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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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First post

replies: 6

Hi i want to just put in type where my heads at. I've been diagnosed with long term severe depression. shrink has me on medication. after a huge brain fart and having a massive blue with my wife I went cold turkey. I now see that as a incredibly bad choice. It was made for all the right reasons at the time. So now about 3 days later, I'm at home in bed. After coming home sick from work with what I thought was some kind of nasty stomach virus. Chills sweats excessive toilet visits vomiting heads spinning. A quick read of dr google (don't crucify me) seems to point more to withdrawal symptoms. I'm an idiot. i text my wife and told her all this, she agrees I need to at least taper off. i will rest and hope things calm a little.

Newbie: lost, unemployed, pregnant, desperate

replies: 1

Let me introduce myself as Wookie, as my husband affectionately calls me. I have suffered from depression and anxiety for much of my life (now 29 years old). I have sought help a few times, sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn't. I am fortunate to have a supportive husband, he also suffers from depression and anxiety much worse than me. My situation is this: I was working in a job that I loved, as a team leader in customer service. It was certainly not my calling, but I stumbled into it and really took to it, although being assertive was a huge struggle. It really helped me to overcome aspects of my depression/anxiety, but then one day I was made redundant. Now I knew this was coming, but I'm only feeling the full effects of it now. See, 2 days after my redundancy, I discovered I was pregnant. We were very happy of course, but there was a part of us that suddenly realised I needed to find work fast. It's been almost 2 months, and I have not yet found a job. I've applied for so many that I've lost count. My old work offered careers counselling which I jumped on, but I've lost motivation to engage with it now, which I know doesn't help me at all. I signed myself up with a recruiter to help me find suitable work, but they have been anything but helpful. The recruiter told me I shouldn't try for another team leading job because she felt my confidence was not up to scratch - that really made my heart sink. Here I was at my old job thinking I could conquer the world and in an instant one woman had obliterated that dream. I've lost motivation for everything. My husband is finding it hard watching me slip into this dark pit, and at the same time he is struggling to cope with day-to-day life as he hates his job and gets no recognition, so I'm having to stay strong just to keep him from slipping too. I tried to get some sort of welfare assistance, but my husband earns 'way over' the threshold for me to receive any sort of payment - he is on a low wage and on his income alone doesn't earn enough to cover our rent and other living costs. I just want to work, I'm desperate, but I can't get a look in. People say they'll get back to you and don't, which just makes me momentarily hopeful, then disappointed. Or they send the generic rejection email, or give no response at all. Am I really that useless? I'm a person that just wants to feel like I can contribute something, no matter how small. And the sooner the better; no one will hire a pregnant gal. Thanks.

Mum of 4, want to run away

replies: 2

I'm a married mum of 4 children age approx 2-11. I do 1 day/week paid work, so am mostly a stay at home mum. I feel increasingly less able to cope with normal life. I'm sick of it and want to run away. I wouldn't do that because I don't want to hurt my husband and my kids need me(sort of). I don't trust myself either! Sometimes I have dark thoughts, but am good at shutting them down quickly. I don't understand why I have no motivation for tidying or making proper meals. I used to be able to do those! Maybe only when I had 2 kids. It's getting worse. Now I rarely seem to be able to do the laundry. I used to enjoy laundry! It is an overwhelming task. I find myself doing things to escape from real life and my feelings - window shopping, phone games, movies, emotional eating. Escaping makes it worse due to wasted time that could be better spent. I'm sick of making school lunches, I'm sick of children complaining they don't like dinner, I'm sick of getting to school late. I'm sick of telling the kids a thousand times to put something away, I'm sick of behaviour issues with my 10 year old. My husband helps out practically, but he works long hours too, so I feel guilty when he helps. He seems to help begrudgingly too. Our relationship is okay, but we are more like housemates than husband and wife. We talk, but not about anything important. I feel my family would be better off if I wasn't around. They would be happier with a mum and wife who was motivated to do everything I should be able to do. If I spent all day everyday trying to look after my family and house I would still be falling so far below the mark, so why even try to do that when it's an impossible task. Am I lacking self disciple (to do my jobs at home, look after the kids properly, eat right) or do I have some type of depression? Am I a spoilt brat? Am I burnt out from it all? I don't recall ever being semi on top of things with 4 children. Maybe I was with 3? It should be getting easier now the youngest is getting older, but it's not. When I think something could help - getting meals delivered, hiring a nanny or someone to help me declutter I always give up because it will be too expensive. That won't fix inside my head anyway. I pray about my problem, but am struggling! I don't know where to go from here. I don't want my dominate thought to be that I want to run away from it all! I am very blessed and have a lot of good things going for me, yet I feel like I just want to escape my life.

Hi, struggling newbie

replies: 3

Hi everyone, I'm new here, thanks for letting me join. I've been really struggling with alcohol abuse on top of depression and anxiety recently, and not being able to find any solid, reliable employment just exacerbates things. So I really just neede... View more

Hurting and lost

replies: 2

I've been diagnosed. I take medication which thankfully keeps me well enough to function (mostly). i installed the app a year ago and just reached for it. My "safe" people to go to are my kids (ridiculous as they are little), secondly someone I've contacted days ago and had zero reply and the third is the person who has sparked this latest decline. How sad I have no one? My fault I guess for bad choices. i tried the help line and was on hold forever. Longer than it took me to create a profile. I just want someone, anyone, to tell me it's going to be ok and that I'll manage my way out of this again. I've spent 5 days in bed sobbing and can't snap out of it. It's got to go away

Hi new here

replies: 47

Hi just looking for some support and advice with staying well and coping. Thankyou I have had depression for over 15 years and now for the last few years suffer with anxiety also. I have been seeing a psychologist for 1 1/2 years but feel it's not he... View more

