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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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TheBigBlue Where to next?
  • replies: 2

I’ve lived with depression & anxiety for a number of years now, but recently the depression has really taken hold over the past few weeks. i haven’t gone to work for 3 weeks, I sleep most of the day, I’ve lost my appetite & I have no motivation to do... View more

I’ve lived with depression & anxiety for a number of years now, but recently the depression has really taken hold over the past few weeks. i haven’t gone to work for 3 weeks, I sleep most of the day, I’ve lost my appetite & I have no motivation to do anything. The only times I have left the house is for doctor appointments. i am in regular contact with my psychologist. I’ve seen the GP in the last 2 weeks, first time we did a mental health assessment & she upped my medication. I went again last Friday so she could check how I was going. She did another mental health has also given me a referral for a psychiatrist as feels they will be better paced to assess & prescribe appropriate medication. She also gave me some phone numbers to call if I needed to speak to someone. I contacted the psychiatrist’s office & emailed the referral through last Friday & still waiting for them to get back to me. So I’ve spoken to my GP, had appointments both in person & over the phone with the psychologist, have told my boyfriend how I am feeling & even told it all to my work team leader & manager. I also told my best friend & posted here. But I still feel lost. Nothing is changing or improving. I don’t know where else to turn. It’s been really difficult but I feel like I’ve really tried with reaching out to people. I just feel like there is no one else to reach out to but it doesn’t feel like I am getting the help I really need. Any advice?

Kahlo_25 Not caring anymore - partner has a gambling and pot addiction 
  • replies: 1

I’m not really sure where to start but amongst a whole heap of family issues I’ve been dealing with a partner with a quite severe gambling and pot addiction as well as anxiety and depression. I’m at a point now where I feel I am depressed. We are at ... View more

I’m not really sure where to start but amongst a whole heap of family issues I’ve been dealing with a partner with a quite severe gambling and pot addiction as well as anxiety and depression. I’m at a point now where I feel I am depressed. We are at a point now where we face loosing our house, car, everything really. Our electricity will be cut off soon and probably our phones. And I just thought to myself how nice it must be to not actually care. He seems to cruise through life through life not caring. So long as he has pot and poker machines in his life all else can go to hell apparently?? I’m almost positive he went with me to the counsellor simply to appease me when I said I thought he needed help. I’m finding it all somewhat beyond my control now and am completely lost. I’ve sought medical help locally but a pat on the back from your GP and a “ there there” is just not good enough. I never expected to come away with a List of prescriptions as long as my arm but I certainly expected more than I got. Where the hell can we go. We have no finances to pay large sums of money to professionals so I am very very lost.

Maui757 Big Emotions
  • replies: 4

Hi All, I've been working with my psych recently on my "big emotions" and trying to learn how to allow my emotions to be felt and heard, but not acted upon. Has anyone here done something similar? I am struggling to grasp how to let an emotion be wit... View more

Hi All, I've been working with my psych recently on my "big emotions" and trying to learn how to allow my emotions to be felt and heard, but not acted upon. Has anyone here done something similar? I am struggling to grasp how to let an emotion be without acting on it. Isn't everything we do acting on emotions? I know there is logical thinking too, but emotions always seem to play a part for me. To give some context, I've been struggling a lot with overwhelming feelings, getting stuck in the ditch of depression and finding that I don't want to get out of it. I go from living in a state of panic and anxiety, to hiding in the big black hole of depression where I don't feel anything. So my psych has been trying to work with me to learn how to "not be afraid of my big emotions". Because I tend to get very big emotions - If I feel happy, I feel REALLY happy, if I'm sad, I'm REALLY sad, Anxious - Extremely anxious, etc etc etc. you get the picture. How do you go by when the feelings that come up feel SO overpowering? If I feel jealous, the only way to move past it is by distraction, but there's only so many ways I can distract myself! If I feel sad, I have to try and distract myself until the mood passes but again, sometimes I can't distract myself. So how does one deal with big emotions? Am I an abnormality here? Maui

Stressed Guy Can't sleep because I'm depressed
  • replies: 4

I was just wondering if anyone else on here can't sleep because of their depression? Sometimes I stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning because I feel like a sad, lonely, depressed loser. Actually to be honest I've never been able to sleep until the ear... View more

I was just wondering if anyone else on here can't sleep because of their depression? Sometimes I stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning because I feel like a sad, lonely, depressed loser. Actually to be honest I've never been able to sleep until the early hours of the morning for over a decade now. I used to take circadin but my body got so used to it that it didn't work and I was still awake 6 or 7 hours after taking it. I just wanted to say that my first post from a couple of weeks ago will tell you more about what I'm going through at the moment, if anyone wants to read it. It's on the suicidal thoughts thread, not this one (Just thoight I'd clarify that) Also, has anybody got any tips on how to get to sleep earlier? I always feel depressed from midnight onwards when I'm lying in bed and I would rather be fast asleep than have these stupid thoughts swirling around my head.

