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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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Unknown76 I need help but don't want to talk to anybody
  • replies: 19

I feel empty, like there is nothing in life anymore. I go to work at a place i hate with a passion and then go home and sleep all the time. Yeah i know i have to talk to a profession or anybody but i over that, enough I don't want to do that and if t... View more

I feel empty, like there is nothing in life anymore. I go to work at a place i hate with a passion and then go home and sleep all the time. Yeah i know i have to talk to a profession or anybody but i over that, enough I don't want to do that and if thats what somebody is going tomtell me to do then this is no help. I can't breath anymore, medication not working nothing is working.

PastelStorm Need advice on what to say
  • replies: 7

I’m having a rough time not being able to see my family. We are all grieving over the death of my uncle (my dad’s younger brother) I’ve never seen my dad so depressed in his life. My mum texted me, she is away for a while taking care of my grandma. S... View more

I’m having a rough time not being able to see my family. We are all grieving over the death of my uncle (my dad’s younger brother) I’ve never seen my dad so depressed in his life. My mum texted me, she is away for a while taking care of my grandma. She told me dads not coping too well and asked me to call my dad and try cheer him up. I had a long think about what I should actually say to him. But I had no idea... I called him anyway in hopes that the words would just come but I burst into tears the moment he answered. I wish I could help him and talk to him without crying. What do you do or say in situations like this?

Montanna_1997 Anxiety and depression ruining my life
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone, I suffer with severe anxiety and depression and I have fallen back into the darkness. I’m trying so so hard to pull myself out but it’s just exhausting. I am constantly having panic attacks before going to work which is leading to me not... View more

Hi everyone, I suffer with severe anxiety and depression and I have fallen back into the darkness. I’m trying so so hard to pull myself out but it’s just exhausting. I am constantly having panic attacks before going to work which is leading to me not being able to work On Wednesday, I thought it was finally time to end it all as I was just sick of everything. I ended up ringing my community mental health and got a appointment with someone there. I got there and was asked questions about my life for what could trigger this... I feel so guilty because my life is awesome... my family, partner, home life is great. But I still feel sad. The man I spoke to ended up telling me that my life seems like it’s perfect from his point of view so I don’t have a lot to be sad about when I think about it. I was left feeling so guilty and upset about being sad in the first place... why do I deserve to be sad when I don’t have anything to put the blame on

Aaron2018 Depression mixed with epilepsy and ptsd
  • replies: 2

I have been struggling with depression and ptsd since i left the army and lost my massive support base i had while i was in. It was made worse in 2013 when my partner at the time decided she no longer wanted me because I was no longer army and didn’t... View more

I have been struggling with depression and ptsd since i left the army and lost my massive support base i had while i was in. It was made worse in 2013 when my partner at the time decided she no longer wanted me because I was no longer army and didn’t have the nice income flowing in. This sent me into an out of control spiral that was made worse by my parents and family treating me like crap because they seen her as the best i could get and my mates always getting drunk and high which caused me to try to commit suicide. And since then i have suffered from nightmares and bad days where my mind gets stuck in a loop of my mistakes and completely messes me up and is putting a major strain on the relationship i now have wirh my wife of two years as my past keeps rearing its ugly head when i either get too stressed or the insomnia takes over as it has tonight and no matter what I try i just cannot switch off the mechanisms that is my brain and memories from the past that make me feel like total crap within myself. It is worse that i don’t really have anyone else to talk to as we cant afford to see a counselling person and alot of my issues stem back to the army. It just makes life hard especially when all i want to do is sleep and curl up with my wife but my head gets so messed up that i dont get the satisfaction of having a decent sleep ever.

Yelah90 Corona prison.
  • replies: 5

Hi i have no professional help. As i thought i found a new counsellor So i told my psychologist. I would like to try my counsellor. I've had 5 or 6 sessions The last session I had with my counsellor, I asked if she could come along and support me at ... View more

Hi i have no professional help. As i thought i found a new counsellor So i told my psychologist. I would like to try my counsellor. I've had 5 or 6 sessions The last session I had with my counsellor, I asked if she could come along and support me at my drs appointment Anyways we get there and there was a mucked up. The nurse was laughing at the situation which made me feel embarrassed so i kinda went back into my shell, no eye contacts. We get home my counsellor and I were chatting g then she said I acted like a 6 or 7 years old. I found that really hurtful. And plus I had someone over and they heard it too. Which made me feel really low. Now due to being stage 4 lockdoen. I feel like my house and my head are becoming prisons. With no escape. I tried to tell someone and they said oh well don't feel sorry for yourself. Feels like I'm just digging the hole deeper. And with no professional help now. I don't know what to do..

James2611 How do I get through my last year of school? Ready to give up on everything and everyone
  • replies: 3

Before the virus all started, I was just getting better from dealing severe depression. And now I'm experiencing it all over again. My last year of school has been ruined, I have lost my job, my sporting season has been cancelled and I'm forced to st... View more

Before the virus all started, I was just getting better from dealing severe depression. And now I'm experiencing it all over again. My last year of school has been ruined, I have lost my job, my sporting season has been cancelled and I'm forced to stay at home. I've tried opening up to my family to talk about how I feel and I just get shut down every time. I try extremely hard to find things to do to keep me happy, but nothing works. I have no one to talk to and I feel so alone in my household. Can someone please give me advice or ideas on how to get through this.

