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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 chats on this Forum having 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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Firefox2311 Do I have depression?
  • replies: 2

Lately I have been struggling with some very new emotions. I have been feeling constantly down/sad as well as rapid change of emotions and huge reactions over little things. If anyone has any ideas of what this may be or anyways to help it would be m... View more

Lately I have been struggling with some very new emotions. I have been feeling constantly down/sad as well as rapid change of emotions and huge reactions over little things. If anyone has any ideas of what this may be or anyways to help it would be much appreciated. Thank you

Suet suet Depression and anxiety
  • replies: 12

I like to share my problems and hope someone will listen and give me some thoughts on it. Knowing that it’s not going to solve the problem. At least I can release my emotion a bit. i was diagnosed with moderate to severe depression and anxiety all at... View more

I like to share my problems and hope someone will listen and give me some thoughts on it. Knowing that it’s not going to solve the problem. At least I can release my emotion a bit. i was diagnosed with moderate to severe depression and anxiety all at once after doing the depression screen in late July. It was like a sudden heart attack. I could not believe the fact that i need to start taking antidepressant as well as seeing a psychologist. It’s such a mental health problem. I feel so ashamed to tell my husband about the condition. I wear a mask everyday pretending I am ok. I also wonder if I would ever recover. I had struggled for 10 days to finally get to a chemist to get the drug as after days of depression and unsleepless. It was a real torture! The antidepressant indeed has improved my sleeping. I started the first session with a psychologist last week, however not very useful! I told myself to think everything in a positive way and I will be ok. Last week, I decided to come off the drug although the psychologist warned me that it would take 6 full weeks for the antidepressant to come effect. I am not sure if its a good idea to stop now. But I only had drugs for 20 days. I do not want to rely on it to make me sleep! Everyday I feel so depressed and so tired. Expression has psuhed away my motivation and I found that everything I do is an effort. I don’t want to meet people. My brain has focused so much on negative thoughts. any idea how to change or divert my negative thoughts!

LarkAscending A complex day
  • replies: 6

I'm not after support as such right now; I just wanted to share what happened to me this weekend, because a lot of it was new to me. I'm going through a heavy-drinking-at-home-on-weekends phase to deal with boredom and loneliness. (I know that's a te... View more

I'm not after support as such right now; I just wanted to share what happened to me this weekend, because a lot of it was new to me. I'm going through a heavy-drinking-at-home-on-weekends phase to deal with boredom and loneliness. (I know that's a terrible reason to drink.. I'm going to just cut it out altogether for a month or two starting today.) I was feeling relaxed and comfortable enough last night to check in with my ex on social media. She's just had a baby with her new partner, and given it the same name she and I had chosen for our prospective kids.. ouch! Anyway, some part of me knew exactly when she was due and it had been hanging over me, so I'm glad it's happened, and that I saw the baby photos at a time of my choosing, rather than having them pop up unexpectedly. This morning I was pretty wobbly and thought I'd perk myself up with a couple of strong coffees. Unfortunately the cafe was playing Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, which is a) my ex's favourite song; b) about a devastating breakup and coping by drug abuse; c) by someone who had a heartbreaking life and died far too young. The whole thing tipped me into a full-scale panic attack, the worst I've ever had. My parents dropped around with a care package (I'm in my early 40s, but I ain't too proud to turn down free homecooked food!) and talked about potplants. Trying to distract me with smalltalk when I'm trying to avoid being crushed by the elephant in the room. It was a disaster and I almost told them to leave. I broke the family taboo on admitting to mental illness, which is causing me a lot of (undeserved) shame. But they did offer to drive me to a national park, where I walked by myself for a few hours. It's nice - there's a lot of wildlife, flowers, other walkers to say hello to - and movement and nature (and a couple of benzo tablets) were exactly what I needed. I called my parents once I'd calmed down and explained how to better support me if/when that happens again. I finished the day with a (non-dodgy) massage, to ease the loneliness through physical contact. And now I'm back on an even keel. Lessons? * Just don't drink * Organise Friday and Saturday night social activities in advance * I'm gradually developing intuitions about self-care, which is a good step * Being witnessed to is a powerful need. My parents' mis-step completely broke me.

L_J1 How do I just accept that I am for the lack of a better word a loser
  • replies: 18

Sorry I am in a weird mood. But I've come to the realisation that life isn't going to get any better. My life's not terrible, but I have never really achieved anything, that I can say is my own. I'm stuck in retail, something I have been in since I w... View more

Sorry I am in a weird mood. But I've come to the realisation that life isn't going to get any better. My life's not terrible, but I have never really achieved anything, that I can say is my own. I'm stuck in retail, something I have been in since I was 17. I have ever wanted to do was study. Unfortunatly I am not intelligent enough for this considering no matter how hard I work I usually behind everyone in terms of grades and understanding. Most of my schooling invovled extra tutition because I was so slow and stupid. Studying overseas (course to study in Greece - archeology) not an option my grades weren't good enough. Didn't get in to study Masters, cause I was according to a potional supervisor too stupid (that was the most painful email of my life). I have had to watch everyone I know get better jobs and better grades. I moved from NZ to Australia because I was unemployeed. I even tried to go back to Uni to study info management but only to fail, again. How do I just accept that I'm staring at 40, and all I good for putting things through a checkout. Once you have retail on your CV that is it, you are good at nothing else. Just soft skills nothing concret. No matter how much I have volenteered not matter what else I have tried or applyed for. It doesn't any better. Why am I this usless? I feel like I am running out of options. How do I just accept that it is not going to change and I am just slow and stupid. Because I don't want to be me anymore. I hate being in the same room as myself.

