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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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Hello, new here.

replies: 5

Hello one and all. I am new to the site. I am here looking for some info and hopefully some answers. I suffer from depression, that has kept me from work for over a month and due to pressure from my employer I have subsequently given notice. Which in some ways is ironic as it was the pressure from my employer, that caused my depression in the first place. His constant criticism, yelling and threats over many years finally took effect and I could not face going to work. I wouldn’t sleep, I gained weight, I would cry sometimes on the way to work in anticipation of the day ahead. In the end I couldn't take it any more and I went to my Doctor for a Medical Certificate for a day off and He recommended that I have counselling. Some days are harder than others, but I can feel it hanging over my head constantly. I sometimes find myself crying for no real reason, well none that would justify crying. Some days anxiety takes it toll as well . I hope that I will one day be on top of my feelings and my thoughts. Sometimes I feel like that I will never get that person I remember back again. But I truly hope he returns one day.

First Steps

replies: 4

I honestly don't know where to start. I have recently admitted for the first time to my wife that I have a problem. I have been silently dealing with Depression for 25 years. I've been married to my wife for 12 of those years. She had no idea...I got very good at hiding my issues. But on a daily basis I had a massive pit of emptiness. I still can't talk about it. My biggest guilt now is that I have a responsibility to my wife and my kids to seek help. The only reason I finally came clean to my wife was about 6 months ago she was facing issues of her own and asked me for help...I couldn't do it. I was barely keeping my own head above water and had nothing to give. I failed her when she needed me most. I had to come clean to her...I had to give her a good reason why...I couldn't hide it any more. Since then I have really done nothing and gone on ignoring it. She sought professional help and is doing well following her brief slump. Me...Im still denying it all and trying to move on as if nothing is happening. I can' t talk about it...I'm ashamed, feel worthless, wonder why I can't just deal with life. It's only life right whats the big deal. I feel weak for not being able to cope. I feel weak for not being able to get help. I judge my self so how can I expect others not to judge me if they find out. I physically can't talk when the subject comes up with my wife. I freeze, my throat closes over, tears swell up and I can't breathe. So I'm taking a different apporach and trying to share on here. Hopefulkly by typing it out I can get the words out that I need to and it will be a stepping stone to being able to talk about it, out loud. There's so much to my story I want to share but I don't know how. I want to share it all but it just wont come out...

Just wanted to say hi

replies: 3

This is the first time I have ever posted on ANYTHING. I thought that I should start speaking with others instead of hiding in my shell. I've been battling with depression for 20 years now, just trying to keep my head above water. Learnt a lot in that time and would love, not only to receive support, but to support others in any way I can. Maybe then we all could feel a little less alone.

Hello!

replies: 2

Hi I have just been diagnosed as having severe anxiety. Just thought I would join in here so I can have people to talk to who have been going through similar issues.

Hello from Ellu

replies: 1

This is my first post, so it is a bit intimidating. I have had bi-polar disorder since I was 15 (I am 63 now) and have been trough all the treatments including medication (which I am still on), hospitalization many times, ECT and psychotherapy. I have been seriously depressed for the past two years, but in the last couple of months I have come outof it and am feeling pretty good. There is always the lurking fear of relapse there though, isn't there? A week ago I started psychoanalysis, and it has already helped me enormously. It is already helping me deal with aspects of my life which I didn't realise were affecting my mood. I have 4 children in their 20's, and remembering my own experiencewith depression in my teens and twenties I am particularly keen to talk to young people who might e making that transition to young adulthood with the burden of illness

It's been a long road

replies: 2

Hello everyone Where to start, well i'm 35 and still remember the first panic attack i had when i was 19 and it hit me like nothing else i had experienced or ever wanted to experience, then came the visits to the doctor to find out what was going on, well from then on i stopped playing football, cricket and other sports that i loved and slowly cut myself off from everything and everyone i loved, so now i am trying to catch up with all that i missed out on, but am still grateful i am alive and did not end it when i wanted to so many times, i am still medicated and have not had a panic attack for over ten years but still battle the negative thoughts and loneliness, but to everyone who takes the time to read this, life was meant to be a challenge and i am still up for the challenge. No matter how hard it all seems to be just remember we are all unique in our own way and we all belong on this great planet of ours, stay strong and never give up, thanks.

