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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.

Chris_B Are you looking to support someone else with depression? PLEASE READ before posting
  • replies: 0

This forum is for people seeking support for their own mental health issues. If you're posting on behalf of someone else with a mental health issue that you're concerned about, please have a look at this section of our forums: Supporting family and f... View more

This forum is for people seeking support for their own mental health issues. If you're posting on behalf of someone else with a mental health issue that you're concerned about, please have a look at this section of our forums: Supporting family and friends with a mental health condition It's full of threads from people who have family members and friends going through anxiety, depression or other related conditions. Have a read through the threads there, and feel free to take part in the discussions. Below are also some helpful beyondblue resources you might want to look through first as well: Supporting someone Have the conversation

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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insertaname Has anyone experienced Hypomania? I've experienced it twice and have questions about it.
  • replies: 4

Hi my name is J, In the last two years - I have had two hypomanic episodes where I could still somewhat function as normal: my symptoms were not obvious . I feel that these are worse than when I was in full episodes yet I cant remember a lot, which i... View more

Hi my name is J, In the last two years - I have had two hypomanic episodes where I could still somewhat function as normal: my symptoms were not obvious . I feel that these are worse than when I was in full episodes yet I cant remember a lot, which is probably why. Going through this episode, not being put in hospital, and coping with being alone during the day makes me feel lonely but i choose not to have any trains of thoughts but by being pre-occupied with something. I'm a high maintenance/ require a lot of things to do to burn off at the beginning - but now i feel flat and on the depressed side which is usually me. SO My questions are: Have you had a hypomanic episode? How did you know/feel/think you were having one? Were your symptoms obvious or not obvious? It's emotionally and mentally draining watching myself having hypomania Hope to hear from you - I am actually depressed... I have no friends they're more aquaintances

char0239 am I depressed or just lazy?
  • replies: 2

This is my first time posting on these forums so I don't really know how to start this. I don't know if I may have actual mental health issues like depression or if I am just lazy and stupid. I'm 20 years old and a university student but I hate it. I... View more

This is my first time posting on these forums so I don't really know how to start this. I don't know if I may have actual mental health issues like depression or if I am just lazy and stupid. I'm 20 years old and a university student but I hate it. I've spent 3 years failing classes & am on the verge of getting kicked out because if it. I find it so overwhelming & exhausting, I find it difficult to even think about study without spiralling into a sickening panic & I can't seem to motivate myself to work. I feel too stupid. I can't concentrate. Instead I end up zoning out for hours every day basically doing nothing but trying not to think about uni. I fail classes because I can't get the energy to do any assessments & eventually stop showing up to classes because I can't get out of bed. My parents (who I still live with) have no idea how bad it is since I act normal & go to work & say I am doing uni stuff when they ask, they don't know I failed any classes let alone might be expelled & I'm too humiliated to tell them. I also have no friends, I was on the outskirts of my friend group in high school & once we graduated I lost contact with most of them. The ones I still talk to occasionally are more like friendly acquaintances, we have nothing in common & the thought of meeting up with any of them just makes me feel anxious & depressed since they all have great friends & hobbies & are about to graduate, meanwhile I feel like I'm stuck in this dark hole & don't want anyone to know how pathetic I am. I have no hobbies or interests anymore, when I was 16 I began to lose joy in the things I used to like. Now I just spend most of my days sitting alone in my room. I just feel really low and hopeless most of the time, & can't imagine a future where my life is worth living. But the problem is that I can still act normal around my family, I can go to work & paste a smile on my face, sometimes I will be doing something & not feel sad at all & think 'maybe life isn't so bad' (although that vanishes as soon as I remember my fear of university or loneliness or my hatred of myself). So am I depressed? I can't shake the feeling that I am just a lazy person trying to excuse their laziness. I don't know how to go about seeing a psychologist & I'm terrified that they would just tell me that what I am experiencing is normal & I am just too weak to deal with it like everyone else is, & I'm too ashamed to tell my parents I'm struggling so badly. I have no idea what to do.

Unreal_name I Just dont see the point of anything anymore.
  • replies: 3

Ive really tried for years, over and over to think postive. To act positive. To work on my fitness and my health and be happier. But its wearing me down. Listening to the news is so sickening. The amazon is burning down, the reef is dying, the animal... View more

Ive really tried for years, over and over to think postive. To act positive. To work on my fitness and my health and be happier. But its wearing me down. Listening to the news is so sickening. The amazon is burning down, the reef is dying, the animals are becoming extinct, the world is polluted , about to be hit by astroids and going into recession if we dont nuked by crazy politicians. Diseases are out of control. I used to donated to save the children charities (like millions of other givers) but the children still look as starving and homeless as ever. In my humble opinion the corporate company I work for part time takes advantage of its female workers. I cant trust the people I thought I could trust. I struggle on my income and have no idea what will happen to me when Im too old to work in the not too distant future. Ive worked really really hard all my life but have hardly any superannuation or savings due to previous partner arrangement. My current partner keeps his own money and dosnt share. I just dont see the point anymore. Its too hard. I used to have a lovely smile but I cant even get the corners of my mouth to lift. Its like there are lead weights there. I had a day off today. First day off in about 10. I had so much to do but I still have my pjs on and its 4.30pm. I just feel like a failure and an idiot all the time

insertaname Introduction; Hi I am J I have bipolar and I would love to make some friends
  • replies: 22

