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Sophie_M Cyclone Alfred - Mental Health Support
  • replies: 1

Hey everyone, We acknowledge that many of our Forums members here are currently facing the impacts of Cyclone Alfred and might be feeling uncertain, afraid and overwhelmed. We wanted to create a separate post here to come together during what may be ... View more

Hey everyone, We acknowledge that many of our Forums members here are currently facing the impacts of Cyclone Alfred and might be feeling uncertain, afraid and overwhelmed. We wanted to create a separate post here to come together during what may be a distressing time for many of us to support one another. Recognising that the impacts of a natural disaster can occur both before, during and after, we have prepared some resources which we hope can be helpful: From the Queensland Government, Useful information to help you get ready for a cyclone:Home | Get Ready Queensland Emotional Preparedness: Prepare your mind | Australian Red Cross Three-steps-to-emotionally-prepare-for-the-disaster-season.pdf What now? Coping after the event: Coping after a crisis | Australian Red Cross Maintaining wellbeing in the face of long-term stress | Australian Red Cross Emergency preparedness guide | Australian Red Cross As always, if you wish to speak to a counsellor, the Beyond Blue Support Service is available via phone 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via beyondblue.org.au/get-support for online chat. Stay safe, everyone, and take good care of yourself during what can be a deeply challenging time. Kind regards Sophie M

Sophie_M 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 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

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Guest_34916665 New year new me??
  • replies: 1

I’ve been feeling really down this entire past year. I’ve been with my partner for 12 years. We bought a house, it’s a house he hates apparently. He blames me for making him buy the house. We have 3 kids. He keeps changing jobs, placing all the finan... View more

I’ve been feeling really down this entire past year. I’ve been with my partner for 12 years. We bought a house, it’s a house he hates apparently. He blames me for making him buy the house. We have 3 kids. He keeps changing jobs, placing all the financial burdens onto me. When we fight he says he changes jobs all the time to punish me. I say he is irresponsible and unreliable to which he becomes immediately defensive that I called him a Bum (to him this is the worst insult). I have no friends. No family around. It’s just me and the kids. I’m so isolated. He’s moving out in 5 days, to another state, that’s how much he hates this house. I’m glad he’s leaving. But I’m riddled with anxiety. How can I do this alone? Will my kids be alright? I’m not good enough to raise 3 healthy and happy kids alone. I need him gone for my mental health though. I’m torn. Am I selfish for being happy he’s going?

Guest_10025 Taxi owner/driver
  • replies: 1

(57M 167cm 107kg) taxi driver, headbanger, into team sports. I have been struggling with my gender association all my life. I've tried the straight way, and the gay way but each way I felt I forced myself and felt uncomfortable. From a young age thro... View more

(57M 167cm 107kg) taxi driver, headbanger, into team sports. I have been struggling with my gender association all my life. I've tried the straight way, and the gay way but each way I felt I forced myself and felt uncomfortable. From a young age through adulthood, I tried both, it felt like something was off. I feel groused out with kissing and feeling romantic, I think I may have a past trauma or something unbalanced in my head. Deep down I felt torn between male and female thoughts, someone suggested I may be trans, not long ago. I have no attraction to either sex, but admiration towards women, not in a stalker way but fantasizing I was them, as for guys I think differently, either as friends with sexual desires or them having their way with me.I'm a mixture of madness. Some days that dreaded black dog makes me think crazy things, but that's when my mind imagines ideas and I write stories about them. There are other things about me I choose not to print, it might be creepy to some. Now I have found a new sexuality and it fits most boxes of my make-up but not all. Autosexuality. I have lived more for a sexual imagination and fantasy rather than human contact, throughout my life. I've even written sexual stories in some forums in the past, and I imagine I am what I'm writing about. One thing Autosexual people do that I don't is, I'm not in love with myself.I'm not suicidal anymore but still confused.Where the hell do I fit in this world, and will I find out before my time comes to an end?

