Welcome and Orientation

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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

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

Loneliness

replies: 6

Hi I'm Lotus15,Why are we all so lonely

Coping with PMDD

replies: 3

Reaching out to find others who suffer from PMDD. I have been hospitalised three times now- once for harm and twice for anxiety attacks. I have only just been diagnosed this year- after the birth of my second son, but now realise it has been going on for years. Previously I have turned to alcohol, which makes everything worse. I am on medication and have had an iud put in, but they have not worked, in fact I feel the PMDD is escalating each month. I’m looking for help and support and suggestions on how to manage this without having to get a hysterectomy (which I am seriously considering).

Introducing myself.

replies: 6

I'd keep this short & sweet. Hi, I am Tyler, 21 years of age. I've decided to join up with Beyond Blue because of the experiences I have witnessed during my short life. I am someone who has gone through the bullying phase growing up & witnessed first hand racism from outside and within my circle & have dealt with the aftermath of suicide from friends & family, etc which has left me traumatised and have tried hurting myself multiple times which has left me depressed, but my goal joining Beyond Blue is to provide support & advise as I have been fighting for more awareness and pushing for more support. Like you, I have gone through hell and back but like you I survived. We're survivors, and couldn't be more proud of you.

Infidelity - can it ever work again

replies: 4

Recently I discovered that my partner of a few years cheated apparently with someone he has known for many years after he ran into her on a night out with friends. I found out by overhearing a conversation between him and her when he epically failed to not hang up my phone call properly. I have had my suspicions in the past but I always put it down to me being paranoid because of things that had happened in my past relationships. I even increased my medication as a result thinking it was all in my head. Turns out I was just completely right. He says it only happened once that he slept with her almost 12 months ago but he is clearly still in contact now although I watched him make the phone call to her to tell her I knew and tell her he would not speak to her again. He of course takes full responsibility and expresses guilt and shame over hurting me and tells me it was absolutely nothing to do with me as a person or the quality of our relationship (or he’s just a great actor). Am I an idiot for still loving him and wanting to make this work? Or is there a possibility to one day move past this and resume what I thought up until last week was the greatest and most stable relationship of my life. The anxiety is out of control. I just want to cling to him. I am so sad.

Hello

replies: 7

Hi glad for this platform to help me and others with their daily obstacles

Living nightmare

replies: 5

Hellomy first post and it’s making me even more anxious doing this. I am suffering severe anxiety every day upon waking.Can’t remember the last time I felt any happiness. Have tried many different antidepressants, but am intolerant. Have spoken to ps... View more

Baby steps

replies: 4

Hey guys Im new here to posting! Im 24 and 5 years ago my anxiety started, my doctor at the time did the standard checks which were all fine (which freaked me out even more at the time lol), he told me i have anxiety and to just try and relax. Nothing i did worked because i was anxious at all times and the physical symptoms were so scary, after going back the second time he suggested antidepressants. See the thing is I wasn’t really depressed at the time and all finishing the month cycle did was make me actually depressed to add on top of the anxiety i was battling with nonstop. I decided to figure it out myself and not rely on meds, it wasnt easy but over time i just got used to it (which looking back at it probably wasn’t good after all lol) the anxiety was still there but i just didn’t entertain it as much. Things got to a point where i would say i was doing good with my life and handling everything on my own. Until my recent spiral that brought me back to what felt like day one of my first anxiety attack, its been a month and im still in the spiral. I haven’t been myself. My friend noticed that something was up, i poured my heart out about everything and came to the conclusion that i need help . I found a new gp that i feel super comfortable with and am in the early stages of organising treatment for what he’s saying is GAD, he’s recommended a psychologist which i should be starting sessions with in a few weeks. It took me 5 years but i finally built the courage to admit that i cant do this on my own and i need all the help and support i can get! Its all baby steps for now but im trying everything i can to get better, i just wanted to share my story and i hope you’re all doing okay reading these forums give me reassurance that im not alone. Meditation/mindfulness helps as well! Ive just started journaling/scheduling. Do you guys have any suggestions on things that help you day to day that i can try?Looks like my journeys just begun…

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Hello replies: 5

Cloudy Overhead replies: 1

Hi everyone replies: 3

Loneliness replies: 6

Coping with PMDD replies: 3

Introducing myself. replies: 6

Infidelity - can it ever work again replies: 4

Hello replies: 7

Living nightmare replies: 5

Baby steps replies: 4