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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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David9 Sad alone and hopeless
  • replies: 4

I am 58 years old and my marriage ended 8 years ago. I live near my ex wife so I can be close to my kids. we moved to a rural city in order to be close to her family. Problem is now after the split I have no close friends or family in the area for su... View more

I am 58 years old and my marriage ended 8 years ago. I live near my ex wife so I can be close to my kids. we moved to a rural city in order to be close to her family. Problem is now after the split I have no close friends or family in the area for support which I really need due to suffering depression for many years. As my girls are getting older and on with their own lives I am thinking of going back overseas to my native country but am very scared of the move. I can’t ever see my life being happy again and sometimes think that it’s just not worth while continuing to live. I am on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist as referred by my psychologist but it is taking soo long to get in. My main problem is that I can’t seem to move on with my life and this is making my depression/ anxiety worse day by day,

JustAnYtka And tips?
  • replies: 10

It's that time of the month I'm in the middle if a particularly bad depressive episode. I find it really hard to shower or bathe a lot of the time. Sometimes it's due to lack of energy and sometimes I just physically cannot. Even if my parents run me... View more

It's that time of the month I'm in the middle if a particularly bad depressive episode. I find it really hard to shower or bathe a lot of the time. Sometimes it's due to lack of energy and sometimes I just physically cannot. Even if my parents run me a bath and all I have to do is get in. I sit by the bathtub and wonder why I can't just step into the goddamn tub. It's so frustrating and it makes me feel filthy. I do use baby wipes as often as I can but sometimes it goes on for so long that my hair starts to dry and break off. I'm going to talk about it with my psychologist tomorrow but sometimes the best advice comes firsthand. If anyone has anything that could be remotely helpful, please let me know. Thanks, Bee

Zabacs I’m pushing away everyone I love
  • replies: 8

I’m new here and really struggling. I am pushing everyone away from me and feel very alone. I feel like giving up but I have children who I would/could never leave. every day is becoming a battle and I’m sick of putting on a front to hide my pain. It... View more

I’m new here and really struggling. I am pushing everyone away from me and feel very alone. I feel like giving up but I have children who I would/could never leave. every day is becoming a battle and I’m sick of putting on a front to hide my pain. It’s effecting my work. I feel anger, hatred and bitterness all of the time. Everything feels like a chore and it’s draining. I don’t remember the last time I was truly happy. thanks for taking the time to read. zabs

Strawby I’m so lost and alone in life
  • replies: 2

Hi I’m new here I’ve just had the worst week and really need to get it off my chest. My partner of 6 months and I just broke up and now I feel so alone in life. I don’t really have any friends and the few friends I have were people I knew through my ... View more

Hi I’m new here I’ve just had the worst week and really need to get it off my chest. My partner of 6 months and I just broke up and now I feel so alone in life. I don’t really have any friends and the few friends I have were people I knew through my partner so I’m not sure if they’re going to talk to me anymore. I also don’t talk to my family at all because they’re very toxic and homophobic. So other than my housemate and my cat I really don’t have anyone at the moment now. I’m really scared. We had to break up because I’m going through a lot at the moment with a police investigation going on about an ex who SA’d me as well as harassment from his family. Being with my partner was the only time since I was really young I genuinely imagined a future for myself. They made me want to be alive and get better but their mental health was getting worse and I couldn’t support them while also looking after my own mental health. I feel really guilty and scared about leaving and I just don’t know what to do anymore.

Walto17 My friend is about to have a baby and i'm worried we won't speak as much anymore.
  • replies: 7

Hey guys I'll try to be as brief as possible. I suffer from anxiety and insomnia. I usually play x box in the night with a female friend who we have same issues, we've been playing xbox together for about 2 years and she's never been able to have kid... View more

Hey guys I'll try to be as brief as possible. I suffer from anxiety and insomnia. I usually play x box in the night with a female friend who we have same issues, we've been playing xbox together for about 2 years and she's never been able to have kids so her and her partner decided to have a surrogate baby. The baby is due any day now and i'm worried that when it arrives, her and me won't play xbox together anymore as having a baby changes your life. The reason why i'm depressed is because she is the only person i play xbox with as i lost a lot of my friends and having my friendship with her suddenly gone is a bit scary and depressing. I have trouble sleeping normally so playing xbox with her always made me relax in some ways and i know it sounds selfish on my part, but it;s because i really value her as a person and friend and i'm just wondering what type of advice anyone can give me to help get through this depressive feeling i have right now. It's hard for me to make new friends and if i knew i was able to sleep fine, then i wouldn't be so depressed but it's just the feeling of being a lone at night that upsets me a bit.

SAHM_ ANY STAY AT HOME MUMS OUT THERE??
  • replies: 4

I'm feeling very lost and deeply sad at the moment. Have been since my daughter was born last year. Are there any other stay at home mums that just feel stuck in their life? Sad! Depressed! Angry! Exhausted! I want to go back to work part time to get... View more

I'm feeling very lost and deeply sad at the moment. Have been since my daughter was born last year. Are there any other stay at home mums that just feel stuck in their life? Sad! Depressed! Angry! Exhausted! I want to go back to work part time to get some of my identity back and feel like a normal person again with purpose but we have no daycare in our area & my partner works such long hours he's never around to help or give me even a few hours break. I just dont know what the do anymore or who to reach out to. Any other mums experienced this? I feel like a terrible mother for needing something outside of being a mum

maddie_faye Severely depressed boyfriend is constantly ‘busy’
  • replies: 30

I have posted this under relationships but since this is also related to depression I thought that I’d put it here to get more advice. my current boyfriend and I have been together since late September/early October 2021. I had not long come out of d... View more

