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Sophie_M Sleep and Mental Health
  • replies: 0

Many of us have struggled with bouts of troubled sleep, and needless to say, these periods of nocturnal restlessness can be utterly overwhelming and exhausting. Sleeplessness can filter into every aspect of our lives: our ability to be present, remem... View more

Many of us have struggled with bouts of troubled sleep, and needless to say, these periods of nocturnal restlessness can be utterly overwhelming and exhausting. Sleeplessness can filter into every aspect of our lives: our ability to be present, remember things, regulate our emotions, or to feel excited and energised… it can change the way we think and feel in such a significant and impactful way. Whether it’s due to big life changes, global pandemics, financial or work stressors, health concerns (like menopause), how much ‘you’ time you have, or even unprocessed emotions you weren’t aware were there – so many things can impact how you sleep. All of this goes to show that not only do your daily habits, routines, and experiences play a huge role in maintaining healthy sleep cycles, but so does your mental health. And frustratingly enough, your sleep also impacts and informs your mental health and daily habits. Like most things, it’s a very easy cycle to fall into. So, it’s imperative that we are gentle and compassionate with ourselves on our journey to understanding what is making us so hypervigilant and unable to rest in the first place. Studies show that journaling or mindfulness practices throughout the day, healthy food, movement, sunshine, connection with loved ones, and support from health professionals can help us to feel more grounded and able to rest. But we are curious… what has worked for you? When do you notice that your sleep is most affected vs. when you get the best rest? And is there a way you could practice regulating your nervous system more throughout the day to help promote better sleep at night? We would love to hear your thoughts! Let us know if you have any questions and be sure to check out our page on ‘Sleep and Mental Health’ for more guidance and insight into a more supported and restful night’s sleep: Sleep and mental health - Beyond Blue - Beyond Blue Looking forward to hearing from you! Kind regards, Sophie M

Just Sara A Bouquet for Pearls - share your appreciation for other members
  • replies: 715

Every now and then, members share a beautiful Pearl of Wisdom. How often do you think to yourself; "OMG that's great! I wish everyone could see this." Presenting someone with a bunch of flowers is a generous way of acknowledging their insightful word... View more

Every now and then, members share a beautiful Pearl of Wisdom. How often do you think to yourself; "OMG that's great! I wish everyone could see this." Presenting someone with a bunch of flowers is a generous way of acknowledging their insightful words. I hope this thread stays active through members giving out praise regularly to people they feel deserving, and therefore keep generosity of spirit alive within the pages of BeyondBlue Forum. My bunch of Red Roses (my choice) goes to Wishful for the following sentence; 'Personally, I see no reason to be praised in me, but I'm learning that seeing through the eyes of others can be more accurate!!' I so hear you Wishful. Just beautiful... Try to keep your leading comments short to focus on 'their' words. Choose specific flowers (or a gift if you like) to present to them. Sign off respectfully and sincerely. I hope this takes off... Spreading the love...Sara

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Bookgirl How do people stay positive in a negative world?
  • replies: 3

I often feel overwhelmed by events in my life and the world and struggle to stay positive but my friends who don't suffer from anxiety seem able to cope? How do they achieve this? What am i doing wrong?

I often feel overwhelmed by events in my life and the world and struggle to stay positive but my friends who don't suffer from anxiety seem able to cope? How do they achieve this? What am i doing wrong?

Peppermintbach Dear fellow creatives...tips and tricks on leading a creative life
  • replies: 123

Hi everyone, As the title suggests, this thread is pretty much exactly as per the thread title. In some ways, I feel as though I'm a bit of a creative rut, which is awful when you're a creative person. So I thought that I would try to ask for inspira... View more

