Welcome! Introduce yourself here 🙂

Hey @SomethingElsie, thank you for joining the Forums and sharing your experiences with the community!

It sounds like you have been through a tough time and are strong and resilient. It is unfortunate that family don't always support us in the way we would expect or need. And setting up boundaries is important to protect ourselves. It takes courage to do what we need and if that is creating distance then the brave thing to do is what you have with yours.

Self-medicating can be challenging to deal with as it is not always the best option and particularly long term. Being able to identify that you are misusing substances is a really amazing place to be in your recovery. Sometimes we need to reach out for a little extra help, I encourage you to contact Adis QLD Homepage | ADIS (health.qld.gov.au).

The Forums are a great place to reach out to your peers and I will pop a link to a post that describes other threads you can connect: Looking for a space to connect with others? Find a... - SANE Forums

Thanks again for being part of the community here on the Forums!

Take care

RiverSeal

Hi there @SomethingElsie . Welcome to the forums and thank you for sharing your story. That takes courage so well done!I’m a Community Guide here who has a lived experience of mental illness, including anxiety at times, so I can relate to how they feels.I hope you’ll find the forums a safe and friendly place where you can link in to find help, support and advice.

Take care.

Judi9877☺️

Hi @SomethingElsie ,

It was so lovely to read your story especially about your dog being the greatest teacher.

I hear how, despite the MH struggles, the power of pets can make a huge difference.

I hope you find support on the forums. Many, if not all, of us have a lived experience of mental health. By connecting with others, we can really foster hope and encourage each other to press on, as hard as it may be.

All the best. I look forward to seeing you around!

Hi I'm kl78. I have diagnosed bipolar 1, GAD, ADHD, autism. I am a carer of my adult daughter who has the same mh diagnoses as me plus a couple more and MS, and my grandson who is autistic.

I struggle with executive function all of the time. My house generally looks like a bomb hit it and I'm very disorganised generally.

I joined to get some sort of support with looking for mental health professionals and general support from people who live with similar issues.

Hey @kl78 !

Welcome to the forums! I'm hearing you! You are certainly not alone.

We have many awesome members who can relate to what you are sharing...

Pssttt***I can relate to my house looking like a bomb went off!

We are so glad to have you with us!

You may want to have a read here Wait what did I come into this thread for again? Oh yeah, ADHD!

Good afternoon everyone

I just joined the carers forum ad I am struggling with my 26 year old daughter who has a personality disorder following trauma from frequent operations and hospitalisation. Prior to 6 years ago she was travelling well studying and working part time but she began changing after a number of things. Her father remarried and has a new family and rarely sees her and she has abandonment issues which means she is very controlling of me. I’m exhausted and want to know if anyone can recommend a great psychologist who works with abandonment issues and personality disorders in the southern suburbs of Melbourne. I’m feeling burnt out and would love to talk to other carers.

Hi @Tracca,

Welcome to the forums.

I'm really sorry to hear about the challenges you're facing with your daughter. It sounds like a very difficult situation, and it's understandable that you're feeling burnt out. It's great that you're reaching out for support—connecting with other carers can be incredibly helpful.

Navigating services can be difficult. I recommend looking at Head to Health's website at https://www.headtohealth.gov.au/ or giving them a call at 1800 595 212.

Take care of yourself, and remember that it's important to look after your own well-being too. This community is here for you, and many of us understand what you're going through.

Hey all..

New here 👋

But not new to mh issues sadly they have plagued me my whole life.. or at least from arrange the age 12yo up to now in my mid-40s..

Suffered with addiction & depression... multiple hospital admissions.

Anyway here to get support as can be very isolating feeling the way I do and I do take a lot of burdens on alone. I'm not good at being open usually.. prefer to suffer in silence.

To keep myself well I need to try and be more open & share what I'm going through.. Ty for listening 💖

I am a transplanted American who moved to Australia last November to escape a very violent marriage. I live with the diagnosis of complex trauma survivor, depression and anxiety. All these were greatly impacted by my marriage and the impending divorce. I don't have counseling benefits with the health insurance I have here in Australia, which has been difficult for me. Hopefully this forum will helpful in that respect

Welcome @RoseBlue, sometimes just making the effort to say hi to strangers, is a big scary first step for anyone new so congratulations, its an important step and we are not a judgemental bunch of people.

If anything we are supportive, celebrate the small wins just as much as the big ones, support each other and give insight into our own experiences 🙂