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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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Warren2103 Diagnosed with Dysthymia
  • replies: 8

Hi all, This is my second time in 5 years posting here and I guess I'm posting again for a number reasons, self therapy, feedback and well, just to get it out of me. Not sure if this is relevant but I always seem to answer these questions when fillin... View more

Hi all, This is my second time in 5 years posting here and I guess I'm posting again for a number reasons, self therapy, feedback and well, just to get it out of me. Not sure if this is relevant but I always seem to answer these questions when filling out forms - I'm a 43 yr old single gay male that lives on my own with my awesome dog, work a corporate job, have family and friends and try to maintain a social life while trying not to let the depression and anxiety get in the way. In 2015, I experienced my first panic attack which led to an acute bout of anxiety and depression. A restructure at work during this time while building a house on my own brought all the ugliness of depression and its twisted sidekick anxiety to the surface and as a result, I took a month off while I sought help. I went on antidepressants for about 12 months but didn't like them as they made me feel sort of numb. I was 'ok' for a while but recently hit a roadblock in September this year and had to take a month off work again. Work has been extremely stressful which no doubt has contributed (among other things) to triggering this latest episode. I asked my GP for a psychiatric assessment so that I could better understand my condition and ultimately myself and was diagnosed with Dysthymia. I'm currently seeing a Psychologist but not sure it's helping yet, however this Friday will be my third session so I suppose it's still early days. Lately when at home on my own I've been bursting into tears with underlying feelings of loneliness, helplessness and a complete lack of motivation and enthusiasm for life. If I had to choose the strongest feeling, I would say it is loneliness even though I have great family and friends around me. I feel very disconnected from life even though I have been making efforts to see family and friends just so that I have something to focus on as opposed to this heavy and lonely sinking feeling. I'm becoming extremely self analytical and question whether people actually enjoy my company anymore. I do not show anyone this side of me although they do know that I have anxiety and depression. I'd prefer not to rely on medication as I don't want a bandaid solution. I just want to overcome this once and for all and move on with my life so that I can just live and feel free to focus on the important things. Warren.

jacrafferty Description of Symptoms
  • replies: 1

I feel like sometimes it is hard to accurately describe symptoms/right verbiage to physicians and family/friends. I want this to be a thread where people can post their symptoms, and hopefully people can learn from each other but also feel understood... View more

I feel like sometimes it is hard to accurately describe symptoms/right verbiage to physicians and family/friends. I want this to be a thread where people can post their symptoms, and hopefully people can learn from each other but also feel understood when hard to explain symptoms match up with another. For me, I feel it is hard to describe how I feel depression affects memory/how time feels. When it is 3 or 4 in the afternoon and I think back about the morning, it feels years away. Memory feels just numb and distant so it feels like its a long time ago. Has anyone else experienced this?

Amy12 Depression
  • replies: 3

If I were to ever run away, and Chuck my Sim card away would the police be able to track me? Thank you

If I were to ever run away, and Chuck my Sim card away would the police be able to track me? Thank you

Lonelyandconfused A heart under lock and key
  • replies: 2

Hi folks I've never been able to be 100% honest about my feelings. I was very shy as a child and always too afraid to expose myself. This habit has continued right through to adulthood. I'm extremely introverted and emotionally 'deep' internally, yet... View more

Hi folks I've never been able to be 100% honest about my feelings. I was very shy as a child and always too afraid to expose myself. This habit has continued right through to adulthood. I'm extremely introverted and emotionally 'deep' internally, yet externally I put up a facade to 'protect' myself. Because of this facade, I have always found it difficult to build genuine lasting friendships and relationships, yet that is what I crave so much! I am a father of a beautiful son whom I love so much, and our relationship is perfect because my insecurities don't exist with him. I am still physically with his mother however emotionally we are totally disconnected and I feel lonely because of my inability to open up to her. Weve had problems but I accept how my insecurities have contributed here. I work autonomously and have no friends, which in turn contributes to loneliness. By worrying about what others think of me, I am neglecting my true feelings, and now those truths seem to be suffocating me. I've pushed so much down for so long, it feels like I can't keep a lid on it any more. Because I can't trust people with my truths, I feel like there's no escape. Can anyone relate? Please help.

