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Mental health conditions

Anxiety and depression aren’t the only mental health conditions. Share what’s affecting you and learn more about managing your mental health.

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Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with anxiety.

heyfriday128 Why do I get scared over little things/always see the bad in things
  • replies: 0

I had to call a professor at a university today for my research project (I'm in highschool) and I was so scared. Thank god the zoom link wasn't working and I rescheduled to talk to them with my tutor because Im scared to do it alone but reflecting on... View more

I had to call a professor at a university today for my research project (I'm in highschool) and I was so scared. Thank god the zoom link wasn't working and I rescheduled to talk to them with my tutor because Im scared to do it alone but reflecting on that and why?? I also had a job once but I left after my 4th shift because I was so stressed and scared of the clique that people had there, I also overheard them saying that I'm so nervous so that didn't help. I just wish I could be normal and not get scared over little things and be so sensitive.

HelloGail Be Kind to Yourself
  • replies: 2

I just want to share some words on getting through anxiety and any negative thoughts and the very first is: BE KIND TO YOUR OWN 'SELF'. There is only one YOU. Be its FRIEND. Be GENTLE to yourself Take TIME OUT to relax, read, hike or do whatever you ... View more

I just want to share some words on getting through anxiety and any negative thoughts and the very first is: BE KIND TO YOUR OWN 'SELF'. There is only one YOU. Be its FRIEND. Be GENTLE to yourself Take TIME OUT to relax, read, hike or do whatever you enjoy Do you love your friends, are you kind to them? So treat your-self as you would treat your friends, colleagues and family. As individual, we tend to disregard ourselves, we are too busy looking outwards around us in our community or in social media and sometimes it causes us to misjudge ourselves: I don't have what they have. Replace "I" with "me". "Me" is a word that centres you, be yourself.

sixthpersense Wondering if I'm ADHD, or just a little different
  • replies: 1

Background info: I have generalised anxiety, and I've recently gotten past a very bad depressive episode (yay!) that lasted me a few years, and I've begun to notice all these things I do that I haven't wondered about before, but they are a little odd... View more

Background info: I have generalised anxiety, and I've recently gotten past a very bad depressive episode (yay!) that lasted me a few years, and I've begun to notice all these things I do that I haven't wondered about before, but they are a little odd and do tend to make things a little difficult for me sometimes, and a few co-workers and friends have suggested that it's possible I might have ADHD.So, I came here to get input before I try to take this to any medical professional, in case I'm simply jumping to conclusions. I've always found it difficult to do different things, such as managing time for work and (in the past) school-related tasks, and especially focusing on doing absolutely anything, whether for work or pleasure, but for years now I've simply done other things at the same time (such as doodling in school, listening to music, drumming on different surfaces or doing up to five tasks all at once) which has for some reason helped me concentrate.Lately, however, I've also been experiencing more difficulty with noise and visuals, and I've encountered more than two situations in the past week where I was left overwhelmed and unable to do anything just as a result of people whispering and talking in a hall (where it felt as though I could hear every single conversation at once, instead of a white noise/background noise effect), or too many people crowding me, or one instance where I was trying to read a couple of posters that had bold, black text and brightly coloured images that made me oddly stressed.I've had these sorts of problems for a while, but lately (and most likely as a result of other stresses) they seem to have gotten worse, and I'm wondering if I have some sort of condition that I might need help with in order to better manage myself and different aspects of life, however, I've had some difficulty in researching things like ADHD as most results come up with symptoms that match a 9 year old boy. Is it possible that I may have ADHD/some other condition, and should I try to approach this with a licensed professional? Or is it more likely that this is likely to be my anxiety expressing itself in a different form?

Depression

Depression affects people in Australia every day. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with depression.

Mazzania Don't even know
  • replies: 3

So... being having issues with my partner, I tend to complain about my stuff to work friends. I'm sure I blow it all out of proportion from my own screwed up way of seeing things. They r great, supportive,etc. But I no longer want them to be. I don't... View more

