Welcome and Orientation

Pinned discussions

Meet your community champions!

replies: 12

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

All discussions

Sorted by:

Start a conversation

Life is nothing but a anxiety

replies: 3

HiFirst time here. I live in ACT and work in the Federal government. I have depression and anxiety issues and I take meds to manage it.

High-Functioning Autism, Underemployed, Hopeless

replies: 4

I feel like my whole rather narrow existence has been cultivated to avoid stressors, and that unfortunately the result of that is that I've become a basically useless person. My ageing parents are being supported by my brother, who is successful, but is taking strain because of my father, who has become psychologically abusive to my mother. They were violently attacked by intruders in 2020 and my mother has never really recovered. My father was knocked out instantly but my mother had her head kicked in by the invaders.I really don't recall my father being abusive to me (although he did always have a temper) and I have only seen a little of this behaviour when visiting them. She has become very frail and needs a carer. I don't think my father is a bad person, but I think he's lost all sense of purpose and is taking it out on her.Maybe two years ago, I could've helped out more than I am doing now (I send my father money for groceries, and have gotten him out of the house to bowl and my girlfriend has organised a a psychologist to help him) but I lost my longest-held job to a reshuffle and have been working part-time, so the money's a bit thin.My girlfriend has been really supportive, but is losing patience with me and I don't really blame her. She's a very high-agency person and has been cajoling me to improve my outlook with investing and so on, which I want to do but feel paralysed as my income is currently low (I do have substantial savings, but they've taken a hit). I retreat from things that cause me anxiety, and I'm so used to everything going wrong that I develop anxiety thinking about losing my savings etc. I have the usual failings of an autistic person in that I don't notice that I've been insensitive until it's far too late. You can apologise, but that doesn't really work long term, eventually people just avoid you. I try to develop habits asking about people's feelings and so on, but I always slip up.I am absolutely self-aware about my failings as a person, but I want to improve and I just don't know how. I've been working through a bout of severe depression with the attendant anhedonia, and I've sort of lost the mental energy to deal with it.

Lonely and feeling lost

replies: 5

On the outside everything looks great, I have a successful career, have travelled the world, have a beautiful & supporting wife, yet I'm lost. I'm 3 months away from turning 48 and feel alone and as though I've wasted my entire life. For as long as I can remember I've been super focussed on achieving things, either promotions, saving goals, travel, buying a car, renovations or whatever. And due to that focus everything else in my life has been neglected. I no longer have any close friends that I can just call and meet up with. I haven't started a family which was never a consideration until recently. I hardly ever visited my parents pr brother.And I no longer take joy in work or any achievement as it all seems pointless. I have my first trip to Japan with my wife next week and I could care less. I find it exhausting meeting new people yet I feel so alone. I don't know why I'm like this and I am just sitting down typing these words while crying.

Husband incarcerated

replies: 7

My husband is currently incarcerated, I know he is innocent, me heart hurts everyday, some days I feel like just giving up on life, it’s just not the same without him here with me 沈 nothing seems to put a smile on my face. life just feels like a real... View more

My husband is currently incarcerated, I know he is innocent, me heart hurts everyday, some days I feel like just giving up on life, it’s just not the same without him here with me 🥲 nothing seems to put a smile on my face. life just feels like a real struggle. Each day I wake up and just wish he was here with me. I tell him I am doing ok, but honestly I am a mess and miss him terribly.

Husband in prison

replies: 3

I know my husband is innocent, he is incarcerated for something he did not do a week ago, we have been married for 27 years and I’m not coping at all, I’m depressed , hate life and would not care if I faded away and died, it sounds morbid and I know I have a problem with these thoughts but I’m so sad, I don’t have tears left, I still hear him whistling or Keep thinking I hear his car. When the dogs bark I think he has been let free and has come home, I can’t function and my grandchildren are not even putting a smile on my face, I don’t want to have a life without him and I am extremely worried about him, I lay here and don’t do anything

G'DAY ALL

replies: 6

This my 1st post ! Looking to chat and share in relation to ptsd/depression and adoption.I'm a guy in a tent, have my dog Hokey Pokey and pay the rent. 66 yrs wise and working on content.So have a chat and maybe vent. Fine by me, i want to learn, and... View more

Hi There

replies: 2

Hi all. Hope everyone is managing okay today. Just introducing myself... I have had depression for as long as I can remember and was diagnosed with other mental health conditions such as Borderline Personality Disorder and Anxiety. My Father was a Vietnam Veteran and Mum was an Army Nurse, although she never went overseas. I don't know what else to tell you. What has bought me here is my recent decline in my mental health and prioritising it, when for so long I have not made it a priority.

New to the Forums

replies: 9

Hi everyone, have just signed up and introducing myself. I am a woman in my 60's and have pretty much been through the works. I grew up in a dysfunctional family. Have been dealing with Dysthymic Disorder and Major Depression since my teenage years. Have lost 3 family members to cancer, one family member and a best friend in road accidents, and another best friend to a rare disease. Have been married, separated and divorced (no children). Have had and recovered from a rare cancer. Have one sibling left who is a narcissist and has resented me from the day I was born, needless to say when I moved, I gave no indication of where I was going. I was already struggling emotionally when I started caring for family members during their cancers, my father died first but when my mother died just 10 weeks after my brother, I felt completely broken (like humpty-dumpty). My Major Depression progressed to Chronic status and had suicidal ideation for the next few years. I moved more than 300kms away to leave it all behind but after 1 year found out I had cancer in 2016. I am glad to say that I am doing much better these days and would like to put my many years of experience into helping other people not make the same mistakes that I made.

How to support my 19 year old with anxiety

replies: 2

Looking for advice on how to help my 19 year old with her anxiety? She is currently on medication and we have a referral to the access mental health team. She smokes cannabis daily and refuses to do any grounding/ coping techniques as she believes nothing helps. She is willing to stop smoking cannabis but wants to be admitted to a rehab facility, how we have been told this is unlikely as a public patient. We have family support however she does not engage with other family members. When she is anxious she will only contact me and it feels like I am her verbal punching bag. She is overwhelmed with life and I don’t know how to support her without enabling her . Looking for practical advice.

God is truly good

replies: 4

There was a moment when I felt completely overwhelmed and didn’t think I could go on. I was at my lowest, but God stepped in when I couldn’t save myself. He protected my life, carried me through the darkness, and reminded me that my story was not over. What I meant for the end, God turned into a second chance. I am still here because He has a purpose for me, and His mercy is greater than my pain.He died for us on the cross

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

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

Life is nothing but a anxiety replies: 3

High-Functioning Autism, Underemployed, Hopeless replies: 4

Lonely and feeling lost replies: 5

Husband incarcerated replies: 7

Husband in prison replies: 3

G'DAY ALL replies: 6

Hi There replies: 2

New to the Forums replies: 9

How to support my 19 year old with anxiety replies: 2

God is truly good replies: 4