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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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Manic depressive son

replies: 2

Just need some coping strategies to help my son through a bad patch very worried about him.

ADVICE FOR PRE EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS

replies: 4

WARNING: DONT EVER ADMIT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION IN A PRE-EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL ASSESSMENT, LIE INSTEAD I was interviewed for a job at a local council & had progressed to the next stage, a pre employment medical. I naively thought it would be standard fitness for work & that the potential employer would only get a pass/fail thing or baseline information. However I had to fill out a copious questionnaire asking a number of questions totally irrelevant to the job I was applying for. I also had to get a drug screen so I had to list all my meds, some of which are not the usually SSRI for my depression. After id filled it out They told me to sign a paper so that they could send ALL my medical history to HR at council. I was very concerned about privacy so I called the HR officer who was dealing with my application to voice my concerns. Long story short even thought I was deeply concerned I felt I had no choice but to go through with it because I hadn’t received an offer. Anyway the Dr asked a whole bunch of very intrusive questions about whether I’d been hospitalised (yes) whether I had bi-polar (no) why I was on each specific drug, whether work had ever exacerbated my depression (no, but not working does) etc etc. Then I met with my potential bosses for a coffee which went really well, had a great conversation about the role. I asked if there were other candidates who had progressed through to this stage & they said no, I was at the top of the list and they weren’t talking to anyone else. That reassured me that all but got the job. So I turned down another job offer. After a week of hearing nothing I emailed the HR officer who eventually got back to me to say I was unsuccessful. I asked why & she said they had a number of candidates and that someone with more qualifications and experience (I have a PhD & 15 years exp but ok) had been successful. Yeah right. Makes total sense. So a warning for those who are applying for jobs: make sure your meds won’t be picked up in any drug screen & keep quiet about your meds & mental health condition. All this de-stigmatising of mental health in the workplace is just utter bullshit.

So Lost

replies: 1

Honestly dont know what to say. Married with kids and well feel totally lost. Covid killed my relationship. I had to work through , mrs had to stay home looking after kids. Think she feels i didnt carry my weight although i was gone most of the time due to work. She hasnt forgiven me for not being there. Ive tried to kickstart the relationship again although nothing. There little to no hugs, kissess, support etc and i just feel past my used by date. Suggested counceling although shes not interested. I see couples holding hands, kissing etc and it breaks my heart. Days are getting longer, harder. Some days i wish i just didnt wake up and I could sleep for longer. Im exhauated, tired, lost. I have no direction and feel confused. Nfi what i can do and feel like i just want to give up. Bahhhhh ;(

Overwhelmed & Struggling

replies: 3

I had just typed up my whole story and was almost done then its erases & gets wiped!Been writing it all day and I'm officially exhausted and devastated that typing all of it that I was struggling writing just goes away!! I'm not doing well! View more

Helpless and hopeless.

replies: 3

I am an international student currently residing alone in Hobart city. Recently graduated, I am facing a sense of helplessness and hopelessness as I embark on the job search with only four months of experience. Compounding my challenges, I recently ended a relationship with my boyfriend during my first internship at a firm, and now I find myself shouldering the burden of double rent payments after living together. Struggling with loneliness in a city where I lack close friends, I am uncertain about my prospects following the one-month internship and am unsure how to inquire about potential job retention. The prospect of living alone in Hobart has become a significant source of anxiety, as I am uncertain about my goals. I currently lack the confidence to make new friends, with my colleagues at work being my only social connection.Adding to my distress, I am grappling with the emotional aftermath of the breakup, which occurred just five days ago. As my rent lease approaches expiration, the financial strain of high rental costs exacerbates my challenges. I miss him a lot.

Harangued by darkness

replies: 5

When it comes to my mental wellbeing, I've never come clean outside the closed conversations with trusted friends before. But as I get older & more isolated, I suffer more and more with anxiety and feel very shy about sharing my state of mind with others. I don't want to attract judgments that will adversely affect anybody's future opinions about me. My sleeping is often interrupted by dark thoughts that are not a part of my reality. And throughout the day, my reality is interrupted by senseless & unreasonable negativity that brings down my day. I live in a building with a range of people that I get along with nicely, a beautiful family, and a good husband of 38 years. I am functional, well-organized, I stay on top of my domestic commitments, and I am a good contributor to our residential community. I live in a lovely apartment in a beautiful part of the world. I have so much to be thankful for and yet I am plagued by anxiety, anger, impatience and extreme irritability. There have been various periods throughout my life (from 10 years of age) where I have become prone to these emotions, and again I have found myself living in this same headspace over the last few months. I absolutely hate it! Admittedly, as a family we've had a lot going on lately, but it's really hard feeling out of control while my husband remains on the same trajectory as always - steady, balanced, unphased. It makes me want to scream!! Trying to act normal around him is hard work...impossible. Is there anybody out there who has been where I am (and have been countless times) throughout my 65 years?

Struggling

replies: 3

This is my first post, unsure how to begin, a year ago I discovered my wife was abused by a coworker, she tried to help him but he abused her instead. I’ve lost faith in the world, I’ve lost the value in myself, I moved my entire family interstate because I didn’t trust myself around the abuser who I wanted to punish. I know it’s wrong to even consider my wife had any complacency in the abuse, I told her the guy was trouble. She still tried to help. She kept the abuse a secret instead of confiding in me. I feel I wasn’t worthy of her trust to help. I feel worthless. In trying to protect my family I feel I ask too much of her.

Sad

replies: 3

Sad

Grief

replies: 3

Hi everyone first time doing anything like this. I’m not doing too well. My beautiful mother passed away one month ago. I feel like my world has crumbled. I have this pain inside me and I’ve all of a sudden become scared of the outside world. Im due to return to work tomorrow and this has caused me to spiral. I have made an appointment with my GP tomorrow to gain additional support.

gender fluid person

replies: 7

i there im a 28 male person and i feel trapped into being masculine and straight when actually i want to explore the world of lgbt non sexually of course i want to dress up fem and look pretty and have girl talk and drop my masculintiy at the door for at least a few hours and just relax into that space but after trying to do it and coming out as trans fem ive lost my job and been told that being trans is wrong by my mum and now i feel very depressed and alone, please im just desperate to connect

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Manic depressive son replies: 2

ADVICE FOR PRE EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL ASSESSMENTS replies: 4

So Lost replies: 1

Overwhelmed & Struggling replies: 3

Helpless and hopeless. replies: 3

Harangued by darkness replies: 5

Struggling replies: 3

Sad replies: 3

Grief replies: 3

gender fluid person replies: 7