Immediate support
Immediate support

Welcome and orientation

Welcome! If you’re not sure where to start, that’s OK. We’re keen to know more about you and what you’re looking for on our Forums.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

Letzi Confused and alone
  • replies: 13

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum, but certainly not new to depression. “My Friend” the Black Dog has been around for decades and I’ve been on various meds for over 20 years. Without going into details, my childhood was very dysfunctional marred by... View more

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum, but certainly not new to depression. “My Friend” the Black Dog has been around for decades and I’ve been on various meds for over 20 years. Without going into details, my childhood was very dysfunctional marred by physical, emotional and sexual abuse. These experiences have left deep scars and a broken soul. As my age increases, the medication seems to be less effective and the depression worsens, I find myself avoiding social situations and spending far too much alone with my thoughts which is not a good thing. i used to be a gym junkie, going to gym 6 days a week, now I find it a major effort to find the motivation to walk around the block. I’ve seen psychologists and psychiatrists but feel that medication can do nothing more to help me. I am divorced and have no family. I keep acquaintances at a distance and wear a cheerful face when in company but am finding it increasingly difficult to interact with people. I have no sense of belonging

Growing_Violet New member - hello
  • replies: 12

Good morning I have read posts on this forum over the years but I never signed up. Today, I decided to sign up so I could start posting. I suffer with depression and anxiety relating to trauma. I still struggle. I have been engaged in psychotherapy f... View more

Good morning I have read posts on this forum over the years but I never signed up. Today, I decided to sign up so I could start posting. I suffer with depression and anxiety relating to trauma. I still struggle. I have been engaged in psychotherapy for several years. I, and my psychologist, believe that most of my problems stem from childhood abuse in addition to the early parental loss. Also, life challenges such as career setbacks have made my illness more difficult to manage at times. I wanted to start posting as I think connection may be helpful for myself and others.

Coast_guy Hi All, introducing myself
  • replies: 4

Hi there everyone, I’m a new guy on here hoping to make some new friends and try to tackle my anxiety and depression. I’m living at home with my 75year old mother and looking after her so she doesn’t have to go into a nursing home. It’s tough, I don’... View more

Hi there everyone, I’m a new guy on here hoping to make some new friends and try to tackle my anxiety and depression. I’m living at home with my 75year old mother and looking after her so she doesn’t have to go into a nursing home. It’s tough, I don’t get out much because of the anxiety and depression but I’m trying to find ways to overcome my fears and get out more and enjoy life. Thanks for taking the time to read my thread and all the best.

Casey_K New
  • replies: 5

Hi all 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 Chri... View more

Hi all 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.

blink99 New here and just trying anything at this stage
  • replies: 2

I don't really know what I'm doing at this point in time, I feel like I'm too young to be feeling this way or something along those lines. I look at everyone else's threads and see their realistic serious adult issues and i look at my own and wonder ... View more

I don't really know what I'm doing at this point in time, I feel like I'm too young to be feeling this way or something along those lines. I look at everyone else's threads and see their realistic serious adult issues and i look at my own and wonder why I'm so heavily affected by my own. Ive been extremely depressed for the last year or two, recently however circumstances around me have worsened around me and it becomes a struggle to feel happy at any given time. If i was being honest my life was perfect in my eyes, i was always happy and couldn't be brought down, it had been 11 months since my previous suicide attempt and everything was so good. however, just the past 2 weeks alone I've been broken down to a level i didn't think was truly possible. I feel more upset and distraught right now than i think i ever have. My friends have all cut me off, my girlfriend has dumped me, my pet dog (indigo) lost her eye to a stray cat while i was walking her, my grandfather has developed Parkinson's disease and is rapidly deteriorating and my nan has fallen and ended up in hospital with a brain bleed. Im just so lost, everything that I've known my entire life has just come crashing down around me and i don't know what to do. Im confused, like how could any of this even happen, why me? I keep thinking about my grandfather and how he will eventually forget about me, we used to go to the cinemas all the time together and always watch the latest films that would come out. It was like the thing we would do weekly and i loved it, he used to tell me how much he loved fishing and how he really wanted to take me. Now he has become too unwell to fish and so the one thing he has always wanted to do with me isn't even possible. Im just here to let everything out cause i don't know what else to do. Im sorry if this is just nonsense stuff and doesn't really make any sense i just have nobody to turn to and its been quite difficult. Much love to everyone here - Jay

whichwayhome Helloooo everyone! :) A student hoping to work on expressing emotions safely here!
  • replies: 1

