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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 chats on this Forum having 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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Tired_and_over_it Venting
  • replies: 1

Hi, this is my first post and I just wanted to vent. Its probably going to be long so if you don’t feel like reading I suggest moving on now. To start, I am a 38 female and I have had mental health issues for years. My diagnosis’s have been depressio... View more

Hi, this is my first post and I just wanted to vent. Its probably going to be long so if you don’t feel like reading I suggest moving on now. To start, I am a 38 female and I have had mental health issues for years. My diagnosis’s have been depression, anxiety, bi-polar type 2, borderline personality disorder and autistic traits. I have physical conditions diagnosed such as spinal issues, arthritis, joint hyper mobility relating to a connective tissue disorder, reynaulds syndrome among others. I won’t go further into the physical conditions as this post is about mental health, however physical issues come into it so i included for clarity. I work in a government job, and since august last year my physical conditions have flared so I can only work reduced hours. Prior to this I managed my symptoms ok, and working full time. I am good at my job, going above and beyond and was rewarded with a promotion. It was after receiving this promotion that my physical symptoms flared prevented me from working full time. Instead of being an inclusive and supportive workplace they made my life hell and put me through so much to try and get me to quit or demote myself. Since this began my job has been in limbo with constant threats by my employer of losing my job. The problems at work have exacerbated my mental conditions. I have been struggling since august of last year and the issues are still continuing to this day. I have a wonderful GP, clinical psychologist and psychiatrist. Im on numerous medications to help. Then the corona virus hits, and now the country is ‘encouraged’ to stay at home and not go out. I was swimming a couple of times a week which was helping, it felt like I could forget everything when I was swimming and just had the water surrounding me, it was a form of meditation. Now I can’t go, and my physical issues prevent other forms of exercise, including walking or I end up in a lot of pain. Im now isolated (with husband and daughter), I can’t go swimming, I can’t get out and I don’t know how long this will last. I’m waiting to see if Comcare will accept my claim, my job is still in limbo and now stuck at home because of COVID-19. I just want to explode or hide from everything which I can’t because I need to move and rest equally to try limit pain. I hate being in limbo and I have to guide my daughter in her remote learning. run out of characters but I think I explained. I’m struggling with a lot and needed to get it out. Thanks for listening.

Ilsie 1st time self isolator feeling very isolated
  • replies: 3

Hi. I was experiencing a moderate level of depression and anxiety prior to making the decision to take a holiday with my eldest daughter that I hoped would be very good for my mental health. The current situation resulted in us cutting our holiday sh... View more

Hi. I was experiencing a moderate level of depression and anxiety prior to making the decision to take a holiday with my eldest daughter that I hoped would be very good for my mental health. The current situation resulted in us cutting our holiday short and making a mad scramble back to Australia. Unfortunately this meant that we have ended up in 'self isolation'. However, my daughter and I live 3 hours apart and I am really struggling with being isolated at home. I have wonderful neighbours, a beautiful partner that does not live with me and good friends. However, I have found that the past 5 days being confined to my home without being able to work or so much as walk around the block, very challenging. I have felt a very high level of depression and anxiety. This is coupled with guilt and anger because apparently the sun is shining and the birds are singing and I 'shouldn't feel this way.' Ah, if only it were that simple. I suspect that there must be others that live alone, or even with a partner, who find themselves in this situation and I thought this might be a good place to hear their stories and share my own. Depression can be such a lonely beast at the best of times. Thank you for letting me join your forum. Ilsie

kissmyaussieart I don't know what to do
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I'm sure many people have also been affected by the situation at hand, but I've found I think I've nearly hit my personal rock bottom. I'm 18, I was starting uni at my dream course this year, and was making so many friends, and I had a job th... View more

