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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
  • replies: 0

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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Misswren Tired and Depressed
  • replies: 4

I feel like I must have been born under a bad or star or been a terrible person in a past life, because so much of what I've experienced over the last 20 years has been abuse, rejection, feeling isolated all through situations where I've had no contr... View more

I feel like I must have been born under a bad or star or been a terrible person in a past life, because so much of what I've experienced over the last 20 years has been abuse, rejection, feeling isolated all through situations where I've had no control over what happened and mostly through the actions of the people around me. I constantly ask myself why does this keep happening when everyone around me has love, support and friendship. I'm not a very outgoing person, I do try to get along with others but they never respond the way I'd appreciate them to yet it seems so different with everybody else. I don't fit in, I never have but not for lack of trying. I'm tired of feeling like an outsider in life, stressed out because I feel so alone most of the time, but i don't know what to do about it.

Rachael666 Depression and anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi I have been suffering from really bad depression lately. It is getting worse. I feel like I can’t cope.

Hi I have been suffering from really bad depression lately. It is getting worse. I feel like I can’t cope.

white knight Homelessness and human empathy
  • replies: 2

A forum I'm a member of had a post that included a link. That link was of a location in a National Park, a campsite where it was home for a homeless man. The area, about the size of a medium garage was scattered with litter, an old broken down car, f... View more

A forum I'm a member of had a post that included a link. That link was of a location in a National Park, a campsite where it was home for a homeless man. The area, about the size of a medium garage was scattered with litter, an old broken down car, facies in a bucket and tied up tarps for shelter. A local member of the public complained to rangers and the latter attended to leave a notice for him to move and clean up the area (he wasnt present). So there was 9 replies to this members post on the forum. To be a member of this forum you would likely own a powerful tow car and caravan hence able to afford big fuel bills etc. Surprisingly and thankfully there was 3 replies that suggested the hermit might have mental health issues and needs help. Then 6 others had criticisms like- the man should bury his waste matterit's a National Park, he shouldn't be therehe should pay for removal of the trashwhy didnt he ask for help?Those 6 people 66% of the replies, showed little if any empathy or consider possibilities of how the hermit ended up in that living state. They hadnt met the man (as the rangers nor complainant hadnt either) so their information was based purely on an illegal campsite. Have humans dropped their standards of compassion to replace it with judgement with so little effort? Obviously my reply included that benefit of the doubt should be exercised in all cases as the man could need empathy, a arm around his shoulder etc as priority. Trash accumulated can always be removed by Rotary, Lions club and volunteers so that is not the main focus or shouldn't be. What is your take on society's shift to be less empathetic overall to people not only with mental health issues but towards homeless people of which is growing extraordinary in numbers. What can we do to change culture within a care less society? TonyWK

dwade3 How do I tell myself not to give up
  • replies: 6

Hey I'm a 19 year old guy. Today I really thought about ending it all. I've been going through some really long periods of feeling so worthless. occasionally there are some pockets of suprises that happen in my life , and for those brief moments I fe... View more

Hey I'm a 19 year old guy. Today I really thought about ending it all. I've been going through some really long periods of feeling so worthless. occasionally there are some pockets of suprises that happen in my life , and for those brief moments I feel like maybe just maybe it's still worth living. But I keep getting thrown back to this hole. One conversation one word or event is always enough to send me back. And sometimes I don't know how much more I can take feeling like this. Even though I got a new job started a new hobby with some people . Nothing quite seemed to fill the void. I'm so empty and it's as if no amount of goal, or moment of happiness ever lasts for me. And I've tried to maybe find something for myself to keep me going. But lately it just feels redundant. I hope someone can give me help to get through this

Poochlover So Alone
  • replies: 10

I am a single parent to an 18 year old son. I have had zero support from his father in the last 16 years since I left him (violent alcoholic) when my son was two years old. I sacrificed an 'easy' life and money to save my son. My son is now driving m... View more

I am a single parent to an 18 year old son. I have had zero support from his father in the last 16 years since I left him (violent alcoholic) when my son was two years old. I sacrificed an 'easy' life and money to save my son. My son is now driving me mad as he is lazy and unmotivated. He has been hanging out with losers and keeping me up at night worrying. I have set house rules and so far he is obliging however I know there will be another disaster soon. I suffer from major depression and anxiety. I am in my late fifties and my entire 'life' consists of running my son around and ensuring he has done what is the needful. I am going to be totally honest here and state that I have sought help for over 40 years and nothing is forthcoming. I am feeling I am wasting my time here already but I am desperate. Has anyone else had this situation? Years and years of being palmed off, given medications...given so called advice that is useless?All everyone asks is 'do you feel as if you might commit suicide'?! No I don't. But then you are back to square one. I just feel so alone and I hate life. I will not commit suicide! But it would be so good to actually get help from these so called assistance phone lines/groups. I fear it is all a sham. There is so much more but I am limited to space. Thankyou

white knight "snap out of it"? Living a less depressed life
  • replies: 10

It's the saying most used against us without ill intent but it is also the most naïve comment. I suppose the most ideal reply to this is "can you tell me how to do that... do you have an instruction manual because I'd be most interested in your sourc... View more

