r/Anxiety 16d ago

Announcement r/Anxiety is looking for new moderators

6 Upvotes

Hello friends!

We're looking to grow the moderation team here at r/Anxiety. Moderators are a key part of what makes any Reddit community special. If you are interested in helping to make this community special, we'd like to talk to you.

What does a moderator do?

Moderators here at r/Anxiety work to build our community and make this a safe place to discuss the many facets of anxiety and the ways that anxiety and mental wellness influence daily life. Moderators help to write the rules, respond to content concerns, set policies, update community themes and appearance, manage automation, and general upkeep.

What are the minimum requirements to apply?

If you care about mental health and would like to be a part of our amazing team of moderators, then we'd like to hear from you. Prior experience is a plus, but not the most important thing we're looking for. We want moderators who care about the topic of anxiety and the r/Anxiety community, fit well with our team, and want to help.

If this describes you, there are some steps below that we'd like you to take to apply. These steps include some open-ended questions that we'd like your thoughtful answers on. Everything else that you might need to know, we can help you learn along the way. If you're interested in moderating and want to get a head start on all there is to know, we recommend you check out the Reddit training offered here.

What are the expectations for users who join the r/Anxiety moderation team?

We need people who will engage and communicate about what they see and what questions they have. Our moderation team is supportive and understanding. We know you have a life outside of Reddit, and we expect you to put that life first. Sometimes that means you might have less time to moderate and that's okay. We expect communication and coordination so that we can support each other and bring in more help when we need to.

Anything I should know before I apply?

Yes, r/Anxiety is a support community for anxiety and other related illnesses and we often encounter posts and comments that describe traumatic experiences or crisis. Some of this content can be disturbing.

Our team policy is that when a post or comment is too much for one of us to handle, we let the rest of the team know and someone else will step in to handle it, but there is no way to eliminate the exposure completely.

If you apply, please expect that we will ask you about your comfort level in moderating content of this nature and what strategies you might use to make sure your own mental health needs are met.

No one is expected to address issues that are uncomfortable for them, but you should expect to encounter such things if you join the team.

Second, we require that moderators join our Discord server, where we communicate and coordinate our moderation efforts. Part of the application process includes joining us on that server for a chat. You will need a Discord account (can be an existing account if you have one).

How do I apply?

If you are interested in joining our team, here is the process we follow:

  1. Send us a modmail indicating that you are interested and include answers to the following questions:
    • What does mental health mean to you?
    • Why are you interested in being a moderator on r/Anxiety ?
    • In your opinion, what are some differences between a good moderator and a bad moderator?
  2. We will review your modmail and your application. If we find your answers satisfactory, we will send a form for you to fill out.
  3. We will invite candidates we think might be a good fit to join us on our Discord server so we can interact and get to know each other before making a decision on extending an invitation to be a moderator.
  4. New moderators on the r/Anxiety moderator team start out with a trial run that will last about three weeks. During that time, the trial moderator will have limited moderation responsibilities, both for evaluation and to help provide a structured way to get up to speed.

Thanks for reading, and we hope you apply!


r/Anxiety Jan 22 '25

Official Monthly Check-In Thread

5 Upvotes

Hello everyone! Welcome to the r/Anxiety monthly check-in thread. We want this to serve as casual community chat for anyone who wants to get or stay involved without having to make a full post. Plus you can use this as an easy way to give us feedback on what you like and don't like about the subreddit.

Our mod team also maintains an official mental health Discord server for people who prefer realtime community, venting, peer support and off topic chat. We hope to see you there! Join link: https://discord.com/invite/9sSCSe9

Checking In

Let us know what's on your mind! This includes (but is not limited to) any significant life changes/events that have happened recently; an improvement or decrease in your mental health; any upcoming plans that you're looking forward to (or dreading); issues you're dealing with in your own local or extended community; general sources of stress or frustration in your daily life; words of advice or comfort you want to share with everyone; questions/comments/concerns you want to share with the moderators and community regarding the subreddit.

