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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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x_BLUE_MOON_x Struggling with my mental health
  • replies: 1

Hi, I'm an adult woman and I have autism, ocd, and adhd. I've had bad mental health for 1 year and 7 months now. It all started when I lowered my medication by tapering down slowly over a course of months. When I was on the lower dose I got a ocd tho... View more

Hi, I'm an adult woman and I have autism, ocd, and adhd. I've had bad mental health for 1 year and 7 months now. It all started when I lowered my medication by tapering down slowly over a course of months. When I was on the lower dose I got a ocd thought and I got obsessed and then my mental health started deteriorating and spiralling and I hit rock bottom. Then I increased my dose slowly, my mental health has improved since going back. But ever since l've lowered my dose and then increased it, it doesn't feel as effective as it was before, and I don't know why. Most of my obsessive thoughts are about my collectables (my figurines) and my (video games). Whether they are “perfect” or “not perfect” this has been going on for 8 years now. Also, I'm getting treated for my ocd by an ocd trained psychologist, I’m doing exposure therapy and I’m seeing a psychiatrist. My psychiatrist thinks my adhd is making my ocd worse, he thinks by treating both my ocd and that will help my mental health, but so far I notice no improvement. I've been doing a lot of things trying to get better, but I need more help. I don’t want to suffer anymore. Any advice would help thanks.

Unsureperson98 I don’t know what to do?
  • replies: 1

I’m not really sure what to do or where to go from here, but lately I’ve just been feeling really “bleh” all the time. Like I’m stuck at a baseline where life feels mediocre and flat. I still have small moments of happiness or excitement, but they’re... View more

I’m not really sure what to do or where to go from here, but lately I’ve just been feeling really “bleh” all the time. Like I’m stuck at a baseline where life feels mediocre and flat. I still have small moments of happiness or excitement, but they’re very fleeting and I can’t seem to hold onto those feelings for long before I go back to feeling empty, bored or emotionally dull again.I feel exhausted and under-stimulated at work, even though I used to genuinely enjoy my job. It’s like my brain needs more challenge or engagement now. On top of that, I’m currently doing around a 3-hour commute every day which is draining me more than I realised.Another thing that’s been affecting me is that I used to live independently and had my own space, but due to circumstances I had to move into shared living. I think losing that sense of independence and comfort has impacted me emotionally more than I expected.Nothing in my life feels fully aligned right now and I honestly don’t know where to start fixing it or what changes I even need to make. I guess I’m just wondering if anyone else has felt like this before and what helped you get out of it?

Huh Empty
  • replies: 2

I miss when I used to be happy. I knew exactly what I wanted to be, I had a path of getting there, and I was happy doing it. Recently though, my motivation has seemingly hit a wall, and so too has my mood. I don’t get out of bed as easily as I used t... View more

I miss when I used to be happy. I knew exactly what I wanted to be, I had a path of getting there, and I was happy doing it. Recently though, my motivation has seemingly hit a wall, and so too has my mood. I don’t get out of bed as easily as I used to, I don’t exercise as often, even my favourite hobbies have turned stale, despite loving them for years. And I don’t have anyone to find comfort in, as my parents still have this ideal version for me stuck in their head, my friends are jerks, so now here I am. Despite having such a good streak of luck in life, I have never felt so alone.

Lunaaa Numb
  • replies: 4

I feel like everything in my life sucks.partner left me after everything we’ve been through together and it just hurts so much. I don’t speak to my parents for various reasons and I just feel so stuck.34, single, minimum wage job and nothing to show ... View more

I feel like everything in my life sucks.partner left me after everything we’ve been through together and it just hurts so much. I don’t speak to my parents for various reasons and I just feel so stuck.34, single, minimum wage job and nothing to show for my life.

