Hi @missep, thanks for your support.   Yes, that's exactly how it feels! I've made a pact with myself that I'm not allowed to do something else until the whole icecube is gone, and by that time I'm normally feeling a lot better.    I'm not exactly sure, what is the difference between slime and putty? hahaha      ... View more

Negative: My OCD is running rampant and I am struggling to cope. Positive: I have put some really good strategies in place to deal with acute anxiety, I have continued to get up everyday and go to uni, I haven't skipped any work and there are still moments where I am enjoying my family's company.   Negative: I engaged in sh for the first time a few days ago. Positive: I haven't done it since, and I have found some really positive strategies and alternatives to make sure that I don't make that experience a habit. While negative, this experience has also facilitated some fantastic discussions between me and my support network around what I need from them, what exactly I am feeling, and what the appropriate next steps in my mental health care plan should be.    Negative: I have fallen behind on uni because of the depression I have been experiencing over the last few days Positive: My doctor has written me a special consideration certificate that I can make use of if I need to. Likewise, I planned out the rest of the semester before this crisis, so I know I am not too far behind. I can still finish off my next report in time if I am strategic with my time over the weekend.   Negative: I cancelled plans with my best friend. Positive: I was doing the right thing by myself, even though that let someone else down. I also explained to her why I needed time to myself, and we are closer as a result. PLUS, we have already organised a new time to catch up, which I am confident I will stick to.  ... View more

Oh @Cheeseburger I'm so sorry. Break-ups are always really hard, especially when you still have very strong feelings for each other.    Crying doesn't make you look weak, not for a second. It is completely natural to cry at the end of a relationship, it is something that you have poured your heart and soul into. Give yourself some time to grieve the end of the relationship, and be kind to yourself while you are recovering. It may take some time to feel back to normal, but that's okay too.    Be kind to yourself during this difficult time, and know that we are all here to support you. Do you have any friends or family that you feel comfortable confiding in? It sounds like your Mum is a good source of support.  ... View more

I'm sorry to hear that. I know feeling numb is not very pleasant at all. Is there anything you can do to distract yourself right now?  ... View more

Hey @scared01, it sounds like you're dealing with a lot of strong emotions and feeling a huge sense of obligation at the moment, would that be fair to say? I know that I don't know what pressure you are under or who is relying on you, but I do know that you deserve to fall down and be tired and receive support just as much as anyone else. Good relationships are always a two-way street - that means you are allowed to take the time that you need in order to feel okay and function at your best.    What is the main issue that is bringing you stress or unhappiness at the moment?  ... View more

How are you going @Bananatime04? Still feeling a little low?  ... View more

Hi @Maddy-RO, thank you for checking in. I was feeling a little bit rough this morning, but I had a great check in with my Mum and talked to her at length about some of my feelings and that made me feel a lot more connected to her.    I had some sh urges today, but I tested out some alternative strategies and they worked pretty well! I have been using cold ice-cubes when I am at home, and squeezing putty when I am at uni or travelling on public transport. It has been very helpful. I haven't tried a helpline for these specific feelings, but I have organised a safety plan with my Mum for when I am feeling unsafe, and will definitely incorporate helplines into this as an added layer of support when I can't reach my family.    I bought a whole heap of putty and fidget toys today to help me feel a bit more connected to my body, and I am feeling a little more hopeful today than I have been at the start of this week.   I find that Tuesdays are always difficult for me, as this is the day after I go to see my psychologist and do a lot of emotional and mental heavy lifting. I'm going to try and put some more effective strategies in place to make the come-down from this a little easier.    Thank you for all of your support, I really appreciate it  ... View more

