Welcome and Orientation

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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 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.

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 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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Trying to get by without a licence

replies: 1

hey people. I am really struggling with life. My ex partner committed suicide 2021, leaving me with our 2 children (16 & 17). They have a lot of issues as you would expect. Mothers day is a bad time for all of us and on Sunday whilst driving with my son, he had a real issue with sadness, crying and kind of panic attack. I was not paying attention to my speed, should have pulled over, bloody idiot. I didn't and rightly so, I was pulled over by police. As a result my licence will be suspended for 3 months as I was doing >25klms. Yes I know it was stupid and foolish and I totally accept what I did. Break the law, do the time.Now I am facing life without my licence and having to live the Uber world for 3 months. Its gonna be tough.

Depression and perimenopause

replies: 3

Hi there, I’ve gone back to bed today again and just cried and sobbed. The past few months have been the worst. I’ve been feeling so hopeless and sad, deeply miserable. Classic depression, no joy in anything but it seems more than that. But perimenopause mixed in, I’m catastrophising and feeling so anxious. I’m feeling lost and sad and no idea how to get through this. My husband is drinking excessively more and more and not working now for 3 years. I feel I’m trapped “looking after him”. He spends every day going to the pub. But thinks there’s no problem. I’m feeling trapped and so hopeless.

social anxiety

replies: 2

Hi, I'm 26 years old and have had a lot of trouble socializing for as long as I can remember. I've never been able to understand how other people do it. I had a lot of trouble going to school from how anxious I was, and have only recently managed to complete a vocational training diploma and a job related to what I studied. I am still trying to study an associate degree part-time, though I'm having a hard time getting through the course. I'm not particularly friendly with the people in my classes - most of them are a little bit younger, studying full-time and aren't currently supporting themselves, and from my point of view seem to have a lot more energy and motivation.I feel out of place at my job as well, because I feel like my 1.5 year education and lack of experience in the field makes me less trustworthy, and I don't know if I'm ever doing the right thing. I feel really unsure of myself and I think that makes getting through a workday even more difficult. I get so tired after work, all I end up doing is lie in bed, and sometimes I start crying for no particular reason. At the moment, the only people I have regular contact with is my younger sibling, who I live with, and my boyfriend, who I only see maybe once or twice a week due to me working an early day shift and him working a late night shift.When I've had friends I spoke to fairly regularly before, I felt like I was making a lot of effort and money into seeing them (hosting lunches where I cooked or arranging meetups) and it burned me out and made me feel so worthless when they didn't seem to care all that much about including me in things they arranged. When we met up they would also make comments about my weight or my hobbies. I think I became somewhat defensive and insecure about myself and am now more reserved. Lately I can barely go out and buy the groceries without feeling really anxious. I sometimes notice people looking amused when they see how anxious I am, which makes me feel even less confident. At work, I often stumble over words and have had people tell me not to worry so much, but I don't really know how to calm myself down. It isn't even that I can identify what I feel anxious about, it's just that I get really shaky and self-conscious. It's like I feel nervous about going out, and then I go out and have a stressful time, and so I end up feeling even more stressed and reluctant to go out afterwards. I feel so tired from doing basic things and I think I feel really pessimistic about ever finding people I can even be comfortable around, let alone connect with. I feel like I can't really be a 'normal person.' I don't even know where to start trying to get better, and sometimes I don't even know if it's even worth trying.

Miss

replies: 2

Hi, I am in a relationship with a depressed person. With no signs of acknowledging his issues. I am trying to be compassionate and strong but the energy is slowly infiltrating my body. He doesn't speak or eat all day and I try to help but get ignored... View more

Homeless older women

replies: 1

Hi thereIt’s 1:50am and here I am again, awake, unhappy and wondering if my life is really worth the effort.Am a divorced, 70 yo woman, no debt or savings much and just unable to find an affordable rental on the aged pension. I am a recently retired property manager myself so fully aware of the hopeless situation myself and so many other women are in. Have been housesitting full time for over 2 years now, unpaid of course.I drink too much wine, am 8 kgs overweight and feel like I am going nowhere. My personal stuff is in storage and I wonder if I will ever see it again or be able to afford to have it moved to Brisbane area from Far North Qld, where I last worked. No family to speak of so Easter is never a happy time for me. My adult children chose to not continue contact decades ago after a family rift. Been single now for 20 years and refuse to be with anyone just because he has a house! Most of my relationships were just outright failures, wrong choices.

