Welcome and Orientation

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Meet your community champions!

replies: 10

Hi everyone, We wanted to share with you the way that our wonderful Community Champions are here to support you. You may have noticed that a few of our Forums members are labelled ‘Community Champion’. Community Champions are volunteers within the Beyond Blue Forums who: have the time, skills and empathy to support other members regularly; help to welcome new members; are actively engaged members that help set the tone of our community. Our Community Champions are regular contributors to many conversations across the forums. They are a consistent and friendly voice that have committed to sharing their experience and expertise with this community. They are not health care professionals or clinicians. Like you, they have an experience with a mental health challenge or diagnosis – either for themselves or someone they care for. This forum is for people who understand what it feels like and have a lived and living experience of mental health challenges. Our Community Champions help everyone feel comfortable and confident by demonstrating what excellent peer support is all about. Click here to find out more about how you can become a Community Champion! This incredible team are excited to introduce themselves below, and we are sure you’ll see them around the forums in conversations important to you.

HELP..Am I posting in the right section?

replies: 10

Welcome to those who are considering posting for the very first time, welcome. Thought I would repost part of the words that Chris B posted awhile ago, (2014) as I can hear that people are unsure if they are posting in the right section or worried that they are posting "the wrong thing". 1.A good title makes the difference Just like a headline in a newspaper, when scanning the dozens of threads to click into, it’s only natural that people will choose the ones that resonate with them most. A title that entices the reader, or asks a question, is likely to get a better result than something non-descriptive like “Depression” or “I don't know what to do”. If you think you’re not good at choosing titles, leave it till last. Spend time writing your post, then perhaps choose a sentence from what you’ve written as the title. 2.Join in threads that have already been posted We all have our own unique stories, but part of the reason for joining a forum like this one is because you know that you will have a lot in common with others who are posting. Before starting a new thread, have a look through the current topics being discussed and see if there’s a conversation you can join in with. It can be quite common to have a handful of very similar threads happening at any one time, with members seemingly unaware that there are others right there who are going through the same thing. Talking to other members on their threads is a great way of getting yourself known so that when you post a thread of your own, people may respond quicker because they recognize your name. 3.Choose the most appropriate section for your post Many people browse the forums looking for stories specifically to do with pregnancy and parenting, employment, grief, loss, separation etc. Going straight for the “Depression” section may seem like the easiest option, but this section is often the busiest, so your post is more likely to get lost among the threads. Making good use of the different forum sections not only helps keep the forum relevant, but you’re more likely to find others who are going through the same experiences as you. Also, if you're wanting to discuss issues of trauma, abuse, suicidal thoughts or self-harm, it's really important you post in the designated section to avoid triggering others who may not wish to read about these topics. Mostly..just come and chat, we are here for you. Our amazing wizards in the background will see your message ends up in the right spot. Sarah

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Returning member

replies: 2

I was active here several years ago. I was a difficult birth, and under the care of a neurologist. He knew from an early age that I suffered from congenital depression, but my father "didn't believe" in depression, and hid the diagnosis from me. That was probably quite reasonable; Dale Carnegie seems to have believed the same. I married in 1971 and have 3 daughters, all married with children of their own. I never thought I would marry, but my wife and I seem to have "clicked" almost instantly. We were an item even before I was prepared to accept the fact. We are now in our 50th year of marriage. Notwithstanding that, a part of me seems unable to accept the situation, although I cannot imagine any different life. Am I simply a nut, or something?

New here

replies: 2

Hi guys I am new to all of this stuff I have found myself angry cold and bitter all the time My depression and anxiety is getting worst and words of advice from guys who Have had this before. I have been finding myself emotionally detaching myself fr... View more

Hello / New member

replies: 10

I use this form to introduce myself and say hi to everyone. I am looking for help to get through my depression which is very high at the moment. So I am glad at least I took the first step here I reckon. Hello everyone

Sadness

replies: 3

I am feeling very down lately. Alot of things happening in my life. Some things i wish i could change back. Im feeling scared and suffer anxiety.

Hi

replies: 3

Hi

replies: 4

Hi, I'm not sure how to introduce myself but I'll give it a try. I'm DefiantBridge. I am recently diagnosed with anxiety but now I am on medication. I feel I lack consistency and stability. I'm looking for friends who can guide me and be supportive. ... View more

