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Aaronsis 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 th... View more

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

Chris_B Introducing...the community champions
  • replies: 22

Hi everyone, Some of you may have noticed that a few of our members are labelled ‘Community champion’ and have a beyondblue National Roadshow bus badge, like this: This thread explains who these members are and what they do. Community champions are v... View more

Hi everyone, Some of you may have noticed that a few of our members are labelled ‘Community champion’ and have a beyondblue National Roadshow bus badge, like this: This thread explains who these members are and what they do. Community champions are volunteers within the forums who: Have the time, skills and empathy to support other members Make an effort to welcome new members Are regularly and actively engaged members that help set the tone of our community as a place of hope and recovery. Click here to find out more about how you can become a Community Champion! As this is a peer support community that includes members under the age of 18, it is important that we ensure our peer support community leaders have a current 'working with children' check as part of due diligence. In an online environment with anonymous posters, it also provides Beyond Blue (and the community) with some security as to the identity of who is posting as a community champion. We ask our community champions to spend at least 2-3 hours a week posting and responding in the forums, but in reality they go far above and beyond this. Like me, they’re not psychologists or counsellors, just regular folk like yourselves who have experience with anxiety and depression. I’ll leave it to our champion volunteers to reply below and let you know a bit about themselves. PS. If this is your first time on the forums and you'd like to introduce yourself, please start a new thread rather than replying in here.

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Sawyer Good to be here
  • replies: 6

Hi Everyone, I've been meaning to get involved with BeyondBlue for a while, I think we can all agree that the work they do is pretty incredible. I was directed to these forums after asking how I could get involved and after glancing through the forum... View more

Hi Everyone, I've been meaning to get involved with BeyondBlue for a while, I think we can all agree that the work they do is pretty incredible. I was directed to these forums after asking how I could get involved and after glancing through the forums I have to say i'm blown away by the stories and support that you all share here. Talking about mental illness, and beginning to reduce the stigma around issues like depression and anxiety, encourages the sort of Australia where individuals will no longer feel embarrassed for sharing their struggle, or admitting that they need support. So a little about me. I have always been interested in mental health awareness and treatment, even before I started my studies. I am a post graduate psychology student now. And I struggled with depression for several years, which spiked quite severely during my undergrad. It took me a long time to realise how to get out of my situation, it seemed like the world hated me or so I thought. But I realise now that while bad things happened in my life, it was my choice to let them affect me the way they did. That was a year or two ago, and now i'm proud to say that happier than I have been in a very long time. I feel more confident with myself, as individual and within relationships and this has really reflected positively on my life in a lot of ways. I am looking forward to talking to many of you through the forums and I will do my best to be regularly available. I am always happy to chat or offer advice to anyone who is struggling or just needs someone to listen. Nice to meet you all, And I hope that my personal and professional experience, can be of service to this community. Kind Regards, Sawyer

Jessicat Intro from Jessicat
  • replies: 5

Hi all, I'm new here but I joined in the hope of connecting to others in a similar position, while contributing to a passion of mine (helping others overcome mental illness). I'm 23 and have suffered depression and anxiety (and all the wonderful tria... View more

Hi all, I'm new here but I joined in the hope of connecting to others in a similar position, while contributing to a passion of mine (helping others overcome mental illness). I'm 23 and have suffered depression and anxiety (and all the wonderful trials that go with them both) since I was a young teen. Recently my ex broke up with me for numerous reasons but the 2 primary ones being my mental illness and his infidelity. I am 35 weeks pregnant with his child and feel I have lost everything in the blink of an eye. the break up took my friends, my home, my financial security, my hope and goals for the future, my sense of who I was, and all that I was living for. My panic attacks have returned as has the overwhelming feeling that I am a "bad person" and shouldn't be allowed here on this earth. I feel that the pain isn't worth it and that the future is too bleak and painful to consider staying around. These feelings have surrounded me for most of my life, however they've returned to a horrible extent after this massive setback. But amongst all this there are rare and fleeting moments of hope where I feel I can be happy again with a new love, life, and well being, and while those moments are rare, they currently hold me together. I have a great support network of family and mental health workers who are helping me through this tough time in my life though through this I hope to connect to others, hopefully make some new friends of my own, share my story, and continue my life long goal of reaching peace with my depression and anxiety... to become acquaintances with them rather than hiding from them.

