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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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Taking charge of my life

replies: 2

As much as i feel depressed, anxious and lonely i have been reaching out and seeking help. I have a great support network but i feel the need to share some of my writing in a safe place. I thought that maybe some people can relate and i just want to be able to share my writing without feeling like a burden. So a little bit about me... I have been battling my problems for as long as i can remember. I have had really good days and bad days. Sometimes it would last just that day, or weeks and even months. I find it hard to understand why i am the way i am. A lot of the time it comes back to all the trauma I've come across in my life. I have faced many challenges in life which has probably made my brain think the way it does. I find it hard to keep motivated and interested in things i use to absolutely love. I find it hard to find the positives in a negative situation. Life is this one big obstacle course with each of its challenges. As much as i feel depressed i have a son that looks up to me. I am his safe place and comfort. He is a big reason that I'm seeking help to find myself again. My mind is a constant battle between the two things i think, but i know i can get through this. I have before and will continue to fight until

Hello - Here for more happiness

replies: 12

Hi All, OK here goes. I feel like I'm one of those people that is extremely lucky yet I'm still unhappy which feels very broken to me. I have a great family (wife & 2 kids), all healthy, and between us, my wife and I have good paying jobs that has meant money has never been a problem for us. I have a couple of good friends and relationships are solid with my family (parents & brother) and my wife's family. ...yet im still unhappy, and where that comes to is career. While im not one of thise people trying to rush my way to the top of the corporate ladder, I do want my career to progress, and recently completed an MBA. My performance has been strong pretty much everywhere I've been, but what I keep finding is that people issues really upset me and in turn disrupts everything else. I got a bit sick of large corporates and so this year I've started at a global tech start up. The onboarding has been the best I've ever experienced but recently had a meeting with an indirect superior (I have a dotted reporting line to them) which really bothered me. It wasn't an aggressive confrontation by any means, but I left that meeting very deflated as I felt I have now entered a very junior role compared to what I was expecting. I give this not as a specific problem to solve but a good example of something that really got me down. I've thought about leaving the role at least a dozen times today, and I've been a real downer on my family the whole day. Just to help, I rarely face scenarios of conflict and Ive received a lot of positive feedback about my leadership style. I feel my problem is I let events like my recent work example really upset me. Hoping to learn a lot from this forum so I can build the techniques to be more resilient so this stuff doesn't affect my home life. Thanks for reading!

Interstate Move Anxiety

replies: 4

Hi, I'm new to this, so not sure if I am doing this correctly, first timer. My family and I have just moved interstate and I'm struggling with the move, feeling really depressed and anxious about starting a new school and making new friends. Everything is overwhelming, miss my old house, the weather, my friends, my school. I just feel sad all the time and have lost interest in everything, even things I use to enjoy. the only thing I am interested in is moving back but I cant for awhile and I just feel like I cant do anything. I don't even see the point in existence any more when I'm not happy and I'm not caring about where I am. I just want to go home its all I want to do because if I went home I would be fixed, I would be happy. it doesn't matter what I am told unless I am told I am moving back my emotions just end up in the same place every time I have no clue what to do besides move back.

New and anxious about privacy

replies: 24

Hey guys, just created my account. I’ve been reading these forums for months now, and I’ve always wanted to start “venting”about my depression and social anxiety but my psychologist is discouraging me from doing so because she reckons I’m going to keep my negative thoughts “in front of my face” if I read and post on these forums. The other thing is I’m really scared about privacy. What if I get identified by either the authorities or anyone? It would ruin my reputation. I’m even scared of signing off with my first name at the end of my post ;/

Helpless wife

replies: 6

Hello everyone, thank you for letting me join this group. I am looking for some guidance. My husband is suffering major depression. He has moved out of our family home, which we share with our 2 young children as he says he feels uncomfortable here. I will add that he’s a FIFO worker. His roster is 2 weeks away, 2 weeks home. He has moved into a donga on his parents property, much like his accommodation at work. I am terrified that he won’t come home. We do speak, but it’s nothing like it used to be. We’ve gone from speaking 3 - 4 times a day, to only talking once (if that) and it’s usually only about our children. We were so happy and in love only a few months ago. He tells me that he still loves me and wants the feelings to come back, but feeling differently about me and doesn’t feel right when he’s with me or in our home. He feels confused because nothing feels the same anymore. He tells me everything is hard. I am respecting his need for space, but am heartbroken. My feelings haven’t changed, I am still madly in love with him, and I miss my best friend. I miss the life I had only a few months ago. Is this normal? Is him removing himself from the home normal, or should I worry that he won’t ever come back. He has started seeing a psychologist (he’s only been seeing him a couple of weeks, but likes him, so I’m hopeful). He doesn’t want to give up his work, because he feels ok there, it’s when he’s home that he struggles. He barely responds to my messages, yesterday we didn’t speak at all. What can I do? I worry if I don’t contact him he’ll think I don’t care, I worry if I do he’ll feel like I’m suffocating him.

