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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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Guest_1643 Making friends when vulnerable
  • replies: 33

Hi all, I'm building myself up after I was unwell recently and was linked in t the Triage, who helped me manage some severe depression/anxiety/suicdal ideation. I'm lucky it's gone well for me, but am now looking to connect more to new people and org... View more

Hi all, I'm building myself up after I was unwell recently and was linked in t the Triage, who helped me manage some severe depression/anxiety/suicdal ideation. I'm lucky it's gone well for me, but am now looking to connect more to new people and organisations. I am starting to meet people, but they are now in recovery groups etc and have their own mental health problems - i'm wary although also curious, if maybe they could be real friends for me. I'm also just enjoying being out and about with people. My feeling was alwys that i'd rather be alone than be with toxic friends who don't support my mental health, and when i was very low i feel like my friends gave awful advice, and even discouraged me from taking the time off to get better and get well. So, screw that. But finding friends who can be there for me seems really challenging. How do you connect to people when you feel really vulnerable?

Wilee How to stay well with new social distancing rules
  • replies: 4

I have noticed my mood/mental health has gone down hill since the new social distancing rule has rolled out. I feel very alone and isolated. I live by myself and I normally keep myself active socially by in order to stay well. But literally everythin... View more

I have noticed my mood/mental health has gone down hill since the new social distancing rule has rolled out. I feel very alone and isolated. I live by myself and I normally keep myself active socially by in order to stay well. But literally everything social has shutter down, I find it extremely hard to feel that I am a part something or I should say I have lost the sense of belonging. Friends also have withdrawn themselves for social distancing. I understand all that is necessary but I really need some advise on what I need to do to get out of this feeling

Guest_9043 Studying while in recovery from a mental breakdown.
  • replies: 4

Hi all, My head is still a bit messy after my mental breakdown. Slowly I can feel the fog starting to clear a tiny bit. Still a way to go. Before my mental breakdown I was looking into a Proofreading and Editing course I really want to do. I still wa... View more

Hi all, My head is still a bit messy after my mental breakdown. Slowly I can feel the fog starting to clear a tiny bit. Still a way to go. Before my mental breakdown I was looking into a Proofreading and Editing course I really want to do. I still want to do. I am not working or studying at the moment. It's been on my mind the last two days. It has very much a sel paced online course. I'm thinking if it is the right time to go for it now or is it bad timing after a mental breakdown recently. With everything happening with the Covid 19 isolation, social distancing and event after event being cancelled, I am wondering if this is a good thing to keep me occupied and perhaps communicating with others. Study buddies online etc? I am very passionate about this course and I know I will put my 150% in. I want to feel like I have some purpose and it may also help with a routine for me. Also a distraction from personal issues and raising my self esteem. Helping me too with my loneliness issues. I'm just trying to decide if it is a good move right now concerning my nervous breakdown and that I'm sleeping somewhat more due to fixing my exhaustion. Thoughts are much appreciated.

Qn23 When feeling good feels wrong...
  • replies: 2

Self-care is something that more and more people are talking about these days. It was not a term I ever heard growing up, but one I learned when I first went to therapy. I see the value in it and I wish I could practice it, but not only do I have to ... View more

Self-care is something that more and more people are talking about these days. It was not a term I ever heard growing up, but one I learned when I first went to therapy. I see the value in it and I wish I could practice it, but not only do I have to constantly fight myself to perform any kind of self-care, when I do, I feel ashamed. Like I shouldn't need to take care of myself. I shouldn't need to feel pleasure. I shouldn't need basic comfort even. Doing nice things for myself feels so wrong and I don't know why. Doing anything to care for myself feels wrong, even showering. I only do it because it's a requirement that I am presentable at work. When I'm not at work, all I can do is distract myself from how bad I feel. I always have something streaming while I'm on my phone, or computer, or reading. Or all of the above. Or drinking. The thought of actually doing something to make myself feel good instead of just distracted is nauseating. Like if I showed myself some compassion it would kill me. I feel very stupid writing this, but I have admitted to myself that I need some help. I want to have a real life instead of just finding ways to waste time.

Music_Freak Pets - tell us about yours
  • replies: 99

I was just searching for an old thread here about how pets help us with mental illness/health and it seems to be gone, so I thought I'd start another one. As some of you know already, I have a black cat named Buddy and he's my life, basically. I have... View more

I was just searching for an old thread here about how pets help us with mental illness/health and it seems to be gone, so I thought I'd start another one. As some of you know already, I have a black cat named Buddy and he's my life, basically. I have no friends or contact with family currently, so he's it. Knowing he's around is a great comfort and during bad periods he's generally the only thing that gets me out of bed. So, go ahead and share anything about your pets and make us all smile.

Guest_4643 Struggling to cope, please help.
  • replies: 33

Hi, my name's Tayla and I'm 20. Relatively new to these forums, but I've commented on threads and made some of my own so far so if people could check this out and the others and reply it would mean a lot please, although I'm not forcing anyone. I hav... View more

