Community Guides - who they are and what they do!

Hi everyone .... 🤗👋💕

My entry point to the forums was through Carers about 18months ago .... tricky family issues going on for me, but it's a walk in the storm, holding back the tides of situational depression and treading water to try and keep us all afloat ..... learning that -

Have found the most amazing people here, treading water along with me, just because they can .... forum friends, as they are to me fondly now .....

Welcome, one and all .... I hope you quickly settle into a comfy, or at least familiar place here, and know that you are not alone .....

♥️🌷

F&H

And thank you so much @Former-Member ..... 😘💕

Thank you @Former-Member

Hello All Carers

I hope you gain the information, support or company you need from the forum. I have met many wonderful people, including past and present Community Guides, veteran posters, and also those who have moved on, for whatever reason, but who shared from their life experiences.

When I first joined the Sane forum over 2 years ago @PeppiPatty @Former-Member were posting and a positive influence.

@PeppiPatty We missed you while you have been AWOL running around for Mr Peppi.lol.. I'm older than @PeppiPatty ... approaching 60, but might be a bit like @PeppiPatty son as I also have difficulties with elapsed time and spent a lot of time on Night Shift for the first 2 years.

@Shaz51 and @Faith-and-Hope joined after, and have always been friendly, supportive and inclusive.

My family is currently in crisis, so atm I am not on the forum as much as I used to be. I hope that settles in a month or too .... realistically speaking.

I am grateful for the forum in giving me the awareness and knowledge to develop a support team for myself.

Hello fellow Forumites,

I am Phoenix_Rising. There isn't very much to know about me. I'm just your typical run-of-the-mill autistic sea turtle with borderline personality disorder (BPD). I'm female and 40 years old (which, given sea turtles live to 150, is ridiculously young).

I have a very extensive psychiatric history spanning the past twenty years. Much of what I struggle with these days is due to trauma I have experienced within the mental health system, rather than the events that brought me into contact with that system in the first place. Consequently, I am super passionate about changing some of those systemic issues that I believe cause far more harm than good. I hold strong values around the importance of the lived experience of both carers and consumers in informing policy and change. I also hold strong values around empowering consumers and carers and as much as possible, breaking down the power differential that currently exists between them and "the experts."

I very much live in the lived experience part of Forum Land and only come by here occasionally. I was reflecting today on the fact that I have zero experience of either being a carer or having a carer. Hence I'm not sure how much I have to contribute in this part of Forum Land. Nevertheless, I am super open to being useful if I can be.

I spend a lot of my time riding the waves of super overwhelming emotions that are a core feature of BPD. Thus you can usually find me here: Riding a wave.

When I'm not floating around the ocean, I can often be found doing yoga in the most peculiar yoga group in the world: The great yoga adventure or doing a bit of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT): Let's do dialectical behaviour therapy. You are extremely welcome to join me in either of these adventures, although be aware that if you drop by the yoga thread once, I will shamelessly harrass encourage you to keep on dropping by.

I think that's about all there is to know about me...oh except that I fully intend to change the world.

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@Former-Member wrote:
Can I offer a blessing upon @NikNik @Appleblossom @CheerBear @Faith-and-Hope @Former-Member @PeppiPatty @Phoenix_Rising @Queenie @Sans911 @Shaz51 and @soul that you will be guided in your responsibilities, that you will be filled with patience and love and have a spirit of understanding and wisdom as you help guide those in need through difficult circumstances and that as you do, you will have peace and joy in the knowledge that you have in some way, relieved the suffering of another. Bless you all.

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Wow, that sounds super deep and serious @Former-Member. You know, just between you and me, I'm not even sure that NikNik and Lauz know I've become a CG. I just snuck in, in @CheerBear's pocket. Shhhhhhh.

Hello Carers!

I'm @Queenie, and although I mostly stick to the Lived Experience forum, I will be venturing out and about in the Carer's Forum also.

I live with schizoaffective disorder - bipolar type and although challenging at times, I consider myself recovered, not cured (even though I still have dips here and there). I live with my amazing wife and mother-in-law and Mrs Q has officially taken up the caring duties for me. This includes providing emotional support as well as practical support such as organising appointments and medications, as well as respite for both of us if and when it is needed. I asked her what is the most important thing for carers to know and she replied: "there is a wealth of information and support available to carers, it is a matter of knowing where and when to access this in order to protect our own wellbeing". I hope I can help out with that, as every carer is just as important as those who they care for.

I want to thank @NikNik for the exciting opportunity to be a Community Guide and hope to see you all around on the forums.