Hi all, I'm sure many people have also been affected by the situation at hand, but I've found I think I've nearly hit my personal rock bottom. I'm 18, I was starting uni at my dream course this year, and was making so many friends, and I had a job that I loved, and was working on improving my relationship with my family. I have now lost uni (I study art so obviously practical classes can't be taught online), I've lost work, my parents are causing me stress again (my mum called me "sad guts" behind my back and complained to go back to work faster), and my two best friends currently aren't talking to me. I'm constantly at the verge of tears and I'm really lost on what I can do. My phone call psychologist appointment isn't for another two weeks, and I feel like I can't reach out to anyone anymore since they're sick of my sadness. I'm trying so hard to be productive, but every day it gets harder and harder. I'm tired all the time, but struggle to sleep. I don't want to sleep at night because that's when my family is quiet. I'm struggling to eat, I just feel sick all the time. I'm at a loss on what to do, I just really need help. Currently the good things I guess are the fact I'm still slowly doing art at home, and I play animal crossing to escape reality a lot right now. I just feel like I worked so hard to improve in my anxiety and depression and now it's gone backwards and I don't know what to do. Any advice or kind words would be appreciated. Thank you.

Dockk I don’t feel good most days but I’m very sane.
  • replies: 3

Look, I’ll be clear with myself first, I don’t feel good most evenings. I’m still happy on top but I’m not in a good place. I can tell I’m deteriorating and a rate which I find very concerning. I have good friends who know about my depression and anx... View more

Look, I’ll be clear with myself first, I don’t feel good most evenings. I’m still happy on top but I’m not in a good place. I can tell I’m deteriorating and a rate which I find very concerning. I have good friends who know about my depression and anxiety but I think my problems are getting to a place that I don’t think I feel comfortable talking to them about. I don’t know. But I know one thing though is that I’m becoming more and more condescending, nervous anxious and depressed with my life. And sometimes i tend to act like I don’t know that all this is happening. I’ve never been diagnosed, so I’m not the judge of my mental state but I can tell that I’m not thinking correctly. Who knows? Uhhh anyway, am I wrong to feel how I feel about my situation

runashley hi i’m new and really would like some help
  • replies: 7

Hi I’m ash and I’m looking for some help, I’ve been having these insane crazy depressive episodes recently. I’ve had depression ever since I was young but every now and then it gets a whole lot worse and no one in my family cares. They’ve been told b... View more

Hi I’m ash and I’m looking for some help, I’ve been having these insane crazy depressive episodes recently. I’ve had depression ever since I was young but every now and then it gets a whole lot worse and no one in my family cares. They’ve been told by multiple doctors/psychologists that I have depression etc so they are aware of it they just kinda chose to forget about it. Like recently, every night I’ll be just crying for hours to the point where I literally feel so numb I can’t cry anymore, but I just get yelled and screamed at for crying over nothing, which obviously makes it so much worse as then I normally have some sought of panic attack and can’t breathe. Then they tell me I’m overreacting and that I’m immature and acting like a child. My parents who ever house I stay at (they’re divorced) both feel the same way and treat me the same. But basically the recent problem has been that I’m in my room a lot or that I’m always on my laptop, because of corona virus obviously we can’t go outside really anymore but I have been going on walks occasionally. Because how my parents treat I really dislike being with them I hate spending time with them, I hate doing anything with them because I’m constantly anxious around them, feeling like I’m walking on eggshells trying everything I can to not be screamed at. So therefore I just chill in my room listening to music, watching shows etc, as these types of activities make me forget about everything that’s going on and help to calm me. My parents are constantly on my back about doing this though and get so mad if I’m in there for too long but when they ask me to do stuff I get annoyed and frustrated and it often comes out as anger as when I’m really anxious I have such a short fuse. I know that’s probably something I have to work on but they get angry right back calling me every name under the sun and just verbally abusing me until I can’t help but to think really scary thoughts. I honestly don’t know what to do anymore the only thing that gives me some sense of security is doing these things but this causes so much tension because they don’t understand how they make me feel better. Anyway I really would love some advice on how to deal with this. I obviously have tried talking to them about this multiple times but it always ends up in a fight so that’s not really an option. I also don’t really feel comfortable bringing it up with friends at this point. Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from someone soon. ash

parker1976 First timer looking for support
  • replies: 3

Where to begin!!! 43 yrs old, married for 15yrs now divorced, 2 girls (Teenage). Had a long term relationship of nearly 5 years until recently. Always brushed off mental health (typical male attitude) until i felt it myself. My ex long term partner (... View more

