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Sophie_M 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 Be... View more

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.

Aaronsis 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 th... View more

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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SJames101 Newbie
  • replies: 2

To be completely honest, the need to register for this forum scared me, i thought once I finished school and got myself a couple new jobs i'd be instantly happier and the way i see it, I should be. I lost a lot of friends moving away from my old town... View more

To be completely honest, the need to register for this forum scared me, i thought once I finished school and got myself a couple new jobs i'd be instantly happier and the way i see it, I should be. I lost a lot of friends moving away from my old town but I also moved a lot closer to my long distance girlfriend (now a 40min drive as apposed to an hour boat ride plus hours on a bus). I managed to get 2 great jobs right up my ally and joined a gym that I was enjoying heaps before my depression and anxiety started crawling back. As you can probably tell, i'm a very busy person but my girlfriend and the few friends I stay in touch with fail to understand this. As a result, tension has been constantly building between my relationships and countless arguments spring from it too. I struggle to find time to fit everything into my schedule so I need help prioritising my time. I've signed up to find some help with coping from all the stress my life holds at the moment and hopefully form some new friendships with understanding individuals. I look forward to hearing from some of you, thanks for taking your time to help welcome me

nolife ugly
  • replies: 10

Hello , Just got the courage to get on this site , i'm a 52 year old male and even though my life might seem ok to people i can't escape the thoughts in my head of feeling ugly and useless everyday

Hello , Just got the courage to get on this site , i'm a 52 year old male and even though my life might seem ok to people i can't escape the thoughts in my head of feeling ugly and useless everyday

ThisNameIsNotReal Hello everyone. I am new!
  • replies: 8

Hello everyone, I am new! I am not able to find sufficient support from the people around and my depression and anxiety has gone worse this week... I turn to this forum to find help and support. There seems to be lots of resources here. I should toto... View more

Hello everyone, I am new! I am not able to find sufficient support from the people around and my depression and anxiety has gone worse this week... I turn to this forum to find help and support. There seems to be lots of resources here. I should totoally spend some times to go through them. Hope you will accept me! Thank you!

Shining_Light Living Well
  • replies: 1

I'm not where I need to be but Thank God I'm not where I used to be, I have not arrived but I am on my way. This is my mantra for each day to help keep me motivated and moving forward one step at a time

I'm not where I need to be but Thank God I'm not where I used to be, I have not arrived but I am on my way. This is my mantra for each day to help keep me motivated and moving forward one step at a time

Ompa Newbie
  • replies: 4

Hi I am new to writing on forums about my problems. Not to sure where to start, suffered from depression from a young age been medicated. It’s more anxiety that is keeping me down these days, Some days to the point I can’t get out of bed, that’s toda... View more

Hi I am new to writing on forums about my problems. Not to sure where to start, suffered from depression from a young age been medicated. It’s more anxiety that is keeping me down these days, Some days to the point I can’t get out of bed, that’s today.

Gypsy_1 Newbie
  • replies: 3

Hello Everyone..I'm very glad to have joined beyondblues online forum..I'm looking forward to reading other peoples posts..regards Gypsy 1..

Hello Everyone..I'm very glad to have joined beyondblues online forum..I'm looking forward to reading other peoples posts..regards Gypsy 1..

Shameful Feeling anxious...don't know where to start
  • replies: 2

Hi ...I can't remember the last time I was without being anxious. I'm full of self doubt and feel like my situation is hopeless and won't change...the saying if u always do what uve always done, ull always get what uve always got comes to mind...that... View more

Hi ...I can't remember the last time I was without being anxious. I'm full of self doubt and feel like my situation is hopeless and won't change...the saying if u always do what uve always done, ull always get what uve always got comes to mind...that's me self medicating with the pokies to numb the pain of I don't know what...I have a profound self hate that I don't know where it comes from. I am great at self sabotage...when things go right I have to find a way to mess it all up...it's like I'm scared to succeed. Does anyone else do this? I find it hard to live in the moment and enjoy what I know is so precious to me. I'm constantly worried about tomorrow or next week or what will happen next. I don't know where to begin to heal...I've tried meds but they don't seem to do a thing ...and I've tried alot of different ones...they don't quieten the negative voices in my head. I feel awkward and uneasy with myself even though I'm in my late 30s ...I will make a doctors appointment I think ...try to get a mental health care plan done. I've tried counsellors but I don't feel they have the right level of expertise to give me what I need...does anyone else have this experience?

Ell43 Newbie!!
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone!! I’m Ell and this is my first ever post on a beyondblue forum =). I'm a 24 year old female and love the beach, holidays, basketball and just spending time with my partner, friends and family. I'm similar to LavenderTea who you might have... View more

Hi everyone!! I’m Ell and this is my first ever post on a beyondblue forum =). I'm a 24 year old female and love the beach, holidays, basketball and just spending time with my partner, friends and family. I'm similar to LavenderTea who you might have seen around the forums over the last little while. I'm also studying a masters of psychology, only mine will take a little longer and as I'll be specialising in developmental and educational psychology!! I'm also about to start my phD, so looks like I'm going to be one of those people at uni foreverrrrrr!! (not really I hope). I'm super excited to get out there eventually and start helping people! For now though, I'm just really keen to have a play on these threads and see if I can offer any advice to anyone that might need a little extra help =). I'll be around on Wednesday mornings. Hopefully I get to know you all soon, E x

Sparklemuffin85 Sparklemuffin85, your friendly neighbourhood Peacock Spider is here
  • replies: 1

Hi guys, My name is Sparklemuffin85. I know it must be really hard to contain your squeeeee of adorbs when you see my name. I'm named after very pretty species of Peacock spiders found in Australia. If you haven't yet, please check out their dance mo... View more

Hi guys, My name is Sparklemuffin85. I know it must be really hard to contain your squeeeee of adorbs when you see my name. I'm named after very pretty species of Peacock spiders found in Australia. If you haven't yet, please check out their dance moves on youtube. Now that we have the important stuff out of the way, I will get into the technical things. I have been looking for a place or outlet where I can be amongst people who understand me. Looks like I'm at the right place. Why I'm here, you ask? I have been having suffering from uncontrollable anxiety with frequent panic attacks ( in private), dark and self-abusive thoughts for months and months ( I can't remember when it all started). Finally i decided i can't live my life like this. I believe I have been suffering from depression too, most likely for several years now ( though I'm not sure whether i've always had these problems). I have signed up for the "Mental Health care plan" and have seen a therapist three times so far. She has been nice and helpful. She has given me tips to sort my life into a coherence with SMART goals, positive thinking and avoid self- abusing language. I have made a few improvement in my lifestyle, and have been getting much better sleep due to regular exercise and healthy-ish diet. However, i noticed after a while, the momentum is hard to keep going. Any minor inconvenience can set me off my anxiety and I cannot rest. I have a couple of friends i can chat to about my problems, but most of the time i feel really awkward to suddenly send a message like, I feel bad today. I need somewhere I can talk and be heard and not feel guilty about wasting other's times. I am hoping i made the right decision of opening up here. Please take care of me. Regards Sparklemuffin85

JustChill Hi
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone. New here. I am at a dead end with my mental health. I feel that the panic attacks and anxiety are controlling and ruining my life and I am out of ways to control it. Anyway just wanted to say hi and am hoping that joining beyond blue can... View more

Hi everyone. New here. I am at a dead end with my mental health. I feel that the panic attacks and anxiety are controlling and ruining my life and I am out of ways to control it. Anyway just wanted to say hi and am hoping that joining beyond blue can help ease and help me regain just a touch of control during this time of desperate need. Thanx.