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?
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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
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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

All discussions

Russian_Red_Foxx Am I going through a depressive episode?
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Hi everyone, I've been feeling really down lately and I don't know if I am going through a depressive episode. It's happened before but this time it feels different. I've had no energy recently and haven't left the house for anything other than work ... View more

Hi everyone, I've been feeling really down lately and I don't know if I am going through a depressive episode. It's happened before but this time it feels different. I've had no energy recently and haven't left the house for anything other than work for about a week now, normally I leave at least once per day. I've been struggling to sleep and I've been feeling flat for no reason, mostly just spending the entire day sitting at home. I have a few projects going including art and homework that I haven't been motivated to finish, usually I try to get stuff done quickly. I wanted to attend a large social event tonight (a fur meet, don't judge) but couldn't because of work and now I'm feeling isolated since this is the once in a blue moon chance I get to meet my only friends in person. On the surface I have seemed fine. I've been interacting with my family and doing basic chores like nothing is out of the ordinary. On the inside however I feel broken, as if the fire that was keeping me going has suddenly died. I've been feeling severe anxiety about various things for about a week now and I occasionally think about self harm but I don't have the energy to do anything. I did talk to someone and I've been trying out various mental health apps, but they only seem to fix minor problems in the moment, I've also tried talking with my mother and she thinks that it's just a cycle of boredom, however this feels different. I don't know what I'm feeling and I don't have the energy to do anything about it.

Caramelo_koala Depression
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I'm depressed. Like really sad. I can't stop feeling angry hurt and sad. I also broke up my boyfriend of 3 years as he is immature, an alcoholic who is angry when sober or when he does any housework and is real lovey dovey when drunk. The kicker for ... View more

I'm depressed. Like really sad. I can't stop feeling angry hurt and sad. I also broke up my boyfriend of 3 years as he is immature, an alcoholic who is angry when sober or when he does any housework and is real lovey dovey when drunk. The kicker for me was him not wanting to pay half a bill. I don't know if my depression is caused from the break up as we are still living together, or maybe we broke up feom my depression?. I felt like this at the same time last year. Coincidence? Or perhaps it's because I went off my antidepressant to try a smoking cessation drug 2 months ago, which is also meant to act as as an antidepressant. I have no one to talk to. I've tried and no one is interested or they are too busy. I can't stop ruminating and that has turned into going over things that's happened years ago but it's making me feel bitter now. My brain just won't stop! From wake up to sleep and it's waking me up at night with vomiting feelings in my gut, I have actually thrown up a few times over the last few days. I've even had to have days off work due to it all. I don't know what I'm asking if anything.. I just need to write it out, I just want someone to hear me. I just want to stop crying and stop thinking and go back to normal.

Desperate_Dan Autism traits & Depression
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Hi, I wanted to reach out to this community for advice and suggestions. I'm a 40 something man, who was diagnosed with severe depression about 10 years ago. Lot of things triggered me spiraling and it took me a long time to recover, however a change ... View more

Hi, I wanted to reach out to this community for advice and suggestions. I'm a 40 something man, who was diagnosed with severe depression about 10 years ago. Lot of things triggered me spiraling and it took me a long time to recover, however a change in work and medication have seen me stable and "normal" up until recently. My home life is stable, however I find myself getting agitated and angry frequently and am finding no enjoyment in anything at all. Over the last few days I've caught myself just staring at the clock wishing the time would go quicker in the hope that something might happen, but of course it never does. My situation is compounded by the fact that I have some autism traits - with the main one being I find it hard to trust people and make friends and as a result, I currently only have my wife and maybe 1 other person I can speak to. Typing this out has also made me realise that part of the problem may be that I don't want to be married any more and one of the reasons I feel so alone. Is this normal? I don't recall feeling like this when I got my initial diagnosis

blue_quail slowly sinking
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i feel like i wallow in my self pity and i’m slowly sinking into a bottomless pit and everyone tries to bring me back to the surface but they aren’t strong enough or dont get to me in time because i’m already too far down. and maybe i can’t help it, ... View more

i feel like i wallow in my self pity and i’m slowly sinking into a bottomless pit and everyone tries to bring me back to the surface but they aren’t strong enough or dont get to me in time because i’m already too far down. and maybe i can’t help it, or maybe some part of me wants to sink deeper and deeper.

