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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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

Hello there

replies: 3

Hello everyone, my name is Jan, my husband of 30 years is in the middle of a crisis, which I did not see the signs of as I was grieving my mother who passed in September after caring for her for the past seven years following a major car accident. We have raised two children on the autism spectrum which has taken most of our time and energy and money. I have isolated myself over the years and my husband was / is my best friend, we were together 24/7 and have become co-dependent. He needs to grow and he feels he cannot do this with me. My anxiety levels are through the roof and I am struggling to cope, Feeling very scared and lonely.

Hi Im new and I feel like a failure

replies: 14

Hi Im new to this forum. Ive been bottling things up for a few years now and I feel like I need to speak up. Ive recently turned 40 and I have a partner and two young kids. My problem is my inability to get a full time job and the subsequent depression and lack of confidence and self esteem as a result. Im looking in my career field and while I have worked full time and part time and casually I just cant seem to break through. I feel a failure as I cant provide for my family or contribute adequately even though my partner works almost full time. I feel like my partner resents me and I feel like I have ruined her life. My father in law also thinks im lazy and this is why I dont have a ft job and this is why. I dont know where to turn to or what to do. Im starting to get paranoid there is something wrong about me which is why I dont get work. Im starting to think some really dark thoughts and I find myself becoming detached from my family.

I don't know what's wrong with me

replies: 2

I've been struggling to put my feelings into words, so forgive me if this is all just fluff. I've noticed that as I've gotten older, I've become a lot less driven in regards to my school work. When i was younger, I was excited to do work and I did it as quickly and as well as possible, but now, in uni, I find it hard to sit and focus and finish my work satisfied. I'm always left feeling bored and empty, and this has bled into my interactions with others. I've increasingly ignored my friends from high school, whom I do love, and I don't feel joy from my interactions anymore - in fact, I feel like my participation ruins the mood, to a certain extent. I don't want to fail uni, but I don't feel motivated to do anything anymore. I don't want to lose my friends, but I don't feel motivated to talk to them anymore - and it's not their fault. I just want to enjoy life, but I'm finding it really hard to. Is there something wrong with me, or is it all in my head?

Meet your community champions! replies: 13

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

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

Hello there replies: 3

Hi Im new and I feel like a failure replies: 14

I don't know what's wrong with me replies: 2