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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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Vivienneh Bipolar 1 plus separation
  • replies: 2

I have bipolar 1 with mixed states. Hospitalised for the first time and my husband announced whilst I was resident in a mental ward that he was leaving me. My brain got fried from extended mania so it took a month for it to dawn on me, the reality of... View more

I have bipolar 1 with mixed states. Hospitalised for the first time and my husband announced whilst I was resident in a mental ward that he was leaving me. My brain got fried from extended mania so it took a month for it to dawn on me, the reality of being seperated. I’m exercising and taking the meds, and doing everything I’m supposed to do. How do you adjust to a marriage break up safely with bipolar 1?

Circling_the_Drain So lost.. Always ruin things
  • replies: 4

Hi, I dont know where to start, except that I've ruined another long term relationship through the same pattern of behaviour that cost me my marriage, past employment, friends and family. And i dont know that i can fix it this time. Honestly if this ... View more

Hi, I dont know where to start, except that I've ruined another long term relationship through the same pattern of behaviour that cost me my marriage, past employment, friends and family. And i dont know that i can fix it this time. Honestly if this is how lifes going to be with BPD I don't want it...

ribbon123 I am very tired
  • replies: 6

I find little reason to live, apart from my family who lives across the globe. I was lying on my bed, trying to escape this. Forced myself to sleep, and woke up an hour later. I remember waking up feeling so sad, so lost, so empty. I dread tomorrow. ... View more

I find little reason to live, apart from my family who lives across the globe. I was lying on my bed, trying to escape this. Forced myself to sleep, and woke up an hour later. I remember waking up feeling so sad, so lost, so empty. I dread tomorrow. Some day I slept all the time, but day like this, I could not sleep, even afraid of having a good dream, being happy in my dream, but waking up with nothing. I am a PhD student, who used to love what I did so much. But the job I once love becomes dreadful. I call myself worthless in my head a few times a day. It got better, then it got worse, way worse, then repeat. Counselling does not help. Or it helps, but I ruin it. I am not sure anymore. What if it would be like this for the rest of my life.

Cranberry_Juice Just want to say thank you
  • replies: 3

I would like to say thank you as these forums help me with my depression,anxiety, BPD and bipoloar. Today I started thinking of sad things and then I started thinking of death and I started searching for coffins, when I start thinking like this I com... View more

I would like to say thank you as these forums help me with my depression,anxiety, BPD and bipoloar. Today I started thinking of sad things and then I started thinking of death and I started searching for coffins, when I start thinking like this I come to this forum and it takes my mind off these terrible thoughts by reading other peoples posts Im not very good at answering posts but this forum is a life saver to me Thanks,,

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

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