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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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I'm worried about my friend.

replies: 6

Hello. I'm completely fine, but it's my friend that I'm worried about. I'm twelve years old, and my friends are the same age as me. Last week, I noticed that one of them had been self harming herself on the left arm. When I talked to her about it, she said she wasn't comfortable and refused to get help. Her parents are also on the verge of divorcing which is putting a lot of stress on her, and she harms herself to punish herself. Even though I told her to talk to her closest friend (who also self-harms but is getting therapy) about it, I don't think she will. To add to that, one of our friends is annoyed at her because she wants to be depressed and self-harming to look 'cool' but my self-harming friend is actually needs help, and that friend tells herself that my self-harming friend is a show-off and talks behind her back, which my self-harming friend found screenshots of. Our entire friend group has choir, and because of School Spectacular lunchtime rehearsals she's been alone at lunch often. She's under a lot of stress and she keeps harming herself, and I don't know what to do. She doesn't want to get help and I don't know how to help her.

My daughter has high social anxiety, refuses school and now refuses medication to help.

replies: 17

I just am so stressed and frustrated and sad. My daughter is flat out refusing school most days. We have tablets for her to start taking but she is scared about taking them. Im really worried about her. And don't really knoe what to do anymore. She h... View more

Hello, nice to meet you all

replies: 9

I'd been thinking about making an account here for some time, but there was something off-putting to me about joining a new community, as I've been used to the same routine for so long. I don't have that much to say or ask, but I'd just like to get some opinions and thoughts from a community which seems far less toxic than the one I'm from (An Australian prawn catching forum). I've been mostly a shut in for the last five years (due to numerous reasons which are beside the point) and stepping back from "ordinary" life I've watched as people have seemingly become more and more tribal/divided on every issue that arises, whether it be health, political or anything, to the point where each considers the "other" evil and it feels as if people no longer talk to each other or are willing to even argue or listen to others' ideas. For someone like me who hates everything being like this, it feels like there's nowhere to go. We all know social media is a big part of this, in some ways by design, and that the nature of it forces people to places where only like minded people lurk. The few times I've talked with people in real life (Who weren't family members) their behavior did not seem to fit the extreme partisan type I had described above, then I go online and I'm told if I wasn't aware of some issue then I'm part of the problem and that I have a "duty" to act on it. It's a small sample size and it's anecdotal of course, but I need to ask the people here, do you miss being able to have civil conversations with others you may disagree with? Am I wrong and the internet/social media is giving me an unrealistic impression of how people behave now?

Saying Hello 👋

replies: 1

Hi All, This is my first time using the forum. I thought I would come here and hopefully connect and make some new friends. I suffer from depression, anxiety and schizophrenia (all of them I have a family history of). I feel quite lonely and have wanted to make new friends for sometime but just haven't found anyone. I look after my mother (we live together) and she is getting old. She is my rock and number one person I can rely on. I have no other family I talk to except mum and stress / worry about when she will pass away as I will be really lonely then. I hope to hear from you or anyone looking to make a loyal solid long last friendship - I will be your cheer squad in tough times! Thank you, 88pinkorange88

How do you read replies?

replies: 4

Hello,I've just joined the forums. This is probably a dumb question but how do you read the replies? There doesn't appear to be a hyperlink and clicking on the red, unread 'replies' wording doesn't go anywhere (at least it doesn't for me). Thanks. View more

Detox from social media

replies: 13

Recently I have been drawn into social media as I keep reading negative news (A LOT happening recently) which has triggered me and after that, I keep browsing some lighthearted content to try to make myself feel better. I found out I waste a lot of time and did no good for my mental health, also has been not productive to focus on my own business. I have tried grounding myself but can't help going back What are your opinions and practical advice on detoxing from social media? or how to use social media more wisely, I know Most ppl can't cut themselves off it for several days and most of us just go back to this.

good afternoon

replies: 5

I have come to have a look at the forums

I am the 21st century slave.