Feeling Lost in The Dust Strom

replies: 3

Feeling of Emptyness, Low Energy, Unwanted Hope, Nothingmore to Believe, Turn away all idea of Creation Body Heart Soul no sound of exciting Lost way direction meaningless getting there Reduce work ability low interest activity Divorce 2 time including Broken heart many Family give nolove but ask help with money Do Good have Good ending up no where Not Rich, Not Poor, Not in Hell, Not Bad Human, Not Sad, Not Cry, Not Scream, Not Jeariosy, Something Missing

One after the other.

replies: 4

Hi there. I'm new here. But I have dealt with anxiety most of my life and bouts of depression on and off for the last 10 years. I haven't had a great 2021 like a lot of people. I just wanted to let it all out somewhere and perhaps someone will have had similar experiences and can help or just acknowledge/listen. The first half of 2021 I was living a life that I thought I wanted. I had grown in my career, I had made my way up to a management position at my job earning a good amount of money, and I just moved into a brand new apartment by myself. But I was extremely unwell. My mental and physical health was declining. I hated the job and I was extremely lonely basically questioning everything I had learned about success. Now that I look back I was close to being suicidal. I eventually found some courage and quit the job, and moved back home into my parents house so that I could rest from burn out and start looking at where I wanted to go in life. When I moved back home. We went into a lockdown that had no end in sight (it lasted 4 months). I was stuck inside a house with my mother working from home. I was forced to face some deep seated issues that I had with her that I didn't realise were there e.g. feelings of not being good enough, failure. I noticed narcissistic traits and basically had to face the fact that she isn't ever going to be the mother I need/ed her to be. During this 4 months my grandmother (my mums mother) had to come and stay with us as she was in a lot of pain and needed to be looked after. I could see what my grandmother did to create shame for my mother, my mother did the same to me. Eventually my grandmother got better and could go back to her home. Right before Christmas and my Dads birthday that we had planned a family holiday for. My mother says that she wants to seperate from my father. This wasn't a complete surprise. It was just not great timing. Then in the new year, I got covid and I am still recovering from the fatigue of that. What I am dealing with at the moment is my parents and I still living in the same house, my parents are selling said house, I’m trying to find a job and somewhere to live. I’m potentially moving interstate which I am excited about. But I just feel so flat at the moment and unmotivated. The days are slipping by and I feel like I’ve done nothing. Sorry if this is long winded. I just had to get it out somewhere.

I'm new

replies: 6

I'm new. It's taken 3yrs to get the courage to even get onto a site like this & I've chosen Beyond Blue to begin. Let alone to write in a forum! That's a huge step. But here I am so hello everyone. I know it's going to be hard for me as I'm "old school" & keep things to myself. However due to a nervous breakdown 3yrs ago, then a work injury a year after that (still suffering from). Followed by a chain of events including a family heartache, Has now left me dealing with another breakdown a month ago. I'm at the point of I just don't know what to do. I have a supporting husband but I feel I can't keep being down around him & crying all the time when he's home, it adds to my stress that I feel It's not fair on him. But it's so hard to pretend im ok. Been having counselling since the first breakdown & it's continuing also for my increased anxiety since my injury. I'm on medication for anxiety/depression and pain meds, so I'm always feeling spacy. But since my latest headache (recent) breakdown 1mth ago they are back because I can't handle the constant panic attacks & tears! Believe it or not this a just a snapshot of my hell. I'd be here all night & into next week if I got into it all. Just soooo tired of being like this. If anyone has read this thank you. Again, I'm new so not sure how it all works.

Melbourne Bloke

replies: 4

Hi all professional living in Melbourne, have suffered severe anxiety and panic attacks for much of my youth and have recently lost an old friend, I’d hate to think anyone was out of options and am looking to embrace my local community and help and b... View more

I don’t always like myself.

replies: 4

Half of the time I think I’m a fairly smart, happy, lucky person. I have joy in life and feel like I have a lot to look forward to. The other half I feel anxious, depressed, incapable of doing anything useful and like no one likes me. I have friends, but if their reply is short, I worry that they don’t actually like me. If my boss is abrupt, I assume I’ve done something wrong. Some days I want to curl into a ball, it’s so frustrating. who has tips on how to stop judging myself all the time? It saps my energy and makes me feel so low.

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Taking charge of my life replies: 2

Hello - Here for more happiness replies: 12

Interstate Move Anxiety replies: 4

New and anxious about privacy replies: 24

Helpless wife replies: 6

Feeling Lost in The Dust Strom replies: 3

One after the other. replies: 4

I'm new replies: 6

Melbourne Bloke replies: 4

I don’t always like myself. replies: 4