Depression

Depression affects people in Australia every day. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with depression.

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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
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Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for ... View more

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for coming this far, we know it can be really hard to take these steps if depression is in your life - we see you and think this is a great step. To get the most out of this space we have a few tips: Get involved. The Forums work best for you when you get active and post where you can. Now, we know that can be really hard, especially when you are experiencing depression. So, if you can post something supportive to someone else here, that would be an incredible start. Speak from the heart. This community wants to know how YOU feel and what has worked for YOU. We trust that you have something unique to say and we can’t wait to hear it. Check in. Lots of the discussions in this section of the Forums have been going for years and they are some of the richest conversations we have. Keep checking in to get new ideas and offer your support. We know it can be tough to start, but when you are ready we want to hear your thoughts. If you need some time to get to know the community, that's okay! Have a look around and see where you want to get involved. Thank you for being here! Beyond Blue

Jeriava How do I talk to my doctor?
  • replies: 9

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really ... View more

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really scared that they’ll judge me or won’t believe anything I say. I’m really anti social so I feel like I won’t be able to say what I wanna say or I’ll say the wrong thing causing them to just dismiss me and move me along without helping. I’m just tired of feeling alone, depressed and just worthless but I’m really scared to talk to them.

AGrace SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING DEPRESSION
  • replies: 132

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the ... View more

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the 5 senses Distress Tolerance – Accepting Emotions and Self Soothing Distraction – Put the thoughts/feelings aside and come back to them when you are ready to deal with them Positive Affirmations – Have some affirmations written down repeat them to yourself daily Sleep/Exercise/Diet – All 3 aspects of our lifestyle can impact the way we think/feel Increasing Pleasurable Activities – Engage in at least one pleasurable activity per day

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M-ia_123 Depression
  • replies: 3

So I’ve been going through a depressive episode for a while and today (this morning) I spent an hour crying because I didn’t want to get up and go to school. Then later today it was raining and I got really happy, So I like put on a raincoat and ran ... View more

So I’ve been going through a depressive episode for a while and today (this morning) I spent an hour crying because I didn’t want to get up and go to school. Then later today it was raining and I got really happy, So I like put on a raincoat and ran outside with my music and I was out there dancing and picking blackberries (which we have in our backyard) and just like being happy for an hour then once I come inside I give the blackberries to my family and ask if we can like picnic on the deck and my dad says yes, so I run and get a mat and like go to make drinks because that’s like how I celebrate something idk but anyway my mum seemed kinda upset and so I asked if she was ok and she nodded then told me I was getting everything wet. So I cleaned up then asked if they wanted me to make a lemonade. My brother gets really excited but my mum goes “no, it’s too sugary” then I say ok and only make mine and my brothers sweet. Then I ask if I can add raspberries and mum scoffs and says no because it’s to much for just a drink then she goes to tell me how messy my room is and how I never clean up or leave my room. So I went to do that but I just felt really sad. And then later when we’re eating dinner mum gets upset again for me not cleaning my room and dad gets upset because “you’re so moody, you were just laughing what happened.” And I don’t know I’m just upset.

Guest_59807641 Son 30 years of age won't see a doctor
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I have a son who is about 30 years of age and has been depressed pretty much since he was 16. He has seen a psychologist and given up. It seems perfectly clear from my reading that he needs antidepressant drugs but absolutely refuses to see a GP. He ... View more

I have a son who is about 30 years of age and has been depressed pretty much since he was 16. He has seen a psychologist and given up. It seems perfectly clear from my reading that he needs antidepressant drugs but absolutely refuses to see a GP. He is extremely intelligent and I am at my wits end trying to get him to do so. He knows he is wasting his life but says it's already too late. Talking of sunk cost fallacy and talking has no effect on him despite his intelligence and otherwise impeccable logic. Any suggestions on how I can get him to a GP greatly appreciated. (And no, he won't do telemedicine). Can one email or text a GP?