Hi guys, it's nice to meet you if you're reading this I'm a relatively outgoing and happy person who never considered it possible to have mental health issues. However, when I was diagnosed with an inferiority complex and, a thankfully worked upon an... View more

Hi guys, it's nice to meet you if you're reading this I'm a relatively outgoing and happy person who never considered it possible to have mental health issues. However, when I was diagnosed with an inferiority complex and, a thankfully worked upon and less severe inability to understand others and express my own emotions. Paired with rough physical health issues, navigating life has been a hard experience for me. In all honesty, I never thought I'd end up using the websites we skipped over in class but thankfully I remembered. Unfortunately, my relationship with my mother is a bit strained. I think this will be a topic I often vent about. I'm keen to listen to everyone's problems and give advice while working on how i interpret emotions through text. Of course, this isn't the place to practice but I find comfort in seeing people in the same boat as me. I've had to revise this post a few times because I came off kind of rude, haha. Have a wonderful night

h.mac Hi, I’m new to the forum
  • replies: 3

Hello It’s nice to meet everyone. I saw a post, with everyone putting what they were proud of that day. It made my cry but I still liked it because it made me think maybe I do have things to be proud of. Maybe posting this could be one. I tried to cr... View more

Hello It’s nice to meet everyone. I saw a post, with everyone putting what they were proud of that day. It made my cry but I still liked it because it made me think maybe I do have things to be proud of. Maybe posting this could be one. I tried to create a login, but I already had an account from 4 years ago. I guess I’ve felt bad for years, for as long as I can remember. I feel numb most of the time, but sometimes I get so overwhelmed it’s like all I’ve ever felt and all I’ll ever feel. Anyway, thanks for reading this. It feels a little weird to write out to the internet, but kind of nice too. H

Ujos Retinitis Pigmentosa
  • replies: 15

I live with an Inherited Retinal Disease (IRD) Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a blinding disease without treatment or cure and I would like to connect with others in the community living with RP and their families / Carer to exchange tips and strategies ... View more

I live with an Inherited Retinal Disease (IRD) Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a blinding disease without treatment or cure and I would like to connect with others in the community living with RP and their families / Carer to exchange tips and strategies to navigate and conquer life with a vision impairment and to provide support to each other when our days are a little cloudy. This is my first of many posts and I am unsure where to post.

Jonathan66 Severe Anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone my name is JP, I am a newbie on here I have been suffering with Depression and Anxiety for the past 10 years, but never to this extent, It all started on the 9 August 21, I went to bed as usual at about 10.30 pm, it took me about 3 hours ... View more

Hi everyone my name is JP, I am a newbie on here I have been suffering with Depression and Anxiety for the past 10 years, but never to this extent, It all started on the 9 August 21, I went to bed as usual at about 10.30 pm, it took me about 3 hours to get to sleep, I got up at 4.00 am , feeling Anxious, nauseated, agitated, cold and hot flushes, dry mouth, short on breath, heart palpitations, no appetite and on edge all day , I was exhausted………. I am averaging 3 hours of sleep a week if that,I can’t sleep whatsoever, I am going crazy, last week I admitted myself to hospital I was there for 7 hours , they did all sort of tests and all results came up as normal, my GP said it was Anxiety, it’s been over 3 month now and don’t know how to stop this horrible feeling, I am still suffering, I can’t keep going like this!!! I am so depressed , I am scared to go to bed every night. i am hoping someone can tell me what else to do, or if someone is having the same problem hope to hear from you soon

Anonymous9319 Anxiety and depression from unemployment and more
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I had been long term unemployed since I completed TAFE in 2013 and did not have any friends either. I developed social anxiety, depression and a sense of worthlessness. I recently found work in 2020. However, I entered the job feeling sc... View more

Hi everyone, I had been long term unemployed since I completed TAFE in 2013 and did not have any friends either. I developed social anxiety, depression and a sense of worthlessness. I recently found work in 2020. However, I entered the job feeling scared and that I wasn't capable which ultimately led to me being fired. Some members of my family make fun of me for my unemployment as well which only makes me feel worse. I hate visiting my family members because I know that they are judging me and think I am a lazy piece of garbage. The only person in the world that I feel actually supports me is my Mum otherwise I'm alone in the world. I have lost my motivation and have no idea what I want to do with my life. I blame myself for my situation and I hate myself. I was bullied in highschool which has traumatised me and I constantly find myself thinking about the experiences I had in highschool as if I was still there. To sum it all up, my life and mental health is a mess.