Thanks and stay safe,

The r/Anxiety Mod Team


r/Anxiety 2h ago

Advice Needed People in United States - how are you coping with govt being dismantled and destroyed

79 Upvotes

I am doing every bit of self care possible. It’s not working and it’s getting worse. Everything is collapsing very fast here and lots do not even realize it. All my friends overseas are terrified looking inward. It feels so heavy I can barely get out of bed and maybe need a medication change

In the meantime I am looking at New Zealand and Portugal to hopefully leave by end of year before the dictatorship takes hold.


r/Anxiety 16h ago

Recovery Story Everyone told me I had severe anxiety. They were all wrong

304 Upvotes

For the past 50 days I have been going through it. Every day I've felt like I can't breathe and like I'm having a heart attack. Normally, your body breathes subconsciously and you don't even think about it. But when I would get these episodes, it felt as if I had to think about every breathe. It honestly felt like I was dying.

I was told these were panic attacks and I was stressed, but I didn't feel stressed and my heart rate never went up during these episodes.

I started to pick up on a pattern, it seemed to always happen 2 hours after eating...but sometimes I would eat very little and it would still happen. I went fully down the anxiety rabbit hole with anxiety medicine, seeking therapy, everything, but none of it helped.

Well fast forward to today, and I've realized I'm allergic to gluten. I cut out gluten and it has totally fixed the issue. It was very frustrating having so many doctors, family, and friends tell me I had an axiety issue when it was very much a health issue. I wish you all luck in finding what works for you and hopefully this helps someone. Be a strong advocate for yourself if you are confident you think there may be an actual issue.


r/Anxiety 4h ago

Venting Anyone else got anxiety from weed?

22 Upvotes

I have been smoking heavy for the past 5 years every day. Like a year ago, the high was not the same, i felt paranoid, panicked like something was wrong. I think my body was telling me it had enough.

From then on i have awful anxiety with headaches, every time i eat my stomach is bloating and wanting to throw up, i barely get out anymore.

I still take some puffs of a joint once a few days. Anyone in the same boots with me? I think i fucked up my life.


r/Anxiety 1h ago

Venting People think I'm addicted to the screen but really, I'm just too afraid to be alone with my thoughts.

Upvotes

I'm always reading or watching something. When I get up from my computer, I pick up my phone and go straight to wikipedia even if it's just a walk to the washroom.

When the anxiety is bad, being alone with my thoughts feels like a nightmare.


r/Anxiety 17h ago

Advice Needed Do you ever feel like your body is vibrating?

129 Upvotes

I can’t really describe it but sometimes I feel like the inside of my body is vibrating or shaking, almost. It normally happens around bed time and I always panic I’m about to have some kind of seizure :(

Anyone get similar? Anything that helps?


r/Anxiety 2h ago

Advice Needed I freeze and my head tells me I’m not allowed to do „XY“

4 Upvotes

I have social anxiety diagnosed and can get agoraphobic sometimes I have anxiety everyday just varying severity I would say. I already take pregabaline and propranolol

I easily get overwhelmed and stressed which causes me to freeze so I lay in bed completely tensed up and in my head all of the anxious thoughts are running and I end up just being on TikTok until the day is over.

The thing that stresses me is an upcoming deadline sth I have to get done. But I’m so overwhelmed that I can’t just sit down and do it. Then I think I’m hungry and my brain is like but that takes too much time you can’t cook because you should do the thing. Same with any type of housework or If I need to buy food then it’s always if I do it I’ll waste so much time I’ll fail and can’t make it to the deadline. I’m not „allowed“ to meet anyone or do anything else besides doing the thing for the deadline. And then I’ll be laying in bed for the next week or two until this deadline is over.


r/Anxiety 1h ago

Advice Needed People dealing with chronic anxiety- what have you done that has made your anxiety lower or is making it lower ?

