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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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Can't find your post? It may have been moved

replies: 0

Hi everyone, With thousands of new posts on the forums every month, a lot of housekeeping is required behind the scenes to make sure that threads are organised into their correct categories, not only so people can find the stories most relevant to them, but to stop people being triggered by more traumatic material that they may not wish to read. You can help us out by thinking carefully about which section to post in before you hit the send button. If you're new here and you can't find a post you have made, it could have been moved from the section in which you originally posted it. The easiest way to keep track of posts you have made is to use the "My Threads" tab, which lists all the threads you have contributed to or started: Below are some sections where we commonly need to move posts to: Supporting family and friends with a mental health condition - Any posts looking for support on behalf of a friend, family member, spouse or partner. Young people - Any threads started by members under 25 (this forum is mirrored on our Youth Beyondblue website here) Suicidal thoughts and self harm - Any threads referencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm. PTSD & Trauma - Any threads relating to PTSD, domestic, sexual or childhood abuse. Relationship and family issues - Any threads relating to struggles with relationships or family. Long term support over the journey - Threads which have gone past 100 posts. Hope this helps.

new and looking for advise????

replies: 4

HI i have never posted on any of these sites and after hiding my illness from the world for the past 2 years i'm nervous about posting! I have been suffering with ocd for the past 2 years and i'm at a loss as to how what to do. i am hoping that someone can give me some advise! you always hear people using the expression oh i'm a bit ocd i like to have clean house or an organized pantry but thats not really ocd the term gets used so much without people understanding there is so much more to ocd than that and it makes me and im assuming other people struggling like me feel belittled and week. I struggle everyday and i know it sounds silly or strange but just parking the car can be a stressful ordeal when having a bad ocd day. its exhausting. from what i do understand about ocd everyone is different and have different symptoms. for me the ocd rituals are not to bad and i cope ok with them even though it takes me half hour to get from the couch to bed at night because of some of them. its the intrusive and horrible thoughts that try to get into your mind it feels like a constant battle against them and its exhausting. people don't seem to understand this illness and i'm not sure whether to start being open and honest with friends and family about it or keep it hidden. it has isolated me as things have become to hard to hide so i just avoid people my friends have gone and gotten on with there lives without questioning me orcontacting me as to where i've gone. the very small amount of family that have figured out what's happening just made it sound trivial and don't understand the hell it is to live with ocd. I am putting so much pressure on my amazing husband and i feel terrible over the past 2 years i am nothing like the person i was before the ocd i have 3 beautiful children and i want nothing more than to give them there mother back!! i am so angry that this illness has taken so much of my life and i'm searching for answers i've seen psychiatrists and had ocd diagnosed but im nervous about medication as i've had conflicting advise from the 2 i've seen part of my ocd also is a massive fear of medication anything you consume. if anyone has had treatment that has worked i'd be so grateful for your help. Sorry i've rambled a lot but the last thing i think worth saying is this all started around a very stressful time in my life and then an operation to have hysterectomy i'm not sure but i believe this all triggered my ocd.

Hello!

replies: 2

I have been diagnosed with Depression and medicated accordingly, for 14 years. I had to take early retirement. I and my siblings, who are both free of Depression, have a blood clotting disorder. This was found in 1996 or so and is called Factor V Leiden after the University where it was identified.My parents and I had the condition twice, meaning when we bleed we clot 70 times faster than 85 to 95% of the population. The condition causes clotting in veins, the low pressure blood return system. My parents self medicated with alcohol, most of their lives.Clots cause scarring of the vessels, which are muscular. Thus there are small amounts of pain every time blood passes an old clot site. DVTs can result, anywhere in the body. The worst place is in the lungs. The pain may build up and be called Fibromyalgia. "Pain from clotting". Those who are of Aryan descent, especially who came from South Sweden, are most likely to have the clotting disorder. Sicily and Lebanon are also hot spots as the Normans carried it strongly. The clots and scarring may be dissolved by enzymes but it is a long process. As at least 5% of the general population appear to have this condition, we must be careful to address it as a factor in increasing stress hormone levels, as a result of the pain of obstructed veins, the scarring and the poor drainage of important organs, such as the brain and gut, where Serotonin is expected to be found.For those with long term depression treatment should address the possibility of other disorders!I wish you all the best! Slow down, we are the best kind of people.

New to the forum - hello all

replies: 4

Hi all. I am new to the forum here and hope that whatever I can contribute will be worthwhile. I am a carer, as was my mother to my terminally ill father some years ago. We have other family members and friends who are carers as well. So life for us all is filled with many joys and tough days, like many other folks here. I have been a professional in the mental health field, but my passion is in advocacy and believing in those who may not believe in themselves. I also believe that carers and those they care for deserve compassion and understanding - something which is sometimes not easy to come by in the general community, and sadly, sometimes even in families. Believing I am a very positive and grounded person I hope that in the times I visit this forum, I can also offer some folks support and understanding of my experiences as a carer and as being one who has also personally had some tough times to deal with. My blessings and peace to you all, ShiftingSands.

