Hi @C888r , there are already so many posts but I thought I'd just chime in quickly and say that there's nothing to feel bad about - these things are made to be as addictive as possible, unfortunately:<   I've really struggled with this as well with compulsively checking my email (I know, crazy right). Something I felt helped was doing a complete 32 hour tech detox (perhaps you could work up to this if you don't feel like going cold turkey right away - like doing 8hrs first) - it made me feel like I was kind of 'resetting' my system and was later able to concentrate better.    Also another suggestion is to put the apps you feel like checking the most in a folder on your phone sort of buried away among other apps - this way the additional process of having to click through the folder to it makes you think about what you're doing; in a way it makes it less 'automatic' and helps you intervene with your own behaviour. I felt this helped me sooo much.  ... View more

@Bananatime04  @Love_elmo77   It's definitely normal to find face-to-face counselling confronting! I personally see a psychoanalytically-oriented counsellor, and in their method they never face the client. Instead you kind of lie down on a couch while they sit in a chair that's at the end of the couch facing a different direction. I find this really helps me to speak my mind and not get freaked out by the eye contact - also you can go silent for a bit and it's not awkward. During Covid-19 we've been doing sessions via the phone (no video). I highly recommend if you find face-to-face counselling a bit intense to ask your counsellor if you can do this kind of setup. Hope this helps:)  ... View more

Great thread idea:) I don't know if anyone here is a fan, but I'm somewhat of a dark souls/bloodborne devotee. Nothing can beat fromsoftware's atmosphere, gameplay and level design in my mind! Also am a long time fan of animal crossing as well as I can see many of you all are.  ... View more

Sorry to hear you're going through this - sounds really terrible and quite scary. One thing to do might be to try writing your thoughts down via hand? This way you can slow down that ultra-fast cascade of thoughts and centre yourself a bit. Regarding medication, indeed it is scary and feels like it's all artificial and stuff, but it's just chemicals, which our brain is already full of! There's nothing really that different between he kind of chemical interactions that psychiatric medications cause and the kind that our brain produces naturally - it's just helping to put your existing chemicals more in balance:) I hope maybe that provides a way of thinking about it that makes it seem a bit less scary.  ... View more

Great idea for a thread! Indeed it is an everyday commitment, however I personally have found that once I have learnt what works for me, the amount of everyday effort required to implement it becomes less with practice! In that way it's somewhat like cooking or other chores that can sometimes feel burdensome, but can also be meaningful. For me, everyday mental health means taking some time to have a coffee and lay in bed a bit in the morning and not forcing myself to get up and do work, but savouring those relaxing moments first.  ... View more

1. What's something that doesn't take a lot of time, but that makes you feel better?   Something that I like to do is to watch a fun youtube video while having a cup of tea or coffee — I think a lot of people mentioned this! 2. Is there a small change you can make this week (or even right now!), feel free to share any ideas in this thread!   One thing I'm going to try to do is also to open the curtains as soon as I wake up in the morning to try and enjoy that morning sunlight (my room is east-facing, fortunately!)  ... View more

This is not super related to mental health, but one of my favourite quotes ever is from Freud:   "In dream-life, the child that is in man pursues its existence".   Thinking about dreams is really interesting, and it's always a fun task to write down and try and understand your dreams. It's one of my (strange) tasks to keep busy during lockdown:) ... View more

@xXLexi_Lou122Xx Sorry to hear your health is playing up ~ perhaps it's to do with the uncertainty of the world at the moment. We often think of the mind as separate to the body but this is such a mistake! I know that when I feel anxious and there's lots of uncertainty I get such annoying tummy troubles and headaches. I imagine that whatever is happening might pass as things begin to get back to normal. Make sure to practise lots of self-care in the meantime <3 ... View more

Thanks for tagging - looking forward to it! Do we join just via this forum post? ... View more

@Tiny_leaf  Good to hear your mum is being more understanding; sometimes it can take time for people to process what's going on and be a little more empathetic. Your cat sounds so cute: is the name based on a famous Leo — like Leo Dicaprio — or do you just like the name?  ... View more

@Saltwaterdreamtime Moving house is always a challenging, but ultimately exciting time. I just moved into a house with two friends from high school and it's been super fun decorating and everything. Are you feeling excited about setting up your room and perhaps communal spaces?  ... View more

Good to know you're having open communication - and I'm sure the counselling session will be helpful also :) Perhaps if you're still confused after talking to him for a long time, you could ask him to send you a description of his feelings in writing? I hope that the waiting isn't too tough on you! ... View more

Hi @Tiny_leaf, I'm really sorry to hear what you're going through. It sounds like trying to get your mum to understand while also sorting out NDIS/carers is very overwhelming. Perhaps it would help to treat them as two separate tasks. With your mum, is there some way you can explain your situation to your mother in a way that you know will be understandable to her? Sometimes it takes people to be able to imagine directly how someone's feeling to be really empathetic toward them. Perhaps you could think of an analogy for how you're feeling, or alternatively try and relate it to one of her experiences. What do you think the next step might be? Regarding trying to find care, I can appreciate the fact that you're feeling stressed and a bit put off by the message about talking with Carer Gateway. It sucks when you are really hurting, but attempts to seek help involve going through these unpleasant administrative processes. Is there someone who you can get to call the Carer Gateway for you - perhaps a parent or friend? I hope you can find something to help you relax tonight - perhaps a favourite TV show or even just some silly cat videos on youtube. I'll keep checking on this post for updates:) ... View more

Hi @beachlover567, I'm really sorry to hear about your breakup - it's always hard to deal with such an intense change, particularly if it feels without warning. I hope you've had some time to rest, reflect and process your emotions. I think that your dedication to communicating actively with him and talk through everything is so admirable — the world needs more good communicators like yourself! If you do decide to give it another go then I'm sure that will be great, however a breakup also provides a great opportunity for positive change - such as making new friends or spending more time focusing on something you're passionate about. So, regardless of what happens, I feel confident that it will turn out well for you. All the best:) ... View more

Hey everyone - I just started as a builder. Here's a quick introduction about me... 1. I can't remember where I first heard of reachout but I remember browsing it when I was confused about mental health, and found much comfort and solidarity from hearing about similar experiences to mine. 2. Much as @meganjane14 said, I'm keen for someone to suggest some good threads for me to take a look at 3. I decided to become a builder because I am a strong believer in the power of peer support/mentorship and want to use my own experiences + insight to help others. 4. I graduated from uni last semester - I'm doing honours (Psychology) next year but for now am an intern in a neuroscience lab, and about to start a job giving behavioural therapy for children with autism. 5. I love to play the piano and listen to classical music. I speak Japanese so enjoy watching over-the-top Japanese dramas and reality TV on netflix 6. My all time favourite TV show is probably Peep Show - I'm a big fan of David Mitchell and Robert Webb:) ... View more

Welcome @moontune and @wanderingwasp, and thanks for tagging me @Jess1-RO! This seems like a great way to reflect/journal in an intuitive way:) Mine is... Rose: I moved all the furniture in my room around and now it's way nicer Thorn: I'm feeling nervous about the amount of work I have to do in the next few weeks Bud: I'm looking forward to starting my new job on Friday ... View more

Last night I practised self-care when I was feeling a little stressed by going to bed early and listening to some funny podcasts, rather than trying to continue to work. Getting a hearty, relaxing sleep when things are feeling intense can be a massive help:)  ... View more