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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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Sophie_M Reflecting Back on 2021
  • replies: 10

Hi All, With only a few more weeks left in the year it's important to be gentle on ourselves and be mindful of the steps we can take to continue to support our wellbeing – no matter how big or small. Writing here can be a great place to start. We hop... View more

Hi All, With only a few more weeks left in the year it's important to be gentle on ourselves and be mindful of the steps we can take to continue to support our wellbeing – no matter how big or small. Writing here can be a great place to start. We hope everyone stays connected during the holiday season and please keep checking in if you need a safe space to turn to during this time. Our community is here to hold space for you. If you or someone you care about would benefit from additional supports and resources, please feel free to connect with Beyond Blue’s Support Service available 24/7 on 1300 22 4636, or reach us online: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/ Community Voices: What are people talking about? Young People: Managing Relationships and Your Mental Wellbeing I am 23, just graduated uni and have struggled with mostly depression and more recently anxiety since I was in high school. I've have never been sure what I will do for a job and am generally pretty unsure of my goals and have very low self-esteem. I have a few chronic health conditions which have been a huge contributing factor to my mental health and was the reason I started seeing a psychologist during high school. Speaking to someone was fairly helpful at first but in the past few years whenever I have had psychologist appointments, I've just felt like I'm complaining and repeating myself each time and not really getting much from it. - javalava13 (Read more here) Recently I had a big falling out with my ex-boyfriend (who I thought I was still on somewhat good terms with) and majority of our mutual friends due to my “not being able to get over the break up” and my mental health issues which have gotten more severe recently due to a heap of other circumstances. - AliC. (Read more here) I’m not to sure how to use this yet, but I just wanted to talk about something my mental health has been getting worse and worse especially in this last semester, and recently I’ve had a falling out with some of my friends, these friends are in most my classes. These friends really did make me happy because of how much fun I had with them, but I’ve been kicked out and I honestly can’t pin point the reasons why, I do know I shouldn’t have said some things but anyway this made me realise how depressed and hopeless I really am – Gothamfan (Read more here) Preparing for the holidays It's getting close to 'that time of year', & I'm seeing some mention of it here on BB, so I thought, wonder what people are doing this year? Will this year be the same as always for you, or what? Do you plan anything? Go anywhere? Do you want a grand Xmas / New Year? Or something simple &, whether by yourself, or with others? Will you be around BB over the 'silly season', as much, less or more? I would like to be hanging around here, greeting people who may be lonely, or feeling the stress of societal expectations around these days, such as we see & hear in the ads, movies, & how people always ask 'what are you doing for xmas?', 'spending time with family?' & astonishment if you are not. – mmMekitty (Read more here) With Christmas around the corner I'm a little behind on my Christmas shopping (aka have not started and overwhelmed by choices) so I thought maybe I'd ask you all for help. Is there a Christmas present that really stuck out to you? Something fun you got one year? Or, if you're stuck, what's something on your wishlist? - romantic_thi3f (Read more here) im new to this group. Hoping to find support from like minded people impacted by the WA Gov decision to not allow families to reunite over Christmas with inflexibility around border controls. This is difficult for me and I know as we near Christmas will only get worse…it’s been 2 years - Casey K (Read more here) Finding connection I found myself really focusing on these loneliness feeling a lot. It started halfway through last year and over time it’s just gotten worse and worse, I sort of struggle to manage it. Each day for example, I will work but in the back of my head I’m questioning why I feel this way and how I can’t find a way out. - Daniel12 (Read more here) Being a British born Sikh, who migrated from the UK to Australia with my family, I was reflecting how challenging the transition was especially when it came to leaving our family and friends back in the UK, and even now couple of years on we all still experience a level of loneliness. This got me thinking regarding how international students, (whose second language is English), cope with the transition to a new country, especially if they travel on their own and do have not have any family or friends at their final destination. – Baljit (Read more here) Social anxiety means i have not made any friends yet in melbs and general anxiety and overthinking is making my thoughts/beliefs in my mind very strong. I am very good at hiding it with avoiding and keeping it to myself, which i thought was helpful but got the courage to go to my GP and started seeing a psychologist.-one of the hardest things i have done. But talking about my beliefs in my mind and struggles i think is the start of getting somewhere to understanding my mind, anxiety and loneliness. – Jamac (Read more here) Meet Beyond Blue’s Newest Community Champions! This month we welcome ‘Maddeline’ and ‘On the Road’ to the forums volunteer team Read more about the Community Champion's team HERE Valued Contributor Award Our Valued Contributor for the month of November is ‘Mishmo’! Mishmo has been nominated for role modelling to others the importance of embracing one’s unique self and having agency over how one chooses to manage their mental wellbeing. Thank you Mishmo, for listening without judgement and sharing your own lived experience to support others with their coping, recovery, and wellness To read more about what a Valued Contributor is and how you can nominate a fellow community member, please refer to our 'Nominate a Valued Contributor' thread, here. BB News/Resources Mixed Emotions – forums thread If you don't know how to feel right now, you're not alone. The last couple of years have been tough, and with everything constantly changing, it’s hard to find the right words to describe how we’re feeling. Join the forum thread on Mixed Emotions and share how you’re feeling with the community, here. Tips to recognise and manage burnout - BB article Burnout is a state of complete mental, physical and emotional exhaustion caused by excessive stress over a long period of time. Living with physical disability during COVID-19: William’s story – BB article Here William, who lives with a physical disability, shares how he has supported his mental health during the pandemic. 'Sexuality and self-acceptance', an episode from the 'Not Alone' - BB podcast I am a gay man. Five words that Maxim couldn't bring himself to say out loud. And so, for the best part of a decade, Maxim hid, refusing to accept his sexuality. Listen to Maxim’s story on the Beyond Blue podcast, ‘Not Alone’. 'Shifting male attitudes', an episode from the 'Not Alone' - BB podcast Brad McEwan grew up in a small regional town in the 1980s. It was a time when ‘being a man’ meant being tough, stoic, and unemotional. Men didn’t talk about their feelings. Listen to Brad’s story on the Beyond Blue podcast, 'Not Alone'. Why we should avoid saying ‘committed’ suicide - BB Instagram post We understand when it comes to suicide, talking about language can seem a bit trivial. If you have lost someone to suicide, changing the words you use does not bring them back. However, we think it's important that people understand the impact of words when it comes to mental health, and the role we can all play in reducing stigma. That’s why we’ve shared this carousel of images to help people to think about how their language can play a role in reducing stigma. Follow us! Facebook: @beyondblue Twitter: @beyondblue Instagram: @beyondblueofficial LinkedIn: company/beyondblue