Hi everyone, As the title suggests, this thread is pretty much exactly as per the thread title. In some ways, I feel as though I'm a bit of a creative rut, which is awful when you're a creative person. So I thought that I would try to ask for inspiration in terms of ideas and stories from fellow creatives. Hopefully other people also find this thread helpful in terms of reading and sharing. So whether you're a professional or amateur graphic designer, industrial designer, architect, musician, writer, choreographer, dancer, landscaper, etc, etc...I would LOVE to hear your tips and anecdotes on how you inject creativity in your world and how your keep the creative spark alive. Thank you! Pepper

daffodilia Keeping life under control in depressive/anxious episode?
  • replies: 2

I've recently just gone down a dose in my antidepressants due to unwanted side effects, and while adjusting I'm finding myself slipping back into old anxious habits, staring at my computer screen all day and scrolling social media to avoid the things... View more

I've recently just gone down a dose in my antidepressants due to unwanted side effects, and while adjusting I'm finding myself slipping back into old anxious habits, staring at my computer screen all day and scrolling social media to avoid the things I should and need to be doing. What are some ways to deal practically with a depressive/anxious episode? (Most tips I see, like listen to music, meditation, pet animals, go for a walk, are all very helpful for mood, but not when I feel like I'm slowly drowning in undone, overdue errands and don't have time). Letting things slip only makes me feel worse and even more unable to look after myself - I want to be able to keep my life together and under some semblance of control. But how?

white knight Time out from the fast lane
  • replies: 6

What is the "fast lane"?. Humans have developed over a long period but in the last 150 years advancement in technology has resulted in a more complex life. 300 years ago and beyond, prior to the industrial revolution we were not much more than hunter... View more

What is the "fast lane"?. Humans have developed over a long period but in the last 150 years advancement in technology has resulted in a more complex life. 300 years ago and beyond, prior to the industrial revolution we were not much more than hunter gatherers. How can the human mind adapt to change within a short relative time frame? 30 years ago thete were no computers in our homes. If you didnt accept that computers were beneficial and endure the steep learning curve, you were left behind. The "fast lane" is now normal living. You might be a two income family, kids, drop one off at day care, drop one off at school, toletate peak hour traffic, parking fines and abrasive work colleagues but you can still be in the fast lane with none of those things. Even a person not working can feel the pressure. Financial stress, society expectations, class warfare, stigma, feelings of failure...keeping well. To those people...us...we have our own fast lane. Everyone has their own burnout point. That double income two kids family? What if suddenly they lose one income. They base their lifestyle on two incomes, their mortgage, cars etc. Have an injury at home could fracture their resilience And its no different to someone unemployed that has an unexpected bill. The mechanucal car repairs. No car, no chance of work and the despair sets in.. Its just all too hard. It might seem logical that everyone has a certain capacity. Some people are stimulated by challenges whereas some are not. The human brain has developed on various levels of ability to cope with modern life. If you've had trouble coping it isnt a "fault" more so a part of being normal...thats how common it is. When the human brain breaks down we need to take it seriously and not expect to return to our lifestyles previously enjoyed. Tips on this are in- use google Topic: be radical- beyondblue For me I remained in full time employment too long. Eventually after a mental collapse I went part time but it was too late, my capacity to work at all was no longer there. I had no endurance left. Hence this thread, to alarm you in the danger of overload. What can you do to prevent what happened to me? Revamp finances so you have saving ability, resist that new car and extra loan! Take your holidays and make it a holiday. At the end of it plan your next. Any mental illness plan future part time work and.. Return to nature where your brain belongs. Chill out on a river bank and turn off your mobile phone... Tony WK

Guest_128 One thing you did good today
  • replies: 101

On returning my shopping trolley today I was confronted with a lady and two small kids that looked less off than me I suppose. The lady fumbled for a coin and I said here by the kids an ice cream , She looked at me as if I where giving her a 100 , it... View more

On returning my shopping trolley today I was confronted with a lady and two small kids that looked less off than me I suppose. The lady fumbled for a coin and I said here by the kids an ice cream , She looked at me as if I where giving her a 100 , it was $2 BAM I felt so good Later

ScarlettR Any household chores you find fun and mentally stimulating?
  • replies: 10