Pingu56 I hate myself
  • replies: 3

I'm 20 years old and hate everything in my life I have no friends, no relationships at all I'm alone what is wrong with me. I mean I know people that I work (also absolutely loathe being at my job) with but they want nothing to do with me it's just a... View more

I'm 20 years old and hate everything in my life I have no friends, no relationships at all I'm alone what is wrong with me. I mean I know people that I work (also absolutely loathe being at my job) with but they want nothing to do with me it's just a work relationship and believe me I've tried to make friends there but it ain't happening. I don't care about anything and if I do try to care I quickly figure out that I don't and give up because everything just seems so meaningless and such a waste of time. When tell family or someone that I know no one all they say is find a hobby or join a club or meetup groups or something but the truth is that just doesn't work for it's impossible I can't have anything and I don't think i ever will. Sorry if doesn't make sense I'm just trying to get it out there.

Montanna_1997 Feeling hopeless
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, For the past couple of months I have been suffering with severe anxiety and depression. I’m constantly thinking the world would be better off without me. I’ve seen doctors, mental health nurse and starting to see a new psychologist next ... View more

Hi everyone, For the past couple of months I have been suffering with severe anxiety and depression. I’m constantly thinking the world would be better off without me. I’ve seen doctors, mental health nurse and starting to see a new psychologist next week. (Also been prescribed antidepressants) I just feel like I’m constantly going to wake up unhappy and i absolutely hate it I’m always affected in the mornings and sometimes I can’t even be bothered to get out of bed, eat or speak to anyone and I think that’s worse because I’m by myself with my own thoughts. My family is so helpful and it breaks my heart cause I can see how much it breaks my mums heart when this happens I just want to feel okay again

Maui757 Motivation at an all time low
  • replies: 1

Hi All, Lately I've really been struggling with my motivation at work and at home. I've just been feeling so low, I feel like there's no point in trying to feel better because I always end up back where I am. I also feel like no matter how hard I try... View more

Hi All, Lately I've really been struggling with my motivation at work and at home. I've just been feeling so low, I feel like there's no point in trying to feel better because I always end up back where I am. I also feel like no matter how hard I try, I'm never actually improving my mental health. I compare myself to where I was a couple of years ago and find that while some things are better, there a new things that are worse. It's like a constant battle, and I guess my motivation has just dropped off from failure after failure (or what I perceive as failures). The worst part is I know that I'm not technically failing, I know I'm doing the best I can do at this moment in time. But I don't believe it, which is kind of weird. How can I think one thing but believe another? Which one is right? Normally the gut feeling is right, but I can't tell which one is the gut feeling and which one is the head talking. It's really affecting my work and my life in general. My work productivity is in the drain, and my workplace is aware of my mental health but it just makes me feel worse because I imagine my boss sitting there thinking "here we go again, she's in a ditch. Lets see how long it takes her to pull herself out this time." and I hate that. I hate people watching me struggle. I hate that I wake up less motivated each day to go to work, and start rocking up to work later rather than earlier. And my relationships are suffering. My partner is pushed to his limit, my friends are getting annoyed at me because I never want to go out or catch up, and I just disappear randomly or cancel plans last minute. It's just a real struggle, and I know I should go and see my psych again but it costs so much money. I should exercise more and eat healthier, meditate, make plans, go out, force myself to be social, but it doesn't seem to make a difference Maui

AliceMay Pregnant and becoming increasingly depressed
  • replies: 1

I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant and I hate it. Mentally, i'm not the same anymore and I find myself becoming more and more withdrawn from activities and family. I sleep most days when not at work, and no, it's not just pregnancy exhaustion. I have no... View more

I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant and I hate it. Mentally, i'm not the same anymore and I find myself becoming more and more withdrawn from activities and family. I sleep most days when not at work, and no, it's not just pregnancy exhaustion. I have no appetite for food and nothing I do eat is ever satisfying. My partner lives interstate - though hes moving in 3 weeks - and I find myself becoming more withdrawn from him as well. The pressure of the whole situation is really getting to me and I am so tired of all conversation revolving around me being pregnant. I feel weighted down by it all, and I don't mean that I don't want my baby, but I hate being pregnant and how it's changing how I feel.