Leyland I can't handle the loneliness anymore
  • replies: 12

Hi everyone, For such a long time, I've had insufferable feelings of loneliness to the point where I feel depressed. I'm hesitant to use the word without a formal diagnosis, but my feelings and thoughts are very much in line with what a depressed ind... View more

Hi everyone, For such a long time, I've had insufferable feelings of loneliness to the point where I feel depressed. I'm hesitant to use the word without a formal diagnosis, but my feelings and thoughts are very much in line with what a depressed individual would have. The long, brutal lockdown we had in Victoria last year was of course damaging to the even the most stoic person, but it was actually exiting lockdown where these feelings got even worse. Everyone around me was catching up with friends and partners, and I have nothing of the kind. My main 'friends', such as they were, were people from high school, around whom I only stuck around because I really had no one else in truth. Even though I felt constantly left out and isolated amongst them, and was the subject of so much bullying they would call 'banter', I remained because otherwise I would be completely lonely and basically at home 24/7. Anyway, I've now ceased all contact with them, as I felt it was long overdue and for the best. On the flipside, it means I spend one weekend after another completely at home alone. My uni 'friends' all live too far away and are otherwise too busy to ever get close to them. We'll see each other once every few months, sure (after I inevitably initiate contact with them), but nothing that enables us to get any closer. And that's the other thing. I must initiate 100% of the convos in my life in order to get a chance to talk to people. Quite literally. If I don't, well, it's all loneliness at home again. I went through last year, with our two arduous lockdowns, without hearing a single thing from anyone - for instance, from uni people that I'd see every week prior to lockdown. Now, back at uni, I try to make new friends by talking to people outside of class, but it never amounts to anything. They never express any desire to continue the conversation, and everyone seems perfectly happy with their current friendship group without looking to add to it. The worst thing without a doubt is my situation with girls. Any attempts I get to know them ends in total failure. Either the conversation just fizzles away and they eventually stop replying to me, or I get the usual 'you're sweet and kind, but there wasn't enough chemistry'. This has gotten so distressing to the point where I feel jealousy just looking at other young couples in public, even though I know how toxic these feelings are. I've reached my character limit, so thank you for listening to my rant so far.

Guest_01509113 Life
  • replies: 3

my name is Jono I'm 44 I have 3 children and 1 grand daughter. I feel I have lost my direction in life I love my family dearly.but I'm extremely isolated I feel there is no return from my addiction I'm not sure how I'm going to get back up to live a ... View more

my name is Jono I'm 44 I have 3 children and 1 grand daughter. I feel I have lost my direction in life I love my family dearly.but I'm extremely isolated I feel there is no return from my addiction I'm not sure how I'm going to get back up to live a good life for my kids .

Guest_66211205 Isolated, withdrawn
  • replies: 2

I have 2 little ones and a hubby. We live paycheck to paycheck in a town that offers nothing for free. Except the park that people use to do bad things. I'm stuck in these 4 walls 24/7. I've tried doing hobbies and starting a business. Anything to st... View more

I have 2 little ones and a hubby. We live paycheck to paycheck in a town that offers nothing for free. Except the park that people use to do bad things. I'm stuck in these 4 walls 24/7. I've tried doing hobbies and starting a business. Anything to stop myself from going mad. I'm starting to see things again. Random visions like animals in my house or people running past. I need to get out of these 4 walls but money rules all. Want to go anywhere? Cost to fuel up. Want to experience anything? Costs to do. All the creeks around me are on private properties and have fees to go there for the day. I'm trying to be the best mum I can be. I put my little ones in daycare a couple days a week for them. They needed people who can be happy, teach them, do more for them. I know I can be an amazing mother but when I'm stuck in 4 walls staring at the ceiling I'm slowly going insane. I guess I'm just here to rant, nothing can change.I've had anxiety and depression my whole life. I've pushed away family and friends because when they ask 'how are you' i can't answer. How am I? Numb.