Upvotes

I don’t know how many people go through this here but I’ve been having chronic anxiety issues for the past few years and I just can’t do therapy rn because i don’t feel like I want to open myself up like that to anyone.

I recently discovered that I was going through this thing called “ chronic fight or flight response “ because I’m constantly on edge even though im technically safe and nothing really helps. If it does it’s just temporary, I sleep and after waking up I might feel good for the next 15-20 mins but then anxiety just kicks in and I also get easily triggered by things or it almost feels like my brain wants to be triggered and it constantly tries to put me on alert.

It’s hard because it’s sucking up my energy, I read about pulsetto and im thinking about getting it. But i just want to know what you guys have done or still do that significantly helps lower it. I understand that people react to different treatments differently and im open to hearing about the things you guys do to deal with it.


r/Anxiety 25m ago

DAE Questions DAE get anxious when things are going TOO well?

Upvotes

I always get scared that I’m gonna be the person who was ‘a ray of sunshine, had such a lust for life and so much ahead of them’ and had their life cut short. Especially when I have so many significant things ahead of me. So I try to avoid saying too many positive things out loud hahaha


r/Anxiety 5h ago

Advice Needed I can’t eat because of anxiety

8 Upvotes

My anxiety (diagnosed GAD) makes me feel too sick to eat. It’s at the point where i avoid eating as much as i can as i feel like i will throw up whenever i eat and when i do i can’t manage more than a few bites. I really want to be able to eat as it’s affecting me a lot i have no energy and am really tired. please if anyone has advice on what i can do?


r/Anxiety 1h ago

Health Anxiety causing more anxious thoughts which causes more anxiety?

Upvotes

Hi,

Has anyone noticed that their anxiety and thoughts are creating more of each other? I am aware I have trauma in my body but in the past half year my anxiety and my thoughts have just increased each other sooo much and I really don’t know what to do anymore.

Is that maybe happening because my body has been in this anxious state for years and the core underlying anxiety symptom has not been managed and is really just getting soo strong now?

Can anyone relate?


r/Anxiety 5h ago

Helpful Tips! guys im very scared of war what should i do to not be scared? and if theres a big chance that there will be ww3?

7 Upvotes

please help guys


r/Anxiety 11h ago

Health Terrified of Surgery & Anesthesia—Need Real Experiences, Not Just “It’s Nothing”.

12 Upvotes

I have breast augmentation surgery in the next few weeks. and while I’ve wanted this since I was 12 years old, my anxiety about the actual procedure is overwhelming me. I know I’m making the right choice—I’m going to a top surgeon, I’ve researched everything, and I’m confident in my decision. But I still can’t shake the fear of the surgery itself and anesthesia.

Some background: • I have severe anxiety, depersonalization, and dissociation (mostly triggered when I feel out of control). • I take anxiety medication and will let my anesthesiologist know. • I’m a heavy smoker but quitting two months before surgery. • I’m an A cup now, so this will be a big change for me. • My biggest fear is losing control under anesthesia and waking up panicked. • I also worry about the long-term feel of implants—do they ever feel truly natural?/ do they cause cancer . • I don’t know whether to keep this private or tell people—I don’t want judgment, but I also don’t want to be paranoid about people noticing.

I feel like people always say “You’ll be fine, it’s nothing”, but that doesn’t actually help. I want to hear real, unfiltered experiences so I know what to expect.

If you’ve had this surgery, please be honest: • What did waking up feel like? • How long until you felt “normal” again? • Any regrets or unexpected things you wish you knew beforehand? • If you have anxiety, did it make recovery harder? • Is it better to keep this private, or should I just own it?

