Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Sophie_M — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 03:58:46 GMT

Hi Everyone 🙂

We’d like to wish everyone a happy new year! Here we reflect on December, including the year that was, 2020. We recognise everyone’s strength in staying connected/reaching our for support during a year that many have described as uncertain, turbulent, as well as simply exhausting. It's ok to be feeling anxious and or other unsettling feelings after such a challenging year. Looking at the year ahead, we look forward to people making new connections here on the forums, welcome those who have just joined us, and thank all members who continue to be available to support the forum's community and remind others that they are not alone in their experiences.

Community Voices: What are people talking about?

Coping with anxiety – excessive worry

I’ve has this kind of issue for about 7 years now where I don’t really have hobbies or a wide range of interests because I focus in on one thing, especially something that I’m worried about. In a weird way I find it interesting trying to solve the things I’m worried about but really... I’d rather just be interested in other things.. - Anon285 (Read more here)

as the title says; my mind works in loops. When I am trying to find a solution to a problem, it is brilliant because my mind just keeps attacking the problem from different angles, turning it over, until it finds a solution. However, the down side is, it can cause problems. - Weaponsofmassdisstortion (Read more here)

i have been living with anxiety for nearly 20 years. Worrying constantly about things that in the scheme of things are not that important. Getting to a stage now where my wording has just made me feel tired inside. I’m completely exhausted and out of energy. - Josh37 (Read more here)

Navigating my thoughts and feelings

I think I'm typing this to try to work out myself, what it is I am feeling whether it's anxiety or depression, or both. For some time now, I have been feeling very low. I would say it probably started 5 years ago when my marriage broke up but how I'm feeling now is much worse than at the time. - Loner567 (Read more here)

I have been having such a mixture of emotions for a long time and it’s getting harder to navigate. I have found I get extremely irritable at a drop of a hat and I can’t let it go, my once empathetic self is becoming lost. Once I am angry or down I can’t pull myself out of this feeling, I tend to go through really high high’s like I am happy with how everything is going and really low low’s like I’m not where I need to be and play the victim internally. - Rainbow1234 (Read more here)

i’ve never reached out like this before, but i’m too scared to go to the doctor because i always think i’m overreacting. i’ve grown up in a family where i’ve learnt to just get up and move on, and i’m not one to share my feelings. i just don’t know what i’m feeling. when i was younger i did have anxiety, but i’ve overcome most of that and working through it. i can’t tell if i’m just experiencing a strain of anxiety again because i’ve never felt this way before. - Discodahlia (Read more here)

'Fitting in'/Finding it difficult to connect with others

Something that has been on my mind during my teenage years and early adulthood is the notion that I do not 'fit in'. I like who I am but I am so afraid that other people will not like me that I don't show my true self and struggle to open up. I feel like I am living a completely different life than what I should be living right now, like everybody else has been given a memo on how to live their early 20s but I never received it. - Wanderlust123 (Read more here)

Honestly don't know where to start or how to express what I'm feeling. I've lived a reserved life for most of my adulthood. I am currently 28yo. I feel like I don't fit in anymore with the crowd of people, especially my age. I never had a social media account because I didn't want to be part of it. When I grew up I was suppressed of technology so I was always that kid who didn't get to chat online with friends or have an Xbox to play with, I was considered a boring person and was very isolated. - Mr A (Read more here)

I recently changed schools and pretty much everyone in my class are a huge friendship group that constantly go out together and ignore me/leave me out of everything and it's really made me question my worth/capabilities of making friends. At the beginning of the year people were throwing parties with older teens, drinking and that really scared me because I didn't know anyone well enough, and then basically I got left out forever for not going to the party, I am completely disconnected. - GirlWithBigDreams (Read more here)

Valued Contributor Award

Our Valued Contributor for the month of December is monkey_magic!

monkey_magic has been nominated for often checking in on other members across the forums, sparking new conversations, and empowering others to share their own journey! Thank you monkey_magic!

To read more about what a Valued Contributor is and how you can nominate a fellow community member, please refer to our thread Nominate a Valued Contributor here: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support

BB News/Resources

Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service continues to be regularly updated with information and resources on ways to manage your mental health and wellbeing during this time. The most recently added content is below:

Under the Family life sub-category you can find the below pages:

How to recognise anxiety in your child

How to support your child’s wellbeing with mindfulness

Managing your child’s transition back to school

Mental health and the mental load

How to support new parents

Reconnecting with your teenager – Samantha’s story

Under the Supporting personal wellbeing sub-category you can find the below pages:

Managing social anxiety as we adapt to COVID-normal life

How much worry is too much worry?

Tips for getting a good night's sleep

Why you should do something for yourself everyday

Suicide safety planning

Facemasks and you: how to navigate what you’re feeling

Managing your alcohol intake

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Guest_4643 — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 06:23:40 GMT

Hey Sophie, just wanted to say thanks for this thread and the links here.

Happy New Year again everyone. Congrats monkey_magic for being the Valued Contributor!

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

blondguy — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 13:28:21 GMT

Thankyou mb20lover for acknowledging Monkey Magic as a Valued Contributor

Hey Monkey M...you have been through some very tough times yet you have always provided heartfelt support to so many members on the forums. Congratulations on becoming a VC....Nice1 🙂

my kindest always.....Paul

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

monkey_magic — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 08:58:46 GMT

Thanks mb20lover & Blondguy!!!!

💗

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Guest_4643 — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 09:00:54 GMT

No worries Paul & MM!

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

demonblaster — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 20:23:51 GMT

Hi Sophie and other good people ☺

This is great. I'm just reading and tagging.

Good on youse ⚘and always thank you for the constant such important and helpful work everyone does for peoples wellbeing mentally.

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

geoff — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 20:40:31 GMT

Hello Sophie, thanks for a great informative post.

I'd also want to congratulate monkey_magic being named as a Valued Contributor, your hard work and the circumstances you had to go through, you deserve this recognition.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

monkey_magic — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 10:06:11 GMT

Cheers Geoff,

Hope you're well.

You're doing a great job on the forums as always.

👏

topic Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December in Welcome and orientation

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on December