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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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Struggling after covid to re-enter society, find a job and interact with people again.

replies: 1

Hello beyond blue, I'm new to this. I'm 31 and I've been dealing with some issues for a long time. I've never realy felt comfortable talking about this with anyone and I'm still not really. But I want to share, so here I am. I moved to a new state/city a few months before covid. Being stuck, isolated and on my own was hard at the start but it ended up being very freeing. Ive spent almost three years isolating myself from pretty much all social contact besides a few calls a month from my mum. This isolation has been comfortable and less stressful. I realise this is probably not a healthy mindset, but it is how I feel. But it cant last forever and I've been struggling recently (the last year) to re-enter society, find a job and interact with people again. At first I thought the isolation had worsened my anxiety issues. But i think its always been this bad and i was just constantly forced to live with it. Back home even though I was surrounded by friends and family I was still depressed, especially when I was alone with my thoughts. I ended up rambling alot more after this point, going into topics that might be trigerring. so I'll summarise it for the intro. My childhood was bad and I have been dealing with depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. I've never sought help even at my lowest moments. I wish had and I hope i will. God helps those who help themselves which means nothing to those who feel helpless. Even as I write this I've been up all night unable to sleep becuase I have an interview at 2pm and its 7 am now. I will either go to the interview dead tired or skip it entirely and sleep. Its 50/50 right now.

Nominate a Valued Contributor here

replies: 39

Hi everyone, As a community that operates on the principle of 'give support to receive support', we have many members posting here who go above and beyond to reach out to others who are struggling. Some of these wonderful members have chosen to formally volunteer their time by becoming part of our community champion programme, but there are also many others posting daily and having a positive impact on the lives of our 100,000+ monthly visitors and members. The 'Valued Contributor' badge is our small way of recognising those members to say thanks for their ongoing support of others, and we're inviting the community to contact the moderation team with nominations for members that you feel should be recognised and acknowledged for their efforts. We will announce a new Valued Contributor on the 1st of each month, to give us time to review nominees' posts over a period of time. With only one Valued Contributor nomination considered for each month, we realise that some members providing wonderful support might feel overlooked. We would encourage you to use the Bouquet For Pearls thread to provide encouragement and thanks to members who you see providing great support for others. Prospective nominees may have been on our forums for some time, or may be relatively new. They may have posted frequently, or only occasionally. What's important is their impact on others and in the community. We will review the posts of all nominees against our five community values: Supportive - We encourage our members to give and receive support, sharing their stories and experiences in times of distress and wellness. Respectful - We respect where members are on their recovery journey, and listen without judgment. Empowering - We empower our members to make decisions that support good mental health and wellbeing. Safe - We support our members to talk openly about difficult subjects in a safe manner. Friendly - We approach all our discussions with kindness, warmth and always assume the best intentions. We will also take into account consistent support for others, and an understanding/respect for our community rules. We look forward to receiving your nominations. Click here to open an email window to send a nomination UPDATED: 2 July 2018

I'm having trouble with who I am.

replies: 2

I've felt like in the last few years I've changed and I don't recognise who I am anymore. My wife is about to leave me and work is more stressful than anything and I am constantly tired and keep getting thoughts of maybe it would be better if I was gone. But I don't want to leave my wife and kids. I keep struggling to do anything right, I can't figure out how to communicate well or at all. I feel so helpless and so weak I need help because I want my family to have the best husband and father they could ever want. But I don't know if I'm even strong enough

Single mum feeling empty and lonely

replies: 6

Hi I'm a 42-year-old single mum and feeling very lonely. I'm divorced and recently ended a long term relation ship because my partner could not accept that my son was my priority. He became more difficult to communicate with and things are very complicated at this stage. I know deep down that he doesn't care about me as much as I care about him. I feel stupid for investing so much into the relationship. I feel like I now have with nothing but I had to ask him to leave. I couldnt be what he wanted. I know I'm a mum so I chose that over my own needs. At night I feel so lonely but I block out my emotions so they don't consume me because I need to be strong for my son. I would really like to connect with other single parents. It's so hard doing everything on your own. I keep worrying that I am not giving my son everything he needs in life. Is there anyone else that has experienced something similar?

Hi there lovely people

replies: 19

Just wanted to make contact, i'm a bit of a technophobe & anxious about this whole online thing! But I need to find community, need to reach out after such isolation. Trying to look after myself as i have no local support, no that's not true, my dog ... View more

How am I going through this on what should be a great moment?

replies: 3

Hi Beyond Blue. I'm new, 32, but I feel like I should have been here long before. I started experiencing anxiety out of nowhere back in 2015 when I was in TAFE. Probably cause I was worried about my future and I wasn't working full-time at that point. It was a rough point that I eventually sat down with my GP about. After putting me on a prescription I've maintained that for years. My anxiety would often come in the form of stomach pain/cramps, severe loss of appetite, thirstiness, irritability, sensitivity to hot and cold, and occasional light-headedness. It would often happen on days in which there was a big event, a wedding, a funeral, an ongoing incident at work, a road trip, or a birthday party (one time it was my own). I would get anxious all throughout my body and I would back out at the last second. It's been plaguing me all my life, but I always had the support of my friends and my family most of all. They all went through situations like this themselves.One of my worst times was during a year-long period when I was unable to find work. I became depressed, focusing on negatives all around me, and I started becoming emotional over time because I felt unwanted. That changed when I eventually found a job and have worked happily in it for 4 years with a positive workplace environment.Recently it has returned, and it has come at what should be a momentous occasion. I bought myself an apartment back in late August. I often began having thoughts about wanting to move out, but as I got closer and closer to the occasion, I began thinking about leaving the home I'd been in all my life. As well as leaving my Mum and Dad who have been my rock and support in my best and worst of times. I think most times I took their work for granted - I didn't do too much around the house, but enough to help out with really arduous tasks. They told me themselves that they would stand by me whatever I chose to do, but now I feel like a willful part of me that I've worked on getting back has been ripped out after moving in. And replaced with this painful, torturous anxiety. But it feels worse this time, all the symptoms I had suffered began coming back, I feel it every morning and on the days I go to work. I also started thinking thoughts, dark thoughts that I had never EVER gone to before, and I always brushed off because up until now, my life seemed pretty stable at home with my parents. I'm here to look for help and advice however I can.

