Hi @purpleflamingo and welcome to ReachOut! It has been very heartwarming to read your words of support across the forums today We look forward to getting to know you better!    We have an thread here where you can introduce yourself too! ... View more

I just recently started re-watching suits! Every time I watch it I love Donna more and more! Her emotional intelligence is off the charts    Has anyone else gotten into the One Chicago tv shows (Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med)?  ... View more

We understand @Eden1717  Very heartbreaking time for you- I can hear how much distress this has caused you. Crying would be contributing to the headaches so I can understand not feeling ready to talk right now     Is there anything you need to get through the afternoon? Is there anyone around you today? ... View more

Hi @MB95, any time! Myself and all the ReachOut Team care about and value every person who comes to the forums very much! We try to put our hearts into every response, so it is really lovely to hear how important those check ins have been for you.   I am so happy to hear that your appointment yesterday was one that led to a greater sense of trust and connection with your psychologist. It can take time to build that rapport and feel comfortable to let the walls down and share more of yourself with your supports- writing the letter was such a great way to do that! Good on you for going through with it and exploring new ways of communicating together   This is such a powerful statement: "I know it's not going to be easy and I'm going to probably have a lot more set backs like my psych mentioned today but I do somewhat feel that with the support on here and the support from my psych I'll get there eventually. She thinks it'll take a few years, but as long as I get there in the end I'm happy."    Recovery is so unique, and non-linear, but we believe in you and the incredible steps you are taking for your recovery! ... View more

Hi there forums community!    Our digital team have been working hard the last few weeks and we are excited to announce...NextStep is now live on the forums!     You may have noticed the icon on the bottom right of your screen or mobile! Use this button to find recommendations from ReachOut for more support options, services and resources.   If you have any questions about using NextStep, let us know!  ... View more

Hi @Eden1717,   I'm hearing that things are feeling really hopeless at the moment, and hopelessness is a really painful feeling to sit with. The fact that you are coming to ReachOut and sharing how important your goal is to your sense of meaning and purpose is such a huge step. You mentioned not feeling sure if you can keep fighting, but also knowing how important this goal is to your life and your hope for the future. Would you feel comfortable to share what your goal is? And what has happened that has created some hurdles or challenges? ... View more

Hi @blobby,   Welcome back!  Good on you for taking some time out for some self care yesterday afternoon! Time to recharge and invest in your wellbeing is so important, particularly when going through stressful times     So glad to hear you have had a look on the forums to find some threads that have started in the last few months that you think could be helpful. Are there any key topics you are interested in reading and hearing from others about?   Really lovely to see you around- we are here if and when you need to chat ... View more

Hi @Milkninja222 and thanks for making such an awesome weekly wellbeing activity! Can't wait to hear how our community meet new people    Just tagging a few members who have posted this week who might be interested in this activity :)  @xXLexi_Lou122Xx @blobby @JazzInMay @liv1611 @Tay100 @ecla34 @Tiny_leaf @recharging_introvert  @Bento @Alison5    Feel free to tag other members! ... View more

Hi @Tiny_leaf,   How are you feeling this morning? Was your dad able to step in to keep you safe overnight?   Feeling unsafe at home must be so frightening Were you able to use any strategies to cope with the distress and fear overnight? No one should feel scared at home, and I am so sorry to hear how hard last night was. We are here for you if you need someone to chat to today   ... View more

Hi @someboi and welcome to ReachOut!   Pent up anger can be a really uncomfortable feeling to sit with, and I am hearing that over time you are finding anger is building up and you may be looking for ways to cope with and release that anger safely. Is that right?   You have mentioned that you have tried some coping strategies such as meditation but that so far it hasn't been helpful. And when you need to, you walk away to make sure that your anger isn't directed at anyone around you- this demonstrates a huge amount of self awareness. Are there any other ways you have found to release the anger safely? (eg: Physical activity, distraction, etc) ... View more

Hi @Bananatime04,   It sounds like hospital is a good decision for you at the moment- very brave decision to make to priortise your safety Hoping you were able to get some sleep overnight. We will be sending our thoughts your way today! ... View more

