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Sophie_M Meet your community champions!
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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 Be... View more

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.

Aaronsis 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 th... View more

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

Ari1308 Hi All, Sharing my story
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Hi All, I just joined and thought I share my story here. I am 45-year-old father of 2 kids, 13 and 11 who moved to Australia 25 years ago. Last December after years of marriage issues I left home and was living off a suitcase at different places. And... View more

Hi All, I just joined and thought I share my story here. I am 45-year-old father of 2 kids, 13 and 11 who moved to Australia 25 years ago. Last December after years of marriage issues I left home and was living off a suitcase at different places. And in April this year my mum who lives overseas suddenly passed away from leukemia. I was very close to her, and her sudden death was a huge shock to me. At the same time my small business that I worked so hard over 5 years to build is facing a court battle for a wrong thing a former director did. Its like my perfect life has suddenly collapsed and since Last December I have battled depression and anxiety and depended heavily on alcohol to kill the pain. I have received helped but nothing has really worked so it’s a ongoing daily battle for me I have 2 court cases coming up this week and next week for my business and separation. Last 2 weeks my depression and anxiety has skyrocketed with the unknown factor. Feels like if things don’t go in favour of me with the court cases there is no point of living. Last few days I have had suicidal thoughts but been hanging on. I just pray everyday hopping things will get better for me.

Margaret11 New here and lonely
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone. I’ve been feeling pretty lonely lately. I hope to feel a bit more connected by participating here. im 40. Single. Never married. No kids. Mostly lesbian. I have few friends and little family. The family I do have are overseas and COVID h... View more

Hi everyone. I’ve been feeling pretty lonely lately. I hope to feel a bit more connected by participating here. im 40. Single. Never married. No kids. Mostly lesbian. I have few friends and little family. The family I do have are overseas and COVID has made them feel so far away. Work is my life but I hate every day of it. I count down the minutes until I can leave. I’m a boss and people are jerks. Everyone wants to play games. The people above are corrupt, many below are liars and cheats. I feel empty.

Whimbo I'm new here - my experience with anxiety and depression
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Hi everybody, I've just joined the forums and I'm eager to read about people's experiences and what they've been doing to find help. I'm a 24-year-old student of psychological science. I love playing my guitar, petting dogs, and spending hours rottin... View more

Hi everybody, I've just joined the forums and I'm eager to read about people's experiences and what they've been doing to find help. I'm a 24-year-old student of psychological science. I love playing my guitar, petting dogs, and spending hours rotting my brain cells on TikTok. As a teenager, I was one of those people who thought you could think yourself out of a mental crisis. Teenagers experience emotions differently so when my first girlfriend experienced depression, I found it hard to understand. Then, towards the end of my 18th year I started struggling with anxiety. I was having trouble fitting in socially at university, and struggling with my coursework. I was working up to three jobs at the time, on top of my schoolwork. To add to the stress, a group of friends that I was fond of broke up, and my neuroticism turned them away from me. It wasn't until then that I realised I had an issue. Afterwards it took almost a year to build myself back to normalcy. The things that really helped was recognising when I was embracing negative thought patterns and romanticising my depressive episode. I think I had convinced myself that I was the main character in a book, without realising that it's not the suffering that endears us to fictional characters, but how they work themselves out of their suffering that matters. I started a band, I went to shows, I joined a climate action group, I dropped my ego, and I learned to listen to others instead of egocentrically emotionally spewing over them. You might recognise that much of this solution involved some pretty harsh critical reflection, so this was also not a perfect solution. Years later, after a bad breakup, I started to feel anxiety and depression symptoms again, only this time the solution was not to break apart my personality and squeeze it back together like some gory jigsaw puzzle. My biggest breakthrough with my psychologist was when she asked me verbatim "How much self punishment is enough? At what point do you say it's time to accept that even though you could have done better, it's time to accept that and move on." It took me years, but I learned how to critically evaluate my actions and how they effect others, but I have to remember not to self-flagellate and force myself to suffer for every little mistake, and I'm still learning. Plus music, hobbies, and social connections are immeasurably helpful. Who relates to this experience?

