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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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AjaG So.... im new and well, pretty lost at mo.
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Its a no brainer really. Have read all the stuff, taken the quizzs and well i feel like crap all the time. Lost all motivation for everything, home, work sport. just cant be bothered. I have zero tolerance for people... all people, im binge eating or... View more

Its a no brainer really. Have read all the stuff, taken the quizzs and well i feel like crap all the time. Lost all motivation for everything, home, work sport. just cant be bothered. I have zero tolerance for people... all people, im binge eating or fasting and no sleep or to much and recently just burst into tears, at least twice a day, no trigger, no event, bam tears.... any way blah blah blah...see no brainer. I cant deal with pros i go a bit silly, and i have a really hard time expressing how i feel. they care, i guess.... but to me all i see is fake and nongenuine. see straight through them. Number 35, your up, you have 30secs. right your done, $140 please...next. To me isolation , being alone is bliss, but unatainable and so it seems it is also feeding into this. Now im on a forum... but you dont know me and i can switch this off and go on my way, peeps none the wiser, so i guess its the security that is leading me this way to start with. I know that see a doc / phys will be the intial comments and thx. maybe share with my partner will be another, as you can see i know the answers, im stubborn hey. But i cant bring myself to go to that space. Maybe its my percieved role in my space as a pillar of strength to mt family (then how can i be strong if i dont seek help and stay broken... see i see all that stuff as well) Maybe over thinking, maybe looking for self assurance, who knows. i know i need help, im self destructing and it will end messed up. Im not suicidal. but it seems depression/anxiety maybe the culperate here. Maybe typing today will help realise that i need to move forward in this space. I dont want comfort, or pity, or direction or ..... actually i dont know what i really want. maybe to vent, maybe to share, maybe to see my brain on paper and say to myself, your a scientist, you understand this stuff but yet you ignore it.....you idiot. anyways, as you can see im new here, pretty messed up and on a tough road of discovery and awarness i spose.

emjblanchett Psych said i have EUPD??
  • replies: 3

At the end of my psychiatrist session yesterday he told me that I had emotionally unstable disorder (aka BPD) and that he and my therapist have been working on it for a while. I’ve been with my therapist nearly 2 years, why is he only telling me this... View more

At the end of my psychiatrist session yesterday he told me that I had emotionally unstable disorder (aka BPD) and that he and my therapist have been working on it for a while. I’ve been with my therapist nearly 2 years, why is he only telling me this diagnosis now? (Already knew about anxiety and depression)

jjac Rage
  • replies: 3

I'm so sick of my work My personal life. Everything and I'm just in a foul mood. People laugh and I immediately feel rage. Shut. Up. It's not funny. Go away. I hate you! I just want to scream in their face. No coping strategy handles that. View more

I'm so sick of my work My personal life. Everything and I'm just in a foul mood. People laugh and I immediately feel rage. Shut. Up. It's not funny. Go away. I hate you! I just want to scream in their face. No coping strategy handles that.

Alannah57 Past delusions and present anxiety
  • replies: 2

This is going to sound bizarre. As a teenager I had a really strange period of time, like something out of a dream, where I thought the following things: that I was famous, that I was being watched by objects that had the thoughts of the outside worl... View more

This is going to sound bizarre. As a teenager I had a really strange period of time, like something out of a dream, where I thought the following things: that I was famous, that I was being watched by objects that had the thoughts of the outside world in them, and this was combined with elated/dreamy/moody feelings. In short, my sense of reality felt very warped. I kept being dragged down by feelings of emptiness and despair at being alive (depression), but also had really bizarre beliefs and feelings and behaviours. Also, hid my delusions because they felt so out-there, and I had a shift where it got so bad that I had to stop my delusions because it was getting out of control. During this time, I had weird mental hallucination kind of things where I saw flies that weren’t there, or heard a weird voice in my head once. But, since then, depression had been a recurring, big part of my life, as well as impulsive behaviours. I want to get perspective, and am trying to figure out how normal it is to have weird, implausible delusions.

Mel_N Major weight loss from depression.
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Is anybody else experiencing drastic weight loss due to their depression? I never eat and when I want to I lose my appetite. My weight has changed majorly due to my depression and I’m so scared I’ll keep losing weight to the point it affects my healt... View more

Is anybody else experiencing drastic weight loss due to their depression? I never eat and when I want to I lose my appetite. My weight has changed majorly due to my depression and I’m so scared I’ll keep losing weight to the point it affects my health. Does anyone have some tips on how to eat when you’re not hungry? Or anything like that would be much appreciated:)

Dani_11 When you ignore your triggers
  • replies: 2

Hi guys, I have Bipolar 2 and have been well for quiet a while. Just came back from the best holiday but definitely burnt the candle at both ends. Yes there’s a trigger I’m well aware of. Sent me into a hyper manic party state that was heaps of fun a... View more

