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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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Rabbit33 Our own positive ways to encourage healthy thinking, self-esteem, confidence and lower our anxiety
  • replies: 5

I went through an extremely rough year this year and found myself in a very dark place. Due to my circumstances, I'd shut off from almost everyone i knew and became almost trapped in my room. My mental health was at an all time low and my depression ... View more

I went through an extremely rough year this year and found myself in a very dark place. Due to my circumstances, I'd shut off from almost everyone i knew and became almost trapped in my room. My mental health was at an all time low and my depression and anxiety was in a very scary state. I've since got myself into a very healthy place, where i am much more clear headed, focused, confident and motivated. I have set out goals and have plenty of encouragement. Besides the medication i'm taking to help deal with my diagnosed depression and anxiety and my visits to my psychologist. I found that making changes to my life-style, adding little things into my daily routine and promoting my life with positive activities really made a huge difference for me and my recovery journey. I think these adaptions are something that even while in a positive state of mind, also assist me in remaining in a 'happier' state. I thought we could share our own ways of 'healthy thinking' & 'self-esteem boosting' things that we do when feeling low. Hoping our own experiences could offer some encouraging support or idea's to suffers of mental health. So, when you're feeling lower than low or your anxiety is really holding you back. What helps you? What lifts your mood? What gives you strength? What encourages your healthy thinking and lifestyle choices? What helps with your self-esteem? I'll start by writing down 8 of mine and encourage others to add; 1) I bought a bunch of self-development books which have been a huge help and a great eye opener. 2) I go through the self-help books and read out 10 - 20 quotes a day and then pick my favourite one and write it down on a white board which is attached to my fridge. This helps keep me motivated and encourages my positive thinking. 3) I invest some of my free-time supporting others and when i can, engaging & support/promoting mental health awareness. 4) I write down lists each day of what i need to get done. This gives me a sense of accomplishment and helps me prioritise tasks, which helps with my anxiety. 5) I use little emoticons in all of my text messages to send off positive vibes to others. 6) I remind myself that I am important and try not to undervalue myself. I deserve to have the best possible life. (As do we all) 7) I try forcing myself to spend time with loved ones. I write down what's troubling me and causing my anxiety so it's fresh in my mind when i see my psychologist next.

ThatEmoNonbinary Dealing with Depersonalisation
  • replies: 2

Hello you lovelies! I have issues with depersonalisation, which developed after a few years of having constant panic attacks. While it helped my anxiety, it seems to make my depression a lot worse... So I was wondering if any one you out there have a... View more

Hello you lovelies! I have issues with depersonalisation, which developed after a few years of having constant panic attacks. While it helped my anxiety, it seems to make my depression a lot worse... So I was wondering if any one you out there have any tips in getting out of that distant mindset or tips on helping it! Because currently most of my core coping mecanisms are, to put it lightly, unhealthy and i want to get better and stay better! For me when I get it, I feel very floaty, like my limbs are going to float away but im still here, everything I think about feels unreal. Like im in a dream, not a lucid one, just a regular dream and I'm watching through a characters eyes. I feel like any decisions I make won't actually effect me, even though at the same time i distantly know it will. Do any of you awesome humans ever get this tooo? I know its normal and quite common for those with mental struggles, but everyone gets it differently. So how does dissasosiation feel to you if you want to share? Aaaanyway i have some tips for you all who have it as well: Engage in a contestation with someone. It feels awful to me but i force myself into it. DONT TALK WITH SOMEONE ABOUT SOMETHING BORING, for me it makes it worse. Call up someone or find someone who has the same passions as you and discuss them! Have someone sit on you. Sounds silly but my limbs get very light feeling when i have this and pressure helps. Random times at the shops or somewhere in public ive had my sister sit on my lap to ground me. I also have my dog sit in my lap most of the time. Get school work/work done. This isnt so much of a coping way but more so that i find it easier to do boring chores or work done when im like this, so try it out as well if youre comfterble and get stuff done. Get off electronics. For me its like going further down the rabbit hole. it makes my disassociation feel endless and that often leads to dark thoughts. Hope these helped or someone can also give me other healthy tips!