Frangepani Hi everyone its Frangepani here
  • replies: 9

Hi I have been on here very much I have posted a couple of times before. I guess im feeling lonely. I feel really disconnected with the world and the people in it. I am a extreme Empath who feels so much and because of that I feel constantly hurt all... View more

Hi I have been on here very much I have posted a couple of times before. I guess im feeling lonely. I feel really disconnected with the world and the people in it. I am a extreme Empath who feels so much and because of that I feel constantly hurt all the time I guess you could say I would like to reach out to like-minded people like myself but I am open to talking to anyone who reaches out. Thankyou for reading my post.

Leica27 Time to say hello
  • replies: 12

Hi Today I finally realised the importance of using my voice, so here I am. I live in a large regional city in NSW, and in my late 50s. I am widowed and have a grown up family and grandkids. I have a couple of friends who I could say are good friends... View more

Hi Today I finally realised the importance of using my voice, so here I am. I live in a large regional city in NSW, and in my late 50s. I am widowed and have a grown up family and grandkids. I have a couple of friends who I could say are good friends, a small circle of acquaintances, a secure job and a secure roof over my head, and not living hand to mouth. My health isn't great but not too bad. But I have depression, anxiety and am a survivor of child sexual assault. I also have a sleep disorder and some other conditions that do tend to make life a bit frustrating at times. For most of my life, I have put my needs last. I have kept quiet and pretended I was okay when I wasn't. The number of people that have seen me cry could be counted on one hand. Whenever I talk even now about how I feel, the attention of the other person (except professionals of course) seems to wane half way through. Whereas I will listen to others for as long as they need. Conversely, I talk too much at times and come across as much more sociable than I really am. I'm hoping that I have found a safe space to be able to be myself, and share some common understanding. I'm pretty self aware and have ideas and plans but I find myself going off track quite easily. I do feel that a shared journey is sometimes smoother. So hello!