Branx Online friend is pushing everyone away and believes that his problems make him unworthy. I worry
  • replies: 2

Yo! I'm a young ~20 yo adult with little experience looking after others. Lemme explain my situation:I met this guy (around 22 yrs old) through a video game. He has...lost family members...is struggling to make any money at all and has been used and ... View more

Yo! I'm a young ~20 yo adult with little experience looking after others. Lemme explain my situation:I met this guy (around 22 yrs old) through a video game. He has...lost family members...is struggling to make any money at all and has been used and betrayed by a girl before.Me and another friend of mine (let's say person B) have been keeping him (person A) company...but recently person A confessed to having a crush on person B, who explained she already had a bf. He didn't...take it well, saying she was just using her like how another person had used him and thrown him aside in the past despite person B only being friendly and checking up on her. He then blocked her on everything before she could even talk it out with him.When I asked him about it he said he's "seen 100s of girls ... [he knows] girl behaviour, her mindset, all things ... even [if] they are pretty, control your emotions, beauty will gone with time". He also says things like "she is good friend, I am not, that's all" and "I already ruin enough".He has a job he hates, ever worsening physical condition (which...isn't being helped by all his thoughts), and thinks about suicide as an option more often than not.........He leaves me on read a lot which I don't mind, but my main way of being there for others is talking things out. The times I do leave a msg it's usually something I've worked on for a bit like a song I sang or a drawing of a hug. In the past person A has been much more open to talking with person B, likely due to the crush he had on her, and often dismisses any other source of comfort or presence as if he doesn't deserve it...until the thing I mentioned above happened.It's...hard when I've heard so many different things like "asking someone to live when you don't understand their suffering is selfish of you" (social media) "you should just leave him" (friend's mum) "if he doesn't want help don't offer it" (friend)...the thing is that even if I understand all these to some extent, I fear leaving him alone for too long will cause him to spiral again, I don't want to stop checking in because I want him to know he's not alone, I don't want to leave him because I...know if I was hurt I'd want people to stay. I recognise this is all my own personal thoughts and opinions and that they can be flawed or biased. I was just...needing some place to talk about this (and I haven't given all the context either), and to ask about what I should and shouldn't do if anyone knows. Cheers Beyond Blue 🩵

Mich87 Romantic thought towards psychologist
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I don’t really know how to start this, but I feel like I need help and I don’t know where else to turn. It’s been more than 3 years since my therapy ended with my previous psychologist. During therapy, I developed strong romantic and sex... View more

Hi everyone, I don’t really know how to start this, but I feel like I need help and I don’t know where else to turn. It’s been more than 3 years since my therapy ended with my previous psychologist. During therapy, I developed strong romantic and sexual feelings towards her and I told her about it because I genuinely wanted help. However, the therapy was suddenly terminated and I wasn’t referred to another psychologist. I felt abandoned and confused. After that, my feelings became much stronger. I did things I’m not proud of—I tried to contact her through emails and social media, and even followed her for short distances. I realise now that this wasn’t okay, but at the time I felt like I had no control. I just missed her deeply and wanted some kind of connection. During that period, I attempted suicide multiple times. My husband supported me through everything and protected me, and I’m still here because of him. I also have a beautiful 5-year-old daughter. I know I have a loving family, but I felt like I lost myself completely. At one point, I was arrested for stalking and suspended from work. It was a very dark time. Since then, with my psychiatrist’s help and medication changes, I’ve become more stable. But even now, after 3 years, I still have very strong thoughts about my previous psychologist. I feel like I’m living in a fantasy world where she is part of my daily thoughts. I imagine being with her, and I can’t seem to control it. It’s really distressing. I also feel a lot of shame. This was the first time I’ve had feelings for a woman, so I’ve also been confused about my sexuality. The hardest part is that I can’t openly talk about this with my psychiatrist because my husband attends all my appointments. I don’t want to hurt or disappoint him, but I also feel stuck and unable to move forward. I truly want to focus on my family and get better. I don’t want to live like this anymore. Has anyone experienced something similar or have any advice on how I can move forward? I would really appreciate any support. Thank you.

Guest_28755086 Teen with anxiety and depression
  • replies: 6

Hi i have been really struggling with anxiety and depression i always feel sad but try to act happy because my mum thinks its not real i did get diagnosed but she said that the doctors are wrong. I feel so alone and don't know what to do.

Hi i have been really struggling with anxiety and depression i always feel sad but try to act happy because my mum thinks its not real i did get diagnosed but she said that the doctors are wrong. I feel so alone and don't know what to do.

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