It's good that you were able to realise that your mind was talking smack to you @Lost_Space_Explorer5.  I hope you're feeling a little better today ... View more

Hi @tashmcl    I'm so glad you contacted 1800 RESPECT when you did and took the steps you needed to make your way out of the relationship. I can hear how resourceful and strong you are. Good on you for leaving - it's definitely not an easy thing to do!   I can hear that you're quite upset at yourself for missing him. I just wanted to say that it sounds like you missed what you had (and where your life was heading) in the early stages of your relationship more than you actually miss HIM as a person. It sounds like you're grieving what you COULD have had with him (should he not have become abusive), which is totally understandable. It is completely OK to miss that feeling of warmth when you're in love. Please try to not be too hard on yourself about this. I recommend that you conduct a search self compassion and try to practice it if you haven't already.   Also, please know that with each second/month/year, things will generally get easier - you'll have moments where you miss what you had with him, but generally, over time, their duration and intensity will decrease, especially when you end up finding a new lover who is better suited to you. So...maybe take solace in knowing that that time will come and try to remind yourself that it won't always be this difficult.   But above all... please be KIND to yourself. You did an AMAZING job getting out of that situation. You still are doing an amazing job at reminding yourself how awful he was and that he had two sides to him. Just keep reminding yourself how amazing you are ... View more

Dear @Bookworm2004    We're glad to hear that things are looking up for you and that you're engaging with the right professional support!   Feel free to continue to keep us updated with how things go! ... View more

Hey @Tiny_leaf    I'm sorry to hear that one of your closest friendships has turned sour. It's good that you were able to notice the red flags though.   How are you feeling this morning? ... View more

You must have seen them a while back if you can't remember them. I'm glad to hear that you're open to seeing a new professional, and that you know some strategies that work for you (e.g., watching YouTube).   It does sound like you're experiencing some quite uncomfortable thoughts. When you say that you feel like people are after you, do you mean that you think that are trying to hurt you? It's good that you're able to recognise that these are just thoughts and not real.   Do you have any one around you (family, friends, a GP) who can support you at this time? ... View more

Hi Bs^...that is quite a scary thought isn't it... is there anything you could do/think to help you feel better about this? ... View more

@Tiny_leafsore joints are the worst ... I hope you're feeling better this morning! ... View more

How funny @Tiny_leaf ...was it covered with salt or? ... View more

that sounds so good @scared01  ... View more

Haha...she's not a silly kitty is she!? @Tiny_leaf  ... View more

Oh @xXLexi_Lou122Xx, thanks for the update. I'm so sorry to hear about all the stress you've experienced recently. I am glad to hear that you've finally received a diagnosis to explain your symptoms, and that this provides a way forward for you. Also, good on you for standing up for your friend, and I'm sorry you got punished for that.   I hear lots of concern around failing at school. Please do try to be kind to yourself, and practice self-compassion, in the upcoming weeks. Try and do some things that relax you, and that you enjoy.   It sounds like your parents are being very supportive throughout all of this, which is lovely to hear.   Please keep us updated with how you go ... View more

Hi @AngelJoy  Sometimes we feel upset seeing others happy because we're unhappy ourselves. Please feel free to create your own thread on this. ... View more

Hi @AngelJoy, we hope you are feeling a little better today ... View more

Hi @Rattata    Thanks for sharing! I'm sorry to hear about your issues with sleep.   It might be a good idea to read about the importance of sleep, to motivate you to get a good sleep routine going. You might want to try getting up early and exercising throughout the day if you don't already, so that you feel sleepy around an appropriate time (but don't exercise right before bed because that will likely keep you up).   Another idea is to get off your device and read, because being on a device may be causing you to stay awake. It might be a good idea to get into a good bed routine, so that when you engage in the bed routine, your body knows that it's bed-time. This might include doing something like reading or showering before bed. I also recommend switching off the lights when you want to sleep if you don't already. You might also benefit from telling yourself "I'll talk to people tomorrow" and make an active effort to talk to people throughout the day so that you've had enough social stimulation by the night time.    Let us know how you go! ... View more

