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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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Rob_1994 I've been taught to think negatively
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone. My last post was an introduction of myself and my difficulties to express how I feel on a day to day basis. That post was 5 months ago so it took me quite a while to reflect. I believe the best word to sum it all is "Negativity". I feel ... View more

Hi everyone. My last post was an introduction of myself and my difficulties to express how I feel on a day to day basis. That post was 5 months ago so it took me quite a while to reflect. I believe the best word to sum it all is "Negativity". I feel like I've been taught to think negatively but not directly. It was my experience in school that makes me believe this, from kindergarten all the way up to year 12. I had indifferences with both students and teachers, spent all my school life alone and fending for myself but yet I had no one to really give me any motivation. I've never achieved academically and just remained at the bottom of the barrel, I was more concerned that I wasn't able to get along with anyone in primary school. I was hoping high school would be a fresh start but it got worse throughout the years. I didn't improve academically and I was bullied for it by classmates. Even though teachers expect their students to get help from them, I had trouble with this mainly because of their hostile attitude towards me. I was clearly a bad listener in class and all I just got from teachers were threats if I couldn't keep up, I was threaten with expulsion by my principle. I found it hard overtime to interact with others because I developed a thinking process that convinces me to avoid people because I'm awkward, pathetic and a bad listener who's seems disinterested. I'll be 28 in April this year and till this day, I'm scared of people and communication is poor. I still linger on the past because it's 18 years of nothing but bad memories and nothing has changed for me. I'm still a bad listener, I have a distaste for anyone who comes near me and I absolutely have no ambition to try new things, challenge myself or take risks due to my fear of failure. I'm a negative thinker because of bad history and I'm stuck in it. The frustrating thing is I want to improve, I want to be able to go out and communicate, I want to develop new skills so I can pursue a great career but it's too overwhelming for me because all these negative thoughts keep coming back to haunt me. I hope I'm posting this in the right forum since I consider negativity a symptom of depression. The idea that you can never amount to anything and taking on responsibilities feels scary.

Boymum88 I cant get off this round-a-bout
  • replies: 2

Help! Busy mum of 3, working FT, relationship of 10 years. Previously diagnosed with depression & anxiety and recently feeling really crappy. Work is stressful. Life is stressful. Covid is stressful. My partner is REALLY trying to help us reconnect a... View more

Help! Busy mum of 3, working FT, relationship of 10 years. Previously diagnosed with depression & anxiety and recently feeling really crappy. Work is stressful. Life is stressful. Covid is stressful. My partner is REALLY trying to help us reconnect and be intimate. I understand what and why hes doing it, my little efforts go unnoticed. My energy is constantly being put into work (management position, supporting others constantly) my kids and i admit my relationship is always bottom of my list despite knowing i need him and want him around. Im pushing him away! I am so tired, all the time. Im so exhausted. Id rather starve than make myself something to eat. I would rather cry in the shower than watch a movie with my kids. Im exhausted from pretending to be ok and maintain this superstar attitude at work. I want to quit it all! I see the effort my partner is making, i see he is trying but i dont know how to respond. Im so disconnected from the real world that i feel stupid. How do I save my relationship when I am so lost within myself? -super sad mum xx

JJ47 Feel like nothing is going my way.
  • replies: 4

Hi, I feel like nothing in my life is going my way. (20 y/o student) Firstly, two years ago to now i have been investing my money trying to grow my assets. However over the past two years collectively i am down more than 20 grand and see no real prof... View more

Hi, I feel like nothing in my life is going my way. (20 y/o student) Firstly, two years ago to now i have been investing my money trying to grow my assets. However over the past two years collectively i am down more than 20 grand and see no real profits in sight making my feel as if i have just wasted my time working for nothing. Around 3 months ago i bought my first car and renewed the registration, renewed CTP and third party insurance but just today i crashed the car, totally my fault going too fast at a corner losing control and skidding into a pole. Will most likely recieve a fine for negligent driving and will have to write off my car most likely, losing my first car that was around 5 grand within just 3 months of having it. To keep my mind off the financial lossess from my investments i tried going to the gym but through this i have discovered i am injury prone often incurring tendonitis most likely due to my inactivity of childhood. Thus i have found myself progressing backwards rather than forwards due to constant injuries. Coupled with the fact i have body image issues because of my gynecomastia i feel like i have made 0 progress in the gym within 2 years while i see others changing their lives within their first year of going to the gym. Additionaly the times when i am now at home i feel like i lack purpose or sense of direction. While i was still in university i would often work towards school work but having now completed my degree i have all this spare time at home but just watch youtube feeling as if im wasting my time doing nothing productive with my life. With everyone around me such as family doing so well in thier lives its hard to for me to keep going when it feels like everything ive done has been a waste of time and as if i havent done anything these past 2 years. So in this situation how can i somehow find the light in this, how can i discover the will and drive to continue forward as it feels any time i attempt to better my life i get set back.

