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.

[shimmerone]

Hi again, I am suffering with depression and anxiety every day - some days are better/worse than others  - i really want to connect with others that understand

[Nicangel]

Hi all, my name is Nicole and I suffer from moderate to extreme anxiety dependant on the given situation. I have been taking medication for anxiety for the better part of seven years and have no plans to come off.

Regardless of the meds, I have a tendency to self medicate by drinking alcohol. Alcohol immediately calms me, but has become a hinder acne in my life. Sometimes it can take over and have a negative impact on my life.

I am a teacher, a profession of which I love. When I am at work I feel worthwhile and effective. I know I am good at what I do. The self medication can sometimes carry over to the next day though, which negatively impacts on my job. No one at work is aware of the drinking, only that I suffer from an anxiety disorder.

I have a beautiful partner. He is very supportive, but also has a liking for alcohol, which makes it very hard for me if I am trying not to drink. We have a beautiful puppy that is very therapeutic for us.

i am looking to beat the alcohol as we are thinking of starting a family soon. Life is not bad for us at all, but it could be much better.

So that's me in a nutshell.

nicole

[bpd]

Hi to everyone there, I have just joined BB today and am hoping to find some support with my disorder that has put me in hell.  I have recently diagnosed with borderline personality disorder which to me is a horrible name.  Makes me feel a whole lot worse with this label but it is what it is.  Everyday is a mountain for me to climb....everyday for as long as I can remember has been a nightmare.  I have children ranging in age from 25 down to 11 and feel I have driven the eldest one away forever.  The others I am struggling to hold onto but they are struggling to understand me.  Worst of all after receiving this diagnosis I am unable to tell them as they all have very strong opinions of mental illness and think it is all a crock of poo.  (Fathers words they have followed) so leaves me spinning in my head with no way of explaining the reasoning behind how I am and how and why I don't cope.  This makes me more than sad....I live and breathe for my children and to know that each day they are actually growing to hate me is devastating. SO.....now I have been officially diagnosed the fun begins...my GP is seeking out a therapist for me which I will give my absolute best to and try and beat this thing.  Most opinions I hear say it is not curable but can be improved so I will just do my best.  Would love to find others or groups that deal with or have this so I can relate and not feel completely alone and going crazy. Catwomen

[bpd]

Hello Mortsy68,

I have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder/PSTD....and understand the feelings u are probably going thru.  Personally my life is a living hell and has been for more years than I can remember.  Diagnosis doesn't help as I find the names of these disorders quiet offensive but they are what they are.  Anyway I wont go on with my miseries, what I wanted to say to you is I have just been told about a therapy that treats these disorders and to which there seems to be a lot of success coming from the groups and therapists out there. Dilectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is its name and I will be commencing this as soon as my GP can find a therapist available here in my area.  If you have not heard of this perhaps u may want to look into it and do some research as it sounds promising.  I feel for you and wish you the very best with your future. 

[Ksaavvy]

Hello Peoples,

 For many years now i have had low periods in my life. I had a stillborn son in 2002 which seems to be where this all started for me. 

 It is now at a point where the thought of going to work makes me short of breath and moving becomes difficult. I like working but it is becoming increasingly hard to do every day. The thought of someone asking me the most basic of questions scares me to the point of tears.

i know its time for me to look deeper and start monitoring myself better so that i know whats happening. I know when i'm about to hit a low but they do seem to be getting lower and longer. 

[PeeTeeEssDee44]

Hi, Im Anthony and im 44, married with 3 children. I play Blues Harmonica and sing. I do an online wine show with my friends (they don't know about my problems yet). I have just been diagnosed with severe PTSD, anxiety and depression. Im really struggling atm. I have been through a lot in my life and it is a miracle im still here. My wife and I went to see a marriage counsellor who happens to be a clinical psychologist. She picked up straight away that there was something wrong with me. She did a psychological profile on me and it showed 85-PTSD, 82 Anxiety and 80 Depression (out of 100). I have been strong through the many setbacks in my life including Meth Abuse, Many Major Car crashes as a passenger, Open Heart surgery, My ex partner physically abusing our 6 month old daughter as a result of Post Natal Depression, Being accused of sexually abusing the same daughter and so on and so on.  Its like I can no longer contain my misery from the world. Im on edge (extreme cortisol elevation) at all times unless im on medication or drunk. The slightest noises from the kids or a facial expression from my wife can set me off. I yell and swear but I don't hit things or people. Been there before and its not an option. My family life is suffering greatly and im feeling more and more alone. My head is just a whirlpool of random thoughts and I struggle to express myself. Im in a country town in WA and the mental health facilities are just not available. The ball is rolling for treatment and my fear is it will take forever and be inadequate. On the upside I have been accepted into a Bachelor course at an online university. This is the challenge I have set for myself. Its something I can hopefully throw myself into that will have a positive outcome. Thanks for listening.