Hi guys, I have Bipolar 2 and have been well for quiet a while. Just came back from the best holiday but definitely burnt the candle at both ends. Yes there’s a trigger I’m well aware of. Sent me into a hyper manic party state that was heaps of fun at the time and even though I know better I just went with it. Right now, at 1.15 in the morning I’m dark as. That’s how I explain depression. So I’m reaching out, saying hi and taking full responsibility for where my mind is right now. I live a good life and know how to keep well. Alcohol and sleep deprivation are my biggest triggers and the 2 things I just went with for 10 days away. Not one of my better life choices. Well, I’m paying for it now. So I’m gonna take stock and sprinkle some selfcare on myself and remind myself that tomorrow is a new day. An exciting brighter day. Thanks for reading. Dani. x Note to self - don’t drink alcohol and get a decent sleep. I should bloody know better!!

maturenature mild multi personality
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in my mind, im almost identical to my brother and i hate it. my brother is cool and all, but for so long i have put up this character of being a dominating person, which he is definitely not, and it feels so obscure and depressing to think that im no... View more

in my mind, im almost identical to my brother and i hate it. my brother is cool and all, but for so long i have put up this character of being a dominating person, which he is definitely not, and it feels so obscure and depressing to think that im not who i thought i was. i so badly dont want to be that. i start to cringe any time im around him and he does anything at all. i only noticed how alike i am to him last time i was smoking weed. were born about 9 years apart, and if you were to compare photos of us side by side the only differences would be his absurdly long hair and my progressive weight loss. i just stared at myself in the mirror and started to dissect how different i am to every single person i'm around. im a lot like my brother when im around my parents, especially my dad. i cant stand being like him when im around my friends, especially girls. i have to keep up the, what now feels like, an act. the thing is the act is different around every single person i am around. im going insane just interracting with people and closely judging myself from the inside, what i now think is the true central me. i cant figure out who i am or how i truly feel or react to anything. i dont think im quite numb but it definitely feels like im headed that way. im popular, but have no real friends. i got to parties, but i dont hang out with people, not even in larger groups. my attitudes seem to be so inconsitent that i manage to push people away, or at least keep them on the edge of close friend and equentance to protect my self from people learning who i really am. i spend my time listening to music in my room, engaging in very long isolated exercise sessions, or staying up late to avoid contact with anyone. i just needed to tell someone. i could go through and make this easier to read, even make it more accurate to my experiences and thoughts, but whats the point.

JRRL Did I make the right/wrong decision. very depressed now.
  • replies: 7

Just recently quit my new job after only 2 months, I was made redundant before this that why I took this job in a hurry and the stress just keep piling up. I can't handle the company expectations for this new job and my spouse want me to take break w... View more

Just recently quit my new job after only 2 months, I was made redundant before this that why I took this job in a hurry and the stress just keep piling up. I can't handle the company expectations for this new job and my spouse want me to take break whilst I look for the next job. Never been unemployed before since 2005 and never had an annual leave since 2013. Now I'm seriously depressed and doubting myself for making such decision on quitting my job. I am not confirdent that I will get another one quickly.

Maree17 Help? Advice? Anything?
  • replies: 1

I'll summarise: • Suffering from depression for a few years now • Managed with antidepressants • Feeling numb, libido non-existent, questioning if the drugs are causing me to lack real joy also? • Constantly tired • Failed all units at UNI, dropped o... View more

I'll summarise: • Suffering from depression for a few years now • Managed with antidepressants • Feeling numb, libido non-existent, questioning if the drugs are causing me to lack real joy also? • Constantly tired • Failed all units at UNI, dropped out as of this mid-year break - feel as though constant tiredness and lack of motivation is the main cause for this. • Went off antidepressants cold-turkey about a month ago • Withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, hypersomnia, vivid dreams, low mood, foggy head, etc. • Sick of waiting for withdrawal symptoms to go away (I know it's not a good idea to quit cold-turkey and without medical advice - did it anyway cause I'm sick of feeling less-than-average). • Took antidepressants again for the first time in a month, tonight. Cant deal with the never-ending need for sleep, dizziness and brain so foggy sometimes I cant even formulate a single sentence. • Cant talk to loved ones about this because I know what I SHOULD be doing and what they would say/feel (and I dont want to burden them or make them feel like I'm a mess and cant look after myself). I just want to be normal and have normal emotions and be able to handle everyday things like UNI and work and the stuff that everyone else seems to get though, even though it can be a slog. I just want to feel like I can do normal things and be a functioning member of society. I dont know what to do. Exercise, meditate, seek help, spend time with friends, eat a good diet. I know that's what I'm SUPPOSED to do. I just dont have the energy or the willpower.

Transitory Online resources
  • replies: 5

Hi, I'm dealing with a lot at the moment, but I don't know how to put it all down concisely. I've followed the basic steps, booked in with my GP, been referred by the online chat here. But all I really want is somewhere online to talk to someone, via... View more

Hi, I'm dealing with a lot at the moment, but I don't know how to put it all down concisely. I've followed the basic steps, booked in with my GP, been referred by the online chat here. But all I really want is somewhere online to talk to someone, via text preferably. Is that a thing? Beyond being given FAQ , information and referrals, I mean. Just to try to articulate what's going on. No one in my personal life is available, and I'm really struggling to deal with things. Betterhelp looks like a total scam, but that's the kinda thing I'm looking for.