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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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a_of_n Where to start
  • replies: 2

Hi , Im into my ninth year of depression It started from a marriage breakdown, which tends to destroy the family unit, a few chronic health issues and massive financial loss on the unfinished family home due to the breakdown I think I was always head... View more

Hi , Im into my ninth year of depression It started from a marriage breakdown, which tends to destroy the family unit, a few chronic health issues and massive financial loss on the unfinished family home due to the breakdown I think I was always headed this way as I suffered from massive anxiety my whole life (I thought it was normal as I was very introverted) and mum and dad both suffered mental problems . My brother suicided in his late twenties Over the last nine years Ive lost track of different specialists and phycs Ive seen ,I know the early years my GP would set up 14 visits with specialists then it dropped back to 10 visits a year with medicare changes so a lot of visits Ive been on so many meds ,none work for me due to side effects ,so currently on none and totally over phyc visits ,I know what they,re going to say before they do Both mum and dad lived long lives ,happily married but both died unexpectedly 11 weeks apart just on 12 months back which has been harder to deal with than I would of ever thought possible I don't really sleep ,I haven't for 9 years ,I workout and look after my diet and health as best as I can but the head is a mess when I do get sleep in bits and pieces Im usually dreaming in dark places ,so often I wake in a hell of a state I used to think to myself that this state my head is permanently in is like being dreadfully homesick for a place and people that don't exist ,but not just normal homesickness ,life threatening Ive so many times been in an incredibly dark place and thought thru what my brother must of been feeling but I have this couple of daughters that enter my mind and that brings me back .. anyway these days ,I live alone ,I don't socialise at all ,the way I am, no more relationships seem possible ,Im so introverted and messed up with anxiety and depression ,I was put on a pension years back with this so outings are few Now heres the big thing over the years Ive realized Ive become an expert ,no one knows about my condition ,My daughters don't know ,family and friends .Sure they know Im introverted ,that's just me and they know Im not the happiest person in the world but if they knew the truth ,wow ...........My daughters would not leave me alone ever if they knew and with that no one knows to keep that safe. So this forum maybe just what I need ,as hard as it is to describe this condition .

Cookie_cookie Managing your mind
  • replies: 1

How to people mange when life if great, work family and friends but there thoughts and mind just seem to be the opposite?

How to people mange when life if great, work family and friends but there thoughts and mind just seem to be the opposite?

Rod_NR93 Worn out by illness
  • replies: 3

I'm not doing too well. I had been feeling much better this year despite some ups and downs along the way, largely due to getting me my medication right. I have been sick for four months with a sore throat and bouts of 'flu' along the way. I'm just g... View more

I'm not doing too well. I had been feeling much better this year despite some ups and downs along the way, largely due to getting me my medication right. I have been sick for four months with a sore throat and bouts of 'flu' along the way. I'm just getting over my latest bout. I've had blood tests and a CT scan and all they have shown is I have inflammation. I am starting to feel worn out again mentally and I suspect my physical illness (including the inflammation) is a huge factor. My old obsessive anxiety is back, I'm feeling grief again re my failed marriage, and I'm otherwise mentally flat. I'm really over being sick and yes I could go back to my doctor all he will say is I have a viral infection. I don't know what I'm asking for in response to this post. I can't think clearly.

Leo28 Irritability after Quiting SSRIs
  • replies: 1

Hi all, I have a question about quitting SSRI's and irritability. I slowly tapered off SSRIs about two months ago, after being on them 15 years. I had brain zaps and other symptoms for a month, and these have dissipated. Good news is I'm not feeling ... View more

Hi all, I have a question about quitting SSRI's and irritability. I slowly tapered off SSRIs about two months ago, after being on them 15 years. I had brain zaps and other symptoms for a month, and these have dissipated. Good news is I'm not feeling depressed. Bad news is I'm really irritable and have lost patience and tolerance. I'm feeling what I would call stress, rather than anxiety. This is kind of hard for me because I'm in a job that requires some patience and tolerance so I don't feel like I'm doing as well at my job, and also I'm not as tolerant at home. I'm controlling it as best as I can on both fronts but feel like I'm holding on against a tidal wave all the time. I've been on SSRIs so long that I'm having difficulty understanding if this is from SSRI discontinuation, or if it's really me not on SSRIs! I don't want to go making lifestyle changes, like quitting my job and doing something else, if it's a symptom of SSRI discontinuation, which I know it is in the short term, but it's now been two months so I'm questioning if it's related to discontinuation now, or if it's just me. Has anyone else experienced symptoms from quitting SSRIs that go this long? Thanks for any help! Jason

Paullus It's Back
  • replies: 3

I've been doing really well the past year or two but the swirling black dog has returned with a vengeance, the worst it's been. Lost Mum a few weeks back after caring full time for her for the past 7 years. She was 97, but there is a big hole but tha... View more

I've been doing really well the past year or two but the swirling black dog has returned with a vengeance, the worst it's been. Lost Mum a few weeks back after caring full time for her for the past 7 years. She was 97, but there is a big hole but that's not the reason for the plunge downward. Not sure what the reason, does there have to be one? Bit scared of the dark thoughts I'm having, I've lost purpose all of a sudden, bugger it.

