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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Cant shake the dog

replies: 3

Hello. I have suffered with depression for 16 years now. Have started on low dose medication and went all the way up to a high dose. Now 15 months no drugs. Thats wasnt easy. I have suffered dizziness for 4 years, cried nearly everyday, seen every doctor, psych, counseling, hypnosis and naturopathic services known to man. I get up and go to work everyday and just push myself to get thru the day. I have given up alcohol, coffee, chocalate, sugar and try and to excercise when i can. What more can one do to try and free yourself from this disease? Has anybody actually broken the shackles of this disease.

A quick Hi

replies: 4

Hi, I have a severe physical disability and yet am very independent in environments that are setup for me. I am coming to terms with the strong possibility that both a sibling and my mum are both narcissistic. I’ve not found a therapist who has been able to see past my disability & see me as just a person who has issues like everyone else. After working on myself for years, I’m at a point where I need answers to some questions that I haven’t found & want some emotional support.

I don’t know whether I’m well enough to go back to work

replies: 3

Hi everyone. I work freelance and am supposed to be going to Sydney for work in three weeks for a three week stint. I’ve been out of work since November, partly from being removed from my last job because of my anxiety, partly by choice, because I wanted to get on top of things, and partly because I stopped applying for jobs. Over the last six months, my anxiety and in particular, my health anxiety has spiralled out of control. I’m seeing a psychiatrist and a new psychologist, as well as regular checkups with my GP, but I don’t feel like I’m getting any better. I feel like every day everything gets a little bit worse. I don’t know whether I can go back to work, because I’m stressing so much about my health and I’d be away from my team, but if I don’t go back, I don’t know whether things will get worse or not. And because I’m freelance, finding the next job would be harder too. And I don’t want to rely on my family anymore financially. I don’t really have anyone outside my family to talk to about this and they’re just getting more and more frustrated with me. I’m at the point where I have to make a decision either way, so they can find someone to replace me, if I’m not going to go. I don’t really know what I’m looking for or what to ask. I just feel alone. Thanks for reading this.

Newbie

replies: 2

Hi I’m new to this and struggle with anxiety related to self diagnosing myself, just like today I have back of the knee pain and instantly went to the conclusion that it’s a blood clot and that I’ll probably end up dying tonight. This is a reoccurring situation, whenever I have a symptom to anything I think of the worse, I obsess over it and constantly need reassuring. I work myself up to the point of feeling worse. It’s getting too much, I’m ruining friendships, relationships and even though depression and anxiety runs in my family I feel like they don’t understand. Yet I haven’t been to see anyone about this nor am I on any medication but maybe it’s getting to the point where I need to be on something. I feel alone, like one step away from being a crazy woman! I want to connect with others alike and not feel so alone in this

Don't know where else to go.

replies: 4

I'm new here, and I'm not sure that this is the right place for me, but I don't know where else to go or who to see. I have depression and anxiety and a variety of other issues, as a result of things in my childhood. It's ruining my marriage, and I'm sure is affecting my children. I don't think this is the right place to talk about it, but I just don't know where else to go. Please help me.

Anxiety depression and panic attacks

replies: 1

Hello this is my first time here I’ve never had anything like this before. I suffer from migraines and I have for the last five years and I have been managing it but ever since 1 March my hubby’s birthday which I organised a party I got a really bad migraine and had to go home. I was so upset about it. Seven days later and I have another one which was the worst one I had in a really long time. The pain was excruciating and now I’ve stopped alcohol soft drink anything but water. I feel that I wanted to stay home and never leave the house again because if I do I will get another migraine. But then I went to work and I got another one and ever since then I can’t leave the house. I don’t want to catch up with friends or talk to anyone or do anything anymore. I’m too scared basically I can’t even go to the shops. Just in the night I was sitting there watching TV and I can feel my heart racing and my blood pressure was really high I was freaking out I went to hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack this is the first time this has ever happened to me. Then five days after that at work I felt the same thing again and then I realised it’s just me maybe it’s anxiety maybe it’s a Panic attack. Now I’m so stressed so sad all I wanna do is cry no motivation constantly in pain with headaches. I can’t tell if I’m depressed with anxiety and panic attacks all at once I don’t know what to do I just know I don’t want this.

I’m new here

replies: 4

Hi, this is my first time using something like this before. I never really had an open forum to talk on before.

Hi new here wondering how do you cope

replies: 3

I'm sitting here feeling stupid telling myself just to get over it move on you don't need counselling or help there's nothing's wrong, yet even as I type I feel my heart beating in my chest and breathing increasing, there is something wrong but admitting that to anyone (other than a counsellor) even myself is just so hard. I just want it to go away I want to go back to attending classes meeting new people, even just leaving the house feeling confident and happy again. How do you cope at the moment I'm just hanging on waiting till my next session with a councillor hoping for some miraculous cure and meanwhile life is just slipping by. Sorry to be so heavy

Worried Dad looking for support

replies: 2

Hi there I'm new to this forum and looking for some help. My son has returned after many years to live with me and family. He is looking for a job, but finds it hard to get himself out of bed. He has also recently shared some of his beliefs with me which are very different to what I'm used to. He has admitted to using cannibas and having 'light' haluncinations. He didn't put it to me that way though, and it was more in context of apparent physchic ability. I have managed to get him to agree to go to headspace and get help with employment transition, and he said he may get counselling to. I'm preparing for a long effort, but I really don't know how I'm going to get through this with work, family and other pressures too. Regards John

New member - mum in her 40's

replies: 3

Hi, I am a mum in her (early) 40's trying to navigate my way again through the troughs of depression. I have joined as I am looking for other parents in a similar boat to me (I have two children under 8), how they get through every day as a family, what support networks you have and just people who understand what depression and anxiety is like. I have a great husband and friends who try to understand, but they just don't get it. Thanks

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

Cant shake the dog replies: 3

A quick Hi replies: 4

I don’t know whether I’m well enough to go back to work replies: 3

Newbie replies: 2

Don't know where else to go. replies: 4

Anxiety depression and panic attacks replies: 1

I’m new here replies: 4

Hi new here wondering how do you cope replies: 3

Worried Dad looking for support replies: 2

New member - mum in her 40's replies: 3