ChunkyTom Some practical help
  • replies: 1

Hi team, just wanted to put together a little bit of light reading and tips to help some people deal with the "Black Dog". Not too long ago I was in a really dark place that I thought I would never get through. I lost who I would consider the love of... View more

Hi team, just wanted to put together a little bit of light reading and tips to help some people deal with the "Black Dog". Not too long ago I was in a really dark place that I thought I would never get through. I lost who I would consider the love of my life, my step daughter, my passion and my will to live. Today I'm better, stronger and reaching out that olive branch to anyone that needs that help getting through this. Here is a little list of the top things that helped me through my journey: 1. The subtle art of not giving a •••• (book). This book changed my mentality completely. I will never write a book on battling life's hardships because this book in my opinion is flawless. A practical way of understanding that sometimes life is difficult and we should take responsibility and take accountability, because in the end of the day we are responsible for what happens in our own live. The book is extremely hard and confronting but thats the beauty of it all. 2. Medication. One of my biggest hurtles when battling with my own mental health was accepting that medication might be something I need. For some reason I had convinced myself that medication would 'change me' and I would become some kind of vegetable. Obviously it didn't, it took the edge of my mental chatter and allowed me to view my situation from the outside looking in. I was only on it short term (2 months) but I am grateful for making the choice to take it. 3. Inspiration. Our situations are not unique. Everyone has demons and battles in their lives. I found the stories of Tyson Fury and David Goggins to be unbelievably powerful fuel for getting it done. These two gentlemen speak to me because of their vulnerability, accountability and "alpha male" status. Worth googling these two. 4. Adventure. The happiest points in my life have been when I've gone on a little bit of an adventure overseas. Throwing yourself into another culture, meeting new people and trying new things makes your heart happy. Currently I'm in Indonesia ticking off a bucket list item of becoming a scuba diver. You don't have to go for but just get outside and explore. I hope some of these items help. I promise it gets better.

Geoff_F Speaking out
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone, I have been doing a lot of thinking recently, and one thing I have come to realise is that I am trapped by my own mental state. For years I have pretended that I am okay and well to keep up the image to my friends and family. For my fami... View more

Hi everyone, I have been doing a lot of thinking recently, and one thing I have come to realise is that I am trapped by my own mental state. For years I have pretended that I am okay and well to keep up the image to my friends and family. For my family, I have always been the strong individual who people come to for answers and help with their own lives. It's taken a long time, but I am starting to put myself into a position where I need to start acknowledging what is wrong and start taking the steps towards getting better. But how do I do this. I know my mental state and health should not be a weakness, and i should not feel ashamed for it, but at the same time, the image that others have of my as being the strong, resilient individual I feel will be broken if I try to break down the image I have built up. How do you prevent others from self blaming due to the circumstances that their actions may have inadvertently put me through. I want to stop being trapped by the lies that I live by every day, but I do not know how to do that without my entire identify changing. I think I am just looking for someone to talk to. Thank you

Peter56 No relatives of friends
  • replies: 1

I am not normally gifted to writing letters about my personal issues, however, this forum seemed like an excellent place to contact others with similar experiences. I have never been married, have no children and have lived in my own all my life and ... View more

I am not normally gifted to writing letters about my personal issues, however, this forum seemed like an excellent place to contact others with similar experiences. I have never been married, have no children and have lived in my own all my life and up until I retired recently I begun to feel the isolation of being on my own and life became worthless to me. I`ve decided to apply to do some volunteer work for some community groups which I think I would find to be very satisfying and fulfilling for me. I have heard back from many community groups that appear to be very keen on me and have sent me an application form to fill out. On these forms, they ask me for my ``emergency contact`` details or ``next of kin`` and my problem is I don`t know or have anyone in my life. I have no siblings, no children, and no friends at all, so I was hoping if there was someone out there that might be in a similar position that might have some advice on this because I am really keep on getting outside and doing something with my life. Cheers.

