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BeyondBlue Tradies National Health Month
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, August is Tradies National Health Month, to highlight the importance of health and safety among Australia’s trade workers. Mental health and wellbeing is crucial to the safety of anyone in the mining or construction industries, so Beyond... View more

Hi everyone, August is Tradies National Health Month, to highlight the importance of health and safety among Australia’s trade workers. Mental health and wellbeing is crucial to the safety of anyone in the mining or construction industries, so Beyond Blue is hosting a special free webinar for our tradie community on Tuesday 12 August at 4.30pm which you can register for here. We know that Tradies can face unique stressors, with a culture of toughness and difficult job demands that can impact personal time and self-care. It can also be tough for partners and family members who aren’t sure how to support someone in a trade who may be showing signs that their mental health isn’t at its best. If you’re unsure where to start your conversation this is the space for you. Whether you want to share your own experiences, ask questions, or simply connect with others who understand what you're going through, you're in the right place. If you're seeking additional support, here are some resources: Hope Assistance Local Tradies: Home This Is A Conversation Starter: TIACS - This is a Conversation Starter Mates in Construction: MATES - Industry Based Suicide Prevention - MATES Don’t forget - our counsellors are always here for you on 1300 22 46 36. We’ll also use this space to post some of the questions and answers from the webinar discussion. Feel free to dive in and keep the conversation going. Thank you again for joining us — we’re glad you’re here.

Just Sara A Bouquet for Pearls - share your appreciation for other members
  • replies: 715

Every now and then, members share a beautiful Pearl of Wisdom. How often do you think to yourself; "OMG that's great! I wish everyone could see this." Presenting someone with a bunch of flowers is a generous way of acknowledging their insightful word... View more

Every now and then, members share a beautiful Pearl of Wisdom. How often do you think to yourself; "OMG that's great! I wish everyone could see this." Presenting someone with a bunch of flowers is a generous way of acknowledging their insightful words. I hope this thread stays active through members giving out praise regularly to people they feel deserving, and therefore keep generosity of spirit alive within the pages of BeyondBlue Forum. My bunch of Red Roses (my choice) goes to Wishful for the following sentence; 'Personally, I see no reason to be praised in me, but I'm learning that seeing through the eyes of others can be more accurate!!' I so hear you Wishful. Just beautiful... Try to keep your leading comments short to focus on 'their' words. Choose specific flowers (or a gift if you like) to present to them. Sign off respectfully and sincerely. I hope this takes off... Spreading the love...Sara

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Paw Prints Staying/Getting/Doing Well – Moving goalposts or fixed target?
  • replies: 1824

Hi, this is my first post, though I have been reading the forums for some weeks. I’m probably expressing myself badly when I say that I have found reading about other people’s journeys reassuring. Finding a community of people who “get it” even when ... View more

Hi, this is my first post, though I have been reading the forums for some weeks. I’m probably expressing myself badly when I say that I have found reading about other people’s journeys reassuring. Finding a community of people who “get it” even when they have a wide variety of experiences and lives lived is not something I thought I would ever find. Though people talk about getting well & there is a section Staying Well, I’m curious as to what this actually means to other people and how they manage their expectations. I noticed some people refer to being well as ‘being like themselves before they got ill’, whilst others don’t express an exact aim. My idea of being well has changed over the years. I was first diagnosed as an 8 year old child back in the late sixties. The doctors told Mum that the voices in my head & the sudden crying bouts were because I suffered from ‘nerves’ & I was given meds to calm me. Of course such things were not discussed back then & I was told not to talk about it to anyone, not my school friends nor siblings, just Mum. For decades after my idea of being well simply meant being able to hide my illness from others. A number of events in my life caused my illness to worsen, until some years ago I became so ill I needed to be hospitalised for my own safety. This lead to my current diagnosis of Major Depression, Anxiety & PTSD. I’m no longer in that dark place, but each day is still a battle (though I can now believe in a future). For now only my siblings & one friend know about my illness, though some things they still don’t know. So, what does ‘being well’ mean to me, it is ever moving goalposts. If you had asked me 5 years ago would I be as well as I am now I would have thought it impossible as I couldn’t envision a future. If you had asked me last week (during one of my down periods) I would have said my progress was all an illusion & I was fooling myself that things can get better. For now my idea of being well is being able to believe that things can change for the better, that I will one day be able to manage the everyday things like housework, caring for myself & caring for my dog & maybe, just maybe I will even be able to enjoy myself. Paw Prints **I took the tip to give myself time to write my post by writing on a word doc & then paste it.

