Support
Support

Depression

Depression affects people in Australia every day. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with depression.

Start a conversation

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a conversation

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a conversation

moonandstars Depression and inability to eat
  • replies: 8

Hi guys, This is my first post ever on beyondblue forums so I’m a bit nervous. I have clinically diagnosed major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder (and have been diagnosed since I was 14, now 20). I am on m... View more

Hi guys, This is my first post ever on beyondblue forums so I’m a bit nervous. I have clinically diagnosed major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder (and have been diagnosed since I was 14, now 20). I am on medication for these conditions. I also have a psychologist who I speak to on the phone (due to COVID). Whenever I feel my depressive episodes creeping up on me I feel lethargic and disinterested in everything (as I’m sure many of you relate to). I also have an extreme loss of appetite which I’m usually able to deal with but at the moment I have no desire for food whatsoever. The thought makes me feel sick and I am just not hungry. I cannot bring myself to eat anything at all. Have any of you ever dealt with this and found a way to force food down without feeling sick? Are there any particular foods which you find help you during these periods? I’m just really lost and not sure what to do as this is the worst my appetite has ever been. I can still drink water and some fruit juice but no solid foods, it makes me gag and I just don’t feel hungry. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you.

NichD Only able to sleep 3-4 hours during lockdown/everyday.. (Any Solutions?)
  • replies: 14

Hi there, I'm a male currently at the age of 22 years old, this routine happened after the lockdown started, and really hit my anxiety and depression in the early of July. During the lockdown, I feel like I'm being trapped at home. I lived alone wher... View more

Hi there, I'm a male currently at the age of 22 years old, this routine happened after the lockdown started, and really hit my anxiety and depression in the early of July. During the lockdown, I feel like I'm being trapped at home. I lived alone where I have no one to talk to, usually I always go out and work before lockdown happened. Now, I only spent my day at home for about 2 months where I have no one to talk to and spent my time mostly on my computer and phone. Every night when I go to bed, I just can't sleep at all I tried many things, for example, taking sleep vitamins, exercise, meditation but it not helping me out when I tried to sleep. This makes me feel so stressed out during night time when I go to bed my mind always thought "it's another night I won't be able to sleep again". It's been like a month I've only been able to sleep like 3-4 hours or even less and slowly I'm getting weaker and sick. My body always feels really tense and extremely tired but yet every time I went to bed I always can't sleep at all. At some point, I wanna take sleep medicine but I'm scared of side effects. Since I can't sleep really well my anxiety and stressed getting worst by day. I always started overthinking some things, scared of unnecessary things, and mostly scared of going to bed. Does anyone have advice or solutions about this, how I can get back to sleep normally?

Lonelylifetraveller Wandering soul- Am I the only one?
  • replies: 7

Where to begin. I've only lived in Australia for 1.5 years after moving overseas from Europe (Scandinavia) to spend time and life with my partner here in Australia. Of course it all began with quite a ride entering the country just prior to Covid sta... View more

Where to begin. I've only lived in Australia for 1.5 years after moving overseas from Europe (Scandinavia) to spend time and life with my partner here in Australia. Of course it all began with quite a ride entering the country just prior to Covid starting and the lockdowns. Me and my partner spend years together in a long distance relationship, before I decided to make the move across the globe and restart life here in my mid 30's. To say the least it has been trying, much of course due to everything brought on from Covid. But I've found myself more and more unhappy in others way here as well and over time this has spiralled into more serious behaviour and a depression slowly taking over me. Indeed my time in Australia has proven to be the toughest so far and not very welcoming on many levels. Which to me is still surprising as anyone has ever described Australia as the land of cheery and kind people. Professionally I've been tricked and backstabbed multiple times at this point. So many people have tried or successfully taken advantage of me and the situation. No matter a decade of managerial experience, a degree, proficient in several languages and more I have proven to be very unsuccessful finding employment even without any visa restrictions. Friends are another matter and it seems how kind, welcoming or genuine I try to be, making friends here is rather difficult and the ones I have met so far have proved to be quite the opposite after a while. To be honest, I struggle to have met anyone genuinly kind or professional during my time here and I'm usually quite selective and good at reading people. So battling horrible experiences and general exclusion from society here, depression has slowly began to creep on to me and take over more and more. It is now at the point where I begin to question why and what life is really for and if it is all worth it. The struggle is daily and for weeks now I have been tired and genuinly not felt any joy or excitement from anything. I feel empty, excluded, lied and backstabbed to. And I begin to hate the life here. This is all new to me. I guess I wanted to hear if there was anyone else with similar experiences here or thoughts? Or if anyone had any great tips for battling depression and not letting it take over completely? I have seen a psychologist for 2 months but felt it didn't give me anything practical to work with. Am usually cheery and great guy but not in love with anything here so far but still hoping.