Bushpyg Should I end therapy?
  • replies: 8

Hi there, I About 4 months ago after the bushfires my GP drew up a mental health plan to help me address some of my issues relating to my feelings of powerlessness. I have been on SSRIs for about 30 years and have always had some underlying depressio... View more

Hi there, I About 4 months ago after the bushfires my GP drew up a mental health plan to help me address some of my issues relating to my feelings of powerlessness. I have been on SSRIs for about 30 years and have always had some underlying depression but have found myself to be pretty high functioning and I have always been able to keep my depression to myself and have only ever discussed it with my doctor (in a very limited way), having been to see a couple of therapists over this time but never able to discuss my issues so inflicting a lot of silence on the poor listener. I am generally seen as a very strong, independent person who just gets on with things I decided to give therapy another try with clearly defined goals and have a therapist I feel comfortable with and have been able to open up and genuinely describe many issues and started feeling positive and motivated to work towards change. I am finding things increasingly difficult, as I think and write about many of the issues that are emerging. Things are spiraling out of control as I realise how much I do and think is driven by my low self esteem and poor sense of worth. I am finding most of the CBT exercises impossible, unable to find a positive or kind thought and feel that all the therapy is doing is making things worse and extremely unpleasant. I raised this with my therapist a few weeks ago, and she suggested taking a break for a month to let things settle down. I have found the last weeks to be almost unbearable and found suicidal thinking becoming increasingly dominant. I went to see my GP and while I didn't explain how I was thinking I found just seeing him brought some relief and I am horrified that I could seriously contemplate ending my life in this way. My question is should I stop therapy? I went looking for a quick fix and while some of the issues I went in with are now resolved I feel like I have opened up Pandora's Box. The issues I am now identifying are so long standing and ingrained that I really can't see myself being able to change things. While my emotional and personal life has been very moderated for a long time, it has also largely felt safe. Therapy is making me feel unsafe and exposed and as the next appointment approaches I am wondering whether it would be best to walk away and find some relief. I'm better existing with limited feelings rather than having these negative extremes dominating my thoughts. Thanks for reading this.

old-reject lost with no clues
  • replies: 18

Hi people, so lost at the moment, landlord threatening eviction, no friends, no family, I have a good job but real estate agents say I don't fit their "demographic" meaning they don't want older trades people in their rentals, been giving away all my... View more

Hi people, so lost at the moment, landlord threatening eviction, no friends, no family, I have a good job but real estate agents say I don't fit their "demographic" meaning they don't want older trades people in their rentals, been giving away all my possessions online to try to make any move easier, just feel so isolated in this big city, I'm high function aspie so have always been alone, now so scared, don't know where to turn, been bullied all my life, abused as a child, I don't have any good memories, just wondering if it's worth trying anymore didn't know where to post this so chose "depression", I wake up most mornings almost in tears, it's like life is over for me, feel like I don't fit in anywhere except work, especially since Covid my customers are very happy to see I've fixed their issues, but I get stuff all as I can't bargain, it's like one wall after another, thats the story of my life, rejected since birth I've struggled to get to my 60s, without property your no-one in this city 20 years ago I tried running an ABN, hopeless got ripped off many times, most clients just didn't pay realising I was push over even though they got what they wanted from me, went broke, got a job back in the "industry" tried to move on, but I'm getting nowhere, this govt seems not to care about those of us on the margins, it hurts to know your dispensable not wanted anywhere but work, don't get me wrong, I do love my work and I'm very good at it, just get used a lot and I'm so over it, Any help or clues appreciated, thanks to all

brendaa151 THE PILL
  • replies: 1

One type in particular. About 2 years ago I went on this medication and at the 3 month mark I lost it. I was having panic attacks up to 6 a day, constantly worried, TIRED 24/7 no matter how much I slept, felt dizzy, light headed, I was sick every for... View more

One type in particular. About 2 years ago I went on this medication and at the 3 month mark I lost it. I was having panic attacks up to 6 a day, constantly worried, TIRED 24/7 no matter how much I slept, felt dizzy, light headed, I was sick every fortnight for about a year. I developed health anxiety and thought something was seriously wrong.. after multiple test, there was nothing wrong with me physically. I tried to speak to SOOOOO many doctors that all dismissed me and said "nope. contraceptive pill does not do that". and either offered me a prescription WITH NO hesitation or knowledge of my history or anything.. was just happy to give it to me whatever without asking anything about me. I tried different drs as a lot of people said ok well maybe that just wasn't a good dr. nope.. every single dr did the same thing. They took my blood tests and just said "yeah you're normal.... goodbye" no help whatsoever, and I felt completely dismissed. 2 years later, I gave birth control another try... I thought maybe it was my external environment that was causing it. I'm in a much better place now, and no. Smack bang three months later (which is around now) I'm going through the EXACT same thing. What is happening? Is anyone else having this sort of trouble with birth control? (I have tried other brands- same outcome)

Taannyyaa_xx Feel like im missing something
  • replies: 4

So ive been dealing with BPD for years and lately ive been struggling a little more than usual So i recently got with a close friend of mine and we have been dating for about 3 weeks now. I have been stressed and its taken a toll on my body, so my pe... View more

So ive been dealing with BPD for years and lately ive been struggling a little more than usual So i recently got with a close friend of mine and we have been dating for about 3 weeks now. I have been stressed and its taken a toll on my body, so my period has been a bit up and down. I took a pregnancy test just to double check, i knew there was 99% chance i wasnt pregnant but i took it anyway. I knew it would come up negative but i still feel absolutely wrecked that it wasnt positive. Idk why i feel like this, im not in a position to have kids but i know that i want one really badly. I just feel like apiece of me is missing and i dont know what to do about it.