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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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mudjimbaboy talented people
  • replies: 2

Hi. Im here to tell you something. You are talented.why? All people ive met that have a mental disorder or nervous disorder. Are very talented.some didnt know it.id sit with some and play guitar until i could hear sounds that they didnt. Id show them... View more

Hi. Im here to tell you something. You are talented.why? All people ive met that have a mental disorder or nervous disorder. Are very talented.some didnt know it.id sit with some and play guitar until i could hear sounds that they didnt. Id show them that being able to paint images from your mind is not that dificult.not for them.not for us. Artists are SENSITIVE.musicians are too. Its a trait we endure that we suffer because were so talented.hope i havnt lost you? Lol . One old friend said I CANT SURF.then turned professional. One said im shy.but then blew others off the stage with a powerful voice and range .simular to janis joplin. So try out your talents.im sure theyre there. Max

MarkJT Caught in between the matrix??
  • replies: 8

Ok so for about the last week or so i have had this strange feeling. I am well advanced in my recovery from PTSD, depression and anxiety. Still and plan to be for life medicated and exercise regularly and practice mindfulness pretty much every day. F... View more

Ok so for about the last week or so i have had this strange feeling. I am well advanced in my recovery from PTSD, depression and anxiety. Still and plan to be for life medicated and exercise regularly and practice mindfulness pretty much every day. Fortunately for me I have a pretty good handle on when i am getting anxious but this is throwing me at the moment. Currently at work i have stacks on, the office is short of members, I am acting in my bosses role whilst he is on leave so there is plenty to be stressed about but i am not feeling stressed at all. Now this is a good thing obviously but i have this strange feeling that i should be stressed and anxious but then i ask myself am i stressed? I don't think I am but then i feel really calm about everything so i cant be stressed but then my body tells me that i am feeling anxious. The best way i can describe it is like i am stuck somewhere between the real world and the matrix - for those that have seen the Matrix trilogy. For those have not seem them, I really cant tell if i am stressing and anxious or not? One idea that I did come up whilst chatting to a mate about it was that maybe i am just feeling so completely calm and that i haven't felt like that for about 10 years, that i have forgotten what the feeling is like to be completely calm and content with myself? Therefore i am trying to figure out whether this is a real feeling or am i anxious? So confusing but a good confusing! Talk about confusing, if anyone reads this and isn't completely confused, then you must be some kind of genius because i have just confused myself...again!! Thanks for reading (Confused) Mark

white knight The positives of fear.
  • replies: 4

Many of us have fears but I'd suggest a lot of those with mental anxieties have more than most.Fear of a parent, a sibling, war, being victims of crime or brutal violence in a relationship. Non violent abuse can cause fear as well.Basing my belief th... View more

Many of us have fears but I'd suggest a lot of those with mental anxieties have more than most.Fear of a parent, a sibling, war, being victims of crime or brutal violence in a relationship. Non violent abuse can cause fear as well.Basing my belief that one can find a positive in nearly everything in life where can there be any positive in fear? I diverse. ADHD was thought to originate from ancient times. An over alert state of mind being developed from things like others stealing food or your partner. Men were the protector and ADHD is more prominent in men???So where does fear lead us? I can speak of my case briefly. As a young prison officer just 21yo I grew fear from the many frightening incidences during that 3 year period. Not to mention the fear of not knowing when an incident will occur, the inmates greatest asset. I also had anxiety and impulsivity prior to that job and then unknown bipolar 2 etc. Fear pushed me to find answers. I knew I had high stress levels and this came to roost one dark day when I got a parking fine, ran into the back of another car then when arriving home got an unexpected bill in the mail. That evening I knew I had to act. As a boy I'd spent Xmas holidays milking cows on my grandfather's farm in Tasmania. I loved it. The quiet lane of life. So, I set about planning the short, medium and long term plans. Yes its fear that got me here, a quaint cottage in the hills. No parking meters at the two large nearby towns, no long queues even at the car registration offices etc. My good wife has organised most bills by direct debit (except the telco as they mess it up all the time) and all in all our life pace has slowed. Fear has produced a positive. I no longer feel fear. Anxiety or crumbs of it will always prevail, but fear is a terrible thing to cope with. My suggestion is for you to find your own safety zone. Create it by selecting carefully those people you communicate with, the environment if which you live and the lifestyle you lead. There are positives in nearly everything in life. Even fear...control fear by reducing what you can no longer cope with. Tony WK

wantalife Message For BB
  • replies: 6

To those that opened up in discussion do not under estimate how much it has been of assistance, I will be under the care of others for a time, (I apologize for any sporadic type messaging recently) Thank you all that had me feel welcome. Your really ... View more

To those that opened up in discussion do not under estimate how much it has been of assistance, I will be under the care of others for a time, (I apologize for any sporadic type messaging recently) Thank you all that had me feel welcome. Your really are a wonderful community of people with wealth of knowledge. Take Care U R Awesome!!! Nick

