Immediate support
Immediate support

Depression

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

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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: 1

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

Start a discussion

North_Star New to Sharing
  • replies: 3

Hi, My name is Star and I am new to this whole forum/sharing about what I'm going through. I am feeling at a very low point in my life and I am having trouble finding any hope or passion about the future. This feeling is related to a depressive medic... View more

Hi, My name is Star and I am new to this whole forum/sharing about what I'm going through. I am feeling at a very low point in my life and I am having trouble finding any hope or passion about the future. This feeling is related to a depressive medical condition, and it is amplified by my external environment, living in Sydney in a house where I don't feel like I can fully flow to my own rhythm. I have trouble being around other people when I am like this. I feel lost, sad and unable to believe that the future will get any better. It is my hope that by sharing my experience with other people who are going through similar things, that I will feel a sense that I am not alone. Despite working in a creative field, true expression is something that I struggle with - when other people are involved. I have a lot of difficultly authentically expressing myself when I feel "negative." My outlet for this so far has been through writing in a journal, but this is not shared with anyone. I'm hoping that by sharing my feelings and experiences with others, this will help me heal.

In-between Wellbeing
  • replies: 2

I’m stuck between wanting to live my best life and to be happy/ positive and keep up with my fitness but I keep getting dragged back down with my own mind. Recently I’ve had no time to focus on my mental or physical health due to the amount of school... View more

I’m stuck between wanting to live my best life and to be happy/ positive and keep up with my fitness but I keep getting dragged back down with my own mind. Recently I’ve had no time to focus on my mental or physical health due to the amount of school work I had (year 12) and I knew before that I was spiralling down again into depression and anxiety had peaked back up only I wasn’t dealing with it how I should. At first I kept my mind distracted by talking/ hanging out with a guy and then avoided thinking about due to school work. Problem is I need to deal with it and I don’t know how to help myself, I’ve tried seeing someone at school but they are useless, I tried getting an appointed with someone from headspace but they are too full and never got back to me. Someone please give me advice. TIA

QWYP 31 year old depressed, socially anxious, long term unemployed, overweight, dead broke loser recently separated and living with with my parents.
  • replies: 2

I’m just frustrated and feeling hopeless about my future… I've been suffering from depression and social anxiety for about 7 years now and haven't done anything about it because I’m too much of a coward to go seek help. I was living with my girlfrien... View more

I’m just frustrated and feeling hopeless about my future… I've been suffering from depression and social anxiety for about 7 years now and haven't done anything about it because I’m too much of a coward to go seek help. I was living with my girlfriend of 8 years and we mutually decided to end things because she has hopes of getting married and starting a family and she obviously has a time limit. And at this point in my life, in this head space I'm just not ready to commit. She’s already seeing other people. We still talk often and I’ve visited her a few times. I honestly wish her the best in life and she deserves all the happiness in the world, she’s really an amazing person. I can’t stop crying while I’m writing this, but it’s just difficult for me to see someone that I love, someone that I shared 8 years of my 20’s with - dating other people. I moved out and now I live with my parents. I’m extremely grateful and lucky that I have parents who were willing to take me in and provide a roof over my head and food on my plate otherwise I’d be living on the streets. I've been living here for 3 months now, and I can’t stop thinking that I’m just sitting here wasting time. My parents are getting older and I can’t be relying on them to be taking care of me. Thinking about this leaves me sad, frustrated and feeling hopeless. I struggle to go to sleep and wake up in the mornings, if it weren't for that fact that I have to drive my parents to work in the mornings I honestly wouldn't wake up at all. My entire day is basically spent on the computer, playing games, watching videos and streams and whatever else I can find to keep my mind occupied and distracted from the fact that I am an absolute loser. From the second I wake up I take 4 steps to my computer and sit my ass down for the entire day only getting up to go eat and go to the toilet and have a smoke. When I get into bed I often cry myself to sleep. This isn’t what I had imagined my life to be like. I had huge ambitions… I had a vision of who I would be in my 30’s and my reality is the COMPLETE opposite. I want to change my life but I don’t know where to start or what to do. I feel hopeless and scared that I’ll never be able to live a happy and productive life.

