Welcome and Orientation

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Meet your community champions!

replies: 10

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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Hello there! This is me.

replies: 2

Hi everyone! It's a pleasure to be on here A bit about my past… I was a lost and insecure boy in primary school which led to a demotivated high schooler with low self-worth and little confidence. Kids can be brutally cruel, and I received considerable bullying throughout my school days. I was mocked for several physical imperfections (short, fat, freckly, bald spot, high pitched voice, etc.) and this shattered my confidence, especially around girls. I was repeatedly made fun of for being a 'cry-baby' and that I had a very 'out there' hippie mother, a fully deaf father and an opinionated brother who rubbed people the wrong way. Some of this trauma carried into my 20's, but it began to dissipate with time as I broadened my social circles, travelled extensively, developed a sense of independence and found my purpose. For my whole life, my mother has had mentally ill health and instability and my brother has had bouts of anxiety and depression. What has perhaps been most confronting though is the battle my dearest friend has with an eating disorder and manic depression. I have been present throughout her experiences with self-harm, substance abuse and a number of suicide attempts. On top of coming to grips with my own insecurities, I have healed by helping those close to me come to terms with their own demons. --- A bit about my present... Currently I work FT in an area I'm not passionate about and have been looking to reorient my career into the mental health sector. Outside of work I am passionately involved with several community groups as a facilitator and event coordinator in the men's work / youth facilitation / meditation / sharing circle spaces. Due to COVID-19, my FT job has hit the pause button for the next little while, so it's a perfect opportunity for me to explore different interests and find new ways to be productive. That's where Beyond Blue comes in. It's a rough time for everybody, but some more than others, and I feel fortunate to have time, space, energy and empathy to use this platform and help others in need. There is a drive and a hunger within me to be a vessel for positive change in others, so I want to offer some of the tools and techniques I have picked up throughout my journey. My aim is to co-facilitate a space where people feel safe to be vulnerable and share openly, all judgment is left at the door and everyone has a chance to be seen, heard and held in a strong container. Thank you! Nico

Sad mum

replies: 3

Hi all, I'm new here, I have been struggling really bad this past few weeks with everything that has been going on, I thought I would go onto the website to find some help and thought starting with writing my problem down might even help a little. I'm a mum of 2 young boys, 3 and 5 years old. My 5 year old has severe autism and ADHD. He started school this year but now with all the lock downs he is home from school and I am also out of work. Since being home with him I have just hated being with him, he has full on meltdown and tantrums every day, breaks things ruins things, screams in his younger brother's face and hits and punches me. I am just resenting him and can't even look at him with love unless he has fallen asleep for the night. I really hate being a mum to him and am crying as I write these words because it's so horrible to feel this way. My younger son has no mental issues and is a good little boy and acts the way I have wanted Him to be raised, he also deals with his brother being mean and disrupting our whole family, he just makes being in our home so unpleaseurable. I am getting severely depressed over this situation sometimes if I lie down to have a cry about it I feel numb and can't even get back up for a while. Also with lock downs it's hard to get my 5yr old help and support that he needs, even before this it is such a draining effort to deal with it all. I sometimes just think I should get up and leave my family and run away, but that wouldn't be fair to my husband and 3yr old. But me dealing with all this is not fair to me and I don't know how much longer I can do it.

I’m abit overwhelmed

replies: 1

Dilute to the Coronavirus and watching the news and finding things to do

Anxiety/stress diarrhoea

replies: 6

Hi, so I'm not specifically expecting professional/medical help on here, I am just reaching out to hopefully find anyone who is going through a similar experience to me. Also I'm talking about poop for anyone squeamish About a month ago I had a bout of diarrhoea a couple of hours after eating a salad at a cafe. I figured my stomach just didn't agree with it and thought noting else of it. Ever since though, I've been getting diarrhoea on and off, sometimes watery, sometimes a little mucusy, and the odd time a completely normal poop. I get it either 1,2 or 3 times a day, or sometimes I skip days. It doesn't happen at any specific time or after I've eaten anything particular, and I've no food intolerances that I know of. After 2.5 weeks I went to my docs, he had a feel around my tummy which was normal and requested a stool sample. Results came back clear, however he prescribed me antibiotics "just in case" which I have been reluctant to take... I'm not eating as much and have lost my appetite as I'm scared it will trigger a bout! I don't really have any abdominal pain, I'll maybe get the odd mild cramp but that's it. Overall I'm feeling well, but the diarrhoea is really starting to get to me. I can be a bit of an anxious person and a bit of a worrier, and other than an annoying eyelid twitch that I've been getting for a few weeks, I have no other physical anxiety symptoms. 3 weeks ago my work told everyone to work from home because of the whole covid-19 thing. So I'm not sure being on my own all day in the house with more time for my thoughts is helping. Can thoughts alone really trigger this? Anyway, like I said at the start, keen to hear if anyone has a similar experience and how you coped, as I find it odd that I continue to have diarrhoea without any other symptoms...

