New member

[Kazzl]

Hi everyone, I'm Kaz. I've just joined the forum and am not sure where to start. I've probably missed it, but is there a new members thread or somesuch? Or does everyone post their own new topic? Any suggestions on where to start / how to join in welcome!
As background, I am a long-time sufferer of depression. I self- medicated with alcohol for many years until I became a full-on alcoholic, but I have now been sober for nearly 4 years. I feel I have alcohol under control but my mental health is still wobbly and I'm going through a rough time at the moment. After some very dark days I've decided to try applying the 'one day at a time' approach that got me sober to managing my depression and anxiety. Would love to share with some fellow travellers.
So glad to have found this forum.

[Kazzl]

Also, sorry, I'm a technical numpty ... is there a way of knowing if anyone else is online? I belonged to an alcohol recovery forum before on which people could show if they were online, or hide their status if they didn't want to be seen. Handy for knowing if there's someone to talk to ... Thanks!

[nigioc]

Hey @Kazzl 

Welcome to Sane!

If you go into your account settings and click on prefernces then privacy, it will let you set your online status. So depending on how each person has set theirs, you will be able to see who is online.

There are lots of great people here in the forums. Let me introduce you to  @kristin , @kenny66 , @PeppiPatty who are all 'Senior Contributors'. This means they have been part of the Sane community for some time, post lots and knoow the place like the back of their hands. 🙂

I'm sure they will drop by and say hello as soon as they have a moment. As will others. Make sure you ask all your questions. It's the only way you will get to know the place and become comfortable. Because once you're comfortable, that's when the magic happens. 🙂

Look forward to see you around.

Nigio.

[Kazzl]

Thanks Nigio and lovely to meet you. Must admit I'm having a bit of trouble finding my way around at the moment, but I know I'll get the hang of it in time. Thank you so much for the welcome!

[PeppiPatty]

G'day. @Kazzi,

How are you ? My name is justanother47yr........
It's been very kool being part of this community ....
I think the best thing to do is just find a conversation...and join in. See the positive knowledge within you and share....your intuition and soul is very welcomed here.

Love the parrot.

Your 'lived experience,' knowledge is needed here. Not your 20 000 years of being a high job entrenched Proffecional. If you work, well we are interested....I actually went back to work with the confidence I got from Sane forums but after 2 or three months, I pulled back to working one day per week or fortnight.

I have a dose and half of PTSD and symptoms from a full on head injury. My youngest son had brain cancer for 15 years and then recovered. I find it very difficult to do much. I tend to stay at home and do art. I've discovered I was associating with people who are desperate and falling off the edges of society because of my huge unneeded need to feel good about myself I only identified with these desperate people until I joined Sane Dorums. Hence... The feral ex boyfriend......
Not that there is anything wrong with this group of vulnerable people. .it was just hard work that doesn't need to be in my life 24/7.

Alcohol...that's nothing to feel ashamed of.

Now I spend a lot of time alone, patched up my relationship with my Mum so see her once a week.

Actually, sometimes I get headaches for days at a time.
I'm a brilliant chocolate lover
Avid book reader
I'm that person who's drinking coffees a cafe and attempting to sew tiny little bits of material together in the background......

Welcome. looking forward to reading from you.....

Actually, I was going through something about a week ago.....my ex boyfriend was riding by and abusing me. The police were called. I was very freaked out. I don't to call the police because when I did, he went to a police station and told them I was on high medication and suffering MI......and another member, actually twigged on that there was something wrong and .....I got huge amount of support. Her name is @kristin then there was @@Allesandra1992....@peace.....@hiddenite to name a few.......

My oldest son is suffering MI and refuses to take medication........but he listens to me.
As you can read, I'm very good about writing about myself so please get in that zone and write away......

[Kazzl]

Hiya Justanother47yr
How very cool to meet you - thanks so much for responding. I'm a chocolate-loving bookworm too! Just finished The Riders by Tim Winton. Strange but wonderful book. And I'm a sports fanatic (currently watching the cricket final in tele).
I'd love to be able to 'do' art, or be able to sew, but my talents lie elsewhere I'm afraid! Lol. Love looking at it though.
I'm not ashamed of my alcoholism these days, I've learned so much in recovery. I'm not really ashamed of having mental health problems either - I just wish they'd bugger off and let me be for a while.
Great that your relationship with your mum is good. I'm close to my daughters, but mum and dad passed away years ago. Miss them.
Well done you for making your boyfriend an ex.
I hope we can be in touch on the forum - I'm finding it a bit confusing, but that's probably just my habit of leaping into things without taking time to understand them.
Hugs to you for the welcome.

[PeppiPatty]

hi @Kazzi,

yeah...Tim Winton's brilliant book ...The Riders. somewhere on Sane forums.... I've been winging about reading his book, Earie he brought out a couple of years ago. I have a friend who's a friend of his and was going to write him a letter on what I relate to in his book, Earie but then....whatever.

Confusing is good.

yeah MENtal ill HEAlth issues. SCARY. Lol .......Can you. Join the 'I'm a Proud consumer group insane forums?? Me thinks we have one here ........we write, I am a proud consumer, meaning I have had the guts to access mental health agencies in the past to manage my own life.

It takes a little getting used to and ......a little bit of shame tackling. for instance.... My neighbours come over to remind me to take my medication........or ask me if I remembered to.....

You really can write anything here.

[kristin]

Dear @Kazzl 

A warm welcome to the forum! You seem to have started off just fine. Well done for joining the conversation. 

You are not alone in having self-medicated with alcohol. The problem with having a MI is that if we don't receive timely help then often we often develop all sorts of coping mechanisms which, although not very good for our health, enable us to survive and dull the pain. It's good to here you don't feel ashamed about it. It sounds like you are doing a great job of managing that. 

You mentioned suffering from depression, do you get help with that? Some people use medication, some therapy, some use midfulness or meditation, some use a combination of these. What works for you?

If you type in depression in the forum search bar you will find heaps of discussions about it. Feel free to just join in. There is no "right" way to start posting on the forum, so what you have done is absolutely fine!

BTW I have suffered from depression for nearly 40 years, but it is much more manageable these days (fairly mild or absent mostly) as I have a diagnosis of C-PTSD and bipolar. Understanding my own history and getting good compassionate therapy for accurately diagnosed condtions make a big difference. For decades I thought I was well when I was manic. Thankfully now I can manage the rollercoaster without meds. It's been a long road but I wouldn't swap it for quids, I've learned so much and met many wonderful people.

So here's a shout out to a few others to come and say hello:  @Alessandra1992  @Ellie  @peace @shanc , quite a few of us are bookworms - I confess me too!

Take care and keep posting.

I look forward to "seeing" you around the forum!

Hope for freedom from suffering endures...

Kind regards, 

Kristin

[Kazzl]

Hi Kristin
This is a very friendly forum! So good to meet people. I am on antidepressants, have been for about 10 years. I probably should have had counselling but when I'm well the last thing I want to do is relive it all, and when I'm not well I can't talk much anyway. I really think that's where online forums and counselling come in to their own (it did with me for alcoholism) we can talk to others without having to do it face to face.
Great to meet you.

[Tessa]

Hi I'm new to the forum to I'm not sure where I start can someone help me