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Sophie_M Money stress? You are not alone!
  • replies: 4

So, I’ve been chatting with my friends over here at Beyond Blue and it seems we all have something in common right now: money worries. Whether it’s stressors about finding enough cash for the basics or wishing we had enough money for a holiday, we al... View more

So, I’ve been chatting with my friends over here at Beyond Blue and it seems we all have something in common right now: money worries. Whether it’s stressors about finding enough cash for the basics or wishing we had enough money for a holiday, we all seem to be experiencing a greater amount of stress surrounding money than we have in the past. And it’s impacting our ability to show up fully for the things we love. It’s not uncommon for us to experience shame and fear around expressing our financial challenges; it can be hard and somewhat taboo to openly discuss money matters. However, we believe this conversation is incredibly important and beneficial to have. Like all challenges, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’, so let’s help each other out. Of course, discussions about the economy and how to manage our money during inflation are a much larger (and frustrating!) conversation… but what we would really love to know is what your personal experience around money is. Are you feeling the pinch too? How is added financial pressure impacting your wellbeing? When was the last time things felt even slightly easier? And if you have struggled with money in the past but come out the other side, what suggestions do you have for others who might still be finding their feet? This is an opportunity to share openly and honestly about your experience in a judgement-free space. There are no wrong answers, and we encourage you to share all the things that you might be finding hard to express in your every day life. If you're interested - Beyond Blue also have a 'money and mental health' quiz to gauge a sense of how finances may be impacting your mental health and what to do next. Looking forward to your answers! Abundant hugs from yours truly, 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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HelenM God as part of my life (but in no way do I expect everyone to agree.
  • replies: 11

Life's quite tough at the moment. When I go to bed I feel the best because the day can't ask any more from me. I write a prayer to God and read a little book that helps. God is dwith me always but unfortunately I don't feel it often during the day. B... View more

Life's quite tough at the moment. When I go to bed I feel the best because the day can't ask any more from me. I write a prayer to God and read a little book that helps. God is dwith me always but unfortunately I don't feel it often during the day. But if I read of religious people from the past some had a good relationship God but it didn't make everything honkey dorey. In fact I think that they were often writing years later and distance enhances the view. When I look at some of my depressions from the past they don't seem so bad. I t seems Mother Teresa found God to be absent throughout most of her life. I'm going out soon and can't finish what I'm saying. Plus I'm getting quite confused. Helen x

white knight Running around trying to save the world
  • replies: 6

Worry, is the root of my evil. How many of you try as hard as you can not to speed and just when you gradually go over the limit you get caught? So worrying about that possibility can prevent you speeding. It will also give you headaches, anxiety and... View more

Worry, is the root of my evil. How many of you try as hard as you can not to speed and just when you gradually go over the limit you get caught? So worrying about that possibility can prevent you speeding. It will also give you headaches, anxiety and in the end you wont enjoy life. Happiness will elude you. The two extremes are clear. One end is the fool, the one that doesn't worry nor concern him/herself about serious issues, key handling, income, rent, diet and so on....responsibilities!! The other end is ....me!! and some of you...worrywarts, ultra responsible, worrying about anything that needs maintenance...what other people think of me and so on. Somehow in the middle is where we should aspire to be, happy, having fun and carrying out our responsibilities with the least worry...before you get back to having fun again. And that leads me to "saving the world". Those like me that ty to save the world run around in our lives plugging up the imperfections of life. It's mid morning and I want to go to my shed to continue building my caravan. I grab the shed keys, take two steps than remember my phone as I'm waiting for Telstra to ring me regarding my account, take 6 steps, better check the mail, take 3 steps...take my dog for a walk to the mailbox...find the dog, walk 20 steps with the dog, go back 15 steps...grab the wheelie bin, tow it to the naturestrip, thinking deeply about my caravan, half way back to house forgot to check the mail walk back, no mail anyway, Dog is now confused. Upon my return better weed the garden, return to house, wife informs me I took the wrong bin down to the road, swap bins, return to house. Dog now tired and falls asleep. You get the picture. The brain never stops in this mode. But its harmful. Most people would simply enjoy the walk to the mailbox, think earlier about taking the bin down and which bin to take and so on, and smile while doing so, breath the fresh air and smile. Worry isn't productive and it robs us of enjoyment. It is the result of having a mother that I could never please. A dominant figure she be and will always be even after her death. Such is the fear. Worry can give you peptic ulcers, heart issues, depression etc. Such "programming" is rarely deprogrammed. You have to learn to live with it as a part of you and yes....that worries me. like everything else. Some parents "own" you as a product. I got rid of mine. That's one thing that doesnt worry me. Sadly but proudly Tony WK