Hi @YellowButtercup,   I want to acknowledge I have just seen the original post you made overnight, and you have really articulately and compassionately described how you feel and raised concerns in a really respectful and loving way.    I am hearing that there are some pros and cons of each approach, but that something non- face to face would be most comfortable for you. We can understand your concern that he may not read the letter. I am wondering if letting him know in advance how important it is to you that he does and giving him the letter for him to read 'when he is ready' might makes it sit better? What are your thoughts?   In terms of resources, the good news is that there are lots of supports available. One service I would recommend is SMART Recovery- they are a service similar to Alcoholics Anonymous but don't require sobriety, so often its a good entry service for people looking to get support with addiction.    There are also lots of online support available where identity is anonymous- Turning Point list online and telehealth services for people experiencing addiction that might be helpful. They also have an online community like this one. Your Dad's local doctor/GP is also a good starting point for local services. Maybe the doctor he went to for the liver function test.   Watching someone struggle with addiction can be hard for those closest. What is your support network like? Are there people you can talk to? ... View more

Hi @wolvesrunfree,   I'm hearing that the concern with reporting is mainly around losing your anonymity if you do a report through the school, is this correct?   That's great that you feel you can talk to your psychiatrist about this. They also may be able to give you some ideas about how to support your friends to make a report when they are experiencing bullying or abuse too.    If you want to check back in after the conversation with the psychiatrist, we will be here to listen :) ... View more

Hi @MB95,   How did your appointment go today?    It sounds like you were able to create your letter, how did you go sharing that with your psychologist today? It's great that you have been able to use some of the suggestions from others here on the forums to communicate with your support network when saying the words out loud is hard.    I hope you get some time for much deserved self care tonight after your appointment and group assignment Sending you a huge hug from our community for your bravery and openness today!  ... View more

Hi @Eden1717,   I'm hearing things are really hard right now, and you mentioned that everything is ruined. Do you want to share a bit more about what that means? Is the feeling like there could be a fight related to your sister or your psychologist, or something else?   We are here to listen if you need to get anything off your chest today   ... View more

Ah I understand now. Sorry, @Tiny_leaf  I misread that before ... View more

Hi L @SomeoneNADJS,    It sounds like there has been quite a bit of news. How do you all feel about not having your psychologist around for a month? Have you had a conversation together about what supports you will have during that time?   Vitamin B12 can have a huge impact on energy, so it's good you are all linked in with a GP who can keep an eye on your B12 levels moving forward    R- We are here to listen when you are ready to talk too   ... View more

I'm so sorry to hear that @Tiny_leaf  Do you have another option to the bus today, given how hard it is feeling to get to the OT appointment? ... View more

Hi @Bananatime04   I can imagine that must have been really hard to sit with your parent's emotions about what happened today I'm hearing that when you needed understanding and compassion the most, the emotions of others around you impacted how they responded to support you.   Sometimes parents react with strong emotions in the short term when they are struggling to process things themselves and their feelings of distress and fear come to the surface. It can really hurt to see that emotion, but when they calm down I am sure that they will be relieved that you are safe and okay. Just as we are relieved you are okay!   If there is one thing I want to emphasise it is that reaching out for help today took huge amounts of courage and strength. This community is so proud of you for being open and honest with your year co-ordinator- that would have been such a hard thing to do, but was 100% the right decision   ... View more

Hi @Paijache I just want to echo @Maddy-RO's post above- it takes a tremendous amount of courage to be open and honest in an online forum (particularly the first time you post).   One thing that really stands out to me in your post is your ability to keep going, even when the times are hard. In the face of some of life's biggest challenges, you have continued to find a way through.   I am hearing that there is still a lot of pain, and you have some goals you would like to work on for future, and I hope that you will find this is a safe space to chat these through. At the moment, what do you do to cope with distress? You've mentioned you have a girlfriend, has she been a support for you to lean on?   We hope to hear from you again soon    ... View more

