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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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SherlockandWatson96 Has anyone every lost a pet? How do you handle their passing?
  • replies: 8

I just found out this morning that my dog might be put down today. He’s been getting old but as of last night he couldn’t eat, drink or go to the bathroom unassisted. He also seems to be having issues with his back leg too. I knew this was coming, bu... View more

I just found out this morning that my dog might be put down today. He’s been getting old but as of last night he couldn’t eat, drink or go to the bathroom unassisted. He also seems to be having issues with his back leg too. I knew this was coming, but I didn’t think it would happen so soon. He had a good life but i always thought it could be better. Ive know this is coming for a long time and I have been reminiscing on good times with him so maybe I’ve processed some of this already. I don’t know, I haven’t had any strong reactions and I know I should be incredibly sad. Does this happen to anyone? I guess I worry that the grief will all hit at the same time and I’ll be a mess. How did you handle your pets death? thanks for listening

Wanderingguy Reducing my medication Dosage
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone. I have been on my current antidepressant for around 12yrs now. I now feel that my mood is no longer stale and my anxiety, agitation etc has increased significantly. yes there have been a few challenges in my life recently which I am sure... View more

Hi everyone. I have been on my current antidepressant for around 12yrs now. I now feel that my mood is no longer stale and my anxiety, agitation etc has increased significantly. yes there have been a few challenges in my life recently which I am sure have contributed. Anyway to make a long story short 2 weeks ago I halfed my dosage with a view to weaning off completely however, I now find that after reducing my dosage my moods, anxiety etc have stabalised and i am feel better than i have for quite a while now. What I would like to know, is "is this a normal result for reducing your dosage?" If not, im confused as to why i am feel so good. by the way, im not complaining about that, im just a little confused. Cheers in advance.

Quiggs I need help knowing
  • replies: 3

Hey I’m not sure how to start this off but I’m currently 18 years old and I’ve been having thoughts for the past 2 weeks jumping between the idea of if I have depression I tried the test to see if I may have anxiety and depression and I got very high... View more

Hey I’m not sure how to start this off but I’m currently 18 years old and I’ve been having thoughts for the past 2 weeks jumping between the idea of if I have depression I tried the test to see if I may have anxiety and depression and I got very high as my result For a while now I have been jobless and havnt even got my license yet but I’m close to getting my license and I might be getting a job soon but even before that most my nights I haven’t been able to go to sleep without crying and feeling how worthless and lazy I am I’ve been lazy for a long time ever since I turned 16 to now 18 years whenever my dad is home from work he is always doing something and I never think to help him until now realising I’m just really lazy and just have no motivation to do anything and it’s because I always get distracted playing games on my computer but even when I’m playing games my friends online stuff make fun of me for not having a job and not doing the effort to get my license but I feel like just doing it at my own pace but I can’t cause I feel pressured to do this stuff quicker to get a job and my license but for a long time I have realised I suffer from anxiety and at a lot of times it’s difficult I have trouble talking to strangers very often and I stutter and can’t think quickly to respond but recently I have just been feeling down and sad. Not motivated to do anything and I just feel horrible for being lazy I just can’t put in the effort to try and I think to help my dad when all day he is working on something and my mum asks me to do things but I just forget about them and I feel horrible for not helping my dad after all he never stops working on things even when he gets home from work I almost forgot to add but no one knows how I feel cause I don’t want to trouble them my dad or mum. Brothers and anyone else I have never thought to come out about it cause I don’t want to worry them

Hollywoo I have no reason to keep on trying
  • replies: 12

There is nothing in my life but work, sleep, repeat. I'm alive to pay bills. I can't find happiness in anything and I have tried EVERYTHING. Hobbies. Exercise. Volunteering. Gardening. Reading. Sports. Changing jobs. Travel. Nothing gives me joy. I h... View more

There is nothing in my life but work, sleep, repeat. I'm alive to pay bills. I can't find happiness in anything and I have tried EVERYTHING. Hobbies. Exercise. Volunteering. Gardening. Reading. Sports. Changing jobs. Travel. Nothing gives me joy. I have no passion for anything. I have no family connections. Making friends feels like torture. I feel so disconnected from everyone I know. I genuinely don't enjoy spending time with people. I don't enjoy spending time by myself. Sleep is the best part of my life. I have spent countless thousands of dollars of therapy, hospital stays and medications. Nothing helps. What am I holding on for? What am I supposed to do? The more I think about how fruitless life is, the more it feels like the walls are closing in and I'm suffocating.

Puglett Reporting mental health condition - driving
  • replies: 2

Hi, I was just wondering how many people have reported their mental health condition to the department of transport? I want to do the right thing though am scared I will need to undertake a driving assessment and won't pass it (e.g. not so good at ce... View more

Hi, I was just wondering how many people have reported their mental health condition to the department of transport? I want to do the right thing though am scared I will need to undertake a driving assessment and won't pass it (e.g. not so good at certain types of parking). I do feel safe driving though. Also, does the severity make it more important? E.g. mild anxiety/anxiety vs bipolar or schizophrenia. Thank you.

maddie_faye Should I keep texting a depressed person that takes ages to respond?
  • replies: 4

I have posted on these forums before in the past. so basically, a few months ago the love of my life (who is now my ex) became severely unwell with depression, to the point where even a teenage family member of mine could pick up on how unwell he was... View more

