Hi Everyone 🙂
We’d like to wish everyone a happy new year! Here we reflect on December, including the year that was, 2020. We recognise everyone’s strength in staying connected/reaching our for support during a year that many have described as uncertain, turbulent, as well as simply exhausting. It's ok to be feeling anxious and or other unsettling feelings after such a challenging year. Looking at the year ahead, we look forward to people making new connections here on the forums, welcome those who have just joined us, and thank all members who continue to be available to support the forum's community and remind others that they are not alone in their experiences.
Community Voices: What are people talking about?
Coping with anxiety – excessive worry
I’ve has this kind of issue for about 7 years now where I don’t really have hobbies or a wide range of interests because I focus in on one thing, especially something that I’m worried about. In a weird way I find it interesting trying to solve the things I’m worried about but really... I’d rather just be interested in other things.. - Anon285 (Read more here)
as the title says; my mind works in loops. When I am trying to find a solution to a problem, it is brilliant because my mind just keeps attacking the problem from different angles, turning it over, until it finds a solution. However, the down side is, it can cause problems. - Weaponsofmassdisstortion (Read more here)
i have been living with anxiety for nearly 20 years. Worrying constantly about things that in the scheme of things are not that important. Getting to a stage now where my wording has just made me feel tired inside. I’m completely exhausted and out of energy. - Josh37 (Read more here)
Navigating my thoughts and feelings
I think I'm typing this to try to work out myself, what it is I am feeling whether it's anxiety or depression, or both. For some time now, I have been feeling very low. I would say it probably started 5 years ago when my marriage broke up but how I'm feeling now is much worse than at the time. - Loner567 (Read more here)
I have been having such a mixture of emotions for a long time and it’s getting harder to navigate. I have found I get extremely irritable at a drop of a hat and I can’t let it go, my once empathetic self is becoming lost. Once I am angry or down I can’t pull myself out of this feeling, I tend to go through really high high’s like I am happy with how everything is going and really low low’s like I’m not where I need to be and play the victim internally. - Rainbow1234 (Read more here)
i’ve never reached out like this before, but i’m too scared to go to the doctor because i always think i’m overreacting. i’ve grown up in a family where i’ve learnt to just get up and move on, and i’m not one to share my feelings. i just don’t know what i’m feeling. when i was younger i did have anxiety, but i’ve overcome most of that and working through it. i can’t tell if i’m just experiencing a strain of anxiety again because i’ve never felt this way before. - Discodahlia (Read more here)
'Fitting in'/Finding it difficult to connect with others
Something that has been on my mind during my teenage years and early adulthood is the notion that I do not 'fit in'. I like who I am but I am so afraid that other people will not like me that I don't show my true self and struggle to open up. I feel like I am living a completely different life than what I should be living right now, like everybody else has been given a memo on how to live their early 20s but I never received it. - Wanderlust123 (Read more here)
Honestly don't know where to start or how to express what I'm feeling. I've lived a reserved life for most of my adulthood. I am currently 28yo. I feel like I don't fit in anymore with the crowd of people, especially my age. I never had a social media account because I didn't want to be part of it. When I grew up I was suppressed of technology so I was always that kid who didn't get to chat online with friends or have an Xbox to play with, I was considered a boring person and was very isolated. - Mr A (Read more here)
I recently changed schools and pretty much everyone in my class are a huge friendship group that constantly go out together and ignore me/leave me out of everything and it's really made me question my worth/capabilities of making friends. At the beginning of the year people were throwing parties with older teens, drinking and that really scared me because I didn't know anyone well enough, and then basically I got left out forever for not going to the party, I am completely disconnected. - GirlWithBigDreams (Read more here)
Valued Contributor Award
Our Valued Contributor for the month of December is monkey_magic!
monkey_magic has been nominated for often checking in on other members across the forums, sparking new conversations, and empowering others to share their own journey! Thank you monkey_magic!
To read more about what a Valued Contributor is and how you can nominate a fellow community member, please refer to our thread Nominate a Valued Contributor here: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support
BB News/Resources
Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service continues to be regularly updated with information and resources on ways to manage your mental health and wellbeing during this time. The most recently added content is below:
Under the Family life sub-category you can find the below pages:
How to recognise anxiety in your child
How to support your child’s wellbeing with mindfulness
Managing your child’s transition back to school
Mental health and the mental load
How to support new parents
Reconnecting with your teenager – Samantha’s story
Under the Supporting personal wellbeing sub-category you can find the below pages:
Managing social anxiety as we adapt to COVID-normal life
How much worry is too much worry?
Tips for getting a good night's sleep
Why you should do something for yourself everyday
Suicide safety planning
Facemasks and you: how to navigate what you’re feeling
Managing your alcohol intake