So... being having issues with my partner, I tend to complain about my stuff to work friends. I'm sure I blow it all out of proportion from my own screwed up way of seeing things. They r great, supportive,etc. But I no longer want them to be. I don't want them or anyone else to care about me, or pretend to. I gave my partner no compassion, no positive anything. Been on ssri on and off for nearly 15 yrs. It's blunting, I don't have compassion to give him. A few months back switched to anri to try and make him happy, less blunting, but only on the negative stuff really. Don't get me wrong, when I'm at work I have a good time with the girls and enjoy them. But I go home and it's gone. My kids must hate me. I just sit in my room and remove myself from life and watch others on TV instead. In the last wk, I stopped my snri coz we were still fighting about me being heartless who doesn't care about him. So wats the point if taking pills if I'm still like that. In this last wk, I broke up with him, we told the kids, then I cried and crawled back... all in a day. I blew up my life, destroyed my kids... for nothing. Since, I'm ok with my partner, that ain't bothering me... but I am just... throwing myself into music to try and numb something. I am sad and angry and irritable and want ppl to stay away from me. I wake up ok, but as soon as someone, usually my kids talk to me, that's it. I'm all in my head. I lose my stuff or my obvious misery destroy everyone else's mood. Then I hate myself for it, alopologise over and over for everything I say outa place. And today I'm just angry. Punched the work Keyboard and scared my co-worker. Great work. I just want to be gone and have everything silent. But the silence is so deafening. (Would never hurt myself, just hope that the universe will do it for me). Then I'm numb, no feeling, no emotion, until something happens I don't think and I lose it again. Don't even know y I'm writing this really. Just forget it. I just need to get over my cop-out and stop making excuses for bad behaviour

Rhys_4 Diagnosis and advice please
  • replies: 4

I think my mental health has been declining for a while now. I got very sick in 2019 at age 33 and spent a long time in the ICU. It took months for me to even walk again. The brain illness has left me unable to work in my profession being a QS which ... View more

I think my mental health has been declining for a while now. I got very sick in 2019 at age 33 and spent a long time in the ICU. It took months for me to even walk again. The brain illness has left me unable to work in my profession being a QS which I spent years studying for and building a career in. I have not been able to earn an income and I have been relying on dwindling savings because pvt disability insurance has not paid out yet lumpsum and it keeps gettin delayed. I’ve been trying 2 get some flexible non-professional work which I think I might still be able to manage. I’ve really been struggling with trying to earn money and I feel that the ongoing decline in my mental health is making trying to work again impossible, especially as its compounded by the cognitive difficulties and fatigue I’ve been struggling with on a day-to-day basis since 2019. All the changes that have happened in my life dealing with the after-effects of the 2019 illness plus this awful and ongoing delay with the insurance company has left me feeling lost, sad and unable to motivate myself to do anything. Not saying money will solve all the problems but I feel in my heart that if the insurance company finally paid, I could be in a much better position to try and improve my mental health but in the absence of that happening, finances are getting worse and I am sinking deeper into a depression spiral. I am trying 2 claim for some small temporary income protection payments with my insurance company for the depression, but I need to know if I am actually depressed and what to do about it as I also want 2 get treatment and get better. I went online and took a depression diagnosis test which confirmed that I am depressed. Basically, my symptoms which I’ve been experiencing more intensely for several months now include constant feelings of hopelesness, not eating and losing weight, not having energy and feeling overwhelmed (even if I’m not doing anything), not doing the things I used to enjoy, struggling to make decisions, not wanting 2 go anywhere and lately I’ve been wondering if just not waking up would better than running out of money n being forced out on the streets. I would really appreciate if someone could help me understand what type of depression I am suffering from, if I am indeed suffering from depression, and if you could please recommend how long I need 2 recover and what I should be doing to recover?

Bee40 A wave
  • replies: 2

Today a wave of depression has came over me, it comes once or twice a month the day feel down from the morning right uphill I go to bed. I don't know why it comens , I'm happy most other days. I get snappy at ppl and then feel bad . Then I start to t... View more

Today a wave of depression has came over me, it comes once or twice a month the day feel down from the morning right uphill I go to bed. I don't know why it comens , I'm happy most other days. I get snappy at ppl and then feel bad . Then I start to think of the ppl I've lost years ago and get upset like they just died yesterday. Doss others get these days ?

PTSD and trauma

A space for discussing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), domestic abuse, sexual abuse and other trauma. Please note some content may be distressing.