Marm homosexuality and religious guilt
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Hi there. I don't know where to begin because of the number of layers to my situation. I have been friends with this girl for years, and after graduating high school in 2024, we naturally grew a lot closer. Basically we have been dating since April o... View more

Hi there. I don't know where to begin because of the number of layers to my situation. I have been friends with this girl for years, and after graduating high school in 2024, we naturally grew a lot closer. Basically we have been dating since April of last year, however, I had to keep it hidden from my Orthodox Christian family. I felt so much guilt hiding this big part of my life because I love and truly respect my family, however by Christmas I was crying due to my conflicted feelings. I came out on boxing day to my mum, to which she passed in onto my dad, and saying the least they didn't take it easily at all because they mourned at my grandma's house for hours. They tried sitting me down to say how wrong this lifestyle is under their house, encouraging me to "see it from their perspective" and how hard this news is for them. They said a lot of horrible things that night that I slept over at a friend's house without telling them - this was very hard for me because I've also never been allowed sleepovers and usually I would respect their rules. Since then all areas of my life have been a wreck. My parents have decided they hate all my 'gay' friends because they are the ones influencing me, and thus contest me whenever I leave the house or see my girlfriend. As a result just asking to go out to places becomes a burden of guilt, not to mention my location is tracked at all times and I just don't feel like I have the space to grow as an adult. There's constantly unspoken tension between my parents and me, they look at me like I've disposed of their old daughter. Which is something quite literally my mum told me. I feel like I can't keep living every day like this and that it never will get better. I'm writing this because I've talked to professionals and gone through free counselling; I feel so hopeless as to what I can do. I can't move out because of my funds and the fact everything is too expensive - despite working three jobs in the past. Thank you so much for your time.

Guest_07734981 Struggling
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I’m 19, living at home. Just finished a year of online uni and am starting an online bachelor. Over the past year I’ve struggled with anxiety, depression and burnout.In was a high school A student studying 12+ hours/day. I worked hard to make my pare... View more

I’m 19, living at home. Just finished a year of online uni and am starting an online bachelor. Over the past year I’ve struggled with anxiety, depression and burnout.In was a high school A student studying 12+ hours/day. I worked hard to make my parents proud, but I sacrificed friendships and a normal teenage life. After graduating I crashed. I had no idea what I wanted to do career-wise, while everyone else was motivated & certain.Last year I had no motivation, focus or memory, & felt very isolated.There’s constant pressure and control from my parents (they even picked my courses).I’ve always had social anxiety but it’s worse — I avoid going out alone or meeting new people (I'm very socially awkward). When I do see friends I feel better temporarily, but I don’t have many friends anymore and struggle to make new ones.My coursemates were all older (30+) and were kind and living interesting lives (sustainable, off-grid, unique jobs etc.) that appealed to me. But I worry about financial stability, especially since my parents are very business-oriented and have a specific idea of success. I dream of travel, living in different places, and a family, but that feels very unrealistic.My mental health worsened after Christmas after constant questions about my future, and coming back home from holiday. Now I’ve committed to a degree I’m only partly interested in, likely leading to an office job, which I worry would damage my mental health.My mood shifts a lot. I stay in my room doing online uni, avoiding my dad (WFH) because he always criticises me. By afternoon I feel very low. I feel guilty because I should be happy (uni, live in a nice home, have spare time etc.). One day I'll work 9-5 and look back on the freedom of this time and wish I hadn't wasted it.My parents are pressuring me to get a job (they worked PT while studying). I’ve applied for 25+ jobs with no success (stressful but also relief because of the social component). I feel like a fresh start (away from parents pressure) but can’t afford to move out. I’m overwhelmed by choosing a career, working 9–5 forever, and trying to buy a house. I’m scared I’ll always feel unmotivated, depressed and a failure.I'm assuming I should go to GP for referral to a psychologist or medication but I’m worried about the cost (I'd be covering it myself). Are there affordable or free ongoing options? I’d really appreciate advice on getting help, managing social anxiety and burnout, and figuring out direction in life.