Dear @PiterPidum    Thank you for posting such an important question that I'm sure many people in the community can relate to. It can be so difficult when our loved ones (who need support) don't want it or think that they will not benefit from it. It sounds like his depression is getting in the way of him having hope for the future, and hope that treatment would improve his situation, is that right?   If it is right, then it might be an idea to share success stories with him to show him that he has some agency over his situation and mental health. You might want to: Remind him that there is hope and that he can get better. Tell him that him feeling as though there is no hope and that he can't get better is PART of his depression i.e., his depression is making him feel that way. Get him to read the mental health success stories of others e.g., here, here, here, here. Watch inspirational ted-talks e.g., here, here. Also....: If he decides he wants to get better, recommend this app to help him along his journey. Use "motivational interviewing" techniques when talking to him about this. Read more about these here and here. Accompany him to the doctors or rehab center to talk about his mental health/addiction. You might find the follow articles helpful for yourself: Sara's experience helping her boyfriend deal with his depression here. How to help a friend with drug addiction here. Please also remember there is only SO much you can do. You can provide support, try and guide him in the right direction, and so on, but it is up to him whether he engages in services or not. You can provide him with all the right information and support, but it is up to him what he does with this information. Being with, or caring for someone with addiction and mental health problems can be quite difficult, especially if they are not open to receiving professional support. So please remember to also look after yourself. ... View more

Hi @Lavender_Frog    It's unfortunate that your parents didn't like you seeing a psychologist for anxiety . How are your parents in regards to you seeking other forms of professional support, like medical support (e.g., going to the doctors)?   In terms of your friendship...from what you've described, it doesn't sound like you are romanticising it as it sounds like you two share quite a close bond and spend a lot of time together. In this regard, it makes sense that you may have developed some more-than-friendship feelings for him. However, it is quite confusing that he'd go off and sleep with another girl right after having that sort of conversation . I'm struggling to make sense of that, so I understand how you are as well.   In terms of what to do next... it's tricky and a decision that only you can make. However, we can help you think through certain options and talk through the pros and cons of choosing each option. You seem to have done this a little already, but I'm wondering if you might want to add to this list. I can get it started for you based on what you've said:   PROS of telling him he might feel the same it could potentially break the unhealthy cycle CONS of telling him he might not feel the same it might potentially complicate or impair the friendship   ... View more