Zen_seeking Finally ready to share my story with the world
  • replies: 2

Hi Everyone I am a police officer and spent about half my career in front-line policing and the other half in covert ops. About 2 years ago during a high risk operation I suffered a severe mental episode which resulted in being sent home (and to the ... View more

Hi Everyone I am a police officer and spent about half my career in front-line policing and the other half in covert ops. About 2 years ago during a high risk operation I suffered a severe mental episode which resulted in being sent home (and to the doctor) as unfit for duty. For months I locked myself away and suffered from flashbacks, endless nightmares, anger attacks and total freak outs when I did venture outside. I went through the usual process with psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors both within the police and externally. The end result was a diagnoses of PTSD - dissociative sub-type and anxiety. Other than those who needed to know at work, the only person I told was my wife (girlfriend at the time). For the past 2 years I have felt too embarrassed to speak to anyone else about it. This morning I woke up and decided to change that. I would like to share my story and raise awareness. And hopefully I can help others in some way. I have started telling my family. I have also created an installation account with the sole purpose of raising awareness and sharing my journey of further recovery and putting my life back together. If you'd like to follow me my account is Zen_seeking. If anyone has any advice on other ways I can raise awareness I would really appreciate any suggestions you have. Thanks all

Yoga_has_changed_my_life Self Acceptance & Finding myself... sorta
  • replies: 10

Hi All I am a 30 yr old female living in Melbourne but born in Sydney. I want to share my story to raise awareness and help others. Happy Mental Heath Week!! I was formally diagnosed with 'mood disorder' recently but had an episode in 2012 - largely ... View more

Hi All I am a 30 yr old female living in Melbourne but born in Sydney. I want to share my story to raise awareness and help others. Happy Mental Heath Week!! I was formally diagnosed with 'mood disorder' recently but had an episode in 2012 - largely due to major life events e.g a few bad things happened all at once and I just broke down..matters didn't help that a friend of over 20yrs excluded me from being her matron of honour because I wouldn't smile in photos or because I was depressed. Looking back I guess I don't blame her because weddings are stressful and the last thing she wanted was to have to worry about me. I get it. I equally was stressed on my own wedding day however this action by her and decision she made lead to my hospiliasiation. All I wanted was a hug from her assurance that everything would be ok but she kicked me whilst I was so down. Being from a Italian background mental illness (I thought) was seen as a weakness but as I have shared my story many people have shared back and I realised a few things 1 - mental Heath issues are so common and 2 as a community we are not discussing it. my story is long so I won't go into the details but what I will share is don't be ashamed, be yourself, be proud, do what you love for me that is Yoga, spending time with family Friends and my beautiful husband and of course my fur baby Cavoodle. if your in a dark place please trust me it will pass. Talk to someone anyone that will listen and Support you in a positive way. Trust your gut instinct if your seeing a Dr and you feel they are not right get a 2nd opinion. Remember what you loved doing and if you can't get someone to remind you or try to find something different! Whatever your feeling it will pass. Sit in the sunshine - just think of 1 thing your greatful of. And if you can't I'll give you one... your on here reading this... amazing be proud of yourself. I hope this story helps one person. By sharing was really hard for me I am sitting here in tears. I am a HR business Partner and also help my husband run his mechanic business. I am Intrested in yoga and reiki and want to learn more. I love dogs especially my baby. Love the sunshine and a big supporter of LGBTI community and raising awareness for mental health. I was was inspired to share my story after listening to Jason Ball last night at an Event in Melbourne YOU should always be yourself. You are amazing. Always remind yourself that. Every day. It will then become second nature

SubduedBlues A better version of me
  • replies: 1

Some time ago I made a post under my old pseudonym: D'jected, entitled "When life gives you lemons" That thread is my victory dance, the one that speaks about how I accomplished my journey from deathrow-depression to a new happy self. That journey wa... View more

Some time ago I made a post under my old pseudonym: D'jected, entitled "When life gives you lemons" That thread is my victory dance, the one that speaks about how I accomplished my journey from deathrow-depression to a new happy self. That journey was not easy, and it was because of people like AGrace, BeeGee, Cant Move Forward, Doolhof, JessF, Jo3, Neil1, SnoMan, TheSteve, WhiteKnight, WhiteRose to name but a few, that were willing to listen to my woes and offer advice on how to move forward. And it was due to the many other people on the forums that allowed me to help them find their way back to their light. Today I find myself in a much better place than I did back then. I am not "cured" of the blues, rather it is that I don't let them rule over my life. I now recognize that I am capable of overcoming, my situation is not hopeless, and that all is not lost. Each day I still have to find the strength to get up; to face the day; to make the bed. And then I give my kids a hug; remember where once was and where I am today; and be thankful for all those nice people at BB that helped me get here. As such, I can safely say (knock on wood), that my Blues have been subdued. and thus, I have asked BB to change my pseudonym to something that is more befitting to where I am in my journey with the Black Dog. therefore, I am now SubduedBlues and I am here to give back and help bring hope to those that seek help. SB (formerly D')

