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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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PDD DYSTHYMIA / PERSISTENT DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
  • replies: 2

I was diagnosed with chronic dysthymia 15 years ago by a psychiatrist. What a relief to have a name for the reason l was different to those around me an a full page description that explained my life. Prior to this I had many jobs, moved many times n... View more

I was diagnosed with chronic dysthymia 15 years ago by a psychiatrist. What a relief to have a name for the reason l was different to those around me an a full page description that explained my life. Prior to this I had many jobs, moved many times never seeming settled and unknowingly self sabotaging my relationship. The instigator of being diagnosed was my withdrawal from my dream course as l was filled with self doubt. My diagnosis was genetic. So nothing caused this and l have lived my whole life this way. I am reaching out to find other people with this disorder who understand the social implications and if anyone knows of any support or meeting groups for Dysthymia/ Persistent Depressive Disorder.

Rik Struggling
  • replies: 5

I’m a successful guys, a loving g partner if 17 years but can tell him anything that I’m going through. I never want to disappoint those closes to me so I’m screwed when it comes to support. I had a couple bad experience over the weekend and had my f... View more

I’m a successful guys, a loving g partner if 17 years but can tell him anything that I’m going through. I never want to disappoint those closes to me so I’m screwed when it comes to support. I had a couple bad experience over the weekend and had my first ever “this is the time”. Would be great to just understand I’m not the only crazy person that’s whinging even though they have a privileged life

Gigabyte Felling lost and broken.
  • replies: 1

Hi, I'm 39-year-old. I got injured in Nov 2024 while working at a supermarket, It's a WorkCover claim. Since then, I've been stuck dealing with chronic pain, numbness in my leg, and serious mobility issues. I can't stand for more than 10 minutes, dri... View more

Hi, I'm 39-year-old. I got injured in Nov 2024 while working at a supermarket, It's a WorkCover claim. Since then, I've been stuck dealing with chronic pain, numbness in my leg, and serious mobility issues. I can't stand for more than 10 minutes, driving is limited to short trips, even basic errands wipe me out. Sitting hurts after 20 to 30 minutes, so I spend most of my time lying in bed on my side. The pain is constant. Sometimes it's burning numbness down my leg mixed with lightning bolts of nerve pain, sometimes it feels like someone’s jamming a piece of rebar into my spine. I’ve been on Palexia, Tramadol, Celebrex. I’ve done physio, hydro, and just had a nerve conduction study. I get the results in a week. That test was rough. Some parts of my leg lit up and made me swear out loud, other spots like the groin down my thigh to my knee were completely dead. He cranked the voltage to max and I didn’t even flinch. The specialist said if he hadn’t met me, based on the MRI and CT, he’d think he was looking at a 60-year-old’s spine. My nerves are misfiring constantly and the pain runs from my back all the way down both legs. Despite all that, WorkCover keeps pushing me to go back to work. They ignore what my body’s telling me and even take things my doctors say out of context just to tick boxes. I've had to fight for every bit of support. The IME said I’m at 40% capacity, but they’re twisting his words to say I’m ready for work. This whole process has smashed my mental health. I can’t sleep properly, I'm up at random hours, never more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. I’m dealing with anxiety, depression, burnout and PTSD. I’ve been bounced between GPs, psychs, pain specialists, and every time I try to stand up for myself, I get treated like a problem or flagged for drug seeking. Even when I flat out refuse certain meds because I hate feeling high. I'm scared they're going to force me back into a job I can't physically do. I'm tired of justifying my pain to people who don't live with it. I can't even lift my 3-year-old daughter for a cuddle. I can't be intimate with my partner. I see a psych, she's nice, but too polite. I don’t want sugarcoated sympathy, I want honesty. I want someone who doesn’t blink when I say I’m barely holding on. I don’t want to be told to do breathing exercises. I want answers. I need help. I’m at my limit. I don’t know how much longer I can do this. p.s. I had chatgpt shorten my post as i was at 3400 characters long.