Romy Recommendations for meditation/mindfulness/hypnosis apps
  • replies: 2

I have very recently broken up with my boyfriend of 8 months. He broke up with me and it was extremely sudden and unexpected. I love him and am heartbroken. It's been 13 days since the breakup and it has caused a relapse in my anxiety. I'm not eating... View more

I have very recently broken up with my boyfriend of 8 months. He broke up with me and it was extremely sudden and unexpected. I love him and am heartbroken. It's been 13 days since the breakup and it has caused a relapse in my anxiety. I'm not eating normally, I wake up and immediately feel anxious, I have an upset stomach and I can't function at work because I go there with no energy and think about everything when I'm there and try to not cry. I've today realised I can't keep focusing on him and what he's doing - I've been doing all the stupid things, checking his social media and overanalysing things he posts. I'm still in his Facebook profile picture. I post things and wait for him to like it - which he does. So today I have muted him on instagram and unfollowed him on Facebook because I know how much of an affect this is having on my health. Does anyone have any recommendations for meditation/mindfulness/hypnosis apps that have really helped them with anxiety/depression? I want to get myself in a routine to better myself and become stronger from this experience.

Hugoosey My brain cant handle the mediocrity of this decade we live in(any coping strategies?)
  • replies: 5

you read it here folks, this is a problem few people bring up because it takes a keen sense of awareness to figure out how crappy these times are. If you are perceptive and able to sense atmosphere then you'll surely know that the atmosphere has almo... View more

you read it here folks, this is a problem few people bring up because it takes a keen sense of awareness to figure out how crappy these times are. If you are perceptive and able to sense atmosphere then you'll surely know that the atmosphere has almost entirely vanished from the planet, what do I mean by atmosphere? A sense of wonder, joy and the unknown the planet used to have, everything used to be badarse and cool, the films, videogames, music and tv shows of this decade suck so bad and make life dull as hell, I never have anything to look forward to, its not just me who thinks this, its others and you(you know deep down its not as good as previous decades) this isnt about me but rather us as a species, surely we can do better. The fun has well and truely gone, now its like we are all waiting to die or something, the warm sense of togetherness and actual human interaction of the past is something I experienced and miss everyday, I cry about how much I miss the way the world used to be, the pre-smartphone and social media world to be more precise, I choose not to use either of those things because thats how strongly I hate this time, I'm not sure about a lot of things but on this one issue, I am so sincere...so so sincere I HAVE cried about it, this decade has stopped people from living organic and fun lives. Theres also an epidemic of bad taste in the world, everyone acts the same, talks the same, dresses the same, individuality is in total decline, now all we have is endless trendy clones who cant think for themselves and it reflects in this ugly time period of absolute terror. Everything new is either terrible or average, nothing makes you go WOW anymore.. why? because the past had lots of much cooler and interesting and mystical stuff going on, we should try to figure out a solution, nobody I mean nobody is bringing up this point on here, barely anyone does, you need to have a perceptive mind when it comes to the way atmosphere feels to be able to UNDERSTAND why I'm upset, realness is in decline, the world used to feel realer, now its total plastic, plastic people with plastic minds on their way to plastic homes, everyones lonely in this time, nobody is really happy, the genuine joy is scarce, I'm forced to live an isolated existence in a room which looks like its from 20 years ago with dvds stacked up to the ceiling, modern tech is boring, modern design is lame and uninspired, get me out of these times or I'll surely go insane. any questions?

AGrace Positive Affirmations
  • replies: 21

Do you have some positive affirmations that have helped you get through difficult moments? If so, share them with us and to add to those listed below... I will end up doing more than I can imagine. Everything is as it should be in this moment. I am j... View more

Do you have some positive affirmations that have helped you get through difficult moments? If so, share them with us and to add to those listed below... I will end up doing more than I can imagine. Everything is as it should be in this moment. I am just the person I need to be. I love the ways in which I am like no one else. I may be 1 in 7 billion, but I am also 1 in 7 billion. I refuse to give up, because I haven't tried all the possible ways. AGrace

