Welcome! Introduce yourself here 🙂

[DownMoreThanUp]

Hi good to meet like this.

i hope this forum will be a source of support for me, and that i will meet others who are struggling down there, so we can compare notes and support each other down there.

[Mustang67]

Hi @DownMoreThanUp It is nice to meet you. I know how you feel.

I often feel in my recovery, I take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back. It is definitely a constant struggle.

Just know that you are not alone,

[eggshell]

hi there @RiverSeal! thanks for your reply. i guess it was the most helpful when my friend dear friend noticed the changes on my mood and interactions with them (was extremely reduced), then reached out to me and listened to me. there was no judgement, no advice until i asked for some, no enforced decisions. just listening, pure listening and hearing what i was telling them. they support me with developing some strategies, making a daily list of tasks, cooking etc. i am so grateful to have them in my life.

[Beansprout]

Hi! I’m a 26 year old cis woman, I really love animals and I’m studying a psychology degree. I am struggling with it right now but I do really enjoy it. 

I struggled a lot with mental health all of my life but it became a serious problem when I was around 12, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety but years later after a destructive episode, I was finally given my diagnosis of bipolar type 2. I have very severe depressive episodes that have mixed features, and I’m just exhausted and sick of feeling so low.  I’m just struggling a lot because I don’t have many friends, it’s hard for me to get through the days most days. I love my family and my partner and they care so much, but nobody really understands what I feel like and how much goes on in my head every day. I’ve been on meds and stable but my mental health has slowly declined - I guess I’m just looking to talk and read about some people who get what I’m going through. 
thanks for reading 🩷

[rav3n]

Hey @Beansprout welcome!!! so lovely to e-meet you 😊

I can see that you've dealt with a lot over the years, and seeing you reach out here further shows your resilience. I'm so sorry you feel exhausted and low, it can be hard finding the right people to open up to, I know myself and others can relate to that feeling. I hope this community can be that space where you feel seen and understood (and make friends!) 💙

I too studied a bit of psychology, and like you I really did enjoy it but was also struggling with my mental health during my studies - hopefully your place of study can offer you additional support to guide your studies such as special consideration / extensions / adjustment options! 

Also wanted to mention that we have a newbie's social circle which is another space to connect with others if you'd like to check it out: Newbie's Social Club - Come make some friends! - SANE Recovery Community (saneforums.org)

Look forward to seeing you around the forums 💙

(p.s. if you want to reply to someone, you can tag them by using @ and typing their username, like this @Beansprout - this way they will be notified of your response)

[Mustang67]

Hi @Beansprout and welcome.

I totally get where you are coming from. I have suffered from depression for 22 years after the death of my abusive partner. And I realise now that a lot of my depression back then was from the guilt I felt over his death, and I continued to grieve the loss of the awesome way he made me feel in the first five years we were together. I have never been so in love with someone as him. And I missed feeling that way. But then I realised I was grieving a person who no longer existed. He turned into a controlling and physically and mentally abusive person. So even though I felt like shit with the depression, it was nothing like what I have been going through since 2018. That was my rock bottom, and my depression worsened and then came the CPTSD, anxiety and panic attacks just to name a few issues.

I thought that I was going to be miserable for the rest of my life. But after seeing several psychologist and social workers, I finally found one, that understood me and my way of thinking. I still struggle, but I am empowering myself with knowledge through workshops to help me learn what my core values are and how to set boundaries and stick to them. Each time I enroll in a workshop, I can feel myself getting that little bit better at the way I handle my life. It has been a very long battle, and I can feel a glimmer of hope that I might actually become a better and stronger person at the other side of this illness.

I am currently reading a book called Empowered Women Empower Women.

 

About the book - It holds the transformational stories of 19 women from around the world. With authors from Australia, Zimbabwe, the Philippines, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Papua New Guinea, the UK, and the United States, this book is a truly global celebration of women.
Empowered Women Empower Women is a testament to the strength of women who have risen above challenges to uplift themselves and others around them. Their stories, though diverse, all share a common thread: the desire to make a difference.
In this book, you’ll be inspired by the countless stories of women who have turned adversity into opportunity and overcome the challenges you may be facing right now. You’ll discover that adversity can fuel a desire to serve others, create meaningful businesses and enrich lives.
Whether you are at the beginning of your journey or looking for ways to make an impact, allow this book to inspire you.

https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=empowered+women+empower+women&i=digital-text&crid=2MCUF90ONCRNU&sprefi... 

I am finding it very helpful reading these stories and seeing how they have turned their lives around. And it gives me hope that I can too. And I have been feeling a bit more positive since I have started reading it. My Social Worker, who is actually one of the 19 women in the book, so I am looking forward to readying her story.

Just don't ever give up, you are worth fighting for 😊

[Trixiedog]

Hi! I’m new to the site and on here for support! I am a widow and am suffering with anxiety that I have never experienced before! Panic attacks I have never known! And trying to support my daughter who lives with bipolar! We are both struggling!-

[Friendlyflutter]

Hi there @Trixiedog 

We wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to the forums.

We hope that you find the forums a great place to connect with other members, share stories and ideas, and find the support and connection you deserve. It sounds like there are different things happening at the same time and it is becoming difficult to cope with all of them. What kinds of support do you have for yourself and your daughter? 

 We look forward to seeing you around on the forums!

[Paulie]

I was diagnosed with delusional disorder initially but over the months, schizophrenia.   

I'm 36, male, love reading research articles and listening to classical music.

I do not have the focus to study officially but I do my own personal studies from my home.

I went from a paranoid wreck, struggling to wake up and drinking problems to part-time employment in a respectable job due to the help of Queensland Health and the NDIS.

There is hope!

[RachSANECEO]

Welcome @Paulie thanks for becoming part of our Recovery Community