Depression

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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 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

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 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.

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 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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New Centrelink rules for jobseeker

replies: 2

Hi just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the new jobseeker rules which came into effect July 1 2022 ?I have had a medical certificate exemption for the last 9 months due to the effects of long standing anxiety and grief and I am due to enter the fray again in August. I am in my 60’s and also suffer from IBS and arthritis in hands, feet and knees, so generally life is painful and difficult Anyone know what I can expect? Thanks

Covid slump

replies: 3

Hi all I had been doing really well getting on top of my depression, then two weeks ago I got mild Covid. I largely recovered after about a week but still have some periodic fatigue. After the first week my mood began declining, as I expected it would. While I now feel 99% better Covid wise, my mood is still down. Nothing serious but I thought it would improve as I physically recovered. Did any of you who had Covid with the mood slump find your mood improved again post Covid recovery? How long did it take?Many thanks

Seeking advice on current situation

replies: 2

Hi all, my current situation is kinda of a dilemma for me so I was wondering if there were other ways to tackle it that haven't been known to me, I currently dealing with chronic depression for the majority of my life, 20s btw well anyways I need to seek help to get on anti depresssions but had an issue with my old GP and honestly a terrible experience so I was looking into going to another GP but anxiety is hitting hard and I was wondering if there was a way to get a new prescription without having seen a GP in person, I just can't bring myself to go down there, I have no support system and don't drive, honestly I tried the whole no pill thing for a good amount of time and I've come to conclusion for myself at least that I would need a support system for that or a non-abusive household. Also a bit of back story on family issue which honestly seems pretty doomed, Mother is a malignant narcissist, and my older sister is an undiagnosed schizophrenic, that yell cries every day, the icing on top is that they both are pathological liars and I just can't tell what is the truth most of the time so yeah, my sister also enables my mums abusive behavior which honestly is pretty defeating because my sister has also been abused by her, anyways how would you all tackle that drug issue and if you would like how would you deal the family issue.

ZEKY

replies: 1

Hey guys, i like am totally depressed. Any help?

ZEKY

replies: 4

Hello my peeps, need some inssain help, i am totally deppppreesssed

Things are hard

replies: 3

I've had depression for 3 years now and I've expierenced the very low lows, and I've had times where life has improved almost back to a normal state. At the moment things aren't good, my energy is so low and I really have no motivation to do anything i like which surprise surprise- is making me sadder. I've been seeing a psych for two years now and though I feel I can manage a lot of the mental "self talk" side of depression the physical effects of mental illness on my body and mind is rough. I'm constantly tired no matter how much I rest, my mood is so all over the place theres not much i can do to control it. My appeteite is either massive or tiny, and overall I just have the motivation and energy to do nothing. I really started to feel down again in March and since its been almost 5 months of consistently trying to improve my mood I think its time to turn to something else, and that's medication. I would love to hear how medication has really helped some people and their stories around it, what worked and what didn't (though i know its different for everybody)My biggest fear is medication "changing me" which sounds stupid because obviously the whole point is to alter some funny brain chemicals but I'm more scared in a sense of "losing who I am" and making me feel numb. It's a bit of a silly fear, but it's what has been holding me back for a while. Any advice is appreciated! stay well everybody

guilt

replies: 4

i have had diagnosed depression for nearly 3 years now after i was first diagnosed at 14 and the guilt it has left me with is unimaginable. my mum has to pay so much money to get me help, and this really worries me as she is a single mother and i dont want to be the reason she cant do what she wants. i feel so gulity as all of my friends have noticed that i barely go out with them anymore and my brother tells me how i bring the whole mood of the house down. i don't know how to change the way i feel

Feel like a loser

replies: 4

Hi I'm feeling really low at the moment. I feel like I always lose in life. As a child my parents abandoned me for many months and I never knew why. I blamed myself thinking I must have done something really wrong. They came back and I tried to be the perfect child. As a teen I began to have my own opinions but if I expressed them my father abused my mother saying she had brain washed me. They had an abusive relationship and mum finally left. Dad would sit outside my window every single night crying while I was trying to get through year 12. When I was 23 my father suddenly died. I met a great partner got married had my first child and mum died when my child was one. I have no other family besides the one I created. We had another child and I felt like I needed more as my family unit is so small. I begged and begged and begged and husband always said no. I've felt bitter as he has four siblings, two nieces and his parents. None of whom ever help us but he has this huge extended family and mine is so tiny. I am grateful for the kids I have but miss my parents, miss having family help and miss having more kids. On top of all that I hate every job I've had and so feel lost work wise. If you've read this far thanks for listening.

Hello! Struggling with the diagnosis of bipolar 2 disorder

replies: 9

Hi, I’m new here. I’ve just been diagnosed with bipolar 2 and have started on medication. The diagnosis is a relief and a disappointment at the same time. I’m finding it hard to make sense of my life & am becoming fixated on all of the horrible moments in my past due to this condition. It pains me very much & I feel so sad. I cry about it every day. I’ve been struggling with this for 27 years & I suppose I’m grieving for the life I could’ve had & the person I could’ve been without bipolar 2. Even though I’m sad, I don’t feel sorry for myself. I know that a lot of people have it much worse than I do & I have so much to be grateful for. I just feel like I can’t talk to anybody about it. My parents brushed it off & my husband doesn’t understand why I’m so sad. He is very supportive & positive though. Unfortunately, while I have lots of friends, I don’t have any close friends that I can talk about this with. I’m not close enough to any of them to burden them with these difficult emotions & thoughts. So, that’s why I’m writing this post. Just to feel heard & perhaps to be understood a little. I appreciate anyone making the time & effort to read this. Thank you, Emmyay

At war with myself

replies: 4

I've spent my entire adult life at war with myself. Under the multitude of masks and lies I've been telling myself for years is a profoundly unhappy person. And I can no longer pretend like everything is ok. It's not. Just needed to say this out loud... View more

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

How do I talk to my doctor? replies: 9

SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING DEPRESSION replies: 132

New Centrelink rules for jobseeker replies: 2

Covid slump replies: 3

Seeking advice on current situation replies: 2

ZEKY replies: 1

ZEKY replies: 4

Things are hard replies: 3

guilt replies: 4

Feel like a loser replies: 4

Hello! Struggling with the diagnosis of bipolar 2 disorder replies: 9

At war with myself replies: 4