Naomi_L An insight to my depression and the stigma surrounding it
  • replies: 5

I sit here, feeling like life isn't worth living and why is that ? I should be happy, right ? I have an amazing family that supports and loves me, yes there are issues but that's normal, no family is perfect I have friends that message me and hang ou... View more

I sit here, feeling like life isn't worth living and why is that ? I should be happy, right ? I have an amazing family that supports and loves me, yes there are issues but that's normal, no family is perfect I have friends that message me and hang out with me, that check up on me and that love me I am now renting my own apartment I am successfully studying I have a new job I enjoy And the list goes on It sounds perfect right? Yet I'm still here, struggling to see the purpose, I'm here with a lump in my chest and pain that doesn't go away. Im not sad, im not happy, im not anything except numb, i simply dont care. I feel trapped inside a vicious cycle, it makes you physically tense and mentally cloudy Now tell me Am i a crazy chick that is severely messed up and selfish Or am i a person, a person who has the reasons to be happy, a person who wants to be happy, who wants to feel free, yet has this cage holding me in and even when i escape for those few moments here and there, i still find myself back inside. Trapped. Depression is NOT a choice, it is not something I want. Why would I want to feel sick all the time, in pain all the time, unable to think clearly and unable to love completely. Depression is not me, its an illness that takes hold and it's one hell of a battle every minute of every day. From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep, and thats if i sleep because usually it keeps me up at night, making me so exhausted that daily activities seem impossible Those who suffer aren't suffering by choice You don't choose to catch a cold, you don't choose to develop cancer, you don't choose to get a headache and you don't choose to suffer from depression I constantly battle this.. this thing. And I usually wind up blaming myself and making myself feel bad for it. But it isn't me, I'm separate from my illness and sometimes i lose sight of the difference Just know there is a difference. Few people in my life have seen it in its true, worst form. They have seen the side of me that becomes so trapped i collapse in a ball, begging for it to be over, begging for the pain to stop, and sometimes it takes weeks for this to even begin to fade, those weeks where im bed ridden, unable to move and unable to even think This is depression in a simplified form, but everyones different, everyone suffers differently. You are never alone Keep fighting ❤

awarriorsheart Depression stress on Relationships
  • replies: 2

Hi there, I have just started here as I have been reading forums for about a week now. I am very lost at present and very stressed having been helping my (now ex) partner with severe depression/anxiety whilst recovering from PTSD. They have reached a... View more

Hi there, I have just started here as I have been reading forums for about a week now. I am very lost at present and very stressed having been helping my (now ex) partner with severe depression/anxiety whilst recovering from PTSD. They have reached a crisis point in their own depression that successfully had them push myself and my child away due to them no longer feeling anything at all. After so many years of support and hope that they would be getting better with the help of medication as well as a person that has indeed got the understanding and compassion of knowledge of what they are going through as well as with four years of them going to a psychologist I am at a complete shock loss from the cold-hearted nature of this. It was like viewing a death and the grief is also incredibly similar. I feel as if I have failed this person miserably just as much as they have failed myself and my child from the fact they were so cut-throat on their discard and pushing away so would really like some guidance of whether this is normal behaviour in relationships or whether it has been a point that this person indeed can no longer feel a thing. My child is suffering dramatically from this as they do not understand why a person no longer wants to see them, be around them and was scared that they were not going to answer phonecalls or messages when they wanted to reach out to them to tell them that friends support each other. It's a long hard story to unpack and in truth I have no idea what I am trying to ask about. Validation is my guess, of the fact that I truly could not reach this person no matter how much love and support I gave them and it got to a stage that they gave up on themselves and me. The why is really making it hard for me to get to as I have never ever done anything to hurt another, especially a young person so am finding it very difficult to see how they felt in a logical/illogical mess that is depression and anxiety. Should I still try to help this person or just walk away so that I can heal myself and my child as the pressure of this is all too much now. Thankyou if you can give perspective that I am not alone in this. A Warriors Heart will always fight and never give up.