Laney-BB1234 im an awful person
  • replies: 2

this is probably the most honest im ever gonna get with anyone, and i am fully expecting rlly mean replies cause its what i deserve. i cant stop lying to people, and about the most awful things. i dont really know why i do it maybe i like the pity an... View more

this is probably the most honest im ever gonna get with anyone, and i am fully expecting rlly mean replies cause its what i deserve. i cant stop lying to people, and about the most awful things. i dont really know why i do it maybe i like the pity and care i get from people? i think im just gonna say what ive been doing. ig it started with online friends, people i really cared about, it started with little lies like with hobbies i do and stuff and the first instance of a horrible lie i told was to one of my online friends where i said i was s exually assaulted before. they were really nice and opened up about one of their own experiences, which i comforted them on. i didnt feel guilty, instead i liked the attention and lied about... that to more online friends, usually changing up the story slightly, and i got pity and comfort from them too. i want to make it clear, nothing like that has ever happened to me at all. again even after those lies i still didnt really feel guilty. it got worse when i told one of my friends (irl) that i was self harming (id never done that at that point), and had a conversation with her where it was the assault thing again. i told details (that i completely made up) and told her i was talking about it all with my therapist (ive only ever went to one therapy session) and a few weeks ago i told her i had a mental disorder (i probably do but im not diagnosed with anything). its all been comfort from her, and i didnt feel guilt. I mean sometimes id think 'im an awful person' but those feelings dont really reside in me. it got even worse when i went on holidays and the whole time what i was thinking was 'im going to harm myself and hope my friends see it when we hang out' it got even more worse when i actually did self harm on sunday just because i wanted to see if i had the guts ig? and i wanted to see if anyone would notice and my family didnt notice, and some of my friends didnt or at least didnt bring it up and i was disappointed in a sense. i dont know whats wrong with me, and im scared even when i type this i feel mostly apethetic its like i know what im doing is wrong but i dont feel its wrong. i feel like a psychopath but i feel empathy. i constantly feel really bad for people and wanna help them, im an emotional person all the time but its just this whole thing that i feel nothing. ill answer any questions anyone asks i just want to stop being like this.

ExPomPhil Thinking about therapy, but don't know where to start
  • replies: 2

Hi all, Not sure if this is the right forum to be posting in, but the subject says it all. I am thinking about seeing a therapist, but don't know where to start. I've been feeling stuck for a long time. I have no friends, I'm unmotivated, tired. Ever... View more

Hi all, Not sure if this is the right forum to be posting in, but the subject says it all. I am thinking about seeing a therapist, but don't know where to start. I've been feeling stuck for a long time. I have no friends, I'm unmotivated, tired. Everything just feels difficult. I thought recent diagnosis of diabetes was an answer to a few things about how I'm feeling, but it seems not. So don't know where to start with things really - psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor. I don't really know what I need. Does anyone have any pointers of where to start? I had a few sessions before with my work's Employee Assistance Program a while back, but it didn't really amount to much.

RainbowCuddle i thHi there
  • replies: 4

Hi there,I am a 43-year-old mum that has had anxiety for multiple years before having my two children, 8 and 2. I am married and work part time. I have noticed feelings of jealousy, comparison and annoyance with social media and sometimes I feel like... View more

Hi there,I am a 43-year-old mum that has had anxiety for multiple years before having my two children, 8 and 2. I am married and work part time. I have noticed feelings of jealousy, comparison and annoyance with social media and sometimes I feel like deleting it but of course, the FOMO creeps in especially when my family are overseas and I don't have much to do with my brother that lives in another part of Australia. This has been ongoing for many years. I don't really have a close relationship with my hubby's family (and don't really want to) and Ideally, I want to make new friends but don't know how to do that without having to have facebook, instagram, social media. I have decided the only way I can do this is to make friends in activities I do with my kids or at my workplaceI attended a play group today for my 2 year old and I felt socially awkward. I do online exercise as I don't think I could do creche at my gym. I love walks. I love music and movies.

Guest_70337976 Yooooo- what's up :D/D:
  • replies: 1

New to this. I'm not doing okay in anybody's terms, and I'm a little exhaustive right now, and a bit sick of fighting for so long. Know I've been tricked, but I'm just slugging through it all atp. Don't think I'll do anything drastic, but I'm not enj... View more

New to this. I'm not doing okay in anybody's terms, and I'm a little exhaustive right now, and a bit sick of fighting for so long. Know I've been tricked, but I'm just slugging through it all atp. Don't think I'll do anything drastic, but I'm not enjoying anything at the current moment. So because of all of this sloth, I made this account. I don't know how to use this site at all, but I guess I could start by uploading this. Anyways, hope you all are having cool days, and hope everything is going fine, Cya

Guest_31027981 New to the Forums
  • replies: 3

Hi there everyone. I am new to the forums and posting for the first time. I am hoping to find some support during a time of high mental stress as well as offer support to others. I have been diagnosed with extremely severe depression, severe anxiety,... View more

