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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Hi first time on here. I just want to be happy.

replies: 4

Hi all, This is the first time I have reached out for help as i have finally admitted to my self that i have depression. My problem is ....I am a people pleaser. So when i have hurt someone I feel so terrible inside and it doesn't matter how many times they have hurt me I still feel like a worthless piece of trash. So with having this problem i can no longer be my self. I am who people want me to be which has resulted in me feeling lost and not knowing who i am anymore. I am just wanting to be happy again and to find me again. So i am just wondering where to start and what to start with. Thank you for your time.

I need to talk to somebody

replies: 5

I need to talk to somebody and I need a friend. At least a real friend. I need a real person and I can be that real person for you!

Just saying hi

replies: 6

Hi all, Hope people's year is off to a good start. I'm sitting here having a bit of a meltdown. Just your garden variety feels like a heart attack while wanting to throw up and intermittently yawning uncontrollably sorta deal.. Normally my go to move would be avoidance. Remove myself from whatever stressful trigger is in play, or at the very least ignore my troubles. But I just don't feel like that option is available at the moment. I'm faced with needing to move and having to find somewhere to live, I'm on a super tight budget, my health and fitness is not ideal and just for good measure, there's a time crunch which may or may not have something to do with my go to move lol. Anyway, the people around me.. Whilst not uncaring, don't really get it. And if I hear someone say don't worry today I might lose my bundle and say something impolite. Not that it would be terrible advice.. Just mainly that it doesn't help. So I've come looking for people who might have an idea of what it's like, and found this place. I guess I'm hoping that just talking about it will at least let me get it out of my head. Where I'm at is a really long story which I won't try to cover in this intro, but the key notes are agoraphobia and anxiety of some form. And the diagnosis is PTSD..etc.. I feel it's important to note that I'm not depressed or even unhappy. The things I am worried about are legitimate concerns and challenges. And my fears, while probably amplified are not unfounded. Mostly, I'm just really frustrated because I have things to do and generally, I'm sick of feeling awful. I've had a bit of a read on site before signing up, so I know I'm not alone in feeling this way. I hope I can lend an ear to someone else, and find some people to relate to. Cheers, Bill.

New Here

replies: 2

Hi, new to all this. Am finding depression and anxiety difficult to cope with for many months now. I do a fair bit of volunteer work as well as work full time. Being around people at work and also at volunteer, I'm ok, but when away from all that I have become a bit of, I guess a hermit. Happy to be at home without people around and don't want to go out as I always feel anxious and unsafe. I keep avoiding friends as I don't want to be around them and feel like I am a spare wheel in the grand scheme. They are all partnered and I am the only single in the group. I don't feel comfortable going out by myself, as I end up feeling that I should be home and end up going home. Even work related activities like the social club, I am withdrawing from as again, its the couples thing mostly. I don't worry about even the little things, like washing the car etc, as I am the only one that has to ride in it and the house goes through periods of neglect and then I get a cleaning spurt on and it gets done. I just feel uneasy all the time and I was never like this. I really want to move past this. My GP was always very good with all this, but he retired 12 months ago and the new GP is not really into advice or mental health and is happy to keep me on the anti depressants, and that's about it. I know I have to find another GP, but I can't even be bothered doing that.

I don’t know

replies: 4

I don’t really know how I got here. I can’t even remember how I found this site to be honest. I’m a bit manic at the moment. I’ve stopped taking my medication because it’s not helping me. So I’ve arranged a doctors appointment because I do genuinely want to get better and be happy . Just right now I find myself as an angry, sour, constantly looking for an argument entity. I live with my boyfriend of two years and he has two daughters that have no discipline or respect so they don’t listen to me in my own home, so I’m overly stressed out because as someone who doesn’t have kids I’m craving that attention in a relationship but I can’t have it because of his daughters and his ex wife’s expectations of him. I feel so selfish and horrible. I hate myself for being annoyed because I understand his kids come first but damn. First relationships are hard. I hate myself more and more. Mentally, physically. I’m embarrassing even to myself. I don’t have anyone to talk to. My older sister has been supportive and made effort to be there for me. My parents, I don’t even know, but there inability to be there for me or support me, angers me. It’s not all shit though, so I’m not completely blinded by all things shit in my brain. I start my first full time job on a couple of weeks. I live in an apartment. My cars broken, so my goals for this year are to save, get a new car, and get mentally better. Just right now at this moment, I just feel so overwhelmed by everything that is negatively affecting my judgment. I don’t know who I am and I don’t know what I’m doing.

Here to learn about your community

replies: 2

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum, I am keen to learn how your community works. I lead an online community in the government space. Would love to be in touch with the Community manager. I am also a long term battler of anxiety and depression, so thi... View more

Hi to all

replies: 5

hi everyone... im dani, F, 35. i have PTSD and diagnosed anxiety disorder. this year i have committed to myself that i will love me more, and seek help more. currently see a councillor once a week ( sometimes fortnight) this is helping. i'd say i prefer to help others before myself. overall , i isolate myself a fair bit however id like to make new friends and explore new ways to manage the PTSD/ anxiety stuff. ill post in the other threads a bit more in depth but thought to keep it light for an intro thanks.

Hi, first time admitter of alcohol abuse.

replies: 4

Hi, I'm Niah. I'm 35 and a mum of 6 beautiful kids. I am a proud Aboriginal woman. I work full time. I'm happily married. I've been drinking every day since I was 21 years old, my Mum passed just days after my 20th birthday and my Dad kicked me and m... View more

First time posting

replies: 8

Hi This is my first time posting but really just need to talk about what's going on with me. I had a baby back on the 24/11/18 and a week later ended up in hospital with high blood pressure and server headaches whilst there I suffered a seziure and a stroke. I'm now struggling to cope with daily life, I feel like noone understands what I'm going through I'm angry all the time, cry everyday, I don't feel like myself I'm not even sure I understand what I'm feeling. I just don't know what to do right now. Thanks for reading

Hi. Struggling here

replies: 14

Hi I'm 44, Divorced, Mum to one. I suffer from Anxiety, Depression (at times) and alcoholism (when not taking medication). I stopped talking med over the past few weeks and ended up on a downward spiral over Xmas that has ended a one year relationshi... View more

Meet your community champions! replies: 13

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

Hi first time on here. I just want to be happy. replies: 4

I need to talk to somebody replies: 5

Just saying hi replies: 6

New Here replies: 2

I don’t know replies: 4

Here to learn about your community replies: 2

Hi to all replies: 5

Hi, first time admitter of alcohol abuse. replies: 4

First time posting replies: 8

Hi. Struggling here replies: 14