Staying well

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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

All discussions

AnnabelLee My mindfulness
  • replies: 2

So way i work with mindfulness is bit different. I focus on feeling/ emotion/ thought and try to recognise and name it. But then i also try to find reason behind that particular lets say emotion. So as example lets say I suddenly ( with or without re... View more

So way i work with mindfulness is bit different. I focus on feeling/ emotion/ thought and try to recognise and name it. But then i also try to find reason behind that particular lets say emotion. So as example lets say I suddenly ( with or without real life trigger, that doesn’t really matter) have that crippling feeling of anxiety and insecurity. So I recognise it and then i become aware where is it coming from, what my inner child is trying to communicate with me. In this case it would be something like: I’m feeling insecure because i feel I cannot be worth loving, i cannot be enough, i feel that any other person is better than me and has more to ‘offer’. So now the problem i come across. With some feeling like missing, longing, certain sadness i feel like i cannot realise whats the reason behind it. It doesn’t have to be missing persons, it can be longing for past, feeling nostalgic etc. Now i know the mindfulness itself doesn’t analyse. Just acknowledge it. But analysing it after actually is a way to go for me as it simplifies it for me. Once i realise whats the root of that feeling/ emotion it goes away. I don’t force it to go away. I just break it down, realise how unreasonable it is and then i no more have need to feel like that. I hope I explained it well. But cannot get to to bottom of missing/ longing. Because it’s just what it is. You feel sad because certain event, time of your life, person passed and you just simply miss it. But inability to explain it messes with my head. Because I’m stuck in that loop of that feeling.

Barry_D Barry
  • replies: 3

I am Barry a 30 year sober Alcoholic. I am 76 Y.O. Business person. I was sold up by the bank 2 years ago. I was shattered. Went house sitting around Australia and now live in my son's granny flat with my wife. I have had great support by using Tesla... View more

I am Barry a 30 year sober Alcoholic. I am 76 Y.O. Business person. I was sold up by the bank 2 years ago. I was shattered. Went house sitting around Australia and now live in my son's granny flat with my wife. I have had great support by using Tesla EMF moderating Technologies. Which helps me combat the effects of Electron Magnetic Pollution. I did not know about this but talked to my new doctor a few months ago and he said he had a client that could not sit in the waiting room as the effects of mobile phones etc. Were overwhelming for him. He also said he was not taught about this. I am now calm and satisfied with life on life's terms. Feeling better than I have since I was young. Evidently there are at least 3 % of the population affected to this extent and 35% of us affected in some way. This could be why we are experiencing an increase in emotional disruption.

OceanSunset Feeling stuck with professional decision.
  • replies: 1

I've decided to take the plunge and join this community in the hopes that maybe someone out there deals with the same type of thing as me. I really do not have a bad life and in recent times I've entered a very happy space, but there is something tha... View more

I've decided to take the plunge and join this community in the hopes that maybe someone out there deals with the same type of thing as me. I really do not have a bad life and in recent times I've entered a very happy space, but there is something that is holding me back and has been holding me back for almost 5 years. The last five years I've been working from home and I feel sad due to lack of human interaction. I have all of these thoughts in my head that I'm doing a job and living a lifestyle that most people would love to be doing so I'm torn between this thought that is holding me back and wanting to progress forward and change my lifestyle for the better. I don't feel like I have what it takes to actually be an employee again and to be a contributing member of a company because in my head I feel like I'm a loser working for somebody else. I do not believe this to be true of other people - just me. The work that I currently do being self employed is not a company or a business that I've created myself - I have no passion towards the work that I do. In recent times business has slowed down and I'm only working about 3 hours a day and getting a full-time wage. This really makes me feel down about myself and I'm scared for my work ethic or lack of, and I know that I'm better than this. I have had great jobs in government etc prior to being self employed and I've been very happy in those jobs but I feel that because I have been living this lifestyle for almost 5 years, I'm not sure how to actually operate in the "real world". I hate to admit that this is my problem because I do think that some people would think I am overly privileged to have this problem. I have struggled with this type of lifestyle for such a long time and I feel society is telling us these days to work for yourself and be self employed, which creates a battle in my head. I don't know anybody else that works from home and I feel very much like the minority. I don't really feel like anyone in my social circle can truly understand the struggles of working from home. I can't and I don't want to keep spending so much time on my own - it's not healthy and this isn't a job that I can go out and do something else for a couple of hours; I need to be here keeping an eye on things at home. I apologise if this post comes across shallow, it is a big step for me to put this out there into the world and I hope it is received well.

ElleG Help with appetite loss
  • replies: 5

Does anyone have any advice to help keep weight up and stay healthy when appetite is totally gone? I have suffered an extreme shock and traumatic event last week, and have struggled with eating since then. The first 24 hours after I couldn’t eat a th... View more

Does anyone have any advice to help keep weight up and stay healthy when appetite is totally gone? I have suffered an extreme shock and traumatic event last week, and have struggled with eating since then. The first 24 hours after I couldn’t eat a thing, and since then it’s been maybe a few pieces of toast and some fruit each day. I am cooking meals for my child and she is well fed, but I am really struggling with eating. I am a very small person so am already noticing a weight loss that I cannot afford. Will this just improve in time?

idavidi Need Some tips to grow my hairs faster for engagement next week
  • replies: 1

Hey there guys I have an engagement party to attend next week and was thinking about keeping long hairs.. So are there some ways which can help me grow hair faster than normal rate.

