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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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Surfie883 I just want to die
  • replies: 7

I need help ,just. Need to talk about my feelings but no one is listening.

I need help ,just. Need to talk about my feelings but no one is listening.

Stardust535 I don't know what to do anymore.
  • replies: 5

i just want to scream that i'm here. That i made it and i'm still alive but no one's listening anymore, i don't know if anyone was in the first place. Maybe i made a mistake somewhere but everyone's left me. Now it's 3am and i can't sleep. All i want... View more

i just want to scream that i'm here. That i made it and i'm still alive but no one's listening anymore, i don't know if anyone was in the first place. Maybe i made a mistake somewhere but everyone's left me. Now it's 3am and i can't sleep. All i want to do is cry but i can't. i just don't want to feel alone anymore. The last time people talked to me, they all said i was so strong and brave after everything i've gone through. None of them even asked if i was ok though, i just felt like they talked about me to feel better with themselves. For a moment i didn't feel alone. i'm just tired of having to be strong. i just want to breakdown and cry until it's all over but no ones there. i'm sorry for wasting your time. i'm just lost and i don't know who to ask and i'm just so tired, sorry

Goneinthewind How to get better
  • replies: 3

I don't know where to begin my story. I feel so tired and don't know how to go through this dark period again. I hate ppl saying i'll be ok because it wasn't getting better. I feel so so tired about life, i hate who i am.

I don't know where to begin my story. I feel so tired and don't know how to go through this dark period again. I hate ppl saying i'll be ok because it wasn't getting better. I feel so so tired about life, i hate who i am.

radar2baron Am i a ghost?
  • replies: 4

Hello. This is the first time i have spoken out about how i feel... I am sure i have some kind of problem and it has been like that for a long time, I am sure i suffer from depression and anxiety. Going outside is not easy and its even harder these d... View more

Hello. This is the first time i have spoken out about how i feel... I am sure i have some kind of problem and it has been like that for a long time, I am sure i suffer from depression and anxiety. Going outside is not easy and its even harder these days. I lost my best friend "dog" two and a bit months back. I have a people problem, I consider myself a lone wolf i don't have many friends or really family i would rely on. Meeting people or being around them makes me anxious. I have had a lot go on in my life and the longer i leave the feeling of it will blow over is just making it worse. from feeling crap to being "pissed off" I should go get help as i have tried to kill myself in the past, I do not feel this is a issue for the moment. I feel trapped in a world were if i go with one thought i mess things up more and if i don't then im stuck here in a corner of my own thoughts. If there is any advice anyone would recomend or even just there own experiance or thoughts would be apreciated. Thanks.

jsm1974 ECT experiences?
  • replies: 10

I posted this question in another section as well, but I wanted to see if anyone has had any experience with ECT. I've been struggling with depression and anxiety most of my life and have not responded (at all, really) to medications. I've pretty muc... View more

I posted this question in another section as well, but I wanted to see if anyone has had any experience with ECT. I've been struggling with depression and anxiety most of my life and have not responded (at all, really) to medications. I've pretty much exhausted my possibilities there and ECT is meant to be quite effective. The risk of memory loss is in my case more like an opportunity, given recent events in my life, so I'm not too worried about that. As long as I don't still think I have my job and try to show up at work or something like that, I'm fine with the risk.

Justin95 Made to suffer
  • replies: 4

Hearing people cough or sneeze really brings pain and brings out the worst of me. I’m trying my best to just ignore but I have next door neighbors that do this type of thing everyday. Have you ever had this type of problem? If so how do you cope when... View more

Hearing people cough or sneeze really brings pain and brings out the worst of me. I’m trying my best to just ignore but I have next door neighbors that do this type of thing everyday. Have you ever had this type of problem? If so how do you cope when you hear it I want to know your perspective on this.

manpreetrockerji Am I depressed
  • replies: 3

idk what to do in my life i think im stuck in one position and dont know how to get out of this situation .

idk what to do in my life i think im stuck in one position and dont know how to get out of this situation .

Kirsty7679 Losing love.
  • replies: 5

Hi all! Not sure where else to turn and my fingers lead me here. I am new to this but having been sitting with this for quite a while now. I am married to a wonderful man and we will be celebrating our 20 year anniversary next month, however, ever si... View more

Hi all! Not sure where else to turn and my fingers lead me here. I am new to this but having been sitting with this for quite a while now. I am married to a wonderful man and we will be celebrating our 20 year anniversary next month, however, ever since Covid has been around, we are drifting apart drastically. I am fully vaccinated and he is happy with my choice but he has gone down a rabbit hole of YouTube, science reports, anything and everything that he can basically get his hands on to read about. Now, all he talks about is statistics and policies from all over the world. I love him dearly but, conversation about normal day to day life is non-existent these days, and I am now at the stage where I physically have to leave the room when I know he is about to start talking about this stuff. I have voiced my concerns to him and how I am not happy, I don't think he understands what this is doing in my head. He has changed completely and it is affected the way we function. I am struggling with sleep and eating, I have lost the pleasure of my everyday joys and don't want to be around him. I have my low days and don't want to be around him, going to work has helped matters but I am basically running on empty.....