Where to begin!!! 43 yrs old, married for 15yrs now divorced, 2 girls (Teenage). Had a long term relationship of nearly 5 years until recently. Always brushed off mental health (typical male attitude) until i felt it myself. My ex long term partner (lets call her 'S')was diagnosed with BPD after she had an episode (dont know if thats the right term) and pushed one of my kids. My reaction was not the best and I ended the relationship. In my up bringing i felt my parents never put me first and I know how it made me feel, i suppose that is why I reacted the way i did and ended the relationship as i didnt want my kids to feel like i had. I kept in touch with S and was so proud of her for how she treated her BPD diagnosis and the DBT training she did. I told her she turned from a girl into a women and I was so proud of her. During our relationship I was not the perfect partner and I had commitment issues which came from my marriage. I was scared to commit, live together etc which resulted in a few break ups of my doing over the relationship. Last year I suddenly lost my father who lived in the UK which obviously came as a massive shock. After returning from the UK i decided i needed some help with my mental health. Losing my father made me realise there were things in my life that i had never addressed and because of this i made some poor decisions (not committing, ending the relationship with S etc). I was still speaking with S and were sleeping together, neither of us had looked for anyone else. I made a decision to commit to her but when i told my kids they were upset and i was weak and broke it off with S again. I told S that I needed to work on my issues so that I can be a better person for me and for us. S said I needed to do it for me not us. I said ultimately im doing it for the both of us because i love you and she said she loved me. I had been trying to contact S but she snapped back at me in a msg to leave her alone. I went to see her a few days later and she seemed off. I asked her where she'd been and she told me with a friend, i didn't believe her and asked if she'd been on a date? she said yes, I asked if she slept with him? she said Yes. I was/am devastated, she has now completely cu me out of her life, blocked me on everything and i am struggling. I think of her all day everyday. I know she has moved on with someone else and its killing me. How is she able to move on so quickly when she said she loved me. I cant stop beating myself up.

StillToBloom I was told my depression is not 'real' depression
  • replies: 18

I have been suffering from depression and anxiety continuously for 7 years. I have seen many mental health professionals and tried 4 common antidepressants with no relief to my symptoms. I have finally found a psychologist who is kind and helpful but... View more

I have been suffering from depression and anxiety continuously for 7 years. I have seen many mental health professionals and tried 4 common antidepressants with no relief to my symptoms. I have finally found a psychologist who is kind and helpful but I still experience strong feelings of hopelessness, apathy, no motivation and just in general do not really enjoy anything about my life. So I went to see a psychiatrist for some specialist insight into medications to try to help me start climbing out of the black hole. It was the psychiatrist who told me my depression was not an illness because I was not suicidal. She told me that I had just got too comfortable in my living situation (living with my parents) and should have tried harder to get a job even when I have no confidence or self-worth. She said that my parents should have put pressure on me to 'do something with my life' and that they should not have been concerned about causing me distress if I was not suicidal. She said I should lose weight and take pride in my appearance so that I will be more confident. I cannot get the things she said out of mind. I believe what she said because she is an 'expert'. I am starting to believe that my condition is all my fault. I felt like I have taken on as much as I can while trying to recover, but now I feel like I must have just been lazy. It is a week until I can see my psychologist again and I don't know how to deal with the extra burden of those comments going around in my head. I'm not even sure that I am right to be upset. I'm not certain that her comments were inappropriate. I don't know how to tell my GP that this psychiatrist may not have properly understood what I am going through, because my GP will start using the psychiatrist's letter to set out my recovery plan.