I have posted on these forums before in the past. so basically, a few months ago the love of my life (who is now my ex) became severely unwell with depression, to the point where even a teenage family member of mine could pick up on how unwell he was by just being around him. I myself suffer from mental illness (anxiety and PTSD) and seeing him literally have the life sucked out of him was really affecting me too and after months of not seeing each other he realised that as much as we loved each other being together at this point in time isn’t the best choice so we broke it off. and we did communicate for a little while afterward by saying how much we loved each other and that when things are better for us both then we can try and give it another shot, but the problem is that it was giving me false hope at that time and even he was able to pick up on that through communicating with me. The last thing we had said to each other around that time was that maybe we’ll get back together in the future once we’ve healed and how we’re both open to that idea. And then a month passed with nothing from him, so I sent another text message asking how he was going and he said “Same as usual I guess. What about you? X”, I replied and haven’t heard anything since and that was about a month ago.im so tempted to text him again but as others, including my psychologist have pointed out that he still really loves me but isnt ready to communicate with me and that I should be more understanding because of how unwell is really was/is. I understand that I really need to respect his boundaries, and that things like this take time and that as he said he’ll let me know when he’s ready.Should I be mindful and respectful of his boundaries with understanding how unwell he is , (and as my Mum said that if it were me in his position I’d want him to do the same) OR should I message him as I really really want to?

Romaine I’m really depressed and I don’t think anybody hears me
  • replies: 5

I feel very low and lonely in general, everything feels pointless and I don’t have joy or hope anymore. I think the feeling has just been getting progressively worse over time. I’ve tried to tell people but I don’t feel very heard, I think it’s becau... View more

I feel very low and lonely in general, everything feels pointless and I don’t have joy or hope anymore. I think the feeling has just been getting progressively worse over time. I’ve tried to tell people but I don’t feel very heard, I think it’s because it’s really no one else’s problem anyway and other people have their own stuff. I do have a therapist and I am working on things. But I feel incredibly isolated and overwhelmed and lately I’m concerned it’s becoming suicidal ideation. Life is starting to feel like there’s no point to keep living it and I just really don’t want to exist. I haven’t told people (other than my therapist) about the suicidal-ish thoughts because I don’t want to worry them or for them to contact the police or something. Please give me some advice to talk to people or feel less lonely or just get better.

GreenEgg Tips on how to get the most out of therapy?
  • replies: 8

Hello I recently had my first session with a psychologist. I have my second one in a couple of weeks and I’m just wondering how I can get the most out of it. Do you have any tips on what’s worked for you? I feel like my first session wasn’t that help... View more

Hello I recently had my first session with a psychologist. I have my second one in a couple of weeks and I’m just wondering how I can get the most out of it. Do you have any tips on what’s worked for you? I feel like my first session wasn’t that helpful, but I also feel like maybe I wasn’t completely honest and that’s why. I talked to my GP mostly about anxiety so I think it was pitched at that, but I mostly think I struggle with just feeling empty and detached. Then little things send me into anxious spirals, but they often resolve in time. I kind of misled them too about some things, like whether I’d ever thought about hurting myself before, or didn’t really know how to describe my relationships or feelings properly. H

peeka_boo hi
  • replies: 2

earlier this year I was diagnosed with a chronic illness I was super sick depressed and malnourished and I recently got better but the problem now lies in the fact that I can slowly start to feel myself slipping back into depression my family when th... View more

earlier this year I was diagnosed with a chronic illness I was super sick depressed and malnourished and I recently got better but the problem now lies in the fact that I can slowly start to feel myself slipping back into depression my family when they thought it was only a mental illness going on with me treated me quite bad I would get yelled at for it and it would be my fault my sister would even bully me over it some days I couldn't eat or shower but I was just being lazy and when I told my therapist something I didn't want my parents to know they made me stop seeing her 'for the best' and if it happens again I don't know how to help myself I've signed up to this website and others to try and ask other people for help I only just got out of hospital and I don't want to go back they treat me the same as my family.

Bubble44 Is there any way to stop caring?
  • replies: 3

Everyone I meet either hates me so much I'm surprised they don't try to kill me, or they tolerate me at best. This isn't unique to one group of people. It's everyone I meet. I'm apparently an extremely dislikable person. It's not how I view myself, b... View more

Everyone I meet either hates me so much I'm surprised they don't try to kill me, or they tolerate me at best. This isn't unique to one group of people. It's everyone I meet. I'm apparently an extremely dislikable person. It's not how I view myself, but I'd have to be completely delusional to deny that fact. I've already been through the whole 'oh just get more confident and charismatic and you'll eventually get a group good friends!' And I don't just mean I've been through people advising me to do that. I've literally already done that. And all of those so called friends cut me out of their lives because I objected to one of them who was in the wrong. I'm so sick of being hated or ignored. It's not just sadness or depression (which I've had for my whole stupid life) anymore. Something feels... wrong. Broken in a way it wasn't maybe a few years ago, despite struggling with depression at that time. Ever since my closest friends effectively told me I am worthless, something inside me is dead. I can feel it. Now, don't worry this next question is not meant to be some disguised parallel to suicide or something. I have no intention of taking my own life and I'm confident I never will. But the question is; Is there a way to stop caring? Has anyone figured out a way to burn out that last shred of that person inside who wants people to like them? Who wants to fit in? A lot of that has been destroyed inside me, but not enough. Every time I see all the people I work with having drinks and either deliberately excluding me or simply forgetting I exist, it hurts. It really, really hurts and I feel so alone. I know I'll never have an actual group of friends who care about me. I've accepted that is never going to happen. And while that acceptance spares me some of the pain, some of it's still there. And I need to stop feeling it. I broke years ago and I can't take any more pain. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to collapse just from being mentally exhausted.

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