Guest_03834137 I think something is wrong with me.
  • replies: 1

I don't know how to be normal. Being normal is something I have always wanted, since being a child I have been called weird or strange. Now I'm an adult and it feels like my brain is wired in a way to self-destruct my own life. As though I can't allo... View more

I don't know how to be normal. Being normal is something I have always wanted, since being a child I have been called weird or strange. Now I'm an adult and it feels like my brain is wired in a way to self-destruct my own life. As though I can't allow myself to ever be happy or at peace. Ever since I was young i have always loved love, now I hate it. I hate being in love. I love my boyfriend but there's moments where he slightly irriatates me and it's like i switch to someone else. I start screaming and yelling saying I hate him and I just saw the most awful stuff. 2 hours later I'm sat there wondering why I just told the only person I feel like I have ever truly loved to harm himself? Who does that? That's not even the worst of it. Sometimes it will just be that a female his type has come up on the tv and then there it goes my mind starts racing thinking about everything he has ever done, lied about or whatever. I just can't escape my mind. And i just hate myself sooooooooooo much. I've never hated anything more. But then I want help but how do I get help. I know I suffer from really bad anxiety and that definitely weighs on the relationship and myself. But there has to be something else wrong with me. Otherwise I'm just a terrible person.

Lib How I feel
  • replies: 3

I feel like I'm just soo done with everything. Like I'm so tired of everything not physically but in my head, and I feel so stupid that I feel this way bc my problems are like so small compared to other people so idek why I feel like this. I feel so ... View more

I feel like I'm just soo done with everything. Like I'm so tired of everything not physically but in my head, and I feel so stupid that I feel this way bc my problems are like so small compared to other people so idek why I feel like this. I feel so confused like I don't see a point in anything anymore like I feel like no matter how hard I try I'll never feel like how I used too. I feel like I'm so in my head and it's exhausting. I feel so alone even tho I'm literally not. Sometimes I feel like my thoughts aren't mine and that scares me. I'm starting to realise I don't care what happens to me anymore. I feel like everyday is just a never ending cycle that I can't escape from, and I'm constantly waiting for things to past even though I try to enjoy the present. I feel left behind no matter how hard I try to be better than I was yesterday. I feel so confused and idk what's happening. I feel everything and so numb at the same time. This sounds rlly dumb but i feel like something is missing from my life. I feel like I've wasted all my potential even though I try so hard and I don't love the things I used to anymore which makes me sad. I don't have the drive and the passion for the things that I used to. Ik that was alot but im just so confused.

Earth Girl Awkward encounter online
  • replies: 6

So, you know the app Titok? Well, a little while ago I thought I'd go on it to watch tiktoks and let's just say I didn't know about the "live" thing. I watched a few Tiktoks and one of them was a live and I was just watching these two people because ... View more

So, you know the app Titok? Well, a little while ago I thought I'd go on it to watch tiktoks and let's just say I didn't know about the "live" thing. I watched a few Tiktoks and one of them was a live and I was just watching these two people because I thought it was just a regular video and after a while they started looking at me a bit confused, but I just scrolled and didn't think too much into it because I still thought that it was probably just a Tiktok for some reason. I kept looking through Tiktoks and I was watching one with someone from "Love on the Spectrum" and I was looking through the comments with my hand on my face and shoulder on the table and smiling then I went to look at another Tiktok and it again came up with that live thing and I think I was still looking at where those comments usually are and then I looked at the "TikTok" and I think I was still smiling and I still had my hand on my face and I saw this girl and we looked at each other for a few seconds and then she sighed and rolled her eyes and then I realized that that Tiktok wasn't exactly a Tiktok, but more of a "live" thing like it said and that she could probably see me too and that on those things you're supposed to talk to the person or something? I quickly scrolled again and tried to process what happened. The worst part is I think it might be someone who knows me because she looked familiar, so this really is quite awkward. Even if it wasn't someone who knew me it's still awkward, especially because of how she reacted. If she does know me, she's so going to tell everyone about it and then it will become even more awkward. I really wish I knew about the "live" thing because I thought it was all just videos that you watch. I'm getting kind of stressed now. I guess there isn't really anything I can do about it, but at least I know not to go on Tikok anymore. My sister has a Tiktok account, and she has never said anything about the "live" thing. Has anyone else experienced something like this? It also doesn't help that it was early in the morning and I'm wearing a hoodie covering my head, so I probably look really weird. I hope it's not possible that this "live" thing could be saved? :((((((((((((((