Quiettall Excellent way to beat post-retirement depression
  • replies: 11

This year I have embarked on two separate placements (one of 3 months and one of 9 weeks) doing voluntary overseas aid work. The reasons I embarked on this were that I was bored, still had lots of energy and initiative, love travel, but could not aff... View more

This year I have embarked on two separate placements (one of 3 months and one of 9 weeks) doing voluntary overseas aid work. The reasons I embarked on this were that I was bored, still had lots of energy and initiative, love travel, but could not afford to pay for travel. So in doing this work, I have found my previous skills have been put to use, I have learnt lots of new skills, completely refocussed my thinking from internal self-pity to working with those in other countries who really value your contribution. You have the choice of a short few weeks assignment through to a longer 18 month to 2 year stay. As I am married, and my wife does not understand the need to have a positive, creative life, I have chosen two shorter stays. Both times I have made great friends, learnt lots about myself and how to manage my own mental state, and had lots of support (financial, medical, psychological) from the agencies who posted me. It is a great life but there is some adjustment to take place both pre-posting, during the posting and after arriving back home from living in another culture for a period of time. I highly recommend the experience, as it opens your eyes to a new world and a new way of thinking about yourself, the life you have in Australia, and how you can use even the most basic skills to help others in countries like Vietnam, Phillipines, Pacific Islands, Nepal etc etc.

white knight Wearing a mask
  • replies: 10

One of my favourite things I loved to draw as a child was a clown with a tear. I grew up with a brother that had to attend the Royal Childrens Hospital every 6 weeks. So when I got to around 23yo I became "Yobbo" the clown. I joined the Moomba clown ... View more

One of my favourite things I loved to draw as a child was a clown with a tear. I grew up with a brother that had to attend the Royal Childrens Hospital every 6 weeks. So when I got to around 23yo I became "Yobbo" the clown. I joined the Moomba clown club and learned how to make children laugh at that hospital. It confirmed to me that we do wear masks of various levels. How many of us attend or host a bbq and have this great urge to talk about our mental status? I have and now after many years that it took me to accept that my illnesses should not dominate my conversations, my guests are clearly much happier. That doesn't mean they don't care, it does mean their ability to assist me is so limited that they prefer not to just listen to the internal cries I am exposing. Yes, my admission, I now wear a mask. I push back my internal conflicts and join in with the laughter and interesting discussion. Is this good? Yes it is. A part of me says "you should be yourself, if you aren't feeling well then act unwell,,,,be yourself". But there is an overwhelming need to think of other people to and their needs. It's not all about me is it? So how do we develop a mask? We have to relax and let things flow because although we should seek common topics like the weather, the garden and our kids, good friends move from topic to topic naturally. Admittedly during these mask wearing charades I'm often saying to myself "oh boy, I am not enjoying talking about how he broke his leg" but....he might not have like me talking endlessly about bipolar last month either. So let the guest choose the topics. Ask questions This will make the guest feel important, that you are interested in their life. Generate topics by actions eg we have a bird feeder near our bbq. We fill it with seed before the event. Guaranteed our guests will talk birds when they come to feed. Have table tennis, darts or badminton handy. Thankyou's Some time after your get together send them a text thanking them for attending. They'll feel important No Guilt. Once your guests have departed don't feel bad about wearing your mask. You still would have had a reasonable time with friends. You can find other ways to vent or talk (like this forum, your doctor) if you have ongoing issues. Take your mask off to the one or two gems of friends that can cope with it. What do you think? Do you wear a mask? Do you think wearing a mask is a good thing? Do you have other techniques? Tony WK

Guest_3072 Difficult Emotions with Education and Future Prospects
  • replies: 3

Hello everyone, At university, a few people who are doing my course are talking about doing a Masters degree after they graduate (in social work). They said that employers will always choose the individual with the Masters degree over the person with... View more

Hello everyone, At university, a few people who are doing my course are talking about doing a Masters degree after they graduate (in social work). They said that employers will always choose the individual with the Masters degree over the person with only an undergraduate Bachelor's degree. I however, do not want to stay and do any postgraduate studies. I guess I just wanted to hear your guys thoughts on how important it is to have formal education as opposed to personality, connections, IQ, work ethic and initiative, for example. Do you think there is a balance that is needed? I'm just a little bit anxious because my grades are not that great but I do have experience and volunteer a lot in my community which a lot of other students don't do (they seem to focus more on academics). I mean, to what extent should I place my value on experience over a written transcript? I have met some Masters students who have absolutely no idea on how to translate things into the real world and I just wanted to see what you guys think, especially from the perspective of employers?