Joe8 Lashing out and feel down all the time
  • replies: 3

Hi there, I'm 21 so it's probably normal that this feels hard for me to post.. I've been sitting on the idea of joining this forum for ages now, I'm in a pretty rough spot so I thought I should finally do something. I think I've been suffering from s... View more

Hi there, I'm 21 so it's probably normal that this feels hard for me to post.. I've been sitting on the idea of joining this forum for ages now, I'm in a pretty rough spot so I thought I should finally do something. I think I've been suffering from some type of depression for well over a year now, probably close to 3 years.. but never knew what to do about it, for the most part I thought I've been dealing with it okay-ish... But for about the last 6 months I've found myself getting irritated and lashing out at friends/family for no real reason.. Most of the time no one says anything, but I feel annoyed at myself for days after an event, I'll say to myself "just don't do that again".. Seems easy enough to me but then I go and do it again.. Only a few days ago at a new years event.. I got very drunk, riled up and really lashed out.. I didn't remember doing it, I only know about it because the next day a mate was really concerned about me so told me about it. It's made me really want to get to the bottom of this, and I think it's been an issue for as I said, a few years.. But I thought I was dealing with it in a way, like there are periods where I'm super happy, but they are extremely few and far between.. And in the time between I'm just down and find it hard to really speak to anyone. I used to think I was slowly dealing with it, now I think I haven't at all and just putting off the inevitable, now I feel I'm at or close to a 'breaking point' so to speak.. Even writing all this out I feel like there's so much more going on. I'm always overthinking, can't sleep, having conversations in my head and things etc.. Even things I'm not even sure how to put into words. I've never really thought about seeing someone, cause I just don't see how that can help.. So I thought to ask for some advice here first, but I think I should act on this before I start pushing away friends (if I haven't already).. I do have a pretty good relationship with my GP so I'm not worried about seeing him, I'm probably more nervous about what I say to him, and then what steps follow that.. Thanks for reading, I hope it wasn't too much of a ramble.. Any advice is welcome.

dopamine im so lost
  • replies: 2

hi, im so lost and confused, i have huge mood swings, from happy to just wanting to kill myself. i cry often in my bedroom and i have no one to reach out to. im also still "in the closet", my parents are huge homophobes. my dad said he'd support me, ... View more

hi, im so lost and confused, i have huge mood swings, from happy to just wanting to kill myself. i cry often in my bedroom and i have no one to reach out to. im also still "in the closet", my parents are huge homophobes. my dad said he'd support me, but i think he wont, he actively uses the 'n' slur and the 'f' slur. i really want to reach out to someone or talk to a therapist, but i ask my parents theyll start critisizing me or i dont even know. but it will definetly be negative. im also at an awkward age where i need to behave and think like an adult, but also act like a child? im suddenly too old for that, and too young for this. my mother is very strict as well. ive also been having body image issues currently, and my parents are forcing me to eat, and after i eat, i try to throw up, but i cant. i feel so pressured all the time. theres still one month before school begins, i dont think i can handle this anymore. i just want to be done with this. im going to lose my mind or kill myself, its one way or another. i cant reach out to my friends because im too scared. please help me, i just really want someone who can talk to me about this.

Couch_Dracula Walking Contradiction
  • replies: 7

I woke up on Monday morning after a weekend sitting on the couch all day and night worrying and procrastinating about the things going wrong with my life, and decided to take action and took myself to a doctor. I was actually shocked at the amount of... View more

I woke up on Monday morning after a weekend sitting on the couch all day and night worrying and procrastinating about the things going wrong with my life, and decided to take action and took myself to a doctor. I was actually shocked at the amount of problems or health concerns i've had in the past 6 months, hot and cold flushes resulting in severe rashes all over my body (nervous rash), cloudiness, lack of concentration and my "sensitive" side were all related to anxiety/depression. Ive been calling myself lazy, stupid and a failure never thinking that my overanalysing of everything could be the cause to these feelings. A situation at the beginning of the year left me with a fear of leaving my house, I had to push myself to attend my full time studies running out of my house. The lounge room became my safety zone to which my boyfriend dubbed me "Couch Dracula". Which was and is still amusing, in fact im sitting on it right now. This fear catapulted into self doubt, hate and a whole lot of guilt/ embarrassment for the way I was behaving (mostly uncontrollable tears and even irrational behaviour towards teachers and other students for making out that im stupid (which of course looking back they were just trying to help)) It would be really great to talk to people in a similar situation, what you do to get out the door or to get that home work or whatever your job is done. At the moment I've lost any vision of my future, and thats why I accessed help. I dont want to be constantly worrying and staying on the couch forever.. S.x

startingnew Seasonal Affective Disorder.. in summer?
  • replies: 16

hello everyone ive only ever heard of SAD being in the winter months but im wondering is it possible to have it in the summer months? im not sure if its part of my depression, the heat in general or other but id be interesting in finding out others e... View more

hello everyone ive only ever heard of SAD being in the winter months but im wondering is it possible to have it in the summer months? im not sure if its part of my depression, the heat in general or other but id be interesting in finding out others experiences... i find i have more trouble sleeping in summer, lack energy, and cravings for sweet things. i cant put in anxiety or depressive feelings becasue i have these already.. what are your thoughts?