[White_Rose]

Dear Stormyhike

Welcome to Beyond Blue, or is it welcome back? Either way I hope we can help you.

I'm a little confused about online bullying.  I understand what it is but if this upsets you, why continue visiting that site? Now this may seem a naive and simplistic view so I would like it if you could explain.

I do understand how distressing this language is, especially when it is not warranted. If this sort of stuff was written on BB I would expect the moderator to withdraw the comments. Have you complained to the moderator of the site you visit? No forum should tolerate personal attacks on anyone and those who continue to do so should be banned from the site.

There are opinionated people everywhere and they ruffle the feathers of others. It's all in the way the opinion is presented. Can you revise the way you present your point of view while still offering your opinion?

BB is a safe site as far as I am concerned and I believe the sort of language and attacks you have received would not be tolerated. So start your discussion here on the Community Board at the bottom of the list of threads. If it's as interesting as it sounds there will be people here only too happy to discuss it with you.

As you are getting upset about all this I suggest a visit to your GP. As we all know, depression is a wicked beast and leaves us quite vulnerable when we are attacked. I know you said you have been to doctors before, but I would urge you to try again. We all need to increase our resilience in vulnerable areas, so this would be a useful goal to reach.

Discuss all the things that have happened since you last saw a doctor about your depression.  Write them down before you go so that you don't forget anything. Be guided by the doc. You may be prescribed medication and should try it under medical supervision. People do have unpleasant side effects at times but your GP can monitor these and change meds if necessary. One size does not fit all.

It may also help to see a psychologist. Again your GP will advise on this. In terms of cost your GP can write a mental health plan which will give you ten free consultations with a psychologist. Your contribution will be to take all of this on board and work with the psych to get well. ADs and therapy do not work immediately so you need to give everything time to get going. And keep yourself going.

Almost out of characters. Hope you write in again. Start your own thread so all the replies and your responses will be together.

Regards

Mary

[Crumb]

hello I'm 15 and female. My parent's divorced at the end of my first year of highschool, and then I got a scoliosis backbrace soon after. I am in a gifted course at my school. Then I started falling behind in schoolwork, and my life became a mess of hormones and such. The result is I now don't see my dad (by choice), except when I have to, I am struggling to cope with day to day activities, I cry at least once a day out of sadness and I have fallen out of love with my family if that makes any sense.

I came to this site because I wanted to get more information on whether this is normal for a teenager, or whether it could actually be a serious thing. I have been to the GP who sent me to a councillor, but I didn't feel comfortable talking to her. I've also been to kid's helpline and my school councillor, but they weren't much help either. I'm sorry if this post sounds pretentious or 'teenagery' but I am sick of not being able to do anything about the way I'm feeling because it makes me too uncomfortable to seek help in person. 

[mesophiaanika]

Hi, this is my first time actually seeking help so I guess i will try and explain my story if OK here it gose .....i was bullied all therough school and have no friends or social life, I was sexually abused by my pop which started when I was around 14 and didn't stop until I was 18-19, my father was/ still is trying to control my life by keeping me from going places without an adult he also was quite mentally abusive with constant put downs about how I look, always telling me to not think just do then saying don't I use that so called brain etc. In Oct 2012 I left my partner who was abusive in the forms of mental, financial and towards the end physically, it took me over a year to leave I tried to go to the police with the constant threats against the life of both my daughter and I but it took them over a year to finally help but even when I left they wouldn't do anything about the constant breaches of the pfvo. Needless to say after seeing a psychologist he was found to have 3 psychological problems yet is still allowed to see our daughter unsupervised for 2hrs plus weekly phone call which stresses me out, then I find out he is telling our daughter she is fat and not to eat keeping in mind she is 3. I also have a partner at the moment who so far has cheated, lied, won't contribute financially to anything, is constantly putting my family down saying they are bums plus putting my daughter down to me, when I was pregnant with his daughter he was angry that it was a girl and kept saying he was going to leave he wanted nothing to do with it and I should get rid of it (my ex said the same) I am just so tired of feeling like I shouldn't be a mum because I'm no good at it and my girls hate me they deserve so much better, I'm a worthless pathetic peice of crap that shouldn't exsist. Because of these constant thoughts and lack of sleep all I do is eat I know its no excuse but its for comfort I think. I'm sorry I wrote so much I get like that tho, I write down my thoughts in a book of sorts and get way carried away but thank you if you manage to read through it all, I have at least taken the first step I guess thank you and sorry again for writing so much
 

beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.

[Chris_B]

Hi Ksaavvy,

Welcome to the forums. A couple of threads you might want to read and post in, first up for your anxiety at work:

Workplace anxiety

Managing workplace anxiety

Anxiety at work, what can I do?

There are also a few members who have also lost children at birth and will be able to understand your grief:

Stillborn son's 21st

Depressed (I think?) post stillbirth of my son