Hi @MB95    I haven't been on in a while so I read back a few pages to see what has been going on for you.   I can hear how difficult things have been for you recently.   It saddens me to hear that you feel like you're disliked on here (your post from the 01.03). I'm glad that you've been so honest in sharing these thoughts and feelings with us and I hope that writing them down and expressing them has been a little cathartic for you. You've shown some great insight in the sense that you know these thoughts are silly. We would never hate you MB95. It's quite the opposite actually - we see many positives in you and care about you.    I'm sorry to hear that chat-based (or telephone-based) crisis/support services have not met your needs. It must be soooo frustrating to reach out for help and for the technology to not work. It;s like the last thing you need in that moment is for the chat to NOT launch.   I'm so sorry to hear about the situation with your psychologist. That sounds like a truly awful experience and I can understand why it upset you so much .   Throughout your recent posts, I've noticed that you want to avoid depending on other people for help. I thought I'd try and find some self-help based services that might be useful for you, because we very much care about you, and hate to see you feeling this upset.   I thought I'd introduce you to the "my digital health" platform. They have some free program options. The only thing is that if you want to do it, I'm pretty sure it means you will be partaking in a study, so you need to be comfortable with that. See here to have a read about the my digital health program, and here to to find out more about the programs. From what I've gathered from you from the forums, it sounds like the following programs might be helpful: CompassionateUs IMindTime "Life Flex" and "I Consider Life" might also be helpful. You mentioned that you think you might have BPD, but that you were too concerned to see the psychiatrist to confirm whether this was the case. I want to say that it is okay to have BPD, or any mental illness in general to be honest. Did you know that almost half of the population have suffered from a mental health condition at some point in their life? Mind you, that's only the people who have reported it, and I'm guessing that statistic is probably higher.  What does this statistic tell us? That having a mental illness, or experiencing mental health symptoms and distress, is actually normal.   DBT is the first line of treatment for people with BPD. Now, we don't know that you have BPD, but the strategies for DBT would be helpful for anyone in my opinion, so I thought I'd share some stuff on that with you anyway: Check out the resources on the Australian BPD foundation limited website here. In particular, scroll down until you see the link to the DBT skills modules ....e.g., "DBT Skills Application 2-1 Intro to Distress Tolerance." These modules are free and have been provided by a peer-support-based Facebook group. I know that you are due to age out of R/O soon, so I thought I'd link you some other forums that may be of use to you. I'd encourage you to create an account with: BeyondBlue - here. Sane - here. I know that you're going to be on our forums for a little while longer, but I encourage you to join these forums now so that you can start to build some connections, so that leaving here is not AS difficult as it would be otherwise.   I know you're a little bit adverse to seeking professional support at the moment, whether it be over the phone support or booking in with a new psychologist, which is totally okay for the moment. However, I just wanted to point out that it's possible that your psychologist was just not the right fit for you, and that there may be other therapists that are better suited to you. For this reason, I encourage you to consider seeking in-person support, or at least keep it on your radar until you feel less vulnerable or more comfortable seeking support. Maybe, if you decide to engage with some of the resources I've linked you, then those strategies will help feel slightly better to engage with a therapist.   Please let me know if you'd like any more resources. I (and the other mods on here) am always happy to link you more. I just didn't want to overwhelm you with too many to start with.     Sorry for the essay.   How was your sleep last night? ... View more

It is a little concerning that your mum is not taking your requests for mental health support seriously . We're going to email you now so please keep an eye out for it. ... View more

Hi @Tiny_leaf    You're right, the way that certain conditions are spoken about on the internet can be incredibly distressing for people with the condition to read. I actively avoid reading anything about my health condition on the internet and leave all questions for my specialist. I guess I'm lucky I have a great specialist, as not everyone has. I imagine those without a good specialist or without an approachable specialist would be vulnerable to doing google searches and stuff to find answers . I'm not sure if this is the case for you.   Anyway, I thought I'd check in to see how you're going today. It's a shame you hurt your ankle but I'm glad to hear that you're dad was able to help you with stuff over the weekend. ... View more

Hi @felfiger., I'm just posting here to let you know that I have removed your link because it could be viewed as promoting or advertising a certain product which we do not allow as per our community guidelines here. ... View more

Hey @AngelJoy    I'm sorry to hear that you don't feel comfortable talking to your parents . I remember being a teen - it's such a vulnerable time - and it can be SO helpful to be able to openly speak to one's parents about things that are causing worry.  So, I really feel for you when you say you can't, or don't feel comfortable, speaking to your parents about important things such as your mental and physical health, and that you are worried about losing access to the internet if you were open up to them. I just wanted to let you know that you are entitled to seek and receive both mental and physical health treatment. It must be really difficult having to speculate about what might be going on for you since you can't see health professionals.   I'm wondering, do you have any other adults in your life, such as an aunt or uncle, who you could speak to about your mental and physical health concerns?   I'm very glad that you've come here and shared some of these thoughts with us, and that you have your best friend who you can talk to. ... View more

Hey @Eden1717    I haven't been on in a while and I'm just catching up on your thread. It sounds like the past few days have been incredibly stressful for you and I just wanted to check in. How are you feeling today? ... View more

Thanks @tessy1824 for the post and for checking-in with everyone.   I'm okay. All of my social plans have been cancelled this weekend but at least I get to catch up on uni work!   It's really great that you're taking a proactive approach to managing your school work load - I'm sure your parents/guardians/teachers would be super proud of you for that. Seriously, fingers crossed it lasts 5 days... and that you are back at school again super quick!   ... View more

