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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My life is falling appart

replies: 2

I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. For the last 11 years I have not had a pain free day. My mother is 84 and dying of cancer and my dad has suddenly decided to abandon her care. My family is counting on me to take on the role of carer and I am not c... View more

Desperately sad

replies: 4

Hello First time here. Don't know how to begin. Hope someone is out there

Fee ling lonely and anxious

replies: 1

Hi. A while ago at work I had a incident which made me gave a panic attack. It was pretty bad which resulted in me having tine off work to reciver. The time has come for me to go back and I am getting pretty scared and anxious about going back but i ... View more

Just maybe

replies: 1

So if been having trouble coping with life, just everything basiclly, for a long while i haven't really left my house showered brush my teeth. Only started doing things since my daughter started going school, I haven't wanted to do anything, I solely live for my daughter and if it wasnt for her I wouldn't stay on planet earth, iv avoided doctors hospitals since I gave birth 6 years ago. I don't have a doctor I go too. And I'm not willing to go to one to get a mental health check, I feel scared and I would have to call reception too book a health apptm which I also feel embarrassed about, I'm just eating away at myself and I'm unsure what I can do to fix it, I have mental health problems bi polar n Bpd I refuse to take medication for, I don't want a placebo effect, I don't want to feel like a mannequin, when I did take medication I traded it abused it drank it will alcohol. Try to take enough to or few time, since then I don't even take panadol. I'm really lost. How can I change this feelinb

Young, friendless, depressed

replies: 1

Hi! I’m new to the forums and I’m here because I don’t feel very content with my life. I feel that my life is quite hard and I’ve been through a lot issues. Apart from having a not so good family dynamic, I’m also quite lonely and I don’t know how to make friends. I’m currently a first-year university student and the holidays have been very boring and depressing because I’m lonely, and I’m addicted to my phone, and I wouldn’t go anywhere by myself. It’s like I’m trapped in my own home. I don’t know how to get help. I believe that the physical and emotional abuse in childhood has caused all these problems and I don’t know what to do. I have talked about these issues to a school counselor before, but it doesn’t get rid of my issues. I’m worried about my future, because I can’t live like this.

Stressed, ocd, fatique

replies: 2

Hi there. Been troubled with extreme ocd and post natal depession. My son is now 4.5. I feel like everything spiralled put of hand 2 months ago. We returned from a family holiday. My son was sick and received antibiotics and was not eating or drinking. I felt stressed out. He eventally got better. I have always stuggled with him eating meals. This coupled with my ocd and flu being largely covered in the media stressed me out. I kept my son home from kindy. He went to get a flu shot and the dr refused asking how long he had his cough for - this was another illness he caught. I said 2 weeks and he prescribed antibiotcs. He said he didnt give them lightly. He then went to kindy and had his flu shot 1 week later. 2 days into kindy he developed a really bad cough and woke up at 4.30am every morning with high temps 39. He vomited 2 and was unable to eat as he coughed so much. 6 days later i took him to the dr who gave him antibiotics again and said he had the flu. Firstly i was completely unaware that antibiotics don't cure viruses sorry i was stupid. 5 days later i got shivers, vomiting and generally unwell. Went to see my gp and he said i had a bad throat and i had a uti, he checked my boy and said his was awful too. By this time he also had and earache and conjunctivitis. He was prescribed abs again and told to discard the ones he was on already. I have since become concerned and will be finding a new GP. But I'm having trouble moving on from this and the damage ive done. I havent been able to sleep. Cry all day. Extreme fatique. I have been at home unable to leave the house for a month. Only for appointments. I feel like I'm losing my mind. I have a counseling appointment at a womens health clinic on Monday and friday and gp appointment on wed. Hoping to find one that understands my worries for my son and explain that my brother passed away at 10 month's due to complications of a chest infection. I blame myself as a first time mum. When my son was unwell the first time i had just moved into a new area and saw the first dr available who said he needed antibiotics and i never questioned it. I know i cant go back but my mind and thoughts are crushing me.

what's wrong with me?

replies: 9

Hi, I am 48 yo male....who is very unhappy, depressed and angry.....i have 3 kids 1 grand child..grew up with alcohol and violence every weekend with my parents, no love at all, no kindness, no support. Both parents worked hard as they had no education, my father's only interests have been cars, mates and getting drunk,and starting fights, still the same to this day, a man child who thinks only of himself. i'm not sure when i first started feeling depressed...i turned to smoking pot at 18, lasted every day until i quit at 40, no alcohol for me as i seen the damage it could cause. I met a girl at 19 we had 3 children, i felt there was no love and left at 29 for someone else who showed me love for the first time in my life....a decision i have regretted since that day...i left my children, i hated myself for doing that, i tried to get back there lots of times but i was to late. i have had lots of on / off relationships since then. started night shift work at 19 including every weekend, only having 12 weekends off in 29 years, so my social life and friends are non existent, i tried to commit suicide in 2009 but it was more of an attention thing i think.. i visited a psychiatrist in 2017 and a psychologist in 2018 who introduced me to mindfulness practice, it helps but i don't seem to have the motivation to do it after 8 months now. i get very irritable and angry at minor things that i should be brushing off, i almost hate the world, i look at myself and see a small over weight old person who can't get things right, and life seems to smash me with stress, i think i may deserve this as punishment for the bad things iv'e done in life....i also feel i'm selfish, i push people away and prefer my own company most of the time, i don't honestly know how to be happy, what's wrong with me?

Starting again

replies: 1

My last post was deleted, not happy, so I will try again. I was feeling depressed yesterday, so i went to see my mum and that made me feel better and I called beyondblue, which did help.

Hi

replies: 1

Hi Everyone, Hope you are having a great day. I'm new here, wanting to get advice and hopefully give advice to others in the same situation as I am. I am married with 2 children - my 12yr old son was diagnosed with ASD/ADHD/Severe Anxiety, Depression/Sensory Issues and Behavioural Issues. My 10yr old daughter is currently going through assessment for ASD and Generalised Anxiety. And my husband has undiagnosed ASD, Generalised Anxiety and a highly addicted gamer. Looking forward to chatting

Social Anxiety is stopping my gaining employment

replies: 3

I'm 19 years old and think i have social anxiety, i feel as though everyone is judging me and looking at me. I avoid crowds, and i can't eat in front of people as i feel they are judging me. I overthink everything, and stress and have panic attacks. ... View more

Meet your community champions! replies: 13

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

My life is falling appart replies: 2

Desperately sad replies: 4

Fee ling lonely and anxious replies: 1

Just maybe replies: 1

Young, friendless, depressed replies: 1

Stressed, ocd, fatique replies: 2

what's wrong with me? replies: 9

Starting again replies: 1

Hi replies: 1

Social Anxiety is stopping my gaining employment replies: 3