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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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white knight Channelling an art you can try
  • replies: 1

Channelling, meaning directing, steering. A ship without a rudder needs direction. A partner can point you towards recovery but then without that rudder soon it wanders.Unlike those without a mental illness who remain within the tracks that take them... View more

Channelling, meaning directing, steering. A ship without a rudder needs direction. A partner can point you towards recovery but then without that rudder soon it wanders.Unlike those without a mental illness who remain within the tracks that take them where their mind has to go and does go without any effort, we dont have train tracks. Our mind drifts. Various traditional methods assist us to move our ship towards the port called "average" but it never seems to get there. I knew an intellectually disabled young man once. I was in charge of him at a sheltered workshop. His job was cleaning the toilets. No one else wanted the job. Ask him why he likes cleaning the toilets he would always reply "because no else can clean those toilets as good as me". He had his golden trade because he was the best at it. And those toilets were pristine. Once I had to tell him to wait a moment while I tightened my belt...he was in there so quick to clean !!I I love poetry. I written it for 25 years. The first 15 years they mounted up in a folder serving no purpose. Try publishing poems. Near impossible. They were written during times of chronic sadness when I had no medication. My sadness was so extreme any topic on TV like starving children, cruelty to animals and the like would reduce me to tears. No wonder suicide them days was lurking. One solution was "channelling".Turning this incredibly hurtful feeling into a positive action. Sadness-how can you turn that around? Is it the same channelling you do after a few weeks of grieving for the death of a loved one? When we start thinking of the good deeds that person did in their lifetime? Instead of the death itself? I sent a poem to a victim of crime. The death of that persons two daughters through murder. 9 years later for me to walk into her dining room and every inch of every wall is my framed poems. I'm not telling you this for praise it is a good example So channelling can become an art. Some form of depression will have such levels of sadness, others sleepiness.You'll need to find your own goal and with your own natural ability. My cousins wife is good at making her own birthday cards with the sweetest words inside for example. My wife suffers depression and she makes quilts to give to others.An indviduals art that provides half a rudder to help steer you towards your destination the port of "average". And anyone can strive to succeed. Be positive, find your own gift and run with it. Tony WK

Carl___just_Carl Feeling better?
  • replies: 2

It's odd, I didn't think that reading other people's experiences or writing replies to them would be helpful in any way for my depression. That others feel as low as I do, that they've suffered similar experiences to me and battled the same battles a... View more

It's odd, I didn't think that reading other people's experiences or writing replies to them would be helpful in any way for my depression. That others feel as low as I do, that they've suffered similar experiences to me and battled the same battles as me has actually been helpful. Some of the pus has been released from the festering boil of depression in me . Thanks to those who share their stories and for those that reply without judgement.

Romany Can anyone who has recovered from Anxiety and Panic Attacks without drugs please tell me HOW
  • replies: 16

I really want to hear from someone who has been there with severe anxiety and panic attacks and RECOVERED! We are all in the same boat here we have all read the same literature - bought all the books sought appropriate advice.. We have tried various ... View more

I really want to hear from someone who has been there with severe anxiety and panic attacks and RECOVERED! We are all in the same boat here we have all read the same literature - bought all the books sought appropriate advice.. We have tried various types of HELP. We have purchased Internet programs. Seen the Psychiatrist or Pschologist. Been to the naturopath, thought about Hypnotherapy, tried Reiki, Yoga, exercise, relaxation, meditation etc etc etc . I dont want to talk about my symptoms any more - I JUST WANT TO HEAR SUCCESS STORIES I just want people who have sucessfully recovered to tell me how they did it in as few words as possible. RELATED THREADS Self- help tips for managing anxiety What worked for me Strategies for coping wanted What do you usually do to stay calm and positive? What life can be like at the end of the tunnel

white knight From achiever to disabled- the transformation
  • replies: 6

I've read here many times. "I used to be thriving, capable, a team leader, a CEO, a bight and joyous person......."now I cant get out of bed" or "now I cant concentrate" Once you are at the top eg you have achieved so much - you can only either stay ... View more

