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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.

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JuliaT Feeling overwhelmed
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone My name is Julia and I have just joined this online forum. I wanted to become part of the online community to see if I could get some support for my general anxiety and depression, which have become overwhelming in the past few weeks. Anx... View more

Hi everyone My name is Julia and I have just joined this online forum. I wanted to become part of the online community to see if I could get some support for my general anxiety and depression, which have become overwhelming in the past few weeks. Anxiety and depression tend to show up in my body in the forms of sleeplessness, headaches, stomach aches and overthinking. I have recently been dealing with a persistent, painful and long term sinus infection, which for me has been a real bummer (as I am a super keen surfer!), and really hard to deal with during all the stress of COVID-19. My family lives back in New Zealand and even though I have great housemates, friends and support here in Australia, I have been feeling very alone, stuck in my own head and unable to enjoy things I usually enjoy. Despite not feeling great, I have been getting up early to exercise, eat well, get plenty of rest, write in my journal and talk to my therapist once a week. Even though I have been trying really hard to get through this difficult time, I am feeling very overwhelmed by things that are out of my control ( such as the duration/pain of this sinus infection, how long it will be until I can see my family again and the stress of COVID 19) and find myself going into a downhill, anxious spiral that doesn't allow me to see any of the positives. I am also a perfectionist, so having to show this vulnerable side of myself to my employers, friends and housemates is very uncomfortable, as I am normally an energetic, bubbly person (but have always hid the anxious side of myself well). These anxious episodes have left me with a bit of PTSD and make me feel guilty about not being able to get over them, even though I understand feeling guilty and angry about it is not helpful in any way. I wanted to know if anyone had things that may have been helpful for them to get them out of this head space and see things in a different light? I was also wondering if anyone could recommend any CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) tips that could help me during this anxious, stressful time or even just a helpful reminder that the bad things in life always pass (as I know they do, but can't quite see at the moment!) Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and I sincerely hope I can extend a bit of support to others also in this online community. Lots of love! Julia

Ocdiff Massive work anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hey guys hope you're all well! First post here, i have had ocd amd pretty sever anxiety since i was 13 no 32 and i have been at my job for about 9months now. And pretty well the whole time wanted to leave. I always feel i'm not "getting it" or always... View more

Hey guys hope you're all well! First post here, i have had ocd amd pretty sever anxiety since i was 13 no 32 and i have been at my job for about 9months now. And pretty well the whole time wanted to leave. I always feel i'm not "getting it" or always im making mistakes. Im a 32 yr old male and this is my first "trade"like job. I have been off for a week and a half with a hand injury and i am super anxious about returning, as i know i am going to cop some slack (already am) for they guys for having so much time off for a sliced hand. The high anxiety with this job has been since day one. (Little panic attacks, nausea, horrible feeling in stomach every sunday and weekday morning. What im wondering is... when do you know its time to leave a job if the anxiety is becoming too much. I feel its affecting me away from work too. I spend my weekend anxious about monday. Sorry for the rant, appreciate all feedback Thank you!!

cakeboss overthinking anxiety panic
  • replies: 9

hi just wondering if anyone else feels anything simlar to how i feel with my anxiety panic disorder.i havnt been able to work due to the virus and although i have a job waiting its a no idea situation .i miss my normal day to day routine of working g... View more

hi just wondering if anyone else feels anything simlar to how i feel with my anxiety panic disorder.i havnt been able to work due to the virus and although i have a job waiting its a no idea situation .i miss my normal day to day routine of working going swimming catching up with people and doing what i want when i want .we all have to do the right thing and stay home with this c virus .i find myself always thinking i havnt done enough during the day .even though im doing housework and catching up on things around the house i wouldnt normally do .i find myself still getting anxiety like oh i was suppose to that oh i didnt get that done.i am in regular contact with my drs.i know they would tell you have to tell yourself stop it this is not me this is my anxiety and it is going to pass .anyone else anxiety get like this .im on meds

Gumtree77 Burning mouth, depression, anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi Yes it is me again I'm afraid. The last fortnight I have had the most awful burning and stinging sensation in my tongue and am of course convinced yet again that it is cancer. I have booked a teleconference tomorrow with an oral surgeon, he will d... View more

