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Meet your community champions!

replies: 12

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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Any advise?

replies: 2

Hi all. I have been reading your posts & you guys are the reason I am able to reach out today - so thank you all. This is my first forum so I hope it is ok! My partner of 16 loving years is suffering depression. I am so proud of him as he is seeking treatment and trying to get well. However, I am struggling with his bad days when all he can see is the negative things. He feels lost and doesn't know what to do. He loves me and our life but thinks he should be alone. He doesn't want me to have to deal with it all. I can't seem to get through to him that I am here for him and he needs to be around people who love him. Any suggestions?

Hi everyone, new to this

replies: 1

Im a bit apprehensive about posting but thought I might give it a crack. Ive ignored my mental health for a while and I guess its catching up with me. Recent incidents have me very anxious at work and I find myself breaking down crying. Hope everyone... View more

newbie- isolation layers

replies: 5

Hi all, I have had a quick look around the forums and hope to be able to read through them and not feel so alone. 2020 has been challenging year for all. Im not going to go into the family breakdown and very recent relationship breakdown Im dealing with in 2020 , but its just put me into a bit of a slump, and IVe had anxiety / depression for years and years and am on medication. I just feel myself getting low in past 3 weeks but am reluctant to go see anyone as I find every counsellor/psychologist ends up the same- I feel like they dont get to the real nitty gritty of my issues. I dont know what it is - its like i convince them OK as i say and appear strong on the outside. Im an honest person , but no one seems to get the deep grief or self doubt as its hidden too deep. I do feel like I cant rely on anyone and from the outside I tick some boxes (ie. I have no good friends, not even 1, I have no friends in general. )or concern I guess. I have a couple of family members who i could reach out to. Im lucky I have that. these Isolation times dont give me hope that that can change. I work from home , i was studying a Masters (withdrew yesterday as cant keep it up with everything thats happened to this year) from home and a have one child still living with me and Ive never been able to connect with any parents in her class or sporting group. I am over 45 so how does one that age in these times make friends!!!!! There must be so many people out there who have no one. How do they do it.

feeling inspired by being surrounded by so many brave souls in here

replies: 5

newby alert!! hi, this is my first post so i thought i best tell you all a little about myself... im 35 and have battled depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse since i was a teen. coming from a dysfunctional and abusive family with alcohol part of every day life and getting locked in the car while dad drinks in the pub was a norm. i abused alcohol from a teen and my mental health started becoming a issue in my late teens.the lack of support from my family left me feeling isolated and alone, constantly being told when im doing wrong triggered my anxiety because i was always walking on eggshells and would lie about little thing just to try make my parents happy and maybe proud of me..... my first attempt to take my own life came at 19 and life seemed to spiral from there, drinking missing work getting fired was my life, i believed i was a no hoper and i behaved accordingly. i managed to get life together enough to hold jobs but booze would bring me unstuck every time, id spiral into a deep hole of depression and medicate with booze, it wasnt unusual for me to go on 2,3,4,7,9 day benders that would land me in hospital, my 2nd suicide attempt came when i was 32 and on a 7 day bender, telling my boss my pop had died(again)...... that was the real catalyst, i tried and tried to change my ways but booze was always stalking me. id tell myself when i was drunk "this is the last time, im going to make a change tomorrow" then say to myself "shut up idiot we both know you're talking crap!" rock bottom came when i went on another booze bender and lied to work, i lied to people who looked after me and the guilt and shame was horrible...... i drank myself stupid for 3 weeks....finally i got some real help, i booked myself into a psychiatric rehab for 3 weeks.. i got to the root of my drinking and found it was my childhood trauma and PTSD from childhood..... it was a rough time but im proud to sit here and say that i am 8 months sober and my headspace is a lot better. i saw there was light at the end of the tunnel. it is a little lonely at times because i had to drop friends but it beats the alternative

Hi friends

replies: 2

hello! I was browsing the online forums after a bit of a cry and realized a lot of people seem to be in the same boat as me. I noticed how much good reading through the posts helped me, and I wanted to jump in. So here it goes - Hi, my name is dwarfstar. I'm in retail and haven't had much luck with work since the pandemic. I find it's harder to find joy in the little things now the days are really starting to blend together. That's something I'm hoping to change. Thank goodness for pets!! Talk soon.

