Depression

Depression affects people in Australia every day. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with depression.

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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.

Chris_B Are you looking to support someone else with depression? PLEASE READ before posting
  • replies: 0

This forum is for people seeking support for their own mental health issues. If you're posting on behalf of someone else with a mental health issue that you're concerned about, please have a look at this section of our forums: Supporting family and f... View more

This forum is for people seeking support for their own mental health issues. If you're posting on behalf of someone else with a mental health issue that you're concerned about, please have a look at this section of our forums: Supporting family and friends with a mental health condition It's full of threads from people who have family members and friends going through anxiety, depression or other related conditions. Have a read through the threads there, and feel free to take part in the discussions. Below are also some helpful beyondblue resources you might want to look through first as well: Supporting someone Have the conversation

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

All discussions

9pmto3am Im at a crossroad
  • replies: 11

ive never reached out for help in my life and as far as most people know im fine, but i havent been fine in years. i dont know how to explain my constant sadness. the amount of times ive rewrote this is incredible. i want to give up on writing this b... View more

ive never reached out for help in my life and as far as most people know im fine, but i havent been fine in years. i dont know how to explain my constant sadness. the amount of times ive rewrote this is incredible. i want to give up on writing this but im really pushing myself to make a change and this is just my attempt to just say im really not doing well, im feeling very emotional right now and it feels really great to be able to say that im not okay and to get this out of my head even if its just some silly forum. thank you

Cleodams In a box
  • replies: 1

I don't know where else to turn. I'm stuck. I thought I was in love, but now I'm not sure. I left everything behind to be with him, friends, family. Now the passions gone and now I'm just scared. I'm 18, I work in fast food, I just left my dads, just... View more

I don't know where else to turn. I'm stuck. I thought I was in love, but now I'm not sure. I left everything behind to be with him, friends, family. Now the passions gone and now I'm just scared. I'm 18, I work in fast food, I just left my dads, just graduated. I don't know what I'm doing. I shouldn't have left home. I resent him for asking me to live with him. Everything he says makes me so angry now. But then my coldness gets too much, he cries and I feel like I'm in love again. What is wrong with me? I swear I love him it's just not constant. This doesn't feel right. It's not fair to him. I want to be better to him. But I get so angry. I hate myself for it, and he hates himself for it too. The medication isn't helping I still feel wrong. Please tell me what to do. I need him. I don't want to keep hurting him. I'm sorry.

Hanemcass No meds decision for bi polar. Anyone else going down this path?
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone. First post and looking for a forum I can get some idea on how people are coping with choosing not to take mood stabilising meds. I have Bipolar 2 and decided I don't want to take meds. Quick history - After twenty years on an antidepress... View more

Hi everyone. First post and looking for a forum I can get some idea on how people are coping with choosing not to take mood stabilising meds. I have Bipolar 2 and decided I don't want to take meds. Quick history - After twenty years on an antidepressant for OCD I decided to come off them and see how I would cope. Three months into no meds, numerous moods swings of hypermania and depression I have been diagnosed as BP2. It's been an exhausting period getting use to these changes but I want to try to do this with out meds. I have a wonderful husband who supports me and a close friend I can be totally truthful with. Their support comes with no judgement and is a safe place for me to swing about through theses moods like a monkey on a branch. I am seeing a psychologist fortnightly, refuse to go back to the psychiatrist who treated me like an idiot and a GP who is supportive of my decision to go med free, although I don't go to see her that often. I write A LOT and my journal is my mood diary. Scary at times to read over how the shifts effect me but my mantra these days is "it is what it is". I try to visualise middle ground when I feel my moods lifting too high or plunging too low. So far the swings are manageable but not without my team. I am ultra aware not to fatigue them but not being in control of the changes scares me it could happen.

digit_ Work depression?
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone. I'm really struggling with work depression. When I'm unemployed I'm so depressed and want a job so bad! Now I have a job, and before going I am so depressed, unmotivated and nearly just stay home and risk losing to job. Like it's really... View more

Hey everyone. I'm really struggling with work depression. When I'm unemployed I'm so depressed and want a job so bad! Now I have a job, and before going I am so depressed, unmotivated and nearly just stay home and risk losing to job. Like it's really bad and I end up going and after the first hour I start feeling a little better but what I'm struggling with is The before part. Everyone else in the world works for a living and I feel so pathetic feeling this way. My last job I felt the same and I left without notice and never went back because that's how bad it was. Everyone is really nice and welcoming at work, there is nothing wrong at work that makes me not want to go, can anyone shed some light on why I'm feeling this way and tips to improve this feeling? Thanks xx

PancakeCat Despite my achievements and worth to others, I feel worthless.
  • replies: 7

For my short 26 years thus far I've done allot. I've survived allot and I've improved allot. Despite my achievements this far, who I am as a person, I can't shake and have never been able to shake a constant feeling of brokenness, worthlessness and i... View more

