I was wandering if anyone had any luck securing a n95 mask. Sold out here....

Hi Golden....and on we go...and on and on and getting more ridiculous every day.

Listening to the National Anthem on Australia Day, the second line jumped out at me. "for we are one and free". No we're not. Not any more. This is not the Australia I know and love. People forced to be vaccinated or else lose their job and their ability to support their family is NOT freedom.

Our Premier said during a Press Conference some time back what we had to do to "win back our freedom". Excuse me Madam Premier but our freedom is not something to be "given back". It is our right! Can the situation get any closer to feeling like we are living under a "dictatorship"?

Hi rx, it is nice to have some support.thanks times had been bit rough so absolutely grateful.

Freedom for the individual needs to be balanced against the needs of others in the community. My hsb had a telehealth appyt with his specialist who works in a major public hospital which now has several floors taken over to treat seriously ill covid patients. Theare also overseeing many people had home with covid who need monitering but cant be admitted because of insufficient beds and staff. The specialust checked that we had been fully vaccinated including the booster. He explained that based on what they are seeing in hospital the booster makes it very unlikely to get sick enough to need hospital treatment and even less likely to need icu. I would like to thank every person who has been vaccinated and boosted when able to because they are helping to reduce the numbers in hospital which then hopefully in time allow important elective surgery to resume and other treatments. Last year my hsb required several admissionss to ED. The difference between attending at the peak of an outbreak compared to when things were more normal was stark. It was impossible to get the level of care required when staff are overwhelmed is impossible. We all deserve to get good timely treatment when we are sick or injured including MH issues so each of us need to do our part to help control the pandemic by getting vaxxed (if we can ) wearing masks indoors (when we can) isolating when sick and doing our best to stay as healthy as we can so we can recover quickly if we do get sick. Many people are stressed anxious and lonely lets do what we can to treat everyone with respect regardless of differing opinions. A friendly word to the person on the checkout or on the street etc might just help lift someone who needs it.

Hi Elizabeth CP,

I have been eager to get vaccinated as soon as I could. I have had the booster, too, because of a diagnosis which made me eligible almost two months before I was originally eligible. That's been one benefit of the diagnosis. & I had the diagnosis soon enough to have a very high possibility of the condition not worsening to a worst case scenario situation. 😹

I often think of your situation, with both you & yor hubby needing more care & support than what you are getting. I find it is hard for me to imagine how you & your hubby are coping throughout these last couple years. I have no doubt, having each other has been most important to you. I would like to ask you, what you & your hubby do to deal & cope with all the stress & emotions arising over these last couple extraordinary years?

I like your simple suggestion, to offer a kind & courteous word to the people we encounter while getting what groceries we can, or having a bite to eat at a café, orfor the receptionist at our GP's office, or local Pharmacy, or at the hospital when we do need to go there. It cost us nothing, & indeed, when I do say those little polite phrases, I actually have noticed, I feel better for having said something nice to someone, as if the friendliness of my words rebounds back & effects my own mood.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

😺mmMekitty

I'm not doing well. I work in a medical practice and I am just so tired. So sick of covid!

Sick of people arguing.

Sick of being abused.

Sick of existing.

Hey there

Sounds like covid is really impacting you from all areas of life. Youre certainly not alone in this. It takes alot of courage to reach out so we're really glad you have.

We encourage you to continue to share here whats happening for you but also want you know that there is always support available to you.

You can reach out to our professional mental health counsellors Beyond Blue (available 24/7/365 on 1300 22 4636) or our friends at Lifeline (13 11 14) or the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) at anytime.

We have also sent you a private message so please check your inbox.

If you feel at any time that you are unable to keep yourself from acting on urges of suicide or self harm, then this is an emergency and it's important that you contact 000 (triple zero) straightaway. 

Just wanted to say to everyone a big hello and be kind to yourselves! Let’s try to be positive about the future and appreciate family, friends and our supporters. Keep reaching out and ensuring those around you are okay.

My best thoughts and wishes to you all!

Hello just-want-to-sleep,

I'm so sorry anyone has treated you so badly, with so little respect orunderstanding that you are sick COVID like so many other people. You can only do what you can, & your resources are limited. People's tempers flair, & it seems that you are a human being is quickly forgotten,

You are under so much stress. May I ask what strategies do you have for coping & relieving your stress?

mmMekitty

Hi justwanttosleep, how are yountoday ? How's things been at the medical practise with the new variant surging ? Here to listen.

Hi just my attempt at bringing some lightness (good for the soul sometimes)

I really quite like playing that card game snap.

Sleepy and just- want- to-sleep

I mean no disrespect... But that is what I just saw when I read your names. Thanks a bunch for helping me to see the lighter side of life. By your names.

Smiling on the inside.

So cute shelll, 😍 nice to have light snap moments

Hello everyone,

I pop in and read from time to time but dont post a lot here.