wanting to stop feeling so depressed and anxious all the time

replies: 4

hey guys, im 23 years old and since finishing year 12 (so 18 years old) i have been suffering a lot from depression and anxiety. In my early stages of life i suffered through the divorce of my parents which they argued all the time, to the loss of my mother at 10 years old and to living with and dealing with my father who was a pedophile until the age of 14 when he was finally taken to jail. So ever since then i have known exactly what not to be, to be a rightous person but i have always wanted to live up to the expectations my mother would have wanted for me. Since i have never been shown anything in life, even after coming to live with my grandparents, i have really struggled with figuring out how i should be going about my life. I am grateful that ive gone through my studies to be an electrician and to have a decent job, but i still feel like i am lacking all the knowledge, self awarness and mentorship to just be able to go through life. Some days im feeling good but 90% of the time its a real struggle, and that 90% increases as life goes on so im hoping but posting something like this i'll be able to find some sort of guidance or help so i can finally leave this prison cell of depression.

51yrs of an unwanted fiend

replies: 1

As the title mentions, Im a 51yr old woman that has crossed paths with depression/ anxiety and low self worth many times in my life and here comes, that cross road again, just when I seem to have my life in order and, just when I think I can “read the signs” of my depression and act accordingly to it. It’s like it manifests itself in a different form and I’m back again to square one only on a different square to which I’m not familiar with. I’m currently on the depression side of the fence, right now. Nothing is making science to me, only negative thoughts do. I can’t make a rational choice when it comes to my daily life. I have always been an independent woman but now I have become so dependent with my partner right now. My thoughts are not like my usual “positive” thoughts that Keep my depression at bay. I can’t even hear them anymore. Everything is dark in my mind. I can’t stop apologising to everyone for no reason. This is the worst bat of depression, I have ever experienced. Hence, why I’m here right now.

Seeking support and guidance in overcoming depression

replies: 1

I wanted to introduce myself to this forum because I am struggling with depression. I have been feeling lost, hopeless, and incredibly tired for many years now, and I am looking for support and guidance from others who understand what I am going through. I know it can be hard to reach out and talk about these things, but I am trying to be brave and take the first step towards getting better. I have a history of addiction, and have struggled with substance abuse in the past. I have also tried antidepressants, but found that the side effects made it difficult for me to continue taking them. I have had a hard time committing to seeing a doctor or psychologist regularly because of my anxiety, but I am determined to make a change in my life and get the help I need. I am committed to studying IT next year and am hopeful that this will provide me with a sense of purpose and direction. I am also eager to make some new friends and connect with others who can relate to what I am going through. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, reading, and listening to music. These activities bring me some joy and help me to relax, but I often find myself struggling to maintain a sense of motivation and engagement. I am open to hearing from anyone who has found ways to cope with depression and build a fulfilling life despite the challenges.If you have any advice or words of encouragement, please don't hesitate to share them with me. Thank you for being here and for providing a space where people like me can come to seek support.

I’m the Imperfect Perfectionist

replies: 2

Hi Beyond Blue community. I’m new here, but my head has been like this forever. I hope you like my username, it took me all of three minutes to pick - I’m already trying to start being more proactive in timely decision making (see further below for why I’m explaining this). I’m a thirty something woman, awaiting for my first appointment with a psychiatrist - hopefully quickly as I’m falling and falling quickly. I always thought how I felt or how I live life was ‘normal’. I always thought that how I feel is how everyone feels but now I’m not so sure. I’m not sad, nor depressed - my mind feels weird, like I’m going and going, though I don’t want to, it’s draining now. I dont want to self diagnose but for the last two years, and after discussions with family, it has allowed me to rethink that what I feels isn’t normal. Now I’m using ‘normal’ colloquially because there’s no such thing as normal but I guess to define anyone that is different to me. I’m open to a diagnosis of GAD, OCPD, ADHD or all. Weirdly, I’m excited, I need to relate to something in the hopes that one day, I can receive treatment that’ll make me feel calmer and be a better mother. I have been tracking my habits - I don’t call them symptoms as to me, they’re normal. Most have been existent for the entirety of my life as a minimum, or for many, many years. Welcome to my imperfectly perfect life.

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Struggling after covid to re-enter society, find a job and interact with people again. replies: 1

Nominate a Valued Contributor here replies: 39

I'm having trouble with who I am. replies: 2

Single mum feeling empty and lonely replies: 6

Hi there lovely people replies: 19

How am I going through this on what should be a great moment? replies: 3

wanting to stop feeling so depressed and anxious all the time replies: 4

51yrs of an unwanted fiend replies: 1

Seeking support and guidance in overcoming depression replies: 1

I’m the Imperfect Perfectionist replies: 2