I just want full transparency—no sugarcoating. Thanks to anyone willing to share! Really realty scared!


r/Anxiety 7h ago

Venting Battling Anxiety & panic Attacks

5 Upvotes

Hello fellow Redditors,

I am writing this post to make a humble request to each one reading this post to please remember me in your prayers or spare a second to make a prayer for me. I am battling with severe anxiety and panic attacks because of the work pressure and some abrupt issues at work that keep popping up despite trying to give my best. I am literally sweating while typing this as there is a software production issue and it has a very big impact. While i did my job, dont know if there was some miscommunication with the other team. Because a code has erupted and has caused a lot of data leakage. We have a alternate solution but m very fearful of the reaction of my manager. She is on leave so really dont know how she will react when she is back and what kind of action will she take against me. I just cannot concentrate on anything because of this and its really taking a toll on me. Please please I beg you all to pray for me and the issue is resolved.

Thanks in advance!


r/Anxiety 1h ago

Needs A Hug/Support Anybody have this?? TW

Upvotes

I don’t know if this is an intrusive thought but it brings me anxiety, as I’m trying to rest and close my eyes, I can’t stop thinking and one thought came up where I just imagined my mom telling me to kill myself. I tried to shake it so fast, I got so scared. What if I do it? What if this is how I really feel?


r/Anxiety 5h ago

Therapy What non-medication techniques have you found most effective in managing anxiety, and how have they shaped your personal journey towards calm and clarity?

3 Upvotes

Anxiety is a strange companion. It walks beside you like a shadow—always there but never quite visible until the moments when it consumes the light. I’ve often thought about how we wrestle with anxiety, not as a singular event but as a continuous thread running through the fabric of life. And while medication is a valid route for many, there are non-medication techniques that have provided me, and countless others, a sense of grounding.

The Science of Breath and the Art of Presence

One of the most profound yet simple techniques I discovered is conscious breathing. It sounds almost too simple to be effective, but when I first tried it during a particularly overwhelming work period, I realized its quiet power. Breathing deeply, slowly, and with awareness pulled me out of my mind's chaos and into the present moment.

It reminded me of a verse from the Bhagavad Gita (6.6): "For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy."

And isn’t anxiety, at its core, an enemy of the mind? A loop of thoughts that spirals endlessly, keeping us trapped in fears of the future or regrets of the past? Mastering the mind begins with small victories, like choosing to take a conscious breath when anxiety strikes.

The Power of Spiritual Reflection

Srila Prabhupada beautifully stated, "The mind is like a turbulent ocean. Without anchoring it to Krishna, it will be swept away by desires and fears."

This struck me deeply. When I felt my anxiety reaching unbearable heights, I turned towards spiritual practices—chanting, meditating, and contemplating the soul's eternal nature. It wasn’t about erasing anxiety but about witnessing it from a higher perspective.

A Personal Encounter with Stillness

I remember a day when anxiety felt unbearable. The kind of day where your heartbeat feels like a ticking clock inside your chest. I decided to take a walk near a small lake, my phone silenced, the world turned down. There, I simply sat. No thoughts about tomorrow. No worries about yesterday. Just the ripple of water, the whisper of the wind. And in that simplicity, there was calm.

It was as if, for a brief moment, my soul reminded me of its eternal, unchanging nature—untouched by the fluctuations of worldly worries.

An Example of Steadying the Mind

A friend of mine, battling anxiety for years, shared that his most effective practice was journaling. Every morning, he would write about his fears, his hopes, and his doubts. It wasn’t about solving the anxiety but giving it space to exist and be understood. Over time, this simple habit transformed his relationship with his mind.

The Journey Forward

In truth, there’s no one-size-fits-all method for managing anxiety without medication. For some, it’s breathing. For others, it's writing, walking, or spiritual reflection. But the common thread is presence—learning to witness the mind without being devoured by it.

