Welcome and Orientation

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Meet your community champions!

replies: 13

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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Heya

replies: 2

Hi peoples ... Man these things are hard to start... Jimmy Recard is my fake name on here because it said not to use my real name. I'm a 36 year old guy still stuck in the 90's. I have had Anxiety, panic problems, quite bad depression, and depersonlisation since my teens. When I was 16 I had a series of panic attacks (panic disorder) mainly brought on by myself with alcohol and not eating enough, then being too sick to eat. This lasted for a whole summer, I couldn't go anywhere without getting very dizzy, then panicking. I then stayed at home a LOT that summer, which even without panic attacks, for a 16 year old very active young dude, is hell! When going back into school and schedule the next year I found it helped a lot, but formed lots of fun little phobias, and I then ended up failing school and just leaving. Finding work after that, I was starting to progress and was able to push through a lot of mental barriers. I then found work at a very stressful workplace, which paid good money though, I easily went into a rut of ... I guess emotional eating, binge drinking, the usual. The stress built up wayyy too much, I eventually booked 2 weeks holidays, then on that holidays, my panic disorder started again when I stopped eating so much junk food, but then also not eating enough good food either. This time while I was driving my car, I was almost 2hours from home, not that long of a drive, but every minute of that drive was filled with panic, just because I wanted to get home. My 20's were then filled with agoraphobia, major depression, depersonalisation, a bit of what seemed like psychosis. I couldn't get anywhere to get help, I had a mental barrier it seemed, that was about 500m from home. I had no job, no life, no goals, no ambition, no friends, no reason to wake up. For one part of a winter, I didn't bother going past my letterbox for about 2months because I didn't have the energy to put up with a panic attack that day from trying to keep pushing my barrier. This lasted about 10/11 years, and a few other problems along the way, long story finally shortened. I'm now mid 30's, only started SSRI's a couple years ago, which has helped HEAPS, but is not a full cure. I'm now trying to rebuild my life, find a job, and try kick some anxiety in the assface!

new thread

replies: 8

hello, i am new here. i joined to see if starting a thread would provide some insights...

Hello

replies: 6

Hi, I am 54, male and have walked a thin line with depression and anxiety for some time. It came to a head some 23 years ago when in my previous employment in a bank I was involved in a hold up. I fell down a huge hole that took some time to climb out, thanks to my wife, family and support I am here today. Lately I feel that I am falling in that hole again, pressure from work and high stress levels both at work and home is slowly getting to me. Stress of short of income and family concerns as my son is fighting for custody for his beautiful daughter is not helping me. I am thinking more and more of the "what ifs"... I seem to always be wrong ...... and I am starting to doubt my own decisions both at work and home. I just need to chat

I think i'm depressed but when i confronted my parents about it, they shut me down and told me it was just a phase.

replies: 5

Hi, I'm 14 and i don't really know where else to express myself about this. I've been feeling really empty for a couple months now and hidden it away and not worried about it. I have no motivation to do things anymore, i don't feel like joining in on sports i usually love, i'm constantly tired and i don't feel like socialising with people anymore, i used to be a very outgoing person but now it feels like i need to stay in the dark and hide everything. I brought this up to my friends at school, but i heard something from my super close friend that people were saying that i was attention seeking so i stopped looking for help from them. I brought it up to my mum but she shut me down and told me it was just a phase and it's probably because i stay in my room looking at my phone. When the real reason i stay in my room on my phone is because i dont want to come out and be with everyone. Thank you if you read this, it means a lot.

Sudden and serious return of symptoms

replies: 7

Hi All, i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety a few years back after some family trauma. I worked through that with medications and counselling. I am been happy from then on. Working full time, finishing my degree etc. I seem to have gotten overwhelmed by things lately. I have a chronic autoimmune condition and I think the endless medical appointments and test have brought it to the front of my mind where I usually didn’t have to think about it too much. My husband is being bullied at work and he has been suspended while they are investigating some allegations against him. They are totally baseless and petty but it is a very stressful time. I can’t seem to stop crying and feeling absolutely miserable. I saw my GP yesterday and then attended a counselling appointment. The counselling helped a lot and a felt ok yesterday evening but now this morning I am a mess again. I just don’t know what to do. I want to be a resilient person and just be able to cope with things but I feel I can’t function. I am at a total loss.