Smiley1982 Feeling overwhelmed & lost within my current worklace
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I’ve been working with current family owned business for 17 years. I am valued and appreciated by management, with pay increases, listening to my thoughts and ideas, even allowing me to have a work laptop to work from home. But other work colleagues ... View more

I’ve been working with current family owned business for 17 years. I am valued and appreciated by management, with pay increases, listening to my thoughts and ideas, even allowing me to have a work laptop to work from home. But other work colleagues in my office, who some have been there longer than me, all class me as a fave and give me the impression they don’t like me (I struggle with people not liking me). One colleague who worked in a different area and was friends with me before has now unfriended me on Facebook and certainly makes it known she does not like me. Everyone else in the office, in which I am Facebook friends would extract info out about her from me and told me not to worry, as she is a horrible person. But I’ve found out this past month that they are all friends outside of work and have told her what I said. But they are denying they have and are still telling me what a horrible person she is, trying to keep the peace with me It’s also been said by office colleagues that our office is toxic and I’m the root cause of it all. My work colleagues are pretty stressed out and frustrated and take their frustrations out on bagging people out. But they are nice to their faces. I call this being 2 faced. I can’t do two faced. I can’t deal with being the one that is toxic, as maybe I am. I can’t bag people out, it’s not my nature. I know right now I’m not coping. My brain feels like it’s in a brain fog at all times. I’m worried about finding another job, as no. 1 it could end up being the same environment somewhere else. Plus if I really am the bully and am the toxic one, it’s only going to be the same at the next place. I have lost all trust in my work colleagues and want to unfriend the ones I have still, but feel this could go against me and become nasty. But I now hate Facebook, which I want to keep for parkrun and a couple of people I keep in touch with. I have gone to the extent of hiding everything on my wall, profile pic is Facebook blank user and backdrop grey. I have changed my name to unknown. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

gareth_46 Depression
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Im gareth ive been suffering with depression for 7 months its been bothering me that im not going to get better but i stay hopeful can anyone give me some advice .

Im gareth ive been suffering with depression for 7 months its been bothering me that im not going to get better but i stay hopeful can anyone give me some advice .

baddie11 Doing anything is really hard right now
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I am struggling yet again to do any basic tasks and I can see it impact my life. And still I am unwilling take any action towards combating this behaviour. It just seems too overwhelming to exercise, do homework, do chores and go to work. All the wor... View more

I am struggling yet again to do any basic tasks and I can see it impact my life. And still I am unwilling take any action towards combating this behaviour. It just seems too overwhelming to exercise, do homework, do chores and go to work. All the work I have put in in the past year has been reversed and I am the most unsuccessful version of myself I have ever been. I understand healing and everything isn't exactly a linear route, however I am just over having to deal with this at all and just want it to be a part of my life I can leave behind me. My main goal for each day is that I 'try'. Trying to do something, take out the rubbish, change my sheets, shower is better than having no progress at all. I want a sure way to leave this behaviour in my past, it is so inconvenient. I don't understand what the trigger is but I would like for it to just stop, I haven't felt like myself in years , it's the worst.

ImAllTalone Everyday will be a struggle
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There was this girl, I found out she was single, I texted her one day telling her how I feel and she responded back stating she doesn't feel that way towards me I woke up 20 minutes ago with everything hurting and the constant feeling of loneliness. ... View more

There was this girl, I found out she was single, I texted her one day telling her how I feel and she responded back stating she doesn't feel that way towards me I woke up 20 minutes ago with everything hurting and the constant feeling of loneliness. I'm so tired to be honest, I don't want to achieve anything or have ambition if I'm just going to be alone I've decided to still remain friends with them, they're still kind and what happened shouldn't have affected it I just don't know what to do or how to feel now that I can't be with her

kenz1222 losing everyone
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it feels like every person i love ends up leaving. ive lost almost every good friend i have and now im losing the boy ive fallen in love with because my other friend is falling for him too. no one understands how attached to people i get, i hide it w... View more

it feels like every person i love ends up leaving. ive lost almost every good friend i have and now im losing the boy ive fallen in love with because my other friend is falling for him too. no one understands how attached to people i get, i hide it well, and i don't know if i can handle losing him. he's the one person who makes me happy, since meeting him ive had people tell me that i seem happy again. we started getting really close but now i have to end it out of respect for my other friend and hes already giving such mixed signals towards me. even if i dont end it she'll just come in and i can't stand to watch him love her. i know it sounds stupid, im only young and he's just some guy but he's the only thing that makes me happy anymore. everytime he stops talking to me or acts uninterested it genuinely hurts but when he loves me i feel alive again. I'm so scared of what might happen if i stop talking to him. last time this happened it took me a year to get better again and i don't want to waste another part of my life. im confused. if i lose him i lose all of my other friends except one and she treats me horrible. idk what to do anymore

BShock Feeling Numb
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Hey there, I have recently moved to university and have become quite sad and constantly feel numb and uninterested in doing anything. Even when talking to people to try and make connections, its like i have nothing to say or have no interest in the c... View more

Hey there, I have recently moved to university and have become quite sad and constantly feel numb and uninterested in doing anything. Even when talking to people to try and make connections, its like i have nothing to say or have no interest in the conversation. i dont enjoy the things i used to and have sort of reduced my life to not much. I feel like i have no aspirations or dreams, and it doesnt make me sad i just dont feel anything. I try and fake emotions but it feels fake and like i am acting all of the time.