I believe it's important to keep up with household chores on a daily basis - not only for the house maintenance, but it occupies your mind and you get a mental and physical exercise from it. The household chores I do find fun are laundry, believe it ... View more

I believe it's important to keep up with household chores on a daily basis - not only for the house maintenance, but it occupies your mind and you get a mental and physical exercise from it. The household chores I do find fun are laundry, believe it or not! I'm a bit of a shopaholic and like buying nice clothes to cheer myself up. So to wash nice clothes then hang them up to dry in preparation for a next big day/ night out is really exciting to me. I don't wish to list any households I don't really like doing - just the ones I enjoy.

white knight Finding YOURSELF
  • replies: 6

Its a common question, those with the "fog" of mental illness confess that they dont know who they are. They're lost, feel bland in personality and dont see anything unique in their own character. What can they do to become somebody, like everyone el... View more

Its a common question, those with the "fog" of mental illness confess that they dont know who they are. They're lost, feel bland in personality and dont see anything unique in their own character. What can they do to become somebody, like everyone else in the world?. Well firstly we must face some hard facts.Courage is an element of us all and we need to dig deep to harness it, put it to use. We are all unique. We look different, talk different, act uniquely, so lets accept that we are unique. Most people in childhood develop interests naturally. Hobbies, future professions, whether we like certain foods and as we grow older, slot into certain fields of natural ability. I wanted to be a policeman or pilot, was inventive, loved building cubbies, developed humour but I had an anchor, a part of me didnt develop as quickly as it should have...street wisdom and emotions So, if I had also not developed in other fields, like my character and slotting into various fields of ability, I'd be asking myself ..who am I? Im suggesting that some work needs to be done to discover who you are. Counseling would help here. But daily you can spent time discovering what is already present within you...you! There's no better example than a friend of my wife. Lacking any confidence, failed 30 year marriage, dwelling on her health issues, no obvious unique abilities- to her. She invited us to dinner and was in tears as we walked through the door over thinking her meal would be terrible. She had zero confidence. The meal consisted of steak peas and potato bake, then lemon marangue pie. At the end of the meal I grabbed paper and a pen and gave it to her and asked her to write down the recipe of the potato bake. "Why" she asked. "Because its the best Ive tasted, better that the town cafe, why arent you a cook"? Eventually the same local cafe advertised for a casual cook. She got the job (especially after I told the owner about her skill). Suddenly she had direction a future, a reason to read books on recipes. But what I find amusing is that her ability to cook wasnt seen by her as a unique ability. Some people cant boil water and every chef in the world is trained to be one. But here was a lady that cooked for 33 years for her family which was great training and learned through trial and error. You can find who you are. Be flexible though and positive. I ended up a tinkerer and pi. Not a pilot..so be ready to change direction and change your mind ..thats ok to. Find YOU! Tony WK

Peppermintbach Share your "life lessons" here: the good, bad and the ugly
  • replies: 32

Hi everyone, Please feel free to share your "life lessons" here that you have learnt (or are in the process of learning) along the way This is a place for you to share your lessons learnt from times of joy as well as times of loss and pain (and all t... View more

Hi everyone, Please feel free to share your "life lessons" here that you have learnt (or are in the process of learning) along the way This is a place for you to share your lessons learnt from times of joy as well as times of loss and pain (and all the other emotions in between). I hope this thread becomes a place of collective wisdom and learned experience. May the sharing begin... Love, Pepper xo

white knight A city to country relocate- why not?
  • replies: 12

Hi all. Do you want to wind down? Kiss most of your anxiety away? The ultimate tree change might be the answer. I was raised in the western suburbs of Melbourne. I hated it. It was so much in contrast to my pops fairy farm in Tasmania that we visited... View more

