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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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roses123 Happiness?
  • replies: 3

why is it that when i am happy i really dont want to be. As much as i hate being so sad and feeling really depresses i sometimes miss that feeling and whenever im close to feeling content i really dont want to be.

why is it that when i am happy i really dont want to be. As much as i hate being so sad and feeling really depresses i sometimes miss that feeling and whenever im close to feeling content i really dont want to be.

Peania I'm lost
  • replies: 4

Hi, I would like to ask for some advice. I've been dealing with chronic insomnia and depression for over a decade now and I'm not even 20 yet. A reoccurring problem that I've lately had more trouble with than ever is that I feel like everything is so... View more

Hi, I would like to ask for some advice. I've been dealing with chronic insomnia and depression for over a decade now and I'm not even 20 yet. A reoccurring problem that I've lately had more trouble with than ever is that I feel like everything is so overwhelming that I can't seem to understand reality. I'm so confused about everything and I can't seem to understand the realness of life. How is time real? I can't seem to understand or piece together that anything is real. I feel so alone and sad. Please help me, please give some advice as I feel stuck in a fake reality when I know I've felt better before so this feeling can't be right. Thank you and warm regards

Now Affects of anathesia on mental health
  • replies: 2

Hi, I had surgury on my cervical spine 4 weeks ago for chronic pain and this appears to have gone well. I do suffer with anxiety/depression and find that I am struggling with such a "heavy head", even worse compared to when I had a particular difficu... View more

Hi, I had surgury on my cervical spine 4 weeks ago for chronic pain and this appears to have gone well. I do suffer with anxiety/depression and find that I am struggling with such a "heavy head", even worse compared to when I had a particular difficult day prior to surgery. I saw my GP this morning and I said it may be the after effects of the surgery and she mentioned it may be post operative depression. At the time I didn't ask more about it. Now I am wondering if anyone has had experience with this. I am finding it particularly difficult, I am extremely fatigued, I am having extreme difficlty getting myself out of bed each morning. I have a rest and when I get up, I still feel fo tired, I seem to be getting round in a daze etc. I am going for a walk each day; but I am dragging myself arond. Can people who have diagnosed depression be affected more by anathetic's? How long will this hang around, in the back of my head I don't want to feel like this but I can't seem to shift it, I am pushing myself to work with it, but it is really horrid. Thank you.

Staele Life has stayed stagnant, in a bad way.
  • replies: 3

Hello to all, I posted on this forum a few years ago during what was a rough time (that ended up getting rougher - and i never came back here because i didn't see the point) where i ended up losing my boyfriend after he cheated, my grandmother passin... View more

Hello to all, I posted on this forum a few years ago during what was a rough time (that ended up getting rougher - and i never came back here because i didn't see the point) where i ended up losing my boyfriend after he cheated, my grandmother passing suddenly, mother leaving my dad (also cheating) and my grandfather being hospitalised shortly thereafter. I sort of posted here as a last ditch effort to just... well i don't even know.. i guess just to have it down somewhere that i was struggling when honestly noone really gave two expletives. That all started november 2016. My life prior to that was nothing fancy, and ultimately i have been a failure most of my adult life. The last full time job i held was when i was ~20 and it wasn't full time, it was flexible around my university times which worked. But i was let go because the company was not receiving its accounts receivable fast enough to keep up with its bills. Being casual, first to be chopped. Since then i ended up dropping from uni as among other things i couldn't afford to go there anymore, i ended up coming out to my immediate family in 2012 as a "well ill tell them, worst case scenario i end up on the streets/alone anyway". Ive had 2 relationships, both partners cheated on me and left me for their other person/people. I'm struggling with everything at the moment. When i can find motivation to sit down and attempt to apply for jobs, i look at my resume and just dismiss it entirely. I have no skills on paper that these jobs want, but also no way of getting them because noone will give me the chance. On top of that, due to having 0 finances of my own and such, i do not have a social life. I do not go out because i simply can't afford it, so i have no friends either that i could meet up with and even talk to. My life has moved on in exactly 0% capacity since my ex left me and that was 2016... we're almost 1/4 through 2019 and.. i just don't know what to do anymore. I'll be 28 this year and i have nothing to show anyone, nothing to be proud of, nothing that stands out and nothing to offer anybody to even tip the scales in my favour to keep them in my life in any capacity. What do people do in these situations? My life is so far off track from where it needs to be.

Bz32 Medication is a dealbreaker for my partner
  • replies: 6

Hi, I've been with my partner for 9 months when we first got together i was coming off medication for diagnosed major depressive disorder as the self help and cbt that i was doing was working well. The last couple of months i have started to struggle... View more

Hi, I've been with my partner for 9 months when we first got together i was coming off medication for diagnosed major depressive disorder as the self help and cbt that i was doing was working well. The last couple of months i have started to struggle again and i recognise the symptoms of my illness are beginning to return i feel that im going to be right back where i started if i dont start taking the meds cobined with the self help/cbt again however my partner says theres nothing wrong with me and that i should just deal with it and i dont need medication and if i do decide to take it she will leave. To complicate things further my parner has diagnosed ASD so im not sure whether or not she can recognise the symptoms and if i try to explain it to her she is very dismissive once again saying theres nothing wrong with me. I can feel myself starting to withdraw and explaining my feelings is becoming more and more difficult for me. I dont know what to do its an impossible choice for me.