AlreadyNobody No one really cares
  • replies: 2

No one seems to care, Ive tried everything to get better ,wrote all my thoughts down in a journal or exercise till I threw up, no matter how much I did it was always short term and it made no difference to the nights, I told my parents everything as ... View more

No one seems to care, Ive tried everything to get better ,wrote all my thoughts down in a journal or exercise till I threw up, no matter how much I did it was always short term and it made no difference to the nights, I told my parents everything as a final cry for help, that was 3 weeks ago, they just said i had to exercise more often then already my 5 times a week, and they will maybe look for someone that I can talk to, and basically what I got out of that was its my fault that I can't manage myself because I don't do constructive things. I cant put any weight on anyone anymore without them wanting to keep distance afterwards, I used to have so many friends, and a while ago for the first time in my life Ive had to make excuses to why I don't hang out with my friends, I cringe every time I think about that because I don't have any friends, I hate myself. I don't see myself being around to graduate school, not at this rate.

Zoe111 Burnout or Depression?
  • replies: 4

Hi People, I’m new here, bit nervous, wonder if anyone has some wisdom for me. I am working full time in a management position in a specialist health field that can be highly emotive and divisive. I have spent >20 years in this field supporting the c... View more

Hi People, I’m new here, bit nervous, wonder if anyone has some wisdom for me. I am working full time in a management position in a specialist health field that can be highly emotive and divisive. I have spent >20 years in this field supporting the clients and yet still had work life balance with my partner, children and family. I made the decision to take the fulltime management job as my children are almost grown and I felt I had a lot to offer the position. At first it was going well however the last 6 months things have not been going well, I feel disillusioned with my workplace, feel I do everything wrong, worthless, anxious at work, brain working very slowly, not motivated, avoid certain difficult people as my heart races if I see them, coming home crying in the car most nights, no energy, no pleasure to go out and do anything outside work. When I started 18 months ago I felt none of this was excited to be doing it. I don’t want to just leave for the following reasons: my bosses tell me I’m doing a good job and I feel I would be letting them down Don’t know where else to go options are limited feel I would be running away and should face my problems at work and deal with it I don’t know how much longer I can go on though. If I left and went elsewhere would it be the same now? Don’t know what to do does anyone have any experience to share?

DannyG Therapist away, Help me please
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone does anyone have advice for me - my therapist is on holiday, I can’t get in to see my GP until next week and I’m struggling. every day I’m crying, I can’t sleep, I’m managing to go to work but I feel like im on the edge of being able to f... View more

Hi everyone does anyone have advice for me - my therapist is on holiday, I can’t get in to see my GP until next week and I’m struggling. every day I’m crying, I can’t sleep, I’m managing to go to work but I feel like im on the edge of being able to function. what do you do when you can’t access your health professionals? Has anyone had a positive experience with any phone help lines ?

Living57 Loneliness
  • replies: 6

Do you ever get lonely even when there are people around you? Do you feel as if you want to be alone, but know that it will make your depression build up? How do you deal with it? I find that lately I want to cry, for no particular reason, I feel low... View more

Do you ever get lonely even when there are people around you? Do you feel as if you want to be alone, but know that it will make your depression build up? How do you deal with it? I find that lately I want to cry, for no particular reason, I feel low, I feel as if no one cares, the black dog circles waiting for his moment to jump and hold me down. I am asked by my daughter if everything is alright, and I say oh yes, I'm just a bit tired. I dont know how to explain it to her, and that makes me feel bad. My two grandsons aged 5 and 10 make me smile, but it's hard, and I try to be """normal""" for them. I try hard for everyone. I have forgotten how to care for myself, and i really cant be bothered if the truth be known. I have no friends, so dont do coffee mornings or have someone to chat with and pass the time of day. The ones I had didnt understand my mental illness and slowly pulled away. I find my being alone, which I once enjoyed, I am started to loathe, but I dont want people. I am in a catch 22, like the mouse in a wheel. I feel like I am standing on the edge of a giant black abyss, perpetually looking down, wanting to step off, but not wanting to at the same time, something and I dont know what is holding me back. My depression runs my every waking moment, and my nights too, not allowing me to sleep, creating chaos in my head, questions - no answers, sadness, upset, anxiety, panic, negativity, no matter how tired I am, it keeps me awake. I dont want to give in to it, but I cant feel myself sliding along towards it, and it's getting quicker and quicker and I am have troubling stopping myself for long enough to turn around and get away. so what do I do? I have no idea. I just want to put it down in writing, hoping it might help me, and maybe, just maybe, somebody out there understands.

