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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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Lousie Moving out home
  • replies: 1

hi all I am 25 years old and I really need help to move out home please help me.

hi all I am 25 years old and I really need help to move out home please help me.

ChristineS Lost
  • replies: 1

I haven't really done this before, but I'm feeling a bit lost at the moment, feeling like I've lost touch with close friends and don't have that one best friend I can turn to. I have work friends and friends from previous jobs, but the amount of time... View more

I haven't really done this before, but I'm feeling a bit lost at the moment, feeling like I've lost touch with close friends and don't have that one best friend I can turn to. I have work friends and friends from previous jobs, but the amount of times we hang out is becoming less and less. I'm 32, almost 33, stable job, mostly good health, and a good supportive family, but also single and want to be in a serious relationship but I am also mentally exhausted by the dating scene and the majority of guys on there only wanting to fool around which is the opposite of what I want. Need some advice on how to shake the lost feeling as life feels a bit mundane at the moment, work, gym, home, sleep and repeat.

blues23 Why is it so hard to make decisions
  • replies: 1

Hi ive been having difficulties making decisions , I’ve returned to work from a absence of work cover lots of bullying ect in my previous role . I have a new job been in it for about 1 year the job unfortunately is very inconsistent with hours ,jobs ... View more

Hi ive been having difficulties making decisions , I’ve returned to work from a absence of work cover lots of bullying ect in my previous role . I have a new job been in it for about 1 year the job unfortunately is very inconsistent with hours ,jobs on offer sometimes I go to work for 2 hours then nothing until the next day , I increased my availability to 4 days because I was hardly breaking even working 3 days , I’ve lost a few clients ) it’s aged care community work and my work never ( not often anyway fills up those gaps in I’ve had one 2 hours gap for almost 5 months and now lost another client for don’t know how long lost another 2 hours 2 days a week and it’s so inconsistent with the roster it’s hard to know what my wage will be every fortnight, centerlink puts pressure on me to work 30 hours a fortnight or I have to go to these job providers (which they never help they are useless no training no nothing, I’m thinking of converting over to the disability side of job seeking or get a mutual obligation reduction i have In theory been offered another job it’s temp to perm , part time 3 days a week solid hours ( 8,30 -3:30 ) it’s not exactly the hours I want as I have a child who is having some assessments for educational disability’s and it’s like 30 /40 mins from home , I’ve personally got some disability’s as well that are needing help mine are more physical disability’s and really not sure I’m well enough to be working anymore but have to cause I can’t afford not to so I deal with my pain by ignoring it there’s negatives to both sides of this work situation what gives me anxiety is the new offer is temp to permthere no guarantee that if I leave my solid job right now that this new job will be offering the perm role … if it was a solid offer I’d take it no problem probably but I just feel there’s no security in a temp to potentially perm role where they can fire u in an instant and it’s hard as my child has assessments on days im meant to be at work in the new job whereas my current role is quite flexible and don’t care if i have to have time off .. it’s a sticky situation.

Guest_60392288 environmental noise driving me insane
  • replies: 2

I'm struggling with lack of sleep due to a thumping muffled bass sound in my home. my whole body reverberates - it goes all night - I have tried council, epa sound engineers who are way too expensive for me to engage. I've walked around the neighbour... View more

I'm struggling with lack of sleep due to a thumping muffled bass sound in my home. my whole body reverberates - it goes all night - I have tried council, epa sound engineers who are way too expensive for me to engage. I've walked around the neighbourhood but can't locate. Does anyone have any suggestions about what I can do? and yes I've tried earplugs but thumping gets through

Gracie_PY4 Lost
  • replies: 7

Hi there, I’ve been struggling with anxiety and mental health throughout the years for a long time. I feel like it’s getting much worse, I have no motivation to talk to friends or make plans, I have to force myself. I even feel like I’m getting trigg... View more

Hi there, I’ve been struggling with anxiety and mental health throughout the years for a long time. I feel like it’s getting much worse, I have no motivation to talk to friends or make plans, I have to force myself. I even feel like I’m getting triggered by more and more things that my parents/people say in general conversations, which feels like everything in the long run. I feel like I don’t have anyone to talk to. I feel completely lost and don’t know how to manage my life at points. Honestly I don’t know what to do.

de4d2thew0rld 27 & I can't talk about 53X 🤢
  • replies: 2

I'm weeks away from turning 27 and I am "terrified" of sensuality. Terrified might be a little dramatic.. I mean, I'm not a virgin. But I saw & heard things a child should never when I was young, and I suffer from PTSD due to it. But I also suffer in... View more

I'm weeks away from turning 27 and I am "terrified" of sensuality. Terrified might be a little dramatic.. I mean, I'm not a virgin. But I saw & heard things a child should never when I was young, and I suffer from PTSD due to it. But I also suffer in other ways. I can't talk about the S word, I can barely even say it. I get squirmy thinking about it sometimes, and I get SUPER awkward and UNCOMFORTABLE when S scenes come on in a movie or series to the point I want to rip my eyes out and my skin off. I don't understand why I have such a strong negative response to something that is "so natural". It makes me cry. I do enjoy doing to do when I decide I want to do it, but any other time, I cringe over it. I'm beginning to wonder if I have a physical trauma that I can't recall, because my reaction seems far too strong for someone that only saw & heard dirty things. Unfortunately, from my own mother. I feel so lost and stuck, and I'm a really spiritual person, and I'm trying to heal and grow and evolve, but... apparently sensuality is such a huge part of coming into my divine feminine power, and Idk how to do that when these thoughts alone still make me want to tear the skin off my body and scream until I lose my voice. Is anyone else in the same boat? I feel so alone. The first issue I typically have in a relationship, is that I'll be so "excited" in the beginning due to the dopamine rush, but when that wears off, I can't be touched without flinching, or slapping their hand away (out of reflex, not because I actually want to. I just freak out when I'm not in THE mood.) And it's a huge issue, because my partners end up feeling like I'm not attracted to them anymore, which I very much am, I'm just not attracted to the idea of IT anymore, until I'm ovulating. 🤦🏻‍ I need help here, but every therapist I've seen about it has no idea how to help me, which is mind boggling to me, because isn't it their job to know how to help people in these situations!? I just don't want to feel so alone anymore. I feel asexual 75% of the time, and like a Divine Sensual Goddess the other 25%. And I wish I felt the latter all the time. I don't at all enjoy feeling this way about something I WANT to enjoy, but I have so much fear and yucky feelings around it.

