Lived Experience Forum

[amber22]

On Thursday 7th March 2024, we will be holding a Peer Group Chat on the topic of Coping When Life Gets Too Loud.

Coping with overwhelm and life's stressors may cause us to feel anxious at times. Let’s come together to discuss what might help us cope when we feel overwhelmed by anxiety and what strategies or techniques may be helpful on our journeys. 

The event start times across Australia are below:

This is currently held in daylight savings hours:

WA: 4pm 
NT: 5:30pm

SA: 6:30pm 

QLD: 6pm

NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS: 7pm 

For anyone unfamiliar with Peer Group Chats, each focuses on a specific topic and is guided by Peer Workers with lived experience of mental health issues and recovery, &/or caring for someone with complex mental health. A counsellor is also present as a moderator to help ensure a safe environment for individuals and the group. It is a space for us as peers to share our stories and experiences and connect with those who are going through something similar. 

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. To join an Online Peer Group Chat, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee. On the night, follow this link and log in to your Chatwee account before the group starts.

Please see this FAQ for any questions you may have. For any issues on the night, please message the moderator of the group on the Chat platform. If you'd like to receive a reminder closer to the event, please support this post & we'll keep you updated.

Anyone is welcome to join! Tagging some members who may be interested below: @Snowie @scruffypuffball @7cough9 @Glisten @Blackbird11 @Shaz51 @Fiefke @Patches59 @Appleblossom @Meggle @Jacques @deshift @Captain24 @Cali_Rose 

[TideisTurning]

Hi Everyone, 

Just a reminder that the next Online Peer Group Chat on Coping When Life Gets Too Loud will take place tonight from 7-8:30pm AEDT.  As always, for ease of reference, times across Australia are in the graphic and listed below: 

Western Australia: 4pm 

Northern Territory: 5:30pm 

South Australia: 6:30pm 

Queensland: 6pm 

New South Wales, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory & Tasmania: 7pm 

Tonight, you can expect discussion about: 

• What it means  for us when life gets too loud 
• What might contribute to life getting too loud, and how we can lessen this occurring 
• Strategies and tools to cope for when life gets too loud 

Tagging members who have supported or otherwise interacted with the thread so far as well as those who may be interested to receive a reminder 

@Tilz @Bon_courage @chibam @RoseGeranium @PinkFlamingo @Oaktree @Birdofparadise8 @Fluttershy1 @Shaz51 @Captain24 @Snowie @Cali_Rose @Patches59 @creative_writer @LilMapleLeaf @Offtopluto @Adge @Jacques @Appleblossom @Glisten @7cough9 @Healandlove  

For anyone unfamiliar with Peer Group Chats, each focuses on a specific topic and is guided by Peer Workers with lived experience of mental health issues and recovery, &/or caring for someone with complex mental health. A counsellor is also present as a moderator to help ensure a safe environment for individuals and the group. It is a space for us as peers to share our stories and experiences and connect with those who are going through something similar. 

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. To join an Online Peer Group Chat, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee. On the night, follow this link and log in to your Chatwee account before the group starts.

Please see this FAQ for any questions you may have. For any issues on the night, please message the moderator of the group on the Chat platform. If you'd like to receive a reminder closer to the event, please support this post & we'll keep you updated.

[Cali_Rose]

Sorry guys, can't make it tonight.

[tyme]

Sorry to hear you can't make it tonight @Cali_Rose .

Hope you are okay and possibly able to join us next week 🙂

Please take care.

[TideisTurning]

Just a reminder that our Peer Group Chat on Taking A Stand Against Invalidation will start in just 20 minutes at 7pm here! Everyone is welcome! See you then!

For anyone unfamiliar with Peer Group Chats, each focuses on a specific topic and is guided by Peer Workers with lived experience of mental health issues and recovery, &/or caring for someone with complex mental health. A counsellor is also present as a moderator to help ensure a safe environment for individuals and the group. It is a space for us as peers to share our stories and experiences and connect with those who are going through something similar. 

Peer Group Chats are hosted outside of the forums, using a platform called Chatwee. To join an Online Peer Group Chat, you will need to register for an account with Chatwee. On the night, follow this link and log in to your Chatwee account before the group starts.

Please see this FAQ for any questions you may have. For any issues on the night, please message the moderator of the group on the Chat platform. If you'd like to receive a reminder closer to the event, please support this post & we'll keep you updated.

Tagging members who have supported or otherwise interacted with the thread so far as well as those who may be interested to receive a reminder as an invitation to join us if you would like to:  

@Tilz @creative_writer @Shaz51 @Bill16 @Birdofparadise8 @Blackbird11 @Dan7 @ENKELI @Eve7 @Oaktree @SmilingGecko @StanD @greenpea @Faith-and-Hope @Meowmy @Tranquil_Atoms @Undecided @kempodude @Emelia8 @Bow @NerryIntip @PinkFlamingo @Jacques @Flowerlove22 @outlander @Acanthiza @tyme @Blackbird11 @Captain24 @EternalFlower @Hyperballad @Patches59 @Spirit_Healer @Tiredtoday @Willow_26 @starpanda 

[Shaz51]

Sorry @TideisTurning , @amber22 , @tyme 

Could not make it tonight 

[TideisTurning]

Hi Everyone, 

Part of the inspiration for this discussion topic (like the title) comes from this song about wanting quiet when there's otherwise a lot of noise, or in other words, wanting calm when life feels a bit overwhelming. What I'd be curious to hear, from anyone comfortable to share, is this; what might that quiet voice tell you when it's all too loud?

@Shaz51 @Cali_Rose @Adge @Tilz @Healandlove @Patches59 @creative_writer @Faith-and-Hope @Emelia8 @Blackbird11 @PinkFlamingo @Glisten @Captain24 @Snowie 

I also wanted to leave y'all with this (courtesy of/ borrowed from @Glisten I believe); 

[Snowie]

What might that quiet voice tell you when it's all too loud?

When it's too loud for me, that is a sign that things are getting bad or that I already am in that place. It tells me that my inner voice is yelling at me, mostly about things that are not healthy mentally or physically for me.

That quiet voice is sometimes hard to hear amongst the noise and chaos. It really has to be consistent and keep telling me the same things over and over again. It tells me that I am good enough, that I am worth fighting for, that my life doesn't always have to be this hard. It is my cheerleader. It always wants the best for me. Regardless of how I am feeling, it will never abandon me. Just because it is quiet doesn't mean that it is not powerful. Sometimes that inner voice can be a life saver. It always has my best interest at heart.

Yes sometimes it is hard to find. Sometimes I am it's worse critic. Sometimes I need to be reminded that it is within me.

This is my inner voice @TideisTurning 

[Healandlove]

@TideisTurning , thank you for the tag.

That poem made me cry 😢. 

When all is to overwhelming the first thing I always do is cry. My quiet voice tells me to look up at the stars or the clouds to gain perspective. It tells me in the end we enter this world alone and we leave it alone and that I am my best friend and no one will ever know me they way I do.  It tells me that my hurt is real and it comes from a place of caring and love. It tells me that grief will get easier with time and that I can't change the past. It tells me that I am continuing to fight for my relationship,  for my children. It tells me that I need to take one step at a time. 

That quiet voice is kind and it tells me I am doing the best I can. 

Thank you for the opportunity to reflect @TideisTurning 

[Glisten]

@TideisTurning  Thank you for the acknowledgment. That was very kind of you.

When it gets too loud for me, hear my inner voice asking me “What do you need?”

It could be as simple as walking outside and some fresh air.

G