Miss Lonely

replies: 9

Hi everyone, I've just joined this site, cos I'm really struggling with loneliness right now. I haven't really had any friends for a long time now, sometimes I catch up with my mum which helps but at the end of the day, not meaning any offense to her, but shes still my mum and not a similar age friend if you know what i mean. I also have a boyfriend but he lives overseas, and so I am always missing him and as of the current changes to the world, I have no idea when I can see him again. We talk at times but he does have to work, as do I and also the connection is often bad when making calls. Also I cant be constantly messaging him all day long but I feel i have no one else to talk to at all. Its a bad time to be lonely in this world, I thought about joining some meetups near me but every one i looked at was cancelled. My gym is also a ghost town now days, and the shops make me stress like crazy. Anyway I feel like my depression is coming back cos of all this and that is not fun at all. so yeah, Hi everyone

Introducing myself?

replies: 4

Hi all:) I’m not entirely sure what to write here. I suppose I should start with why I am here. I’ve been dealing with anxiety and minor depression for most of my life. Over the past year I had found someone who made me incredibly happy to be alive, and introduced me to a whole new world I quickly learned to love. But... they no longer involve themselves with me due to a series of events that spiralled out of control. For the past month my anxiety has been extremely heightened, and once again just leaving my house is enough to raise my heart rate quite a bit. This whole isolation situation isn’t much help, as I get my happiness from spending time with close friends and family. So, I’m here for some support, and maybe even to help a few people out if I can. I hope you’re all having a nice day so far:)

feeling lonely

replies: 1

Hi guys, am new here and have been struggling hard with anxiety/depression for last couple of months. Staying with my family as I was housesitting but since we had a storm/fence blew down at home & this new virus, I cant leave my Mum's to go back to my partner. Not having much work, having to get onto Centrelink and being stuck in isolation sucks (no, i dont have the virus, am just avoiding going out unless I absolutely have to). I was wondering what tips/advice anyone can give me to keep me occupied. I'm a gamer but laptop is old so can't play much on there anymore till I get my new comp sorted, if there's anything else people can offer me, I'd appreciate it. Am willing to try new stuff