Vank98123 Girlfriend left me due to depression, dont know what to do
  • replies: 1

Hi Im new to hear and apologies If this in the wrong section About 3 weeks ago my girlfriend of a year and a half ended it out of no where over text and said she needs to work on herself. She has been going through alot at home and not knowing what t... View more

Hi Im new to hear and apologies If this in the wrong section About 3 weeks ago my girlfriend of a year and a half ended it out of no where over text and said she needs to work on herself. She has been going through alot at home and not knowing what to do this year ( as she has finished year 12). We very rarely had arguments, so I was surprised why she ended it out of no where we have had very little contact over text or calling and she always seems blunt and out of it. I feel like im getting a different response why each time first it was to work on herself and now its that she was bad for me (at no point in our relationship was it toxic) Ive told her I wanna help and support her and I understand that she needs her space, but I feel like she's just ignoring me Im writing this to ask for some advice on what to do in this situation and also is it her talking or the depression saying she was not good for me and how can someone change so much pretty much over night? Apologies for any bad grammar or spelling Thanks in advance Van

Skippa BPD 2
  • replies: 9

G'day all, I was finally diagnosed with BPD 2 in 2009 after having a 'breakdown' during my career in Politics back in August 2004. Initially I was diagnosed and being treated for depression but after 5 years of getting nowhere and feeling worse rathe... View more

G'day all, I was finally diagnosed with BPD 2 in 2009 after having a 'breakdown' during my career in Politics back in August 2004. Initially I was diagnosed and being treated for depression but after 5 years of getting nowhere and feeling worse rather than better I decided to take the bull by the horns and demanded that my GP organise a Mental Healthcare Plan and send me of to see a Psychologist. It was during my 2nd session, my Psychologist advised me that I didn't have Depression but rather a mood disorder called Bipolar and that I needed to see a Psychiatrist pretty quickly. That was in November 2008. I saw a Psychiatrist in Jan 2009 and he confirmed the diagnosis of BPD 2. Since then I've been in and out of both the Public and Private Mental Healthcare hospitals 14 times the last was in October 2019 after I decided to stop all my BPD medication as it wasn't working and I was sick and tired of putting all that poison down my throat. I spent 3 weeks in the private clinic, meds free and was discharged medication free on the Tuesday. I contacted my Psych on the Wednesday as my mood was again cycling and I was extremely angry and aggressive toward my wife. My Psych had me see him on the Friday and started me on a medication starting that lunchtime. Saturday morning I woke with my heart trying to jump through my chest and profusely sweating. Thought I was having a heart attack. My daughter took me to the local Public Hospital where I was admitted straight away into Critical Care and then that night into Coronary Care. On the Sunday morning before I was fully awake the nurse came along and jabbed me in the stomach with a blood thinner injection and then returned with a cup full of medications for my apparent heart condition. I had not seen a Doctor since my arrival on this ward so how did they know I had a heart condition? I refused to take the meds and was then eventually seen by the Cardiac Specialist who told me that I could go home as I only had a reaction to the medication. Why did they try to force me into taking all those other pills? What could they have done to me? Have tried remaining med free but no good. Got the angries and the cycling back. Now I'm on a different medication and things have calmed down just a bit. At least my heart isn't trying to jump out of my chest. Sometimes you just need to stand up for yourself and say enough is enough. I've had far too much of your poison. Being med free worked for a while but is not the full answer Enjoy life

Emj18 Two people with anxiety and depression triggering each other
  • replies: 1

Hello all, I am new here so apologies if this situation has been covered before. I am no stranger to anxiety and depression however and neither is my ex boyfriend who I have been forced to continue living with due to our lease for the last three mont... View more

