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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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Gigabyte Felling lost and broken.
  • replies: 1

Hi, I'm 39-year-old. I got injured in Nov 2024 while working at a supermarket, It's a WorkCover claim. Since then, I've been stuck dealing with chronic pain, numbness in my leg, and serious mobility issues. I can't stand for more than 10 minutes, dri... View more

Hi, I'm 39-year-old. I got injured in Nov 2024 while working at a supermarket, It's a WorkCover claim. Since then, I've been stuck dealing with chronic pain, numbness in my leg, and serious mobility issues. I can't stand for more than 10 minutes, driving is limited to short trips, even basic errands wipe me out. Sitting hurts after 20 to 30 minutes, so I spend most of my time lying in bed on my side. The pain is constant. Sometimes it's burning numbness down my leg mixed with lightning bolts of nerve pain, sometimes it feels like someone’s jamming a piece of rebar into my spine. I’ve been on Palexia, Tramadol, Celebrex. I’ve done physio, hydro, and just had a nerve conduction study. I get the results in a week. That test was rough. Some parts of my leg lit up and made me swear out loud, other spots like the groin down my thigh to my knee were completely dead. He cranked the voltage to max and I didn’t even flinch. The specialist said if he hadn’t met me, based on the MRI and CT, he’d think he was looking at a 60-year-old’s spine. My nerves are misfiring constantly and the pain runs from my back all the way down both legs. Despite all that, WorkCover keeps pushing me to go back to work. They ignore what my body’s telling me and even take things my doctors say out of context just to tick boxes. I've had to fight for every bit of support. The IME said I’m at 40% capacity, but they’re twisting his words to say I’m ready for work. This whole process has smashed my mental health. I can’t sleep properly, I'm up at random hours, never more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. I’m dealing with anxiety, depression, burnout and PTSD. I’ve been bounced between GPs, psychs, pain specialists, and every time I try to stand up for myself, I get treated like a problem or flagged for drug seeking. Even when I flat out refuse certain meds because I hate feeling high. I'm scared they're going to force me back into a job I can't physically do. I'm tired of justifying my pain to people who don't live with it. I can't even lift my 3-year-old daughter for a cuddle. I can't be intimate with my partner. I see a psych, she's nice, but too polite. I don’t want sugarcoated sympathy, I want honesty. I want someone who doesn’t blink when I say I’m barely holding on. I don’t want to be told to do breathing exercises. I want answers. I need help. I’m at my limit. I don’t know how much longer I can do this. p.s. I had chatgpt shorten my post as i was at 3400 characters long.

Guest_03834137 I think something is wrong with me.
  • replies: 1

I don't know how to be normal. Being normal is something I have always wanted, since being a child I have been called weird or strange. Now I'm an adult and it feels like my brain is wired in a way to self-destruct my own life. As though I can't allo... View more

I don't know how to be normal. Being normal is something I have always wanted, since being a child I have been called weird or strange. Now I'm an adult and it feels like my brain is wired in a way to self-destruct my own life. As though I can't allow myself to ever be happy or at peace. Ever since I was young i have always loved love, now I hate it. I hate being in love. I love my boyfriend but there's moments where he slightly irriatates me and it's like i switch to someone else. I start screaming and yelling saying I hate him and I just saw the most awful stuff. 2 hours later I'm sat there wondering why I just told the only person I feel like I have ever truly loved to harm himself? Who does that? That's not even the worst of it. Sometimes it will just be that a female his type has come up on the tv and then there it goes my mind starts racing thinking about everything he has ever done, lied about or whatever. I just can't escape my mind. And i just hate myself sooooooooooo much. I've never hated anything more. But then I want help but how do I get help. I know I suffer from really bad anxiety and that definitely weighs on the relationship and myself. But there has to be something else wrong with me. Otherwise I'm just a terrible person.