Hi Yes it is me again I'm afraid. The last fortnight I have had the most awful burning and stinging sensation in my tongue and am of course convinced yet again that it is cancer. I have booked a teleconference tomorrow with an oral surgeon, he will do his best to examine my tongue via iphone facetime. Half of me thinks it is due to all the stress of late. Since November last year so many horrible things have happened. As mentioned in earlier posts I lost my beloved dog Dec 6. The tongue business flared up big time and the oral surgeon physically checked me and said all was ok. I had another check in January and same; all ok. Meanwhile 5 weeks ago I had major shoulder surgery which was totally awful. I also kicked my on again/off again toxic 'boyfriend' to the kerb. I thought I had gone through menopause but had a period two weeks ago. Since then the tongue business has again taken over my life. I am also self-isolating with my teenage son and I feel total despair over the outcome of this coronavirus business. I have had to spend $2000 getting some trees removed and having blocked drains cleared. I feel there is nothing but doom and gloom and have no one to talk to. So as one does when worried about cancer I am drinking again! Because it is right now the only thing that takes the sharpness away from everything. Needless to say I will wake up in the middle of the night and have another panic attack...I truly am my own worst enemy. Please if anyone out there can help me I will be so grateful. I worry sick about my son as he is totally addicted to his computer and basically gets up at 2pm then is online until 2 am...I try to get him out for walks and to do chores..he complies but only grudgingly. He will be home schooled in two weeks time. That is worrying me also. I just feel so down and out. The small sane part of me realises I am under enormous stress and possibly require counselling and hormone replacement therapy. I deviate constantly between thinking this mouth business is hormone and stress related to thinking the absolute worst where I will have my tongue removed..in which case I would not be able to live Thankyou to anyone who can help me see some reason at this terrible time.

Malaalsieh Burning Tongue?!
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone I’ve had chronic anxiety all year and I’m starting to get a little better. However I’ve had issues with my tongue always feeling like it’s burning. I’ve had tests done and everything came back normal. I don’t get it? I know anxiety does s... View more

Hi everyone I’ve had chronic anxiety all year and I’m starting to get a little better. However I’ve had issues with my tongue always feeling like it’s burning. I’ve had tests done and everything came back normal. I don’t get it? I know anxiety does some weird stuff but this is just insane. anyone else have or had this? Pls help!

Peacefuldove Is this a normal part of anxiety/depression?
  • replies: 8

Hi there, I've never used Beyondblue before or ever sent a question in the forum before, but here it goes... I'm 24 year old female and since I was about 19 was when I first started experiencing bad anxiety and depression ever. I have mostly lived a ... View more

Hi there, I've never used Beyondblue before or ever sent a question in the forum before, but here it goes... I'm 24 year old female and since I was about 19 was when I first started experiencing bad anxiety and depression ever. I have mostly lived a good life, but my family and I have battled many hardships, depression and anxieties in our life, moving from one place to another, etc I had always mostly been a confident person, but when I first got depression is when I had lost my close friend at the time, and felt like I was always giving to people but never ever getting anything in return. I felt like I had lost all my goals and felt like didn't know what my purpose in lofe was anymore During this time, I had experienced many illusions or hallucinations for the first time. At first I just kept it to myself because you know how people would probably think you were crazy I guess. I felt very disconnected, withdrawn, and like I wasn't in my body, distorted thinking and seeing things. I had been keeping it to myself for a while, because it seems to only pop up after either experiencing really bad panic attacks or traumatic events in my life. I don't really hear things or feel like I'm being followed etc, but I often feel like I'm being judged all the time. And I don't know if I just go through this or if anyone feels like this during times when they have either felt continuously let down, heartbroken or continuously degraded in life so I don't know if I let my own intuitive thoughts control me. I had been scared to talk to anyone about it, because I guess people would think it is sczophrenia but I feel like I don't have all of the symptoms. When I don't experience much trauma, I feel like I rarely experience this but I feel like I have been experiencing this a lot because I have been unhappy for the past three years, because I have either been in bad jobs with people who have either micromanaged or belittled me, and my life has never felt like it's moved foward for the past three-four years or so. I'm going to see a Phyciatrist about it all. It may be a long wait and I know we can't help anything at all right now due to the coronavirus but I feel like it has been getting a lot worse because of this too. I was just wondering if this might be normal to experience? because I always feel like I'm not normal and because of this I always get upset and cry about it, and this worries me a lot...