For my short 26 years thus far I've done allot. I've survived allot and I've improved allot. Despite my achievements this far, who I am as a person, I can't shake and have never been able to shake a constant feeling of brokenness, worthlessness and inferiority. I have bipolar disorder as well, but that's been tamed with medication. I do allot with my life these days, I work two jobs one full time, I'm working to get into a career. I indulge in hobbies, keep active and eat well. Most of my self improvement hasn't been anything people care much about. My hobbies and interests are uninteresting to most, which isolates me a bit. I'm not your typical person on the surface, I'm a 6ft skinny transsexual woman covered in tattoos and piercings with 1/3 of my head shaved...most of the things I'm interested in are communities that don't like people like me. So I just quietly enjoy them alone. I don't really like the queer community, there are some wonderful people in it but there's allot of toxicity and negativity in it too, which I'd rather avoid, I usually feel inferior to everyone in it too. My wife is trans as well, so is my girlfriend, both suffer from mental illness and when they speak of feelings of self hatred I can't see the negativity they see in themselves. I imagine that's how they see me, but I can't believe the positive things they say about me, I'd like to, but to me none of it's true. I've seen allot of therapists etc, most I've found boorish, nothing personal, but they come across as useless. Which is probably my fault for not engaging them. Dysphoria (the feeling of disconnect between identified sex and physical sex) plays into the feelings of worthlessness and inferiority too. Despite medically transitioning with medication and having wonderful results objectively, I can't help but feel ugly, grotesque, physically useless, physically undesirable and inferior in every way to every other trans girl I meet see or hear of. To me I'm just worthless physically on all levels. I can't understand why my wife or girlfriend see any beauty in me, again, in my mind, they're wrong. My work always feels inferior, imperfect and worthless despite how treasured some of my work is. All in all I just feel like a worthless pile of rotting flesh. This depression has caused me to lose every friend I've ever had, I have my wife and girlfriend, but no friends. I'm too much of a sorry sad sack to have friends and in time, I fully expect my wife and girlfriend to leave me.

I_feel_like_soggy_bread Can’t tell anyone
  • replies: 2

I feel numb nearly all the time or as if I’m not enough I’m never enough and I can never to anything. I know I should tell someone but because of my age they’ll write it off as “teenage moodiness” or “hormones”they didn’t take me seriously when I cam... View more

I feel numb nearly all the time or as if I’m not enough I’m never enough and I can never to anything. I know I should tell someone but because of my age they’ll write it off as “teenage moodiness” or “hormones”they didn’t take me seriously when I came out either, they just acted nice but never did anything when I brought it up. I know that feeling like this so often is bad, I know my lifestyle (oversleeping, not eating well, not socialising or doing exercise) is bad but I can’t change it not without help at least, but I know they won’t do anything if I tell them, I’m stagnating like a packet of crisps on a roof.

Tobe What’s the point?
  • replies: 4

Hello today I confronted a process that commenced over 6 years ago with the diagnosis of my late wife with terminal cancer, since then I have been on a roller coaster of emotions all of which have been linked to a depressive state. I guess it commenc... View more

Hello today I confronted a process that commenced over 6 years ago with the diagnosis of my late wife with terminal cancer, since then I have been on a roller coaster of emotions all of which have been linked to a depressive state. I guess it commenced when we found out that there was nothing that could be done.... at the time I chose to work as we went through our journey and during that time it seems I was not of sound mind as I chose to trust colleagues to have my back, turns out the trust was misplaced and I am now faced with personal and financial ruin...... what’s the point?

Guest_8511 Is the ”Depresh” able to be past onto children?
  • replies: 3

Mum has it, dad killed himself (not sure if he was sad but off himself anyway) just wanted to know because I’ve felt like life is shit since I was 19-20 and haven’t enjoy much from 11 to now. Not sure if they just sucked as parents or helped give me ... View more

Mum has it, dad killed himself (not sure if he was sad but off himself anyway) just wanted to know because I’ve felt like life is shit since I was 19-20 and haven’t enjoy much from 11 to now. Not sure if they just sucked as parents or helped give me this bullshit way of thinking?

-Qball- My Predicament
  • replies: 2

I've struggled with depression near 20yr (since late teens). Have major depression and family history of BPD. I am totally exhausted keeping up the effort. I used to have a high paying job (gone), very few prospects now. Finances are shattered, have ... View more

I've struggled with depression near 20yr (since late teens). Have major depression and family history of BPD. I am totally exhausted keeping up the effort. I used to have a high paying job (gone), very few prospects now. Finances are shattered, have poured tons into psychiatry, now can't afford further consultation. Empty inside, feel very little toward others, just numb and dull on inside, it's like the light has been turned off. The meds don't work, I used to drink to self med until crashing early in the year - haven't touched that stuff for 10months. Every day I feel lower and use my tools to realize what I have, I will keep persisting but to what end. I guess I just wanted to put something down as I don't sleep well, sit here reading forums and know that there's many that don't post... best of luck all of you with the battle!

Guest_9870 Anyone here with depression/anxiety that holds a full time job
  • replies: 13

I have posted about jobs and whats best for us that suffer mentally before and i have been given some valuable advice from lots of you. I just have a few more questions and that is, anyone on here hold a full time job and suffer mentally, what jobs a... View more

I have posted about jobs and whats best for us that suffer mentally before and i have been given some valuable advice from lots of you. I just have a few more questions and that is, anyone on here hold a full time job and suffer mentally, what jobs are they, how do you cope etc? I had been given advice to have 2 jobs and that is going okay although i still get bad anxiety on the days i work as the bosses are rude and cause drama. I try to keep away from it as much as i can. Although this is okay for now, theres no security as they are casual, and i feel like i am not getting anywhere. I want a career and all i can think of is jobs that are helping people, but i know that nursing and jobs like that will be too much for me. I dont even know if i can hold a full time job, i have tried multiple times and just end up not coming to work anymore. Any experiences you guys have that are work related please share what worked for you.