Welcome and Orientation

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Meet your community champions!

replies: 12

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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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

Infertility help

replies: 5

Hi, I could really use some support and help. Im suffering from major anxiety and depression. I rarely want to get out of bed (I do but its difficult). My job is demanding and stressful ( I get no support). I have a lot to be grateful for but my family amd parnter also add a lot of stress. I have been trying to get pregnant and have done all of the fertility tests and I have a low egg count. Everytime I am late it seems I am filled with so much hope and then I get my period and im left empty. I feel like I am not coping well with anything and everything is overwhelming. I dont want to keep going like this but I dont really see any options or ways out. Any support or experiences would be much appreciated.

I can't cope with quiet

replies: 4

I am having so much trouble with anxiety in my home, I have a terrible tendency to not be able to handle certain noises yet not be able to handle no noice at the same time. I live in quite a stressful environment with 4 children that aren't mine, 3 dogs and 3 cats that live in my room. The noice of the children can really stress me out so much to the point that I can't go to the bathroom or eat properly and I feel like im panicking and can get very upset. However even when the house is quiet I feel panicked. If I have a bath I can not turn the water off at all because I can't handle not hearing the sound of the water running. I empty it and refill and empty and refill and I know its so wasteful but I cant stop myself. When I am lying in bed and the house is quiet at night in just my room I turn on the electric heater, the aircon and the fan all at once because I will panic without hearing them running. If I am sitting in my room right now I have a movie playing that I am not even watching just to hear a noise in the background. I am well aware that because I have always lived in a small and very chaotic household that I most likely am comfortable with hearing noises and that is why I always have to be hearing something but it really is getting to the point where it is bothering me all day every day, I am so unhappy, I have a very very high stress life and am stuck in stressful relationships that I can't escape. I am so so uncomfortable with the noise problems that I gave, its like if I hear the wrong sounds I panic but if I hear no sound I panic too. I don't want to be like that all the time I really don't understand why I can never sit comfortably in silence or be okay with hearing the children play. Please help me understand, I thought I might be noice sensitive but then no noise freaks me out too and I don't understand how I can feel both of those or how I can control them.

Forum suggestion?

replies: 8

I am a newbie here as of today, i have made my "super long introduction" first post and since then i have read through a few threads and comments and i would like to offer a suggestion. I am an active member on a different support forum unrelated to here and i have noticed something lacking on b.b that i feel would be beneficial having seen some recent posts by the more established/long term members here. A "greetings/introductions" area for newbies/new members perhaps? A place for people to introduce themselves, where posts wont dissapear as quickly into the depths of time and to the back pages, a place where those that have good advice and time to comment can welcome our new members. I feel this category would be a worthwhile addition to b.b, which, being a forum that offers support, a friendly word and also advice would help all newer members fit in and feel welcomed and happy to contribute further. Because, lets face it, we all know why we are here, for support, and to talk things through, and hey, what could be worse than a first post that no one replies to, or one that just disappears into the depths of time? Anyway i better go, bye for now! Star pup ^.^

I feel frozen

replies: 1

Hi there, I feel frozen and unable to do anything, like everything around me is moving to fast and I can’t catch up. I just want everything around me to stop so I can catch up - I can barely focus or concentrate. So I am spending each day basically in bed, sleeping and using what little energy left over to do try and focus to do the bare minimum to keep the house ticking over. I know the way out is to re-engage, but amongst other things I am afraid of facing the consequences of my inactivity for the past 3 weeks (especially with my work and now being faced not being able to support myself and my Neice who is in my care) and part of me seems like it is refusing to commit to helping myself. I have lived with depression and anxiety for most of my life, mainly anxiety as a child but I didn’t know it at the time. I am 43 years old and feel like I keep reliving the same pattern of getting well and then things falling apart, the same mistakes. In some ways it feels like I am sabotaging myself which I find distressing. On a positive note, I did see my doctor a couple of weeks ago and asked for a referral to a psychiatrist and I have been seeing a psychologist on and off for the past 3 years, and just reconnected and made an appointment for next week on Wednesday. I think that signing up here helped me make that phone call to book the appointment with the psychologist. I recognise a lot of my thoughts are the depression /anxiety talking and am warding them off, but it is taking most of me to do so and am not functioning as I need in the rest of my life. Does anyone else feel the same? Or sick of the repeat patterns of ups and downs? Thanks for listening

Newbie

replies: 5

Hey everyone, I'm new here I'm just hoping to get a little support and direction on some anxiety I have been dealing with recently. TIA

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

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

Infertility help replies: 5

I can't cope with quiet replies: 4

Forum suggestion? replies: 8

I feel frozen replies: 1

Newbie replies: 5