Hi my name is "J" as a pseudonym and I am a 26 year old female. I have had the mood disorder bipolar disorder since 2011. So far I have had 4 different types of episodes - so it makes my life and my carer's life a little more challenging to identify ... View more

Hi my name is "J" as a pseudonym and I am a 26 year old female. I have had the mood disorder bipolar disorder since 2011. So far I have had 4 different types of episodes - so it makes my life and my carer's life a little more challenging to identify symptoms of bipolar. I rarely tell people I have bipolar - the stigma is still there, even though the psychiatrist says I'm an elevated person - I'm rather depressed and pessimistic. People treat me differently when I say bipolar yet if I said depression or anxiety it appears to be an accepted thing. I've gone through a lot in 2018 for my 2nd last episode - ask If you want to - and to this day it still affects m - I think during that period of my time I literally became a broken person. It was one problem after the other. I am being currently cared for but sometimes I get upset when he offhand says something like "taking you the hospital would've been easier" duding a tiff... I cried a bit he was the one who adamant about me not getting placed into the hospital. I'd like to get to know more people who are like minded: I have a dog Does occasionally garden Likes knitting Positive mind set Creativity I have a few aquariums I am a closet otaku I like reading anime, manhwa, manhua - because I've quit smoking for almost a year now I am not sure if I am asking for too much but I am open minded I rarely drink its about like 5 days of the year if you want a number haha

emi_o Intense fear of cheating SO
  • replies: 2

Hi all, So I’m new here but not new to depression. I was diagnosed with major depression disorder several years ago and have been through therapy and still on medication. Last year, my doctor and I decided to taper down my dosage since it seemed I wa... View more

Hi all, So I’m new here but not new to depression. I was diagnosed with major depression disorder several years ago and have been through therapy and still on medication. Last year, my doctor and I decided to taper down my dosage since it seemed I was doing well. But yesterday, after numerous bouts of those familiar intense negative thoughts, feelings of suicide and wanting to self harm again for over a month - I decided I needed to go back up to a dose. Among all these issues. I’m becoming severely addicted and obsessed with the thought my SO is being unfaithful. I have been cheated on by a horrible ex in the past so these fears are not entirely unfounded. With my current SO, I believe I’ve become hypervigilant to anything he does or says. Right now, I’m obsessing and worrying over the fact he goes “online” on a certain app very often. When he’s online on this app, he completely ignores me. But when I’m with him, I never see him go on it. He doesn’t shy away from using his phone and numerous other apps around me, but this one he seems to avoid (or just not feel like?) going on it around me. Sometimes he says things that he’s sure he’s told me, and I get a horrible feeling it’s because he’s talking to someone else and forgets who he actually mentioned it to. My memory is bad though, so I can’t be too sure. He randomly decided to diet too. He makes innocent jokes when I receive a notification on my phone like “oh is that your other boyfriend”, etc. I don’t know what else to mention. I’m just a mess of worry and guilt for even thinking this. He makes it a point to despise cheaters, even so far as being personally annoyed by cheaters in TV shows. I feel he has the same morals when it comes to cheating, but I’m still drowning in these nagging, insecure thoughts. I hope someone is able to give me insight. Like if this is common for depression to amplify these paranoid thoughts. I’m sorry for my incoherency.

TanyaC Job Help, any thoughts
  • replies: 1

A few years ago I was admitted to my local regional hospital which is quite small. I have a diagnosis of clinical depression. I was placed under an admission order and was flown to the nearest capital city where I was admitted for quite some time. Th... View more

A few years ago I was admitted to my local regional hospital which is quite small. I have a diagnosis of clinical depression. I was placed under an admission order and was flown to the nearest capital city where I was admitted for quite some time. There is quite a bit I don't remember. Slowly life is becoming more stable I guess. One thing I have found is that I am a healthcare worker and I can no longer get work at my local hospital (where I was admitted as a patient). It's quite a worry as I am a single mum with teenagers to support. I have 20 years experience in what I do and had no problem with gaining work prior to my own personal admission. I don't even make it to the interview phase, my resume is usually rejected straight away. My psychiatrist says that I'm fine to work. Any thoughts?