Hardyimez How do I explain how someone's words effect me so deeply that they will be mindful?
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Hello all, I was in a dv situation with my ex partner. I have always suffered with anxiety and depression but not ptsd. I have started dating again. It got so bad with my ex I left 4mths pregnant and he came after me and threatened me with a weapon. ... View more

Hello all, I was in a dv situation with my ex partner. I have always suffered with anxiety and depression but not ptsd. I have started dating again. It got so bad with my ex I left 4mths pregnant and he came after me and threatened me with a weapon. He was never jailed, not for breaching my vro numerous times, breaching his bail conditions and his intensive community order 5 times. He stalked harassed and hounded me. I was put in a refuge, I was the one in jail. Miles away from my support network, no one allowed to visit. 3yrs later I am grateful for my beautiful daughter. One of his biggest things to terrorised me with was blame. Everything he didn't like was my fault and I mean everything. This was my dialy torture be blamed for things I had no control over or nothing to do with. I started seeing a new guy. Yesterday after a misunderstanding through text I got in trouble for things outside of my control. It triggered me big time. He has said he suffers with anxiety so I would have thought me telling him that his harsh unkind words was triggering to my ptsd would have been met with a bit more understanding. He had apologised but when those anxiety feelings take hold a flip I am sorry doesn't stop the reactions. I got the "well all guys are not your ex" oh really geez well that just makes it just fine now you said that. I don't want to go into the nitty gritty as it just makes it worse but also can I really be bothered to explain when even with someone who claims to know what anxiety is like says that. Am I going to have to tell any potential partner "my story" I just feel lost at the thought that even 3yrs later I still can't get out from under this awful mental battle.

Rachel U Cult trauma
  • replies: 2

Hi, I just want to start a discussion about Cults. I was in a eastern religious cult for 16 years. It is still operating in Melbourne. Australia. I have ptsd as a result of my time and just want to communicate with other survivors.

Hi, I just want to start a discussion about Cults. I was in a eastern religious cult for 16 years. It is still operating in Melbourne. Australia. I have ptsd as a result of my time and just want to communicate with other survivors.

Eagle Ray Denial of sexual abuse in extended family
  • replies: 29

Potentially distressing content warning Hi, I’m currently trying to bring myself to communicate with an extended family member regarding her ongoing denial of four years of sexual abuse done to a cousin when she was a child. In fact she pretends the ... View more

Potentially distressing content warning Hi, I’m currently trying to bring myself to communicate with an extended family member regarding her ongoing denial of four years of sexual abuse done to a cousin when she was a child. In fact she pretends the person abused doesn’t exist. The mother of this child (different to above person) blamed her daughter for the abuse and abandoned her. The perpetrator got away with it. This same perpetrator attempted to groom me as a child but I was fortunately never alone with him. Another relative did as well in front of other family including my parents who did nothing to stop his behaviour, but again I was never completely alone and apart from suggestive comments and being leered at and asked to do things for him, nothing actually happened. He later went to prison for abusing another under-age person. I’m not sure my question fits here because it’s primarily about the abuse of someone else. But what I’d like to know is how have others handled denial of sexual abuse in families and the ongoing lies and cover ups that can go on for years? As a younger adult I have experienced two sexual assaults and so I feel all the more angry about how the abuse of a family member is denied. I refuse to pretend the person doesn’t exist and I have nothing to do with her mother who abandoned her. The other family member is trying to get me to connect with the mother and I will not do this. This keeps coming up at the moment and I’m thinking of writing a letter to the family member I’m struggling with right now. I believe she tries to cover up the abuse because she has been scared for years to rock the boat. But I feel I have to rock the boat even though it’s likely to be destructive of my relationship with family members. I only found out about the abuse of this cousin in my 20s when my parents told me, years after it occurred. The perpetrator died recently which has put a spotlight back on this issue. Has anyone had to handle something like this? What did you do? How did it go? I have a feeling it’s going to go badly but I refuse to play the denial game. I have never met the cousin in question as she was ex-communicated from her family decades ago. I’m only recently discovering the extent to which other family have gone to cover up the abuse and it’s upsetting me. My parents have died so I can’t discuss it with them now.

Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

This space discusses suicide and self-harm. Consider limiting the time you spend here. To use the section safely, read the pinned discussion.

ChildHeart I just can’t…
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Another post and I am so sorry. There was a post I did in another section but it got moved to this section so I know it looks like I’m posting constantly. I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’m allowed to mention other services but I called the “s” call back... View more

Another post and I am so sorry. There was a post I did in another section but it got moved to this section so I know it looks like I’m posting constantly. I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’m allowed to mention other services but I called the “s” call back service this afternoon. Only a few hours after having already spoken to another crisis call centre. I am tired of feeling this way.. people offer (like here on the forums) lovely kind support and advice and I say thank you and I do mean it but I go away feeling the same. Hopeless. I just.. I can’t. I can’t anymore.

Lozza90 TW: SI
  • replies: 0

Thought of the day: I don't want to be a part of this world anymore. This world has broken me. I can't take it anymore 﫥

Thought of the day: I don't want to be a part of this world anymore. This world has broken me. I can't take it anymore 🫥