BeyondBlue Tradies National Health Month
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, August is Tradies National Health Month, to highlight the importance of health and safety among Australia’s trade workers. Mental health and wellbeing is crucial to the safety of anyone in the mining or construction industries, so Beyond... View more

Hi everyone, August is Tradies National Health Month, to highlight the importance of health and safety among Australia’s trade workers. Mental health and wellbeing is crucial to the safety of anyone in the mining or construction industries, so Beyond Blue is hosting a special free webinar for our tradie community on Tuesday 12 August at 4.30pm which you can register for here. We know that Tradies can face unique stressors, with a culture of toughness and difficult job demands that can impact personal time and self-care. It can also be tough for partners and family members who aren’t sure how to support someone in a trade who may be showing signs that their mental health isn’t at its best. If you’re unsure where to start your conversation this is the space for you. Whether you want to share your own experiences, ask questions, or simply connect with others who understand what you're going through, you're in the right place. If you're seeking additional support, here are some resources: Hope Assistance Local Tradies: Home This Is A Conversation Starter: TIACS - This is a Conversation Starter Mates in Construction: MATES - Industry Based Suicide Prevention - MATES Don’t forget - our counsellors are always here for you on 1300 22 46 36. We’ll also use this space to post some of the questions and answers from the webinar discussion. Feel free to dive in and keep the conversation going. Thank you again for joining us — we’re glad you’re here.

anony_mouse eating disorder
  • replies: 1

i've been suffering with eating disorders since around last year. last year, i had anorexia. it was horrible and i was in a terrible mental state the whole time. things started changing in my life and somehow i mentally willed myself into 'recovery' ... View more

i've been suffering with eating disorders since around last year. last year, i had anorexia. it was horrible and i was in a terrible mental state the whole time. things started changing in my life and somehow i mentally willed myself into 'recovery' before things got much worse. it started off alright but as i got more stressed with school and whatnot I completely lost it and started binge-eating and developed BED. i can feel myself getting fatter every time i look into the mirror, then i look at my old photos from last year and i think, wow i used to be so hot and skinny. i know i was unhealthy but my face looked so skinny compared to now. i've gained like five kg and i keep wanting to go back, to lose the weight again. so i restrict. then i binge because i'm deprived of nutrients. then i restrict to make up for the binge. then i binge. sometimes i purge. anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, i've experienced it all, wow... a never-ending cycle all i want is to have a healthy relationship with food. but i feel like i look ugly. can people tell i look fatter? do they think "Wow, she sure gained a lot of weight."? i worry about if people will dislike me or treat me worse if i'm not at my skinniest and "prettiest". it's a constant battle between my healthy mind and my unhealthy, eating disorder mind. i try to be healthy. but every time i eat the thought of calories creeps back in. like, how many calories are in this? am i eating under my daily calorie limit? i'm trying to get better. i'm gonna just let myself eat. focus on getting the right nutrients i need to survive instead of looking at the numbers. also, if there are people out there who genuinely treat others worse if they aren't ultra-skinny, then they're just mean people whose opinions shouldn't really matter to me.

moody-_ahhhhh what are some long-term self-care strats?
  • replies: 25

taking breaks and ambient noise doesn't seem to cut it anymore, i need something else because i still feel so moody even with my unproductive hobbies (videos games and youtube)

taking breaks and ambient noise doesn't seem to cut it anymore, i need something else because i still feel so moody even with my unproductive hobbies (videos games and youtube)

Guest_89951551 Ways to make friends and meet people / partners in Adelaide
  • replies: 3

I am a 25 year old male with a good job and I am fit and healthy. I find life here pretty isolated and lonely. My routine basically consists of work -> gym -> chill at home repeat. I’m looking for ways to make friends/ meet partners. Social clubs, ac... View more

I am a 25 year old male with a good job and I am fit and healthy. I find life here pretty isolated and lonely. My routine basically consists of work -> gym -> chill at home repeat. I’m looking for ways to make friends/ meet partners. Social clubs, activities where people don’t think it’s weird to be there just to make friends and make some extra effort to be social.Id be into activities that involved being active like run clubs or rock climbing. I’m also a bit of a nerd so if there’s good card or board gaming clubs they would be up my alley. I also used to play volleyball but I’m not much good at other team sports. I play drums and am quite into music if there is good clubs for these actives in Adelaide.Work you can make friends but in this environment its always treading on ice. Im into martial arts and train regularly, but the club doesn’t really hold social events. Since Covid social life hasnt really recovered and all my old high school friends are in long term relationships