New Member Introduction

replies: 2

Hey guys! I am new to the BB forums and wanted to introduce myself! I am a student studying psychology at Monash University and will be helping out with the forums for the next couple of months! I’m also new to Melbourne, moving here at the beginning of the year from Adelaide to study. In my free time I love to dance salsa and travel! I look forward to reading the posts and contributing where I can. Cheers, Wazowski

Hey

replies: 2

Hello I’m Jessica only my parents call me that. Everyone else calls me Jess. Mom 34 married with 3 kids. 12,10&7. I was diagnosed with social anxiety and depression when I was 22. Just after my eldest was born. That’s when I decided to get help. I enjoy netball which I play Monday and Thursday mornings. I also do taekwondo aswell. Twice a week. I met my three bffs through netball. I did sports photography for a couple of years and now I gotta push myself

Needing a rant.

replies: 1

Hey, so I’m new and I’ve never done this before but I guess I’ll just start. I’m currently struggling with my mental health. I’m not diagnosed with anything and haven’t been to a counsellor or anything before. Idk I’ve just moved houses from one state to another. It was such a huge move. I was fine with it at the start and after about a year in (about nowish) I’m currently now doing as well as I thought I was. Idk what it is but like,, I don’t have much motivation, I’m in my last year of high school so I kinda need it right now! I am experiencing highs and lows not even just with my mental well-being and how I’m coping with life. For fun I play netball, but lately it’s just getting boring and not at all enthusing as it once used to be. It’s more like a chore than anything. the day before I have my games I am excited to play and then on the day I’m just so low and tired and not wanting to do anything. Idk I sometimes burst into tears when I’m alone. It’s not even that often I just feel lonely and like I need someone to comfort me But I don’t want comfort at the same time. I blame it on my hormones and shit but idk if it’s just that or it’s me. Like my coach for netball she saw something this afternoon and she messaged me not that long ago asking whether I was fine and needed help or anything. And I always tell people I’m fine and good and grand but i just don’t know how I feel and I don’t know what else to say other than that. My friends have noticed it as well but I say the same shit that I’m good and it’s nothing to worry about. Just stress from year 12. just thinking about people even asking whether I’m good makes me want to cry and just tell people what’s happening. But I don’t even know what’s happening. I struggle with expressing my emotions effectively, and I don’t know what to do or who to talk to. I struggle making romantic relationships too I’m not sure why but I just can’t seem to get close to anyone at all. It’s ridiculous. My love life is basically not there at all and I feel like I’m falling while everyone else is growing as adults. I know that I’ll just get ridiculed by my family if I talk to them about what’s happening in my head. I always fight with my mum. Our relationship isn’t the best too. My friends see my nuclear family as perfect and with nothing wrong but since I have only just become close with them they don’t really know what’s up at home. Idk what to do after I post this I might not look at it but at least it’s out there.

I'm new

replies: 14

Hi I am new to BB and to forums in general. I am currently experiencing great sadness as a result of what my doctor calls an overwhelming load of grief. I support my elderly parents (demanding father with Aspergers and mother with end stage dementia), and have an adult child who has a serious mental illness and keeps cutting off contact with me for months at a time. I have only seen her children a few times, for an hour or so each time. I have no friends, as I seem to always attract people who need help, then ditch me when their crisis is over. The lights in my life are my son's family who love me very much. I am particularly interested in seeing posts by people with adult children with mental illness who cut off communication repeatedly for no apparent reason. I am also interested in any posts about domestic violence, including how to get over the harm done to your children after the family court ignores their evidence and forces them to spend unsupervised time with sexually, physically and emotionally abusive father. Thank you for making these forums available.

New member - dealing with new diagnosis

replies: 2

Hello all. I'm new to the forum. I've recently been diagnosed with severe depression, generalised anxiety disorder, and OCD. I'm in my 30s and have only sought help recently, although I've had some of these issues for many years. Adjusting to this reality, figuring out medication, and getting used to therapy is such a big adjustment. I'm also looking at a hospital stay if my depression doesn't improve soon. Looking forward to becoming part of the community, hopefully getting some support from you all. Thanks for reading

Meet your community champions! replies: 13

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

Heya replies: 2

new thread replies: 8

Hello replies: 6

I think i'm depressed but when i confronted my parents about it, they shut me down and told me it was just a phase. replies: 5

Sudden and serious return of symptoms replies: 7

New Member Introduction replies: 2

Hey replies: 2

Needing a rant. replies: 1

I'm new replies: 14

New member - dealing with new diagnosis replies: 2