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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Share your story!

replies: 0

Hello lovely Beyond Blue Forums Community! You may not know - but Beyond Blue is an independent, not-for-profit organisation supported by the Federal Government and every State and Territory Government in Australia. We know that we have a wealth of wisdom and lived experience here on the Forums and we would be honoured to showcase some of these real-life stories to our funders. How can I get involved? To get involved, please message us at modsupport@beyondblue.org.au before 1 December 2023, including: Your name (or a pseudonym) Your location A short description of how Beyond Blue Forums have support you For more information on how we collect, hold and use your information, please see our privacy policy Thank you so much! See you around the Forums

Making Friends After Mental Health

replies: 4

I had a serious and unfortunately very public mental health crisis. As a result I've lost all of my friends due to my weird behaviour when suffering from psychosis. 3 years later I'm thankfully much better mentally and have managed to continue working in my profession as an engineer. My social life however is awful. Due to the industry that I work in, it's widely known that I went through a crisis, and making meaningful friendships at work is impossible. I'm not a sporty person (no energy for it) but I do like to socialise...despite having social anxiety. I've tried joining groups but never seem to meet people that I click with who are also keen to make friends (most go out to hook up it seems) I'm terribly lonely, with no support network on this side of the world apart from my psychiatrist. Despite going through a serious mental health crisis I would consider myself relatively back to normal - Although prone to deppresive phases - usually entered around my existential lonliness. I'm based in Perth Australia and would love some advice as to how to go about building a social circle, that doesn't require joining a sports club or volunteer work?

Claiming Our Voice (... or at least trying to)

replies: 5

Right now, we observe somatic sensations of a brick wall being laid in our throat, and our lips being stuck together with super glue. We're breathing deeply and exhaling with a whispered "pahh!!" - something we learned from Yoga With Adriene. To this day, speaking feels unnatural, not allowed. We're trying to change that. Parts of us have memories of doing the mental gymnastics to keep quiet - the "I am being abused" "I am being traumatised by said abuse" "I am experiencing flashbacks and other trauma responses" "Oh, mum doesn't like that" "I am completely fine and safe and healthy and nothing at all is wrong" - in freaking toddlerhood. Adorable pudgy little toddler body with tiny baby teeth smile, and we were already learning to keep it hidden. By preschool and kindergarten years, with our second and third lots of sexual abuse, all by different perpetrators, we were becoming fluent in the art of dissociation. Right now, we're noticing the walls swirling, hot heaviness in our chest and forehead, prickling skin as our vision fades in and out. Our cues to come back to the present and lock up that box. But, this time, we don't want to never return to it, or tear these words to shreds (a bonus for being a forum) - we're hoping we'll come back to this, and keep talking. Claim our voice as our own, and use it. Collectively, we go by Mae. We're neurodivergent, multiple independent persons (and some non-humans) sharing this singular vessel. We're hurting, and trying our best to create the kind of life that we always deserved but could never dream of experiencing until three years ago. We'd love to get to know all of you, and hope that, bravely, we can share ourselves.

I am new to the Forums

replies: 2

I am new to the, let me say forum scene, which I think is a good place to start from for some people I have red some posts and have ideas to share with people with depression as I live with bipolar disorder with metabolic depression. In other words i have times of manic "highs" , where i feel like I've got lots of energy and cant sleep, which some people may think that its a good thing, but not for me. After coming out of a "high" I then end up on a manic "low" where I feel depressed, and cry a lot but not this time so I can relate to a lot of you guys and girls, especially when talking about depression. I want to reach out to you but don't know how to reply to your posts can anyone help me with this issue please.

Newbie

replies: 12

Hi everyone, I have just joined this forum. I have regular bouts of severe and obsessional anxiety and also less frequent bouts of depression. I'm in my mid-forties now and have had some sort of these symptoms since I was in my early teens. I had been using substances to numb symptoms (and also emotions) for several decades, but I am happy to say that I recently successfully completed a 13 day residential/medical detox and have now been home for a week and have not used this substance at all The anxiety is felt so physically, it can be very paralysing. It is often not related to particular thoughts or concerns, seems to just take over my body and then the brain follows trying to pinpoint the cause, but this almost never calms the physical symptoms. I have seen many psychologists and psychiatrists over the decades, but nothing has gotten to the root cause of the very uncomfortable symptoms. Doing breathing exercises, actual exercise, taking a bath, trying to relax have not been successful. Hopefully I can pick up some tips or suggestions from these forums. Thanks for reading and all the best P.S. I would also like to help others in the forums if I can.

