Welcome and Orientation

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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

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Hi....

replies: 6

I am new here and I have suffered with depression for 12 years now. I was in a very bad place in the first few years with it, received a lot of help and managed to control most of the time. But over the last 2 years i find myself back having bad thoughts and getting snappy and aggressive very spontaneously. It makes me sick to my stomach that I cant control this myself and I need help but if I don't I fear i'm going to lose many years with my family that could of turned out better. I don't really know how this forum works but just writing it all down is a big step.

New person

replies: 7

Sup guys. ummmmm,. haven't been feeling too good lately. Searched for forums on google. Google replied with this. Good ol google..... Man even as I type this I'm feeling the anxiety. I've gone to health professionals about it. made me feel better for a nice while. went to a support group too. That also was nice while I did it. man I feel so tired and exhausted from the anxiety at the moment. I'm sure alot of you might know that is really friggen draining. I dont thinks its severe anxiety right now but it's been so constant that it just makes me so exhausted. I've come to accept that this is part of me. Recently it's gotten to the point where I think I've become delirious from it. Like I mean I can't help but laugh at myself right now on how friggin crummy everything is (like literally giggling out loud through the anxiety). I guess that's a sign that I'm still okay right? Then i feel depressed. I do feel down about how things are now and then. Anyways. I felt like I should or need to vent. ....... So tired. -_-

Hello Everyone

replies: 3

Hello to everyone here. Im very new to this and although it seems kinda intimidation i'll do be best to introduce myself. Im fairly young, some how beat the odds to come out of terminal illness and infidelity to go try and start over in England, spent a few years there, found love again and have come back to Australia for a year or to with an amazing partner. Coming back has been pretty rough, turns out its pretty easy to ignore your past problems when you're half a world away from themIm finding it hard to get the confidence up to land a job even though i was hugely successful in England. But i guess my biggest fear is that all of the past sadness, insecurity and grief thats caught up with me being back here; will come between my partner and I and drive us apart. I don't want to be dependent on him or anyone for my happiness, i just seem to have forgotten how to depend on myself. Everyday here something seems to remind me of the cancer or the betrayal of my ex partner, i have anxiety most of the time and its incredibly hard to not take that out on my partner who doesnt deserve any of the fall out of what Ive been through. Long story short, I dont have much hope left but Ive still got a bit of fight in me , and hopefully will come through with my soul mate so i can finally move on. Anyway apologies for the short novel, and I really do hope something in your day makes you thankful. C

New to BB and New(ish) to Oz - C-PTSD, BPD and Depression.

replies: 5

Good evening all, I'm Lyndsey from Sydney (originally from Manchester, England). I'm new to Beyond Blue and just got out of my first hospital admission yesterday. Could really use some company from people who understand this kind of stuff and this pl... View more

Greetings!!!! :-)

replies: 2

Hello all, i am new here. i spend a lot of time mulling over and stewing on things. So going to trying talking about stuff here online. See if that helps. Also hopefully listen and meet some new people, I called myself 'lower case' cause i always subconsciously use a lower case 'i' when referring to myself. I figure this says a lot about me. lol.. (not always but it happens quite a bit). Also would like to meet other people with LSE issues. Cheers!!!

New to the forum

replies: 1

Hello everybody, I've never been on a forum before, and I'm not very good with IT, so I will probably make many mistakes. I've had a quick look around, and feel that this is a good palce to be when you feel completely isolated and alone with your thoughts and feelings. I'm looing forward to being part of a group that accepts me for who I am without judgement. I've had clinical depression on and off for most of my adult life, which started with post natal depression after my second child. I've been fighting this beast a long time with the help of my GP and Psychiatrist, but recently my GP suggested BB as I can't afford anymore therapy. This is the first time I've reached out to anybody else. Hoping I can gain and give out some comfort to the group.

Newbie

replies: 5

Hi guys just signed up .. 48 Yr F works as a nurse ... hoping to talk and listen to those that need it and maybe I can receive advice ... looking forward to this.

Hi, desperation sets in.

replies: 4

I guess my story is the same as most on here. I have suffered depression and anxiety for a number of years now. I did all the right things, like going to my doc, seeing a psyche, going on pills, tried counselling, deep breathing etc etc. I'm afraid that I finally turned to alcohol. I'm not sure how I feel about anything. I'm tired and have no energy or inclination to do anything. I am a shift worker which doesn't help, but I feel so often that I've just had enough and it's too hard to keep going. I have so many good intentions about how I'm going to improve my life, but every morning I wake up feeling too worn out to try and change my life around. I have had a hard life, like most of us I guess, and it all just seems too hard.

I'm new to this

replies: 4

I'm 33 and suffering from generalized anxiety, which has resulted in me not leaving the house in over 4 months, I'm feeling depressed and my hope is slowly decreasing, I have 2 children which keep me going and giving my hope and reason. I have a husband which I love with all my heart but is losing hope because this has been an on and off battle for 5 years, I get better and then this happens again, this is number four and is the longest time I have been at home with doing anything in the outside world.

Newbie & a little bit confused. Introduction :-)

replies: 2

Apologies if this is the wrong place to introduce myself. I'm new to this and a little bit confused on how to navigate. My name is Libbie, i'm 19 and i've struggled with major depressive disorder for the past 6 or 7 years or so. A large portion of my life, anyway, which started from an event in late primary school. This year, particularly this last month have been difficult for me and i'm currently in the middle of a pretty gnarly depressive episode. Trying to adjust to life out of school was hard & I had what can best be described as an existential crisis. Not long after that my cousin/friend ended his own life which furthered my depression. There were times when I thought I could understand why he left, like theres nothing good in the world. I was angry a lot, sad a lot, easily irritated and generally didn't want to be around. I believe this put a big strain on my relationship with my then boyfriend. This last month has been hard for me when he unexpectedly dumped me. I do miss him, he was my best friend. I feel a lot of self loathing, like it was my fault. like a failure. Like i'm too difficult to be around. It would be easy to blame my illness but I think it's just me. I tried very hard to be a good girlfriend but in the end I just wasn't good enough. Too much & not enough all at the same time. Those are some feelings I'm working through. I also don't feel like a real person. it's hard to describe. I feel like i've always built my identity on the people around me, and now I have no idea who I am. Or what I enjoy. Anyway, i'm on here to hopefully get/provide some support with some likeminded peeps. I tend to get worked up & sad at night time, so i'd love to hear suggestions on how you guys calm yourselves down when you feel a panic attack/depression session coming on. lol. So yeah. That's me.

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

Hi.... replies: 6

New person replies: 7

Hello Everyone replies: 3

New to BB and New(ish) to Oz - C-PTSD, BPD and Depression. replies: 5

Greetings!!!! :-) replies: 2

New to the forum replies: 1

Newbie replies: 5

Hi, desperation sets in. replies: 4

I'm new to this replies: 4

Newbie & a little bit confused. Introduction :-) replies: 2