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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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Johnny2796 I got no idea whats next
  • replies: 5

So, im new to this, to talking about feelings even though i am a big advocate for my friends and family to talk about whats going on inside their heads, alot of them either deal or have dealt with depression and anxiety and im the kind of person that... View more

So, im new to this, to talking about feelings even though i am a big advocate for my friends and family to talk about whats going on inside their heads, alot of them either deal or have dealt with depression and anxiety and im the kind of person that will bend over backwards to help in any way i can even if i get burnt in the end. However, i dont open up much at all, im super close with my mum and sister, super close with my Nan and my Pop (who we lost at the start of the year) At the end of it, i dont like to open up to them or seek help for myself out of some stupid mentality that "im a dude and we dont do this stuff" and that i also just dont want to be a burden. I am also super aware of my mind and where i am, like for instance i know i need help but at the same time im like well i can deal with it myself because its not that bad surely, and as you can tell i also suck at getting my point across and tend to drag things out. Theres a thousand things id like to get out there and probably not enough words to do it so ill try and keep it short. I dont have a relationship with my father and havent really for about 10 years, it came to light about 5 years ago that he was cheating on my mother and i, from the age of 12, were having to fight him to protect my mother and sister. i know i have some deep seeded problem with him i should address at some point but i probably wont. Since i was 12ish i dealt with depression and self harm which didnt help things with dad, ive tried to kill myself 2 times, but i dont have those thoughts anymore and havent for a long time. I have a constant need to be liked and accepted which is exhausting, i am a very social person and i feel like ive lost myself in this character ive created to be accepted my people that i really, dont care for but do at the same time. I also can be pretty self destructive if in a down state of mind via drinking. Losing my Pop hit us all very hard at, he dealt with depression and out of the whole family he was who i could talk to about things and vice versa. He was also very much the only father figure in my life and i looked up to him fondly and now hes gone i have some stupid feeling that i have to be the man in the family now, because he and i were the only males in our immediate families. I also blame my self for his death even though i know for a fact i couldnt prevent what happened (he collapsed and hit his head and couldnt make it out of the coma) but i still blame myself. and im out, sorry.

peacock Sadness letting go
  • replies: 1

I am 63 and have struggled with a dysfunctional family for decades. I have been very upset by the behaviour of my siblings and recently I decided to break off contact with them. Some days I feel fine but other days I feel really down and upset. Today... View more

I am 63 and have struggled with a dysfunctional family for decades. I have been very upset by the behaviour of my siblings and recently I decided to break off contact with them. Some days I feel fine but other days I feel really down and upset. Today is one of those bad days. I just rang Lifeline and talked to a lovely person. I’m dreading tomorrow morning in case I wake up feeling bad and can’t go in to work. I don’t know what to do or where to turn. I have a supportive husband who is amazing and I know I am fortunate to have him. I just want to feel good.

BelH84 Need someone to talk too
  • replies: 5

Hi... My husband walked out on my 2 months ago because of my mental illness and I have been getting counselling with him as well as on my own for 2 months. 2 months earlier, I was left without a job and I had been working in the same place as him. To... View more

Hi... My husband walked out on my 2 months ago because of my mental illness and I have been getting counselling with him as well as on my own for 2 months. 2 months earlier, I was left without a job and I had been working in the same place as him. Tomorrow is my daughter's 11th birthday and my husband and his son are coming over tonight. We are a blended family but i have been in his life for over half of it. I haven't seen his son in 2 months and I am so worried at how I am going to be. I am currently being treated for BPD even though it is not the a completed diagnosis. All i do from the moment i wake up to the moment i go to sleep is cry and think about my family and how I just wish we were all together under the same roof. I try to stop thinking of the bad stuff that can go wrong but I cant help it. I havent had a good week in terms of my mental health and he just "doesnt know" if he is comfortable coming back home. I cant see the small steps that need to happen. Just the bigger picture and how depressed I am at the moment without them by our side. I have this guilt that I cant give my daughter anything she wants for her birthday as I am just scraping by paying for all my medical expenses. Im trying to be positive but I dont know how much longer I can do that filled in a house surrounded but things that we have built up and all their stuff as well. I have the guilt of my dad having to be here to look after me and missing out on the birth of his 3rd grandchild. I hope there is someone to talk to on this.

firecracker94 Feeling so lost and empty..
  • replies: 3

I'm struggling with my depression and being waitlisted to speak to someone doesn't help. I feel like crying most days. I don't know who I am anymore. Talking to my friends is okay but I don't think they get where I'm coming from..

I'm struggling with my depression and being waitlisted to speak to someone doesn't help. I feel like crying most days. I don't know who I am anymore. Talking to my friends is okay but I don't think they get where I'm coming from..

DG57 Need Help
  • replies: 2

Hi, Im 57 been married for 25 years, for the past 10 years our sex life has gone from being active to nothing and for the past 5 years whenever i try i get rejected, I feel she is cheating or the relationship is dead. We have discussed the issue nume... View more

Hi, Im 57 been married for 25 years, for the past 10 years our sex life has gone from being active to nothing and for the past 5 years whenever i try i get rejected, I feel she is cheating or the relationship is dead. We have discussed the issue numerous times but still i get rejected, its like we are no longer in a relationship. I feel like im being used to just pay the bills, she works part time but keeps the money mostly to herself. I am depressed and lost, i have nobody else just her. I dont know what to do anymore. Today I accused her of cheating because she must be getting it from somewhere over the 5-10 years, either that or she hates that much that our relationship is rock bottom and finished.I have no family or friends to talk to, she was my only real friend for last 25 yrs, she talks to her mother a lot for advice. We have 1 boy 23 living away from home and 1 girl 14 still at home. Im shattered, Thanks

