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Sophie_M Meet your community champions!
  • replies: 13

Hi everyone, We wanted to share with you the way that our wonderful Community Champions are here to support you. You may have noticed that a few of our Forums members are labelled ‘Community Champion’. Community Champions are volunteers within the Be... View more

Hi everyone, We wanted to share with you the way that our wonderful Community Champions are here to support you. You may have noticed that a few of our Forums members are labelled ‘Community Champion’. Community Champions are volunteers within the Beyond Blue Forums who: have the time, skills and empathy to support other members regularly; help to welcome new members; are actively engaged members that help set the tone of our community. Our Community Champions are regular contributors to many conversations across the forums. They are a consistent and friendly voice that have committed to sharing their experience and expertise with this community. They are not health care professionals or clinicians. Like you, they have an experience with a mental health challenge or diagnosis – either for themselves or someone they care for. This forum is for people who understand what it feels like and have a lived and living experience of mental health challenges. Our Community Champions help everyone feel comfortable and confident by demonstrating what excellent peer support is all about. Click here to find out more about how you can become a Community Champion! This incredible team are excited to introduce themselves below, and we are sure you’ll see them around the forums in conversations important to you.

Aaronsis HELP..Am I posting in the right section?
  • replies: 10

Welcome to those who are considering posting for the very first time, welcome. Thought I would repost part of the words that Chris B posted awhile ago, (2014) as I can hear that people are unsure if they are posting in the right section or worried th... View more

Welcome to those who are considering posting for the very first time, welcome. Thought I would repost part of the words that Chris B posted awhile ago, (2014) as I can hear that people are unsure if they are posting in the right section or worried that they are posting "the wrong thing". 1.A good title makes the difference Just like a headline in a newspaper, when scanning the dozens of threads to click into, it’s only natural that people will choose the ones that resonate with them most. A title that entices the reader, or asks a question, is likely to get a better result than something non-descriptive like “Depression” or “I don't know what to do”. If you think you’re not good at choosing titles, leave it till last. Spend time writing your post, then perhaps choose a sentence from what you’ve written as the title. 2.Join in threads that have already been posted We all have our own unique stories, but part of the reason for joining a forum like this one is because you know that you will have a lot in common with others who are posting. Before starting a new thread, have a look through the current topics being discussed and see if there’s a conversation you can join in with. It can be quite common to have a handful of very similar threads happening at any one time, with members seemingly unaware that there are others right there who are going through the same thing. Talking to other members on their threads is a great way of getting yourself known so that when you post a thread of your own, people may respond quicker because they recognize your name. 3.Choose the most appropriate section for your post Many people browse the forums looking for stories specifically to do with pregnancy and parenting, employment, grief, loss, separation etc. Going straight for the “Depression” section may seem like the easiest option, but this section is often the busiest, so your post is more likely to get lost among the threads. Making good use of the different forum sections not only helps keep the forum relevant, but you’re more likely to find others who are going through the same experiences as you. Also, if you're wanting to discuss issues of trauma, abuse, suicidal thoughts or self-harm, it's really important you post in the designated section to avoid triggering others who may not wish to read about these topics. Mostly..just come and chat, we are here for you. Our amazing wizards in the background will see your message ends up in the right spot. Sarah

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543thurgoonaSt Life after mental illness
  • replies: 1

Morning morning, afternoon good evening goodnight I'm Jim carey in that movie where the entire worlds watching him and your tunning into the crap show I call my life Today's topic life after mental illness If anybody has the ability to relate to my p... View more