JustFrank Tired of Failing
  • replies: 6

G'day BB, I've just signed up to ask a few Qs and get some pointers. I think I might need to stop working for a while but this is something I can't support financially and even just saying it makes me feel like I'm just trying to be a lazy sod. I kee... View more

G'day BB, I've just signed up to ask a few Qs and get some pointers. I think I might need to stop working for a while but this is something I can't support financially and even just saying it makes me feel like I'm just trying to be a lazy sod. I keep sinking into this abyss where I can't get off the couch and I'm either barely sleeping or sleeping all day. The longest this has lasted would be about 6 weeks. Sometimes it's only a few days but it has commonly been for a week or two. I've been aware that I'm dealing with depression and anxiety for the last 5 or 6 years and I'm a tough nut to crack because I'm not very good at talking about my situation, I'm not very self aware and I find it difficult to articulate my experience. Anyway, I have tried a few different meds, I've had heaps of counselling sessions and have tried my best to form healthy mindful habits. I know exactly why I'm down. So I guess I'm lucky like that but I don't really want to get better, I just want to get better at managing this new life. A family issue exploded into my life while I was studying chemistry. I was a High Distinction student with only 2 units left. I couldn't concentrate and failed on each of 5 attempts to finish my last 2 classes. So I got back to work, and I've had 6 very good jobs over the last 5 years. Concreting, metal fabrication, teaching assistant, tuberculosis research, pharmaceutical quality control and an operator in a rendering plant. But this abyss keeps calling and every time I lose a job I lose a new group of friends and a little more of my self esteem. Job hunting is difficult for everyone right now, I understand but it's a long hard process that really doesn't make one who has just lost 6 good jobs feel very good about one's self. And to be perfectly honest I am tired of failing. But I have no idea how to approach the topic of accessing centerlink without sounding like I'm trying to be a bludger. I don't even know how to get started. See a doc? Ask them to refer me to?? Can they just take my bloods and assess whether I'm depressed enough to take a break from working? I don't know what to do.

Anusari1 Overcoming established procrastination habits with long term depression (trd)
  • replies: 5

Hi all, I'm really hoping some of you might be able to give me some advice on this topic that I'm sure we can all relate to. I haven't tried outsourcing like this before but I've decided to do it because I'm so desperate to get better. The pattern I'... View more

Hi all, I'm really hoping some of you might be able to give me some advice on this topic that I'm sure we can all relate to. I haven't tried outsourcing like this before but I've decided to do it because I'm so desperate to get better. The pattern I've been stuck in for the past 4 years is inconsistently breaking/not breaking through the time barrier that initiates consecutive advancements. For me it's the 2-3 week mark (mostly 3). It's different for everyone but I'm wondering how do you persevere with the anti-procrastination tools/behaviours long enough to start feeling better. I should clarify its more avoidance behaviours here, my 3 are daydreaming, reading, and history documentaries, all of which are done on the sofa. Over the years we've worked out the magic number for daily action items seems to be 3. If they are small enough (i.e load of washing, having a meal or showering) and at least 1 of them involves me leaving the house for 15mins, than motivation isn't a problem & they are manageable. The problem is getting past the 2 week mark which is when they begin to feel beneficial or at least no longer uncomfortable. I know from countless times in the past that once I approach roughly the 3 week mark of doing the 3 action items of min 5 days a week, then the accumulative effect starts. I'm then able to gradually increase the amount, as the positive effects build on from one another. I guess what I'm asking for is ways to persevere with the 1st 2 weeks where you have to fake it til you make it. I seem mostly to do it for a a week before giving into temptation. We've tried dropping back to 2, then 1, action item after the 1st week but it doesn't seem to make a difference, I find for some reason it takes the same amount of perseverance/effort to maintain three 3 items as 1. In the 1st 2 weeks it feels like the urge to engage in my avoidance behaviours is 10x stronger than my foresight into the long term benefits, even though the long term is only 3 weeks. This makes me wonder if its like an addiction.. not sure if that's true or not but it definitely feels like the hold it has is stronger than my cognitive capabilities. I'd like to know if anyone has advice on perseverance while depressed, doesn't have to be regarding procrastination. I don't think medication changes will do anything as it really seems like a behavioural pattern that's so entrenched I'm unable to outgrow it. Would greatly appreciate any tips or experiences...

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