Negative thoughts

replies: 47

Hi This is my first time here. I have anxiety, sometimes I don't know the trigger, it could be making a mistake, or talking, I have zero belief in myself and usually think I'm bad. At work, I apologize too much and always think (or perhaps I do) say stupid things (well the sarcastic comments tell me it is) and I feel pathetic for being too sensitive. Recently I'm gotten so upset that I cry, mainly from frustration, which isn't right, I shouldn't because it's a minor thing, especially with the world Iike it is, but there it is. I have been trying meditation and all that but still the negative thoughts come, sometimes my thoughts go to the negative about work people which I am horrified by, they haven't done anything. I am trying to be grateful and when my mind goes to the negative I feel bad because I'm complaining and so the cycle goes around. I'm nearly 38 and I have everything you need to be happy but I'm not. I have thought about suicide, I feel like a waste of a person on this earth, I don't do anything. Also too I feel like a drama queen for overreacting over small things which shouldn't matter, especially when others have had it worse, why do I feel like this, I've had a good lucky life!!! Thanks for reading this,

A reluctant hello

replies: 2

Hello friendly people I guess I'm just feeling down. I'm a 28-year-old female. It's kind of hard to focus on anything that isn't driven by my depression or anxiety at the moment. I'm back on anti-depressants which just make me feel nothing. I'm on the other side of the world away from my husband and the life that I want to be living. Getting up every day is getting more and more difficult since I'm not working - I have nothing to do. I can't even get out and do things if I wanted to since I'm in lockdown. I'm just struggling to find the motivation to do anything. I'm trying, but it's hard. Corona Virus has impacted so much of everything. So much of my life and what was supposed to happen this year. I feel selfish for complaining. I don't like attention and I know that I don't have it as bad as some people but things aren't great right now. I really don't know why I'm posting this or what I'm hoping to get out of this, I just need to get this off my chest and talk to some people who are also finding it difficult right now so I know that I'm not the only one. It's pretty unlike me to draw attention to myself or be this open but maybe this is what I need.

Hi, I'm a newbie with lifelong GAD and depression

replies: 7

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum. I've been reading posts on here for a long time but haven't been game enough to register. It makes me sad to think so many people are struggling with mental health issues, but I hope everyone is managing somehow. I think I've had GAD and depression as long as I can remember. I can't remember ever being carefree and relaxed. My mental health issues seem to get progressively worse as I get older. I tried medication, counselling and psychologists several times in my twenties, but did not see any improvement. I tried to cope on my own throughout my thirties, but one major life event after another happened and I progressively deteriorated until I broke down. I started seeing a clinical psychologist at the time. I've had mental healthcare plans to help with the cost, but I'm finding 10 subsidised sessions per year is not enough to see any real improvement. I tend to have so much to discuss that I end up talking for most of the appointment, so there is very little time to really get into things. I don't think CBT or ACT are helping me at all. I know how to look at stuff from a more rational point of view, I know I can't control everything and have to accept some things and that I can only control how I react. But knowing it is not enough. My anxiety is so strong a few positive thoughts aren't going to make me feel better. Mindfulness and yoga drives me crazy too. I just can't get into either. I went back on medication. It took about 6 months to settle down and, while I don't seem to have proper panic attacks anymore, I am still very anxious and worry all the time. I've also had insomnia for years so I always feel exhausted. I live by myself and don't have family in this country. I work fulltime but spend most of my free time alone, including long weekends, birthdays and Christmas. I used to be more social but I started dreading catching up with people. It felt like a huge effort and I felt like there was no point catching up because the conversations were totally pointless and meaningless and the others just seemed to talk about themselves all the time. I wish I could be more easygoing and not worry so much. Izzie

Hello world

replies: 1

Hi, I'm a year 12 student turning 18 pretty soon and have struggled with mental health issues my entire life Great first liner for an introduction, I know, but unfortunately it's the truth. I've struggled a lot with finding people to relate to around my age due to the condition I have among other things. I have the pleasure of having the condition CAIS (complete androgen insensitivity syndrome) which means, in the most basic terms, that I am a female who was born without a uterus. That means that I am characterised as being 'Intersex'. it's a fun lil thing to be in certain situations, like when someone tells you that there are only 'two sexes' when arguing about something completely different, being gender. other than roasting people who say gender and sex are the same things, there aren't many ups. I've never met someone my age that has my condition, or even who is intersex. Even if I did meet another person who was, I'm scared I won't have the same interests as them and then being intersex is all that I would talk about to them. this feeling of overwhelmingly being alone has led to my passive suicidal behaviour as I've been told. I'm getting better now as my antidepressants begin to slowly work more and more but I clearly remember points in my life where I didn't care if I lived or died but wasn't actively seeking to die. I'm sad that it's gotten to this point, honestly, I am. I spent all my younger teen years helping my friends with their body image issues, their ED's, feeling alone and now that I'm nearly 18... well... I look back and I realise I didn't have many people to talk to myself. there weren't many people who understood the condition. there aren't many medical professionals who know about the condition either. Gynecologist side it's fine, but there aren't any psychologists in my city who know or are familiarised with the condition. I don't even know why I'm writing this, to be honest with you. I started off my last year of school with the hope that things would get better but I know that wishing or just wanting it isn't enough. I need to actually do something to help myself to get better but lack the motivation to try because it's never worked out in the past. for my final graphic design piece this year, I made an artwork depicting a male figure drowning underwater, laying on his back as if he's made impact with the water and gone unconscious. his hand is reaching out to his phone in desperation. I guess this is my way of doing the same.

