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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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Hi, I have some questions

replies: 5

Hi, I'm new to this so I have no idea how i should be starting but here goes. I'm a 28 year old guy who is studying my masters in nursing and also working part time. I still live at home, with a good family, but has its issues from time to time (Whose doesn't right?). Prior to my current studies i did a double degree in teaching and science, and I also worked throughout. I have a very small number of friends who i am close with but, otherwise don't have a significant other or many meaningful relationships. My mum has always struggled with depression, being admitted to hospital for a psychosis episode a few years back and has always been a negative/ complaining type person, although she won't admit it, and its one of those issues that just gets swept under the rug. Over the past few years and increasingly more recently, i have felt incredibly down about about myself, and doubted my ability to do anything. Lately and in the past, some of things i have experienced are forgetfulness, inability to focus/concentrate, lack of motivation, chronically tired no matter how much sleep i get, generally disengaged with people, and just can't seem to 'grow up' or engage with life's challenges. I am abit of a worrier, and its getting hard watching my friends get on with their careers and getting married etc.. while i'm still living at home, trying to sort my life out, and feeling pretty down generally. I really don't know what is going on, and why i can't seem to get it together emotionally and in terms of getting life sorted. It's like i don't have any desire to do anything, or nothing excites me or gets me interested. My bad memory is really effecting my ability to study at the moment, and in the past it has affected my ability to work as a high school teacher which is why i stopped and never really got engaged with the profession. I will admit i think i am afraid of people and standing up for myself. I get nervous in social settings and particularly if i am the center of attention but, as soon as i am comfortable i relax and become alot louder and like to have fun. I've gone to see my GP who has been virtually no help, and just put down my emotions to just stress (which i am a very stressed out person) but i have felt pretty crap for a long a time and i don't know why or how to fix it. I am wondering if someone here might be able to give me some ideas, as this is really starting to effect my work/ study life. Thank you for reading and appreciate your thoughts!

fearing the unknown

replies: 2

Hello, First time posting so thanks for taking the time to read. I've been out of work longer than i would have liked to (would prefer not to be unemployed at all). As a result i will be about to commence a 'work for the dole' scheme where i have to spend 20 odd hours a week helping out at some not-for-profit organisation with people i don't know, whilst i understand that this was always a possibility i am now feeling a few emotions about it actually happening. Whilst i have been trying to get a job i have become a bit tired of getting "thank you but no thanks" replies and sometimes nothing at all. It left me feeling a bit depressed about getting nothing and the longer it's gone on i slowly (probably wrongly) got used to it. I've been studying a course online and it's been tougher than i could have imagined. Whilst the course doesn't apply for 'work for the dole' it now means i will have less time to study - just the thought of losing time for study has me feeling nervous. i have no doubt i will complete it - just longer than i would have liked. I'm embarrassed as to what has become of my life, i knew being unemployed would be tough but what i'm about to face for this next period of my life has me feeling anxious as i'm nowhere near where i want to be in life. I want to be happy in life and i'm not even close. I'm at an age where i should be well advanced in a career and personally in friendship and love. Money is tight and once the bills get paid there is very little left, having a job would give me a big sigh of relief just so i can have a bit of spending money but it's so tough to get a job. I'm dreading the next week as i don't know what to expect, not having enough time to study is giving me stress and the hope of getting a job let alone a job interview just continues to fade. I want to do well in life and at the moment it just doesn't seem like a possibility. Thanks for taking the time to have a read.

Time to stop running

replies: 2

Hi everyone, First time here, so it is nice to meet you all. Kind of a mixed bag of things at the moment, and feeling quite directionless as to where to go. It's been a long time bottling things in. I just need help. I just need someone to talk to View more

Inactivity

replies: 3

I don't really know how to start this conversation. I hate to talk about my feelings. I think I try and turn my brain off and stay as numb as possible. Maybe I'll just say what's been going on lately. I haven't been to uni and I've been actively avoiding my life for over 3 weeks. I have opened pages on mental illness multiple times, tried multiple times to do one of the things that might get me going again. But I think I know each time that, really, I'm not going to do anything about it. Avoidance is a really key characteristic of mine. I don't really act until I'm forced to, and I think I feel secure in the knowledge that nothing really bad has happened to me and I don't think I really understand consequences to my actions. I have had the beyond blue page open on my laptop for weeks and yesterday evening I finally tried opening a webchat but I exited before connecting to someone about 6 times. I started crying and felt sick in my stomach. I decided that when my housemate came home I'd tell her I wasn't ok and ask her to make sure I got out and talked to a psychologist or someone today but when she got home, her boyfriend was back from a holiday and was with her. I couldn't bring it up and acted as though everything was fine last night and this morning. After she got home last night I wrote down some of my feelings and decided to go see someone and show them as I'm not sure I can get it out in words. I didn't do that, I stayed in bed. The idea of going to the counselling at uni makes me really anxious that I'll run into someone I know and I won't know what to say. I've finally acted. I just called my mum and asked my parents to come over and help me to get help. They're on their way but I don't really know what to say or how to say it. I think I'm just going to ask them to make sure I see someone. The idea of showing what I wrote, and talking to a stranger is easier to me... I don't really want to change, I want to stay inactive and numb but I know I can't. How do you find the motivation to change? I don't want to change, I just know I need to. The idea of talking to someone scares me. I'm really bad at expressing my feelings, or even understanding them myself