Hello all, I am new here so apologies if this situation has been covered before. I am no stranger to anxiety and depression however and neither is my ex boyfriend who I have been forced to continue living with due to our lease for the last three months after he ended our 3+ year relationship. There were many factors and valid reasons for him to end it. I accept that now and aspects of his life he has to learn to deal with himself separate to me. What concerns me is (in a nutshell) he’s had ongoing problems keeping jobs due to many different circumstance and as a result I was the sole breadwinner (it happens). It went on in this cycle for almost 2 years. During which he encouraged me to find my current psych and stay on the meds during tough times. He was my cheerleader and biggest support system but due to his lack of finances put his own mental health on the back burner as much as I tried to encourage him to seek assistance. Now, many awkward and emotional arguments later I am moving out of the house we shared together as the lease is coming to an end and he triggered my anxiety very badly when he repeatedly brought his new partner over to the house when I wasn’t there and shoved the new “relationship” in my face. It made me physically sick I was so anxious. I begged him to respect my boundaries. That’s over now but the damage is done. My boundaries weren’t respected. He had told me to move out of the house (as I had the funds to and cause the house was perfect for him and his young daughter) so with the encouragement of his friends I am. Why I am here today however is he is now starting down the barrel of no new job, owes me a great deal of money and won’t be able to afford the rent on his own so now needs to move out himself. He has a new partner that he saw after finding out he didn’t get the job he hoped would save him and came home and yelled at me that I am to blame for “putting him in this situation” which of course I didn’t and don’t take personally and demanded he will not pay me a cent back till he pays back others who are helping him out now. He’s drinking every day. An unhealthy amount and I know it’s best for me to leave - for both of our sakes and mental health but I worry he’s not getting the help he needs. Blaming others for his situation is a bad sign and I know you can’t help someone who doesn’t want help and it’s best for me to not engage with that behaviour but is there anything else I could do that won’t trigger him to help?

Pulpo Never done this before
  • replies: 1

Hi there, I’m pulpo and I never asked for help before on this matter. I think I’m depressed by feeling sad to often now and comparing the symptoms and how I feel. I don’t know if I’m in the right channel now to express myself or to find professionals... View more

Hi there, I’m pulpo and I never asked for help before on this matter. I think I’m depressed by feeling sad to often now and comparing the symptoms and how I feel. I don’t know if I’m in the right channel now to express myself or to find professionals advice. Sorry if my English is not perfect but it’s my second language. Bye

Josephine1989 Tired
  • replies: 1

I am constantly tired run down and not wantingnto do anything, I'd rather be sleeping then playing with my kids or spending time with family, I hate it I want to enjoy my time I have with them but I quiet often find myself wanting them to go to bed s... View more

I am constantly tired run down and not wantingnto do anything, I'd rather be sleeping then playing with my kids or spending time with family, I hate it I want to enjoy my time I have with them but I quiet often find myself wanting them to go to bed so I can have me time and sleep aswell...

RW89 My story (Any advice would be appreciated)
  • replies: 5

Hi all, I’m new here, nice to meet everyone. I figured I’d come here to lay out my thoughts and story as my anxiety and depression has been plaguing me for years and in the past two years, it has affected a lot quite directly. I don’t even know where... View more

Hi all, I’m new here, nice to meet everyone. I figured I’d come here to lay out my thoughts and story as my anxiety and depression has been plaguing me for years and in the past two years, it has affected a lot quite directly. I don’t even know where to start because there’s a lot but I’ll do the best I can. Basically, one of the main factors of this is I’m 31 - for pretty much all of my twenties, I’ve avoided committing to long term relationships for having been hurt in the past and through fear of not being good enough for someone. For a number of factors. I’ve always generally had some kind of anxiety - I’m very much an introverted extrovert. I have a lot of friends but I’m still somewhat quiet and different from some of my peers and especially my immediate family. Although, I feel like I seem to have inherited anxiety from my parents - my Mum is not the most confident and my Dad is depressed and just not the same kind of person since having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 18 years ago. There’s things I hate about myself - I’m 31 and I don’t have a full driving license which some people think is weird/pathetic. A bit of a trivial thing but it matters to me. I’m actually so afraid of not doing something correctly on the road that I’ve had panic attacks on the road during tests and lessons and have spent so much money on this only to fail over and over again. I’m not from a lucrative background - for lack of a better term, my family are quite poor and for a while I was basically the breadwinner as I was the only one in the family with a job. Hence once of the reasons why I still can’t drive because I could never afford it until later in life (which doesn’t matter anyway as I keep failing).

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