Guest_23103482 Husbands Heart Attack
  • replies: 1

Hi. My husband had a major heart attack 3 months ago. He is well and truly on the mend now .. looking and feeling really well, but I am struggling. He is a joyful character and takes great enjoyment in telling his story to anyone who will listen. I’m... View more

Hi. My husband had a major heart attack 3 months ago. He is well and truly on the mend now .. looking and feeling really well, but I am struggling. He is a joyful character and takes great enjoyment in telling his story to anyone who will listen. I’m finding it really hard to listen to his story over and over. I’m so happy he is feeling well again but feel miserable within myself. He occasionally makes mention of his smoking that he has given up but jokes about taking it up again and it really destroys me every time I hear it. i don’t know what to do. I’m know he doesn’t mean to upset me but I’m still terrified of losing him. He’s only 55. He always uses humour to get through any difficult situation but I’m struggling to find him funny at the moment. I try to exercise when I can and eat well. I’ve always worked and enjoy working but can’t seem to find the joy in anything at the moment. I just want to be alone and not talk to anyone. Is there anyone else out there feeling like this? I feel selfish for feeling miserable as it was he who had the heart attack not me.

SadSad Depression
  • replies: 4

i've had depression for 7 years.

i've had depression for 7 years.

Belly Feeling Low, Unsure where to from here
  • replies: 6

Hi, I'm new to beyond blue forums. I have suffered with depression and anxiety on and off most of my life. Currently things have gotten a lot worse as we are in the worst financial position and I don't know how to go on. My husband and I own our own ... View more

Hi, I'm new to beyond blue forums. I have suffered with depression and anxiety on and off most of my life. Currently things have gotten a lot worse as we are in the worst financial position and I don't know how to go on. My husband and I own our own business and it is sinking fast. We have so much debt owing on the business, numerous unpaid bills and owe all of our family members money including a couple of our kids. I guess I'm just venting I don't think there is an answer but as I sit here in bed crying unable to sleep yet again as I can't stop thinking of where the money to survive another day is going to come from. Then in a few hours I have to get up to go to work and start the day all over again. Tonight I did some more research and have found a place that may be able to help with the debt possibly. But I feel so bad at my failure I never thought I would be in such a bad situation and feel so low all of the time. I'm on the strongest possible anti depressant and anxiety tablets but I don't feel they help anymore. But I'm to scared to stop them cause goodness knows what that would look like. I have spoken to my GP and he has put me on a health plan to see a psychologist. However one I need money for that and we can't afford for me to go and two I have tried counselling before and it has never helped me. So instead here I am hoping talking to others who know what I am going through may help.

Guest_10205 so lonley
  • replies: 3

Hi i've suffered from depression my whole life,up and downs.At the moment my depression is really bad,I cry everyday.I don't have any friends.Iknow people say this and have friends but i dont.I've agorophobia for 28 yrs and only being able to leave m... View more

Hi i've suffered from depression my whole life,up and downs.At the moment my depression is really bad,I cry everyday.I don't have any friends.Iknow people say this and have friends but i dont.I've agorophobia for 28 yrs and only being able to leave my house the last few year with a support person.My 2 support persons i used to have have gone.The first support person left for personal reasons which she explained.The secong person just pulled the rug,things were great the day before,then i get a message that she has quit the company.We were really close having her home phone number and met her boyfriend abd been to her house.Iknow behind the scenes she was overcharging on support and i have an inkling this is why she left.Sounds strange but we were really close.She is no responding on Facebook,messanger,phone or text.My support workers are like my only friends,i see them 4 times a week and have done for a long time.I really don't have any friends to talk to,because i was agorophobic for 28 yrs i didn't get the chance to make any.I just feel so lonley and disconnected, Iwish i had a friend to talk to and maybe go for a coffee.I can't leave the house without someone with me