I'm Jo

replies: 5

Hi, I am new to these forums. I have phoned beyondblue and life line at different times in my life, as well as attended face to face counselling. I have suffered anxiety or depression through out my life starting in High School at least. I believe I have had 4 break downs, yet did not have this diagnosed. I was suicidal when pregnant with my youngest child, which was the 3rd time I took medication. I started taking medication 4 months ago, actually threw out the prescript, so had 3 days off, started again yesterday. Its only a mild dose, but I knew I had to. I felt like I was having a heart attack and it was all just anxiety. Right now I'm struggling financially, my car has broken down, my phone is broken, I have two children at home, one with adhd odd and anxiety. My eldest is in the army. I have lived alone for 16 years and would dearly love a relationship, yet I think I keep sabotaging them. I don't like friends being to close. I've struggled to hold down a job, yet I do always have work, just really like most jobs. I smoke heavily, I've cut back drinking, but I still drink. A lot of people post things on facebook about anxiety, and suicide awareness. But I really don't think any one I know cares. The world seems very full of fake, selfish people. I guess that's enough for now. Jo

Where to turn?

replies: 2

Hi, I have struggled with mental illness on and off, well more on than off for probably nearly 8 years now. I have always expected to just wake up one day and everything be fine, or find that "quick fix" which will make everything ok. Alas, this is not the case. I have been in a situation where I have days which are better than others, but for about 6 months I have been in a constant struggle. I have a son who I cannot enjoy spending time with, a loving partner whom is getting to the end of her tether. I guess I joined here in the hope of finding what I need to help me because with out it I will lose everything.

LovelyLicious Greetings.

replies: 11

Hello. Im here. Im so glad. Im a 22 year old woman. Like so many on here I too had it rather tough, and some moments still, are super tough too. But, I read a reply this morning, on another thread, and it made me feel so good. The person had replied to another member on here, and simply said that they are offering other options from all the anger and sadness. I really like that, and thought that I would join this community as well. Because even though what I went through, many nights of torture. I could never forget. Its in there, but I have learnt to just keep on challenging those thoughts. I feel like I was born into misery. I had to run away to find my freedom. I got out, and I havent looked back. Ive lived on the streets. Ive worked on the streets too. I read and write a lot now. You cant stop me from learning. Theres so many good people here. Im free of all 'outside' addictions. Thats why I am here because I am loving this new learning spirit that I feel inside me. I am a FeyChild because I love all that fairy stuff. My doctor says its a good distraction. But Im not obsessed with it or anything like that. It comes from one of my favourite childhood memories being the Blue Fairy coming to my school and singing for us. It was one of the happiest times, of my childhood. Before all the rest started. My other happiest moment is running away from home. Im LovelyLicious because thats my naughty side. I have that too. Not too naughty, I promise. Im just a flirt. Im cool with that. Flirted with danger all my life. Im not so cool with that, but Im learning to smell the roses too. I would just like to encourage us all today. I would like to send everyone here, great big fairy kisses and hugs, with fairy dust on top. I know that my life is better now Ive let go of so much. Took me as long as it took me. But, I never gave up. And now, Im so much happier. Really though. I dont get online to share my grief. Im sorry. But thats for me and the doctor to talk about. I wanna be here to care for others. Because I had someone take me in too. They cared for me. They taught me well. Theyve passed on. Its my turn to care for others. Thank you so much for giving us all this space to care and support each other online. I love you. FeyChild LovelyLicious! XOX

New member

replies: 2

Hey y'all, I thought joining this community might be a good idea as it provides a forum where we can all share our experiences in a safe, anonymous environment; and it's nice to know you're not alone. I've juggled with depression for most of my adult life. Indeed, my adult life has been somewhat chaotic--to put it generously. I've struggled to maintain friendships, to focus on my goals and prioritise them and I've often had difficulty controlling my behaviour. In many respects I should be leading a 'conventional life'. I'm white, male, upper middle class from a close and supportive family. I feel a tad guilty because somehow, despite the advantages life has given me, I'm still here confessing I can't put it all together. But on the other hand, this terrible, awful disease of the mind can strike any one of us at any moment so it's important to show compassion and provide care when it's needed for whomever is afflicted by it. For a long time I used to use anger to suppress my depression. I have been bullied intermittently for a lengthy period of time in my life. I struggle to maintain relationships and people seem inclined to lash out at me; outside my own family I haven't received a lot of support or protection. I probably make it worse with my own behavior--after so many years I've developed a rather impatient, bellicose attitude to other people's nonsense--but it's hard when people deliberately try to provoke or hurt you. I've had a lot of people tell me I'm worthless over the years. I guess the cumulative weight of all that negativity is just finally taking its toll. I recently quit my job because I just couldn't face working in that office anymore...nothing felt worth it. I told my parents I was either going to resign or I'd kill myself. The words surprised me as soon as they slipped out...I've never said anything like that before. So I resigned and my condition has only gotten worse. I feel numb. I just don't...care about anything anymore. All the things I used to care about...it just doesn't matter anymore. I feel like I can't do anything. I'm terrified of the future, of my future because I'm not sure I can ever find fulfillment. I could rant on, but I'll stop there. Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting to know y'all in this community and I wish you all the best of luck on your journey to a better life; I hope I can help you along your path.

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

First post replies: 6

Newbie: lost, unemployed, pregnant, desperate replies: 1

Mum of 4, want to run away replies: 2

Hi, struggling newbie replies: 3

Hurting and lost replies: 2

Hi new here replies: 47

I'm Jo replies: 5

Where to turn? replies: 2

LovelyLicious Greetings. replies: 11

New member replies: 2