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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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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

Angel21 Possible Bipolar partner - Advice please?...
  • replies: 6

My partner has been seeing a Psychiatrist as he possibly has Bipolar disorder. Now 40, his moods change from day to day from overwhelmingly happy to angry the next, sometimes several times per day. 3 weeks ago, he just stopped contacting me. He said ... View more

My partner has been seeing a Psychiatrist as he possibly has Bipolar disorder. Now 40, his moods change from day to day from overwhelmingly happy to angry the next, sometimes several times per day. 3 weeks ago, he just stopped contacting me. He said he just doesn't care anymore about anything and he's realised that he just needs to be alone as any relationship he has seems to always be on his terms which he acknowledged was unfair on me. We were high school sweet-hearts and have only re-kindled our relationship since the beginning of the year (even when we were young he would end our relationship often and I never knew why). The first few months were amazing (with the exception of a mood change here and there) He said he'd never let me get away again and I was his sole mate. He is on medication and has been since December of last year, which I thought was working well (so did he). Then he ran out of his script whilst working away and everything came crashing down (as he didn't realise you shouldn't stop AD suddenly). He is taking them again now but since then his moods have been very low and the depression has slowly been creeping up on him and now he's finding it hard to cope with day to day tasks and seems to not care about our relationship or much else. I asked him to maybe just take some time out for himself and wait until this dark cloud has lifted before he makes any decisions about ending it. In one of this last texts to me last week, he apologised for everything and told me that he has been trying to pull himself together but the more he tries the further he seems to fall and I was perfect for him. He then thanked me for trying my hardest to understand and that he thinks of me every day and what he has missed. He then went on to say "I am so angry at myself you have no idea, I'll always love you". I'm confused and worried about him. I'm the only one who knows about this possible diagnosis and I feel I need to do more to help. I also read that if someone has Bipolar disorder, often there needs to be a mood stabiliser and maybe an anti-psychotic prescribed as well? In the last few weeks I have been educating myself on Bipolar Disorder so I can understand what it is that's going on in his head and how I can help him. I've learned allot about Bipolar but am still unsure of how to go about helping him if he doesn't want me around atm. If he's anything like what he was when we were young, he'll come back but meanwhile I feel helpless. Please help?

GeoKen I dont see the point anymore!
  • replies: 4

I'm 52 and would like to give you a brief overview of the unfortunate event of my life (FYI: This is all real and not even half of it). Don't get me, wrong, I have 2 fantastic kids and have had some really great times in amongst the crud. I suffered ... View more

I'm 52 and would like to give you a brief overview of the unfortunate event of my life (FYI: This is all real and not even half of it). Don't get me, wrong, I have 2 fantastic kids and have had some really great times in amongst the crud. I suffered from Sexual abuse as a child (11ish fuzzy memories), Abandonment by parents at 14, arrested and locked up for 3 months for joyriding in dads car at 15, serious car accident cutting jugular at 15, broke my neck 16, Married at 20/divorced 21. Married again at 22 and was mentally and physically abused by (unstable) wife for 14 years. Both she and I were kidnapped, I was forced to run guns and drugs across borders while she was held somewhere in Nevada, USA. Lasted 4 months of terrifying experiences and threats. Diagnosed terminal in 1996 with no chance of recovery (Change in diet and lifestyle...20 years on ...still here!). My ex-Wife hired (seriously not kidding) someone to kill me and my new partner and child, was forced to flee Aust. There's more but you get the idea, I'm a basket case that keeps having really bad things happen, but I keep smiling and keep trying. Soldier on, they say, Talk about it can make it easier, they say. Time heals all wounds, they say. But none of this is true. I have reached that point where I don't get why I should change to fit the world. I am angry inside, feel the world is unfair (and it is) don't see the point in playing the game according to the established rules of society. I just want to find somewhere to be! Somewhere to grow a garden and not deal with the BS of the real world. Money, in particular, seems to be the cause of a great deal of anxiety, depression and stress & I hate it. Any suggestions would be great, But before you reply with "go see your Dr" or the like, I have for years but can't afford to go any more. Have no access to qualified professionals and those I did have access to were all spouting the same rhetoric, Talk, Drugs and Time. BS I say.

Rust200 Taking the next step
  • replies: 2

I was orginally diagnosed with PTSD anxiety and depression after an being a first responder ro a heart attack victim. Now that i am showing good recovery signs the doc is talking about going medication reduction. Was just woundering if others have be... View more

I was orginally diagnosed with PTSD anxiety and depression after an being a first responder ro a heart attack victim. Now that i am showing good recovery signs the doc is talking about going medication reduction. Was just woundering if others have been through the process an have any advice going foward to the next step in my own personal recovery

SamonFish can meds effect you?
  • replies: 1

Hi, this is my second thread and wasn't sure if it would fit under my previous one. Anyways, when I was in Year 9 I had burnt my hand but the boiler in the boarding house leaked. And then after the school I went to had this camp that everyone went to... View more

Hi, this is my second thread and wasn't sure if it would fit under my previous one. Anyways, when I was in Year 9 I had burnt my hand but the boiler in the boarding house leaked. And then after the school I went to had this camp that everyone went to for a term. During that time I had complained to the nurse that my hand kept on having a tingling sensation. So she gave me these meds that helped get rid of the tingling sensation. However, when my Dad saw the medication he told me it was also an anti-depressant, which shocked me (I stopped taking it when I found out). Long story short, can taking anti-depressants in a short period of time affect you mentally in the future? Thanks for reading