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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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Mighty_Mint Feel like an imposter
  • replies: 5

There are times when all those low feelings of worthlessness, sadness and despair intensify to the extreme. But then in a few hours I'm back to being calm, numb or amused at the ridiculousness of it all. It's strange, I remember that I did feel hurt ... View more

There are times when all those low feelings of worthlessness, sadness and despair intensify to the extreme. But then in a few hours I'm back to being calm, numb or amused at the ridiculousness of it all. It's strange, I remember that I did feel hurt at the time but I can't relate to it. It feels like another person's memory. Sometimes I will reject 'that person' because I'm in disbelief and disapproval of how my behaviour at that time. I wonder if deep down I am truly manipulative, using depression as an excuse for being lazy in life. Because these extreme lows are more likely/frequent when I have a 'challenge' in life any other adult should be able to overcome. But I thought I was doing okay over the last few months so why the sudden breakdown? It seems like I'm kicking up an attention-needy ruckus when convenient. Background: I've been excluded from a Uni course. Currently being encouraged by my GP to apply for a withdrawal based on medical grounds to avoid the mark on my academic transcript. I'm not so convinced I deserve to try.

thehumanthumb Please help me get better-experiencing really awful lows
  • replies: 1

I am experiencing really awful lows so often now and I’ve been on medication for a year and it’s not helping. I went to the gp today to ask for anything else to help fix me and she wouldn’t listen and just upped my dosage again. Honestly I feel like ... View more

I am experiencing really awful lows so often now and I’ve been on medication for a year and it’s not helping. I went to the gp today to ask for anything else to help fix me and she wouldn’t listen and just upped my dosage again. Honestly I feel like I’ve only got 2 years left to live because the dosage maxes out and every year it gets worse. Does anyone have anything that will cure me? Like naturopathy or scans or something? I just want to get better and it feels like I never will and what’s the point if I’m unhappy all the time and burdening others? Please somebody help me.

Moon_cakes Struggling to exist
  • replies: 2

Hello, I think I am stuck in a very bad dissociative episode. I'm currently studying a master's degree and am feeling like I am drowning but don't want to help myself either. I just want to give up My social anxiety at uni is crippling, I obsess over... View more

Hello, I think I am stuck in a very bad dissociative episode. I'm currently studying a master's degree and am feeling like I am drowning but don't want to help myself either. I just want to give up My social anxiety at uni is crippling, I obsess over how my performance is in comparison to others, and what they might think of my ability .. I find it so hard to connect with anyone there and find myself avoiding all social situations or situations where I will be with them all as a group.i constantly worry that no one likes me and I feel very withdrawn I feel like my brain doesn't work the same way as my classmates and sometimes wonder how I even got to this point in my education in the first place. I don't want to be me anymore. It's just an endless cycle of anxiety then feeling a strange sense of elated , floaty happiness followed by the most devastating depresssion. i have a beautiful partner .. the greatest family yet I'm so disconnected from them all. It just feels so difficult for me to exist right now

Sophia1992 Depressed and living with unloving husband
  • replies: 2

Hi a bit about me. Im a 29 year old woman who has been married for 3 years. Due to living with some kidney issues i have always been in and out of uni since i was 18 and i am in my final year of studying nursing. My husband is trying to push me to wo... View more

Hi a bit about me. Im a 29 year old woman who has been married for 3 years. Due to living with some kidney issues i have always been in and out of uni since i was 18 and i am in my final year of studying nursing. My husband is trying to push me to work full time instead of studying or he punishes me by telling me he wont have kids with me if i leave work and go back to studies. He is a veru unsupportive and rude person who does not care about me pursuing my dreams. Because of him i do full time waitressing because which i hate and every day i come home feeling useless and depressed. I work for a boss who is rude and I end up doing so much unpaid overtime. I really want to return to my studies in nursing and be happy again but i have no support at home and my husband gets mad with me every time i bring the subject up. He earns 120k a yeAr as a lawyer and we can easily live off one income for one year so i dont see the issue here. He has never took my health issues seriously even after i have had multiple surgeries and a kidney transplant he thinks i am exaggerating. Please help

mr magoo bad day
  • replies: 2

sometimes it feels like everything is stacked up against you.Trying to make sense of why i feel awful most of the time.Feeling used and abused at work.Trying so hard to control my emotions i just feel numb most of the time.Fear of losing control,fear... View more

sometimes it feels like everything is stacked up against you.Trying to make sense of why i feel awful most of the time.Feeling used and abused at work.Trying so hard to control my emotions i just feel numb most of the time.Fear of losing control,fear of a million little things that never used to worry me.Sound familiar?