Morning morning, afternoon good evening goodnight I'm Jim carey in that movie where the entire worlds watching him and your tunning into the crap show I call my life Today's topic life after mental illness If anybody has the ability to relate to my personal life experience but we are all individuals and have different symptoms understandings crap going on we're all different basically I came out of puberty I don't know who I am what I don't my parents are complete strangers and you know what they had my back in this delusional way to grasp reality the way I see it without trying to get to spiritual they understood you know what's even more insane they literally told me my own story or everything that has happened happening basically via the perspective of my uncle or we both done the same thing! Before you link it to a family affair it is uh nrl rugby players have an issue with it Chronic traumatic encephalopathy Anyway how's everybody after mental illness I'm angry I can't sit still and play video games and it's a recent development 2024

amd1953 Owed to Solitude
  • replies: 490

I owe a lot to my current situation in life. In fact, it's probably as close to heaven on earth that I will ever get. I've served my apprenticeship in the School of Hard Knocks. It was actually a life sentence with no time off for good behaviour. I t... View more

I owe a lot to my current situation in life. In fact, it's probably as close to heaven on earth that I will ever get. I've served my apprenticeship in the School of Hard Knocks. It was actually a life sentence with no time off for good behaviour. I think it was Mr. W. Shakespeare who said "All the world's a stage". And that is precisely what we are - actors on a stage. Some of us play our parts really well and fool the audience into actually believing what we say we are. Then there are those who find it impossible to be anything other than what they are. Not good actors at all. That's where I make my entrance. But I don't play to the audience any more because it is a complete and utter waste of time and effort. Now that I have settled into retirement, I can stop the acting and the pretence and be whatever I choose to be. It's a great pity that we have to spend the greater part of our lives playing to an audience. Some people get away with turning their backs on the bright lights and sink into blissful anonymity. This is what I am trying to do now so that I can gather a little happiness around me before I drop off the perch. When I think back, I seem to have spent so much time trying to keep everyone else happy and giving in to do things when I don't want to. I never had the nerve to say no so I guess I was a real pushover. I think it's time to turn the page on the script and write my own dialogue for a change. Or is that asking too much? I'm not really sure myself. Maybe I am expecting too much. Shame on me eh? But there will come a time when I run out of choices and that will be the end of it. The curtain comes down on another production. I only hope it doesn't come too soon. If we do what we want to when we want to do it, we are called selfish. I have nothing left to give. It's all gone. The audience have gone home and the stage is a dusty platform waiting for the next deception. Sorry, production.

Gambler I feel like a failure with no purpose
  • replies: 1

Hi, I’m 43f with a terrible gambling problem. I've had this addiction with the pokies for many years and have just hit rock bottom. I've gone so low as to steal money from family to try him back my losses. I have a good paying job and every pay goes ... View more

Hi, I’m 43f with a terrible gambling problem. I've had this addiction with the pokies for many years and have just hit rock bottom. I've gone so low as to steal money from family to try him back my losses. I have a good paying job and every pay goes straight to them. I've now come to the realisation of how serious it has gotten and I feel like there is now way out of this hole I'm buried in. I'm now 43, $30k in dept, no home (currently staying at my sisters partners house) never had children, have a gaslighting partner of 2.5 years who is now not speaking to me because I finally stood up to him 2 nights ago. On top of all this I now have nerve pain affecting my work and that is worrying me thinking how will I get out of this dept if I can no longer work. I am a NZ citizen and have been living in darwin for 8 years and have accomplished nothing. I feel like everything is falling down around me and all these bad things are happening all at the same time and I dont know how to get out of this mess. My thoughts have turned dark and ive never been the type to think like that

Emotions26 Being me
  • replies: 31

I cannot work out how to see all of the discussionsHow can I read all responses?Confused and lost before coming hereWho do I ask and how for help? The above was written last night - day 2 of joining BB I have responded to several posters and received... View more

