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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I Don't Know What To Say

replies: 2

My name's DJ. I don't really know what to say, honestly. I've been feeling empty for a long time. I literally found this page when I typed 'feeling empty' in google. Thank goodness. I have a life. It's not bad. I'm engaged to a wonderful person. But I feel the problem lies with myself. I went through a lot of stuff when I was younger that caused me to make some poor decisions of my own that nearly ruined my relationship a few months after it started, yet she sticks by me. But I have trouble coping with what I've done, and my psychologist suggested getting back into making music like I used to do, and that it might help get the self-anger I have inside, out. And exploding less onto everyone else. The problem being the band mates I had decided to leave me high and dry so I'm stuck back, questioning if my lifelong dream is actually worth the shot I was taking for it. At this point, I'd love to be doing anything. My friends are always busy so I never see them, and I don't really do well socially anyway, thanks to my Asperger's Syndrome. On top of that, there's an employment slump where I live so I've been unemployed wince my management job in 2015 working under verbally abusive bosses. And due to an injury I had an addiction to painkillers for a good while. Wasn't nearly as painless as I thought it would be. I just feel like nothing has any point in it anymore. Like I've just given up. And I know it bothers my fiancee but she feels powerless to help me, and I don't even know if I want the help anymore. I just want to enjoy my life again. I guess that is kinda a call for help, isn't it? I thought I had my whole life figured out but it sucks when my fiancee and I are struggling to afford things when neither of us can get work, too. I dunno why I'm posting this, I guess, subconsciously, I've had enough.

Antidepressant saved my life, get help and give antidepressants a go.

replies: 1

I wanted to get involved in this community to pass on my experience with depression and medication. I had probably been dealing with depression for about 10 months. A combination of job security, job stress, health worries, expectant first time parent and some other things all took their toll on me. I think what really tipped me over the edge was taking herbal medications. After everything I read, it should be taken with the same seriousness as an older MAO Inhibitor Antidepressant. My brain crashed and before I knew it everything felt overwhelming to me, I always wanted to sleep and I felt there was basically nothing for me to live for. I knew this wasn't me, it didn't feel right but my brain just kept spiraling into deadly negative thinking. My baby and my wife were the only things just keeping me going. I'd been told to 'toughen or man up' and stop being a sook I'm fine which probably delayed me seeking help. I finally did and saw a great and caring GP who prescribed antidepressants and some Psychologist sessions. I was hesitant taking the meds having read about the side effects and worrying I'd turn into a sort of Zombie or something and go through hell finding the right dose and meds. The first 2 weeks were ok, I felt groggy for about 3 hours after taking meds in the morning, lots of yawning and I'd feel a bit 'flat'. But, after 12 weeks, I'm back to my normal self. I've been on them now for 6 months and I don't have any long term side effects, maybe I just forget words every now and then. It's honestly saved my life and I would not have gotten through this without them. Therapy helped me to understand myself and what makes me tick and accept that I was ok, that it was my brain, not me. The meds just helped my brain reset and think normally. Now I'm back to my happy, bright, joking self, full of confidence and loving every moment with my beautiful first born baby boy. I don't have awful, negative thoughts anymore and can now just enjoy the moment. I can't thank my GP and Therapist for saving my life and I just urge anyone who's feeling abnormally down, depressed and suicidal, seek help and try an appropriate medication with help from a good GP and Psychiatrist. They really do help and you don't have to go on living with these irrational, hateful thoughts about yourself and life.

Needing extra support

replies: 4

Have been both physically and mentally attacked in my own home . Have taken the right avenues and such however im feeling so many rollercoaster moments on top of some horrible shaking that i dont realise is happening till i pick up something .

An introduction to me.

replies: 4

I am currently a student in Victoria in my eleventh year of schooling and have been facing some instances of anxiety (Social and otherwise) for quite some time. This forum is the most open I've been about my feelings ever and the idea of typing into a faceless void is more comforting to me than talking one on one with a psychologist/psychiatrist. It seems like it would be a waste to post on here if I wasn't completely forthcoming with my situation, so I'll try not to hold back. I'm a bit of an over-achiever. I haven't skipped any year levels, but I've always been the top of my current one. People see my test scores and my exam scores as an indication that I'm a well-functioning child, but inside I am a mess. People keep asking me if I'm going to get Dux (Highest ATAR score) at the end of next year, and every time they do, I just want to hide because I always feel as if I'm not the person getting these grades. Socially, I am very closed off. I feel uncomfortable in every lunch-time, preferring to hang around a group of about 5 or less, mainly composed of the people I know and have known since I started high school. I feel my best in my Methods class (Maths) because it is a close group of about 15 people who I enjoy the company of. I feel my worst in my English class because it is a chaotic group of at least 25 people who all fight to have their voices heard, sometimes literally. I very rarely go out on weekends and I don't have a social life outside of school. On top of all of this, I'm quite self-conscious of my body, being a scrawny, lanky teenager with a reasonable dose of pimples. I express myself in writing and enjoy the opportunity it gives me to get out of my own mind by creating something I don't have to be a part of. Other passions include a recent obsession with the musical Hamilton and a sort of attachment to a few songs from the musical Dear Evan Hansen. At this moment I am listening to Weird Al's "Hamilton Polka" and loving it. That is me and my life in a nutshell. Thank you for reading about me and feel free to leave a comment if you wish to.

