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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Where do I start?

replies: 3

Wow....I am new to this site, and this may be my only post as I'm not sure if I will gather the nerve to come and post again. I think Beyond Blue does great things to provide mental health support. I'm stuck emotionally. I lack motivation both physically and mentally and thought, heh, I should seek help. I have come here and it's good to see that so many people feel free to share. I hope that is helpful for them. I suppose just writing this is therapeutic. Well, I'm not going to share my problems as there is too much to tell and feel it is not beneficial for me, but, for those who are gaining something here, well done to you. Thanks to the counsellors on the site as you are also likely reading some really sad stuff and it must get difficult to see so many people with mental health issues. Well, since I don't feel I am gaining anything from this, I will end it here. Thanks.

Owed to Solitude

replies: 438

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.

Feeling lost

replies: 2

Hi all, my names Ryan. For some time I've been feeling extremely lost. Last year I was diagnosed with PTSD, Health/Generalised Anxiety and was told I showed symptoms of a personality disorder but not enough to diagnose. I've struggled with my mental health since I can remember as I grew up in a DV household from a family that wasn't very close. Ever since I can remember I've struggled with my thoughts. More often than not I feel trapped inside of my head, I have thoughts racing all the time about anything and everything. It feels hard to quiet these thoughts most of the time and It's become so overwhelming that I'm feeling extremely unmotivated in my day to day life. I've been to therapy before, but I've gotten to the point where I even feel useless in therapy as I know most of the things they're telling me.I've struggled to keep a job, I inevitably feel pressured in every single job I've been in so much to the point where every job I typically leave for mental health reasons. It was a similar thing to school - I always struggled attending as I'd often find myself with this massive anxiety and lack of motivation.I'm truly at a standstill on where to go from here, I'm so lost and feel so behind my peers, I feel like I'm disappointing every person around me.I'm on anti-depressants, I exercise daily and meditate but even still I feel miserable most days & have to mask and pretend I'm doing better than I really feel.Any tip's on where to go from here for me?

Unsure of Myself and Worth - Anxious and depressed

replies: 2

Hello, I'm new to this. This is my first post. I'm not quite sure how this works but I need to give something a try cause I'm so tired of feeling this way! I think I have a severe anxious attachment style. Especially to my partner. I grew up learning love is conditional and never safe. I feel like I constantly have to search and look for the danger because it might help me feel more in control, it doesn't really I just feel hurt. I'm getting really bad at the moment, overthinking everything down to absolute ridiculous scenarios that don't even exist. I get very upset at these scenarios like it's actually happened and I can feel myself reacting and trying to take out my emotions others. I feel like I'm obsessed and can't stop. I'm so miserable that I don't want to be around people or leave the person I'm anxiously attached to most. It's affecting my behavior at work also. I don't know what to do? I feel like I'm worth nothing and I hate myself. Like I'm not truly loved or no one truly loves me. That they're only nice to me or with me until the next best thing comes along then there's no use for me. Why do I feel like this? Why am I so hateful to myself? Why don't I think I'm worth more? Why can't I believe I'm loved and that others truly love me? Why are the emotions so strong that it feels like I'm dying inside? I feel like I can't talk about it to him (my partner). I feel like if I say it he will think I'm crazy or too much and he will leave. He's not said or shown anything to prove that he would but my stupid brain and heart make me feel it. Especially when he hangs out with other friends that are girls. I don't think he would cheat on me like my last partner did but I don't know why my brain always thinks he will find better and want to leave me. I know loves me, he says it all the time, he tries to show me the best he can ( I think he does, he's told me he's not great with expressing emotions and it makes him feel uncomfortable). My brain sees small things that he does and goes to such extreme scenarios that brutally hurt me and cause me pain. But they're not even real! It's all me doing it to myself. Just because he hangs out with a friend from work, or texts someone on his phone, or has his phone screen facing down. I automatically assume the worst. I don't know why and it kills me. I don't want him to think I don't trust him, that I think he's being unfaithful and hurtful. Why do I think like this? Sorry that is a lot, I just needed to get it out.

Hello All

replies: 2

Just wanted to introduce myself. I was actually here a few years ago when I was first diagnosed with anxiety. I managed to get through that and have been pretty good for the last few years with just one time having to go back on medication. Unfortunately I’ve now had another relapse due to the stress of my father being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and then my cat being diagnosed with diabetes. The worry has prompted me back on medication and I’ve taken a decent amount of leave from work. I’m home a lot by myself which is fine but I thought I’d wonder back on here for support and company.