I can hear people's frustration and concerns. I think it is fortunate we have this and other forums where we can share ideas on how to cope and to give and gain support from others.

Everyone has a different story.

Shell, I think playing with names and word association is good way of distracting our minds for a moment.

I wonder if anyone cares to share one small thing you do or can do that helps you see the lighter side of life.

We all know people are struggling and serious but sometimes for me singing songs I remember helps me a little.

Hi just-want-to-sleep

thankyou for being a part of the forum family...I feel your pain

we are here and listening

Paul

Thank you for your kind words 😊.

The past couple of years have not been great at work, I am so exhausted. On top of covid, I have been battling my personal issues; depression and anxiety and learning there is way more to my mental health than I thought.

In all honesty, I've had enough. My stress relief/coping methods are not great. Sleeping, drinking, lots of crying and isolating myself when I'm not at work. I do see a psychologist but I'm drowning...

Thank you Paul 😊.

I am grateful to have found these forums.

Thanks for checking in, I appreciate it 😊.

The new variant hasn't impacted us as yet. We just have to carry on with what we've been doing. I'm on reception and some days I want to destroy the phones.

Everytime the media or government announce anything, we get an influx of calls. We're expected to know the answer to everything when in reality, we're just learning as we go.

Honestly, I've had it. I've been abused as recent as yesterday. I get through the week and crash by the weekend.

You are stronger than you think just-want-to-sleep and thankyou for the nice compliment :-)

I hope you can confide in your GP...even booking a double appointment have a really good talk...you have everything to gain and nothing to lose

If we didnt have new members like yourself the forums would cease to exist so thankyou for having the courage to post 😀

I really hope you can stick around the forums....I have a thread called 'Do You Like Yourself' ...If you arent up to posting your own thread topic at the moment you are always welcome

Please be gentle to yourself...you deserve it

my kindest always

Paul

Hi just-want-to sleep

Nice profile pic!

www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/do-you-like-yourself-your-thoughts-are-welcome

There are many super kind people on the forums that can be here for you

my kind thoughts

Paul

Hi everyone,

Thank you for making this such a supportive thread, helping one another through sharing and connecting and showing support. We really appreciate the openness and kindness community members have shown here.

We would like to bring this thread back to its purpose of sharing ways of coping, and what we’re doing to look after our wellbeing during this time. For this reason, we will no longer be able to publish posts discussing medical advice, decisions on vaccination, or mention of specific medications (such as vaccines), as these are off topic for the forums. We want to encourage discussions around individual health and wellbeing, rather than the public health response.

We understand that there is an intense media focus on the pandemic, some of which is challenging to engage with every day. However, to allow more space for individuals to express their experience, we’ll no longer be able to publish discussions around the portrayal in the media. Similarly, this forum is an apolitical place to share our mental health journey and will be moderated accordingly.

We really appreciate everyone’s understanding and efforts in making this space safe and welcoming. Thank you for making this thread such a great space to connect.

Kind regards,

Sophie M

Hi everyone,

Thank you Shelly for your support a while ago. This thread moves fast! It is always a relief to see I'm not alone in how I feel.

Anne with an E. Your post made me cry, it is exactly how I feel too. I can't afford to lose my job so now I'm caving yet again and it hurts.

Keeping on topic... Coping...

How do I cope with feeling like I've sold out by giving in? ... I have just given up inside and accepted (angrily) that I don't have a choice in this. I simply have to be able to feed my children and keep a roof over our heads. It isn't a positive sounding coping mechanism but it is all I have.

I cope with the constantly changing rules and drama by turning off the news and just ignoring it all. When I need to leave the house I check what is required of me for that day. It stops me stressing over the constant changes. One day at a time.

And I cope with fear for my children by being organised. I've found out about homeschooling groups and started getting school supplies, books, craft and science supplies sorted just in case the rules for school kids change here in WA.

And I cope with fear for my loved ones and community by cleaning, sanitising and masking up. One thing I saw in the beginning was that the extra cleaning we did at work cut down the numbers of kids getting sick at our school from anything dropped enormously and once funding stopped that went back to the usual gastro etc mess. So I clean 😂.

Hope everyone is feeling more positive than me today. This all has to pass eventually.

What a surprise Quercus!!

Battling on as usual and you're still being a great mum

TonyWK

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the compliment. I don't feel like a good Mum most days so that's nice to hear.

How are you holding up? Have you been able to go on any caravan trips or do border dramas make it hard to do that?

We got the kids secondhand kayaks for Xmas and went to local lakes and rivers. Getting out and about is a godsend so I hope you have found ways to travel still.

One thing all this covid chaos has shown me is that so many parents will do whatever they need to to protect their children.

Good to hear from you ❤️.

Hi Everyone

I found this forum whilst searching for a place to get help. I'm not coping very well with 'living with COVID'. I have multiple underlying health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease. I can't seem to block out the thoughts that if I get COVID the worst will happen because the people that die or get very sick have the same underlying health conditions as me.