Alicia1994 High functioning depression? What is this?
  • replies: 2

Hi all, Im a 24 year old from Sydney. I work full time, have a loving partner and am known for having a bubbly friendly personality. What most people don’t see is that when I’m alone I become a different person at times - I become very sad, quiet, in... View more

Hi all, Im a 24 year old from Sydney. I work full time, have a loving partner and am known for having a bubbly friendly personality. What most people don’t see is that when I’m alone I become a different person at times - I become very sad, quiet, insecure and cry a lot. Ive always had this problem but it became worse when I had an autoimmune attack at 23 and was told I would likely develop MS in the next few years. At this point I experienced my first feelings of hopelessness and depression as I believed I wouldn’t be able to work anymore and support myself. Although I’ve now recovered from the attack, I can’t shake off this feeling of hopelessness. I feel mostly negative about all situations in life and experience very large mood swings throughout each day. I’ll feel positive when I have to put a front on at work and then as soon as I’m alone on my lunch break I get those feelings of emptiness and loneliness. I get terrible negative thoughts about myself, how terrible I am and how I’ll never amount to anything in life with MS holding me back. I get anxious in social settings and although I feel lonely I always avoid socialising as I tell myself that no one wants to be around me. I can’t explain my feelings properly to anyone because my moods change so rapidly and I almost forget the details of how I feel or what I think when I’m in this bad state. So every time I go to talk to a counseller, I feel like I’m not getting much out of it because I’m not able to explain exactly what I’m feeling. I also have trouble expressing myself which makes me downplay my emotions when I talk about them. i don’t know what to do because I’m stuck in this predicament where I feel so low at certain times and feel like there’s no one or nothing that can help me. When I feel okay I just avoid bringing it up all together so I don’t bring back those emotions. People in my family and friendship group always call me dramatic all the time so I feel like I’m burdening them by talking about how I feel or they simply will think I’m exaggerating. I feel embarrassed speaking to anyone I know about this which is why I’ve come here. does anyone have any advice on what I should do?? Right now I’m very down and I feel very hopeless about everything in my life. I’m tired of hating myself and my thoughts are so painful to deal with sometimes as I’m constantly putting myself down and beating myself up. I just don’t know where to even begin. This is my best attempt at explaining my emotions.

Osiri I've lost all interest in sex.
  • replies: 3

Hello reader, I don't really know how to open this so I'll just jump in. I've been on the depression train for nearly 10 years now. I'm Male, I've gathered some pretty good knowledge on identifying my triggers and explaining what's going on with me t... View more

Hello reader, I don't really know how to open this so I'll just jump in. I've been on the depression train for nearly 10 years now. I'm Male, I've gathered some pretty good knowledge on identifying my triggers and explaining what's going on with me to others. But theres one thing I just can't tackle and that's my ever waining libido. I know I want to have sex, i think about it, but much like everything else, there is almost the adverse of motivation. It's probably too late to say its starting to effect my relationship, I've tried swapping medications, I'm on one currently that apparently doesn't interfere with your libido. I take care of myself regularly in that way, but it always seems habitual and almost like a chore. I'm fresh out of ideas, we've tried spicing things up, spontaneity, and even planning a time. It doesn't work. When it does I'm often too quick out of the gate or pushing rope. I'm not in any kind of distressed headspace. I love my partner, I'm as attracted to her as ever, but I'm just never in the mood. Those few times I am I feel embarrassed, and even start to defeat myself. I was a marathon man not 5 years ago, I'd stop for breaks and go for hours. It was a huge part of who I was, and it's just disappeared. what can I do? Did I burn it out with my brief years of heavy debauchery? Is it as some of my friends say, just a part of a long term relationship (going on 4 years) I rarely drink, I don't use drugs, I'm active in my work, I'm not unfit. What is it?

Cabbage_Patch_Kid Does anyone else feel like they are never going to get better from depression
  • replies: 8

I get overwhelmed occasionally and fear that I’m never going to get over my current bout of depression which has been going on for almost a year. It just seems daunting. I see a professional, I take my medicine (recently changed) and I try. But I fee... View more

I get overwhelmed occasionally and fear that I’m never going to get over my current bout of depression which has been going on for almost a year. It just seems daunting. I see a professional, I take my medicine (recently changed) and I try. But I feel like I’m a failure. I’m still not back at work and there are days where I can’t get out of bed. I’m scared I won’t get better ever. Does anyone else feel this way?