Hey @Rattata    I'm glad you shared how you're feeling with us.    It sounds like you're experiencing some uncomfortable emotions that you are struggling to make sense of.   Talking to a professional can be extremely daunting, especially if you have never done it before. From what you've described though, it sounds sound like you might need some professional support. I'm wondering what is it, specifically, that is holding you back from seeking professional support?   Sometimes, people worry about being judged, which I think is a completely normal feeling. I just wanted to let you know though, that getting professional help is never anything you should feel embarrassed about. Almost half of Australians are diagnosed with a mental health issue at some point in their life, which shows you just how common mental health problems are. It is highly possible that the person you speak to has experienced a mental illness, or a least symptoms of a mental illness, at some point in their life...or have a loved one with a mental illness.   It sounds like you want to know whats going on for you. I guess there may be ways that you can find out, but there is also a chance that you might come across inaccurate and potentially harmful information, and it'll probably just be a much simpler process if you speak to a health professional instead of trying to figure out what's going on for you while trying to simultaneously manage your mental health.   More importantly...with speaking up comes treatment options... which might be really useful for you. You deserve support .   We have many users that are scared to open up but feel very relieved once they do - whether it be to professionals or family members.   Anyway, in short, it might be a good idea to think about why it is you do not want to seek professional support, and what might be the best option for you going forward in terms of bettering your mental health.   There might be ways to get support that are less daunting. For instance, it might be possible to see a psychologist from the comfort of your home via a telehealth appointment...or you might want to start by speaking to your family doctor (if you have one) since you know them and might feel more comfortable with them.   Whatever you decide to do, we're here for you along the way!   & sorry for the essay! ... View more

Hahaha @Saltwaterdreamtime yes yes, using whatever mug is fair enough too! I really like unique, hand-made mugs/cups as shared previously... but they are pretty expensive. It is hard to justify buying them for oneself, especially when you can get much cheaper mugs from places like K-mart, and also because they can so easily break like you've experienced!!! "Happy mug-lovin" sounds so much better than what I said (happy muggin'). Let's go with "Happy mug-lovin" instead. C is a very good choice . You clearly have good taste in mugs!   Hahaha @WheresMySquishy thanks for sharing. I'm glad you like the thread. Everyone loves a big-ass tea cup.   I'm logging off now but happy mug-lovin peeps. ... View more

@Lost_Space_Explorer5 oOoo I love a good mug one day I want to have a drawer of different, unique mugs. I actually purchased my friend 2 hand-made, ceramic tea cups recently because he moved out. They were the kind of thing you would never buy for yourself because they were expensive for a mug...but are good as a gift. I might make a cup/mug thread in the games/hangout sections and post some images. ... View more

Hi @MayMay31    Welcome to our forums and thank you for sharing   Friendships are tricky. It can be hard to know what to do when a friendship goes downhill, especially when you have been friends for such a long time. @hunginc has asked you some really thought-provoking questions - hopefully having a think about and answering those questions makes things clearer or you.   I am personally quite honest and open so I will usually tell someone if/why I am upset. However, that does not mean that I have never regretted expressing how I feel. Also, I've found that unless the person is somewhat reasonable or understanding to begin with, that it does not always get through to the person or achieve much. Sometimes it can be best to not say anything but to distance yourself, while keeping things open - i.e., taking some time or space apart without actually officially ending the friendship. This leaves open the chance of rekindling things in the future. It also means there won't be an "bad blood."   I do have 1 motto that I live by (or try to at least). You can't choose your family but you can choose your friends, so choose your friends wisely. By wisely, I mean choose to be around the people that make you happy.   Hope this helps! ... View more

Haha I hear you are keeping yourself busy which is good ah yep, I know what you mean. Do you tend to buy much stuff or not really? I think you'd come across some gems in that setting! ... View more

It makes me happy to hear that you're feeling good @Lost_Space_Explorer5. You are so right re. volunteering giving you a sense of purpose. Without naming the organisation specifically, what sort of volunteer work do you do? ... View more