Introducing myself and my current pain

replies: 6

Hi,I’ve never done this before, and hoping this might help my mental pain, even if it’s a small amount.Ive been going through hell the last 6 months, it seems relentless. Day in day out, the pain just seems to return when I wake up, in force, as it has done the day before and the day before that for the last 6 months. I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for 35 years, it genetic unfortunately, even with a family member suiciding over it. But with medication I’ve kept on top of it. Until now.6 months ago I let my wife down with an affair I had with a local girl in Bali, something I’ve never done to her before after 21 years together. This was the beginning of my spiralling downward. My wife has been supportive and understands why it happened. I’m very lucky to have her.i fell in love with this girl and I still am, I just can’t get her out of my head. And yes we still talk very briefly via email on the rare occasions. Something I’ve tried to stop for months now, to no avail.This in itself has been painful, I wish I never met her.Im 64 and I’ve been going to the gym, jogging, cycling, all to no avail as it didn’t help me, so I’ve stopped.Skipping all the way to now. At work, I’ve put in a complaint about my supervisor as I believe he’s a bully. He has put in a counter complaint, for what, I have no idea. I wish I never started this. As now I need to go to meeting about this which is one of my phobias. Even after explaining that I’m not going to any meeting, because I mentally can’t, they are relentless and saying I have to. THIS has sent me down the deep dark hole even further. Because of Easter and my varying roster etc we can’t have these meetings until afterwards. So this will have to painfully be on my mind for the next few weeks.Ive seen my dr yesterday and after trying 3 different types of meds over the last 6 months , which never worked, he’s put me back onto something I know will help, but this will take a while to kick in.I feel like I’m rambling on here. With events that happened within these 6 moths also, there is just way way too much to explain, events combined that had made me feel suicidal at times. I have beautiful grand children that I never met. I’ve seen my son only once in 6 years, mother and father dying and many negative personally memories that keep replaying in my mind.i now cry every day, I’ve done everything possible to try and help myself, nothing is working, I am now just playing a waiting game, watching the hours tick by, losing 15kg so far and more to come I’m sure. I just hope these meds kick in within the next 2 weeks as I am on the end of my tether.

Hello everyone,

replies: 3

I’m a professional in my late sixties, now semi-retired. I was a single father for many years, navigating a long and often estranged relationship. I have two adult children in their 30s—both are double-degree professionals, and for the most part, they’re living fulfilling lives, which I’m deeply grateful for. I’m also the proud grandfather of three beautiful, vibrant, and exceptionally intelligent grandchildren. The eldest turns six this May.

An Introduction

replies: 2

Hi! I have known BB for a while, but was informed that they also have a forum! takes me back to the forum days! I feel like I always need someone to accompany me, even when I'm alone and do not wish to talk to anyone. Perhaps I'm feeling quite lonely... View more

This is me

replies: 4

Hi, I'm 20 years old. I turn 21 in August.I have been suffering with both severe anxiety (5 or 6 different types) and severe depression since I was little.I was diagnosed properly in 2020 after the loss of my brother I come from a very broken home, where my parents never got along (my mother a cheater) and my father and amazing man.I was raised around boys/men as I am the youngest of four and the only girl

Hello

replies: 4

Hello everyone my name is James, I'm 19 years old.My hobbies are video games, baking, coding, and listening to music.

Meet your community champions! replies: 13

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

Trying to get by without a licence replies: 1

Depression and perimenopause replies: 3

social anxiety replies: 2

Miss replies: 2

Homeless older women replies: 1

Introducing myself and my current pain replies: 6

Hello everyone, replies: 3

An Introduction replies: 2

This is me replies: 4

Hello replies: 4