Not really a newbie- just never posted

replies: 5

Well I signed up to beyond blue back in 2016, and just never posted anything. I would hover around the threads but never saw anything I thought I could comment on, so never did. I don't believe in wasting words, people treat them with too little value, so I don't like commenting unless I can actually state something valuable. I'm here now, because I'm in trouble. I have no family support, no friends I have a dog, a cat and a job. These are the things I pass my time with. I think I'm going to be losing my psychiatrist soon, the psychologist I have is new (4 sessions so far) and a over the telephone psychologist. And I am going nowhere, stuck and I've run out of ideas. I pay for both psychologist myself no government support. I can't go to hospital again, they are a sledge hammer psychiatry and are to loud and too thick to listen. I have little hope, I've search for a "cure" for me for YEARS (more than 20 years now), and nothing really works, short term fixes but no real change. I still can't tell you what I want, except I don't want to be "this". This isn't sudden mood swing, I have been voicing this for 18 months now. No medication has worked either, I've been diagnosed historically as an empathic, psychotic, anxiety, depression, DPB traits, CPTSD and High Functioning Autism. And frankly I'm tried of the labels they only comfort the doctors. My problem is people, your loud, you lie. I can see you do it honestly your body language is a dead give away.And I can't trust you, you don't mean to but you constantly hurt me. You all scream all the time, oozing out your emotions everywhere you go. Humans are meant to be apart of something we are designed to be in a group (genetic or otherwise) I hoped I could be apart of something but it's never really happened. This society was not made for me, I thought once that, that was okay, that I was meant to support but not be apart of, you know just "pop" into peoples lives when they need a classic critical thinking problem solver and "pop" out again when the jobs done. But no, not like I am, you need training to do those sort of things properly and I struggle with comprehension and by extension any form of formally education (didn't even finish High School) I go to session hoping that something, any something, an idea will happen but no disappointment every week, every time. They know I've told them. I feel like I don't work hard enough but then not kind enough to myself and either way it's punishment.

Blue Wombat says 'Hello'

replies: 19

Hello....please bear with me...I am new to this. Briefly, I am a married mum with an adult daughter (35) who lives in the UK. Her Dad and I emigrated to Australia 12 years ago and she was diagnosed with Bipolar 2, PTSD and possible BPD 8 years ago. Since then we have found it increasingly difficult to communicate with her as she is reluctant to Skype or phone, so we rely on sporadic email. We used to have a close and open relationship but she has become quite passive aggressive over the years and we find it harder to cope given we are not mind readers and are kept at arms length. She is married (her husband also has mental health issues) and she has been unemployed since diagnosis. She receives therapy (CBT) is taking medication and has a support CPN. Since her diagnosis she has largely kept us in the dark. We have supported her/them both financially and emotionally as best we could given the distance, time constraints and lack of communication. She does share information about her therapy but she is guarded about revealing certain aspects and obviously feels a great deal of shame for what she believes to be her own failings in life. Her Dad and I have always been approachable and tried to understand and be there for her....she knows that, but recently she has pushed us further away, if that can be possible? We have our own health issues. My own are insignificant in comparison, but her Dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer and diabetes 2 years ago, two weeks before Xmas. Christmas is a particularly painful time for us. He had surgery and then chemo for six months thereafter, but earlier this year we found out his cancer has metastasised and is inoperable. The prognosis isn't good, so we are taking each day as it comes and trying to be as positive as we can. Of course, all this is hard enough to cope with but we have no family or friends here for support. I am finding it all a bit overwhelming, which is why I am reaching out. We have a good GP....he knows I am anxious and depressed, but I am reluctant to take medication as I am receiving treatment for my chronic autoimmune liver disorder. I have to be strong to support not only my husband but also my daughter, who seems to be oblivious to how difficult things are for us, when we should really be relaxing and enjoying our remaining time together. I am sorry if this sounds self absorbed, but I feel so sad and weak. All I need is a hug and call to say 'It'll be alright Mum'..... Blue Wombat

Reflection in Anticipation to Birthday

replies: 3

Hi friends, In a few days, It's my birthday. I'm turning twenty three. I never could have imagined that this is where I would be in life, but that's ok. I particularly had a bad week, and have been crying anticipating it. I try keep my expectations low, but the child in me deeply longs to feel special and cared for. I don't have any thoughtful friends, or friends at all at the moment. My parents put grand effort for my siblings but not for me. I feel very sad and worthless thinking about why I am not worth it for anyone. This is not meant to be a sad ramble though. I wanted to lead up to say, last night, after crying I logged in again. I read many people's posts. We all feel alone, but I realised, in the grand scale we are all together. Often times, we think, we are the only ones suffering. But there's millions of us. I read so many extremely painful stories, that I remembered to feel grateful for the things I do have. And that I am sad, and have been through a lot but there is also worse. This was not very eloquently worded, I have lost a lot of my words, and you will probably relate. But I hope you understood. With love, Mira

Dreading Xmas

replies: 3

I am dreading Xmas this year. My only son is in the army interstate and due to Covid he cannot be with us this Xmas and I miss him so much. We’ve been invited to a friends place for Xmas day but I really do not want to go. I just went to the supermarket to buy food for Xmas day and the place was packed with people pushing and jamming each other and being rude to the staff. It’s all about consumerism and excess nowadays and I’m over it. Does anyone else feel this way or am I a Grinch? If anyone has some tips of how to cope through this enforced socialising and over consumption please let me know. I’d rather donate the money I would normally spend.

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

HELP..Am I posting in the right section? replies: 10

Returning member replies: 2

New here replies: 2

Hello / New member replies: 10

Sadness replies: 3

Hi replies: 3

Hi replies: 4

Not really a newbie- just never posted replies: 5

Blue Wombat says 'Hello' replies: 19

Reflection in Anticipation to Birthday replies: 3

Dreading Xmas replies: 3