Unsure

replies: 5

Hi, I haven’t been to see a doctor and I haven’t ever been diagnosed with anything- I’m not even sure there is anything wrong with me...well that’s a lie, somethings not right but I don’t want to hurt myself or anyone else for that matter. It’s just for a while now i’ve felt what i’ve described as “flat” I just have no energy to care about anything, my partner has tried to talk to me about it saying i’m distant and moody ....I look into his eyes and see his hurt but I just don’t have the energy to care....I’m laying there thinking, i’m tired, just be quiet so I can sleep! How horrible is that?! What kind of a person just doesn’t care?! He says i’ve changed and I know I have, things I used to enjoy are just a chore now, I get no enjoyment from seeing my nieces anymore, they just irritate me and that’s not like me. I just don’t really know what’s happened. Anyway he asked do I think I could be depressed. I said I didn’t know. So I looked it up and did some tests and apparently I could very well be. I don’t understand though because I haven’t experience anything horrible recently, not ever really. Just wondering if what I’m saying sounds familiar to anyone or am I just being silly and need to try harder? Thanks anyway. JosieK

Im new, mum, not alot of friends or family

replies: 2

Hi, Im Alex and i have come on here to talk to someone. I'm feeling quiet alone in my life. I dont have alot of family support or many friends. My mum and dad are both asstranged from themselves and from me. I6m a mum of two kids and have my 3rd baby on the way (due April) i do have a very supportive partner but he has to look after himself too. I am really struggling to cope with my feelings right now. I find it hard when i hear of people that have their parents to help and support them and i dont have any of that...

New to site, need like minded people to help me through.

replies: 3

I'm pretty nervous writing anything down about this, but I don't have understanding people in my life at the moment around enough for me to feel confident about any of the choices I am making. I have depression & anxiety and I have had them since I was 14/15 years of age, only diagnosed this year. I see a therapist & take medication for this which when I first started helped me a lot. But now I feel stuck a little without moving forward. Recently I got out of an abusive relationship and went from a very controlled life to being on my own and I'm not doing very well with self care, I forget to eat a lot (every day I would only eat about 1 meal), and have 0 appetite at all, I have to force myself to stomach anything and the medication I take makes me so nauseous and unwell it makes eating even harder again. I'm also not showering regularly which annoys me to no end as to why I can't get up and in the shower once a day. In my past relationship I had a strict schedule I needed to follow for cooking/cleaning/selfcare which made me miserable BUT I looked after myself/our household, since going out on my own I just feel lazy and worse off health wise. Getting back into a routine makes me terrified for no valid reason. I have started seeing someone new and they're very caring but don't understand Anxiety or depression fully, and think that this is something I can't have but also be high functioning. Is that common? Being depressed but also able to make it to work/social events? I get drained so quickly when I'm out which I had always put down to being an introvert but I just end up getting a headache/stomachache or just feel generally unwell. I'm quiet skinny and underweight, I get comments a lot when we go out for dinner because I can't ever finish a meal, I feel embarrassed to go out these days because it's a waste of money if i'm not going to eat. I honestly don't know where to start, my health professionals say I need to find a new job to help my stress/anxiety/depression but I honestly don't think any workplace would put up with my mental health and physical health requirements. I need something small I can control, get started with and keep going from there. Small steps. I just want to not feel alone in this, know there are others in the same situation...

HI, I am new here...

replies: 4

Hi, I am new to BB... I separated and now divorced for the last 2.5 years... I have 5 kids that live with their mother... I've gone through the kids brainwashing by the ex, ongoing legal battles to have access to my kids, property settlement still pending and bills to the roof... I lodged for bankruptcy 2 months ago... old friends gone or too distant... in summary, everything that could happen, has happened... feeling hopeless with a highly uncertain future... it feels 'no one really gets it'... trying to take a day at a time but it seems like climbing Mt. Everest on a daily basis... it seems that I have too much time in my hands which is not beneficial to my state of mind... I just wanted to reach out as I am also aware my story is way too common...

Anxiety and depression over kids behavioural problems

replies: 3

Hi im new here and would love to hear from parents who are struggling with there kids behaviour problems. I have no one to talk and would love to hear other people who may be going through the same thing. My anxiety is so bad i cant even sleep im constantly worrying and its made me feel like im going crazy! It would be great to to talk to other people who know how i feel i feel judged talking to my family about it.

My story

replies: 3

Hi there, I am a first time poster in any forum and I thought I would lose that virginity here for a cause worth while. Over the course of today I have written down my story and my journey through depression. Unfortunately its a bit lengthy (6000+ wo... View more

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Hi, I have some questions replies: 5

fearing the unknown replies: 2

Time to stop running replies: 2

Inactivity replies: 3

Unsure replies: 5

Im new, mum, not alot of friends or family replies: 2

New to site, need like minded people to help me through. replies: 3

HI, I am new here... replies: 4

Anxiety and depression over kids behavioural problems replies: 3

My story replies: 3