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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Defined by who I am becoming, not by my past

replies: 8

Hello,Having only just joined this group, I am still finding my way online.My preference has always been face-to-face interactions because they help me feel more connected to others. But here goes Growing up as a teenager in the 80s, without social media’s pressures, shaped this preference. The constant comparisons and judgments that happen online today can really intensify mental health challenges.Even so, my childhood was dysfunctional, marked by family violence and ongoing abuse from my parents, which had lingering effects on how I relate to others as an adult. 26 years ago, I broke my silence of abuse and finally spoke out about my experiences, beginning a healing process that has felt like being on a roller coaster, full of highs and lows. This is because growing up, I became hypervigilant to signs of danger to protect myself from abuse, making it hard to relax or trust my judgment.As an adult, I still scan for rejection or criticism and am still learning not to overthink and overanalyse texts or people's words and actions, even pauses or changes in tone from others, which leaves me emotionally drained and disconnected from my own feelings and needs. I have come to terms with the fact that recovery is not something that happens overnight or makes me forget the past. Healing is not a straight line.For example, for me, it hasn’t been Struggle- Start therapy- Feel better and put it in the past. Personally, it goes like this for me..Struggle - go to therapy - learn a little more about myself - feel better - get triggered by something - feel low - forget what I learnt - struggle - therapy - sit with emotions - learn a little more - feel better- encounter a difficulty - struggle - avoid emotions - practice what I have learnt- feel good- until something triggers me once more. Now, I see this as an ongoing learning cycle. There will be both good times and tough times, but I accept this is my lifelong path toward healing and, most importantly, personal growth.Whenever I face something daunting, I've learned to let my emotions surface rather than bottle them up. I reach out to someone trustworthy, engage in therapy, or do something I enjoy. Later, I reflect and treat every experience as an opportunity for learning and growth. Rather than criticising myself when I stumble, I strive to be gentler and more compassionate with myself, and I’m grateful for the person I am becoming; someone who extends that kindness and gentleness to those around me. I remind myself that it’s okay not to feel okay sometimes; the key is not to stay stuck there. I make sure I have tools and support ready for those challenging days. Joining this forum is a daunting but new experience and I am eager to connect with others facing similar challenges so we can support one another.We are all worth the effort and worthy.We don’t have to be defined by what we have been through butWhat we are shaping ourselves to be.Survivors!

Hello :)

replies: 3

Hi I am Bryan. I am hoping I welcomed here to get some support and feel lest alone by sharing here... I am grateful to meet new people if there is and hope to address issue thank u

Just introducing myself

replies: 3

Hi everyone, I've just come across this forum and hopefully I can meet like minded people so we can help each other. I suffer from anxiety, depression, ptsd and I'm 61 yrs old, a mother, grandmother but unfortunately live alone and no one talks to me.I also suffer migraines so dont go out much, just want to feel connected to make my life better. I'm also a great listener.Thanks for reading

Hello!

replies: 4

Good evening to everyone. My name is Adam and I’ve recently started struggling with things again. I had a rather long period after a marriage breakdown etc, and it took me a while to accept that I wasn’t going well back then. Thankfully, this time I realised that the light was beginning to fade and I wasn’t going to be left alone in the darkness. I have great support around me and I’ve found wonderful professional help. I’m wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience where they realised that they were beginning to slip away and knew to seek help straight away?

Introduction

replies: 2

Hi everyone! I am Sky. I've just joined today and I just thought I would introduce myself. I am gender neutral and use they/them pronouns. I like to watch anime. I do not have crunchy roll but I watch on Netflix. My favourite anime I'm watching is probably my hero academia (sorry if I spelt that wrong) and my favourite character is Toga or shigaraki. I am in the middle of my friends drama they go through every few weeks and have left all chats with them for a bit. Anyways I also like to read. Thanks for reading my post and have a great life

An unhappy existence

replies: 3

HiI am a man of senior years and for most of my life have felt out of place and treated like an idiot.I have always supported others through out their ups and downs but people see meas not needing support.I have health issues I am dealing with and have no family support network.I am now having to focus on my own emotional well-being because of the way I am feeling about life in general.

Mentally struggling

replies: 6

Hi. I sure do hope to find at least someone who is in my situation with whom I may connect and get some ideas from. Im 54 years old and I live as my mums carer. I have a job and I get to go away camping if I plan. My problem is Mum and I fight, argue, disagree about everything. She is 80 this year. She makes me hate how she makes me feel. I don't really have a mental support group. Sometimes my sister listens and sometimes she doesn't ,varies on her mood, but unless I have a major mental breakdown, which started on Wednesday and is still going on, I get ignored or fobbed off as 'she'll be right, its only her' kind of attitude, definitely not listening. Anyways I really need some help and Im asking for it here. I can't stop crying, I mean I do cause man can this woman act! But it is an act. I'm truly not like this all the time, but this time I can't shake the demons , and they are yelling at me very loudly.

Just looking for some support

replies: 4

Suzi here, 46 and live alone. Work in disability which is both emotionally taxing but very rewarding. Had major depression in 2004 and was admitted to a mental health facility. Did alot of hard work through CBT and a Beat the Blues program through Beyond Blue. Tried medication but not as successful as the therapy. Been living with anxiety, PTSD, depression ever since but been manageable. Then out of no where it has all returned! I think I have perimenopause. Everything I thought I handled has come back and I am now in the same situation I was over 20 yrs ago. All that hard work and progress undone. Not sure of anything anymore as it seems there has been a shift in my core beliefs. Just looking for some support so I can try convince myself this is not a relapse or something worse but just something bilogical that I can get through. Any suggestions would help.

Hi!

replies: 4

Hello everyone, I just joined this morning.A bit about me? Well in late 2024 I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety & adjustment disorder. By early 2025 it progressed to major depression disorder (MDD) & shortly before the end of March 2025 my depression became major depression with psychotic features, colliquate Ly known as psychotic depression, a mixture of psychosis and MDD.Background? Outside of most of my working life I studied psychology, counselling theory & practice, sociology & social policy at night in university in 2001. I also worked during the day in care in the community, clients with physical and/or mental illnesses & one with a traumatic brain injury, a client released from prison with a severe learning disability who was released into the community but in 24-hour secure care/accommodation. I also had clients with cancer & one with motor neuron disease; I had clients with multiple illnesses.

Intro

replies: 4

So... hi. I'm Alysia (not my actual name lol). I feel like I most likely have ADHD, and maybe a little Autism as well. I also might be depressed, but seeing the situations that other are in, I feel that I am not allowed to be. And that's me, essentia... View more

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

Defined by who I am becoming, not by my past replies: 8

Hello :) replies: 3

Just introducing myself replies: 3

Hello! replies: 4

Introduction replies: 2

An unhappy existence replies: 3

Mentally struggling replies: 6

Just looking for some support replies: 4

Hi! replies: 4

Intro replies: 4