Hey there guys I have an engagement party to attend next week and was thinking about keeping long hairs.. So are there some ways which can help me grow hair faster than normal rate.

mrkd1991 BPD - Struggles with cigarettes
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I haven't yet introduced myself, rather I jumped straight here. My name is Mark and I am 27 years old. This is more directed at people who suffer from BPD, but everyone is more than welcome to give their thoughts and experiences also. I've sm... View more

Hi all, I haven't yet introduced myself, rather I jumped straight here. My name is Mark and I am 27 years old. This is more directed at people who suffer from BPD, but everyone is more than welcome to give their thoughts and experiences also. I've smoked cigarettes for about 10 years, and tried quitting more times than I can count, and many times I can't even remember right now. But every time I try, I either get scared of the 'change', feel like I'll be 'lost and alone' without them, or find that after however many minutes, hours or days until my mind switches to the next, I completely forget that I am quitting smoking. The thought just gets left behind. It could be literally months before I'm like "oh sh!t, I was quitting!". How did/do you guys cope with these issues, or is this just me? Any help is much appreciated.

nitzkachick Keeping it together
  • replies: 1

For the past 6 years I have been taking a medicaton that has helped with my depession / moods / anxiety, Its been 10 days since I last took my anti depressants. By my choice. The fact is only 1 person knows I have been using meth on a regular basis f... View more

For the past 6 years I have been taking a medicaton that has helped with my depession / moods / anxiety, Its been 10 days since I last took my anti depressants. By my choice. The fact is only 1 person knows I have been using meth on a regular basis for the past 3 -4 years, Ive been addicted before in my early to late 20's . No one knew either until my behavious were really out of control and an intervention was made, and I went to therapy/ rehab. .. Im 37, single with no children. And live on my own . I hold down a great job, own my home , and under all this " got my shit together because I work hard" I hold the biggest secret. As there will be a day when I dont want to use anymore, but I am sooo addicted, Apart from my brother who knows,......My family are extremely anti drugs and would be in total shock if they knew,and they would never trust me / respect me ever again. My friends wouldn't judge me but I am too embarrassed, and dont think they need to know anyway. I need to get this off my chest, my doctor(s) don't even know because I am ashamed of how its taken a hold and how easy I can act/ look "normal" I don't think Im looking for advise, but just a forum to get this off my chest and out of my head once and for all .

Beetle I rescued a cat :)
  • replies: 2

Hi I took advice from my friends and got a cat. She's from the rescue pond and currently hiding under the TV.first day.I am having a very hard time currently and hope little ginger will help me to survive. I want to survive.I can't wait til she comes... View more

Hi I took advice from my friends and got a cat. She's from the rescue pond and currently hiding under the TV.first day.I am having a very hard time currently and hope little ginger will help me to survive. I want to survive.I can't wait til she comes out and gets used to my home Beetle

Euclid Saying no to the unhelpful thoughts
  • replies: 18

Hi all, I am interested to see what people have to say on this forum about dealing with unhelpful thoughts. I am sure that I am not alone in having a mind which feeds me unhelpful thoughts. For me personally, failing to properly manage these thoughts... View more

Hi all, I am interested to see what people have to say on this forum about dealing with unhelpful thoughts. I am sure that I am not alone in having a mind which feeds me unhelpful thoughts. For me personally, failing to properly manage these thoughts can lead to a depressive episode, and has done in the past. For example - I have recently come to realise that my relationship seems to be exiting the 'honeymoon' period. My mind feeds me counterproductive thoughts, like "you're falling out of love with her" and "you'll separate sooner or later". In days gone by, I would have let these thoughts get the better of me and my mood. These days, I know how to say "thanks for the thought, Mind, but the reality is that our relationship has just entered a new, more mature phase, and that's a good thing". What other tips and tricks do people have like this? Keeping in mind, of course, that not all methods will work for everyone - but I think it will be helpful to share.

Mahalko Injured at work and have been in constant pain for months. Really messing with my head
  • replies: 2

Hello Everyone, I injured my arm at work several months ago and have been off work for almost 3 months now. I am in constant pain no matter what pain relief I sought. I feel like I am getting nowhere and the pain is starting to really get to me. I wa... View more

Hello Everyone, I injured my arm at work several months ago and have been off work for almost 3 months now. I am in constant pain no matter what pain relief I sought. I feel like I am getting nowhere and the pain is starting to really get to me. I want to get back to work but the pain keeps me from sleeping properly. If I can fall asleep I wake up shortly afterwards with aching pain or numbness and my fingers tingling because no matter what I do I always seem to roll onto my arm during sleep. Then I can't get back to sleep and have to take pain relief just to make the pain subside enough for me to fall back asleep or end up laying or sitting there for sometimes a couple of hours until I get back to sleep only to wake up again with pain or my arm aching again and repeat the whole process again until sleep finally takes over from exhaustion or I have had enough pain killers to put an elephant to sleep. This happens just about every night and if I am due to go back into work for my return to work program I am just so tired and exhausted and the pain has returned I can't even bring myself to get ready and end up taking more pain relief which takes a while to kick in. I am sick of taking pills and the medication is wrecking my stomach and making me feel worse. It is making my life a misery. I can't do things around the house that I should be doing. I can't pick my 3 year old daughter up to cuddle her because it hurts my arm and because she is getting bigger and putting on some beef I can't hold her in my other arm for long till it starts to hurt from her weight. If she wakes during the night I can't pick her up to rock her back to sleep which I love to do and to give the other half a break because she works also and it is hard on her as well. It is so hard trying to tell the little one I can't pick her up as she stands at my feet arms stretched up asking for cuddles, she doesn't understand and gets frustrated and upset and the wife has to take her and then she has broken sleep which frustrates her as well. I am hoping this week to see a specialist and have an MRI scan to see what other damage I have done to cause the pain. I just need to vent and release and I am positive the people I vent to are sick of hearing me do so..This has taken me so long to submit because even typing or writing causes pain and I have to stop for short periods to rest.. I JUST WANT MY ARM BACK...