Guest_3639 Even at 60
  • replies: 19

Hello to all the courageous out there At this next stage in my life, I had hoped to have gain wisdom and life skills in order to help deal and push forward in the positive. However, I find myself sorely lacking in life's skills when dealing with peop... View more

Hello to all the courageous out there At this next stage in my life, I had hoped to have gain wisdom and life skills in order to help deal and push forward in the positive. However, I find myself sorely lacking in life's skills when dealing with people and coping with loneliness. For me, I find that I am still unable to make new friends or if I do, hold onto them. I find that I am always the one who initiates the phone call or organises the get togethers. Yet if I don't make the first move, then the only thing I hear are crickets. My phone may as well be switched off. My children call only when they need something and I get to see my Grandchild once every two or so months, even though he lives 10 minutes away. I do not for one minute play the victim as I take responsibility for my actions, however, I can't shake the feeling that perhaps I am not so likeable after all, even though when I do call, the caller is genuinely happy to hear from or meet with me. My self doubts run deep and I've had many years to cultivate those negative self worth feelings. My age appears to be a barrier in making new friends, as most my age either have their circle of friends or just don't push past the cordial greetings and light banter. I am lonely. I feel worthless, no longer needed, after a lifetime of raising a family and helping others. It's as if I am now invisible in societies eyes and of no value, even though I hold a life's time worth of knowledge and education. I can empathise with the lonely, yet I am unable to push past this wall of self doubt and futile feelings. I acknowledge I am depressed, but I fight each and everyday to the point of despair. Indifference is now plaguing me as a defence mechanism. I love to laugh, live, I walk with a smile on my face, I engage and accept. I am good people, yet what's wrong with me?

Victoriaberry New here, diagnosed BPD, FP needs space
  • replies: 7

TW: mention of drugs Hi I am diagnosed with depression, anxiety and BPD. My best friend, my 'favourite person', asked for space on Saturday morning for an unspecified amount of time. He doesnt know if or when he would come back or if he would see me ... View more

TW: mention of drugs Hi I am diagnosed with depression, anxiety and BPD. My best friend, my 'favourite person', asked for space on Saturday morning for an unspecified amount of time. He doesnt know if or when he would come back or if he would see me again. But he did say if he cant come back he'll at least tell me in person. We dated for a while. He cheated, prioritised drugs, did something my ex did to break up with me to make sure we wouldn't get back together. The breakup was rocky but we still lived together. We took some space when he eventually moved out but i could still message him if i needed. He was still there to support me if i needed. Cos of the issues mentioned above, we had an agreement to let me move on first which he broke after about 6 months (11 months ago now). We also had an agreement he would tell me when he did drugs because of the anxiety he knew it caused me (he knew prior to dating). He broke that 2 weeks ago. He has been my rock, my world and have been best friends after the breakup. I know he has changed who he is alot in the last 6 months so im not ashamed to say hes still my best friend despite everything. Pls do not mention that i should not be around him cos of those things, it is not constructive, ty. I have forgiven him and he has changed. I have been struggling a lot mentally and he had been on and off with being supportive, as he had been going through a lot himself which he didnt tell me about. I felt alone, sometimes even around him. He eventually opened up about everything. He has been the support person for a lot of people in his life, but i was the most recent and it all built up and was too much. He decided he needs space from me, and cant contact him at all while he figures himself out and works on hmself. He doesnt know when or if he'll come back. He did say i deserve to know in person, so i hope he doesnt break that and actualy still tells me in person. Its been 4 days and i am missing him like crazy, my world feels like its ending and i just want to be able to contact him. The thought that he might break agreements, or not tell me if he wont come back scares me. The idea of how long I'll have to go without seeing him scares me too. He said it could be weeks/months. Even around friends and family i still feel alone cos i cant reach out to him at all. Anyone been through similar? I dont want generic "it will be okay" advice cos i dont find it helpful. Please share your stories

41singleBNE Rediscovery and healing
  • replies: 6

Hi all Joined earlier this week. As my name says I'm a single dad in Brisbane. I've had to deal with depression for nearly 30 years, in various shapes and forms. It's returned following the breakdown of my marriage earlier this year. The typical hors... View more

Hi all Joined earlier this week. As my name says I'm a single dad in Brisbane. I've had to deal with depression for nearly 30 years, in various shapes and forms. It's returned following the breakdown of my marriage earlier this year. The typical horse sees water but refuses to drink scenario forced me to abandon the relationship as she simply refused to acknowledge and take proper ownership of her mental health. Want to try and socially reconnect slowly, even if only online to begin with. Start taking small steps and do the things I used to enjoy, start rebuilding my life. Hope to contribute and share experiences here, with what I'm able to relate to.

