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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Hello everyone :)

replies: 2

Hi everyone , I have just joined blueVoices and wanted to introduce myself. My family has been battling with depression and anxiety for many years, and mental health has played a big part in my life ever since I can remember. I have both, friends and family, that deal with mental health issues and it will be great to get into touch with some of you about your own experiences. I was dealing with depression and anxiety for most part of my adolescence but never had the courage to talk to someone about it and get help. In my family, mental health was still something that wasn't really talked about. Fortunately I had big changes in my life (moving away to Australia by myself and starting new, finding a partner and friends that were very supportive) a few years ago that turned things around for me. I still have days on which I feel a little low, but I don't feel that depression is ruling my life anymore and I can confidently say that I am happy with my life. Acceptance of mental health issues in nowadays society has helped me realize that struggling is not something that needs to be hidden but that help is out there. Always wanting my children to have a better life and to grow up in a more accepting society, I chose an educational pathway in this field and graduated with a bachelor in psychology last year. Knowing what I know now, I realize that my mother possibly suffered from depression for a very long time, maybe even throughout most of my childhood. Talking to her about it now, she admitted that he had looked for help but had negative experiences with it and then just tried to deal with it herself, too. About two years back now, her life also changed drastically (in a positive way) and she too is now happier and on the mend. My sister has now been diagnosed with depression and anxiety about 8 months ago and I am very glad that she was able to seek help and has a great support network around her. My mother and I made sure that her experience was different than ours and that she knew that we were always there for her. I might be a world away (my whole family still lives in Europe) but we are all still very close and always only a call away to talk about what is happening in our lives. My sister has benefited greatly from both of our experiences and her treatment plan seems to work for her. I am really looking forward to getting into touch with some of you and hear your story. Talk to you all soon.

Empty nest

replies: 6

Hi. My only child just left home and I’m really missing him. We are very close. I won’t see him until Xmas

It is AOK to be feeling This Way

replies: 2

Hi, just joined this Forum. Each day for me I wake up feeling it's a hurdle. Energy levels Up & Down. I tend to dream about the past and dwell in previous hurts and not get beyond it. This darned "Cloud" sits over me and I just can't seem to shake it. I'm no spring chicken so have been battling with depression for years. And I am frightened I just can't get past it. All I want to do is wake up feeling happy. Is that so hard to ask??? I'm not going to give up because Today I reached out and asked for "Help" and that is why I am here. I think one of our biggest issues in life is if we start from a bad place and have the "Unfortunate Background" of coming from, dare I say, Not such a great/supportive background. It really makes things tough for us from the Outset. Just darned difficult. We just repeat the same mistakes and feel soooo darned guilty for it. And that eats us up trying to improve on our past. We are not our parents, I respect that, but I really hope reaching out Today, I'm in the right place to explore moving on from these past hurts.

Life

replies: 2

I feel like screaming and crying. I feel like kicking and just dying. I want to give up, I hate life.

Introducing myself

replies: 1

Hello I am new to the forums. I have depression. I had childhood depression in year one and my mum fixed it for me. She’s always been there for me. Injave fournchildren And did itnprwttybtough for a lot of years with the father of three of my children cheating lying and stealing for ten years we were together. I met a new man after we split and I am now married to him. My eldest daughter has a daughter And today I ‘broke up’ with my daughter and I’m so afraid I won’t see my grand daughter again. I have a support around me which is good but I just cannot get horrible thoughts from my head . i am hoping I can be helped as well as maybe help others here. thank you for offering a safe place to get extra support - sometimes a stranger is more helpful than a friend

I'm Amy.

replies: 5

Hi, I'm Amy I'm a 20 year old trans-gendered female. I've been on hormones for 2 months, and I'm doing okay. Job Wise, I'm beyond stressed because I cannot find a job in my city anyway, I've been looking for years

Finding my way in this Wilderness

replies: 6

Hiya just joined this thread tonight, I think It will be good for me, I was only recently diagnosed with Bipolar 11 , which they say I have had since I was 22 after my first breakdown, I am now 52 and have struggled all my life with severe depression and anxiety, I am grateful that I was finally diagnosed as it makes sense of all that I experience in Life is part of a reality that exists for so many of us, I call it the wilderness, its such a solo journey, like grief,every day I try so hard to push myself upwards and on but the fatigue, the disconnecting feeling mixed with a sorrow only a person with Bipolar would understand, I cant feel joy, the medication took all feelings away, it helped my anxiety but there is a big price to pay, my mum recently passed away, and I have realized that mum suffered with Bipolar all her life and that is why she became an alcoholic, she was self medicating, which I know I used to do, I know I will have better days I will fight for the beautiful life I have with my supportive partner and my dad who is always the guiding light, I send my support to you all and strength in numbers that we find a way to live with the challenges Bipolar sends our way, and to anyone with any kind of mental health problems sending hope always Thanks

Hi I am new to the forum

replies: 2

Hi I am new to the forum, or in fact anything like this. I have suffering from depression and it mainly seems to be centred around feelings of isolation. My hubby doesn’t seem to understand and he is sick of me crying. I am apparently causing him too many issues and I just need to wait to when he is ready to help me. I am feeling lost and a little out of control, and unloved. He is tired of my whinging and he just wants to stop as I am upsetting his day. If I want help from him, I need to wait until he can fit me into his schedule. And when I try to speak to him about it all he gives me is anger and he then outlines more ways I upset him. I just can’t get him to understand how scared I am, and that I feel I am losing control of my life. I have no friends or family to talk to but I really need some help, or even just someone to talk things through without all the negative judgement. I know I am not perfect and need to alter some behaviours, but he just doesn’t feel he needs to alter anything because in actual fact he feels he is the victim in all this. All I get from him is anger, when I really want his support. I am scared and feel so alone and lost.

Hello, First Time Poster

replies: 8

Hi, my GP recommended that I join this forum, so here I am I'm not really sure what to say: I've been diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and I'm also likely to have borderline personality disorder. I'm also a femal... View more

Changing 'mark this post as helpful' to 'thank you' VOTING CONCLUDED

replies: 35

Hi everyone, we've had a suggestion in the forum improvements thread about changing the title of the button below each post called 'mark this post as helpful'. It has been suggested that we change the title of this button to 'thank you'. Thoughts? View more

Meet your community champions! replies: 13

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

Hello everyone :) replies: 2

Empty nest replies: 6

It is AOK to be feeling This Way replies: 2

Life replies: 2

Introducing myself replies: 1

I'm Amy. replies: 5

Finding my way in this Wilderness replies: 6

Hi I am new to the forum replies: 2

Hello, First Time Poster replies: 8

Changing 'mark this post as helpful' to 'thank you' VOTING CONCLUDED replies: 35