Hi all. Do you want to wind down? Kiss most of your anxiety away? The ultimate tree change might be the answer. I was raised in the western suburbs of Melbourne. I hated it. It was so much in contrast to my pops fairy farm in Tasmania that we visited for xmas every year. I had to get out and joined the RAAF at 17yo. Since then I came and went from the city and each time I left the city my anxiety reduced overall. So what is it about the country that relaxes us? No or few traffic lights and few cars, rarely see parking metres, greater distance between neighbours, more pleasurable walks, more flora and fauna, less noise and pollution, lower overall living costs...and more I cant think of. Its subjective but I feel the people are friendlier and the crime rate lower...its less dangerous. My first permanent move was one hour from Melbourne, then 90 minutes, then 2 hours and now over 2 hours. Ive found that the first two moves meant I mixed with commuters like me, working in the city. Eventually living much further away I'm living amongst seasoned country people which is more to my liking. What about finances? Well a move to the country can reduce financial stress. Currently you can buy a home for $180,000 2 hours from Melbourne. Recently on holidays I saw many homes in northern NSW in the hills for as little as $90,000. These towns have hospitals and shops. Self preservation with mental illness is a priority, it sounds selfish but its even more important than living in close proximity to family. As individuals we have to take measures to preserve ourselves. My daughter lives in the city...its taken as a Sunday drive visiting her. There are obstacles. Work issues, will you pick the right town?, facilities, in town or out of town?, will it be easy to sell if you cant adapt? Ive lived in country towns. The first a hamlet no shops, primary school only. The second with pub, store, 7 minutes from town of 10,000 and currently the same,town of 200 with a store and pub with town of 4,000 10 minutes away. For me its ideal and being over 2 hours from the city its really relaxing. Eventually a move into the larger town is inevitable. Aged care is there. Some large country cities provide little benefit to the transformation. However, my sister remains a city person regardless of her depression and bipolar. We drove past high rise units in the city "thats where I want to live" she said. Yuk! Other ideas to reduce anxiety are listed in Topic: be radical- beyondblue Tony WK

white knight Crying, let it all out!
  • replies: 3

My mate told me he is an expert of red wine. He thought I was joking when I replied with "I'm an expert at crying". The fact is that my first 45 years of life I cried countless tears in an era that since Adam, was seen as childish or weak. I not only... View more

My mate told me he is an expert of red wine. He thought I was joking when I replied with "I'm an expert at crying". The fact is that my first 45 years of life I cried countless tears in an era that since Adam, was seen as childish or weak. I not only had (unbeknown to me) bipolar spectrum, depression and anxiety but also the dreaded dysthymia. Dysthymia is a chronic low mood depression that has less of a "wave" nature, more a constant sadness. I'm less effected by it now but the memories are permanent scars. Whats it like, how does it feel? It isnt easy to describe. Anything can trigger it. Even the slightest emotional scene on TV, or seeing someone upset, an injured animal, being disciplined or a big trigger...sad memories. It was responsible for many of my sad poems and sad songs would spark it big time. It is in effect like other mental illnesses in that it is an extreme state of mind so extreme emotion is an accurate painting of the picture. As the emotion built up over days I use to try and contain it, do what men "should do" and not cry. That restraint may have lasted a day or more then it would overflow. I learned by 25yo to let it out. So, I'd cry for an hour or so...quite a long time. Recovery no different than others about 2-3 hours (and a headache). At work I'd mastered the "allergic to cigarette smoke excuse or pollen" to explain my red eyes. On some occasions the bout of crying was so severe it felt like and likely was, going down the road of self destruction. If you ever feel this sad to this extent please get help. I know the difference a low dose of anti depressants can make and its huge. It just tipped me towards normality with my emotions. Try to look upon your period of crying as a process that needs to be carried out before you'll settle down again. Try not to be reactive nor drive a vehicle, be sensible and aware that the frame of mind you are in during heavy crying isnt cohesive and you have little control. Its a process you cannot rush nor snap out of. It is treatable. Once treatment is underway you'll do less crying and more living. And thats progress. Its also an act of self preservation and that isnt only good for you but your priceless loved ones. So let it out, no fear, no embarrassment and no guilt. Then chat with your GP, it could change your life for the better. It did with me. Tony WK