JohnSmith42 Struggling with Motivation to do Assignments
  • replies: 5

Hello everyone. I'm new here and reaching out for the first time. I've got a lot of stuff going on at home which I won't go into right now and I've been dealing with depression for a while now. I'm in year 11 and the workload is starting to overwhelm... View more

Hello everyone. I'm new here and reaching out for the first time. I've got a lot of stuff going on at home which I won't go into right now and I've been dealing with depression for a while now. I'm in year 11 and the workload is starting to overwhelm me. I've never had problems with getting work done before but now I just can't seem to get motivated to do anything. I have two assignments each due over a week ago but I still can't focus. Also feeling a lot of self hate to do with this procrastination. Just wanted to put it out there and see if anyone has some advice on how to stay motivated.

manoody92 This awful feeling.
  • replies: 6

Hi all. Ive suffered depression for many many years. Lately it has reared its ugly head again due to some marriage issues I’m having. I’ve got that sensation again where I am detached from the world. Like I am walking around in a dream and feel like ... View more

Hi all. Ive suffered depression for many many years. Lately it has reared its ugly head again due to some marriage issues I’m having. I’ve got that sensation again where I am detached from the world. Like I am walking around in a dream and feel like there’s a screen between me and everyone else... I know there’s a word for this feeling. I believe it’s called derealisation. I was just curious as to how many of you suffer from the same thing and when does is tend to dissipate? Thank you.

KOBI-C When you need a Mental Health day from work
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I suffer from major depression and thankfully have been pretty well and managed my condition with medication and therapy over the last couple of months, but with any mental illness come days when you don't feel so good and sometimes just... View more

Hi everyone, I suffer from major depression and thankfully have been pretty well and managed my condition with medication and therapy over the last couple of months, but with any mental illness come days when you don't feel so good and sometimes just need to take a sick day off work. So my problem now is that over the last 2 weeks i needed 3 days off for my mental health (not consecutive days) and after coming back my boss made me feel that my mental illness made me weak and basically tried to make me take leave for an extended period to get better. At first i tried to make her understand that i just needed so those days of so i could re-focus and feel mentally better in my self and that i don't need extended leave. She then stated that if i felt that i needed mental health days off that i was maybe in the wrong career and needed a job with less stress. This made so angry as i thought Mental health awareness was getting better and still not so stigmatized in workplaces bu sadly i was wrong. so my question for everyone is what do you say or do when you need that day off for mental health, do we need to go backwards and make an excuse of an illness just so we will not judged. I work as a nurse and absolutely love it, but feel so let down in the one industry i hoped would be more understanding of mental illness. Jess

Notanurse Emotionless? What's wrong with me.
  • replies: 1

Lately I've been feeling more and more emotionless, lifeless, lonely, afraid. It's got to the point where I can't trust anyone in my life, I dont want anyone in my life, I just want my life to end or at the very least to be secluded from the world so... View more

Lately I've been feeling more and more emotionless, lifeless, lonely, afraid. It's got to the point where I can't trust anyone in my life, I dont want anyone in my life, I just want my life to end or at the very least to be secluded from the world so I can just do what I want to do alone. Lately I seem to be pushing everyone away, some who deserve it and some who dont. But I dont know any other way to be. When I was 10 I was diagnosed with bipolar, would love to know the doctor's reasoning behind that. I refused medication up until I was about 19, claiming medications would change me. And they did. I turned to medications about 5 years after hearing a voice that wasn't there, was a one time occurance and I believe it was largely due to my drink being spiked at a music festival a few days before I hear it. The medication made me unbearably sleepy, I was sleeping more than half the day for the first few weeks which wasn't too bad as I was unemployed at the time. But now, my body depends on it to get to sleep, if i dont have it I'll literally be awake for days but if I do have it I'll still sleep deeply and for at least 9 hours. I wasnt like that before. I had no issues with sleeping before. Part of me now just wants to stop the medication because all it's doing to me is putting me to sleep of a night. It's been the past few years that I've been feeling increasingly emotionless. The medication doesn't help it. I just dont know what to do with myself now. I dont trust my "family". I dont trust my doctor. I dont have a psychiatrist or psychologist anymore. I'm pushing my one friend away. I feel unbelievably terrified that my son will turn out like me, an emotionless angry hateful little person who wishes the world would disappear. I know I need help, theres 19 years worth of issues I need help with and I just dont know where to go or where to start. Whenever I have opened up to people they just tell me to grow up, show more respect to the people who've assaulted me, or they just aren't interested. The only thing I feel I can open up to now is being anonymous on a website, and my diary. I dont know how to talk to people anymore, I dont know how to be a normal functioning person because I'm just dead inside.

Jenny_B Newby and worried
  • replies: 8

Hello all. I have had depression for many years, well managed with one hospital admission. I will be going to hospital tomorrow for an assessment and it is overwhelming. Any support welcome.

Hello all. I have had depression for many years, well managed with one hospital admission. I will be going to hospital tomorrow for an assessment and it is overwhelming. Any support welcome.

Emma_B I thought sex addiction was a made-up thing for celebrities...
  • replies: 4

...but I woke up anxious in the early hours.. and have spent the day feeling lonely and depressed...and just looking for an online hookup just to feel pretty and loved...

...but I woke up anxious in the early hours.. and have spent the day feeling lonely and depressed...and just looking for an online hookup just to feel pretty and loved...