Finally admitted I’m struggeling

replies: 2

Hi, all. After feeling down and unmotivated for quite some time, I finally admitted that I wasn’t coping with how I was feeling. It finally came to a head when people’s toxic behaviour at work finally tipped me over the edge. I’m the boss, and although I have tried to manage them, it has finally taken its toll. Admitting that I have depression to my wife, sons, boss and colleagues has been both scary and a relief. I look at my life and think, what I have got to be depressed about? I have a great life, but this head of mine just focuses on the silly, negative aspects of my life and work and blows them up 100 fold. I’m hoping that now I have acknowledged my depression I will be able to take the right steps to control it. This 57yr old male is discovering it’s okay to ask for help. thanks all.

Life is Messy

replies: 12

If you look at me, I seem like a happy go lucky person who has achieved so much in life, and yet I feel anything but. I've had many setbacks in life, made some poor choices in terms of life partners and have had way too many struggles in my life. I am doing the best I can with what I have and sometimes I have to remind myself that it's enough. I can be really hard on myself and feel like I need to be strong for the sake of my children if nothing else. When I'm alone, sometimes I allow myself to fall apart. I feel like I am unable to share my deepest feelings, thoughts and challenges with anyone as I don't have any real friends anymore. It's hard to make genuine connections with people. I do however enjoy saying hello to strangers and I enjoy my volunteer work. Journalling, reading and walking have been life savers. I love quotes and different outlooks on life. Sometimes I think of life as a garden. There will always be flowers and weeds. My happiness depends on where I focus - the flowers or the weeds. Sometimes I can only see the weeds and other times I can see the flowers. I'm also aware that the garden can be mowed at any time, with both flowers and weeds removed, so while I can, I try to focus on the flowers. Life can be messy but life is precious. Thank you for reading my ramblings

Hello all

replies: 5

Hello my name is Maz and fro the past few months I have been experiencing insomnia and anxiety associated with that. It is a really isolating place to be in my opinion. I have recently begun a medication to help with sleep but I have tried lots of other things also to varying degrees of success. Acupuncture, Chinese medicine, hypnosis, counselling, meditation, kineseology and other herbal mixtures, CBD Oil. I would be interested in how other people how navigated this journey. I resigned from work and moved back home to be closer to family, I want to be myself again and would love to go back to work, thanks for reading

Haven't properly left the house in 8years

replies: 3

Im 29 and started struggling with anxiety when i was 21. It basically came out of no where and i didn't know what to do. I didn't realise the signs as I'd never had it before. Next thing i know i was having panic attacks anytime i had to leave the house so i stopped doing it. Food shops could be delivered. Clothes and everything else all could be delivered. I had no reason to go so i didn't. Over the years, I've managed to go out once or twice a year. I was seeing a psychologist at the start until she started speaking of going for walks and i freaked. By the time i was ready to go again, she'd moved to a new clinic and i was afraid to go there. I lived with my dad and i did dog sitting for years so i never really felt like i wasn't working or doing anything. Over the last year though i moved in with my nan instead. Now im not being productive with dog sitting anymore and its all piling up. I only feel safe leaving when my sister or sister in law are with me but 1 lives out of town and the other has a 1yr old & her own family to manage. Im just stuck and i feel anxious 24/7. I lost contact with most of my friends so i really only have my family to lean on but dads fifo, mum & sister live 12hours away and my brother has his own family to worry about. I just don't know how to start going out. Its all come to a major head with talks of my nan going into a care facility. Living with dad again means moving to a whole knew area an hour away from my brother where i know nothing it that area.

Nice to meet you 👋

replies: 4

Hi everyone, and thank you so much for reading this. My name is Waffle for short, and I enjoy reading, playing games, collecting figures, vinyls, CDs, comics, and spending time with my dog. Some of my favorite games are Pikmin 4, and the older games, along with games that are on the Wii and Nintendo 3DS/DS. (I’m so sorry if this is all jumbled or confusing to read by the way ) Some of my favorite foods are waffles, pancakes, crepes, and sweet pies. I really love animals and nature as well, with some of my favorite animals being dogs, wolves, foxes, penguins, and snow leopards; my favorite subjects in school are music and art because I was inspired by a few famous bands to become a famous singer and bassist in the future! Well, as for the other subjects… I don’t really like them because they’re boring for me but it’s 100% okay if someone else likes it, that’s their choice after all. I guess that’s all for now, thank you so much for reading this; and I hope that you can have a good day/night/evening

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Where do I start? replies: 3

Owed to Solitude replies: 438

Feeling lost replies: 2

Unsure of Myself and Worth - Anxious and depressed replies: 2

Hello All replies: 2

Finally admitted I’m struggeling replies: 2

Life is Messy replies: 12

Hello all replies: 5

Haven't properly left the house in 8years replies: 3

Nice to meet you 👋 replies: 4