Hi everybody, new member here!

[Guest_55110716]

My name is Victor and I am 30 years of age. I am from Australia

I have dealt with mental health issues for about 8 years now.

I struggle with serious depression, anxiety and agoraphobia.

I have joined this forum to seek help in overcoming these mental health issues, as well as meeting others who share similar struggles as me, so we can fight the battle together and feel less alone.

My hobbies are lifting weights, boxing and mixed martial arts.

Over the past 8 years, I have tried over 10 medications, 4 different therapists, testosterone therapy, meditation, journaling, spent thousands on supplements, vitamins etc and reaching out to others.

I am starting to get into more daily exercise to better my mental health. I am currently forcing myself to go to the gym at least 3x a week, and going for walks regularly. I am also on my 13th day of eating healthier and hoping my symptoms of depression and anxiety improve.

Hope you all have a great day

[Ggrand]

Hello Dear Victor,

Welcome to our forums..

You’ve come to the right place to meet and talk to others also struggling with there mental health…

Doing things you like is a great step in helping to look after your mental health…well done!…I have been told countless times that distraction is one of the best ways to help us when we’re in a depressive episode, you sound like you’re doing really good with doing things you like….

Eating healthy, exercising and quality sleep also helps our mental health, I have never been to a gym, bit late for me now…(68 female)… its one of the things I wish I did do when I was younger, but my situation in life never allowed me to…I do hope even though you “force” yourself 3 x a week that you do get some enjoyment from it…

We are all here to help support you the best we can….Please look after yourself and I hope to see you around the forums…We have a virtual cafe…just search BB Cafe, it’s a great place to get to know some other members and enjoy all the virtual food and fun…

My kindest thoughts Dear Victor,

Grandy..

[therising]

Hi Victor

I've been convinced for many years that those with mental health challenges are amongst some of the hardest workers in the world. You're proof of that. All the hard work you've done in trying to manage and evolve through and beyond a lot of your challenges is mind blowing. A massive effort.

The topic of 'Food and mood' is a fascinating one. The idea that 70% of serotonin (some of the chemistry for happiness) is produced in the gut is definitely fascinating and well worth googling. While the chemistry in meds works for some, the chemistry in food works for others. It's all chemistry, in one way or another. Being a gal who's an emotional eater, I'm in the bad habit of eating for instant emotion or instant gratification. You've inspired me to begin researching overall gratification that comes from a much healthier diet. Thank you. You really are an inspiration.

Your hobbies and interests are ones that require great self discipline. To be a disciple of serving the body, mind and natural self requires a lot. Can also involve a lot of self discovery, with the occasional exciting revelation and exclamation 'Wow, so that's how I work. I had no idea. No wonder I'm struggling'. I've found it becomes a bit of a rabbit hole experience. With the rabbit hole of self understanding, we can enter and face the 1st choice, between 3 different channels. Some people will choose to explore the physical aspect, some the mental aspect and some the more soulful or natural aspect. Then there can be all the intersecting points that share common elements. Take certain martial arts, for example. They are said to involve discipline of the mind and body and also respect for how natural energy develops and flows through a person. I recall once speaking with a martial arts master who said 'When you can feel the energy of your own body literally buzzing with excitement, you know you are well and truly alive'.

While I appreciate a lot about psychology, biology and chemistry and how these elements can explain so much about how we work, I love the natural take on things even more at times. My mind was changed forever through the revelation 'Emotion is energy in motion'. Every type of energy has a name. Whether we call what we feel at any given time 'hyperactive energy', 'anxiety', 'fear', 'dread', 'joy', 'elation', 'sadness', 'wonder' or something else, we can feel such things in motion within us. Even energy not in motion or in slow motion has a name (numbness, lethargy, sluggishness, emptiness etc). The most sensitive of people will sense it all. They are feelers of energy, in the process of becoming masters of it. Whether exploring energy through natural ways of looking at it (chi, prana etc) or exploring it through the world of quantum physics, energy and its behaviour is truly fascinating stuff.