I've read here many times. "I used to be thriving, capable, a team leader, a CEO, a bight and joyous person......."now I cant get out of bed" or "now I cant concentrate" Once you are at the top eg you have achieved so much - you can only either stay there or slide down. If you slide down slowly it can be tolerated as you finally reach retirement age but some fall with a thud. I'm 59yo and ran my own one man business. Although I never reached the peak of my business potential I was happy with my level of professionalism. In 2003 I was initially diagnosed but my mental issues went way back to childhood. Since 2003 my mental capability has diminished. I retired earlier than desired at 2013 and have noticed some abilities I took for granted have drifted away. Co-ordination. I can no longer do heavy paperwork. I can pay bills on line Bpay and the like. But to sort out my 250 poems into sections eg Personal, australiana, war poems, childrens poems etc is nigh impossible. My wife helped me today and she eventually had to take over. I was getting them all mixed up. So concentration is not there any more. These things is like an overflowing bucket. Such bucket wont empty to allow space to recuperate. I'm tired and depleted of drive to seek more therapy. I'm satisfied on my medication. I dont want further psychiatric consultation. In terms of mental capacity I just want to "exist". I can pass on my experience here as a champion volunteer because the memory bank is full of data but my short term memory has gone on a permanent holiday. I cannot concentrate on more than one thing at a time. I get moody if interrupted on a task because I cant leave that task with my concentration to think about anything else then return to it. Am I just getting old? I teach here the need to accept ones illness. Accepting depression for example then managing it is the mentality one should strive for. Yet age (if that's what it is) is really hard to accept. I fell over in my garage a few days back. The fall seemed to take 10 seconds from start to finish. I asked an older male friend if he falls often and his answer was "yes". And he gets dizzy if bending over for too long. I feel that mental illness, bipolar 2, dysthymia, anxiety and depression has taken its toll, even damaged my brain. Has anyone else felt these symptoms? Do you feel your brain is worn out? Tony WK

ghare How do you deal with change?
  • replies: 1

Does anyone else out there have a hard time sometimes dealing with change? e.g., change in routine? How do you cope with it?

Does anyone else out there have a hard time sometimes dealing with change? e.g., change in routine? How do you cope with it?

AndrewP Overcoming Social Anxiety and Developing Self-Love
  • replies: 12

In this western world we live in there comes a lot of social pressures. What you should wear, how you should act, what job you should have, what you should study, where you should be life, and even views that you should have. All of these SHOULDS hav... View more

In this western world we live in there comes a lot of social pressures. What you should wear, how you should act, what job you should have, what you should study, where you should be life, and even views that you should have. All of these SHOULDS have a massive impact on us, so much so that they can take us away from who we really are in essence and create a whole lot of anxiety along the way. Have the courage to take yourself away from the SHOULDS and do what you WANT to do, be who you WANT to be, in fact more to the point be WHO YOU ARE. We have fears which drive our beliefs and affect our behaviours. There are 3 UNIVERSAL FEARS. FEAR OF NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH/BEING FOUND OUT FEAR OF NOT BELONGING FEAR OF NOT BEING LOVED The fear that comes with being WHO YOU ARE goes something like; "If I were to simply be myself, would I beloved, would I belong, would I be accepted? I can tell you that the answer is YES! When we meet someone who is living authentically and being true to themselves we find that we are drawn to these people because they give off such an energy of certainty if self and confidence. They don't turn it up for anyone or turn it down for anyone, they simply be who they are and are loved for that. One of the main reasons why we are drawn to such people is because it takes courage to put yourself out there and be who you are. I can tell you that once you experience embracing the vulnerability of being who you are you will have significant changes in your life. Some steps to take in moving forward. Ask yourself some great questions like: Who is it that I THINK I NEED to be in this world to be loved, belong and accepted? When I get anxious what is it that I'm actually worried about? (Get specific) Who do I want to be in this world? Who am I? What qualities do I love about others? (you will find you posses some of these qualities yourself) When asking these questions it is important to be 100% honest with yourself, even if you don't like the answer. Don't answer how you'd like it to sound, how you think it should sound, or how you want it to be.. answer it HOW IT IS! Develop Self-Love - look at all the positive qualities about yourself and really love them. Show yourself some compassion and give yourself a break. We are all perfectly imperfect in this world. Develop Self-Trust - Trust who you are and know that you will live true to yourself I have so much more so share guys so please ask questions

TAnnetta When there is no light in sight.
  • replies: 19

Are you in a dark place with only thoughts of failure and maybe of dying? Well know this; You are not alone! Everyone fails at some time or other and everything dies eventually. SO WHAT?!. Life is part of an eternal education. Negative thoughts are a... View more

Are you in a dark place with only thoughts of failure and maybe of dying? Well know this; You are not alone! Everyone fails at some time or other and everything dies eventually. SO WHAT?!. Life is part of an eternal education. Negative thoughts are a part of that education. Take whatever time you need to have negative thoughts but remember, they are just a part of a whole. There is only one thing that continues forever and that thing is change. Rekindle the positives of your past. Goals are what made you move forward before and they can do so again. Look for new goals. One goal could be for you to find the person who understands you. The universe has a positive balance for every negative. Make it your goal to find yours!