Brit_in_Sydney Hi
  • replies: 2

Hi,I'm 47yo and live in Sydney and at times suffer from Anxiety.Im interested in chatting with others,my interests include playing guitar,movies,hard rock,travelling.

Hi,I'm 47yo and live in Sydney and at times suffer from Anxiety.Im interested in chatting with others,my interests include playing guitar,movies,hard rock,travelling.

geoff NEW MEMBERS
  • replies: 10

There are on many occasions we have new members who areso kind to reply to a person, but also have some form of depression, and this extends to many other illness's that are associated with this disease, but are too afraid to post their own comment, ... View more

There are on many occasions we have new members who areso kind to reply to a person, but also have some form of depression, and this extends to many other illness's that are associated with this disease, but are too afraid to post their own comment, which is a real shame, because they are hurting so badly inside, so I implore you to come back and post your own comment. You can't suffer by yourself with this illness, because it only gets deeper and deeper for you to try and handle all those problems that just won't go away, so please I'm almost begging you to post a new thread. This thread of mine won't be on page 1 for too long, as it will keep getting pushed down the list and end up on page 2, and then page 3. There are too many names to mention that only have had one reply to someone else seeking help, and even if I mentioned a few, it would be so easy to miss someone out, so that wouldn't be appropriate for me to even begin. So please consider joining us and we will endeavour to do all we can to try and help you. Geoff.

yona The story of my life up until now
  • replies: 2

My life starting in the early 80s I have one brother and one sister my parents broke up when I was two. My father hit my mother some times but they had some happy times. Then not long after she met my step father and a year later they got marryed. My... View more

My life starting in the early 80s I have one brother and one sister my parents broke up when I was two. My father hit my mother some times but they had some happy times. Then not long after she met my step father and a year later they got marryed. My step father has been great to me and he is dad me and him have been having some ups and downs our selfs. Then when I was about 8 my mum got hurt at work she was a nurse by one of the patience in a bad way very bad. Right through my teens she was in and out of hospitals and it was very hard on all of us. I spent a lot of my teens at home alone because mum was where she was sister and brother doing there own thing and dad running a restuaurant. so I was very lonely. Then when I was 18 we moved to Tasmania we all moved there to have time out it was time out of ten years. I found I did not cope with stress and stoped working ,My sister found out things at last that were wrong with her health which she had been trying to work out for years Mum told us more things about her child hood that were not very nice some things about her father and that she has bipolar. My father has problems that he still will not talk about. So in 2007 we moved to Victoria dad did not want to move but did it for ever body else that is what he says but who knows. My at 31 my sister went back to work pushed to do so by my father and then in time moved out of home my father is for ever getting the shits with her but loves her. Me moved here when 27 do not cope with stress do not work live at home with parents feel that I am in the way I always mum and dad say I am more then welcome feel that if I was not around that the two of them would be a lot happier. I also found out that I had aspergers when I was 28 but my mother did not tell me for two years. And I have problems even liking my self and some times at loger heads with my father. as For my father I do not know because he never talks to anyone. Oh sorry I forgot my brother he is in the arm he left home at 18 and miss out on all the stress. But as for the me I am blaming my self for everything that goes wrong in the house of me,mum and dad I just find it easyer to just take the blame and in doing that give my self more stress which in saying that I think that is Y I drink to relax and escape. That is just some of it.