Depression & anxiety sufferer here

replies: 6

Hi all, I suffer from anxiety and depression and it's hard to find people to talk to. When I'm anxious I do sometimes vent to friends but when I'm feeling depressed I can't tak to anyone because I don't want them to think differently of me. I'm having a bad time at the moment, my 30th bday is coming up and I'm just reminded how much I hate my life. I've been racking my brain trying to think of what to do to celebrate, 'what makes me happy?' Nothing. I can't think of anything I enjoy. I'm a single mum of a 7 year old and I've never been in a serious relationship. I'm so lonely. I don't enjoy anything. I don't even think I know what happy feels like. I love my son to death but I don't even enjoy being a mum and I hate myself for feeling that way. I've put on 30kg with this depression and a lot of that was while I was working as a personal trainer. I was disgusted in myself. I've always had body issues but it's worse now, I've been trying to lose weight and failing for years. I just give in to comfort food all the time. I just don't feel in control of my own life. i have seen a psychologist in the past but I don't feel like it helped much. I feel like I'm stuck in the wrong body/life. This wasn't how my life was meant to turn out. I look at people and I'm always jealous, my best friends can tell me happy news about there lives and instead of being happy for them, I resent them. I'm sick of hating myself and my life, I just want to be happy. We get one life and I feel ripped off, it's not like I get a do over, my life is wasting away, I can't live like this for the rest of it, I don't know how to cope sorry for the rant, these are just thoughts I have all the time but never say out loud

First greeting

replies: 1

Hi all, I suffer from a stress related illness that appear to be post traumatic stress disorder. I live in rural Victoria and have had little help from the medical profession. A counseller from the Vietnam Veterans Councilling said, if I am having problems I HAVE to say something as bottling it up will only do further damage. The thing thats currently creating an issue is I cannot stand much stress, if I cannot control this an attack will occur,often producing serious anxiety and sometimes depression, its unpredictable though. Currently in my life there is a number of small issues which are all adding up. I am currently quite unfit after a long illness and I am starting a fitness program, but I have been unable to contact my trainer. I no longer drive due not being able to sleep well, this I am sure is a fitness issue, the above is an attempt to cure it. So Iam using amobilty scooter, this is showing some small signs of unreliabilty and I do not have much faith in its technical support staff. I like to build items, the above mentioned counsiller from the VVCS, stated this was real good therapy, I am having a small problem getting some parts though. By themselves none of these are serious, combined though they are pushing me down, I lived in hell for years and I have no intention to ever return there. I am sick of living with the mental pain, but I have sworn in the begining this would NEVER defeat me. That makes it just that much harder to hang, but hang on I will. Just writing this has been helpfull, I will be interested to see the responses. I do know though I am not alone, there being plenty in excatly the same boat. Bye the way, my handle MB518D is the model number of a 137 litre V20 3500BHP diesel engine made by Daimler Benz and used during and a bit after the 2nd world war.

not sure what to say.....

replies: 5

Hi, im a 31 year old father of two beautiful children, im also married to a strong woman with the best marriage anyone could have, my problems stem from huge anxiety issues i have about meeting new people, my wife is born and bred in the city we live where as i am sort of new, i have massive self esteem issues and am battling alcohol aswell, i know what i need to do im just feeling very weak atm, cheers.

Newbie

replies: 2

Hi, I only just signed on, so this is very new for me. I am a 40 year old male, suffering from depression. I am on medication, which has helped until now. Feeling very alone ATM and family and friends don't understand. Just wanting to chat and relate... View more

Hello all... I don't know where to start!

replies: 3

Hi everyone and anyone, I really don't know where to start or what to say. I know I need help, support, attention, advice, kindness, acknowledgement, a shoulder to cry on, a laugh, a friend. I'd also like to be those things for other people too. I have that age old problem of being really good at listening, helping and offering advice to others but useless at being those things for myself! I guess now I need to choose a forum and start talking, then hopefully someone will relate and want to help and share their stories too. Here's to being brave and opening up!

I am Kuchel and this is my story

replies: 5

Hi I will try to summarize everything in few paragraphs - I am kuchel. I suffer from depression time to time. Usually the depression with anxiety. I am a 9 to 5 working man. I have a family. I feel stagnated in the life. I feel everything has stopped for me. Things I used to enjoy before, I don't feel the same way. Sometimes, the depression get so bad that, I struggle to get out of it. It feel like a total darkness. At times I feel I am an audience. My life , day -to-day things becomes like a movie in front of me. It just plays and I cannot do anything to it. I want to do something which I like , which I can challenge myself. But the employment situation is not good. Therefore I cannot leave this organization. Sometimes I am very happy. I feel like I am in the clouds. However, the feeling quickly subsides and it becomes dark again. That is me in short... Thanks

Meet your community champions! replies: 10

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

Can't find your post? It may have been moved replies: 0

new and looking for advise???? replies: 4

Hello! replies: 2

New to the forum - hello all replies: 4

Depression & anxiety sufferer here replies: 6

First greeting replies: 1

not sure what to say..... replies: 5

Newbie replies: 2

Hello all... I don't know where to start! replies: 3

I am Kuchel and this is my story replies: 5