your ability to take of your everyday groooming and hygi... View more

Originally posted by: Chris on 3 March 2013I discovered this over the weekend that the version of ocd thats been affecting me actually has a name.Its called: Functional Impairment.It just means your ability to take of your everyday groooming and hygiene needs are getting done.The ocd has prevented you from doing anything that you after you get out of bed to the moment you leave your home.Anything and everything can be affected.Trimming your hair,trimming your finger nails and toenails,shaving,brushing your teeth,showering,etc. I'm trying to find other who have this problem so I can offer them support. Chris.

sarahl All you need is love
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I have suffered from anxiety on and off since my teenage years but have always seen someone for it and have never been on medication. I am a perfectionist and over the past years, my various stresses in my work life have often sent me in... View more

Hi everyone, I have suffered from anxiety on and off since my teenage years but have always seen someone for it and have never been on medication. I am a perfectionist and over the past years, my various stresses in my work life have often sent me into short bursts of anxiety. However I met someone about 18 months ago, we immediately hit if off and he was an amazing support to me in the early days while I dealt with work stresses. We have an amazing relationship, have lived together for 12 months and are planning a future together, including children. 2 months ago he told me he had a dream of moving to the country (we currently live in the city and I love it here). I have tried to be supportive of this, and over the past two months have tried to engage in his enthusiasm, however last week I totally broke down and couldn't even talk about it without crying. The process of making this dream a reality has gone from a seed of an idea to talking to mortgage brokers and I feel like its all moving way too fast. We are also moving house in the next few weeks, and as I work for myself, I don't have a schedule and stability in my day to day which is making it that much harder to deal with. On top of this, my overactive thinking is now wondering whether I love him at all (while he is at work during the day) and I tear my hair out trying to work this out, until he comes home and we spend the evenings and weekends together and I'm fine. He really is the most wonderful man who loves me very very much and he is being so supportive while I deal with this anxiety but the whole country dream continues to loom and every time he brings it up, I can't help but wonder if it is what I really want and I can make it work with more time to get used to it. The thought that I don't love him makes me even more anxious. Am I just in a rut of anxiety where my own brain is my own worst enemy? Has anyone else questioned their own feelings while experiencing a bout of anxiety? Thanks SL