Anya_Merchant Oppositional Defiance Disorder ~ Child
  • replies: 4

Hello, My 10 year old daughter's therapist says she is exhibiting oppositional defiance disorder. I have tried the private pathway but all paediatric specialists and psychologists are booked out until 2022. I have CAMHS appointment for her in Decembe... View more

Hello, My 10 year old daughter's therapist says she is exhibiting oppositional defiance disorder. I have tried the private pathway but all paediatric specialists and psychologists are booked out until 2022. I have CAMHS appointment for her in December this year. Is there any other pathway that I can use to get an earlier appointment anywhere, be it private or public? I have rung so many paediatric specialists~ everyone is not taking new patients or the earliest appointment is April 2022. My daughter is violent and I was told may need medication to balance her neurotransmitters. So does that mean I find a psychiatrist instead of a psychologist as they can prescribe medication? Which specialist should I be requesting an appointment with? Thank you for your help. Much appreciated. Anya

Isobel24 Childhood adversity and therapy
  • replies: 5

Hi there, I'm new here but have been dealing with anxiety and depression for many years. I guess to sum up my childhood, I was raised by a mother who was emotionally neglectful and my father was an addict who died when I was 6. My mother created her ... View more

Hi there, I'm new here but have been dealing with anxiety and depression for many years. I guess to sum up my childhood, I was raised by a mother who was emotionally neglectful and my father was an addict who died when I was 6. My mother created her own little family with her new partner when I was 6 and I was pushed aside. I was never really shown love or support from either of them and this escalated into conflict as I got older. Having this start in life has really impacted the way I engage with the world and I have found myself in a bad place. Things have been getting worse over the years and it's becoming harder and harder to cope with new stressors. Because I've been dealing with this for so long and pushed so many people away, my support system is pretty much non existent but I am trying to fix this. Recently, I decided to give counselling another try. In the past, I've never been able to get past session two because I just don't like the psychologist. I think I've finally found a psychologist who seems to get it and communicates in a way that clicks with me. We've only had four sessions so far and we're getting into a lot of tricky stuff. I'm generally pretty good during the appointments, maybe a few tears here or there but I don't mind it much. What I'm finding hard is that my anxiety between appointments is getting really intense. I tend to over analayse everything, this is a common thing for me... I am usually able to cope with my day to day anxiety or at least distract myself from it if it gets a bit much. Right now, I just can't switch my brain off. I can't stop thinking... all the time... and it's not just one train of thought either, it's almost like there's a crowd of people in my head all talking at once. I find writing these things down helps me to focus a bit more but as soon as I'm done it starts again. Objectively I knew that this would be difficult to work through, but I didn't realise it would be this overwhelming. I am comfortable communicating these concerns with my psychologist and I trust that he will do what he can to help. I am curious to hear from people who have worked through foundational issues from their past. I know everyones experiences are different but I would be interested to know how other people handled counselling for childhood trauma/adversity. How long does it take to work through these kinds of issues? Was it really difficult for you? Are there ways you supported yourself while working through the hard stuff?

jegssie Just getting my mind/thoughts out there.
  • replies: 14

Hi all. First time poster and something I'd never thought I'd have to do at my age (48), but mental health never takes a break. If nothing else, this will help me get some thoughts out there. This last week has been fairly bad with regards depression... View more