BellaZlone Long time sober
  • replies: 1

hi I’ve been sober 5 years off drugs. I’ve more than ever lately been feeling tempted back to drugs as a coping mechanism. Last 6 months or so.. last week my family dog was put down. This week a close family friend whom I used to use with has come to... View more

hi I’ve been sober 5 years off drugs. I’ve more than ever lately been feeling tempted back to drugs as a coping mechanism. Last 6 months or so.. last week my family dog was put down. This week a close family friend whom I used to use with has come to be very unwell with cancer and in hospital. I can’t help but want to use lately this has been a push towards those feelings. I’ve been in a relationship for the past 4 years. Sober the whole time. I feel judged by him for my previous addiction. Can’t talk to him about my feelings of wanting to return to drugs. He was in a car accident 2 years ago and has drugs in his sock drawer leftover. I’m writing this instead of trying to distract him while I steal a few… I haven’t felt so tempted in my life. I need to stay sober. I’m finally in a place where I have a hope of a career and a future. I could ruin it with one decision. How bad could it be if I did? I could push away everyone then it wouldn’t affect anyone but me. I know awful but who would really care. I know a few. I need mostly to just vent but then again maybe some reassurance that this is normal after so many years sober. I can still get through it right? I feel I can only be resolved by using but I know that’s not true…

Sherpp How do I know if I'm faking a personality disorder?
  • replies: 7

Hai, I'm 16, this is kind of a long vent I guess n some of this probably won't make any sense, and I have no idea if this fits the like forum website guidelines or not either so if ur confused I can probably clarify, and ive tried my best to be as ho... View more

Hai, I'm 16, this is kind of a long vent I guess n some of this probably won't make any sense, and I have no idea if this fits the like forum website guidelines or not either so if ur confused I can probably clarify, and ive tried my best to be as honest and considerate about possible alternatives Usually I'd try to be honest, and I know the things I can do and the way I act can seem outlandish or distressing, but people label me as solely doing or feeling all of those things for some kind of shock purpose? I mean I know I can be cruel sometimes, like since I was basically 7 I used to immediately want to hurt whoever hurt my feelings soo my mum basically just got me tested for whatever neurodivergent stuff she could, and I have ADHD and like a really low thing of autism that barely even counts, and I guess you could argue most of my violent impulse control was just my ADHD or something, but as I kind of got older it felt like I was kind of getting meaner, like I had a dog my aunt had n I used to pull her ears or choke and squeeze her until I heard her screaming... and now that I'm a little older I've had a few run in withs police and been admitted to hospital for mental crisis shit, like I smashed a car window by accident and it cut my arm all up. and besides all of that total psychopath textbook definition stuff I've had like a lot of trouble with work commitments and at school, I got suspended several times at the same school for 'bullying and threatening staff and other students' among just being late to class or skipping n minor uniform infractions, one point they just told me they couldn't have me for the rest of the year unless I had ADHD medication and opted to have me held back... Anyway during this time my aunts dog, the same one I basically tortured had died and my mother had a heart attack so I was moved to a group home until she was physically fit enough to care for me again... anyway the group home I stayed at wasn't really that bad I guess, besides the kid who threatened who stab me to death after I smashed up his tv and started beating him up after he tried to push me over; it was actually just really standard. Even though I ran away in the middle of the night and walked like half way to the other side of the city 3 times, and at one point I just stood on a ledge and said I'd kill myself on a helpline n they called police to drag me down. Actually I ran away when I was living with my mother a lot too, whenever her boyfriend was kinda mean to me I guess, I mean at one point I came up with a story and said that he was abusive and hit me and my brother' I mean he did ACTUALLY hit my brother but honestly I can tell within myself he really wasn't that bad to me..? Or I guess he was that bad to me... so court believed me and had me also moved out of my mothers house, on top of the heart attack shit actually it was like a huge comorbid excuse to disown me... anyway I said he was hitting me and stuff to my counsellor and they took it seriously and my mum was all upset at me driving to court n I had to present there with my brother, who honestly might be more insane than me I guess bcus he used to try and hit my mum and stab us n he stole stuff and took drugs and was always crying over his friend trying to kill themself. He said I tried to drown him in our pool lots growing up though, I cant deny or agree bcus I dont remember. And besides all of that traumatic shit, like my dad also divorcing my mother and having a HUGE custody battle over me and my brother trying to say I was kidnapped n trying to basically deport me I had a weird amount of internet access, like I think I was honestly molested or groomed online but I don't rlly care, like I found communities and met real people and I saw a scary amount of like real car accidents and people being shot to death. Anyway just now that I think about it, how I process it all, even though maybe at one point I was faking a personality disorder or something I GENUINELY think I might have one now, not like It's really distressing to think about or anything, I mean it would b kinda cool to have it like a funny sitcom personality trait, but because Ive been bragging about thinking I have one any actual counsellor I've met already dismisses any kinda conversation I bring up relating it bcus I've "tried to hard to fake one..." like I feel like the more I unravel and learn about myself, and how I just process my own life, other peoples feelings their humanity and everything... I feel like I genuinely maybe do actually have something there... and I also really don't wanna stab someone and go to jail,