hope4joy how do you combat morning fatigue?
  • replies: 9

Hi all, Does anyone else wake up with their eyelids so heavy its hard to keep them open, and feel like you've got lead in your system? And take every bit of resolve to get out of bed? I'm going through a really tough patch at the moment and need to g... View more

Hi all, Does anyone else wake up with their eyelids so heavy its hard to keep them open, and feel like you've got lead in your system? And take every bit of resolve to get out of bed? I'm going through a really tough patch at the moment and need to get through three weeks of full time work, I really need the money. I feel like a zombie at the best of times, but anymore of this morning fatigue and I wont get to work. The tiredness is just so intense and enduring. What helps you get going in the morning? How do you get through those really tough patches, that you trust will end, but have not finished yet? With thanks, Christina

Michala099 Hands up for those who believe 2016 will be a better year
  • replies: 5

I myself am determined to stay well in 2016 and wish to all hurt, lost souls (including myself) to start a better year, to fight and stay on top, after all we've been through we're still here! Happy 2016!!!

I myself am determined to stay well in 2016 and wish to all hurt, lost souls (including myself) to start a better year, to fight and stay on top, after all we've been through we're still here! Happy 2016!!!

Hamlet_24 Mental Health and Weight Loss
  • replies: 2

Hi guys, I was wondering is anyone had any tips for losing weight when you're going through a depressive episode. I've had a problem with fluctuating weight for a while; binging, lack of energy weight gain whilst on meds and it's just getting really ... View more

Hi guys, I was wondering is anyone had any tips for losing weight when you're going through a depressive episode. I've had a problem with fluctuating weight for a while; binging, lack of energy weight gain whilst on meds and it's just getting really difficult to keep under control when I'm this low. Does anyone have the same problem we can exchange tactics.

Guest_1055 Comfort Eating
  • replies: 27

Hello I was wondering if anyone else struggles with this issue. The issue being comfort eating or eating to receive comfort. I know of two other people on the beyond blue forums who do. Is there truly anyone else out here that does struggle with this... View more

Hello I was wondering if anyone else struggles with this issue. The issue being comfort eating or eating to receive comfort. I know of two other people on the beyond blue forums who do. Is there truly anyone else out here that does struggle with this??? I am beginning to think comfort eating is like a circle, or a merry go round, where it is extremely hard to get off from. I think it all ties into depression somehow as well. For me when I feel sad, alone, neglected, unloved, hurt and there is probably more emotions that I haven't recognized yet. But anyway when these emotions are strong, like they just blare out, and you are completely overwhelmed by them, well for some reason, I just turn to food. The food I turn to is mainly the junk stuff. I don't eat a lot of food, except for the chocolate. So I am feeling these emotions, I turn to the food, the junk in the food, whatever is in it, which for me is sugar, causes more depressed emotions. It seems to go around and around..... But I must clarify, eating the sugar brings me a small bit of comfort, but it is very short lived. And yes I have written out a list of strategies, to help myself get off this merry go round, in which I am now visualising painted happy horses going up and down, up and down. I know I also eat for comfort when I feel well.....empty, empty inside my heart. Or just a plain emptiness inside. But I am looking at it very logically now, and saying to myself, how can food actually fill that emptiness or that enormous hole in my heart. Because when you actually eat food it fills your physical stomach not your heart..... Well thank you to whoever is reading this, I so very much appreciate you listening to me ramble on and on. It is just I think I have kept my thoughts and feelings, which are many... all locked up for so ,so long, and now they are just flowing out. With much appreciation and many, many hugs to you Shelley anne xxx

ggcatlady In remission...hoping to help others get there too...
  • replies: 6

Hi, I'm a crazy cat lady just wanting to introduce myself to you. I only have one cat these days, my other cat passed away earlier this year (that was a time of a lot of tears). I am 'in remission' when it comes to my depression. I'm hoping that I ca... View more