Georgiana A better self, everyday
  • replies: 4

Today is my second birthday. Two years ago, after years of battling depression at the point of suicide, I reached a pivotal moment in life where everything I knew came crashing down around me and I began to see life in a new light. I was at the darke... View more

Today is my second birthday. Two years ago, after years of battling depression at the point of suicide, I reached a pivotal moment in life where everything I knew came crashing down around me and I began to see life in a new light. I was at the darkest place on earth when my friends reached the point where they could no longer handle the trauma of being my friend. I will be forever sorry to them for the pain I caused them and the stress I put them through. But I will also be forever proud of myself for pulling myself out of the darkness. While it may have been the single most painful experience of my life, it was also the greatest learning experience of my life. I am a better person because of it. I still experience periods of anxiety and depression but I have developed the tools to properly deal with those feelings. I understand now the importance of being honest about how I am feeling and seeking help when it is needed. I have learnt to value every person I meet in this world and treasure every relationship I have. I have learnt to be grateful for the gifts and talents I posses. I have learnt that in order to make the most of life I have to seek and seize opportunity. The world will not give itself to me. I will lose friends, but I will make friends. I will win and I will lose. Succeed and fail. This is the natural course of life. My job, and everyone’s job, is to take each experience and grow from it to become the best possible version of oneself. And I can honestly say, that at the ripe old age of 2 years old, I am the best person I have ever been.

JessF No one cares - your first mistake
  • replies: 7

For those of us crippled by panic and social anxiety: NO ONE CARES. Let me explain what I mean by outlining just one common scenario: Walking into a room and feeling all eyes are on you. NO ONE CARES. At the very least, not as much as you do. For you... View more

For those of us crippled by panic and social anxiety: NO ONE CARES. Let me explain what I mean by outlining just one common scenario: Walking into a room and feeling all eyes are on you. NO ONE CARES. At the very least, not as much as you do. For you, this is a life or death situation. For the others, they barely know you exist, apart from as a breathing blob of humanoid that happens to be in the vicinity. Each is lost in their own thoughts: whether their wife has asked them to get milk or bread on the way home, feeling tired because of a crappy day at work, feeling slightly off because they ate too much at lunch, feeling hungry because they skipped lunch, or mentally daydreaming about what they're going to be doing next weekend. Just as you are wrapped up in your little world, so too is everyone else. They know nothing about you - and they won't care to know unless it directly affects them. This may seem like a cold, cynical way of thinking, but I see it more as a splash of cold water to the face for anxious. To allow yourself to be controlled by panic in this way is to assume that you are more important than everyone else. What do you think?

Rals Regular 31yo Melb married male looking for cool people to chat to online about anything, MAKE FRIENDS take over the world and eat pie.................
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone! I find myself pretty bored far to often these days. I've had some serious depression come and go. These days everythings pretty under control in that area, but it always likes to creep up behind me when I least expect it. I just need to ... View more

Hi everyone! I find myself pretty bored far to often these days. I've had some serious depression come and go. These days everythings pretty under control in that area, but it always likes to creep up behind me when I least expect it. I just need to probably get out more, and get on top of the hundred other things I've yet to put a ounce of effort into. I'm regular enough. Interests have dwindled a little, but I still have a small passion for retro gaming, mainly anything sega. I enjoy doing weights and boxing, although I havn't ever been overly consistent in doing either. When I eventually have some spare cash, I'm pretty keen to get an xbox one, ps4 or wii U. I do web and graphic design here and there also which is enjoyable in some ways. I definitely like business and thinking ideas to make money too. New show on tv, SHARK TANK is pretty entertaining if you havnt watched it already! If theres any people out there that wouldnt mind a chat, possibly looking to make friends or anything, I'm interested in talking with people from all walks of life. Look forward to hearing from others out there! All the best!Rals