amd1953 Simple Pleasures
  • replies: 1

Today, I went for a walk in the winter sunshine. I sat beside a fresh mountain spring and listened to the stories it had to tell. The older I get the more I find pleasure in the very simple things that life has to offer.I like to escape the noise and... View more

Today, I went for a walk in the winter sunshine. I sat beside a fresh mountain spring and listened to the stories it had to tell. The older I get the more I find pleasure in the very simple things that life has to offer.I like to escape the noise and haste of the city and make my way up beyond the treeline where the light falls of snow are lying like coconut icing on a cake. I stop to listen to the wind through the tree branches. It is like a quiet whisper that carries the wisdom of the ages. I hear the birds singing but they stay well out of sight because I don't belong here. Eventually, the trees end, and I can look down into the valley below to where the city spreads out like a sleeping snow leopard. I meet up with the stream again and stand alone, quietly watching the fresh clean water cascade over the mossy rocks worn smooth by age. What a magical place this is and what a privilege it is to experience the peace and solitude it provides.amd1953

Emm068 giving up drinking
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, I have suffered depression for some years and are on medication. Although unfortunately I drink way too much and last night realised that I must give up. I just cried and cried because I know how hard this will be and I dont have any wil... View more

Hi everyone, I have suffered depression for some years and are on medication. Although unfortunately I drink way too much and last night realised that I must give up. I just cried and cried because I know how hard this will be and I dont have any willpower and I need to find strength that I just dont know if I can find at the moment...Does anyone have suggestions that may help me on the road to recovery and happiness again? Thanks in advanceEmm

CMF Meditation, Manifesting, Gratitude & The Law of Attraction
  • replies: 735

Hi everyone, Not sure where to start so hope I can express myself clearly and maybe with others' input we can expand on this. I'm interested in people's thoughts/ experience with meditation, manifesting, gratitude & the law of attraction. I've recent... View more

Hi everyone, Not sure where to start so hope I can express myself clearly and maybe with others' input we can expand on this. I'm interested in people's thoughts/ experience with meditation, manifesting, gratitude & the law of attraction. I've recently started using the Smiling Mind app to meditate when going to sleep and sometimes when feeling a little anxious, like tonight. It is something i thought i could never do as my mind rarely stops, however, with persistence, I find I enjoy it. I guess i tend to have a negative mindset which I am determined to change.I always felt uneasy about thinking positive things as i thought i would jinx myself, and that whenever I made a positive comment or felt happy it would go wrong or something negative would happen. So i refrained from allowing myself to be too happy, I guess to 'protect' myself. Recently i have been feeling happier, stronger, expressing gratitude and taking note of when things have come to me when i needed them. Coincidence, or answers to what i put out to the Universe? I like to think the latter. A work colleague one day told me to manifest something i wanted, put it out to the universe , so I'm trying. Example, recently we needed to measure the floor space at reception so we could calculate how many people we could have in at one time. I needed a tape measure, which i did not have. At that moment our handyman walked into the office. Guess what he had? I am getting into the habit of practising positive thinking instead of thinking/expecting negatives. If something 'negative' does crop up, it can be dealt with, it's not the end of the world. I look for the positive in every negative situation. I am becoming more aware of being grateful for little things, things like getting a good car park at work, a warn cosy bed, a tidy house. I feel when i am expressing gratitude I am putting positive thoughts out into the universe and I notice more positives instead of focusing on negatives. Late last week we had internet issues at work and a colleague i found a little annoying. I've been feeling very drained, agitated, negative for a few days. This morning things were not running smoothly for me. A result of my negative mind perhaps? Little things became a big deal, my morning was crap. If i look back, it wasn't really an issue, i just did things in a different order which gave me more relax time this evening. The Law of Attraction, positive thoughts, positive experiences. What are your thoughts? cmf x