Welcome and Orientation

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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 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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Lost and Alone

replies: 1

Hi All, I am feeling lost and alone lately. The pressures of life seem to be really pushing me down. I have spent the past 4 years trying to let go of my eldest daughter who moved away to uni and to start her own life. My youngest has mental health issues that are escalating at the moment and I feel alone in so many ways. My parents are supportive but still feel a bit distant. My bf doesn’t understand and sometimes makes things worse. I am pulling away from him too but can’t talk to him about what’s happening. He has very black and white thinking around this topic. I want to help my teen but don’t really know how. I want to help myself but the responsibilities keep piling up and my needs seem to always get pushed back

Loneliness and Rejection

replies: 5

Gosh where do I start. Growing up I was always told I was stupid and in the way. This manifested into being desperate for people to like me. A classic people please was what I became. After years of therapy I’m still struggling. I fear rejection and seem super sensitive to other people and never want to bother anyone. I’m struggling at the moment as my partner and I are traveling and the only contact I have is the odd person you meet while moving around, this isn’t meaningful connection. My friends at home all seem to have moved on and got on with their lives and I feel forgotten- I try to reach out but they are all so busy I don’t want to bother them. Really not sure I can continue as I feel my mental health is starting to struggle. My partner is loving it and doesn’t want to go home. Sounds like the dream lifestyle eh but it’s damn lonely and isolating for me unfortunately.

Recovery after a nervous breakdown

replies: 5

Hi 10 months ago I had a nervous breakdown and went into hyperventilation which was really scary and ended up in hospital and went through some very dark times. My recovery has been slow with setbacks just when I thought I was on top of it. I’m back working part time but need medication to get through these days. Physically I’m still not there yet and don’t find social event’s easy unless on meds. My wife has been very understanding and I love her dearly but it’s also challenging for her. I try to ride my mountain bike when possible but my body doesn’t recover very well or fast, I eat healthy and work hard when doing my job cleaning. I have always been an anxious person right back when I was a kid and so I guess it all just caught up with me through the covid days of stress. How long realistically? should It take to feel normal again?

Depression and anxiety my friends

replies: 2

This is a little history I started writing. Depressed all my life. Major depression at 24 yo. Therapy of no help I just couldn't stop crying. AD drugs made me feel normal. Life went on. i have a wonderful wife and two adult children at school one with autism. I'm retired shy of 60yo. Loss of my estranged father and resent estrangement of my brother over covid Vax disagreement triggered deep depression. My GP tried different ADs and pulled me back up.I recently had prostate surgery and lost blood requiring emergency surgery i became anaemic. Past two weeks post op I feel so low. There's a long history of mental illness in my family. Personality disorder, depression etc. I really don't know how to move on. I wrote a diary of family a few weeks ago. I'll post it separately as it's too many characters.

Wondering what comes next?

replies: 8

Hi, this is my first time here on the forum, so I'm not really sure if I am in the right spot to talk about what's on my mind. Anyway...here goes. I'm a carer for a parent who has a chronic medical condition. What has been invading my thoughts lately is....what comes next for me...when I am no longer caring for my loved one? I am pretty much on my own...I don't socialise, have no friends that are near me and my other family members have families of their own to care for. I wonder what my purpose will be? What is there for me? I am already in my 50's and have been single since forever and never had any children...just my furbabies. But when they are no longer with me...I will truly be...alone. The idea of being totally alone frightens me at times and my only thoughts that invade my mind is...the bad ones. Ones that I have battled in the past to keep at bay. But...even though I have tried so hard to not have those thoughts...they still come to me...especially when I feel like I have no purpose when I am no longer caring. I know others have bigger issues than myself and I definitely don't like burdening others with my troubles...but sometimes it gets hard not to think about it. I guess I should bury those thoughts for now...as I am needed.

Apprentice struggling with depression and full time work

replies: 3

Hi everyone, I am struggling to work full time as an apprentice due to my negative thoughts and depression, some days I can't go to work and had to find a new job that is full time. Any advice for working full time?