Hi, my name's Tayla and I'm 20. Relatively new to these forums, but I've commented on threads and made some of my own so far so if people could check this out and the others and reply it would mean a lot please, although I'm not forcing anyone. I have a great Psychiatrist that I'm very thankful for and happy and comfortable with. However it can be a while in between sessions because he has other patients and other work to do, and other non Psychiatry work commitments with other work stuff he does. I see my GP, but I don't find her as helpful as my Psychiatrist. Yes she's nice and sometimes she helps, but I don't know, I just don't feel like she helps me as much as my Psychiatrist does. I'm not trying to be rude or say anything mean about her, that's just how I'm starting to feel lately. I live in a small town in Regional Victoria, about 4000 or so people. Lived up here for about 2 years, with my parents. I don't have any siblings, no friends online and in person and no family members apart from my Mum and Dad. They struggle some days too with depression etc also. I can't do anything here. I've looked for jobs even asked in person and I'm always told no although I'm willing to learn. I've tried to join groups here and I'm always told I'm not allowed because it's for older people. I don't know why. I'd be grateful to join and try to be positive and laugh and meet people, and do whatever they do. I also can't study because that's super expensive. All of the free courses I've looked up you need qualifications and certain things, for example you had to do a course prior to doing a free one, have to be a certain age and have certain skills, etc. So I don't. I don't have any Employment Agencies nearby, I do look things up online. I'm not really a sporty person and sometimes I regret that. Even the local sports won't accept me though. Believe me I've tried everything I can. I even called the local triage and the guy on the phone was so rude, refused to speak to me and help me and I was polite and just asked if I could come in for support because my Psychiatrist and I discussed that and he said I could give it a go. That made me feel so hurt and unwanted because I've never spoken to a triage before. I went to the local Headspace Centre and was made fun of for my mental illnesses by the managers and group members. I complained and she lost her job. eHeadspace has always been rude and unhelpful to me too. Please, please help. Anybody. I'm struggling so much. Tayla.

ilovetoread73_ harassment by nasty neighbours - question
  • replies: 3

Hello, I live in an apartment block. I have one unit who has problematic neighbours who do argue with other neighbours. However they have zoned in on me because that old conundrum when someone is not like everyone else people like to pick on those as... View more

Hello, I live in an apartment block. I have one unit who has problematic neighbours who do argue with other neighbours. However they have zoned in on me because that old conundrum when someone is not like everyone else people like to pick on those as they think they are good targets. These particular neighbours have learned by accident I have a mental illness, but don't know which. However as their lease has ended or they already had a leased that was on a "rolling" lease, no end date. Anyway they are trying to get me to move. Our household is small and they now say they shouldn't be put out because there was an incident when I got angry over noise. It was 4.30am and what I said was not said directly to them but they are using it now that they know I am sick. Is there a law against these people using m-illness to harass others. Right now they have music going very loud and they are banging everything. Someone told them to turn the music down.

Moonstruck Carrying another person's pain
  • replies: 30

Dear friends.....I didn't know which thread to post this on....hoping this one will do... I read some blogs on Tiny Buddha website to help me with having "too much"empathy...i.e. just now (it has happened before with me) a close family member is goin... View more

Dear friends.....I didn't know which thread to post this on....hoping this one will do... I read some blogs on Tiny Buddha website to help me with having "too much"empathy...i.e. just now (it has happened before with me) a close family member is going through a very bad time, seemingly unsolvable problems, and is very very low. They have been suffering emotionally and mentally for a long time now without confiding in anyone. Since knowing how bad their situation is, I think of it constantly, feeling the urge to "fix it" for them, just let me take over, make things right. It is more than "worrying" about them although of course I do worry terribly. I sort of "know" how they feel and I feel it too. It's a heavy burden even though I dearly love this person and would do anything for them......am I "carrying around their pain"? I think I am. I cry easily when I dwell too much on it...not for myself...I am OK...but for another's pain. it's almost like grieving, a deep despair that I cannot help them. I foresee more pain for them unless "I" can fix this for them. I am hurting and in pain, even though I realise it is someone else's pain that I am sort of "carrying for them". Any advice how I can put this down? Should I put this down? How do I stop dwelling on another's pain....I love this person and would do anything for them to "make them happy". I think of what they are going through practically 100% of the time. any thoughts from you would be greatly appreciated...........love...Moon S

calmseeker Housing and mental health.
  • replies: 101

Hi All, I have been thinking lately about the link between good mental health and housing. Yet again, I have a pending move, which I know is a trigger for my anxiety. I tend to get quite ill after a move, there have been too many moves for me recentl... View more

Hi All, I have been thinking lately about the link between good mental health and housing. Yet again, I have a pending move, which I know is a trigger for my anxiety. I tend to get quite ill after a move, there have been too many moves for me recently. mostly because am in the private housing market and my owners always either move back into their property or sell the property. I yearn for a stable, long term home (I could never afford to buy). I am such a 'homely' person. I feel that if I could remain somewhere for a reasonable amount of time I could really relax and focus on my mental health, I feel like I never can, I am always moving or catching up financially from a move or trying to settle in somewhere new. The cost is phenomenal to rent now, it really blows my mind. What a person needs to come up with for a rental property is quite a lot, not just the rent itself but the moving costs, cleaning of previous property, etc. I am aware of NRAS but those properties rarely come up. Housing Dep have told me 10-15 plus year wait. Private market ridiculously expensive. I am very thankful to even have a roof over my head, don't get me wrong (not that I can afford that roof though). I realise there are lots of people who don't even have a home so I am really not ungrateful, just sick of the stress that comes with searching for affordable, decent housing where I can hopefully lay my hat for a few years. A home should be a place where a person can feel safe and relaxed and heal and survive - not feel like a hotel. My ranting was not meant to actually be a big whinge about my situation (sorry if its turned out that way!) more so just a comment on the link between good mental health and stable housing really.

Struggler Poets' Corner
  • replies: 2

Hi Christopher May I suggest a section for posting poems? There are many talented poets in the membership & I think such a section would benefit everyone. Poets' Corner? Struggler

Hi Christopher May I suggest a section for posting poems? There are many talented poets in the membership & I think such a section would benefit everyone. Poets' Corner? Struggler