It's the saying most used against us without ill intent but it is also the most naïve comment. I suppose the most ideal reply to this is "can you tell me how to do that... do you have an instruction manual because I'd be most interested in your source of such valuable psychological intelligence". Yes, a little anger there but like all topics and information that flows through my mind I wonder if there is indeed any truth to the technique of "snapping out of depression". Well, sadly, there is no such thing as snapping out of it, however you can take all precautions and steps to overcome some symptoms and that is the way forward. Without doubt in my experience medication plays a most important role in maintaining a state of mind with far less depressive cycles that pre medication days. I was 53yo before I took medication for depression (and bipolar and dysthymia) so I had several decades enduring both clinical depression, depressive cycles from bipolar and constant low mood depression from Dysthymia. Last week I reduced my medication of anti depressants (approval from my GP) only to find myself in a poor state of mind and a big low period of a number of days until raising the medication restored my mood. So medication, if you are determined by medical staff that you need it, please remain steadfast with taking it. I look at it like democracy ... it is better than the alternative. Lifestyle- I had a friend that had depression. He worked in the Govt sector for 20+ years in the city. His lifestyle was the same 5 days a week- walk to station, catch train, work, return home, watch TV and sleep and repeat. Us depressed people are in control of our destiny and we are more at risk than non depressed people to poor mental health. My friend lasted another 5 years before he was retrenched, then he moved to a regional area and drove a school bus. His demeanour changed for the better. Sometimes we need to look outside the square for answers and a boring lifestyle can suppress us. Do you have ideas on how to lower your risk of depressing episodes? What works for you? A good relationship? People with empathy? Diet and exercise? Help others here consider them in their quest to live a less depressed life. TonyWK

Cye I keep failing my wife and family
  • replies: 2

So the last couple years I think I've retreated into myself more and more and now I don't think I know how to get back. My memory is terrible, my sleeping is worse and this all ends up with me failing to be the husband and father my family deserves. ... View more

So the last couple years I think I've retreated into myself more and more and now I don't think I know how to get back. My memory is terrible, my sleeping is worse and this all ends up with me failing to be the husband and father my family deserves. I'm so tired of failing them at every turn, we're currently trying to apply for a mortgage and I need my business tax return done but I kept forgetting or putting it off because I was to tired, saying to myself I'll do it tomorrow, but then not do it because I forgot or some other more immediate problem presented itself. I've finally submitted all the forms but it's like 3 months after the we first talked to our broker and accountant. She is understandably mad.I don't know why I'm like this, everything I touch seems to turn bad because I just can't get on top of things and I don't know how to.I love my wife and daughter more then anything else in the world so why can't I just do the thing that will help them have an easier life? In short why am I such a waste of space? I'm honestly starting to feel like they would be better off if I wasn't in their life, surely they'd have an easier life if they didn't have such huge weight around their necks? We're going to see a couples counsellor hopefully next week so hopefully that will help but I just feel so tired, lost and lonely and all I feel is me retreating further into myself again

nwish-iejd Anxiety, depression, mood
  • replies: 2

I’m experiencing really high anxiety and moderate depression lately. I’ve always had anxiety since I was 10 so it’s been almost a decade of me dealing with it. Though I have never been diagnosed with either depression or anxiety I feel like I greatly... View more

I’m experiencing really high anxiety and moderate depression lately. I’ve always had anxiety since I was 10 so it’s been almost a decade of me dealing with it. Though I have never been diagnosed with either depression or anxiety I feel like I greatly have them. I have experiencing depression for the last 4 years that fluctuates in intensity. I don’t want to get mental health treatment because that’s really expensive and I simply don’t have the money for that. I feel hopeless and so lost in my life. I have no direction, no goals to look forward to, my anxiety is always on, my sleeping and eating habits are horrible from it. I hate my job that I work while I’m at uni, and I don’t even think my uni course is for me. But I don’t even know what to do with my life so I’m just doing it. On a deeper level I have past trauma that has not been addressed and I just feel alone even tho I have people around me who love me. I used to self harm a while ago but I don’t anymore but sometimes when my anxiety is really high I feel a lot of self hatred and feel the urge to do it. My mood is also just out of whack, I experience periods of feeling extremely high and then I have a massive crash, but I was just told that that’s just my mood swings from being a female with a period. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know how to deal with feeling this lost and helpless. I feel like I have no control over my life, I feel like I’ll never amount to anything. I feel like a burden, I feel like I self sabotage a lot, and I get irritable and angry quickly. I just feel like a mess and these feelings have been exacerbated this year particularly in the last few months

memory57 Morning Depression
  • replies: 3

I was diagnosed with depression 10 years ago. Some days are good others not so much. My depression is worse of a morning and I have been really struggling this last week. I have been trying to keep busy to stop me ruminating..

I was diagnosed with depression 10 years ago. Some days are good others not so much. My depression is worse of a morning and I have been really struggling this last week. I have been trying to keep busy to stop me ruminating..

42 lady Recovery not linear or predictable
  • replies: 4

Hi there, it's mental health day so why not seek support here. I have been off work since May due to depression, PTSD. I was in hospital for 7 weeks (had TMS). My employer not satisfied with my doctors responses to 'fitness for work' letter (had to d... View more

Hi there, it's mental health day so why not seek support here. I have been off work since May due to depression, PTSD. I was in hospital for 7 weeks (had TMS). My employer not satisfied with my doctors responses to 'fitness for work' letter (had to disclose my diagnosis) . I now have to go to an independent medical examination, to be evaluated by another psychiatrist (my Dr does not have a crystal ball to tell him when I can work again). I'm really dreading this. I want to resign but feel I need to see it through. Anyone been through this? I hope you are all being kind to yourselves today.

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