Roulablades I'm new to this but i wanted to reach out ..
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Hi my name is Roula and I suffer from really bad depression and anxiety. I absolutely hate it as I feel that as I'm getting older its getting worse or is it that I'm not noticing it more and not just pushing it down and bottling it up.. I've seen a c... View more

Hi my name is Roula and I suffer from really bad depression and anxiety. I absolutely hate it as I feel that as I'm getting older its getting worse or is it that I'm not noticing it more and not just pushing it down and bottling it up.. I've seen a couple of physiatrists asking for a diagnosis and maybe some proper medication to help but I haven't had much luck, the most I got was I have adjustment personality disorder.. which isn't really much to go by.. I was abused a lot as a child, was groomed by a teacher in school, developed really early and have had a handful of failed relationships. NOW I know there are people out there that have it a lot worse then me and I don't want to sound like a victim .. I just want to know how do you guys get your self out of bed and be motivated to do things during the day, be actually happy like really happy without just hiding behind a smile.. how do you sleep at night when your anxiety keeps you up all night.. I've always been seen as that bubbly loud possibly adhd, possibly autistic funny girl that suffers from really bad mental health but lucky I don't self hard anymore and I don't want to die .. I just want it to stop sometimes.. Sorry and thank you again for letting me blurt this all out.. maybe I should start writing another diary? I was seeing a GREAT phycologist from being in an armed robbery under victims comp but now I cant seem to find anyone.. Is it just me or is it really hard to get into seeing anyone during the pandemic? also has anyone tried CBT? I've been told that would be best for me but I don't know where to start.. I was recently emitted into ED for mental health but I know the poor hospital doesn't really have room for someone that isn't a threat to themselves or other people I just get so angry sometimes I want punch tings and hurt myself.. like an outlet of self harming without cutting.. How do you guys do it? Roula xx thank you x

Family_OCD Family member support for OCD diagnosis
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Our son has been diagnosed with OCD and is house bound with obsessive thoughts concerning germs(covid) and long term OCD symptoms only recently recognized. He is 37 lives with his partner with two young children. Myself and partner are actively invol... View more

Our son has been diagnosed with OCD and is house bound with obsessive thoughts concerning germs(covid) and long term OCD symptoms only recently recognized. He is 37 lives with his partner with two young children. Myself and partner are actively involved in his journey and we are trying to understand and help him and his family. Please can we share information and actions we can use to support each other.

Ladybug2 Feeling Broken
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Hi. I'm new here. I have just been signed off work with anxiety. I have a stressful job in healthcare and have had several times where I just couldn't work...longest being 6 months in 2018. I feel very down and lost. I have no energy or patience for ... View more

Hi. I'm new here. I have just been signed off work with anxiety. I have a stressful job in healthcare and have had several times where I just couldn't work...longest being 6 months in 2018. I feel very down and lost. I have no energy or patience for my 3 kids or my husband and have no motivation to do really anything. I spend a lot of time in bed. I know about all the things that will make me feel a bit better ,exercise, good food, fresh air, routine...but I don't have the energy or motivation to do anything. Everything is an effort and I'm so tired. I've been experiencing panic attacks and feel short of breath a lot of the time. This is frightening and debilitating but my GP won't give me anything for this. Not sure how work will respond re me taking time off but no one from management has enquired about how I am. They just thanked me for my medical certificate. I feel let down as all my anxiety and stresses started due to issues at work and most of these have not been addressed by mgmt. I'm a very different person from when I started this position 6 years ago, not in a good way. not sure how this will all end. Just waiting to feel better. Thanks for listening x

Does_eat_oats Does eat oats
  • replies: 2

Suffered depression and anxiety for many years. Now older and retired need help with social anxiety and lack of inspiration

Suffered depression and anxiety for many years. Now older and retired need help with social anxiety and lack of inspiration