No worries, that's completely fine :)  ... View more

Have you connected with someone after sharing your story?   Recently, I participated in Laps for Life to fundraise for ReachOut, and as part of this, I shared my struggles with OCD, depression and suicide with all my family, friends and Facebook and Instagram followers. A lot of these people had no idea that I even struggle with mental illnesses, let alone severely. This experience connected me with a lot of people from my past who expressed that I had been a good friend to them, and that they would gladly allow me to lean on them now. In addition, it has made me more connected to my family, who got behind me and made a real effort to educate themselves on OCD so they could spread my story accurately and appropriately.   Recently, one of my biggest connections has been with people sharing their stories with me as a result of my own openness. One of my ex-teachers opened up to me about her OCD diagnosis, and one of my ex-coworkers told me about her brother's OCD, and we discussed how she could support him through his struggles.    If you have shared your story, what advice would you give to someone who is wanting to share theirs? My advice is to share your story in as much detail as you can cope with. For me, I took a lot of strength and power from sharing my story with as many people as possible, because I find it gratifying to know I can help others. However, for some people, it is easier to only tell a few people at a time. When I first started experiencing OCD, the only person I told was my Mum, and that was enough for me at that time. There is no obligation to share your story with the whole world. It doesn't make it a shameful secret to keep your personal life private. Just share as much as you are comfortable with.   With that being said, don't be afraid to be brave. Your story is a source of strength, beauty, and courage. If you feel that it is something you want to spread, then go for it! So long as you are sharing your story for the right reasons (to help others, to gain a sense of closure and strength from your past, to connect with others and allow them to know you more deeply), it should ideally be a positive and productive experience.  ... View more

Hey @Saltwaterdreamtime, how are you feeling today? Any better?  ... View more

This is a great thread! I definitely eat poorly when my schedule gets busy or my mental health goes downhill, but here are a few things I have worked out: If you're going to buy food, it doesn't have to be unhealthy! My uni sells apples and bananas, so I buy one of those and a blueberry muffin when I skip breakfast before leaving the house Make a meal plan at the start of the week, so you know exactly where your food is coming from. This means scheduling in some takeaway meals and treats too Cook a big batch of something portable on a Sunday night - I sometimes make a big batch of soup or cous cous salad, so then I can keep it in the fridge or freezer for when I am feeling lazy during the week and don't want to cook.   When I'm struggling to eat because of depression, I try to keep these things in mind: Eat things you like - even if it is McDonalds fries, it is better than eating nothing at all (in my opinion) Get someone to have meals with you to keep you accountable - I am more likely to eat when someone else is eating with me, so I try to have dinner with my family and lunch with a friend where possible Snack! - When I am depressed and lose my appetite, I sometimes find it easier to have a lot of small meals instead of sitting down to a big meal. That way, I'm grazing instead of 'eating' per se.  ... View more

I am looking forward to going out with some new friends next weekend :D  ... View more

I didn't sh today I had a really open and productive discussion with my Mum about my OCD and depression and why I am struggling so much at the moment  I went to a cat cafe and played with 13 beautiful kittens!  ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04, I just saw your post that you haven't self-harmed in a whole week and I AM SO PROUD! That is an incredible achievement, you should be so unbelievably happy with yourself. Way to go!  ... View more

You don't know if you're safe? How can I best support you?  ... View more

I hope you're okay @Saltwaterdreamtime, if you need to take a moment to step away and cool off, that's totally fair and understandable. Just know that I am here for you and I genuinely care.  ... View more

Are you safe right now? ... View more

Here are some other tips on what you could do:  https://au.reachout.com/articles/8-ways-to-deal-with-anger   If you feel like reading the article, go for it. If not, that's okay too.  ... View more

Do you have any icecubes? Would you be willing to give that strategy a go?  ... View more

What strategies do you normally use to let your anger out?    Yesterday I was feeling the same way, so I grabbed a bunch of ice cubes and a hammer and smashed them all up until I felt better. I was surprised by how much it helped! ... View more

It sounds like you're experiencing a lot of anger right now. Can I check that you are safe?      ... View more

Hahaha that's okay, I am about to head to bed myself. Have a good drive tomorrow and I might check in and say hello tomorrow night :D  ... View more

That sounds totally fair, it can be really hard when you feel like people just aren't hearing you or helping. Is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about? What are you feeling right now (other than frustration)? ... View more

Yeah I'm here, I'm just not getting notifications for some reason which is super weird ... View more

Diamond Heart - Lady Gaga ... View more

Ruins ... View more

Oh wow! Why are you headed to Hobart?  ... View more

That sounds awesome @Tiny_leaf! ... View more

Tomorrow I am heading to university in the morning for my statistics tutorial, then I will go and get dumplings for lunch (I do this every Thursday). Then I have a doctor's appointment and a calculus tutorial in the afternoon.    What about you?  ... View more

Not a book-to-movie story, but I recently started reading Far From The Tree by Andrew Solomon. It's about parents who have children that are very different to them in some way - deaf children with hearing parents, short-statured children, gay and trans children to straight parents, children that became criminals, and other situations like this. It's so interesting to hear how parents adapt to loving their children when they don't resemble them as much as they had hoped. I'm only a hundred pages in (it's 900 pages!) but so far so good! ... View more