I have posted this under relationships but since this is also related to depression I thought that I’d put it here to get more advice. my current boyfriend and I have been together since late September/early October 2021. I had not long come out of domestic violence and now have ptsd as a result, as well as a pre exisiting anxiety condition. My partner also opened up about having a depression diagnosis and I suspect he also has cfs, but was well at the time. The first 2-3 months he was fine mentally then around month 4/5 he started to go down hill but was able to pick himself up, however, since March he has being in a severely depressed hole. We used to see each other every 1-2 weeks, since his depression has gotten worse we only see each other about 1-2 times a month. he is also a full time mechanic and we live an hour away from each other too so doesn’t help. I’ve often struggled with trauma based thoughts since getting into a healthy relationship despite having evidence to prove those thoughts wrong, hence my diagnosis of ptsd (as that is a symptom) and what it’s cottoned onto over the last few months is that it tells me that we’ll never see each other again, he doesn’t love me and things will never get better with his depression. When I do see him next in person, whenever that may be I will try and talk to him about how I’ve been feeling about his depression and hoping he gets some help like I am for my mental health. Despite other people including my psychologist and worker telling me the complete opposite to what my mind says it’s still really hard to deal with and my worker actually has said that this is a trauma response. But I really do hope that my boyfriend gets help for his mental health as it is really quite bad and I don’t like seeing him like this.

SLSTR I want to help my Dad with his depression
  • replies: 2

I am an adult child that recently moved home, in many ways I am the prodigal son. My parents are in their sixty’s and seventy's (father) and we live together (this is temp situation and I move out next month). My dad has been depressed since they los... View more

I am an adult child that recently moved home, in many ways I am the prodigal son. My parents are in their sixty’s and seventy's (father) and we live together (this is temp situation and I move out next month). My dad has been depressed since they lost their home in the GFC and the passing of his dad several years ago, he lives in memories all the time talking about the past. I have encouraged them to have marriage counselling at our church and they have had two sessions... It’s an uncomfortable feeling when he’s at home as I feel like he does not know what to do with himself or say, he makes very little eye contact... He works six days a week and should be retired and spends very little time with his wife, and next to none with his children. When he’s not working, he’s weeding the lawn for hours on end and this goes on day after day (his routine is work 6 days, come home weed the garden, play slot machines on the computer, watch tv, go to bed) there is very little social interaction. it breaks my heart to watch all this... My partner and I have helped my parents with lots of positive changes recently but dad is very stuck in his ways, I am sure he just tells the counsellor what they want to hear. I don’t want to get too involved by I feel fear that he probably needs more than marriage counselling and some psychology cbt but it’s very difficult to tell anyone this sort of thing and I am concerned it could be early dementia. I also worry for my mother who is now seeing a psychologist. My dad was always a cranky angry tradesman, he has softened in age but he’s very much his father’s son and lives in that old generation of boys don’t cry and finds it difficult to express his emotions. My father has many talents like playing music and other things and we are encouraging him to do those again. He wont read books so any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Nikto Nothing is helping and I don't know what to do
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I am a 38yo male, and have had depression for well over a decade now. I am on antidepressants (which have helped) and I am seeing a psychologist. But, my mental health is only ever declining. I am at a stage where nothing is helping me g... View more

Hi everyone, I am a 38yo male, and have had depression for well over a decade now. I am on antidepressants (which have helped) and I am seeing a psychologist. But, my mental health is only ever declining. I am at a stage where nothing is helping me get better, my life is pretty miserable, I have zero motivation, I am unable to do the simplest of things and just don't know where to turn to. Most people would look at my life and say I have a good life, but to me it genuinely feels like a personalized hell, like the universe has somehow managed to perfect living hell for me. I don't know where to turn to.

Leisa68 The business end.
  • replies: 7

Oh boy have I hit rock bottom today. I was diagnosed with BiPolar disorder in January 2020 and sailed along okay, until my mood plummeted in September that year. I felt I did the right thing, I continued to see my psychiatrist and engaged a psycholog... View more

Oh boy have I hit rock bottom today. I was diagnosed with BiPolar disorder in January 2020 and sailed along okay, until my mood plummeted in September that year. I felt I did the right thing, I continued to see my psychiatrist and engaged a psychologist. I have been practicing CBT and mindfulness and have had some wins with some days without the mania and anxiety which would nearly render me unapproachable at the end of the day. I have a son who is eleven and I just can't be that way for him, I try very hard so he is not aware. I also have a great partner of 17 years, who wonders what the hell I have turned into. He does not believe I have BiPolar. Today I woke up, literally dead inside. I felt dead, my inner voice was anxious and flat, and my voice was anxious and flat. I was reading the news and read of a celebrity I really liked who committed suicide overnight and that thought shocked me. For the rest of the day, I have just concentrated on small things. I have felt this feeling before, but it was so very profound today. I have contacted my psychologist and am on the standby list for next week. I cannot see my psychiatrist for two weeks. I'll be honest. I'm very scared I will have this feeling again, knowing full well it will be back tomorrow. I have told myself that this is the business end of BiPolar and I have to deal with this business end. I am safe tonight. I love my family, but this thing feels bigger than Ben Hur. I would appreciate any advice on how to go until I see my psych team, who I fully intend to see. Leisa68

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