DJ5 Never got the chance to be a child. All I was surrounded by was death and heart ache
  • replies: 3

I have never spoken aloud about my problems as I’ve always put other people ahead of me so please be kind.I’ve always been to scared to speak about about how I feel as there’s others out there who need more help then me.From a very young age I feel l... View more

I have never spoken aloud about my problems as I’ve always put other people ahead of me so please be kind.I’ve always been to scared to speak about about how I feel as there’s others out there who need more help then me.From a very young age I feel like all I’ve ever known is death heart ache and trying to be the rock who holds everything and everyone together.I was 2years of age when I lost my uncle to suicide.After that when I was around 10 I lost a family friend I called uncle to depression he didn’t commit suicide but knowing the dangers he got really drunk and rode his motorbike and passed away when he had an accident. After that I lost all contact with my father due to his substance abuse as well as abusive tendencies.I’m not sure how far anything went with his abuse as mum says he was never physical and she’s waiting for the right moment to show us her diary about her life experiences.Iwas young I don’t remember much.During high school when I was in year 9 I moved school as I started self harming. I left all my friends behind and never spoke to them again as I was to embarrassed about how I was feeling.I hated myself and my family I was very rebellious got into drugs partying and not caring about who I hurt.Leaving a path of destruction behind me I’m full of regret hurt anger and will never forgive myself for my actions.My family and friends never knew about my self harm or that I even had depression.I made suicide notes but couldn’t follow through as I couldn’t put my mum or family through that pain again.During the years of substance abuse and trying to acclimatise to a new school we lost 4 people in my year level 3 to suicide and one to a very rare ovary cancer which effects very little people let alone under the age of 50.It was a very horrible year to watch so many friends leave this earth. Let alone the devastation they left behind. After that was my uncle on dads side suicide where dad and his friend found him. This actually made me want to know who my father was again I’m not sure if it helped as I was watching dad go through the pain and never fully recover it killed me a little more inside. More recently a couple days before my birthday my auntie committed suicide due to substance abuse depression multiple personality disorder. Due to many deaths illness and issues among my family I don’t know where or how to turn for help. I know you will recommend me to a professional but I have tried to no avail.

llamalover23 Nothing ever works
  • replies: 5

I’ve been treating my depression for 3 years now. Nothing I have done has improved my mood whatsoever. I eat well, exercise, socialise, get out of the house, Get 8 hours of sleep a night, do ‘pleasurable’ activities (nothing I do actually gives me jo... View more

I’ve been treating my depression for 3 years now. Nothing I have done has improved my mood whatsoever. I eat well, exercise, socialise, get out of the house, Get 8 hours of sleep a night, do ‘pleasurable’ activities (nothing I do actually gives me joy, but I do things other people find fun), volunteer, do self care, look after oets etc etc. every self help tip under the sun I’ve done. I made a series of lifestyle changes including cutting off toxic relationships and reducing stress. I’m now on my 4th medication, it hasn’t helped at all but I’m gonna give it a few weeks just in case. I had 10 sessions of therapy this year where I achieved practically nothing and was given no solid advice about how to cope or get better. I’ve done mountains of CBT programs too. I’ve tried and continue to do all of these things that are supposed to work but they don’t. If anything over the past 2.5 years I’ve gone backwards. I’ve got no idea how I’m supposed to cope through the rest of the year. My gp has ruled out physical causes. Everytime I ask for help people dismiss me, or tell me to keep doing what I’m doing. Clearly what I’m doing is not helpful because I haven’t made the slightest improvement in 3 years of treatment. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I’m just tired of people lying to me and saying things will get better, without telling me how to get there. Anyway I just need advice really. As well as honesty.

BEP19 Having a hard time
  • replies: 6

I dont know how to put this and i hope it makes sense. Im just down and out. Im feeling like everyone hates me and i am putting my self down every day. I feel alone as it feels my friends do not want anything to do with me. I hang around people and i... View more

I dont know how to put this and i hope it makes sense. Im just down and out. Im feeling like everyone hates me and i am putting my self down every day. I feel alone as it feels my friends do not want anything to do with me. I hang around people and i am constantly thinking whether or not they hate me or have an issue with me, trying to please them and ensure they are happy. I have nothing to be depressed about.. i have a loving family, a roof over my head and a job. So feeling this way makes me feel like a drama queen. I feel like im not winning and just ruining everyone's day. I have lost who i am. I just want to run away and hide and never come out. Its just hard waking up and dealing with what the day brings me. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Kristel In need of some help.. Any men that could spare a minute to share would be so gratefully appreciated
  • replies: 2

Well, first time poster. Not really sure how this works. Been on a few different sites and nothing has really given me what I need. My partner, is really depressed. He has suffered depression majority of his life but has been somewhat manageable. Alt... View more

Well, first time poster. Not really sure how this works. Been on a few different sites and nothing has really given me what I need. My partner, is really depressed. He has suffered depression majority of his life but has been somewhat manageable. Although he has tried to taken his life before just before we met 3 years ago and thankfully he survived. But recently, he has begun to sink into the same dark hole and I am trying everything I can to pull him out.. But never being to the point myself to take my own life I really can’t say I know how he is feeling or even know how to help him. We have a beautiful 17month little boy together and selfishly I want our family to stay together. Any men out there in particular that experience mental health dark days and have anything that helps them or that your partner does to support you, please share.. I AM DESPERATE TO SUPPORT THE LOVE OF MY LIFE... -Kristel.

SleepDrifter Some nonsense
  • replies: 5

Living life on the edge Oblivion below To back myself take one step back When cold winds start to blow

Living life on the edge Oblivion below To back myself take one step back When cold winds start to blow

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