Members new and old, introduce yourselves here

[Chris_B]

Hi everyone,

This is (what will hopefully become) a mega-thread for members, new and old, to introduce themselves.  I'll kick off:

My name is Chris Banks and I’m the online communities manager at beyondblue. Basically, I’m here to help out, contribute to discussions, and answer any questions you may have about beyondblue. I work with a team of moderators behind-the-scenes who keep the forums running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I’m 37, originally from New Zealand, and have worked as a filmmaker, journalist, and musician.  I’ve spent a good chunk of time working in the mental health sector too. I have lived experience of bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety, and have been living in Melbourne for nearly two years. In my spare time I enjoy movies, music, hanging out with mates, and I barrack for Hawthorn, much to the disgust of some of our regular members!

I’m not a psychologist or counsellor (although I have seen a fair few of them), so I can’t give medical advice. Like everyone else here, I can provide peer support only.
I really enjoy being part of the community and virtually meeting the many different people of all ages who come through everyday, even if they're not feeling the best when they arrive on the doorstep. Hopefully in your time here you'll feel less alone, and pick up some tips and encouragement for the journey.  

(passes on the talking stick)

PLEASE NOTE: This thread is for introductions only, if you have an issue you would like to discuss ongoing with the community, please start a new thread with your topic in the appropriate section.

[robert1994]

hi there my name is rob an only 20 an ive just been run down with anxiety an depression from bills an bad life style choices. an hope to be on the recovery band wagon. on medication now just want to know if any one has an hints on how to keep going strong an not let the bad thoughts an get you down ive quit the bad choices so its time to grow up an deal with things the right ways. cheers for reading this. 

[pipsy]

Hi Andrew, my name is Pipsy.  I've just been reading your interesting letter.  Surprise, surprise, you're not as unique as you think you are.  I'm 64 in a few weeks and was born with depression which I inherited from my maternal grandmother, then mother.  Mother has since passed.  To put it bluntly, I've been to Hell and back more times than you've had hot dinners.  I still have the awful problem, but now I control it, not the other way around.  I won't bore you with details but if you read other posts, you'll find many people have attempted suicide (me included) many times.  BB helped me so much, let it help you.

Regards Pip.

[Magda]

Hi Mary,

thanks for your feedback. I'm so glad that my optimistic and positive vibe reached someone! I really wish I could give hope to as many people as possible!

[Sylvan]

Hi, I signed up to this site to help manage my anxiety. I am a 40yo mother of 2 small boys. I have lived remotely and far away from family for a long time. I feel a bit ill writing this as outwardly I seem to others to be a confident, happy bubbly person but really I suffer from extreme low self esteem and constant worry and procrastination.

I have been on medication on and off since I was in my early 20's. I don't have much of a social life or many friends as I struggle to be in a social environment, which I feel is difficult on my husband and kids.

I self medicate with alcohol worse now than ever, it calms and relaxes me but in return gives me guilt and resentment. I seem to never complete things and am always flat out busy. Forever have 'way too much to do' Self employed and busy.

Any advice is more than welcome, and I hope I can help others too.

S

[Pixie15]

Hi Sylvan,

Welcome to the beyondblue forums.

If you want advice specific to your situation you could start a thread yourself or join in on a conversation with a similar topic.

There is a factsheet in the resources section which gives helpful information on reducing alcohol and other drugs. If you google "Beyond Blue forums and alcohol" you will find there are a few threads already started. 

Have you thought about some therapy for your anxiety issues. It is hard to overcome a lifetime of social habits without help. I know some people think they can manage just with the medication.

I hope you find participating here as helpful as I have.

thanks,

Pixie.

[Mazzie]

Hi im Mazzie, I suffer with generalized anxiety disorder. Panic attack disorder and depression. Im currently going through a bad stage of my life. Gp has tried me on many new meds, at the moment I feel so dead inside, trying to do all the right things to help myself, boy its such a long hard road, I wonder every day if I will come out the other end ok, even little things like  cooking tea gives me immense anxiety.. help does anyone else suffer like I do?

[susieh]

Hi everyone, I probably don't have many reasons to complain about my life but I don't seem to be coping very well with the present situation. My husband is fly in fly out, month on month off and is earning good money. I feel so so selfish as it is he the one that has to endure a month away from home but I crash when he comes home. I think I build up and up what it will be like when he comes home (I miss him so much) but when he does get home it is nothing like I thought it was going to be like. We (out of the blue) clash, how I was doing things isn't right, and I fall in a heap, drink a bottle of wine, end of story. Anyone else out there not coping with fifo. I can't talk to him about it, don't know what to do. NOT COPING VERY WELL!

p.s. how  did people cope years ago when we did not have the internet??????????????????

[JessF]

Hello Mazzie, yes indeed there are a lot of us here that experience these kinds of feelings and well done for taking that first step to reach out and make a post. Now that you've introduced yourself, perhaps you might like to go and make your own thread in the anxiety forum so we can talk further with you about what's going on and offer our own experiences.

[Daisy121]

Hi I'm Help4Daisy I got started today I'm facing severe anxiety & Depression. Home And School being the main factors. Home is tense and everyone's arguing all the time. I do Meditation, relaxation, progressive muscle, breathing, Stress ball and I use lavender to help me. Still none of it help's and I'm still Stressed. Anyone got suggestions?

Sincerely Help4Daisy

[riverblue]

hi all. my name is vicki. I'm a 51yr old grandmother worried about her grandchildren. i believe their mother suffers fro NPD and am worried for their mental health. at the moment she is practising the art of parental alienation. my son and i haven't seen his kids in 6 months. we are very close to these kids and it is affecting all of us. i have gone through a series of emotions over and over again since not being able to see them. I've tried appealing to the mother but nothing works. my son has finally put in an application to the family courts for custody, but I'm afraid they will let her keep them. i really don't have much faith in the court system. we can't even locate her at the moment. anyways, i have a question, is there any way that i can force her into getting assessed by a mental health worker?