Earth Girl Awkward encounter online
  • replies: 6

So, you know the app Titok? Well, a little while ago I thought I'd go on it to watch tiktoks and let's just say I didn't know about the "live" thing. I watched a few Tiktoks and one of them was a live and I was just watching these two people because ... View more

So, you know the app Titok? Well, a little while ago I thought I'd go on it to watch tiktoks and let's just say I didn't know about the "live" thing. I watched a few Tiktoks and one of them was a live and I was just watching these two people because I thought it was just a regular video and after a while they started looking at me a bit confused, but I just scrolled and didn't think too much into it because I still thought that it was probably just a Tiktok for some reason. I kept looking through Tiktoks and I was watching one with someone from "Love on the Spectrum" and I was looking through the comments with my hand on my face and shoulder on the table and smiling then I went to look at another Tiktok and it again came up with that live thing and I think I was still looking at where those comments usually are and then I looked at the "TikTok" and I think I was still smiling and I still had my hand on my face and I saw this girl and we looked at each other for a few seconds and then she sighed and rolled her eyes and then I realized that that Tiktok wasn't exactly a Tiktok, but more of a "live" thing like it said and that she could probably see me too and that on those things you're supposed to talk to the person or something? I quickly scrolled again and tried to process what happened. The worst part is I think it might be someone who knows me because she looked familiar, so this really is quite awkward. Even if it wasn't someone who knew me it's still awkward, especially because of how she reacted. If she does know me, she's so going to tell everyone about it and then it will become even more awkward. I really wish I knew about the "live" thing because I thought it was all just videos that you watch. I'm getting kind of stressed now. I guess there isn't really anything I can do about it, but at least I know not to go on Tikok anymore. My sister has a Tiktok account, and she has never said anything about the "live" thing. Has anyone else experienced something like this? It also doesn't help that it was early in the morning and I'm wearing a hoodie covering my head, so I probably look really weird. I hope it's not possible that this "live" thing could be saved? :((((((((((((((

Guest_23103482 Husbands Heart Attack
  • replies: 1

Hi. My husband had a major heart attack 3 months ago. He is well and truly on the mend now .. looking and feeling really well, but I am struggling. He is a joyful character and takes great enjoyment in telling his story to anyone who will listen. I’m... View more

Hi. My husband had a major heart attack 3 months ago. He is well and truly on the mend now .. looking and feeling really well, but I am struggling. He is a joyful character and takes great enjoyment in telling his story to anyone who will listen. I’m finding it really hard to listen to his story over and over. I’m so happy he is feeling well again but feel miserable within myself. He occasionally makes mention of his smoking that he has given up but jokes about taking it up again and it really destroys me every time I hear it. i don’t know what to do. I’m know he doesn’t mean to upset me but I’m still terrified of losing him. He’s only 55. He always uses humour to get through any difficult situation but I’m struggling to find him funny at the moment. I try to exercise when I can and eat well. I’ve always worked and enjoy working but can’t seem to find the joy in anything at the moment. I just want to be alone and not talk to anyone. Is there anyone else out there feeling like this? I feel selfish for feeling miserable as it was he who had the heart attack not me.

SadSad Depression
  • replies: 4

i've had depression for 7 years.

i've had depression for 7 years.

Guest_10205 so lonley
  • replies: 3

Hi i've suffered from depression my whole life,up and downs.At the moment my depression is really bad,I cry everyday.I don't have any friends.Iknow people say this and have friends but i dont.I've agorophobia for 28 yrs and only being able to leave m... View more

Hi i've suffered from depression my whole life,up and downs.At the moment my depression is really bad,I cry everyday.I don't have any friends.Iknow people say this and have friends but i dont.I've agorophobia for 28 yrs and only being able to leave my house the last few year with a support person.My 2 support persons i used to have have gone.The first support person left for personal reasons which she explained.The secong person just pulled the rug,things were great the day before,then i get a message that she has quit the company.We were really close having her home phone number and met her boyfriend abd been to her house.Iknow behind the scenes she was overcharging on support and i have an inkling this is why she left.Sounds strange but we were really close.She is no responding on Facebook,messanger,phone or text.My support workers are like my only friends,i see them 4 times a week and have done for a long time.I really don't have any friends to talk to,because i was agorophobic for 28 yrs i didn't get the chance to make any.I just feel so lonley and disconnected, Iwish i had a friend to talk to and maybe go for a coffee.I can't leave the house without someone with me

OliviaD dealing with grief i don’t feel like i deserve
  • replies: 1

In January of this year I found out I was pregnant. I’m not even 20 yet. I knew I wanted kids at some point and I’ve been with my partner for 2 years, but I’m only halfway through my undergrad and have a masters and phd left to do still. I remember t... View more

