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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People are noticing, I feel fake!

replies: 7

Hey, So I'm usually so good at hiding it, people always comment on how positive I am! how I'm friends with everyone, which is true I hate nobody only dislike some peoples behaviours at that time. i know that probably sounds stupid but its really the way I think! Everyone thinks I'm perfect, besides my close friends that know parts of the truth, they know the story of me, but not all the mental health issues that go with the story, like they know I've got anxiety because well long story short friends have been in the wrong place at the wrong time-drune panic/anxiety attacks or meltdowns and now i randomly talk about my anxiety but not like the way it is! My coordinator asked me to stay back the other day and asked me if i was ok? of course i replied with yes of course(i course i wasn't). He continued to say that I've still been my positive self but Ive seemed a little sad lately. i assured him i was fine. i thought nobody noticed everyone usually think I'm fine because im always smiling!! i feel fake!!! i can't help it, i have to push through and show everyone i am fine, i am strong and i can cope no matter! i don't want anyone to know I'm not fine! please help I'm over faking it! it takes up so much of little energy i have!!! help?

How do you know ?

replies: 3

Hi i am new to this and not sure where to post this under or if i should at all ? Maybe a stupid question. I am a mum of 4 with another on the way at 24 years old i have not been feeling myself lately , my question is how do you know if you have anxiety or depression or if your just having a bad day or something. I don't have any help or anyone to talk. has anyone else felt ashamed or scared to talk to a doctor thinking their kids are going to get taken if you do have mental health issues?

Anxiety/Panic Attacks - Don't want my life to change again...

replies: 2

Hello everyone! Writing on here as a newbie. Thought I would give an overlook as to what i've struggled with over the past years and where I am now... I struggled with a lot as a child - Parents divorce when I was 7. A severe fear of thunderstorms (recovered now). Daily fights within the household between family members. An older sister who was dealing with BPD whose behaviour put a lot of stress on my mother. A lot of loneliness. I am the youngest of 4 and sometimes envy my older siblings for getting a breezy childhood, whilst I was left to deal with all the grown up problems during mine. ANYWAYS - I survived and can't complain because overall I had loving friends and family (divorce wasn't messy), and was a happy kid who brought the family together. During the later of high school I started to develop anxiety that would cause constant nausea and developed slight agoraphobia (I went on an SSRI which eased the nausea). In my first year out of school I developed an extreme fear of terrorism. I quit my job, started to drink everyday, and went into a cycle of avoidance. After 2 months of this I sought help, went to a clinic and did a CBT program which worked! I came out, went back into work and had a perfect 4 years of living a successful life! During this period I had a few hard life experiences, my Dad being diagnosed with MS and taking on the responsibility of his part-time carer, as well as my mother having a stroke (which she recovered from luckily). I took these problems in my stride and continued on with life. Fast forward to late last year, out of the blue I started to have panic attacks before or during everyday 'stressful' situations, things I would usually be able to control normally. I ignored it because my life for the 4 years before had been amazing, why would things change now? Went to work on a Monday and had a severe panic attack out of nowhere, I was sent home and from that day its like my mind switched - I began to panic 24/7, had intrusive depressive thoughts, constant crying, over-worrying about my parents health. My medication was upped and am seeing a psychologist once a week. Returning to work tomorrow after 2 weeks off... I have 85% returned to myself. I am just so worried now about how I will do returning to work after such an ordeal, I'm not confident that my panic attacks won't return, I don't want to quit my job again. I want my old life back, I'm only 23 and I want to live life without the fear of this happening again!

New to this journey and I want to get off the ride

replies: 3

Only nearly diagnosed with bipolar 2. Still not sure if I believe it? I finding out I keep getting forgotten in the mental health system. I am trying hard to get better but I am so tired of the battles.

How can I handle anxiety and work stress.

replies: 1

I've had anxiety my who life. It's exhausting. It started in Primary School. Both my parents like to bragg about their children. If I felt I was failing, I felt intense mental pressures that if I did not achieve this, I would be an embarrassment or f... View more

Panicking

replies: 5

Hi, I’ve woken up tonight after a couple of hours sleep feeling completely panicked. I have no idea why. My legs are cramping, my chest feels so tight that I can’t breathe properly, my throat feels tight, my heart is pounding. It’s happened a couple of times lately. I tried to listen to a meditation podcast but it just makes it even worse. I hate this feeling in my legs, it’s not painful cramping, just enough to keep me awake and stretching doesn’t help! How can I relieve it?? It just makes me even more worried. i hope it’s not something more serious.

Time off for Anxiety and minor depression

replies: 3

Hey all, first time here.After a workplace investigation, which basically amounted to bullying, on the 150 allegations made against me, i was found clear with no case to answer.3 years down the track i now have feelings of depression and anxiety (have had them since the investigtion began i guess) and now i have decided after after being in the company for 30 years taking some of my sick leave for my mental state is something i am entitled to.Its difficult for me as i have never been one for taking sick leave.I have been on meds and seeing a Physcologist quite regularly. Any advice on how doctors react to this type of request? I was thinking of asking for 2 weeks off, have the need to leave the phone at work and clear my mind Thanks

A first step??

replies: 4

I am pretty sure I have had less than average mental health since as long as I can remember (so about year 2!). At 31yrs i am beginning to see that ‘normal’ for me is not average for everyone else. Of course I am also relatively sure that my parents are also do not have great mental health- which normalised my own struggles. I have spoken to my GP a few times but they admit that they are not great in this area. So now I know I want to make the first step but find myself struggling to do it. I am overwhelmed by a horrible feeling in my chest a LOT. Well no I had made a step and it flopped and so now the second step seems even more impossible. I used to be able to manage. To just get on with life and be functional. Now that ability keeps being eaten away. And as I am posting this steam of consciousness I realise that I have tried to get help more than once and haven’t been able to advocate for myself to get past the initial barriers. how when you are scared of people and what people think and scared of not being believed do you find someone to talk to? even reaching out on this is well beyond my comfort zone right now. I want to be able to do the things I did when I was coping. I want to be the confident person I fake being when I interact with everyone. i also would really like to know what is not quite right in my head. Does having a diagnosis help??

Just saying hi

replies: 8

Hi I'm Rob... That's probably all you need to know about me as everything past that sucks. take care of yourselves.

Introduction

replies: 2

hello everyone, just thought i'd pop in and say hello! as I write this post there is a little lizard crawling down my wall, he says hello too. hope you are all having a wonderful evening

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

People are noticing, I feel fake! replies: 7

How do you know ? replies: 3

Anxiety/Panic Attacks - Don't want my life to change again... replies: 2

New to this journey and I want to get off the ride replies: 3

How can I handle anxiety and work stress. replies: 1

Panicking replies: 5

Time off for Anxiety and minor depression replies: 3

A first step?? replies: 4

Just saying hi replies: 8

Introduction replies: 2