Busymum Reasons or not related to depression
  • replies: 1

Hi, I haven't been on for a while - I'm just not motivated. I'm nearly 40 and still trying to figure out my "reason" to be depressed and anxious. Does anyone else feel like this? I'm struggling with money and am a busy mum but is this reason enough? ... View more

Hi, I haven't been on for a while - I'm just not motivated. I'm nearly 40 and still trying to figure out my "reason" to be depressed and anxious. Does anyone else feel like this? I'm struggling with money and am a busy mum but is this reason enough? Or is there no reason? I'm just lost....does everyone have a reason or are there others out there who just don't know why they feel like this? - feeling lost....

rosemotion Need to rant, and get advice
  • replies: 4

During every day, at every second, I feel dead. I am always tired, I dread doing anything, I hate doing the things I used to love. It seems that I have become a completely different person. I cry for no reason, or over the most insignificant things. ... View more

During every day, at every second, I feel dead. I am always tired, I dread doing anything, I hate doing the things I used to love. It seems that I have become a completely different person. I cry for no reason, or over the most insignificant things. A few of my friends know about this, as I have told them when I'm in my darkest times for some help. Most of them are kind and understanding, but I feel as if they don't really believe me. They will offer their advice and try to relate it to themselves to make me feel like I am not alone, but it never works. Of course, I am more than grateful that they try their best to help me, but I just feel like a joke to them. Sometimes, I also dissociate. Now this, I haven't told anyone. It's happened quite a few times, but there are only 2 instances I can think of where it's really impacted me. One of them lasted for over 3 days. I don't really know where I'm going with this thread, I just felt like I needed to get this out even if it doesn't make sense. I just want to have a day where I am genuinely happy and feel loved. I don't want to be stuck like this forever, and even though I'm only 15, it feels like this is never going to change. I think I'll just have to keep pushing all my mental struggles to the side, because I'm nearly an adult and apparently that is more important to focus on then my feelings now. I don't know who I am or why I am even here, because the sadness and intrusive thoughts fog my mind and I can't bring myself to focus on anything else. I don't know what to do, I just want it to stop. I want to feel normal. I want to look back on these years and feel like I have actually had a childhood, not just wish I had one. Everything seems pointless when I just have these overwhelming feelings that won't let me focus on anything else.

Rach94xx Partner died in an accident - not coping
  • replies: 4

Hello, my partner and I had been together for 5 years and he recently moved two hours away for work. I went and spent the weekend with him, we had a great time going hiking and making plans for me to move down and join him. Come Sunday I didn’t want ... View more

Hello, my partner and I had been together for 5 years and he recently moved two hours away for work. I went and spent the weekend with him, we had a great time going hiking and making plans for me to move down and join him. Come Sunday I didn’t want to leave and cried but the thought I would be seeing him again in two weeks was comforting. yesterday I was out when his dad came to the door and told my parents my partner had a motorbike accident and didn’t survive. I feel completely sick I can’t sleep or eat. I keep picturing blood and shattered teeth and getting a choking sensation. The pain is unbelievable I can’t sfop sobbing. I keep thinking about him if I hadve stayed maybe I could’ve stopped this from happening. I keep expecting to get a message and it be from him. Twenty minutes after the accident I sent him a ‘what are you up to today’ and got annoyed when I didn’t hear a response, 8 hours later I found out why. I feel completely guilty I want to feel him hug me again. i honestly feel like I will never be happy again I just want him back I would do anything

Dom1 Not sure how I feel.
  • replies: 1

Hi, I thought I would post something on here to see if I could get some support to how I am currently feeling. I am 42, no kids, no wife. Have not been able to hold on to a relationship for long enough. I bought a house under a seasonal flight path a... View more

Hi, I thought I would post something on here to see if I could get some support to how I am currently feeling. I am 42, no kids, no wife. Have not been able to hold on to a relationship for long enough. I bought a house under a seasonal flight path and can't forgive myself as I feel like I have failed. I want to move but the housing market is terrible. I have a stressful job that should be rewarding but feel I am not going anywhere. I feel trapped in my work and where I live. Being 42 I can't meet anyone on dating apps and all my friends are married with kids or with long term partners. I feel I am wasting my time and in a constant state of unhappiness.

Everything-Not-Zen Fading Away...
  • replies: 1

Hello one and all... This is my first post on here. I just typed out a lengthy explanation of my current situation and it exceeded the character limit by far. I wasn’t sure how to narrow it down effectively so I am just writing this super basic backg... View more

Hello one and all... This is my first post on here. I just typed out a lengthy explanation of my current situation and it exceeded the character limit by far. I wasn’t sure how to narrow it down effectively so I am just writing this super basic background for now. I am diagnosed Bipolar I (has nearly been changed to Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective several times now) and I am really struggling. I had my last psychotic episode in December last year and was hospitalised until February. They wanted to keep me in for at least another eight weeks but I managed to get out of it. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have been discharged when I was. I was somewhat manic until I completely crashed about two months ago now. I am living alone in the bush about fifteen minutes from the nearest small town. I lost my job and my relationship following my episode. And consequently my life. I have no reason whatsoever to get out of bed each day. I have no motivation to do absolutely anything and only leave the house when I absolutely have to. Usually to get tobacco. I am certainly not eating well. A lot of the time I eat nothing at all during a day. I can’t shower at my house at the moment due to water/plumbing issues that my real estate/landlord is yet to rectify. So my hygiene practice is pretty much null and void. I shower maybe twice a week at a “friends” house while he is at work. I say “friends” because he is a horribly toxic influence on my life (long story for another time) and I choose to keep him at bay. I am on no medication since leaving hospital and am smoking marijuana every day in an effort to cope. I am stopping the latter in a couple of days mind you. Only thing I can currently think of to do that might help me right now. I am completely isolated. No friends or family and certainly no support. I have thought of going back to hospital but know they will only drug me up mega and I will be back here where I started before too long. I am on the DSP now which is hard when paying rent. I barely have enough left over for food and petrol so I couldn’t even eat properly if I wanted to. The bills are starting to pile up and I am at a loss at what to do there either. So basically absolutely everything is a mess and I am quickly fading away... Thank you to those who took the time to read this and those who may respond.

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