Hi all. First time poster and something I'd never thought I'd have to do at my age (48), but mental health never takes a break. If nothing else, this will help me get some thoughts out there. This last week has been fairly bad with regards depression. I've sort of managed to keep it at bay over the last 15-20 years (when i was last diagnosed) cause to excess work, however something snapped in me since this last lockdown ended (in Vic) and i've struggled to get a handle on it. I know that i can push the depression away eventually, but it's never a pleasant experience to have to deal with. And pushing the depression away doesn't solve my underlying issues. I live in a remote-ish area so not really had a chance to make friends out here. I've been here 11 years, but as always, i've always found it hard to make friends, even as a kid. I'm a natural loner. Generally as I had my work to keep my mind occupied, i never really noticed this problem. Additionally working in the office with others workers pre-Covid, i was able to ignored the issue. But even with lockdown ending, i still can't go back to the office, probably on a permanent basis. i got diagnosed with depression around 30yo by my psychiatrist. I only focused on the depression, however he did elude to the probability i had anxiety and possibly other things, but i brushed it off (i aint the quickest tool in the shed to put two and two together). It is only now that I've realised i never actually dealt with the anxiety/panic attacks, and now for some reason it's all come back to my mind and pushed me down a dark rabbit hole. Along with the loneliness and isolation, it has come as a punch in the stomach and i am struggling. My mind has been racing with 100s of thoughts ... and it wont keep quiet!! I will go back and get professional help, but with x-mas coming, it will take time to find somebody out my way. I thought i'd just put my thoughts here as a start to try and get my mind sorted somehow.

anony_mous Want To Know More
  • replies: 3

Hello all, I’ve been confused with myself and curious about my behaviours. I’ve been aware of it for a long time but never received any clinical help nor have I been diagnosed. There are times when I experience intense emotions to the point it can ca... View more

Hello all, I’ve been confused with myself and curious about my behaviours. I’ve been aware of it for a long time but never received any clinical help nor have I been diagnosed. There are times when I experience intense emotions to the point it can cause headaches or evoke a sense of euphoria. In this mindset, my empathy for others is deep. I am able to understand their emotions and can easily put myself into their shoe. However I get moody easily or for no reason at all. But there are times when I feel….robotic-like. If you get what I mean. I’m not quite sure what the words are but when I feel like this, I can’t connect with others emotionally. I become expressionless and tend to display anti-social behaviours. My quietness would often be understood as a silent treatment, though I’d have to say it was intentional sometimes. The problem is that I shift between the two unpredictably. This is why I am often misunderstood. I’ve always changed my personality based on the atmosphere I’m reading, perhaps it is a result of that.

Yellowpelican First time here
  • replies: 4

Hi there I don't really know where to begin as this is a new thing for me as I've been told growing up to keep things to myself but here we go. I'm in my 20's and have a full time job and also studying to further myself in my career. But the last few... View more

Hi there I don't really know where to begin as this is a new thing for me as I've been told growing up to keep things to myself but here we go. I'm in my 20's and have a full time job and also studying to further myself in my career. But the last few we I don't have the motivation to go to work or keep up with my studies and the only thoughts in my head are I'm so tired, just stop with studies, you can't do it. And in the last week or two at work it has just been crazy in a rush to get stuff done and blame seems to get put on me rather than equally through the team. Also another thing, I've never been comfortable talking around money with anyone (even my partner) but that's all she seems to care about at the moment and every bit of money I spend on myself for the house she loses her mind over. It might not seem like much but to me it's alot and it's just to much some days

Sunshinnnneeee Hi
  • replies: 5

Hello I’m new to this but I really want to get help

Hello I’m new to this but I really want to get help

Melodyharmony Getting to know someone new
  • replies: 3

I've never been in a same sex relantionship before. Although I don't see gender as I'm Pansexual. This woman that I've started talking to we have so much in common. We laugh about so much stuff and have deep and menainfuls But I'm afraid She is start... View more

I've never been in a same sex relantionship before. Although I don't see gender as I'm Pansexual. This woman that I've started talking to we have so much in common. We laugh about so much stuff and have deep and menainfuls But I'm afraid She is starting to have doubts about her sexuality as she isn't flirting as much with me as she did in the beginning.Unless of course I'm imagining things. I've never felt this way about anyone before I am really connected to her and attracted and I really don't want to get my hopes dashed. It may be too late for that.