Hi, I'm a crazy cat lady just wanting to introduce myself to you. I only have one cat these days, my other cat passed away earlier this year (that was a time of a lot of tears). I am 'in remission' when it comes to my depression. I'm hoping that I can help others by sharing what has worked for me. I also have another mental illness that is not very well known, it is called schizoaffective disorder. It has the mood features of bipolar disorder and some features of schizophrenia (such as unwanted thoughts, hallucinations and delusions). Thankfully, I respond well to medication so this mental illness is also in remission at the moment. One of the things that has helped me be in remission is staying compliant with my medication. I usually follow my psychiatrist's advice (except when she says I should exercise more for the endorphins. One day I might catch the exercise bug but so far it hasn't happened.) I have lots more to share but I think I will leave it for future posts.

rok finaly found
  • replies: 9

Hi Christopher, I don't really know where else to contact you on this site so ive used this section, on Tuesday last I was in a very bad place I was overwhelmed with emotional pain, more so than I have been for quite sometime I phoned your hotline an... View more

Hi Christopher, I don't really know where else to contact you on this site so ive used this section, on Tuesday last I was in a very bad place I was overwhelmed with emotional pain, more so than I have been for quite sometime I phoned your hotline and ended up from their advice at the P.A, mental health unit where I sat for some 7 hours watching other patients in a distressed state of mind, some were quiet some were angry and it got me thinking about the suffering that others were going through some obviously unable to cope with reality and in a worse place than where I was, being absolutely tormented by there problems I felt compassion for them.Then after accessing your poetry section and reading others poetry I could see that although the authors were in a distressing place I could notice that with that outlet and replies sent, there was a positive feel about it all. I did feel dejected when you didn't publish my "nightmare" but I could understand the validity in your reasoning, I wish to cause no one distress or harm and I took that onboard gladly and it also helped me to understand myself a lot more. I realized that I do have a lot of compassion and understanding toward my fellow human beings. I have always given rather than taken and to see someone smile gives me a very warm positive feeling, even though it has only been material possessions or giving my seat up on a bus etc. Yesterday when I replied to CMF and got a positive response and being helpful it was like a doorway opened down a very long and empty corridor, one I had been walking for many many years trying all kinds of employment and schooling, I have a Dip. in agriculture, i'm a WH&SO, an undergrad BSc and many other qualifications I have achieved yet never happy in any of those areas and I could never understand why..Now I do, thanks to yourself and your team and CMF, for today I enrolled with online learning to gain a Dip. in counseling, I feel in my heart that this is what I have been searching for, for a very long time a way to help others the way I have been helped, and I just wanted to thank you all for showing me that door. Regards Rok

Guest_1055 Does what I eat affect depression?
  • replies: 53

Hi Just wanting to know if anyone has experienced changes in behaviours, moods and their emotions depending on what they do or do not eat. Because I am very convinced that for me, consuming refined sugar, the ingredient you find in a lot of processed... View more

Hi Just wanting to know if anyone has experienced changes in behaviours, moods and their emotions depending on what they do or do not eat. Because I am very convinced that for me, consuming refined sugar, the ingredient you find in a lot of processed foods makes my emotions all over the place. And when I choose to eat mainly whole natural foods, I am so so much calmer, happier and my brain is no longer foggy or heavy.Just want to know what others think. Thanks heaps.

fatima emotional hygiene
  • replies: 2

yesterday I was listening to some TED talks and came across a talk by Guy Winch which was called emotional first aid. I thought some of you would want to listen to it. It addresses 'negative self talk' and 'taking care of yourself' in a down to earth... View more

yesterday I was listening to some TED talks and came across a talk by Guy Winch which was called emotional first aid. I thought some of you would want to listen to it. It addresses 'negative self talk' and 'taking care of yourself' in a down to earth way.