Curleee Reflections on our current health crisis
  • replies: 15

Hello there, Just a comment..... but I've been asked so many times in the last few weeks , how I'm feeling about it all. I must also say that I am in no risky cohorts..... so maybe I have a luxury around that. But basically I wanted to talk about and... View more

Hello there, Just a comment..... but I've been asked so many times in the last few weeks , how I'm feeling about it all. I must also say that I am in no risky cohorts..... so maybe I have a luxury around that. But basically I wanted to talk about and see what others might be thinking, in terms of this whole thing. I, to be honest, have it at the very back of mind. Not that it's not important, but just that my Mental Health scenario always has to take precedence. (And in some ways, it would be nice to have the tiny luxury of focusing fully on this health crisis; rather than my mental health)….. so it would be good to see where are others are with all of this..... I am watching the wind (i.e. the virus) whoosh past me and watching it go by, but essentially, day-to-day, it is always about getting myself and keeping myself somewhere in the middle (emotionally)….. hmmm...... that's all from me, for now...… thanks for your thoughts

SteveB1978 New guy just struggling.. again
  • replies: 12

Hello, My first post here.. feels safe to open up a bit on here.. I’ve struggled with depression since 2005 (after some traumatic evens) I was put on medication but never really felt it helped much.. but I got through it eventually and enjoyed most d... View more

Hello, My first post here.. feels safe to open up a bit on here.. I’ve struggled with depression since 2005 (after some traumatic evens) I was put on medication but never really felt it helped much.. but I got through it eventually and enjoyed most days until about 2017. My marriage was falling apart for many reasons, however February 2018 we separated. I feel I was forced out, we owned a fitness business but she lost my trust from a previous affair and always having guys over from the gym.. the wheels where definitely falling off. Anyway since the separation and now divorce my whole life has fallen apart.. She set the situation up and I basically lost everything including our fitness business which she now runs.. I’ve been in and out of jobs but nothing has really worked out. I see our kids, 35% of the time but been hard to adjust not seeing them everyday.. this is just the very small story of all the mess I currently feel in.. but it’s a small start to opening up. Currently my depression and anxiety is very crippling. Just really want to not feel like this.. just don’t know if I can ever get through this. that’s it for now.. thanks for ready.. hope it makes a bit of sense.. and my head is in a spin from the mess I’m in right now.

Djk78 How do I help a partner suffering from depression?
  • replies: 3

hey all, new to these forums but I am desperate. My partner of 6 years has suffered with depression for around the last 4 or so years. I feel as though it started after our son was born. Things had been okay until he was under alot of pressure in his... View more

hey all, new to these forums but I am desperate. My partner of 6 years has suffered with depression for around the last 4 or so years. I feel as though it started after our son was born. Things had been okay until he was under alot of pressure in his mining job about 18 months ago and he quit. He then went to a job he was kind of enjoying until he was involved in a motorbike accident mid last year. He was off work for a while and decided to go back to mining despite my concerns for his mental health. He has now been back there about 5 months and his mental health has rapidly declined. He was seeing a psychologist while he was off work after his accident but stopped going to appointments. He has started to push everyone away and everyone has noticed the difference in him. Other than telling him that I'm here for him and to support him what else can I do.? I've read so many pages and articles about depression and supporting someone dealing with it but i don't think anything prepares you for the stress and emotional roller-coaster that comes with being a support person. We are in the middle of building a house and just brought a new car so at this present time him leaving his job would put us in an even more stressful situation. I think buying all the things was a coping mechanism for him but I think he realises now it hasnt helped. Please help... trying to keep my life in order for the sake of my kids and also trying to be there for him is slowly destroying me. I want nothing more than to help him through this but I'm just so unsure as to how I do that.1