Yeah-Nah I NEED HOPE
  • replies: 19

So, on the roller coaster again. Since entering adulthood many moons ago it seems I can't shake off the soul sapping reality that I CONSTANTLY suffer depression, such that it renders me incapable of anything beyond mere existence. I try to pick mysel... View more

So, on the roller coaster again. Since entering adulthood many moons ago it seems I can't shake off the soul sapping reality that I CONSTANTLY suffer depression, such that it renders me incapable of anything beyond mere existence. I try to pick myself up over and over but as it is I'm here again. I'm tired. I do NOT want this to be a dictating factor of my existence but it seems to always leach in

Amanda2000 don't waste time with the bad, live with the good!
  • replies: 2

I'm no optimist. I suffer from depression & anxiety & ocd. It's been a mental roller-coaster ever since the start of the covid stay-at-home/work-from-home thing. Today is the same as yesterday, and tomorrow will not be any better. I came across this ... View more

I'm no optimist. I suffer from depression & anxiety & ocd. It's been a mental roller-coaster ever since the start of the covid stay-at-home/work-from-home thing. Today is the same as yesterday, and tomorrow will not be any better. I came across this line from a movie that has been a very helpful daily reminder - don't waste time with the bad, live with the good! What caught my attention was "don't waste time ......". So true - my mental issues have consumed so much of my time & energy that I could've spent doing something that I enjoy. I've stopped trying to achieve perfect-happiness. Instead look for little positive things everyday to make life more bearable for myself. Every little bit helps. Each short-term adds up to a long-term. Hope this will help someone out there who's feeling down.

AT_1 All gone
  • replies: 2

Everything has disappeared. Colour, drive, morality. Only a cold reality of stark unremarkableness stained with a mocking truth that even it will abandon you. With the most sickening of things being a daily occurance that destroys any hope for self r... View more

Everything has disappeared. Colour, drive, morality. Only a cold reality of stark unremarkableness stained with a mocking truth that even it will abandon you. With the most sickening of things being a daily occurance that destroys any hope for self respect and an inability to resist temptations, a spark which has also gone the way off all things, what a cruelty it is to ask that I hope for more. But if I truly despised this, why be here? Why does being here feel like a defeat? What am I trying to win? All I have is this delusion of unique suffering that is anything but. Its just so dark in here I can't see you.

Hong24 Dont really understand my feelings
  • replies: 2

The past few years i havnt been feeling the greatest about my mental health and i still dont fully know why. This all stemed from some drama between me and my friends which has pretty much resulted in me becoming distant with them despite me being ve... View more

The past few years i havnt been feeling the greatest about my mental health and i still dont fully know why. This all stemed from some drama between me and my friends which has pretty much resulted in me becoming distant with them despite me being very close to everyone before. When I then attempted to fix the relationships between my friends and I but only resulted in more drama and being outcasted even more. Its kind of weird because now I think about it I've always thought in the back of my mind that they are not the type of people i should be surronding myself with. Despite the fact that i am only in Y12 and with Uni being able to give me a "fresh start" next year, there is still often times where i just get hit with sadness if i see them having fun and stuff without me, even though their hobbies dont appeal to me anymore. When im sad i also tend to have a lot of self sabotage e.g. feeling of no worth, even though i have high expectations of my future and believe that all this drama is a blessing is diguise that will lead me to meet other people. I have decent grades, very loving parents and siblings, im constantly happy about my weight loss progress, and like most of the time im usually very happy and smile a lot. But I just dont understand why sometimes i feel so sad even when i know that in the long run everyting will be fine.

AT_1 Nothing mattered
  • replies: 5

Everything leading up to who I am now seems superfluous. All I am is failing heap of contemptible garbage. I was born wrong and ill die hated, I know it. Its no surprise she doesn't want me. Its no surprise everyone forgot. And this is the only place... View more

Everything leading up to who I am now seems superfluous. All I am is failing heap of contemptible garbage. I was born wrong and ill die hated, I know it. Its no surprise she doesn't want me. Its no surprise everyone forgot. And this is the only place I can tell anyone. I don't understand, I don't learn, everythings grey and diffuse. Why doesn't anyone want me

Rupes79 Never ending depression
  • replies: 3

Hi Folks What are your tips when you’ve been in a state of depression long enough you can’t remember what it felt like beforehand and despondent enough to feel like you’ll never emerge form it?

Hi Folks What are your tips when you’ve been in a state of depression long enough you can’t remember what it felt like beforehand and despondent enough to feel like you’ll never emerge form it?

jenms Over myself
  • replies: 3

i haven't been online for a while now but have hit another really low period. To be clear, always low it just varies in intensity. At the moment i am pretty rock bottom. Been trying to force myself to exercise, go for a walk, get out of the house but... View more

i haven't been online for a while now but have hit another really low period. To be clear, always low it just varies in intensity. At the moment i am pretty rock bottom. Been trying to force myself to exercise, go for a walk, get out of the house but just not succeeding very well. I just look at myself in the mirror every morning and hate what i see. I am constantly 'putting on a brave face' which is exhausting. Occasionally i lose it and burst into tears and if i am at home i just keep working (as i work from home). If i manage to force myself out of the house it doesn't take much to bring me to tears and then i go home again. Invited to a wedding i really should be going to but it was stressing me so much thinking about it that i declined as i didn't want to have a meltdown in 'public' and certainly didn't want to ruin somebodys' wedding day. I know logically that i should force myself out but it is just getting harder and harder. I have my cat who is the only thing keeping me going which sounds pathetic but it is what it is. I have been promising myself to get back into my yoga and walking for the last two months but just haven't done it. Don't expect anybody to fix me but i just really needed to vent today, so there it is.

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright � 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map