Immediate support
Immediate support

Welcome and orientation

Welcome! If you’re not sure where to start, that’s OK. We’re keen to know more about you and what you’re looking for on our Forums.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

Johnno_S Introducing myself
  • replies: 9

Hi everyone. I am a retired librarian and have been living with mental illness since my teens. Have self medicated with drugs and alcohol till I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder at forty years of age, Found an incredibly good psychiatrist who has... View more

Hi everyone. I am a retired librarian and have been living with mental illness since my teens. Have self medicated with drugs and alcohol till I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder at forty years of age, Found an incredibly good psychiatrist who has managed my medication and I am really well and settled now. Still have the odd anxiety attack but assistance from an excellent psychologist has helped me with that. I feel that I am very fortunate to have found health professionals who are smart and caring. I have joined the BB forums to help other (if I can) in their struggle with this illness.Best wishes Johnno

IsolatedFromReality New here
  • replies: 2

Hi guys so I've just joined this forum. I've spent years reading through people's personal opinions, situations & struggles however i have never posted anything in my life. I have a lot of trouble opening up to people and i have even more trouble wit... View more

Hi guys so I've just joined this forum. I've spent years reading through people's personal opinions, situations & struggles however i have never posted anything in my life. I have a lot of trouble opening up to people and i have even more trouble with discussing my feelings. My biggest problem right now is that i am beyond lonely due to being a 20 year old with no friends.

Dew_94 No friends at all
  • replies: 8

I have had this sick realisation I don't really have any friends at all since I was 17. I just turned 23 and feel really bad about it. I feel like no one would genuinely want to be friends with me because I don't have some already. I have tried to me... View more

I have had this sick realisation I don't really have any friends at all since I was 17. I just turned 23 and feel really bad about it. I feel like no one would genuinely want to be friends with me because I don't have some already. I have tried to meet others but as soon as they know they disappear. I don't have depression or anxiety however I feel if I don't get some friends into my life, I could very well sink into depression. As a child I use to be extremely quiet and shy. I am still very quiet now however I am told I carry myself confidently (so I got told from job interviews that my presentation was impressive) I have a full time job so that keeps me busy enough usually. My family and boyfriend don't understand how I don't have any. They say I'm intelligent, humble, pretty and hardworking so there should be no reason I have such difficulty in making friends. I have put in effort when I was in uni actively trying to talk to others gone to meetups etc with no results. What should I do? For the past year I've been feeling like an alien, there's something wrong with me and it cannot be fixed.

Nikstar Hello, Im new and ready to make a difference
  • replies: 7

This is another step on my personal journey towards a more positive and healthier lifestyle for myself. I'm very much out of my comfort zone and would love to connect with like minded people. Any tips/ suggestions and support greatly appreciated. Hav... View more

This is another step on my personal journey towards a more positive and healthier lifestyle for myself. I'm very much out of my comfort zone and would love to connect with like minded people. Any tips/ suggestions and support greatly appreciated. Have a great day! and talk soon.

Itisso I sometimes go to an inner dark place
  • replies: 17

Hello, I have always had an inner dark place which I try to avoid but can’t always manage to stay away from. Posting here is a huge step for me, as it is for most of you. I have a family history of mental health issues and deep depression and saw, he... View more

Hello, I have always had an inner dark place which I try to avoid but can’t always manage to stay away from. Posting here is a huge step for me, as it is for most of you. I have a family history of mental health issues and deep depression and saw, heard and experienced things during childhood which I then seemed to carry some of onto adulthood. There is no blame here, It is what it is. Past years have bought highs and lows (as they do to everyone) and visiting the dark inner place seemed to serve a purpose from which I always managed to emerge from. This year some extreme lows, have left me feeling totally isolated and bereft. I have at times feared that I would totally unravel and not be able to find my way back. Darker thoughts, personal issues and an awful tragedy have been eating away and recent feelings of absolute un bearable sadness, low self worth, self depreciation and regret for some past major decisions was leading me to much darker areas. Somehow I seem to manage to escape from this terrible place. I constantly tell myself I will be OK and that I must change. My dilemma is how can I change who and what I am. On a good day I actually quite like who I am, even with my short-comings. On a bad day I wonder who the hell I am. Today is a better day, but yesterday I was in the abyss after a couple of really bad weeks leading to a dire week-end. How can these feelings sometimes change so fast? I really appreciate days like today. I feel nearly normal (whatever that is) and I hope that every day I will feel like this. There is so much I have to be thankful for, I cannot comprehend why I feel so hopeless sometimes.

Bush_resident So tired of being homeless
  • replies: 26

So many years I have been homeless. I'm so tired. I can't go to housing as I can't handle towns and cities. If only housing had bush blocks where I could build a shelter and just be me. Trouble is I don't know me,I'm so tired of the hand I've been de... View more

So many years I have been homeless. I'm so tired. I can't go to housing as I can't handle towns and cities. If only housing had bush blocks where I could build a shelter and just be me. Trouble is I don't know me,I'm so tired of the hand I've been dealt that I wish I could just stop forever.