Jcob5839 ocd and questioning everything you do
  • replies: 2

hello everyone im looking for some coping strategies for OCD im 17 years old and ive been diagnosed with severe ocd and depression and im medicated for both of them. I’m constantly in a frenzy about decisions i make, for example earlier today i parke... View more

hello everyone im looking for some coping strategies for OCD im 17 years old and ive been diagnosed with severe ocd and depression and im medicated for both of them. I’m constantly in a frenzy about decisions i make, for example earlier today i parked my car on the side of the road and i went to get something out of the boot while i was doing that i got distracted by something in the distance, but since i wasnt thinking about exactly what i was doing i thought i could have aimlessly wondered out into the road and got hit, these scenarios i make up in my head are a constant challenge and i feel like i need to have some sort of hyper-awareness to avoid getting hurt, if anybody has experienced something similar could you please offer some advice or insight thanks Jacob

Jorasch Struggling
  • replies: 1

Hi I am struggling with my emotional and mental wellbeing- I live on the same property as my ex husband and we have been forced to stay in close proximity since the isolation rules but my partner of two years lives in Brisbane - I'm in southeast qld ... View more

Hi I am struggling with my emotional and mental wellbeing- I live on the same property as my ex husband and we have been forced to stay in close proximity since the isolation rules but my partner of two years lives in Brisbane - I'm in southeast qld 2 hours away - am I able to go and stay with him for my own essential care as my current situation is causing me distress and anxiety and I am scared

Looloo337 Eating disorders in isolation
  • replies: 6

My eating disorder returned around December. Since isolation it’s gotten a lot worse. It used to be mainly anorexic behaviours but now I’m experiencing Bulimia too. I’m really trying to get better but it’s so hard when I feel like there’s no support ... View more

My eating disorder returned around December. Since isolation it’s gotten a lot worse. It used to be mainly anorexic behaviours but now I’m experiencing Bulimia too. I’m really trying to get better but it’s so hard when I feel like there’s no support system for me. any advice? I’m in a lot of pain.

Lu_109 ASD, anxiety and feeling overwhelmed
  • replies: 4

Hi there! Thanks for clicking on this thread. So, this is my first thread on here. I figured I'd start with why I joined. I have anxiety, and have been diagnosed with that and ASD for yonks (literally when I was 6). With this whole COVID thing happen... View more

Hi there! Thanks for clicking on this thread. So, this is my first thread on here. I figured I'd start with why I joined. I have anxiety, and have been diagnosed with that and ASD for yonks (literally when I was 6). With this whole COVID thing happening and Uni going online, I'm really struggling with how much there is to handle. I'm just feeling so overwhelmed and (I think partly because of the ASD) recognising triggers and boundaries (that I need to set) within myself is hard. There's so much that I need to be doing, and it feels like there isn't enough time in the day to do it all, and I stress when I don't get at least 7hrs sleep and do all this other stuff and, yeah. It's just so difficult relying on other people like my mum or psychologist, because I don't even trust myself to know what's best for me, so how in the world am I meant to let other people do it. I feel like I just want everything to pause, so I can regain my footing and get myself back on track. I'm a high achiever, so accepting anything less than my best is so difficult. I don't know how hard to push myself each day vs what's going to burn me out. Each day, it feels like there's no point doing any work, because there's still going to be more tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. I also really struggle with a) making new friends and b) connecting with them online, cause I'm so awkward (the ASD). For about the last week, there's been a point on most days where I feel like breaking down and crying, which usually happens more like monthly to every few months. Most days this week, I'd rate my anxiety a 9/10 and its usually about a 5, on average. I suppose I'm not really asking anyone to do anything, cause I don't know what you could do - heck, I don't even know if anyone's going to read this - but I'm maybe asking if anyone else's gone through this, how you coped? I just don't know what to do. Deferring doesn't feel like an option (I already took a whole year off last year) and I know I COULD push through this, I just really, really don't want to. It feels like I've been dealt a crappy hand and I'm so sick of it and life would be so much better if it was just a little bit easier. Anyways, if you made it this far, thanks! Means a lot. And I hope you're going okay through the rollercoaster of a ride that so many of us are on right now.