Welcome and Orientation

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Sorted by:

Start a conversation

My daughter, my health

replies: 2

My daughter's Asperger's broke an already shaky marriage apart 3 years ago and every time I feel better and start to heal, I'm drawn back in to a drama, the effects of which on me are low mood and social avoidance behaviour. There is inter-generational behaviour patterns at play where mother and daughter escalate against one-another, culminating in the mother using her superior experience to win battles through the ultimate lever of calling the police. This traumatises my autistic daughter leaving her isolated and increasingly reliant upon the very person who isolated her. This maps to the behaviour pattern of abusive people of isolating their victims. Her mother is "police smart", and can get anyone arrested for things they didn't do, but not "court smart" or "hospital system smart", as their onus of proof goes past allegations, to needing to prove them. This message might not comply with this site's policy, but this meat to the bone provides perspective. If it does, I'd be grateful for suggestions on how to deal with myriad of events. The mother and now adult child live in Country NSW, while I live in Sydney. I want to remain engaged in my daughter's life, but the impact on my own mental health is significant. I have no line of communication with my daughter's mother (since she was found to be an unreliable witness in court for an assault charge against that never occurred, and which was subsequently dismissed), and my Asperger's daughter is a compulsive liar. As a person who was abandoned emotionally by caregivers in my youth, I am mindful of the risk of abandonment and the damaging impact of that in adulthood, and so removing myself from this challenging situation, while personally accretive, would degrade an isolated and vulnerable young adult.

Borderline Personality - needing some friends to talk to

replies: 4

Hi guys, I'm really new to this so I'm super nervous, but I'm in need of people to talk to, who knows and understands how I feel, firsthand, and I just don't want to feel alone in the world. I know there are people out there who suffers from BPD like I do, but so far I haven't met anyone with it. I'm hoping maybe some of you guys out there suffer from it as well, and are willing to share your experience with me and eventually find some way to feel less alone in the world. Hope everyone has a great day, and please continue fighting like I am. Don't ever give up! Brianna

Getting Older

replies: 4

Hi.. I'm Norma... getting older isn't always easy, and sometimes the people you think will be supportive are just not there for you .. Isolation comes in many forms... but I've found the most difficult times are when you're feeling down, and need mot... View more

Hi

replies: 4

Hi, I'm new here. Wanted to say hi.

Howdy

replies: 6

Hi team. I'm somebody who just go's out there and works, rain, hail, snow or shine, your average genuine human. Have been for the last 29 years until it all came to a crashing end last year when I was involved in an accident at work and have seriously injured my shoulder, yeah have a recon ya say stop complaining... I've had 3 in the last year. now that's fine, I just want my shoulder back to the way it was, or the best it can get. I still vote for amputation. Lately I've been feeling as if I'm Worthless and are just a waste of space becoming a burden to society, I'm helpless and nobody is there for me let alone would spare the time of day for me. What can I do as I'm starting to really hate this person I'm becoming

hi im new

replies: 4

hi i am new here i have suffered from depression for the last 20 years only diagnosed last year i also have social anxiety and as a mum to 3 outgoing kids it is hard some days i barely have the energy to get out of bed, i have just moved towns and i ... View more

Newbie

replies: 2

Hi I’m Jackie-Anne just new to this place. Trying to taper off my antidepressants and it’s hard - I’m so tired and moody and feel hopeless then excited but mostly just flat and grey. See doc this week. I want to be drug free- it’s been 7 years on thi... View more

trying to manage my anxiety

replies: 2

Hello everyone, My name is Sarmite, I am a 74 year old woman,mother of 4 grandmother of 4. I am type 2 diabetic,no medication. Had a hypo in a shopping centre without much warning, panic attack,treated it with glucose,had another one some time later, same scenario which has now resulted in ongoing anxiety. Also I have anxiety and churning stomach upon waking up. Would love to know if anyone else experiences these sort of anxiety episodes. Regards Sarmite

Need help

replies: 5

Hi, I am a newbie in beyondblue. Good to have an anonymous platform where I could discuss what I feel about myself without hesitation. This is the least overwhelming way to say anything and everything. I am inherently a lazy person who doesn’t want to wake up in the morning and loves having some alone time in the night with my phone trying to search for my answers online. Don’t know what my exact questions are or why I am so anxious all the time or why I have lost the drive to achieve anything or why I just can’t live in the present, but something is not right. Although I have a good support system of my parents and my husband, but I feel they have given up on me. Often they ask me what is wrong or what can they do for me but I don’t know what to say to them because I don’t know why I feel the way I do.For me to be able to tell them my problem, I should know the problem myself first! I get tired easily.I am reluctant to move myself physically.It takes a lot of effort from me even to just take a shower.Not to mention that my brain is reluctant to exercise as well.My brain and my body are just too lazy to move.It takes a lot of effort from my husband to take me out or get me involved in any activity. I know I am the only one who can change it but somehow I have lost the will or my brain and body have become too stubborn or frankly I don’t know. There are days when I feel guilty and push my self really hard.I become a better person then but that phase is short lived. Is it possible to create an internal drive strong enough to help me fight the strong comfort zones of my brain and body? I don’t know if this makes sense but honestly, this is how I feel. Can somebody please help? Thanks,

I feel so messed up

replies: 7

I hate the way I'm currently feeling, my loved ones always push me away when I need them. I try opening up to them and reaching out to them but they seem to be pushing me aside.

Meet your community champions! replies: 13

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

My daughter, my health replies: 2

Borderline Personality - needing some friends to talk to replies: 4

Getting Older replies: 4

Hi replies: 4

Howdy replies: 6

hi im new replies: 4

Newbie replies: 2

trying to manage my anxiety replies: 2

Need help replies: 5

I feel so messed up replies: 7