kkajesal Stuck in a loop and I can’t get out
  • replies: 1

I have had mild depression for as long as I can remember and have never been to a doctor because I am afraid and ashamed to ask for help. My family don’t believe depression and anxiety are real and I have no support at home. I am in my late twenties ... View more

I have had mild depression for as long as I can remember and have never been to a doctor because I am afraid and ashamed to ask for help. My family don’t believe depression and anxiety are real and I have no support at home. I am in my late twenties and haven’t worked since I lost my last job due to covid in early 2020. My mental health has gone down hill during this time. I haven’t been able to get a job due to my mental state but also cannot afford to get help because I haven’t worked in so long. I am stuck in a loop of unemployment and depression and don’t know how to get out. My family do not understand and keep telling me that I need to get my life together and that i’m falling behind in life. I really have no one to talk to and i am struggling trying to just help myself. I am terrified to go to a doctor and ask for help. I don’t know where to go from here and where to start.

Escape_Crowd Bad thoughts looming, Getting irritated easily and doubting myself
  • replies: 6

Hi there, I am 26 and just started working two years ago. The story began in November 2021, when a project came in and our team were burnt to deliver the project by Christmas. I had been doing 2 hours ish of overtime every week to get the job done. A... View more

Hi there, I am 26 and just started working two years ago. The story began in November 2021, when a project came in and our team were burnt to deliver the project by Christmas. I had been doing 2 hours ish of overtime every week to get the job done. And there was one time I participated the company mini end of year event (like only 30 min) and left the workplace on time the same day. The next day I got called by my manager as he was unimpressed by me joining the mini event when everyone on the team was working hard to deliver the project. I explained to him that I had been doing overtime for the last few weeks and he later said then it was okay for me to participate. I was very disappointed that he spoke to me as if I was a salary thief and made me feel like I had contributed nothing to the team. I understand it’s his job as a manager to do these conversation but the fact that my feelings get hurt by his words of ignorance is not fake either. Since then, I always felt that he’s holding a magnifying glass and looking for my faults. But I cant justify if he is really picking on me or not, I could be overthinking. These overthinking got worsened when the deadline was approaching. I doubt my contribution unless I worked until 6pm or even 8pm or 9pm of the day. Sometimes when I left on time I need to worry if the manager would see me as a non-contributor again. Sometimes I would imagine what if my manager picks on me again, and how I should face the conversation. (I had all these unjustified bad thoughts on my manager) Unfortunately the project was delayed by a week. I was working over Christmas until the last day of 2021 to deliver the project. I took the first week of 2022 off as a present for my hard work. This morning I had a phone call with my mum and told her about the project (she knew the stories I had with my manager). I told her there’s still bits of project that need to be done but I had checked with the senior on the team and the senior said it’s okay for me to take the week off. My mum disagreed and said I should keep working to get those bits done and only then I should rest. I felt so irritated because I was already in worries and anxiety when taking the week off. I was trying hard to calm myself from the work burnouts and my mum just destroyed my hard-collected confidence that I should take a rest. I didn’t argue with her but her words had made me anxious again, and I am getting irritated by it. What happened to me and what should I do?

Rufc Loneliness
  • replies: 3

Hi guys, i am new to the forum and I’d like to hear from you guys. I am in my early twenties i used to have friends back at home but after coming here I could not make any close friends i did have those I could talk to but after a while the conversat... View more

Hi guys, i am new to the forum and I’d like to hear from you guys. I am in my early twenties i used to have friends back at home but after coming here I could not make any close friends i did have those I could talk to but after a while the conversations faded and now I feel like i am the problem. Normally when i hang out with people I don’t talk I feel like people would disregard me. I get attached to people easily and we lose contact and i end up giving myself reasons as to why they don’t deserve me like i am no fun. The other thing is i have a partner who usually comes around and i feel he could have chosen better. I have been so conscious to the point that I don’t let him talk to other girls of which was a mutual agreement but still i get mad over the slightest issues and mostly I’m the one doing it wrong. I often feel like I should just let him go maybe this jealousy thing would go. I aslo feel jealous when i see my friends going out for parties that they would invite me back then. I don’t know I’m confused and i just want to cry my heart out but really that won’t help much.

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