Tell us: What bought you to SANE?

[Dimity]

@Oaktree I don't remember how or why I joined the forums -  I think I might have joined for a particular thread and I know I stuck to just that one thread for ages.  But years prior to joining I was very impressed by SANE Australia's printed information on mental health conditions and its work on eliminating stigma. I'd been involved for a long time with another group that was largely for families of "sufferers" and it could be very judgemental at times. 

[MJG017]

I reached a very low point earlier this year and had very little support in my life.  I was sitting on the computer one night and just googled about wanting some help and SANE came up.  I'd never heard of it before.  But I had a look and read a few posts and went to bed.  The next day I thought I'd have another look and even posted a few replies of my own.  The response I got was so warm and caring that i'm still here.  I remember those first responses I got and did what I could to try and give new members that same feeling. 

Now I even post in the social spaces!  I often wonder now who is this strange, but very delightful man sitting at my PC typing away?! 🤔

[Faith-and-Hope]

I came to SANE as a carer, seeking support around an unwell husband - unwell differently than I thought …. his addictions were secondary to his expanding coercive control, which I found confusing and distressing at first, before I began to recognise it was DV.  It’s very hard to find community support, even through channels that advertise themselves as support.  SANE gave me a voice and a place to rest.

🙏😔♥️

[Zoe7]

I found SANE from a recommendation from my GP. She had researched a lot to help me when I was extremely unwell. I was pretty isolated in dealing with my mental health as I waited to get both a psychologist and psychaitrist appointments. I had never connected online with any organisation but as soon as I joined SANE I found a caring and compassionate community who supported me through everything. I would not still be here without SANE - being part of this community has been both life saving and life changing.

[Historylover]

After a trauma that I thought would take me out, I searched online for help. I don't remember what I typed in, but I chanced upon Sane, and it was like a lifeline which I grabbed desperately. @Maggie, who is no longer on the forum, was the first to touch my broken heart. I'll never forget her kind words and her beautiful screen pic of a rose made from music sheets. @chibam and I spoke from a similar position, and @Appleblossom offered to be my online friend when I said that I had none. So many others have traversed these pages and touched my life, and I often look back on the changes that have taken place during these several years, not just in my life but others' as well. 

I don't write much these days but log on regularly to see how everyone is doing. I hope everyone is doing fine. I couldn't have made it this far without you, and the birthday wishes from @Shaz when no-one in the real world thought of me were greatly appreciated. We're understood and valued here. Cheers to all here who have graced my life during these past several years.

[Shaz51]

@Zoe7 😊

[The-red-centaur]

I had been referred from the reachOUT forums.

I think this was like my second account tbh, I had lost my first account which I made nearly at start of sane and And didn't identify with that account anyways. A few years later to that I rejoined as I was getting too old for reachOUT. I have been on SANE on and off since. So glad to have all your supports. 

[Macqua]

Was struggling with stress triggering my BPD and bipolar type II and did some research in places to reach out to regarding complex mental health. Originally called quite a few times (I still do) but now love the forums ❤️

[Jacques]

hey @Shaz51 what brought me here, well i had a very bad experience with a well known Australian mental health forum as i was banned for talking about mental health issues, i was looking for somewhere to get support and understanding and i stumbled upon SANE when it was only a few months old.

the forum and SANE has given me so so much i can't even explain what it has done for me. without SANE i would not be alive and i would not be coping as good as i am. i owe SANE so much i will never be able to repay it for what it has done for me. 

i love SANE and all the people in it, both users and employees. 

[chibam]

I don't remember exactly how I found my way to SANE, it was so long ago. No doubt Google had something to do with it.

But as to why I ended up here... Well, quite simply, the mental health system was letting me down, badly. I was trapped with my awful therapist, and so I was trying to find a way to get out of my therapy with her, and hopefully on to some sort of therapy system that was actually going to help me.

In a nutshell, I came here looking for information and advice.