Welcome and Orientation

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Sorted by:

Start a conversation

Depression is taking over me

replies: 4

Hey guys, i have been suffering from depression and anxiety for 6 years now. Right now I am at my lowest and struggling to see a way out. I am trying to find new ways to deal and be happy however not finding it very easy. I am trying this to see if it helps before seeking further help. I am just after someone to speak with who can help me see the light. i hope to hear from someone soon.

First time reaching out.

replies: 10

As my title suggests I have never asked for help with my struggles. Partly because I could not acknowledge certain issues and partly because blocking some things seemed easier then to confront them. I have had several people tell me to seek help in the past and I've ignored them all. I'm 31 years of age and like many others, i'm sure, I look at my life and myself as a person and I want things to change but lack direction and maybe my first step is this very post.... I don't really know what else to say.

Hello all

replies: 13

Am 56 years of age, have had a couple of strokes that affect you in different ways, mental health problems do exist and wish to start a topic on stroke, where people can feel comfortable to share.

Weight of the world..

replies: 1

Hi, New here and just looking for someone who might understand.. my husband is currently going through the process of being diagnosed with what is believed to be bipolar. We are currently separated due to behaviour resulting from this (eg huge money spending anger not sleeping dealing with his many grand schemes as i call them)but trying to work it out as we have children. I know he is not in control of what has happened and i can say im actually relieved there is some reason as to why we've had such a roller-coaster over the past 10 years. But im just still really angry at him and then I feel so guilty for that but i feel as though im the one left to deal with all of the fallout from this...i am just struggling to keep it all together. Not really sure what I'm trying to say..but thanks for listening anyway

New to this

replies: 4

Hi all I'm new to this not sure what to say or how much to say. Just thought I would drop in and say Hi. I am a wally

My life unexplained ( skitzophrenia )

replies: 4

Does anyone on this site been diagnosed or lead to believe at stages in their life that they were a skitzophrenic..I am eager to hear your story. Everything I can know about this mental health condition will be a help for me to understand my story and life... Please tell me what skitzophrenia is in your own terms. It appears the condition is continually changing with experts . It has a lot a misunderstanding and un-explained phenomenon or maybe that is just with me? Is that un-true to say? i have tried to find connect groups with people living with skitzophrenia for obvious reasons . I hope people living with it will reply! regards.. Jay

Struggling with depression and anger

replies: 2

Hi there. I am new to the forum. I've suffered with depression (and anxiety) for many years. Although I have found ways to cope with this on a day-to-day basis, sometimes it trips me up big time. An ongoing problem for me is that I struggle to recognise what I am feeling emotionally; and often miss the signs that my depression and/or anxiety has been triggered. When in this state I very easily get angry without realising. I'm in a long term relationship, and my partner might say something that normally would be inconsequential but in this state arouses anger extremely quickly. The problem is that once triggered I struggle (and usually fail) to prevent it escalating - I fail to walk away; and I fail to keep my mouth shut. Does anyone else have a similar experience? Is there anything you're tried that works?

Good Evening...May I introduce myself

replies: 3

Hi all, So today I stumbled across this forum and I feel so glad to be able to communicate with people who actually get this thing called Mental Illness. I'm a 38 year old married mother to two (M16, F11). My husband and I have been together since were 17 however we split 8 months back in 2008...(cue abandonment issues from there onwards). We live in the NT but come from SA where we are hoping to move back to next year. My story....where to start...as a little tacker I was very shy, my teen years I started to come out of my shell, around 16 I was outgoing, giggly, reasonably confident, I remained this way until I turned 21...a week after that I had my first anxiety episode. It lasted 2 weeks, my now husband had no idea what was going on, my parents were beside themselves and took me to see so many GPs that first week. I just happened to be crying snot bubbles and shaking at the drs with my mum on a sunday when the dr on duty said, you are suffering from anxiety, here is a referral to a counsellor and here is some meds see me again next week. In that moment we had an answer to my lack of sleep, crying, shaking, vomiting, diarrhoea, racing thoughts etc. That day I started a freaking long journey. Without going into all the hurdles along the way here I am today...my anxiety and now also depression is reasonably well managed, except for in the past 11 months. In the last year my husband worked away for 3 months, i had to get our old dog put down, my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer and then told it had spread to the lymph nodes, my father in law and sister in law passed away from a disease that is genetic in my husbands family, changed jobs (the last work place was toxic), and in recent months my beloved grandmother has developed rapidly progressing Alzheimer's (she is like a mother to me). For a girl with health and death anxiety its been freaking wonderful..... Throughout this journey so far I have had counselling, hypnotherapy, bio feedback, CBT, psychotherapy, meditation, mindfulness, looked at my diet, my hormones, tried to exercise more, medication....Im still to hit the magic mark where something feels like it is working but its endless isnt it, finding the perfect combination and sticking to it (thank you depression). At the moment I am going through an anxiety episode that started on tuesday, off to the counsellor tomorrow, following by a mindfulness bootcamp session with an appointment with the psych on tuesday...anxiety be gone

Wringing hands

replies: 4

I don't know how to be part of the community, I have tried several times to post but every time I try I feel like a idiot because I don't know what you require.

Well I'm new..

replies: 3

Hey my name is petal, I have had depression and anxiety for over 6 years now. And I can usually get myself out of the states I get into. Some taking longer then others, the stage I'm at has lasted 6 weeks going into the 7th.. I found myself thinking last night. Am I crazy? Am I delusional? Am I being over dramatic? Do I even have depression and anxiety? Does this illness even exist? It was like you know when you say a word over and over so many times it loses its meaning and your not even sure your saying it right at the end and your left in a state of laughter and confusion?. But I wasn't laughing I was silently crying in the dark so I didn't wake my child up...and I was very much confused.. And I know this thought stems from a toxic person I have in my life.. Someone I so badly am trying to push away because they are hurting me, but I'm to scared to make a clean cut because I'm worried about their feelings and don't want to deal with the repercussions, the tsunami of rage and emotional blackmail and abuse I know will come... I have my phone on airplane mode for god sake! Just so that one person can't get to me... To other people I've spoken to this situation is so black and white, they tell me to be ruthless! Just tell her how it is! But I can't it paralyses me so deep. And I'm angry at this person for not giving me the space that I want. I told her I was in a bad place and she kept pushing. i said it as clear as I could "I have depression and anxiety. I just need to put myself first". And she got upset. Told me to talk to someone. As if I haven't been dealing with this for most of the time I've known her! I thought in my head "well damn! Talking to someone!! Why didn't I think of that?!!" That will make all these issues go away for sure! I don't really have a question or want answers. I just needed to get that out in a safe place. In a space I know other people will be able to relate.

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

Depression is taking over me replies: 4

First time reaching out. replies: 10

Hello all replies: 13

Weight of the world.. replies: 1

New to this replies: 4

My life unexplained ( skitzophrenia ) replies: 4

Struggling with depression and anger replies: 2

Good Evening...May I introduce myself replies: 3

Wringing hands replies: 4

Well I'm new.. replies: 3