I cannot work out how to see all of the discussionsHow can I read all responses?Confused and lost before coming hereWho do I ask and how for help? The above was written last night - day 2 of joining BB I have responded to several posters and received some lovely replies. I have also responded to a post written by a member a while back expressing confusion about new set up here. Now I feel that I might have intruded upon that person's personal space. So I went searching.Somewhere found the suggestion start with introduce yourself - have no idea now where that is - no matter - I am here now Then I thought.I will start a thread or post or page myself.Possibly nobody will reply and it will sit and collect dust. If I don't try, I will never know. So I have come to this place BB to extend my practising being me which I have commenced in real life. Not an easy exercise and most people who know me are not particularly enthralled with the emerging of the new me - no surprise really as I have spent far too long listening to everyone else's egotistical chatter. I found by chance, yes, a thread or passage by someone writing about an analogy of their life being a performance on stage.I wanted to reply as the words intrigued me and I would love to be able to converse with that person.I too am extremely deep.Well, I could not work out how the page seemed different again! So being me is proving to be as difficult an exercise in the virtual world as it is in the real world. Any thoughts.Should anyone find this; read this and want to continue the conversation.It would be nice to hear from members who are replying because they want to as much as support from champions and other titles is appreciated. Thank you if you have read this far.

airathefailure Star student to miserable failure
  • replies: 2

Hi, call me Aira. I'm a Year 12 IB student and I'm failing everything. I was always pretty good at school. I did well with zero effort. I hear about other students who used to do well without trying too, but struggled later because they never learned... View more

Hi, call me Aira. I'm a Year 12 IB student and I'm failing everything. I was always pretty good at school. I did well with zero effort. I hear about other students who used to do well without trying too, but struggled later because they never learned study techniques. That's not me. In Year 10 I was moved to an advanced class, and realising things were only going to get harder from there, I spent the year figuring out study techniques that worked for me. It went well. I even ended up doing better than many of my classmates who had been in the advanced program far longer than me. When I got to Year 11, it didn't take me long to be the best student in many of my classes. I'm not saying all this to brag. I'm mentioning this because the difference between me back then and me now is almost comical. By the time Year 11 was over, I just gave up on everything. Reading my diary, it seems like my attitude at the time was "this is a long break, I'll just enjoy it for now and get to my homework later." Then something happened (it wasn't serious, but I don't want to say), and I got really upset and just did nothing. It was pretty out-of-character for me since, in terms of my mood, Year 10 was the worst year for me and I still did pretty well. So I can't recall why I just gave up. When Year 12 started, I struggled in class since I did none of the homework. That stressed me out a lot and my mental health has been the worst this year than it has ever been. I started crying in my classes a lot and sort of just stopped doing any work. I stopped doing anything really, other than going to school and coming back home. I was talking to my teachers, the coordinator, and to a counsellor at school, but I didn't feel like any of it was helping. So after months of this, I sent the coordinator a desperate email about how I wasn't going to graduate at this rate, and I managed to get a different timetable. Instead of finishing school this year, I'm meant to complete 2 subjects this year, and the other 4 next year. It was relieving for a few weeks, but I was feeling so awful I couldn't get anything done anyways. If I can't even handle 2 subjects, how am I meant to handle 4 next year? I think back to who I was a year or two ago and she feels like a different person entirely. Mentally, I'm actually doing pretty well right now. I think enough happened to me to where bad things don't surprise me anymore. But it doesn't make much of a difference if that isn't showing in my grades.

Sophie_M Meet your community champions!
  • replies: 13

Hi everyone, We wanted to share with you the way that our wonderful Community Champions are here to support you. You may have noticed that a few of our Forums members are labelled ‘Community Champion’. Community Champions are volunteers within the Be... View more

Hi everyone, We wanted to share with you the way that our wonderful Community Champions are here to support you. You may have noticed that a few of our Forums members are labelled ‘Community Champion’. Community Champions are volunteers within the Beyond Blue Forums who: have the time, skills and empathy to support other members regularly; help to welcome new members; are actively engaged members that help set the tone of our community. Our Community Champions are regular contributors to many conversations across the forums. They are a consistent and friendly voice that have committed to sharing their experience and expertise with this community. They are not health care professionals or clinicians. Like you, they have an experience with a mental health challenge or diagnosis – either for themselves or someone they care for. This forum is for people who understand what it feels like and have a lived and living experience of mental health challenges. Our Community Champions help everyone feel comfortable and confident by demonstrating what excellent peer support is all about. Click here to find out more about how you can become a Community Champion! This incredible team are excited to introduce themselves below, and we are sure you’ll see them around the forums in conversations important to you.

