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Cyclone Alfred - Mental Health Support

replies: 1

Hey everyone, We acknowledge that many of our Forums members here are currently facing the impacts of Cyclone Alfred and might be feeling uncertain, afraid and overwhelmed. We wanted to create a separate post here to come together during what may be a distressing time for many of us to support one another. Recognising that the impacts of a natural disaster can occur both before, during and after, we have prepared some resources which we hope can be helpful: From the Queensland Government, Useful information to help you get ready for a cyclone:Home | Get Ready Queensland Emotional Preparedness: Prepare your mind | Australian Red Cross Three-steps-to-emotionally-prepare-for-the-disaster-season.pdf What now? Coping after the event: Coping after a crisis | Australian Red Cross Maintaining wellbeing in the face of long-term stress | Australian Red Cross Emergency preparedness guide | Australian Red Cross As always, if you wish to speak to a counsellor, the Beyond Blue Support Service is available via phone 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via beyondblue.org.au/get-support for online chat. Stay safe, everyone, and take good care of yourself during what can be a deeply challenging time. Kind regards Sophie M

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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New to BB

replies: 2

Hi all. I'm 33 years old. I would say i have been fighting my anxieties for at least 3 years. Being male i have ignored my feelings thinking "i'll be alright I'll hey over it" I'm starting to fight a losing battle. Over the last 6 months it's been getting well out of control. My anxieties toy with my emotions something fierce. I have become very angry all the time not at anybody but more myself. I can't control aggression becoming very short fused. My ability to problem solve has been more reliant on people who work for me. My workers can't find out that I'm suffering. Game face on 95% of the day. Can't relax force myself to play with the kids when i get home from work when all i want to do is come home from work and lie on the couch. My oldest son has aspergers so I'm always conscious of his hightend anxiety levels. My poor wife as said before the last 6 months have been hell. She has been the strong one protecting the kids from my emotions again my game face is on all the time. This year alone we have had 3 deaths in my family within 5 weeks. I have just started my road to recovery i hope, got my second psychologist appointment on Tuesday not on meds yet haven't seen the GP. My fear is once i do start meds and see the GP it becomes real. I don't think I'm ready for that yet

New to Beyond Blue

replies: 3

Hello, I've suffered from depression for a few years now and recently been experiencing anxiety attacks. About a year about I experienced some major life changes ... I was in a emotionally abusive relationship with someone i trusted and thought i was going to spend the rest of my life with. I felt stuck in a situation and I didn't know who to turn to or how to escape and i started suffer from major depression and anxiety. I finally had to courage to walk out of that situation and started a new life, which i couldn't of done without the support of my family and friends. Although i now feel free from everything, my past has caused me so much pain i still feel today. I have moments where i want to give up on everything, where i feel like I'm useless. I go to sleep at night wishing i could just escape from everything, and even when I'm surrounded by people that love me, i always feel like I'm alone. It has gotten to the stage where i have isolated myself from my family and friends and i push away the people i love the most. I have very dark days where i shut myself out from everything, i can't even go to work and social events without having major anxiety attacks. I can be sleeping next to someone i love and still cry myself to sleep. I've always struggled to talk about how i feel, even writing this post has taken me a lot of courage. This whole forum thing is very new to me, but i hope to gain help from others who have experienced something similar to myself.

was a BB member couple yrs ago now im back again

replies: 17

Hi all BB members, I'm 21 nearly 22yr female. I was part of BB a couple of years ago when I was just new to experiencing depression, and met some good people here, people that I hope still part of the group (some might remember me, but I dought it lol) . I stopped for awhile as I had been up and down mentally, got to the point in life where it was woke up fine and felt that I had no reason to continue to discuss my issues as I felt as tho I was happy again. I had been up and down in the last couple of years and have struggled. Iv returned BB as I have experienced another type of depression in to a different extent to what I first experienced mentally. It's only the last couple of weeks I'v been thinking about my life and where I'm heading and see my self, I had come to the conclusion that I wasn't happy compared to what I had been before depression, I had weighed out some of what my issues are thats weighing me down there has been deffently alot last year that went on for me in life that had changed for me. I don't really have many people to talk to expecially at times like this when I need it I found not many people are there (basically it's hard for them to understand) I want to meet new people who will and can understand what I go/am going through and gain more friends that I can go to at times like this when I need it the most. I'm hoping to make and meet new people and friends and share my experiences and stories, and just to vent and help as well as I'm mentally and emotionally struggling and battling with my thoughts and emotions at the moment but I would also love to be in volved for support as well for others to listen and read other people's stories too:)

hi from melbourne

replies: 6

hi i am new guy i suffer from anxiety and major depression i be unemployment for near 3 year after company was declared bankruupt but i going to grow mental health communnity group.