In January of this year I found out I was pregnant. I’m not even 20 yet. I knew I wanted kids at some point and I’ve been with my partner for 2 years, but I’m only halfway through my undergrad and have a masters and phd left to do still. I remember the day I found out so clearly, I knew something was wrong, I had missed my period by a couple weeks, I was nauseous and fatigued all the time, I just knew what it was. The test came back pretty quickly and I called my partner to tell him then went to his house that night. It wasn’t like I hadn’t prepared for this possibility, I knew the decision I would have to make if it ever happened. But when I drove home all I could think about was that I had a baby, something that came from me and came from love, something that would be both of us. I don’t know how to explain it other than the world before that moment felt meaningless and I had a purpose. I loved my baby more than anything else in the world. Still, I felt pressured by my own expectations and the expectations of those around me to make the decision that was going to most benefit me. We got an ultrasound and saw the heartbeat and got the due date and I decided my baby was a boy and I named him and I just loved him so much. I guess the stress of everything got to me because I ended up miscarrying before I could make that decision about what I wanted to do. I have been devastated ever since, it feels like the world has lost its colour, I think about my baby every day and how much I failed him, how I’ll never get to meet the person he could’ve been or told him that I loved him or even just held him once. My partner doesn’t get it, he’s sad about it as well, but not in the same way. I just feel like I have no one I can talk to about it because I have all this grief and I don’t know where to put it and I feel invalid in it because I only knew about him for such a short amount of time and before that a baby was not a near possibility. I wish I could know if he hates me, or if he at least knows I love him and I tried my best. Will this feeling ever go away? Or will the world be dark forever because I honestly haven’t felt happy for a single day since. I just feel so guilty all of the time, and I feel so alone in my guilt and my grief and I don’t know what to do anymore.

NO_N4ME Vent
  • replies: 4

What do you do if you just feel numb all of the time. I used to feel sad a lot and really depressed, but now I just feel nothing. I match everyone’s energy when I’m around people, so they don’t think something is wrong. Should I be worried because I ... View more

What do you do if you just feel numb all of the time. I used to feel sad a lot and really depressed, but now I just feel nothing. I match everyone’s energy when I’m around people, so they don’t think something is wrong. Should I be worried because I feel nothing? Or is it better?

Shelly Son passed
  • replies: 9

Our son no passed away unexpectedly almost a year ago and I’m still finding it hard

Our son no passed away unexpectedly almost a year ago and I’m still finding it hard

ssSushiCat Things have been going so bad for me. What do I do?
  • replies: 4

Things have been going so bad for me lately. I am autistic and I have adhd. Also a crap tonn of trauma (and probably ptsd) from growing up in an emotionally unavailable and abusive household. Idk what to do anymore. I am currently living with my moth... View more

Things have been going so bad for me lately. I am autistic and I have adhd. Also a crap tonn of trauma (and probably ptsd) from growing up in an emotionally unavailable and abusive household. Idk what to do anymore. I am currently living with my mother. We have very bad fights like all the time. She takes a lot of my emotions personally, says that I am constantly (verbally) attacking and terrorising her (not true) etc. She even called me an abuser when I tried to pack my bags and leave. Said a bunch of stuff like "you can't do this to me" etc. I don't understand what I am doing wrong anymore. I just wanna live my life in peace. Yesterday I had a bad meltdown (which lead to me having a horrible fight with my mum again and i ended up having a panic attack) cause I honestly i can't handle this shit anymore. I have no money, no car/licence no job, no luck and no energy to get a job. And my plans to go to uni where ruined by absolutely horrible burnout. This is not how i planned things to go. I feel stuck, idk what to do. I even tried contacting the beyond blue counciling and that didn't work cause there was a point where it stopped sending my messages rendering the whole thing useless. I have no money for a therapist. I don't have anyone to talk to. And I can't talk to my mother cause she will just yell at me again. I honestly just wanna leave and never speak with my mother again. I did that with my father who was a narcissist. But thats not really an option right now as I have no job or money and nowhere to go. I also still wanna go to uni and if I do that I will have to give up on that. Honestly with how bad things have been going for me i genually think I shouldn't even be alife at this point. Idk what do I do? How do I help myself? I feel so tired and alone.

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