Sunshinecandy I don’t know why I feel like this
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I just need answers. I have everything in life. A loving partner. Loving friends. Loving parents. I have a secure job and everything most don’t. But I don’t feel right. I wake up feeling down with no explanation. I feel sad and don’t kno... View more

Hi everyone, I just need answers. I have everything in life. A loving partner. Loving friends. Loving parents. I have a secure job and everything most don’t. But I don’t feel right. I wake up feeling down with no explanation. I feel sad and don’t know why. I hate to be alone. I don’t know why this is happening and I want help

generalbrivous_ The Physical Side of Mental Health
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone. This is my first time using this service but I felt it was time to finally reach out so I can put my mind at ease. I am nearly 22 and living with Bipolar 1. It has been a recent diagnosis in the last few months and looking back at the la... View more

Hi everyone. This is my first time using this service but I felt it was time to finally reach out so I can put my mind at ease. I am nearly 22 and living with Bipolar 1. It has been a recent diagnosis in the last few months and looking back at the last 10 years it really makes a lot sense and sums a lot of past emotion and action up. I’m writing because today has been a particularly bad one. I am currently experiencing what I always experience after a bigger scale breakdown. The physical side effects. My brain and hands become tingly, I feel extremely numb or ‘hollow’, lethargic and pretty down. I am also going through some kind of congestion and will probably experience cold or flu like symptoms over the next week. This happens every time after a day like today. Does anybody else experience this after a dip in their mental well-being? And how do you manage the physical side effects in a healthy way? I’d love to hear about any experiences or about any coping strategies you may have that I might find useful. I am a very fidgety and ‘million mile an hour’ brain kind of person and I like to practice mindfulness in times like these so anything to help pull my mind and body back into sync would be helpful! Sorry for the letter of a post, B.

Lorrae_xo Autism, infertility, medical issues - I'm drowning.
  • replies: 1

I'm worried I may be suffering with some depression and it scares me. This post may not make sense as I think I need to just ramble in order to get everything out. Basically where I am right now in life is right at the end of 24 months back to back o... View more

I'm worried I may be suffering with some depression and it scares me. This post may not make sense as I think I need to just ramble in order to get everything out. Basically where I am right now in life is right at the end of 24 months back to back of fertility treatments trying to conceive another baby (first was also conceived after 18 months with fertility help). I have a lot of guilt overflowing from me regarding our issues because my husband's fertility is perfect (been tested multiple times). We had just had our 24th consecutive cycle fail and were signing paper work to start a new plan of attack when my FS (fertility specialist) ordered a complete blood work up because I suffer with a condition called PCOS (polycycstic ovarian syndrome) and unfortunately for me I have it very severe. Basically in the space of a few hours we went from talking about how I'd more than likely be pregnant again by the end of the year to receiving what felt like a death sentence. Basically my condition has gotten completely out of control even with medication and diet and I'm right on the edge of developing a lot of life threatening conditions...and i'm only 28. So we have been forced to stop trying for another baby and I need to have a scary operation done that I never wanted to do but am being essentially forced into. Or I probably wont make it past 50. So I'm trying to process that and essentially grieve the loss of something I have fought for and wanted so badly which naturally comes with grief and guilt by the truckloads. Then less than 24 hours after all of that unfolded my 2.5 year old son was diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). In the last few weeks following that it feels like my son's behaviours have amplified by a lot and I am overwhelmed with this hopelessness. I don't think I'm good enough for my son. i don't think i am good enough to be the mother of an autistic child. I feel like I'm going to fail him. Which has been so heart breaking because I love him more than I love anyone, even myself. I'm also pretty sure its my fault he has autism... But in the last 2 weeks I have found myself crying all the time. Im tired but I can't sleep. Im snappy and angry. So angry at the world for everything thats happened. We are good people. So many awful people get pregnant at the drop of a hat and healthy kids to then just abuse and neglect and here we are. And here I am. Falling apart and hiding so no one knows i can't handle everything thats happened.

Bonnie-mae Helping a partner with depression
  • replies: 3

Hi all, So me and my boyfriend have been together for a few years now and he suffered from a medical condition when he was younger, that has lead to him developing depression at a young age. He has handled it over the years very well and only comes u... View more

Hi all, So me and my boyfriend have been together for a few years now and he suffered from a medical condition when he was younger, that has lead to him developing depression at a young age. He has handled it over the years very well and only comes up every now and again. Only last year was he operated on and finally the medical issue has been fixed. But recently he has gone quiet and come to me and his family and has told us that his depression is back. He is now distancing himself from everyone even me and the only person he talks to about this is his mum. I have approached him about it and he said he doesn't want to bring me down with him so therefore he doesn't like discussing his depression with me. I am obviously not going anywhere and he knows that but I am just struggling with how I am meant to help him. I have never been in this situation before and it's all a bit overwhelming and trying to consider both him and myself is taking it's toll on me. I am trying to he there and support him but I feel useless, because I don't know how to help him when he is down like this. I would love some advice or tips on how to approach someone with depression and how I could possibly help my boyfriend so he isn't alone while recovering from this.

Guest_682 long term depression worst ever
  • replies: 2

hi everyone i have depressive disorder could be ADD could be bi polar had it many years still struggling to get a proper diagnosis at 51 years old,recently it has hit like a tsunami i cant get out if bed or get things done even things I usually enjoy... View more

hi everyone i have depressive disorder could be ADD could be bi polar had it many years still struggling to get a proper diagnosis at 51 years old,recently it has hit like a tsunami i cant get out if bed or get things done even things I usually enjoy,im veterans card,dva cant get me to see a psychiatrist they busy and wont see me,have tried counselors and medications but no good im bloody exhausted and cant keep fighting ffs im worn out