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on August

replies: 1

Hello Everyone, We recognise the immense impact the coronavirus pandemic continues to have on one’s daily life. We are here to remind you that the forums community is available to talk things through and Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service provides simple, practical information that’s reliable and relevant to help everyone to cope and stay well. We encourage everyone to seek support if they feel they need it. Our mental health professionals are available 24/7 at the Beyond Blue Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service on 1800 512 348. Community Voices: What are people talking about? Managing Trauma (please be mindful that the below threads include experiences of abuse) My name is Zoe and I am a long term survivor of cPTSD, anxiety, depression and OCD. Lately I have been struggling a great deal with my anger, particularly anger attacks and outbursts of rage. I have a couple of tools I have been given from therapy but I feel like I need more tools. - Zoe-PTSD,OCD,MDD,GAD (Read more here) I’m definitely scared about unlocking memories but I also feel positive about it and keep telling myself it will be worth it. My psych has always said I have amazing insight, I’m very resilient and I’m a glass half full kind of person even when I’m feeling down ...and I think that has really helped give me the confidence to look at things from a different angle and realise I can do this - Anzee (Read more here) Recalling trauma from childhood can come as a shock and be overwhelming and devastating, especially when it involves a person you trusted. Talking to your relative and telling them that you remember may be something that could help both of you come to terms with what has happened. If you're not ready to confront your mother, it's okay to avoid doing that. The things you do should help you heal - you're not compelled to do anything that you don't wish to do. - Emmen (read more here) Coping Strategies I've found the idea by Stephen Covey of drawing a circle on paper & writing ALL the things that are WITHIN our influence / control inside that circle and those outside our control on the outside of that circle VERY helpful over the past few decades. – ecomama (Read more here ) Going to meet someone for the first time who you are hoping to share some of your closest stories with is a big thing. Sometimes getting to know each other can take a few sessions and this is common. As ecomama has mentioned, sometimes it is good to go in with a list of your own goals. For example, it could be to gain diagnostic clarity, or learn skills to manage symptoms, or improve certain symptoms ie. reduce my worry around ___, become more confident at ___, or feel less stressed when I attend ___,... etc. etc... Sometimes writing these things down can help as when many people attend appointments particularly with new health practitioners, it is normal to forgot things (this happens to me all the time). Another thing that can help is to keep a daily symptom diary leading up to the first appointment. ie. Each day, write down your mood, what worries you had, what were the triggers etc. This can sometimes help when you see your psychologist and they can see how you have been day to day in one snap shot. - Nurse Jenn (Read more here) A lot of the time we tend to focus on the critical voice inside which might be telling us why we're not so great. But there's a voice of self kindness in there too, even if it's hard to find sometimes.I am going to try and make it to 10 good qualities, even if it takes me a little while, and I'd love for you to join in. - quince (Read more here) Living on my own during the coronavirus pandemic I live alone in an apartment, and the Groundhog Day existence of working from home all day with the only highlights being a walk/cycle and a trip to the grocery store is getting to me. I can't fathom living like this for another year. Anyone else feel the same? - DeepBlue1771 (Read more here) I find living alone a bit intense during this time, so much is worse because of this, so much is harder, and it also feels like my loneliness is on display. I get much less regular contact and communication then people living together or with families... – Sleepy21 (Read more here) I'm currently in lockdown in Vic. I've lived with depression (and anxiety when things get bad) most of my life. It's been a tough year and I've had some really really low points, but I think I'm doing ok, considering. I meditate, try to move and try to make sure I reach out to people (I live alone). Even on 'good' days though, my dreams are terrible. I've always tended to bad dreams (it's often a first sign of depression getting bad). I started keeping a dream journal just to figure out why I wake up feeling awful and I've realised this is happening every night right now. - kelpie5 (Read more here) Valued Contributor Award Our Valued Contributor for the month of August is Aphador! Aphador has been nominated for their continued support across the forums, often providing a fresh and positive perspective when it comes to sharing support options and strategies to stay well. Thank you for being open about your own mental health journey while supporting others! To read more about what a Valued Contributor is and how you can nominate a fellow community member, please refer to our thread Nominate a Valued Contributor here . BB News Check out BB’s new landing page on Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service – Financial and mental wellbeing . The following four pieces can be found on this page: Hand-in-hand: financial wellbeing and mental health Financial counselling explained (and how it can help) Living with financial stress – Michelle’s story Financial hardship and mental health: messages of support from the community Other new content includes: Reconnecting with your teenager during lockdown – Samantha’s story Focus on forums: Finding comfort during unsettling times

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

Any advise? replies: 2

Hi everyone, new to this replies: 1

newbie- isolation layers replies: 5

feeling inspired by being surrounded by so many brave souls in here replies: 5

Hi friends replies: 2

Negative thoughts replies: 47

A reluctant hello replies: 2

Hi, I'm a newbie with lifelong GAD and depression replies: 7

Hello world replies: 1

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on August replies: 1