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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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

Health Anxiety, is it really anxiety

replies: 2

Hi, this is my first time posting. I'm wondering if anyone else has the same or similar symptoms as I do. I got sick a few yrs ago with nothing too major just kept getting misdiagnosed which caused it to go on for 9 months. Ever since then I seem to get sick all the time. I can't go 2 weeks without getting what is like a tummy bug. I feel hot, nausea, mild diarrhea, headaches & it last for usually 3 to 5 days. I no longer go to work as I am always taking time off. I have had so many blood tests, MRI, scans etc but they are all clear so the dr says it's anxiety. I am now on medication which I thought was helping I had gone almost 7 weeks without that feeling, then out of nowhere it came back. Is this really anxiety or am I catching some bug over & over again? No one in my family gets sick with it. I'm not sure how much longer I can go on like this. I miss the old energetic mum & wife I used to be. I feel afraid that this will be my life forever & no one can help. Does anyone else have these symptoms? Thanks

Light Headed

replies: 4

Why is it that when you stress you encourage light headiness this scares me so much.. It starts this cycle of fear and then I'm forever on the look out

Newbie

replies: 1

I'm Knitter and a newbie here.

Relocation and loneliness

replies: 1

hi mum of 2 boys- 5 years and 3 yrs relocated in 2017 from melbourne to brisbane, only for my eldest sons chronic eczema. our move has helped his health, and he has taken off really well. hubby found a good job. but I have lost all my friends and my family in melbourne. maybe its the age: i am nearing 40, and am finding difficult to make friends. with my business not doing that well, and job not an option for me, I am feeling very alone the entire day. i find it difficult to uplift myself and everyday seems like a weight on my shoulders. i dont think my hubby gets it, as his social interaction is sorted at work, while mine is zero. i really want to know how to help myself. thank you

Looking for work and feeling low

replies: 2

Hi All, Greetings from cool, but Sunny Adelaide. Never posted on these forums before...so hear goes. I have not held a "steady job/regular full time work for 7 years. This is because I left what was a pretty steady job in the healthcare sector for what i thought was going to be more opportunity, more hours, more money in the private sector. Unfortunately after the three month probation period they told me suddenly and without warning "sorry its not working out" and ever since then have not held a full time job. I applied for hundreds of jobs, with only limited replies and even more limited opportunities for interview. I had a few contract positions/casual jobs since then but I need some stability (for financial as well as other reasons). I have also had major illness with breast cancer throughout 2015 which turned my world upside down. I was not working at the time and then needed to go on benefits again (at the same time going through treatment). I was feeling very depressed during this time and now looking back wish I had taken action by going to the GP to talk about how I was feeling. To the present time, I am gutted after I was unsuccessful in gaining employment at a hospital which I was ideally suited and have asked them for feedback but I am yet to hear back (again disappointment). Luckily though I do have a one day a week permanent position (this ends the end of july - per contract) and some casual typing from home which works out only 1-2 days a week. Again feeling very low about my worth, but I guess I can count myself lucky that I am still alive and cancer free. Hoping that some time in the future something will come up but feel increasingly low.

Troubled Teen

replies: 1

My beautiful 16 yr old daughter is suffering anxiety and depression 2 years after a sexual assault. She struggles to get to school due to this illness. I’m so scared to leave her at home alone but I have to work.

Hi there

replies: 2

Hi everyone am 38 years old and male and chef by profession. Currently suffering from depression and anxiety but latley more depression and it's affecting my life in a big way thought I would try and get out of my shell and talk to other people who m... View more

migration,winters and work issues

replies: 1

Hi people, I am a middle aged man, recently moved to this beautiful country with my partner and a kid. As I anticipated, the move has been a pressure. Talking about work first, while I quickly found a job commensurate to my skills, the cultural differences(I'm a south-asian) at workplace have been more bothersome than the work itself. I have been a super achiever in my profession(in my home country) and believe in working hard and making my way forward. My attitude is not well received by colleagues at current workplace as my opinion and work are not valued and appreciated. Then on the personal front, I feel sorry for my partner who has been managing the kid alone while I'm at work and often I'm too exhausted to be of help when I'm back home. Most importantly, I've been an outdoor person and have always enjoyed physical activities, the winters in Victoria have made me home bound and I feel sick of not being able to go out and in some sense take control of my life. Amidst all this, It was was only through pure serendipity that I found beyondblue. I look forward to finding some good support from the community. Warmest Regards,

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

I feel frozen replies: 1

Newbie replies: 5

Health Anxiety, is it really anxiety replies: 2

Light Headed replies: 4

Newbie replies: 1

Relocation and loneliness replies: 1

Looking for work and feeling low replies: 2

Troubled Teen replies: 1

Hi there replies: 2

migration,winters and work issues replies: 1