Hi @Tiny_leaf,   I am just catching up on posts from last night, and I can see that you were having a rough night How did you go overnight?   Getting up and moving can be really hard when feeling tired. I can understand the thought of going to the OT is really hard right now. What time is your appointment?    We will be around to check in today if you need someone to talk to, or some distraction ... View more

Hi @liv1611 and thank you for making this thread!  As someone who has also been on antidepressants long term and still take medication, this is a topic that is really close to my heart and a topic that requires a lot of thought     Have you managed to speak with a health professional about it? Cannot stress enough how important supervision of a treating team is to come off medications safely It sounds like you also have a good support system around you with the people in your life, which is so powerful ... View more

Hi @Bananatime04,   It sounds like this morning has been very painful for you and we are sending our thoughts your way today. You are so resilient and the fact you are reaching out is super important, we encourage you to lean on all your supports today.     Reading through the original content of your earlier post, I am very concerned for you and your wellbeing right now. You are home today, will you have any one around to help you stay safe today? What do you need from those around you to support you today?   With what happened this morning, it is very important that an adult in your life knows and can help you stay safe today. The fact you have gone home says to me that you were able to reach out and talk to someone at school today, and that shows so much strength    Just a reminder that we are a safe space to come to if you do need emergency help- if you are feeling unsafe, or need urgent help, you can tell us and we will get emergency support to you We may move to email to have those conversations if you are feeling unsafe so we can have a more open and honest conversation off the forums, but I want you to know that is an option if the feelings get worse. We've got you   ... View more

Hi @YellowButtercup and welcome to ReachOut!   You have taken a brave step today to reach out for help and share what is going on with your Dad- we are really glad you found us! I am hearing that your Dad has been struggling with his alcohol use, and you are feeling very concerned for his health and wellbeing. It's so hard to see a family member go through addiction, and your concern for him shows how much love is there    You have mentioned that you have written your Dad a letter to let him know your concerns, and are not sure how best to deliver this message; verbally or in writing. What is your relationship like with your dad? At the moment, what feels most comfortable to you?    Addiction to alcohol can be really hard to accept, but once that first step is made when the person is ready, there is hope and people do come back from this  Sometimes it takes those around who care so deeply, like yourself, to take this step and share concerns. ReachOut has an article I think you may find helpful too- this article is about talking to a friend about drug addiction, but a lot of the suggestions are also really relevant to alcohol addiction.   Going to open this conversation up to other community members, who may have some suggestions or ideas to explore with you too ... View more

That is amazing @Milkninja222!    I met someone with a really cool talent: You could give him any maths equation and he could give you the answer faster than pulling out my phone to use the calculator. I tested him with a ton of multiplication questions and every time he was accurate and faster than me pulling out the calculator. Amazing mind!  ... View more

Hi @seafaringstar and thanks for reaching out again! It means a lot to hear from you, particularly for our forum members and mods who were around at the end of 2018      How have you been? ... View more

Hi everyone! Thought I'd pop by this thread to see if we can brainstorm some more positives of being back at school :)   Have there been any other positives now we are a few weeks into the school term? ... View more

Going to revive this amazing thread!   Three things I like about myself: 1. I love learning and try to stay open to new ideas and ways of thinking 2. I value family and friends, and am very loyal 3. I like that despite a long and very difficult journey with mental health, I am happy with the person the hardship has helped me become and the learnings from that journey I can use to help others ... View more

I am looking forward to starting soccer again soon! The season will start in the next month :)  ... View more

Just a quick reminder that we have a live GR tonight!    Tagging members who have been active over the weekend    @_youngflicker_ @Bananatime04 @Bee @Bento @Cheeseburger @DruidChild @ecla34 @Eden1717 @goldilocks @hellofriend @Hozzles @Jane_Rose @JazzInMay @LiviTrees @MB95 @MemphisBelle @One_Shy_Muggle @Paijache @smileandwave @SomeoneNADJS @Sunflower18 @Tay100 @Tiny_leaf @Topito @WheresMySquishy @wolvesrunfree @xXLexi_Lou122Xx ... View more