Bookgirl New Year not so good
  • replies: 4

Hi, i have chronic anxiety and my triggers are war and basically the news. So the USA election and all the fires in LA have been overwhelming to me. I try to keep myself sane by not watching news, have got rid of all the news feeds in apps etc but it... View more

Hi, i have chronic anxiety and my triggers are war and basically the news. So the USA election and all the fires in LA have been overwhelming to me. I try to keep myself sane by not watching news, have got rid of all the news feeds in apps etc but it's impossible to totally avoid. I hear something and then spiral for days. Hasn't helped that my husband lost his job just before xmas and i have to worry about paying the mortgage as well. I know i shouldn't dwell on things i can't change but i am over 50 and this is a lifelong issue for me. I want to just live for now and it just feels like i can't turn off the constant negative information in my head that tortures me. Somedays i can't get out of bed and then i feel like i am such a loser because of it.

Littlediamond Social phobia
  • replies: 5

Hi, I’ve had trouble socialising for a long time now, maybe 10 years and I’ve never reached out for help. I’m ok at small talk but anything deeper and my mind goes blank. I have trouble being myself around others and speaking my mind when I need to s... View more

Hi, I’ve had trouble socialising for a long time now, maybe 10 years and I’ve never reached out for help. I’m ok at small talk but anything deeper and my mind goes blank. I have trouble being myself around others and speaking my mind when I need to stand up for myself. If I’m put in the spot my heart races and I feel breathless which makes everything worse.Every day I leave work and uni feeling more insecure and upset because I can’t connect with people and it hurts to see how it comes so naturally to others while I’m struggling. It hurts to see people happily making friends when it’s so hard for me. I’m turning 30 this year and still have no friends since the ones I made during school and I haven’t spoken to them in years either because my anxiety made me act weird around them so they stopped asking me out. I never date and if I’m being honest I don’t like going anywhere because I feel so disconnected from the world. I’m just not sure what I can do or where to begin. I want to change but at the same time I don’t because I’m more comfortable being alone where I know I won’t feel this anxiety. I’ve tried eating well, exercising and fixing my sleeping habits but I always fall back into the same routine of just doing nothing on my days off and it makes me feel like a loser, but I know if someone asked me to go out I would probably say no because I’m my own enemy. Just looking for some advice because I’m tired of feeling this pain everyday. And I’m frustrated with myself for not even wanting to try anymore.

miael- working makes me want to throw up
  • replies: 4

this is my first time doing something like this so i’m sorry if im doing it weirdly.i don’t know why but just thinking about work and anything to do with it makes my heart beat fast and makes me want to throw up it’s my first job as a 17 year old. i ... View more

this is my first time doing something like this so i’m sorry if im doing it weirdly.i don’t know why but just thinking about work and anything to do with it makes my heart beat fast and makes me want to throw up it’s my first job as a 17 year old. i know it’s bad for me to have a first job so late but i have been avoiding it because of the anxiety(i think that’s what it is) every time im about to go to work i cry and cry even when im at work i cry i dont know if its the stress or the interactions but i dont feel comfortable. i’ve been working there for about 3 months and i still cant get over the sick feeling of thinking about it. because of the sick feeling i haven’t been eating well and i haven’t been sleeping well either i don’t know what to do. everyone thinks im just scared and ill get over it but i have never felt like this for a long period of time before, its everyday.

Boo Does this count?
  • replies: 3

Hi, so I do not have a diagnosis but I think this might be the most fitting forum to talk about this in. I get pretty worried about inconsequential things most days and can’t really remember the last time I genuinely didn’t worry about a yogi g for m... View more

Hi, so I do not have a diagnosis but I think this might be the most fitting forum to talk about this in. I get pretty worried about inconsequential things most days and can’t really remember the last time I genuinely didn’t worry about a yogi g for more than a couple hours. I’m doing okay now, but frequently feel like I can’t breathe enough. It’s kinda hard to describe, as I don’t have any health issues regarding my breathing. As for the small worries, that’s stuff like feeling worried about missing a bus hours before it departs, or that a friend hates me if they don’t text back quickly. There’s plenty of other examples of course. My stress has been increasing, and I’ve been having more physical signs of this too. On the one hand, I can’t hold still, constantly need to fidget and frequently try self-soothing behavior without noticing. So I’ll absentmindedly stroke my arm with my hand over and over, make hushing noises or force myself to do breathing exercises. On the other hand, the physical signs also show themselves in acne outbreaks, increased hair loss, and frequent headaches that won’t go away. I've experienced all this before and know it’ll get a little better if I keep focusing on living healthily and just try to get through the bad moments. I really don’t know whether this counts as anxiety, but hope to get a professional test done within this year.