Hi Dan,

I know exactly how you feel and like Lea said, you may have GAD which is also something I have. It is distressing having so many thoughts and how you can become worried that the thoughts you are actually having are true or a reflection of what society says we should ‘feel’ or ‘think’. Try remember though that these are only thoughts in themselves, no matter how believable they seem. It is so easy to fall back into the trap of believing everything your mind tells you but to be honest, it tells us a lot of false information about ourselves. I was given some great advice from Matt about a similar problem with over thinking and metta meditation really is a great way to start taking hold of your thoughts. It is going to take a while for you to be able to do this in situations where anxiety or thinking arises (e.g. a situation that may cause you stress such as confronting an employer or simply speaking to a stranger) but if you can build the strength day by day, like building a muscle, eventually calm to your thoughts will come more quickly. I do hope that you keep your head up and know there are things you can do to help yourself as well as many others out there who can support you. Believe me when I say I sometimes don’t think this is possible but stay strong and have belief in yourself, you’ll get there.

Hi Happy J,

Like many of the posts here, one of the main themes is that you aren’t alone in this. I am also studying at university and beginning my honours this year but have found I put immense pressure on myself to get the best grades possible, almost like I need to compete with all those around me to do well. Which I now realise is not the case at all. This fear you have of anxiety or the diagnosis of it is scary, believe me. It isn’t something that you want to come to grips with because you feel weak or hopeless, but there are ways that you can overcome this. You don’t necessarily need to be diagnosed but if you feel fear and worry over your emotions, you need to try recognise this and accept these emotions as they are. If you resist the thoughts or feelings after reading articles on anxiety then this will only fuel them and this goes for any negative self-talk or thoughts. Mindfulness and meditation are two great ways to try quieten the mind and allow acceptance of thoughts or feelings. I am still learning to accept my feelings and thoughts with these techniques especially since I have been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder but as I’m sure you have read, they are wonderful tools for cultivating peace within. In the end, it doesn’t really matter whether someone has anxiety, depression or another illness, it doesn’t have to define us. There will be struggle but we are strong enough to push through, as are you. Good luck with your studies and hope you find a way to bring yourself inner calm.