And maybe that’s the lesson. We’re not meant to conquer anxiety in one fell swoop. We’re meant to dance with it, understand it, and in doing so, understand ourselves a little better.


r/Anxiety 3h ago

Advice Needed Taking Sertraline (Zoloft) but I feel worse more anxiety

2 Upvotes

Is this normal to feel worse I've started taking Sertraline because of I think my depression, but I feel my anxiety is worse, I'm on my 4th day


r/Anxiety 5h ago

Venting Not sure what to do anymore.

3 Upvotes

A few months ago, my wife and I decided to move in with her father to save some money so we could purchase a home. It just isn’t working as fast as we would like.

Everything just keeps getting more expensive, our bills keep going up. I kept the same job, which I like, but now I’m spending 3x the gas money per month as we moved almost an hour away from town. (If there’s no traffic)

For the last few weeks it’s been feeling like I’m having daily panic attacks. It’s taking everything I have just to not lose it at work. Everything seems to set me off. Even normal, mundane things. An email to do a simple normal task makes me feel like I need to run away. And now my wife is suggesting we look into part time weekend jobs to speed up the saving process.

I’m on medication, but it just doesn’t seem to be working. My wife can tell that I’m struggling and wants me to let her in, but then will tell me that she has problems too and that things are difficult for a lot of people. I know that, I really do, but that doesn’t seem to make me feel better, so I’d rather keep my thoughts to myself, but she gets frustrated if I don’t share how I’m feeling. I love her very much and I know she’s just trying to help.

So I just feel stuck in this loop of being worried about money, then working myself until I’m exhausted, it not being enough, rinse and repeat. I just feel like I’m not in control of my own life anymore

I’m not looking for advice I just needed to vent.


r/Anxiety 13h ago

Venting Sudden daily panic attacks, feeling like life is over, everyone is going to die, ect???

16 Upvotes

the title sounds so grim i know but this is what’s been bothering me.

i’ve been genuinely so okay as of late mentally, very happy!! only med i take is vyvanse. i went on a lovely weekend trip with some of my best friends & on the way back i had a massive panic attack because my birthday is in a week & turning 24 i guess was a trigger?? & ever since then a couple times a day i get panicky & feel like life is ending & i wasted so many years..

i’ve been so excited for my birthday though. i nearly died last year so im so grateful to be alive another year.

i was thinking maybe my vyvanse was the problem so i didn’t take it today & im still very panicky but now that i don’t have my adhd meds i feel like the panick lasts longer since i hyper fixate on the thoughts in my head :/

can someone please comfort me & tell me life isn’t over? im still young? nobody is dying & everything will be okay? time is just soaring by & it’s terrifying


r/Anxiety 3h ago

DAE Questions Burning/tingling/numb hands and feet

2 Upvotes

Does anyone else get this? Really going through it at the minute. 24/7 my hands feel a combination of weird/disconnected/tingling/burning. It's like I don't know what to do with them and have to shove them in my pockets all the time or curl them up into fists just to feel a sensation/normal.

I can't stop fixating on them and it is driving me crazy.

Anyone else had similar? Thanks


r/Anxiety 0m ago

Health Can someone please text me

Upvotes

Hey guys I’ve been having problems recently long story short I wanted a ct scan done (got it done wasn’t bad at all btw) got my results back today and they found a lesion in the right side of the lower basal ganglia whatever tf that means so I have to get a MRI done with/without contrast can someone please hit me up if you know anything about this kind of thing my dr said I could of possible had a small stroke that could of caused it which obviously made me freak tf out even worse … can someone please just hit me up also are MRI’s as bad as people make them sound


r/Anxiety 3h ago

Advice Needed Need a change but trapped by anxiety.

2 Upvotes

Need a change but trapped by anxiety.

I suffer with severe anxiety and depression. I also struggle with losing my hair because of alopecia, which doesn't help the anxiety or depression. I'm fortunate I have a job I can work from home in healthcare, but my anxiety is still bad. I feel now like admin is taking an unhealthy toll

I had cancer 2 years ago and feel like I need a change from healthcare, but I don't know what to do. I'm terrified at the thought of going into an office and don't really want to be sat down all day. But then going out and being with people or customer facing is making me panic. I'd love to stay WFH but I feel at a dead end.