replies: 5

No real point posting here but I really have hit the wall today and I was pointed in this direction by the offices of one of our esteemed former Prime Ministers. It's Miss Julia Gillard's fault that I'm in the spot I am right now and so I wrote to her to ask for help advocating for me and my family. She wasn't interested in helping but instead directed me towards the suicide hotlines and these pages. It shows her lack of understanding of what her policies have done. Killing myself is not an option for me, I have too much responsibility. As the subject line for message says, I am a slave. I am the 24/7 carer for my brother who has cerebral palsy, is quadriplegic, non-verbal, has one functional lung and is subject to violent seizures that can put him in intensive care at a moments notice. I last had a day off in February 2020. I work minimum 9-5 every single day. For every other hour of the day I am on call. If the phone rings at 2.45am I have to be ready to jump out of bed, answer it and get to work. I feed my brother, toilet him, exercise him and I am in actual physical contact with him throughout the entire day. There's no choice on providing this level of care. NDIS will fund for around 11 hours of care a week. This is so that I can (and I quote) "go out and earn some money". Well, maybe Miss Gillard can earn enough in 11 hours to support herself but I can't. We can't even use those few hours of nursing provided though. My brothers needs are incredibly complex and require an intuitive understanding of his needs that takes years to develop. Without that understanding he winds up seizuring and putting himself into hospital. He last saw a nurse 15 years ago. Since then it's been almost entirely me. I do this for free. I used to be paid the princely sum of $300 a week by the Melbourne City Council but when the NDIS was introduced they stripped away all those supports. Now all disability services go through them. They are a manufactured $20billion industry built to support a legion of middle managers and one of the central tenets of their scheme is that no money should filter through to family's. Since then I've worked for free.

Learning about complex trauma

replies: 2

Hi, I'm married, approaching forty, have two beautiful Son's, 5 and 10, house in the suburbs, a job and seem high functioning. In reality I feel broken and lost. I have had many assessments over the years for depression, Aspergers, ADD etc but recently through a therapist and lots of reading have come to understand my mental health through a trauma lens.I've always told myself my childhood was ok but with just a few challenges, and that I came through ok. I now realise that's not the case. I don't think I've ever had an intimate relationship and I have few experiences I can recall of feeling safe and accepted. Any thought of relying on someone or opening up triggers an intense dissociation.I married my high school sweetheart but have come to realise it's been a codependent and emotionally abusive relationship from the start which has eroded the little sense of self I came out of childhood with and has isolated my completely. I believe my wife suffered her own neglect/abuse growing up and is likely just acting out what she knows. Just the thought of discussing this with her makes me feel close to panic though. I have some better insight now that a lot of this reaction is due to the complex trauma from my childhood. I want to work through my trauma and gain some sense of self and an ability to set boundaries. I am finding it really hard to start out, I think because I don't really know who I am, and also because I have coped for so many years through addiction. I am lucky to have picked milder things to be addicted to such as food, internet and work but I am so dependant on this now it is hard to escape. I try to be kind to myself and am slowly trying to accept that I need help and connection but that's really hard for me. It's never felt safe to rely on others. I hope that sharing some of my experiences on here will help me to open up more.

New here but not new to anxiety

replies: 5

Hi everyone, i have been living with anxiety since I was 13 (I’m now 35). I’ve only really had the diagnosis of general anxiety until recently. My current psychologist has said I have OCD and possibly depersonalisation derealisation disorder. Even though I’m medicated my symptoms have been quite bad lately. Even causing problems with my work life as I’ve had really bad panic attacks and had to call in sick. Now I have to have a meeting with HR later in the week which obviously is not helping my anxiety. Had anyone experienced similar disruptions to their lives as this?

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

I'm worried about my friend. replies: 6

My daughter has high social anxiety, refuses school and now refuses medication to help. replies: 17

Hello, nice to meet you all replies: 9

Saying Hello 👋 replies: 1

How do you read replies? replies: 4

Detox from social media replies: 13

good afternoon replies: 5

I am the 21st century slave. replies: 5

Learning about complex trauma replies: 2

New here but not new to anxiety replies: 5