Saroseme Am I ok? Don’t know, don’t care.
  • replies: 8

Sorry to make another thread (different forum, but still), I feel like explaining my situation better, and I had another concern. I’ve never be diagnosed, or seen some one who helps mental health, as keeping a mask, and pretending everything’s fine i... View more

Sorry to make another thread (different forum, but still), I feel like explaining my situation better, and I had another concern. I’ve never be diagnosed, or seen some one who helps mental health, as keeping a mask, and pretending everything’s fine is my way of going, and telling me parents would be a struggle, as I can’t tell what their opinions on the whole matter is. Now, my family are great, and have taught me great values, that saying, I wasn’t a great kid, I wanted to impress kids not worth it, which came up with some terrible influence, and had some interesting situations, I was an awful person to a friend, who’d honestly done nothing wrong, and that went on for years, disregarding her for myself, eventually it was brushed over by some stupid excuse (I was 7? At the time, i should’ve apologised, and in general, I just wished that I wasn’t like that). Of course it came back up, when I was 10, we do this whole big thing, on social stuff and all that, while never directly stating it, I was so guilty, I didn’t want to be alive, I didn’t deserve to be alive, I skipped class a lot, and honestly it just sucked, it really proves just to be nice whenever you can, there aren’t enough good people in this world. Now that was a while ago, and while friends, we have a terrible relationship, which just shouldn’t go on. She’s gone through a lot more than me, yet she seems to be fine, and me who, for the most part, is fine, has always felt unhappy in the world. I feel terrible, I don’t want to be here, I don’t deserve to be here, I don’t see how some people get away with doing that without remorse, or guilt. Call me heartless, stupid, I don’t mind, I’m sick of trying to make myself feel better. So naturally, I’ve been screwed for years, and I don’t even know at this point, there’s a battle in my mind, that I can’t control, and it’s annoying to go on some days. I try to not think of it, but this girl, has been in my class, for 6 years, I can’t avoid it, or her. We aren’t “friends” only through mutals that is. My parents don’t even know, cause no one told them. I don’t have the heart. I think because it was never concluded, my mind won’t let it rest. I feel so hopeless sometimes, I don’t even have the right to feel this way, I just don’t know. I’m writing this, mainly because I need to sleep tonight, and having it bug me is not the way to go. If you have any way to help this, please let me know, Sam

Willson Smiling depression
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I have been living life with a mask of happiness for the last 22 years. Know one in my family or friends knows of my inner sadness. Recent events in my life have made me realise I have been living a lie and deceiving all the people I lov... View more

Hi everyone, I have been living life with a mask of happiness for the last 22 years. Know one in my family or friends knows of my inner sadness. Recent events in my life have made me realise I have been living a lie and deceiving all the people I love. For years I knew something was wrong with me, but not sure what. I could see happy people everywhere, and just wanted to be one. So I put on a smile and got on with life. I remember feeling truly happy and I know the catalyst that put me on this path, what I don’t know is how to rid my mind of this horrible feeling. I can feel the mask slipping off and it scares the shit out of me. My daughter often asks me if I’m ok, of course I always say yes I am just tired from work. Thanks for listening . Willson

LonelyBoy90 Struggled most of my life, nothing works...
  • replies: 3

Hey folks, I guess I just need a fresh point of view on my situation. It's a bit of a life story kind of thing, but I'll try to keep it short. Thanks for taking the time to read. I'm a 28 year old man and I've been struggling with depression since my... View more