Itsnotyouitsme What came first, the chicken or the egg?
  • replies: 1

Well surprise surprise this isnt really a post about chickens or eggs its more a question of whether the depression and anxiety preceded the alcohol abuse or the alcohol abuse exacerbated an already susceptible mental health concern... I wont go into... View more

Well surprise surprise this isnt really a post about chickens or eggs its more a question of whether the depression and anxiety preceded the alcohol abuse or the alcohol abuse exacerbated an already susceptible mental health concern... I wont go into the backstory too much except to say that i struggled (a lot) with depression from as pre teen years as far back as maybe single digits as i grew up at the mercy of a violent alcoholic parent. I escaped into foster care for about year at about 14 or 15 and was medicated for depression i think for about 12 months and though ive had extensive counselling and psycholigist sessions over the years im ultimately pretty damaged from it all. It took me the best part of a decade to get my shit together but not before getting into recreational party drugs for a few years which further played havoc with my brain chemistry. But i got my shit together by my mid 20's, got a good job, started studying and then pretty much spent the next decade working full time and studying part time (and takjng the edge off socially and unsocially) with alcohol. I cant remember when it got out of hand but i can recal as far back as about a decade now having no issue in kicking off on the couch to a bottle of wine. I always worked in a corporate industry so raging friday night drinks were an acceptable norm. Fast forward to moving in with my now husband about 9 years ago and as he was a big drinker (often) and i was a big drinker (binge) i feel that we too a degree enabled each others behaviours. Ive never been an all day drinker but for a time over a few months last year when i was suffering sever anxiety and then again up to a few months ago i had no qualms (well maybe a few qualms) about taking the edge off with a bottle of wine a few nights a week. I stopped drinking almost 2 months ago and though a felt good for the first few weeks (its amazing what waking up without a hangover can do) but.... My depression and anxiety is absolutely out of control. I always took the edge of 'sad', 'stressed', 'angry', 'anxious' and now that i cant self medicate i feel like i have lost all equilibrium. Lowest of lows and wired anxiousness. I dont want to medicate as we are considering trying to conceive in the near future but i dont know how to achieve calm n chill. Ive ditched alcohol, cut out most social media, im burning essential oils, taking baths, trying to exercise (but my energy levels are so low). I need help.

Guest8901 Laughter 😀 ... the best medicine?
  • replies: 36

Do you feel better after having a good laugh? It's scientifically proven that laughter is a really strong medicine, and results in significant health benefits. Did you know that laughter gives your mood a boost, helps to diminish pain, protects you f... View more

Do you feel better after having a good laugh? It's scientifically proven that laughter is a really strong medicine, and results in significant health benefits. Did you know that laughter gives your mood a boost, helps to diminish pain, protects you from the many ill-effects of stress and aids your immune system? Kids seem to laugh a lot, but as we reach adult status we tend to become more serious and laughter becomes less frequent. No doubt everyday stresses and adult responsibilities play a large part in this transition. But wouldn't it be nice to find ways or opportunities to seek more humour and to be able to laugh more often? In doing so, you're (apparently) on track to improve emotional health, strengthen relationships, find greater happiness and possibly even add years to your life expectancy. And perhaps best of all, laughter - as an invaluable medicine - is fun, free, and user friendly. When we're in the depths of depression and anxiety it often seems almost impossible to find anything to laugh about. So I've opened this thread in the hope of sharing the benefits of laughter, and to provide a place we can share what makes us laugh and to discover new ways of bringing laughter back into our lives. If you'd like to share jokes or funny stories with others here, I'd love to read them, and hopefully others will too. Please keep jokes clean and respectful, in line with the community rules. I'd also love to hear how you're able to add a bit of lightness and humour into your life, especially when times are tough. I'll post some ideas too, as I come across some. What makes you laugh - children, pets, movies? Do you have a favourite movie, one which you can be sure will give you a real belly laugh, or at least a giggle? Please post anything to do with laughter here. Whether it's telling a personal funny story, recommending a funny movie, how you feel laughter has helped you feel better, ways you have found to bring laughter into your life. Remember ... laughter is seriously good medicine for your health, both physical and mental. So let's all share ways we can have more of it. Amanda