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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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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.

Em_ How to tell my councilor I've been lying to her.
  • replies: 3

(TW: SH, suicidal thoughts, mentions of child abuse(not detailed))So for context I'm a 15 year old girl (not saying where from as this is already too much info about me), who has had suicidal thoughts and has self harmed since August last year, tryin... View more

(TW: SH, suicidal thoughts, mentions of child abuse(not detailed))So for context I'm a 15 year old girl (not saying where from as this is already too much info about me), who has had suicidal thoughts and has self harmed since August last year, trying to stop but not being able to for more than 5 days as the abuse from my parents put the thoughts back in my head and I do it again. Not to mention my parents are extremely religious and do not accept me being an atheist and also asexual (as I've recently discovered by my mother that being asexual means that I am apart of the LGBTQ+). my parents are mainly mad about me not believing in god, but also because I'm asexual and don't want to have kids of my own, but would rather adopt as there are so many kids out there who don't get adopted because people say that they are "too old", (in my parents mind, that means that they aren't getting any grandkids from me) So I've been going to counseling at my school for almost a year now, (last year for a different topic, this year for family issues). Around the first or second session, my councilor asked me if I ever had self harm thoughts, self harmed myself, thought about killing myself, or trying to. I told her I have had suicidal thoughts and have only self harmed myself once. Here's the thing, I lied to her about that. I've self harmed many times before that and many times after that, but I never told her. This year I've been seeing her for counselling since about late February? And I never told her I have self harmed after because I was scared she would tell my parents and they would yell and hit me. Anyways, I have another counselling session tomorrow to check in to see if my friends are keeping me happy and have been happy with my younger sibling. So my question is, will you help me with trying to tell my councilor that I've been self harming about once a day?(p.s. tell me if I spell words wrong, I'm fluent in English but have mild dyslexia and use an app that helps me but can get it wrong sometimes. you might not believe that I have dyslexia if I use big words but I've always been passionate about writing stories ever since I was younger so I've been writing them to escape my life and also to improve my grammar, haha.)

Guest_10343 The exhaustion of trying to act "normal" - anyone else?
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone. I’m a first-time poster here. I’ve been reading through some of the threads over the last few days, and honestly, just seeing that I’m not the only one feeling like this has brought me a little bit of comfort.I’ve been struggling with wh... View more

Hi everyone. I’m a first-time poster here. I’ve been reading through some of the threads over the last few days, and honestly, just seeing that I’m not the only one feeling like this has brought me a little bit of comfort.I’ve been struggling with what I suspect is depression for a while now, but the hardest part lately is the physical and mental exhaustion of trying to act "normal" around everyone else.I go to work, I smile, I make small talk, and I try to keep up with friends, but it feels like I’m wearing a really heavy mask all day. By the time I get home, I have absolutely nothing left in the tank. I just collapse on the couch and can't even find the energy to cook dinner or do the dishes.I’m so terrified of opening up to the people in my life because I don’t want to be a burden, or worse, have them tell me I just need to "get more sleep" or "think positive."Does anyone else struggle with this specific kind of exhaustion? How do you slowly start taking the mask off, or at least explain to the people close to you that you are running on empty?I’d really appreciate any advice or just hearing from people who understand. Thank you.

M-aggie Chronic Depression
  • replies: 3

I dont want to be alive anymore, im tired. Everyday Im trying to convince myself life is good and worth living but it's a constant struggle. Im having bad dreams more often and I have trouble falling asleep. I often think that I'm a bad person, that ... View more

I dont want to be alive anymore, im tired. Everyday Im trying to convince myself life is good and worth living but it's a constant struggle. Im having bad dreams more often and I have trouble falling asleep. I often think that I'm a bad person, that I'm rude and dumb. I want so badly to contribute something to society but I dont think I ever will, Im not special, I don't have talents.

Guest_49074236 Not sure what to do
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I’m 23 and I’m writing this hoping to get some advice. I’ve been going through a depressive episode for the past 12 months, and I feel like I have completely ruined my life. It has gotten really bad, to the point where sometimes I feel l... View more

Hi everyone, I’m 23 and I’m writing this hoping to get some advice. I’ve been going through a depressive episode for the past 12 months, and I feel like I have completely ruined my life. It has gotten really bad, to the point where sometimes I feel like I can’t survive this. I was in a long-term relationship with my ex-partner for the past 8 years, and I was pretty satisfied with my life. Ever since we broke up, I’ve been severely depressed, having frequent panic attacks, and feeling completely lost. I feel like I’ve lost my sense of identity and don’t know what to do with my life anymore. My family lives overseas, and I moved here with my ex-partner when I was 18. I’m trying to stay here for at least a few more years to build a better life, but I have no idea what I want to pursue in terms of a career. I have social anxiety, I’m struggling to make friends, and I feel like I have no one. My ability to think clearly and make decisions about my life has been significantly affected, leaving me feeling lost, hopeless, and like a complete failure. The psychologist I’m seeing has recommended antidepressants, but I’m really scared to start them. I feel like the reason I’m not well is that I lost the person I loved most. I feel isolated, and I can’t make connections because of my low self-esteem. I can’t stop obsessing over what I should do with my life, and combined with how hard it is just to get through each day, it has put me in a hole I can’t get out of. I still don’t know if medication would be right for me. I am experiencing suicidal thoughts, and although I can think logically and not act on them right now, I’m afraid that going on medication might make things worse. That makes me scared to try it. I don’t know if I should be open with my doctor about this because I don’t want them to contact my emergency contact.I know that what I need is to figure out where I should live, what I should study at university, improve my self-esteem, and make friends, but it all feels impossible. It has even led to me needing to go to the ER because of the severity of my panic attacks. I would appreciate any advice

Guest_68851130 What if I never get better?
  • replies: 2

I’ve been going through MDD since 2022… what if things never get better. I have such little joy in my life right now and everything feels like effort… can anyone relate?

I’ve been going through MDD since 2022… what if things never get better. I have such little joy in my life right now and everything feels like effort… can anyone relate?

gippsland_lad Depression is tough some days
  • replies: 2

Hello,I’m a first time posting here. Imnot a 100% sure posting will help me out but it’s worth a shot. I used to be good opening up to people about issues or troubles I have but I have had recently experiences in the past couple years where I felt pe... View more

Hello,I’m a first time posting here. Imnot a 100% sure posting will help me out but it’s worth a shot. I used to be good opening up to people about issues or troubles I have but I have had recently experiences in the past couple years where I felt people around me didn’t really care or know how to make me feel better so I bury problems. My life at the moment is feeling lonely in my early 30s, unsure of what I want to do in life and feeling like a ghost as no one ever checks in on me. I want to have a good career, make friends for family and to be stable but I feel today’s economy and social network makes it difficult to achieve that. Today was a better episode of depression as a situation in the work place made me lose no mattered how I handled it. So I did something that is a new low for me after work… I brought a vape and sat in my car and vaped to make me feel better. I haven’t never been a smoker or anything like that in the past. Some days life hits harder and I do know how to cope in a healthy way

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