Speechless My parents take over my car
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Im 43. I live with my parents. I have had agoraphobia in my past and social phobia, anxiety and depression.My parents have never been able to be emotionally there for me. Ive been through sexual abuse as a teenager and also emotional and sexual abuse... View more

Im 43. I live with my parents. I have had agoraphobia in my past and social phobia, anxiety and depression.My parents have never been able to be emotionally there for me. Ive been through sexual abuse as a teenager and also emotional and sexual abuse in my early 20s. Those events shaped my life ful of shame and fear. When i was 14, we moved somewhat off grid on acres. After my 1st trauma, i stopped seeing friends and socialising. It was too difficult to get my dad to take me places as he was always working and mum being deaf never drove.in my 20s i would walk an hour into town for things, id study at tafe, donmy shopping and walk an hour back. I was too scared to learn to drive because i thought id be alone in a car with a man and also i had quite bad social phobia which included phone phobia too. When i turned 30 i did get my driving licence and a car and then years later i got a job. I was independent, happy and made some work friends. Then i got a boyfriend form work, But he had paranoid schizophrenia and a drug habit i didnt know about. It got hard to hang put with him, as the years went by i found myself shrinking for him and enduring behavioural changes in him from mania, psychosis, disinhibition, mental abuse. This wore me down. Then my work liquidated and so I volunteered at large thrift store. Then came covid, and i stayed home more again. After covid my car broke down and for a year i was selling on eBay, old books id find for cheap. I made enough money by the end of the year to get my Suzuki Swift second hand. I am on disability pension. For 2 years i loved my car, looked after it. It was mine, although i would always have to take my mum places, appointments, her outings etc.Dad would play bowls. Then 3 years ago dads car caught fire despite it being a new car, and him being stubborn he had no insurance on it. So my car became the family car. I wouldnt let dad drive my car, but i had to drive him and pick him up from bowls plus take mum to her things, or whilst i was trying to make do with my eBay selling business.i started to get very depressed and anxious, overwhelmed and just wanted my dad to get himself a car again. Then that June of that year, he declared we were moving out of our beloved acres of 26 years asap within 2 months as he thought with the sale he could invest in Silver and potentially get my sister a house. He got abusive and alot of things happened in that time that broke me to the point where i still had to function. There was a point where i was secretly online to mental health services inbetween helping with just me and dad with a hired ute moving the entire contents of our house to the new place which was an old dump. Anyways the move is another story. My main point is that its been 2 years and my dad still hasnt got his own car. They had $280,000 in inheritance and he still wont buy himself a car. i am expected to drive him to bowls or let him have my car. I am expected to pick him up from bowls, this is from 4 days ago week to more. Im also quietly expected to take mum when ever she needs to go out.He wont get a car because he reckons he has too many assets and Centrelink will deduct their pension plus the costs. I pay my petrol and all my car things, but im expected to use my time, my petrol constantly for them. Now i dont pay rent, they own the house but i have offered and been refused. He has no intention of getting a car and will fill in for people or volunteer at bowls without even checking the calender. Im left to feel discouraged to go out often.Also he has driven my car when hes been drunk after I’ve picked him up from bowls, wanting to drive to the pokies. Hes banged it into the veranda post, causing paint damage and a big dent on the front if my car and driven off, later not even mentioning it or saying sorry. Tho one day he said my car doesnt matter because its not brand new. That was after he asked to go to Bunnings and came back hours later with a house door he bought stuffed up to the dashboard in my car for which he broke the window and had to pay for. i feel like there is no way out from this. Im left feeling i have to be invisible, be a taxi and just give up. I feel if i speak up which i have before, he blames me for buying this house that was dearer than a house he wanted because i wanted a backyard. Even tho i never made him sign to buy it and stayed out of his decisions. Hes always made me his scapegoat to his decisions.

x_BLUE_MOON_x I'm scared
  • replies: 3

I am an adult woman with ADHD, autism, specific language impairment and maybe undiagnosed OCD. I also struggle with anger issues, impulse control problems, trauma, and guilt. I have been going through a very difficult period for over a year, mainly d... View more

I am an adult woman with ADHD, autism, specific language impairment and maybe undiagnosed OCD. I also struggle with anger issues, impulse control problems, trauma, and guilt. I have been going through a very difficult period for over a year, mainly due to severe perfectionism. Because of this, I feel that my mental health has significantly worsened.This is extremely difficult for me to admit, and please don't judge me, but I have been torturing bugs, mainly crickets, because of their loud mating noises. These noises are very distressing to me and feel like mental torture. When I become overwhelmed and angry, I sometimes lose control and act impulsively.Afterward, I sometimes think, “I shouldn’t have done that,” and I feel a small amount of remorse for the bug, along with feeling like a horrible person. Other times, I have thoughts such as, “You deserved it for mentally torturing me,” and “You deserved to be punished.”Only my parents are aware of this. I have not told anyone else, and I haven't even told my psychologist this because I feel too embarrassed and ashamed. I am terrified that I'm maybe a bad person or even a psychopath. I want to be a good person.I am in the process of finding a psychiatrist. I am not taking medication for ADHD at this time. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you.