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on March

replies: 0

We think it’s fair to say that the last couple weeks have involved a great deal of disruption and change of pace for individuals and communities around the world. Yet one message remains clear – we are all in this together. Let’s take a moment, pause. Breathe. There are so many ways communities have come together during these uncertain times and we thank our online community for fostering such helpful discussions and encouraging everyone to stay connected. Community Voices: What are people talking about? Along with our ‘Coping during the Coronavirus outbreak’ thread the community has created several additional threads that focus on ways to direct our thoughts and energy to the things that are within our control, assist the community in focusing on practicing different methods of self-care, and engage in discussions that encourage more positive dialogue. Thank you to all who are continuing to reach out and join the conversation – you’re not alone. How to take practical advantage of isolation I wonder if it might be an idea for people to say all the actual things that can be done while cooped up in isolation. Things they do themselves or recommend for others. If you can think of something that has constantly occupied or distracted you, or better yet has had a concrete positive outcome one can point to later on that would be perfect (within the bounds of decency of course:) - Croix Make friends with "boredom" and do something anyway, even if it's just watching an ant trail. Look around you and discover the extraordinary in the ordinary that perhaps was missed in the humdrum and busyness of life. - LaurieD Dear Diary, a day to day look at self-isolation Dear Diary I have spoken for a few mins on the phone I have done some writing am surprised how quickly the time has gone. wonder what tomorrow will bring. – quirkywords After this time, I feel strangely stronger and more optimistic. Not because I improved, or became better or a better boss. Because I relied on my colleagues and on this forum for support, because I offered my ears and because I made the best with what I have. Because I told people to look up and remember that this is our chance to make the world a better place, even if it's to a small group of people around you. Each little action counts. – WanderingAround Positivity Words A – Z Sometimes it is really challenging to think positive. Especially when we are struggling with things or when circumstances in our lives seem difficult. - Shelll A is for accepting – quirkywords Believe - Birdy77 Connectedness - Sleepy21 Social Distancing Film Club I hope everyone is staying safe and well during this hectic time. Since it looks like a fair number of us are due for some extended time inside, I thought I might poke around Netflix and see what was available that I might recommend. I think this would be a great place to talk about films, especially our favorites to watch when home sick or our go-to rewatchable. - Uncut_gems Valued Contributor Award Our Valued Contributor for the month of March is Sleepy21! Sleepy21 is friendly voice on the forums and welcomes members with empathy while reflecting on another’s journey. Thank you Sleepy21 for making others feel accepted and comfortable with talking through what’s on their mind, along with ways to stay well! Welcome Back Jess! Our team would like to welcome back Community Champion Jess (display name ‘Jess334’) to our community. To read more about Jess’s journey check out the thread ‘Introducing...the community champions’ BB News Beyond Blue welcomes funding to develop a new COVID-19 Mental Health Support Service. This new service will offer free information, counselling and referrals online and by phone (Read more here). Stay tuned for more information. For anyone needing support with working through their thoughts of suicide or self-harm during this time, it is really important to have a plan to keep yourself safe. We encourage anyone who would find creating a safety plan to be a helpful way to cope during this time to refer to our Beyond Now suicide safety planning app. You can read about how it works and where to download it here . You can even call the Suicide Call-back Service (1300 659 467) or Lifeline (131114) to go through it with one of their counsellors over the phone. Here are some points to consider: • If you already have a plan, review it with a trusted friend or family member, or at your next appointment with a mental health professional. • Stay focused on your reasons to live, family and friends you can talk or yarn with, and things that can make you feel strong. • Consider how you can stay in touch with people by phone or video chat during times of crisis. • Look for online spaces and communities – like Beyond Blue’s forums – where you can keep connected with people while physically distant. • Visit Beyond Blue’s Looking after your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak page for further advice on how to manage your mental health during this time. Let's stay connected!

Trouble Coping

replies: 2

Hi, I just joined this forum. I'm having trouble coping, feel scared all the time. I'm having physical issues as well, hearing noises, breaking things as I've become super clumsy, getting confused and just start crying at any time. I can't even cook anything as I keep burning things, my husband now has to prepare all our food. Last night, or actually early hours of the morning (1.20 am) someone started knocking on our front door loudly. I didn't know if I was imagining it or not? I woke my husband up and he said he heard it, so I don't think I imagined it. I couldn't sleep after this as it unnerved me so much. We decided not to answer the door as it didn't seem safe to do so in this area where we live. Tried to do some exercise today and have a break from the house and went for a walk (keeping my distance of course). People pass me by and I say hello, and they don't even reply. I said "we can still say hello from a distance". But I guess when I look around people have empty faces now and don't want to even say hello. I don't actually mind that much being at home, as I spent a lot of time at home before and I have lots I can do. I just can't shake the fear. Now I'm worried about my elderly mum. She relies on me to visit her and get groceries for her. I need my husband to come with me as I can't drive through city traffic on my own with the way I'm feeling, shaking all the time and I can't think straight. Now the rules are its only one person who can visit I don't know what to do. She is so lonely and even though I'm suffering I try to help her, but now I feel like I can't as maybe this is risky for her and I don't want to break any new rules and I don't think I can travel there alone. I don't know what to do, I'm so full of indecision. I just have this feeling of impending doom all the time. I suffered severe depression in the past, but this is the first time I've felt distressed since then. I know we are all going through it, so please don't tell me that (I don't know why but this phrase irritates the hell out of me as we all experience things differently) but I guess I was an anxious person even before this so now my anxiety has gone sky high. My husband says he thinks I need some professional help with what I'm feeling.

I don't know if anyone can help but I'm here

replies: 1

Hey. New here. I suffer from depression but also am taking care of my girlfriend who suffers much much worse depression and worse things. I care so much about her that I tend to completely ignore my own issues which by comparison at least seem trite. Anyway I really need some kind of outlet for my thoughts and talking to her about them would only really upset her so I found these forums somehow.

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Hello there! This is me. replies: 2

Sad mum replies: 3

I’m abit overwhelmed replies: 1

Anxiety/stress diarrhoea replies: 6

Miss Lonely replies: 9

Introducing myself? replies: 4

feeling lonely replies: 1

Monthly Forums Update: Reflecting Back on March replies: 0

Trouble Coping replies: 2

I don't know if anyone can help but I'm here replies: 1