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Pinned discussions

Sophie_M Meet your community champions!
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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 Be... View more

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.

Aaronsis 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 th... View more

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

All discussions

BreeFree90 Hello Everyone
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I've been on many forums before, but never one like this. I really hope to become apart of this community by sharing my story and hopefully helping others along the way. In retrospect, my mental health issues have been with me since I was very young,... View more

I've been on many forums before, but never one like this. I really hope to become apart of this community by sharing my story and hopefully helping others along the way. In retrospect, my mental health issues have been with me since I was very young, but unfortunately, they weren't detected until I was an adult. At age 19 I was diagnosed with depression and saw a psychologist, but I wasn't ready to receive help and so I squandered the experience. Then last August I had a very real and life-changing mental breakdown. I didn't speak to anyone for a week and had to slowly rebuild myself. I was diagnosed with anxiety and have been on medication since. During this last year, I have sought professional help, started a new career, got engaged, bought a house with my finance, struggled immensely with my anxiety, and within the last week, I've had a relapse and quit my job. I am now seeing a new psychologist and looking at my future prospects. That's my mental health in a nutshell. Life isn't easy at the moment, but when is it ever?

DadNeedsHelp Introducing Me
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Hi all. I've just signed up in the hope I can find ways here to help my adult daughter who suffers from anxiety and depression. Sadly, the fact that she suffers from this is not a surprise to me because of her history. Her mother also suffers from th... View more

Hi all. I've just signed up in the hope I can find ways here to help my adult daughter who suffers from anxiety and depression. Sadly, the fact that she suffers from this is not a surprise to me because of her history. Her mother also suffers from these things and has been through anorexia, OCD, panic attacks among other issues. We have been divorced for quite a few years now and sadly, our relationship is little more than polite. I am remarried and very happy in my new marriage. My wife is very supportive, has a good relationship with my children and is happy to do whatever she can to help so this is a good start. Anyway, I guess this is about introducing me so I'll restrict myself to that if I can. I am prematurely retired (aged 60) and play a lot of golf. I don't have great numbers of friends but I value the ones that I have. My own history includes bouts of depression at times especially when I was young and suffered bullying at school. I think I am reasonably well adjusted these days but I do find it difficult to maintain good friendships because I suppose I still have some anxiety about other peoples' opinions of me. This causes me to be less proactive in my friendships than what is probably ideal. That said, I think I cope fairly well with life most of the time. I will probably have a bit of a look around and perhaps post elsewhere about my current concerns. I hope that my presence here can add to this community and that I can also find information that can help me to understand how to help my children.

Helen91 New to BB forum.
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum world, not really sure how to work this but I’m sure I’ll pick it up along the way! I’ve come to the BB forum because I cannot get into a psychologist at the moment, a friend recommended I check this out to see if i... View more

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum world, not really sure how to work this but I’m sure I’ll pick it up along the way! I’ve come to the BB forum because I cannot get into a psychologist at the moment, a friend recommended I check this out to see if it could help me. I hope I can get some advice to help me feel less lonely and empty also some tips on how to work through my low self esteem and social anxiety, I am really interested to read about some of your experiences. I also hope I can help people in return

Aesural Hi.
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I'm not really used to this, nor really up for talking about myself. I believe, I have bpd, and may be narcissistic. Being one who constantly fears everything I do, always evaluating how eventual encounters with people may lead and how I can just... ... View more

I'm not really used to this, nor really up for talking about myself. I believe, I have bpd, and may be narcissistic. Being one who constantly fears everything I do, always evaluating how eventual encounters with people may lead and how I can just... make things fine. I'm rather rigid right now, with how I speak about myself, since I don't really have an outlet. Hi, I'm a person, sorry if this made your day a lil bleary. It's a pleasure that you read.