Depression and anxiety

replies: 4

I have had depression and anxiety pretty much all my life. Recently diagnosed ADD also. I have had a recent stay in a private mental health ward for almost a month I have had lots of medication changes but I am now on antidepressant that I’ve been on before that worked. I’ve only been on it for 10 days. I am getting really frustrated because I have a ‘good’ day followed by a bad day. I’m over it. I continue to take one day at a time- actually one hour at a time. I’m waiting for consecutive days in a row of feeling myself again. A bad day is either a day full of anxiety or a day of depression. I’m making sure I drink lots water, eat fruit and veggies and get exercise. I haven’t had any alcohol for 8 weeks. I have a gambling problem but also haven’t gambled for 8 weeks . just needing words of encouragement please to get through this tough time

Lost

replies: 3

Hi im writing on here, because I'm new, looking to be honest I know it's about how you look at a situation and most of the time i try be positive but it feels that everyone around me gets so complacent with it and I'm not aloud to be upset or hurt. I... View more

Burnt out

replies: 2

So tired,constant headaches,my life is traumatic, I'm socially isolated. No friends, some home help thru NDIS for myself, I'm autistic with high anxiety & mobility issues & chronic pain issues. I'm sole carer of son who has autism & some delay due to oxygen deprivation @ birth. He is chronologically 28 but mentally 10-14. My emotional age is 17. I find taking care of him quite difficult in the day to day. Prompting for eating, toileting, showering, putting him to bed. I clean up after him, do his washing for him, remind him of things he needs to do & most often times he forgets. He goes out supported @ least 3 days a week, but I can't stand his endless prattle when he arrives home, on useless topics on animations he watches or real or imagined slights that may or may not have happened to him in primary school. He never has a " normal" conversation with me. He has no neurotypical friends. He circulates in disability inclusive supported events, & never meets new people just the " regular suspects". We are in regional/ rural QLD. I only give the state as gov help etc different each state. I will be twice his age next year. I have financial constraints as been on disability pension last 20 yrs, & duped out of any savings I've strived to achieve over the yrs. Father not in picture at all for almost that same amount of time. I'm exhausted & feel useless. I'm supported only in cleaning & shopping, & being taken to family funerals. At least I get to funerals, but it seems a non priority to help me visit the living. I find it devastating when my relatives die. I never see any family & I feel very disconnected mostly on a regular basis & then like I'm meeting with strangers if I move heaven & earth to get something to happen to see them, then I'm worn out, feel more anxious about my interactions with them, & feel overwrought & that it wasn't worth it to see them after all. And then I feel I should stay reclusive & not try to attempt a normality of life at all. Most attempts to access activities that interest me are always thwarted. Or I'm signed up for some " oldies" activity as there's gov funding for that. I feel conspired against. I eek out a survival, not a life. I'm trying to be responsible for my son, but I'm only seen as a mum or a carer, not a person to have any rights as themselves. My son has gotten cruises, dances, parties, coastal holidays. No one tries to support him into anything like a supported workshop, volunteer work. He expects life to be one big party on a plate. They have set him up with an irrational expectation. I have an older son, but I'm disconnected from him & he lives in another state.

How did I end up here?

replies: 5

Hey everyone, I’ve made a real mess of things over the last few years and I feel like I’m sinking further into the mess every day. I came out of covid working in a job I absolutely loved and could see myself doing for the next 10 years. I’d nailed WFH life and excelled during the lockdowns and came out the other side with a promotion and thought I was kicking goals. Until a new manager was added to the company directly above me, and started taking away the decision making and position of leadership I’d worked so hard to get to. Unfortunately, I handled the whole thing wrong and turned on him, refusing to share information, keeping things to myself and generally made the working relationship difficult at first, and eventually untenable. The more I fought against it, the worse I felt about myself. I lost my confidence, my work quality started to decline and instead of taking responsibility for it, I blamed him and other factors. My solution was to find a new job and run away, but I took a job I knew I wasn’t suited to, and only a few days after I started there I knew I’d made a big mistake. The culture didn’t suit me at all, the job I was told about and actually asked to do we’re totally different, and after 9 months of hating every day, I was let go. Which was actually a relief. But…I’m now working contract roles, taking casual hours and have lost all confidence in myself. My brain is spinning, in fact it never stops, but I can’t turn all the thoughts and ideas into anything of substance on paper. I know my current contract role will end soon because I’m not delivering what I know I’m capable of, and they’ll let me go thinking I can’t be successful in this role, although I know I could smash it in the right head space. I just feel so beaten down, like I can’t succeed anymore. I can’t look anyone in the eye and know I’m not even close to what I can and should be doing. I’ve lost all confidence in myself and doubt every thought I have. It’s hard to be productive when you spend the day replaying every conversation or interaction over and over in your head, worry about what the other person thought of me. This feeling just makes me so miserable, that I can’t find the motivation to try and drag myself forward, so it’s a cycle of failure I seem certain to keep repeating. How can I get myself back on track and show people I’m actually a dependable and hard working employee, when I can’t even get myself to focus or complete the most basic tasks?

Psychosis

replies: 5

I ended up going through drug induced psychosis about 4 years ago and it has forever changed my life...i'm wondering if any of you have gone through psychosis and how you have got through it? I still struggle with knowing what was real and what was not real with my experience...i never thought i'd go through anything like that, but i did, i just want to go back to the person i was before i went through that roller coaster ride....can anyone else relate and have any advice on how to let all the thoughts and beliefs go? I remember everything in detail so vividly and i wish i could just move on from it, but me and my overthinking brain wants to make sense of what i went through and can't let it go....i will leave it here and hope to hear from anyone on this matter...thanks for taking the time to read this

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Share your story! replies: 0

Making Friends After Mental Health replies: 4

Claiming Our Voice (... or at least trying to) replies: 5

I am new to the Forums replies: 2

Newbie replies: 12

Depression and anxiety replies: 4

Lost replies: 3

Burnt out replies: 2

How did I end up here? replies: 5

Psychosis replies: 5