I'm praying each day that the scientists and health professionals will find a cure for COVID but in the meantime I'm just really struggling to cope. Some days I feel there's hope, then that hope gets dissipated when you're told a cure is not suitable for you because of your health conditions. I just feel hopeless and want to cry.

I'm just too scared to leave the house because the high numbers of community cases but even in my own home I'm anxious and scared everyday because my husband still has to go to work in the physical office.

He doesn't understand me and keeps telling me to be positive, don't think of the worst, but it's just so hard to block the risks out. He's a healthy, fit person with no underlying medical conditions, I struggle just to fight any infection let alone COVID.

I was sick with a severe case of stomach virus since boxing day and I'm still recovering from this horrid thing. I know my immune system is poor and I know my health is not in good condition but there's nothing I can do but try and improve my health.

How are other people with underlying medical conditions coping? I've tried taking a walk several times and came back petrified because I had to walk past people not wearing masks and breathing heavily whilst overtaking me.

I've tried meditation but I can't concentrate and just end up crying. I talk to family but they have different circumstances. Such as they don't have underlying medical conditions so don't understand my fear or they do have underlying medical conditions but don't share a house with anyone.

Fortunately my profession, I can work at home but it has been a very difficult battle to get my employer to allow work from home which has been very stressful as the arrangement is reviewed every 3 months and I need to fight so hard to be able to work from home.

For those out there coping, please share what is working for you because I am well and truly drowning and my marital relationship is at breaking point.

Any help or guidance would be deeply appreciated xx

Welcome to the forums, BunnyRabbit. We're so grateful that you have reached out to our community, we know that it is not an easy thing to do and you have shown a lot of strength in sharing your story. We're also really sorry to hear of the difficult past few months that you have been through. But please know that you've come to a safe, non-judgemental space to talk about your thoughts and feelings, and our wonderful community is here to provide you with as much support, advice and conversation as you need.

If you feel up to it, we'd also recommend reaching out to our Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service. The website will be regularly updated with information, advice and strategies to help you manage your wellbeing and mental health during this time. You can also call our dedicated support line, staffed by mental health professionals, which is available 24/7 on 1800 512 348. We hope that you keep checking in to let us know how you're going, whenever you feel up to it.

Kind regards,

Sophie M

Hoping the best for everyone here! I have a series of conditions that are requiring me to continue in home isolation. I was wondering if anyone knows about online groups/forums where the focus is staying connected with similar people?

Dear Tassietassie~

Welcome here to the Forum, a logical place to come and I hope you find some of what you need.

It is surprisingly had to find groups to chat with on an ongoing casual basis. As you are in Tasmania (A wild guess on my part:) my first reaction would be to

Contact the special Lifeline Coping wiht Covid help line

https://www.lifelinetasmania.org.au/news/mental-health-and-wellbeing-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

No, not the 13 11 14 number, the one further down tha page, and ask if they have any suggestions.

I'd also contact the Tasmania State Library who might have some ideas.

Apart from that have you considered that there might be things you can do from home for social organizations such as Anglicare, the Red Cross and umpteen others as a volunteer? I think you would be surprised at some of the things they need.

Finally I'd see if there were any special interest groups with things in common with you via their websites, or have a look at the Citizen Science web pages and see if there is company and interest there.

All the above do not necessarily answer your original question -but you never know

Croix

Hi people,

I tested positive last weekend and am concerned with how the isolation and after, will affect my predisposition for depression. Often any sort of illness can trigger a bout. But there are so many unknown factors to this virus that make it difficult to predict.

Firstly I have had none of the symptoms that others have told me about . Severe aches throughout the body and headaches, have really been it. No fatigue, temp or cold symptoms.

Even though I have done everything I can to avoid contracting it, somehow I did. Then I felt so guilty because my family had to isolate and miss scheduled events. I also was terrified of having passed it on in the short period of time before I tested. It’s a horrible feeling. Luckily none of my family members have developed it and my social contact list was tiny.

I am a physical person and going without hugs and touch for this extended time is almost unbearable. it is easy to feel lonely and left out and not a part of normal life.

I would love to hear from anyone in a similar situation.

stay well all
A.M

Welcome morning

I think it is easy to blame ourselves but Ur not responsible

I am worried also about that for diff reasons, when I got mentally unwell I got really agoraphobic so I associate lockdowns with bad mental health,

I'm sorry Ur i isolation

Since its a weird and diff time, finding new and diff hobbies or pursuits helped me

I've never picked up a puzzle but did several during lockdown in Melbourne

And got netflix and stan, and used this space, and joined some other online groups....

Well said rx

Really hard in Australia ATM to see or get in for a therapist. All therapists are booked out...

I know we are happy that now we have 20 free subsidised sessioms on mhcps....but it's still really tricky out there to get any kind of help, Mental, legal, community, ect

I'm a bit fed up and tired and wanting more support from services and my community.