icantthinkofadisplayname howdy strangers
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hello,, ive been on forums before but never this one. im here cause i cant see my counsellor too often and my mum never listens to me when i ask for help. i get vv socially anxious and stressed, plus constantly hearing homophobic things and just a wh... View more

hello,, ive been on forums before but never this one. im here cause i cant see my counsellor too often and my mum never listens to me when i ask for help. i get vv socially anxious and stressed, plus constantly hearing homophobic things and just a whole bunch of other stuff. so uhh, hi

MJ79 It’s been a rough year
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I have assumed that I’ve been needing to go to a professional to understand what I’m going through at the moment. However, in my situation at home my culture looks down upon those types of healing. i have felt depressed and anxious since I was 14, no... View more

I have assumed that I’ve been needing to go to a professional to understand what I’m going through at the moment. However, in my situation at home my culture looks down upon those types of healing. i have felt depressed and anxious since I was 14, now being 19 it’s a second nature that I don’t want. I feel like since my first ever relationship my trust in people has dissappeared, as he lied about my family and made the majority of my friends believe I was a liar. Mind you, I’m a strong willed person, and don’t mind if people think I lied or what my personality is. But my anxiety plays on what people think about my family and it hurts to go out and not know who knows about my life today. although we broke up a year ago and I’ve moved on. My depression spikes as I think back to what he did. Telling everyone and having this constant burden on my shoulders. I feel like I am overreacting but I need help. What should I do? I can’t really go to my family, and my friends I talk to can only do their best. This was my last option.

Lara010 Beginning today
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Hello, I have joined today and am really grateful for the site and forum. I never write and rarely talk about issues affecting my life which I feel ashamed of. Already though.. in taking this step of joining and writing, it looks as though things can... View more

Hello, I have joined today and am really grateful for the site and forum. I never write and rarely talk about issues affecting my life which I feel ashamed of. Already though.. in taking this step of joining and writing, it looks as though things can change. I am glad I am making this step.

Onlyme64 I’m new
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Hi I have had problems with depression in the past, at the moment I’m having work issues I know if I left my job the stress and the anxiousness I’m feeling would ease but at my age it’s not easy to find another job and I don’t have many skills I have... View more

Hi I have had problems with depression in the past, at the moment I’m having work issues I know if I left my job the stress and the anxiousness I’m feeling would ease but at my age it’s not easy to find another job and I don’t have many skills I have done the same sort of work for thirty years. I would like to know how other people cope with horrible rosters where you can’t get any down time, employers that don’t really listen

VMvm Anxiety, work and career change. Advice?
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Hey! Hope you all are well! I'm going through a difficult time and I thought it could help me to read some advice/thoughts from different people and backgrounds. I'm 32, an optimist and positive guy, and for the first time in my life, I'm struggling ... View more

Hey! Hope you all are well! I'm going through a difficult time and I thought it could help me to read some advice/thoughts from different people and backgrounds. I'm 32, an optimist and positive guy, and for the first time in my life, I'm struggling from some anxiety and (maybe) depression. I quitted my sales corporate job a couple of years ago, promising myself I would never go back to it, and I travelled for nearly those two whole years. After my trip, I got back to Melbourne and guess what... I got back to the same industry and corporate job as a salesperson. It took me nearly 3 months to get the job and lots of rejection from interview processes. That job hunting started to make me feel useless, nervous, anxious and quite self-conscious. But anyway, I got a job. It's been two months in the new company and those feeling are just increasing, I don't feel ready to tackle my role (even though it's what I have been doing for 10 years) and when I meet my customers I get quite nervous and anxious. That situation makes my brain go blank, I don't ask the right questions, I don't say the right things and therefore, I get in trouble with my management. I know I don't want to be doing this job, but I have no idea what I can do with my life. The only thing that keeps me going to the office every day is the good salary. Still, I don't think I can handle anymore because I'm suffering and I hate that feeling. Since I finished high school I have been working in sales, so unfortunately I don't feel I have any other skill I can use to find another good job. So my question here, have any of you gone through something similar? How did you handle your career change? Thanks!