Lily2_s My partner has CPTSD
  • replies: 6

I need some advice. I am new to this forum. I am confused what I am supposed to do. My partner has PTSD and last Christmas he wanted to have a break as he was struggling mentally. I wasn’t aware he was struggling and I took it personally. Since then ... View more

I need some advice. I am new to this forum. I am confused what I am supposed to do. My partner has PTSD and last Christmas he wanted to have a break as he was struggling mentally. I wasn’t aware he was struggling and I took it personally. Since then he has been out 3x or 4 x a week overnight or up until midnight. He won’t communicate with me where his location in the beginning. I put up boundaries and he wouldn’t be able to follow through. I filled the gap in my mind I thought he has an affair. He started to lie and so many excuses and at the end I found out he would fell asleep at his mates place due to intoxication. He has been hiding his issues and not completely honest with me. He broke my trust. I wanted to have a family and I am 44 now but if his behaviour is like this I don’t think I can stay. It is against my values to drink excessively. He tried to reduce in the past but last Christmas since his treatment for Ptsd was paused because they have to focus his back issue and also his mental health has deteriorated . I find it hard to understand because my needs aren’t meet. I feel so lonely in a relationship and I would like to start a family before it is too late. I would like to continue supporting him but at the same time I am in a point that my mental health has been affected and I’m not happy in a relationship as he doesn’t communicate for me to understand. I think in the beginning he thought I was being judgemental because he would spend 6-8 hours at the pub. It is very challenging to deal with. Despite, his flaws he is a wonderful person and I do love him but I feel like it is not good for me in a long term . I had seen some red flags in the beginning but I challenged my gut feeling because he had come a long way. Sometimes I think I should move on because in a short period living on the same roof for less than 6 months all stress. Thank you and I need your valuable thoughts.

Anton_1966 Hi, I'm Anton. Not enough space here to describe my stuff!
  • replies: 2

Hi all, well I recognised in around 2000 that I had mental health issues which I was dealing with alcohol for self medication. At that time it was simply previously undiagnosed ADHD, given I was born in 1966 it hadn't been picked up in school for wha... View more

Hi all, well I recognised in around 2000 that I had mental health issues which I was dealing with alcohol for self medication. At that time it was simply previously undiagnosed ADHD, given I was born in 1966 it hadn't been picked up in school for what it was. Fast forward to now, I recognise AuDHD, anxiety and depression. Yes I do have GP and Psychiatrist support, and use a university psychology clinic. I still find I need to do my own research to understand my condition as this specific area of mental health is not well understood generally. There is history of mental health issues in my family, and as a layman I suspect it shows up more on the female side for some reason. My sister suicided, my mother is all over the place and my niece is very troubled. I'm currently taking an "attack from all sides" approach - psychiatrist prescribed medication, psychology clinic, GP and Salvos AoD course. It's working, but slowly and is not a magic bullet. My partner is frustrated with me and as a result she is unhelpful, adding to the problem rather than helping. Antidepressants stop me from jumping off a cliff.

J_Man89 New to the forums. Don't know what to do anymore.
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone. I'm 25 years old and I'm hoping to receive some support with my mental health. This year has been quite difficult for me. I'm overwhelmed with thoughts so don't really know what to write. I'll say that I have problems socially and with s... View more

Hi everyone. I'm 25 years old and I'm hoping to receive some support with my mental health. This year has been quite difficult for me. I'm overwhelmed with thoughts so don't really know what to write. I'll say that I have problems socially and with some basic tasks. I found out I have autism in March which has helped me understand myself better but has also caused some great difficulty. I have been out of work for months and struggle to maintain friendships. I'm using the forums to receive some real support that doesn't feel empty, but I don't want to bother the people around me anymore.

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