Guru_the_emu I don't know what to do anymore.
  • replies: 3

I can't get my depression and anxiety out in a healthy way, and it annoys me, because ive tried, but i keep hurting people that i love and that hurts me even more.

I can't get my depression and anxiety out in a healthy way, and it annoys me, because ive tried, but i keep hurting people that i love and that hurts me even more.

zepvs Hey, I just realised I'm probably depressed
  • replies: 6

Hi, Last night I had a bit of a realisation, I don't want to be clinically depressed, but I think I probably could be and need to do something about it. I think I've been in denial for a long time. I looked at my recent behaviour from another perspec... View more

Hi, Last night I had a bit of a realisation, I don't want to be clinically depressed, but I think I probably could be and need to do something about it. I think I've been in denial for a long time. I looked at my recent behaviour from another perspective and it became painfully obvious. I've been having problems for a long time and tried to solve them in other ways, not wanting to admit to myself that it could be a problem I couldn't fix on my own. So here I am, on my first steps down a probably long but hopefully successful journey. Thanks for reading.

searching4hope My story
  • replies: 3

Hi all, Long time depressant, first time on BB. My Dad has just recently passed away, although he was sick for a long time, it was quite sudden and a bit of a shock to the remaining family. I have not got along with my mother in the last 10years, I h... View more

Hi all, Long time depressant, first time on BB. My Dad has just recently passed away, although he was sick for a long time, it was quite sudden and a bit of a shock to the remaining family. I have not got along with my mother in the last 10years, I have two sisters whom have their own problems involving mental health issues and drug abuse. Reasons why I do not speak much with them. Dads passing brought us together, momentarily. But then the manipulating and arguing started again. And now I feel alone more than ever before. I have been struggling with depression and anxiety for most of my life. I tried to hide from it using alcohol and drugs as an escape. Which worked for a few years, until my body and mind couldn't keep up. for the last few years I have been working really hard on trying to sort myself out. I have been sober for 7months leading up to my Dads funeral. I have worked hard on changing my social connections, I have been seeing a counsellor and also a chiropractor which is another story. I am struggling now. I have been unemployed for two and a half years. I have indirectly cut myself off from so many friends. People who I would normally drink with. My drinking was to avoid my anxiety, which worked a treat. Although it fuelled my depression. I feel stuck now. I want a job, not for the money, but to have an excuse to get out of the house and meet people. Although every time I log onto a job search website I freak out. The voices in my head get louder. (not qualified, not good enough, no experience, ect) My job network provider is really nice, although I feel like I am going no where. I don't know what kind of work I even want to do. I just wish it would be with good people. I have back problems which limits my mobility. I believe in people being holistic creatures. I am not sure if my back needs any more rest, or if it is too much rest that is causing me to not heal. This is the beginning of my story. I thought I would just splurt something out to get started. I am sure some can relate. looking forward to chatting

Partridge No more eggs
  • replies: 3

Thats how I feel. Been a long 30 years, realised at 18 that I had a depressed nature and just wasn't like those around me. I've run the same race as most here, rise and fall, on meds, off meds, pshyc sessions, yoga, meditation. In the last15 years, d... View more

Thats how I feel. Been a long 30 years, realised at 18 that I had a depressed nature and just wasn't like those around me. I've run the same race as most here, rise and fall, on meds, off meds, pshyc sessions, yoga, meditation. In the last15 years, divorce, lost my home, pets, move to a big city, remarried, immigration to Australia had amped it all up so that I have chronic pain (also had small brain bleed), confusion and thumping, bursting feeling in head. All anxiety, awful thoughts which I see on this forum called intrusive thoughts. Can vouch for how what I know now as a mixed mental unwellness has made me physically sick. Am able to work part time now, fell from fancy corporate job in city that helped my decline 5yrs ago. I feel isolated socially, struggling to maintain a 2nd marriage and my kids think I'm mad and eccentric from way back. Am hoping to turn the corner thanks to reading so many brave peoples posts, realising I am not alone. Next step would be to get onto mental health program through my Gp, not the 5 EPC Medicare, as I cannot afford the gap. In the past I have had very "iffy" counselling, and some very expensive private sessions which were fantastic. But also embarrased by the stigma. The time is now to admit that I have more than vague mildmdepression, but anxiety, ptsd and voices and images that cause me great discomfort and anxiety. I have always felt inadequate and never able to make the grade. I have very accomplished brother and sister and I am the home maker, baker and earth mother type. My mother comes from a family wracked with mental problems and seeing her now old and still unfullfilled and untreated scares me - the waste of good life and many wretched years, not to discount the impact it has on other family members.