Egg2 New to this & looking for a lil advice
  • replies: 3

Hey all, Not entirely sure how to start this but here we go. I'm 21 and I've been dealing with what I think is depression since somewhere in the middle of high school and until the beginning of this year it's just been fairly manageable but lately it... View more

Hey all, Not entirely sure how to start this but here we go. I'm 21 and I've been dealing with what I think is depression since somewhere in the middle of high school and until the beginning of this year it's just been fairly manageable but lately it's getting way too overwhelming for me and it's severely affecting my study and performance at work, not to mention my home life. I'm constantly feeling tired, no will to do anything whatsoever and my care for the consequences seem to be dropping at a rapid rate. The thought is kind of frightening. I basically feel nothing most of the time which is accompanied by just a bunch of sadness and anger every now and then. The thing is I feel like I should really be enjoying life at the moment, my jobs are great, I love what I'm studying, I live with my loving Boyfriend and our two cats in an amazing house and we aren't stressed financially or anything. I just have no motivation to do anything whatsoever, I struggle to even get out of bed every day because it's all way too exhausting for me to handle. I've been going to the doctor every few weeks for the past couple of months about something unrelated and I keep intending on saying something to my doctor or at least booking an appointment specifically to talk about that or at least try to get a referral to someone who can help but I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. I don't want to ask her and be told that they can't do anything to help considering that's what Ive been told by the last two GPs ive seeked help from. Basically I just need to know if anyone can give some insight on how to overcome this fear to ask for help and I suppose how to ask it because the thought of talking to people about it is terrifying and all I want is to begin to enjoy my life again. Thanks for listening to my rant aha..

Jase_B Feel like giving up
  • replies: 2

About 18 months ago I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. After the initial 6 months of hell, things seemed to settle down except for a few bumps in the road. That has all changed. Last week everything fell apart! It is 10 years since my mothe... View more

About 18 months ago I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. After the initial 6 months of hell, things seemed to settle down except for a few bumps in the road. That has all changed. Last week everything fell apart! It is 10 years since my mother passed away later this year. Last week was her birthday and while I was putting flowers on her grave I started thinking that it should have been me that got sick and was in there. She had things to live for, she missed out on being a grandmother. Me, I’m now in my late 40’s, single never married, no kids, basically nothing to live for. Since then I’ve just gone further down hill and feel like I can do nothing right and am a burden on everyone, to name just a few of the emotions. I just feel so low and have been keeping to myself. Last year I confided in a couple of colleagues about what I’d been through so in any future bad times they would understand what I’d been through and in the hope they’d support me and have my back and check in if I didn’t seem right. They all treated me like I was in a bad mood or had some deadly disease. Not one of them asked me if I was ok! The people I thought I could trust to support me let me down. Made me feel worse, so alone and like no one cared. I just want to give up. I can’t do this anymore.

Angel_423 Self-diagnosed Depression
  • replies: 1

Hey, My name is Angel_423. I'm a pretty average person. I strive academically, I have the most hysterical laugh and I crack awkward jokes. But recently - nothing feels 'good' anymore. My parent's fight. A lot. And when I get between them to allow the... View more

Hey, My name is Angel_423. I'm a pretty average person. I strive academically, I have the most hysterical laugh and I crack awkward jokes. But recently - nothing feels 'good' anymore. My parent's fight. A lot. And when I get between them to allow them to calm down, they drag me into their fights and then I side with my mum because she is very timid and my dad is authoritative. But then, I get yelled at. I'm called the reason why the fight started in the first place. I'm sworn at. And they say actions speak louder than words - but not really - it hurts. The words hurt. I just want things to go back to normal, but they don't. Something big happened and my mum doesn't talk anymore. My baby sister isn't getting the nurturing family she deserves and my dad is self-obsessed. I don't know what to do. I just want to be happy again. I'm feeling my energy slowly, painfully being sucked out of me. And sometimes I just can't breathe. If I'm quiet then people ask me what's wrong but I can't say anything because a lot is happening at school and I don't want to burden my friends with anything. I just want things to be normal again. I try to forget, but then I enter my home and it doesn't feel like home anymore. I can't focus. I need someone - anyone - to talk to. Maybe this isn't depression and I say this because I do feel happy when I forget. But as soon as I come back - I'm sad. No one gets it. I'm too afraid to speak up, I don't want to burden others. I just want to talk. I just want to be normal again. I want to laugh hysterically, I want to be awkward and weird... I want to be the old me. Angel_423 x

thatpersoncody Nobody loves me
  • replies: 2

So I am in a group chat with my two friends who are dating. They are always so cute to each other and it makes me so happy to see them so happy together. One time when they were being all cute and stuff they guy sends a voice note of him singing "I l... View more

So I am in a group chat with my two friends who are dating. They are always so cute to each other and it makes me so happy to see them so happy together. One time when they were being all cute and stuff they guy sends a voice note of him singing "I love you a bushel and a peck" from Five Feet Apart. It was at this point when I got down for some reason. The girl was crying cause she was so happy and I was just kinda listening now. They continue doing their thing, but the real breaking point for me was when the guy said, "I told u I would send u to the moon." I just couldnt hold it in. I feel so lonely and empty. No one will ever love me like that and it hurts knowing that. My "girl friend" broke up with me after one day cause she liked someone else before I asked her out but she said yes. The whole time we were dating she was talking about how she was over this guy and that she likes me. The damn morning after we first got together she says I like the other guy still and idk if I can make it stop. Then her friend started sending me messages saying that she liked the other guy more than me and that I should break up with her if i was a good friend. She eventually told me this which just shattered my heart. At this point Im convinced nobody can love me now that I had my emotions just played with right there. I dont know what to do anymore