Hi there everyone. I am new to the forums and posting for the first time. I am hoping to find some support during a time of high mental stress as well as offer support to others. I have been diagnosed with extremely severe depression, severe anxiety, complex ptsd and historical trauma. YAY ME ! Just to kick me while I am down, I have become hypoglycemic and am no longer insurable for driving purposes and when you live 300 km from the nearest city, no longer being allowed to drive has just compounded everything else. So yeah, I'm in a real funk. Please dont take my jovial way of expressing myself as me being non-caring or dismissive about the feelings of myself or others. It's just how I cope with things and no offense is ever meant. I'm going to be a comedian when I grow up, just wondering how long past 55yrs it will be before I grow up.

passingthrough Seeking help with strategies to support myself and my partner.
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I apparently made this account some years ago, but don’t think I posted anything at that time. I’m not sure of the best category for this. In summary, my partner and I are both struggling and I’d appreciate any advice on how I can support her... View more

Hi all, I apparently made this account some years ago, but don’t think I posted anything at that time. I’m not sure of the best category for this. In summary, my partner and I are both struggling and I’d appreciate any advice on how I can support her better. I’ve been depressed for a long time and have made a concerted effort to go back to therapy this year. I’m struggling with motivation, isolation and an inability to break maladaptive habits. I would say that I’m not suicidal but I do want to die. My partner is struggling with work stress and anxiety. She is working long hours and is too anxious to sleep. She told me recently that she feels trapped, and doesn’t know what to do. I couldn’t say anything, I don’t know what to say. Her stress response is to externalise things, so I fear that if I say the wrong thing she will attack me and we will both feel worse. My stress response is to internalise by shouldering blame and apologising, so this will end any conversation we have. I’ll say something like “I’m sorry I said the wrong thing” and that will be that. I really want to be able to do something to support her but I don’t know what to do or how to start, can you suggest anything, no matter how small?

Guest_10060 Increase in Meds
  • replies: 5

Hi all, name is Steve It all started in December 2011, major break down from working 2 jobs, 7 days a week and life its self. Spent 4 weeks in a mental health ward. Diagnosis was Major depression and OCD Intrusive thoughts. Relationship break up and ... View more

Hi all, name is Steve It all started in December 2011, major break down from working 2 jobs, 7 days a week and life its self. Spent 4 weeks in a mental health ward. Diagnosis was Major depression and OCD Intrusive thoughts. Relationship break up and separation from my partner, being together since 2001 and a 3yr old son went with his mother. Was put on an antidepressant medication in the ward. Back in the family home alone. Spent several months on the couch, out of my mind. Seeing no one, ignoring all contact of calls and knocks at the door. The only person I didn't hear from was my ex partner. Bills and rent getting direct debited from my income protection. Became my self again over a 4 month period after being taken off that medication and onto another antidepressant. I quit drinking alcohol, still a smoking tobacco (not weed, quit that 10yrs prior). Had some relapses along the way. Got back with the ex a yr later. Didn't work for a few yrs, had a payout to support the family. We soon spent a few hundred G over a few 3yrs. We had 2 more kids. Moved houses a few times and settled in a good rental. life was great, left me old job to a new job with a mate. Increased my income 5 times of what I was getting in the old job. But it meant 14hr+ days, on call. Rain, hail or shine. Work hrs were capped at 12, but time sheets for altered to fit the hours over the month. 2018, my ex left me for another guy, because I was always working. 2018 to 2020 was a battle. police, courts, DHS. Spending at least once a week in a jail cell for a few hrs after video interviews of allegations from the ex. My boy is almost 17 and lives with me. Haven't seen my other 2 boys in 4yrs. 2022 I had a work injury, work denied it happened at work. 2yrs fighting with work through lawyers. Work was made redundant just as I finished my claim with a win. Forced to sign a resignation, So I had a choice of comp payout or redundancies pay. I sighed the comp claim. Now no job, little money till payout comes in. After a yr of no weed, I smoked 3am last week and went to bed. But my mind went crazy. panic and extreme anxiety set in. Spent days on edge, before going to the Dr. He increased my medication dosage. Its been a rough week mentally. I'm just hoping its just from the increase side effects.

ashamg Is there something wrong with me? Or am I something?
  • replies: 2

Hi!To start, I am the only female in my family. I am the eldest with 4 siblings...so parentification.My 'parents'(mother and step father) were foster carers... abandonment.My mother was gender preferential...so isolation.I would inform something was ... View more

Hi!To start, I am the only female in my family. I am the eldest with 4 siblings...so parentification.My 'parents'(mother and step father) were foster carers... abandonment.My mother was gender preferential...so isolation.I would inform something was wrong with me, that I saw things differently. I was belittled and ignored...neglect. I am now 37. I have a husband. I have a son. They mean nothing to me. They used to...now they don't.I don't know what to do...