Career is about to be ruined

replies: 2

I'm a partner in an advisory business. I've struggled with depression and anxiety for around 10 years now, tried a couple of different medications, meditation, and counselling. Currently using cannabis to help with insomnia, but no other medication or treatment.My depression seems to be getting deeper, and I can hardly function. During the day I can't focus well so not very productive. I somehow manage to block the difficult tasks from my mind and they just don't get done, but thoughts of them often resurface during the night and I'm awake for hours rigid with panic. Some of those difficult tasks have been pushed back for so long that they may result in legal action from clients, and even if they don't, they're likely to end my career when my partners find out, and this will have dreadful financial consequences that will really hurt my family.I've been successful, or at least appeared that way, for 20+ years, and now 5 years from retirement I'm fearful of losing everything. I don't feel like I can risk talking about it with my business partners. I don't feel like I can talk about it with my wife either. I don't think my GP can help - they just prescribe antidepressants, but the ones I've tried so far haven't helped me address my work issues. Who should I talk to? What should I do?

Not sure where to start

replies: 7

Hi, I'm new to this forum. Firstly I joined because I feel totally alone with my feelings right now. Since leaving my job 2 years ago I feel my mental health has spiralled down and it's not due to not having enough to keep busy or interested in life. I have some friends I meet up with once a month and a loving husband and two lovely adult offspring, so one would ask, why am I in a pickle..... I go down a rabbit hole of confusion even going to the shops can lead to me coming home in tears, people seem to hone in on my mental vulnerability and target me (I know that sounds paranoid). I keep getting into situations with staff in the shops, everything seems so hectic, I feel like I'm in a vacuum. It doesn't help that I have developed tinnatus over the past year and stuggle to hear even if I wear the hearing aids. So I'm feeling a bit like just shutting myself into the house and doing all my shopping online where I'll be safe. I talked to my doctor but he said I am just having hormonal issues (I'm 62), I asked for anti-depression medication, but he said lets see how you go.... May have to go see another doctor as it's not getting any better.It's so much more than the above, but I had to start somewhere...Thanks for reading

My Life Story

replies: 2

I made a very stupid mistake almost 2 years ago, it was around when COVID-19 was a big deal and I took it lightly. Not only did it put myself at risk but the people around me. I was feeling unwell with covid like symptoms on the job, things were getting worse & worse as days gone by. My workmates were getting worried looking at me and gave me a lot of pressure that I had strong symptoms of COVID-19. I waited until I had basically all symptoms of covid-19 before rushing to the medical center to undergo a PCR Test.That day, from rushing to the medical center to waiting for the result, was one of the scariest experiences of my life and no one should ever go through that. Talking to the medical bay trying to explain to them what is happening to me was the hardest thing. My heart was pounding, my speech was slurred, and my eye focus wasn’t there. It put the medical staff in distress as I told them I had covid-19 symptoms. The results came back as negative and I went back to work the next day to try to normalize the situation.Due to that reason, I lost my job.From that moment to now I can’t confirm what happened, but I believe they tried to remove all information about me like I’m a ghost walking around now.People don’t want to recognize me more than twice but I got so many people trying rely on me to do sometimes I can’t even do.The amount of pressure on me is insane… Friends, People, Family, Government, Companies ETCIt’s been a hard process talking to people since this event, I have lived a very isolated life since covid-19 and trying to talk to people is what I found the hardest part in my daily life.Worst part of all no one wants to tell me what’s going on, which should be the easiest thing to do.This past few months I have grown so much without little to no support but now with so much pressure on me I hope to find support with Beyond Blue.

Postpardum anxiety or depression?

replies: 3

Hi, I'm a new mum. First week actually. All my life I wanted a baby. But when I gave birth to my daughter I never felt so detached and estranged. I have no idea what I'm doing. I've got support around me saying I'm doing great, or I've got a cute baby. But I just don't see it. I find myself crying randomly and being anxious when I'm with her and not with her. It's been such a big shift having a baby, and almost selfish to say that I miss having my freedom.

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Lost and Alone replies: 1

Loneliness and Rejection replies: 5

Recovery after a nervous breakdown replies: 5

Depression and anxiety my friends replies: 2

Wondering what comes next? replies: 8

Apprentice struggling with depression and full time work replies: 3

Career is about to be ruined replies: 2

Not sure where to start replies: 7

My Life Story replies: 2

Postpardum anxiety or depression? replies: 3