Stephanie Overwhelmed & Alone
  • replies: 7

This is the first time I have ever said this outloud (so to speak) I have always felt embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I am lonely and scared. I am 51 yesrs old and feel pathetic saying I'm afraid as a "grown up" I dont have anyoune to talk to b... View more

This is the first time I have ever said this outloud (so to speak) I have always felt embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I am lonely and scared. I am 51 yesrs old and feel pathetic saying I'm afraid as a "grown up" I dont have anyoune to talk to because I hide how I really feel every day. I left my home country over 20 years ago and don't have a single close friend. I am finding human interaction increasingly overbearing. I feel like I am the only person who feels like this and I want to be normal. I wake up every day with a feeling of utter despair and have to put on a brave face. I work in sales.....possibly the worst job in the world for somebody who feels like this. I just needed to get that off my chest.

Guest_06011069 I don’t know
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I’m feeling sad I unable to work and study more. My body weakness. I’m short

I’m feeling sad I unable to work and study more. My body weakness. I’m short

Guest_74741123 Am I worthy?
  • replies: 2

hi you can call me Dino. usually I’m pretty good at pushing my feelings to the bottom of my heart rather than dealing with them but sometimes it just catches up and become so overwhelming It becomes so hard to handle all the pain. It’s just so hard a... View more

hi you can call me Dino. usually I’m pretty good at pushing my feelings to the bottom of my heart rather than dealing with them but sometimes it just catches up and become so overwhelming It becomes so hard to handle all the pain. It’s just so hard and the pain is too much .I don’t know what to do. I have everyone. I have a mother I have a father. I have a big family yet. No one understands me and nobody loves me. they feel like more of me like burden rather than the daughter it’s just so hard. Don’t know what to do it to go away. This overwhelming emotional pain is horrible and I feel that I don’t deserve to be in pain. Nobody does. I’m actually a good person I’m a calm person I keep my head down mind myself yet people are around me. Make me feel like I’m a bad person. I don’t even think about anything bad about other people I’ve never been diagnosed or anything but I know I’m a pretty self-aware person have been dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts since 2016 since my high school. I still have a boyfriend we were together nearly for eight years. he helped me with my depression my loneliness and everything he used to be my rock. No we’re not together anymore now I feel like I’m drowning. I’m just putting all the words that coming out of my heart I don’t know if it makes sense. I don’t know where the story begins. where is the story right now? Or where is it ending? I have no idea what to do with my life. I have no interest in anything not interested in work not interested in living not interested in life. Nothing. the things I’m interested in are something I cannot do it right now because I’m too old for some it’s too late. I have to pay my own mother and stepfather money every month so that I can live with them I literally give them half the money I earned every month .because of my anxiety and depression. I can’t live outside with anyone I can’t live by myself so for that I’m been told that I’m too lazy to do something something so many words yet nobody help me. Nobody gave me assurance that they’ll come look for me. I’m just scared if I go out they won’t care for me,everybody will forget about me. I hope it all end. I don’t know. I have no interest anything at all these days. This is something I’m just feeling at the moment and no it doesn’t make any sense but it is what it is. I have so much going on this at the moment. I hope it’ gets better

JAB Low Days?
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Hi, This is my first time posting anything. I was just wondering if anyone on antidepression medication still experience low days? I have been on anti depression medication for about 7 years and feel like my happy self, but every now and then I have ... View more

Hi, This is my first time posting anything. I was just wondering if anyone on antidepression medication still experience low days? I have been on anti depression medication for about 7 years and feel like my happy self, but every now and then I have low days for no reason. I struggle to do anything, I ignore everyone, I am fighting back tears for I don't even know why. I fantasise about laying in my bed, locking my door and dissapearing from my life. I am just not sure if I should still be having these days while on medication? Thanks everyone.