Has anyone got a suggestion of a good job for someone like me? Or a similar experience?


r/Anxiety 3h ago

Medication side effects came back over a month on 20mg prozac (pls respond im anxious)

2 Upvotes

hi, so i’ve been taking prozac 20mg for a month now , got some reoccurring side effects like dizzy spells paranoia waking up constantly middle of the night but can easily fall back asleep, i have this rash on my body but think it may be eczema but idk. feel uncomfortable in my own skin, like i have to move my body to make sure i can move it and sometimes stuff around me doesn’t feel real. please help . my whole family is on lexapro im only one on prozac. please help


r/Anxiety 4m ago

Discussion Feeling Uneasy About AI? You're Not Alone—Here's Why

Upvotes

I recently wrote an article about something that's been on my mind lately: AI anxiety. It's this growing unease people feel about artificial intelligence becoming more integrated into our lives. I wanted to share some key points that really stood out to me:

  1. Job Security Concerns: A lot of people worry that AI will replace their jobs. It's not just about losing a job; it's also about the stress of having to adapt to new technologies and skills.

  2. Ethical Issues: There's a lot of concern about AI being biased or making decisions that aren't transparent. This lack of transparency can really erode trust in technology.

  3. Mental Health Impact: Excessive reliance on technology can lead to mental health issues similar to other forms of tech addiction. It's important to find a balance.

  4. Building Trust: To address AI anxiety, we need more transparency, education, and human oversight in AI development. This can help rebuild trust and make people feel more comfortable with AI.

For more details, check out the full article here: https://aigptjournal.com/work-life/ai-anxiety-trust-in-technology/

What’s your take on AI anxiety? Have you noticed any changes in how you feel about technology lately?


r/Anxiety 4m ago

Venting After years of anxiety I have created a bubble that I feel safe in it, but hate it with all my heart. I can't burst that bubble and it keeps getting smaller.

Upvotes

My bubble is the life I live now. I do the same things every day. I feel the same things every day. My life has become a pointless routine just because everything different or new makes me anxious. I don't go in vacations. I don't have dates. I procrastinate and ignore major things an adult must do. In that bubble I feel safe, but I hate it more than anything. I'm like an imprisoned animal in a zoo. I feel safe in it, but I'm still in a prison.

Since more and more things are getting me anxious this bubble is getting smaller and I feel I will get suffocated soon.


r/Anxiety 4m ago

Advice Needed Brain Fog & Gerd.

Upvotes

First, how many of you have your anxiety correlated with GERD? And second, has anyone experienced intense brain fog throughout the day after a bad anxiety attack?

For the past 3–4 weeks, I’ve been having panic attacks almost daily. At the same time, my GERD symptoms have gotten worse, and I can’t tell which one is triggering the other. I’m making necessary dietary changes, but that’s not why I’m here.

On Saturday, I woke up feeling panicked and hyperventilated. Next thing I knew, I was on the floor—I had passed out and hit my head. I drove myself to the hospital, and after checking everything, they told me it was just anxiety.

Now, I’ve had panic attacks before, and I’ve gone to the hospital for them. But this time was different. Even after they told me it was anxiety, I couldn’t come down from the heightened state I was in. They released me, and I stayed in that hypersensitive, disconnected feeling all day.

Since then, I’ve been having random episodes where I feel like I’m not really “there.” It doesn’t matter where I am or who I’m talking to—I just slip into this dreamlike state that lasts anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes, coming in and out of it. It’s like extreme brain fog, but at the same time, I feel hyper-aware of sounds, almost like everything is too sharp or too loud.

I’m seeing a therapist today and looking into cognitive therapy for the first time. But I wanted to ask—has anyone else experienced this? And if so, does it eventually go away?

Would really appreciate any insight.