Welcome and Orientation

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Sorted by:

Start a discussion

People pleasing

replies: 2

Hi; am frustrated as I tend to go out of my way to be useful to other people. This particularly in relation to work life. Am sick of being treated like crap due to others lack of empathy/thoughts that kindness equates to weakness. Any thoughts?

Hi

replies: 2

Hi, I’m new to this,im a 44 year old male, I have 3 kids, one granddaughter and 3 step kids. I’ve been in therapy for years, mostly not helping. I have epilepsy, ptsd from childhood sexual abuse. mum glad I found this forum! I need a bit of help. Hav... View more

Feeling the futility

replies: 6

Hi thanks for this facility it helps even when you don't post.I have been in a dark place for a while. I am making my way through 20 years of pain and grief and betrayal. Some days are better than others. Still not sure if the effort to break out is worth it or if i just roll over and let the darkness take me. I am still with my wife. I still love her but there is no intimacy, it feels like we are just friends living in the same house in separate rooms. She says she loves me but what i have been through with her cheating and absence broke me but i couldn't repair the relationship before she had cancer and has been ill ever since. I pushed my feelings down so deep to get us all through. Now the young one has left the nest, and some stuff has settled a bit i am dealing with the fall out, 12 years on. I can't leave. At 57 where do i go and how do i start again. I would lose everything if i did. I finally have friends that i care about and who care about me. That is novel for me. I would lose all that i have struggled so hard to build and hold onto. And for what? To be alone and lonely with no prospects. I would have to move to afford to live, i would need to still.support her financially and i would need to leave the workplace where i am working with the best people i have ever had by my side in 39 years. None of that is worth upsetting things for. But i need to resolve the whys. Am i destined to walk the rest of my days alone? Is it worth raising any of this with my wife if nothing will change? Just feeling the pain and not sure how to resolve it. Instinct says deal with it with her but in raising it i risk everything. Without her there will be no point in continuing. With her i am trapped in a relationship devoid of intimacy and i feel like i am just going through the motions. What do i do?

where do i even start

replies: 1

hello, i didn't know where to start so here i am, i'm in my late 20's, a mum of two and have had anxiety for pretty much my entire life with periods of depression sprinkled in there too. i was diagnosed as a teen and yet i still let my anxiety hold me back in life. at the moment i just feel incredibly stressed, parenting is hard enough as it is but add the cost of living crisis on top of that and being in a job that i hate with crap pay that i can barely get by on. i need to find a new job with better pay and hopefully one where i can work from home half the time (i'd love to all the time but that's just wishful thinking, i know it's almost impossible to find one like that). i need to get my license but again, i get in my head and the anxiety takes over and i find myself making all the excuses as to why i can't do it or haven't done it yet. i wish i could just do things without getting in my head or stressing about them every second, my partner is so good at being able to just do stuff and be relaxed about things whereas i feel incredibly weak and useless for finding everything so hard. anyway, feel like i'm rambling a bit now. any advice on moving forward and how i can get myself to do these things would be so appreciated, thanksssss

Intro & Query

replies: 2

Hi all' - introducing myself my name is Chris, I have issues like everyone else does but feel I have good degreee of sanity, knowledge & options, plus I'm a great judge of character...but moving on -I just wanted to be more social.. chat & meet like minded others' as it would help alot .On this forum so far I cant reply to a single thread so I find that very odd.. I've had numerous psychology sessions to date & don't mind proving as such wht I hve discussed & learnt on various mental health topics.

How do I give myself a kick in the butt, and get motivated

replies: 1

So, this is my first time ever posting in a forum.... Lets see how it goes. I'm a 44 year old mother of 2 - I live on a small farm in rural NSW and have a great life, I really that I don't have any reason for continually feeling "down, tired, zero motivation" Usually I can give myself a little talking to and get myself up an going - but this only last for a while, and then we are back to where I am now. I just want to stay on the positive/happy trail, and get off the merry-go-round that i have been stuck on for many years. I would just like to talk to someone (who doesn't charge a fortune) who isn't local (small town issues of privacy) and who has practical "common sense". Maybe writing in this forum, someone will reply who I can connect with and that will be the start of something new .....

New here, introducing myself

replies: 3

Hey everyone, I'm new here and thought I would introduce myself and talk a little about my experiences. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and complex trauma 3 years ago. I was hospitalised last year and ever since coming out and adjusting my medications to the right dosage, making lifestyle changes such as exercise, yoga, meditation and journaling I have been doing well mostly. I love talking to people about wellbeing and encouraging others to try healthy habits because they have changed my life. I wanted to join this community to meet other people and talk about mental health because I don't really know anyone else who is opening struggling and it would be nice to gain some other perspectives. I've had a difficult past few weeks with some of my symptoms coming back such as low mood, loss of interest in activities I usually enjoy and paranoia and I wanted to know how other people deal with this when it occurs? Some things that I have found helpful in the past for managing these feelings have been meditation and yoga, even if I don't feel like it I still make an effort because I know it will help.

Introduction

replies: 4

Hey guys I'm Jess. I'm 32 and from Melbourne Vic. I'm feeling really stuck at the moment in life. Like I'm trying to dig my way out of quick sand, but the more o dig, the deeper I get. I can't seem to get out. I'm depressed. I'm always tired. I don't... View more

Brave enough to try

replies: 1

Sitting here with my fur baby I'm feeling so overwhelmed by my thoughts my life my work my isolation my lack of motivation...When will I reach a brighter place.Where I want to be where I want to enjoy where I want to participate

Hey

replies: 2

Hey I am David I am 40 and have anxiety that is quite severe, I have agoraphobia and social phobia. Lately I haven't been doing so well with things and that lead me to coming here as I thought connecting with a community would be healthy for me.

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

People pleasing replies: 2

Hi replies: 2

Feeling the futility replies: 6

where do i even start replies: 1

Intro & Query replies: 2

How do I give myself a kick in the butt, and get motivated replies: 1

New here, introducing myself replies: 3

Introduction replies: 4

Brave enough to try replies: 1

Hey replies: 2