Kanye Keith
  • replies: 3

Hi,everyone.Im not really sure how this site works yet.i found it looking up info on ocd and I want help.thank you

Hi,everyone.Im not really sure how this site works yet.i found it looking up info on ocd and I want help.thank you

Hello_world Hello world
  • replies: 1

I have been wanting to connect with people about my anxiety/depression so I hope this website can help in some way. My name is Cass. I am 24 years old and have lived with depression and anxiety since I was 17. I have always been the sensitive and hig... View more

I have been wanting to connect with people about my anxiety/depression so I hope this website can help in some way. My name is Cass. I am 24 years old and have lived with depression and anxiety since I was 17. I have always been the sensitive and highly strung person so in hindsight it makes sense that I would be so susceptible. My issues began like any teenager..friends..I had the same group of friends my whole life and I noticed that I wasn't fitting, in fact I was different to them and more mature. But despite psychotherapy and people telling me this happens, I grieved, and I continue to grieve, even though I logically understood and didnt want to be associated with those people anymore. I started on medication which helped take the edge off constant anxiety and I continue to use it today. I finished school, started university and had my first real breakup. I had a few friends through this process, all from different circles in my life and they helped a lot. I had a good uni experience, made friends but I still feel as though I don't fit in (or that they care about me). It has continued to the work place. My moods will constantly vary (I have dark and happy days), I am constantly anxious, I doubt myself at work and need constant reassurance that I am doing really well (I can't be doing anything just ok I have to be the best or I will become very anxious), it has gotten to the point where I hear people compliment other staff members in general group conversation and I think I am horrible at what I do. HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?!?! I have a loving partner of two years and a few close friends I could tell anything too, I should think myself very lucky. But why do I continue to do this to myself? As I said previously, I am currently taking medication, have used psychotherapy in the past (my psychologist has moved and I haven't found anyone as good as her since otherwise I would continue), I have tried mindfulness which I love but that and things like exercise I struggle to bother doing. If I could connect with a few people on here, hear their stories, and gain so insight into what can help me, or motivate me to continue to improve my anxious/depressed moods I think I would be relieved and very grateful. Thanks for reading

Loobylou Introduction by Loobylou
  • replies: 6

Just wanted to quickly introduce myself. I am almost 48, married for 25.5 years we have 4 grown children, 3 of whom still live at home.I got online today to try & find some support/guidance to help me work my way out of the hole I currently find myse... View more

Just wanted to quickly introduce myself. I am almost 48, married for 25.5 years we have 4 grown children, 3 of whom still live at home.I got online today to try & find some support/guidance to help me work my way out of the hole I currently find myself in. This is a hole I am all too familiar with, one I had actually hoped I would never find myself in again. I am finding that even if there is a familiarity to my present state of being, that in its self brings no comfort at all. Just deep fear because I know where this path leads. As an adult, I now look back & see that anxiety has always been a part of the way I respond to life. That response was manageable when I was a child, but started to escalate as I transitioned into adulthood. Anxiety started to shift from being specific to certain situations (ie heights, small spaces like lifts, stairs etc) to pervading all areas of my life by the time I was in my early 30's. I became severely agoraphobic, obviously unable to drive also. Life was interesting with 4 small children to care for. I had clawed my way back to being able to live a life I was happy with. Participating in all aspects of life. Never completely free of the anxiety but I felt I had it on a leash with the ability to rein it in if it started to get bossy. Feeling anxious wasn't fun but I did things in spite of those feelings. This year things have been slowly coming unravelled. The last month has seen the return of panic attacks. My world is getting smaller again as I find I am beginning to avoid all sorts of situations to try & prevent extreme anxiety & panic. Right now I am not sure what I am more afraid of, the giant black hole that is consuming me or loosing the freedom & confidence I had achieved. They are one & the same I guess. I have seen my GP, he wrote me a mental health treatment plan. I have begun to see a psychologist. I had a light bulb moment in the shower this morning. I realised I used to get up and think, RIGHT what am I going to do today. Now I wake up and assess how I feel, and wonder how I can avoid the anxiety and panic: how can I keep myself safe. Increasingly that means just staying put. I am trying to remember how I worked my way out of this before. I think I just had to be brave and DO no matter what. But I am feeling very raw and rattled. I have lost my brave and can't quite find it. So I am starting with connecting, hoping maybe someone can remind me where to start!