Hi there

replies: 9

Hi there all,im mike,38 and live on the gold coast. In june i was made redundant from my job of 11 years,and slowly have got lower and lower ever since. After pouring many hours of my life,and missing my children grow up,and being a honest reliable dedicated worker i was outsourced to visa workers who have no idea,and had more health and safety incidents in the first month than we had in a decade. I feel degraded,hopeless,and rejected,made worse by rejection after rejection in applying for jobs. I have suffered moderate depression most of my life,and about 5 years ago anxiety started creeping in too. Having an income helped to manage my condition,but now things are beginning to get bad. I have had a couple of job offers but its 1.5 hours each way on the motorway each day and mentally i just cant do it. I dont do busy or traffic very well,and im really starting to lose hope. Thats a brief run down.

Hello, new on here

replies: 3

Hello there, I am new to the forum. I have been feeling depressed to varying degrees for several years now. More recently, it has become a lot worse to the point where I decided to search for help and I came across this forum. At the start of the year, I decided to move to Australia and travel around the country in what I hoped would be a life changing experience. Although, I have got a lot out of it, I have also experienced feelings of loneliness and a sense of not making the most out of it. Although I have fleeting times of enjoyment, these are outweighed by down days and weeks. Another feeling I have is that now I know the world is much smaller, I feel like there is less of a light at the end of the tunnel as I have already tried moving to a different country for a fresh start. Anyway, that's probably enough for now. I'd like to chat to people with similar thoughts or if people have any advice, that would be great. Thanks, H.

I don't know where to begin...

replies: 4

Hello, For months now i have gone through these forums and found it helps me during my lows to know i am not alone. So today i took the leap and created a user account so i can submit my first thread. Whilst growing up i have had to deal with an alcoholic father, whose mother was emotionally and physically abused. By the time i was 15 my mother moved out with my two sisters, it seems there would be light at the end of the tunnel. Yet my father continued to harass my mother and emotionally abuse myself and my siblings. After the divorce my mother started dating this guy, who turns out to be similar to my father but worse. After years of sexual harassment and my younger sister suffering sexual abuse, we were able to get a 12 month intervention order to remove him from our lives. I haven'y seen him since. After all this i held a stable job which i loved for 4 years! Life was improving. Until my position was made redundant nearly 12 months ago. It wasn't until this event of losing a job i loved and being transferred to a position which i learnt i get no enjoyment out of, i realised that i need to get help. I talk to my partner of 12 years about my feelings of worthlessness , unable to cope with basic tasks and anxieties. He has known and i know that i need help, but struggle to find the courage. I think i worry the doctor won't believe me and blow me off. I thought i found a GP i wanted to tell my issues about but now feel uncomfortable around her because of her body language. I'm sorry this is a long post, but i felt like i needed to share my story a little.

Living with IT

replies: 1

I've been like this for a long as I can remember, which pretty much means I've always been like this. Most of the time it didn't have a proper name. People (including my parents) would often say that I was shy or not feeling well. Teachers called me lazy and even stupid! I hated school, and performed abissimally at it, which made me feel even worse. My mother had it too. I think it was common amongst stay-at-home mums with little kids. Back then they called it meloncholy, or bad nerves and the treatment was "a Bex and a lie down". The Bex didn't seem to do mum much good, so she supplimented it with scotch and cigarettes. Travelling through life with it hasn't been great. It stopped me from enjoying myself. It stopped me from taking risks (even small ones). It made me scared of the world. It kept trying to hurt and even kill me by making me feel bad about myself, and even worse, by making me believe what others said about me. Even as an adult it followed me, never letting me forget it was there to make me miserable, to make me fail, to make me ill. And still it didn't have a name. After I lost me job I had a lot of time alone - time to think. Things got bad. Really bad. My head ws increasingly being filled with bad thoughts. Negative thoughts that brought me to my knees. I couldn't go outside. I couldn't function. I ended up in a hospital where they treat mood disorders. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression with a side order of PTSD from being mercilessly bullied at school. At least now it had a name. That was two years ago. Since then I've seen psychiatrists and therapists, tried a number of drugs - some of which made me (a bit) beter and others that made me a lot worse. I've had uncontrollable shaking, drowniess and some unbearable headaches - all in the name of find the right meds. Things are a little better now. I am now on meds that help me to feel OK most of the time. Not great, but OK. I also regularly see a pschiatrist. Our little talks definately help. I have good days, and I have bad days. But, most importantly I am trying to look forward to a time when I can control it, instead of it controlling me. You've probably heard this all before (and possibly felt it too). I hope I didn't bore you to much

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Hello, new here. replies: 5

First Steps replies: 4

Just wanted to say hi replies: 3

Hello! replies: 2

Hello from Ellu replies: 1

It's been a long road replies: 2

Hi there replies: 9

Hello, new on here replies: 3

I don't know where to begin... replies: 4

Living with IT replies: 1