Why would you have this forum, with amateurs trying to solve real problems?

replies: 14

I acknowledge the need for people to come and talk and find people they can share their troubles and problems with, but mental health is no small problem. It needs the real support of knowledgeable and expert people, who know what they are saying and to whom they are saying under what circumstances. I would appreciate if there were free expert support for individuals to seek around here and if it is already in place than I do not understand the desire for individuals to seek help from amateurs rather than professionals. I also strongly believe that individuals have a fear to get their condition be formally branded and named and thus they might fear seeking professional due to certain stereotypes around it. It will be awesome if we can somehow work on developing a society of professionals who are not only professionally sound but are also relatable and approachable to reduce some of the stereotypes that create barriers in seeking right help at the right time. Personally, not until I came across a therapist who I liked as a person, that I was able to see an end to my struggle with depression. Before that, even the most professional and learned people seemed to lose me and aggravated my case. I do believe truly that what doesn't feel right can never be right, so let your gut lead you to your own recovery. Thank you

Long Time Fan

replies: 7

Hello erryone! I am Bree, a newbie to foruming. I run a mental health website and also fundraised 2k for beyondblue last year - long time fan of this organisation! Am 27, have bipolar 2 and am a gay. I can't wait to learn from you all and share any i... View more

Bipolar?

replies: 3

Hey, i have been suffering from post natel depression for 14.5 yrs. i thought i had been manging ok, but recently have had bit of a break down. Im seeing my doc tomorrow. I think i maybe bipolar! I certainly fit in most of the categorys. Has anyone e... View more

Hi. New to Beyond Blue

replies: 3

Need some help, feeling sad and alone.

Newbie and confused

replies: 6

I'm only new to this and don't even know where to start but I know that I need help in finding out why I get angry most of time and have such a short fuse. I'm also a stress head, feel like I have ocd at times and some form of depression but honestly... View more

New to this forum

replies: 1

Hi. I'm a mum of 4 children under 7 (a seven year old. Twin 5 year olds and a three year old that is going through the process of getting an Autism diagnosis. My husband and I have lived away from family for 7 years. During this time, my husband has suffered from depression and been on medication for that on and off. I started taking in too in January as I have struggled since finding out about my sons Autism and wondering how I would cope on my own. But my husband has recently stopped taking his antidepressants again. And he has gone back to being incredible critical, putting me down and speaking negatively to me in front of the children, putting women down and myself. He is unhelpful and believes that women should do all the housework, cooking and child rearing on her own. While I am capable of doing all these things, I find it hard to get through the day when I am put down and don't have a good relationship with him anymore. It is our 10th wedding anniversary in a month...and it's at the point where I don't want to celebrate it with him. I know he works so hard at his job but I feel lonely. And having little children is a hard thing to cope with without it being a team effort. This has become 100% worse since him stopping his medication and at least he is enjoyable to be around normally. How do I encourage him to start taking it again? It's been around 3-4 weeks since he stopped taking it...which he didn't consult me with even though he has had to be on it for over the 7 years and has tried to come off it before. I want to have a good relationship with him but I am feeling like if he wants to choose to be without medication, I am not sure how our relationship will survive long term. Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

Cyclone Alfred - Mental Health Support replies: 1

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

New to BB replies: 2

New to Beyond Blue replies: 3

was a BB member couple yrs ago now im back again replies: 17

hi from melbourne replies: 6

Why would you have this forum, with amateurs trying to solve real problems? replies: 14

Long Time Fan replies: 7

Bipolar? replies: 3

Hi. New to Beyond Blue replies: 3

Newbie and confused replies: 6

New to this forum replies: 1