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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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Hello everyone

replies: 5

Hi all... I have posted a topic in Anxiety forum but being new here just wanted to say a general hello as well... last year for me has been a massive struggle and I feel very alone most of the time. I am a single mum to a 5 year old, 100% care. I work full-time and feel like I am just holding everything together by a thread sometimes. I hope just reaching out to the forums here will be a bit of a help in some way. I know there is help available, but to be honest I find that difficult to believe sometimes. I have a really good doctor, but she is hard to get into. I have seen many psychologists...my current one, even with the mental health plan costs about $140 a session... and for any benefit I find I need to see them at least fortnightly and it all just adds up. Anyway... just wanted to say hi and hopefully my journey is going to start to improve soon, as well as everyone else's who are struggling.

Hello, just looking for a safe place to hang out

replies: 3

Hello everyone, I signed up to this forum last time I had an anxiety blowout a few years ago. I ended up getting through things OK, but over the past few weeks have been deteriorating again. I think one of the worst things about mental illness is that you feel so alone. I have a wonderful family, and really try and put on a smile and pretend nothing is wrong with me. My wife knows I have anxiety/depression issues, but doesn't know to what extent. I guess I just wanted to come on board for a bit of company and support.Thanks for reading.

Hello all… reintroducing myself

replies: 4

It’s been a few years (2017 last post), been going through a lot over the past few weeks that’s left me a little worse for wear emotionally. Need a safe space to vent and look for guidance and assistance. im 42, married and currently waiting for sett... View more

I am really struggling

replies: 2

Hi everyone, I have had the worst couple of weeks. Almost a fortnight ago my ex-partner broke up with me and a day later I broke up with my workplace. Both elements of my life were toxic- The workplace was awful and a bullying culture. The girl I was seeing, we really seemed to like each other to begin with, but then something changed. She said she was in a toxic relationship before me which she found traumatic and wasn't ready for a relationship. We had a big argument that night. At first I got up to leave when she first said she couldn't be in a relationship, then I came back and talked to her. She tried calling me the next day and texted me to see if I was okay. I never responded. I erased all our photos, any gifts she gave me I threw away, a checklist we had of things we would do together I erased. I saw her for shy of a couple of months. I'm getting anxious writing about this. On this messaging, can you direct message people or is it only a public forum? I really want to talk out what has happened with people. Some details are specific and I'm trying to divulge what I went through without the risk of my ex workplace or my ex seeing my post and connecting the dots. Please help me.

Struggling single mum

replies: 3

Hi all. Single mum with 2 kids and feeling low atm. I feel angry , nervous and upset most days. Angry at myself for not speaking up for myself against others . I'm quiet person. Nervous to talk to my friends these days or family cause all they hear me do these days is hear me cry or hear how I am and I don't want to keep telling them how things going. I want to say hey yep things are great. Feel like I I shouldn't call anyone . Upset most days cause I don't know help my son 9 at times who getting bullied at school, my daughter 3 who has separation anxiety from me and been upset . Feel like I'm failing mum and then I feel like I should quit my job cause who needs an upset staff member. That's me atm.

Hi, how to get help? Ptsd, maybe bipolar???

replies: 1

Hi everyone, its been about 10 years since i last posted i think. Im 27f, suffering a lot at the moment with very big, very sudden mood changes. I am extremely stressed at the moment because of this, and other things, i feel like a lot of it is triggered due to some traumatic experiences growing up, but i havent always had these mood swings and its new and now destroying my relationship with my partner and family, i dont like who I am any more. I came so close to going to hospital today but i have no idea if they would or could even help me, I just feel so angry and lost and out of control and alien to myself. Can anyone help me understand the pricess of getting checked or assessed for things like bi polar? A few people close to me have suggested thats whats wrong with me. Im self employed and REALLY struggling financially so paying for a councillor or a head shrink at the moment is not really possible. Is there any way the public system can help me? Thank you for reading, love and light xH.

Hello all - New to BeyondBlue

replies: 8

Hello All, I am new to BeyondBlue. i am 37 and and female. You can call me Mel.

Hello

replies: 5

Hi. Hello.Decided to post on here cause why not? Can call me Mads, Mama, Yeen... I have a few nicknames, and more are welcome.They/Them pronouns 28, casual, queer, indigenous online artist.I like animals, creatures, monsters, videos games, music, art, etc, etc. I also suffer from general anxiety and depression and it really sucks to be honest because I want to be able to do things, get out there, get a job and all that, but it feels like nothing seems to ever happen.And the worst part is I know it's up to me. I have to be the one to do something, but I don't know where to start. I'm almost 29 and feel like I don't know how to be a functional adult. It really eats at me because of how much I want to do, but can't. Hopefully I'll be able to find some help on here, or at least pluck up the courage and energy to actually get my butt into gear and do something to help myself. Questions are welcome!

Cloudy Overhead

replies: 1

Hi there!I'm here to share my journey and to offer my support to others who can relate to what I have to share...I am a 65yo adoptee who had struggled with my adoption for a major part of my life. I had to learn forgiveness and be willing to at least try to understand my birth mothers position. This took me many years of counselling and changing my way of thinking, but the biggest lesson came when I was prepared to look at how my birth mother must have felt about giving me up for adoption and how hard that must have been for her; my anger changed into compassion and I was on the road to understanding it wasn't my fault.I got to see how feeling like it was my fault, played out in so many areas of my life, in my work life, my friendships, my relationships, my value system, my self worth and my identity.

Hi everyone

replies: 3

Hello I’ve read through these forums a few times. It’s nice to finally post. I’ve been feeling pretty anxious lately, but the main source of that is over now and I just feel drained. It’s a bit of a pattern that I have - 100% focus and stress on one thing, at the expense of everything else, to feeling really drained and detached. It feels weird to write out to the internet, but nice too. Thanks for reading my post. H

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Hello everyone replies: 5

Hello, just looking for a safe place to hang out replies: 3

Hello all… reintroducing myself replies: 4

I am really struggling replies: 2

Struggling single mum replies: 3

Hi, how to get help? Ptsd, maybe bipolar??? replies: 1

Hello all - New to BeyondBlue replies: 8

Hello replies: 5

Cloudy Overhead replies: 1

Hi everyone replies: 3