Hey folks, I guess I just need a fresh point of view on my situation. It's a bit of a life story kind of thing, but I'll try to keep it short. Thanks for taking the time to read. I'm a 28 year old man and I've been struggling with depression since my early teens. It was likely triggered by bullying which lead to a stunted social life and trust issues. Not that my experience was anything extraordinary, I think most people deal with bullying in high school. Additionally, I've always struggled with finding work. I've had a few jobs here and there, but they never paid enough or provided enough hours for me to actually survive, so of course I still live at home. Naturally, I also don't have any kind of love life and never have. I've tried to date on occasion, but always end up being treated like garbage. To make matters worse I've also never really been interested in sex and trying to pursue a romantic relationship without sex seems impossible. I could be asexual, demisexual or repressed. I don't know (no, I was not abused as a child or raised religious). There's more to it than that. This is by far my most complicated issue. I've tried therapy. In fact, I've seen multiple different therapists over the years and every time we've eventually hit a wall. Ultimately their diagnosis has been something along the lines of: "Well, you're intelligent, charismatic and very capable. You've just been a bit unlucky." and they don't know what to suggest further. I also can't afford therapy at the moment as I'm once again between jobs. All my friends have moved on with partners and we no longer speak. I try to get out of my comfort zone to expand my social life by taking classes and attending meetups and the like, but it's really hard to connect with people. I know I'm a good conversationalist (even if I have to fake interest in certain things to get the ball rolling), but it feels like I speak a completely different language to everyone else. I really want to improve my situation and be happy for once in my life, but I feel stuck. My depressive states are getting more frequent and more severe. I feel like I only have the energy to fix one aspect of my life at a time and I don't know if I should be focusing on work/career or social life. It all just seem impossible right now. Thanks again for reading. I don't have anyone to talk to about this. Maybe it'll help just getting it out.

pinkdragon Feeling alone and lost
  • replies: 2

I've been going through a very rough time lately and I have no one to talk to. I have a circle or friends but I'm only really close to two of them. I can't talk to either of them because one has just had a baby and she's dealing with that, and althou... View more

I've been going through a very rough time lately and I have no one to talk to. I have a circle or friends but I'm only really close to two of them. I can't talk to either of them because one has just had a baby and she's dealing with that, and although I'm close with the other girl, we don't see each other very often and she has her own problems to deal with. I can't talk to my boyfriend either because he's useless. He's unemployed and has been for quite some time and all he does is sit on his back side playing video games all day and chatting to friends via social media. I've known him for about six years now, he's my best friend and I love him very much but he's of no help at all. If I try talking to him about something that bothers me, he has a meltdown and says that I demand too much of his time and attention and this causes him to be stressed out. He has time for video games and his own friends, but no time for me. Yet I can't bring myself to leave him. I can't talk to my family because I have next to no relationship with any of them. It's the worst with my mum. I work full time and I've been in the same industry for eight years, six years of those have been working for my current employer. I've lost my passion for my job and I want a career change, but I'm worried that I'm too old (almost 28) to start something new although I've been trying (but having no luck). I regret not changing my career path sooner. In the morning I can barely get myself out of bed. I have so much trouble falling asleep at night because there's so much on my mind, and in the morning I can barely get myself out of bed. Simple things like keeping my room tidy I can't even do anymore, I can barely manage to brush my teeth in the morning. I haven't been eating properly for about two weeks now. I've lost my appetite and I mostly live off water. I even neglect going to the doctor when I'm sick or in pain for whatever reason. I feel pathetic and useless, and I've all but lost my will to live. My life wasn't always like this, there was a time when I was actually happy. I don't know how it came to this. I just don't know what to do anymore. Sorry if this post is all over the place, I just don't know where to begin and what to include or leave out. Thanks for reading.

Izfish Lonely and confused
  • replies: 4

I haven’t felt truly happy for a very long time and most nights I end up crying myself to sleep for no particular reason. For a while I have felt that there was something wrong but I have never been able to put my finger on it. I don’t really have an... View more

I haven’t felt truly happy for a very long time and most nights I end up crying myself to sleep for no particular reason. For a while I have felt that there was something wrong but I have never been able to put my finger on it. I don’t really have any real friends anymore because we have all grown apart and so i don’t really have anyone to talk to about my emotions so i kind of just keep everything to myself which apparently isn’t a good thing. I am really scared that i have depression. Does this sound like depression? Or can anyone relate or have any advice?