Not even sure what I’m doing here

replies: 8

Hi, I am not sure if I am writing about anxiety, depression, victims or perpetrators, relationships or families but it is fair to say that all of this for me feels absolutely out of control at the moment. My partner has been suffering from depression and anxiety for many years, effectively since the birth of our first child. I have never understood the complexities of this but I have always thought that I had done my best to support her even when I did not agree with the course of action she was taking but felt that I had to support what her professional advice had come up with or her interpretation of that at least. This is something I have continually supported her in but have never agreed with. Along the journey I have found things difficult and not dealt with this well at all. I have withdrawn from almost any external activities apart from her and the kids and I can not remember doing anything without her in the last 15 years. We have had our issues over the years as well and recently her state of mind has declined further, and things in general have seemed out of control, not just for her as they have been of late but for me as well. I thought that we were living this recent craziness together but now I realise that we were clearly not. I almost feel as though some of what has happened has been manufactured to push me away and now that this has happened I find myself so frightened, and barely functioning. I am scared about where I am and I have no one to talk to at all which is just so much clearer now. I’ve never really had friends outside of our relationship and now I can not reach out to anyone because of this. I am on the verge of tears all day and night and I just feel like there is nothing I can do. I am losing my family, my love, my place in this world and I don’t know what to do. I am creating the broken family for my kids that I had so desperately wanted to avoid and I am just so scared. I have no strength at all, I don’t think I ever have had. I wish I had been stronger with my partner to force some counselling as I know this would have helped but I let myself get dragged into the denial and the drinking and what I now know is a false reality where things are ok. Things are not ok and I fear that they will never be ok on any level right now. so I don’t know if I should be reading the depression forums, the relationship forums, the family forums or the anxiety forums. I guess that is about right for me right now.

Not sure what to do

replies: 1

Hi, I do need your sugesstion, I happen to be a Community support worker. My partner has shown signs of having bipolar disorder over the years (has not been diagnosed) am struggling to communicate with him as to this but he just won’t listen. i strongly know that he needs help, even though he has been using medication for depression, not sure if this works for bipolar. please how and what can I do to help? Thanks

Left for emotional affair partner!

replies: 2

My husband left me for his emotional affair partner! will he realise what he’s done and want to come back? i want to fix our marriage but he’s already been sexual with this woman and is planning on moving in with her! He only left a month and a half ... View more

What future??

replies: 1

Hi everyone, thanks in advance for deciding to read this (l really appreciate it, given the pages and pages of threads). Sooo…I am Heather, I’m 19, and from Sydney. I have been diagnosed with depression, GAD and social anxiety since l was 12, and was only just recently diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder and PTSD (there aren’t any forums for bipolar disorder, so apologies if l am not supposed to be mentioning this?). Over the year’s I have continuously struggled with the idea of me even having a ‘future’ - I know that may sound weird…but basically if I ever think about what my future holds I feel sick with dread, anxiety and doubt. I deferred uni after being diagnosed with bipolar type 1 earlier this year, and have been calling in sick for work (which is only casual) over the last weeks because I was getting flashbacks, panic attacks and severe anxiety when working. So without my job, uni, or any social activities, l have found that haunting feeling of dread about my future returning again. I really don’t know what l am supposed to do or how to even approach my problems. It’s like l’m sitting at the bottom of this giant rubbish heap, and l can barely grasp on to anything…let alone climb high enough to even see the top. I know what a psychologist may suggest; exercise, socialisation, distraction, cognitive behavioural therapy etc…but I am SO incredibly anxious and l feel like l am a lost cause. My social anxiety, has become significantly worse…and is only being reinforced by my absence of social interaction. I want to be able to make productive steps but anything that involves leaving the house on my own and being independent in any way causes me exorbitant amounts of anxiety. There’s also the issues of the bipolar, my PTSD, and panic attacks. I wish l could talk to other people who have experienced this (if any people have?) and just know that l am not alone in this feeling and that l will be ok. Any advice, tips or success stories would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou so much for reading this xx

Thank you beyondblue

replies: 2

I am new here. I've had a look around the site and am so grateful to the many people who must devote huge hours to making it work. Where would we be without you? Please know that your hard work is appreciated. With kind regards Lumpyspuds

First time here

replies: 5

Hi, I’m lexie. New here. Diagnosed with PTSD, generalised anxiety, depression. The works. Have had a rough few months, which included a hospital stay. hoping to meet others who have made it through and come out the other side for the better.

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

I Don't Know What To Say replies: 2

Antidepressant saved my life, get help and give antidepressants a go. replies: 1

Needing extra support replies: 4

An introduction to me. replies: 4

Not even sure what I’m doing here replies: 8

Not sure what to do replies: 1

Left for emotional affair partner! replies: 2

What future?? replies: 1

Thank you beyondblue replies: 2

First time here replies: 5