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: 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

Start a discussion

jman26 Lost and confused.
  • replies: 4

The title says it all, I'm at a crossroad in life or some might also say a quarter life crisis. Up until about 4 years ago I was a very happy person. I had a great social life, girlfriend, travelled a lot and was essentially completely different. I t... View more

The title says it all, I'm at a crossroad in life or some might also say a quarter life crisis. Up until about 4 years ago I was a very happy person. I had a great social life, girlfriend, travelled a lot and was essentially completely different. I travelled around the world for 12 months and moved to the big city when I returned. Since then I was lucky enough to land a high paying job as a truck driver. After discovering personal finance and self development I made it a goal to try and build wealth, that hasn't worked out how I thought it would. 3.5 years later of saving 80%+ of my earnings, I've reached a point where my anxiety to spend money is drastic. My connections with friends and family have diminished due to being too frugal and my last girlfriend ended up leaving me. Alongside this, I also decided to get into shape. I've achieved what some might say is a decent physique but that's not all. I thought this would make me confident but it's done the opposite. My insecurities are through the roof and my self esteem is at an all time low as I'm never happy with how I look. This has been going on for years now. I haven't had even as much as a verbal connection with a girl for 6+ months, my job isn't gratifying (I receive abuse from drivers all day for delivering them food, go figure) and the thought of knowing that this could be the rest of my life scares me. With all these combined I've found myself at a crossroad where I'm asking myself if this is really all worth it. I don't find joy or pleasure in anything anymore and I feel like all of the advice society gives (get in shape, get financially secure, succeed etc) just isn't for me. Surely there has to be another way to live than spending 6 days/70 hours a week working, saving everything I earn and torturing my body with exercise I don't even enjoy and eating bland food I don't enjoy just to have a physique that brings a tonne of insecurities? To end this I guess my question is, have you been here before and gotten out of it? Any advice I receive (i.e work hard, set goals, save money, be disciplined etc) hasn't worked as it's what has gotten me here in the first place. Thanks for listening.

Lizzy1 Being Bi Polar
  • replies: 7

Hi all, this is my first posting on a forum. I am Bipolar, have been all my life, well, since I can remember anyway. I was always diagnosed as depressed, and I guess that was because of some traumatic events that happened in my life, and obviously I ... View more

Hi all, this is my first posting on a forum. I am Bipolar, have been all my life, well, since I can remember anyway. I was always diagnosed as depressed, and I guess that was because of some traumatic events that happened in my life, and obviously I wouldn't come out of that unscathed. I always felt that it was more than that, ( being depressed, or suffering from PTSD), but I couldn't explain it. As I got older and with my symptoms becoming more serious and varied, I sought councilling and was described various medications to stabilize my moods. But nothing helped. I would swing between feeling what I would consider "normal", and deep, deep depression, which I could not understand, as everything was okay in my life. To cut a long story short, and to not go into too much, I was resently diagnosed. Bipolar. Well thanks. Even though it gives me a reason to understand my longstanding behaviours and feelings, and how I've never felt "normal", I now have to realise that this is my life. That nothing apart from medication, can help me. Where was the help I needed all those years ago, before I lost my children, my family and my friends?? How could I have expected everyone else to understand why I was like I was, when I never could understand it myself? I am now nearly 57, in my second marriage, which is being destroyed by this horrible disorder, and I'm really sick of it.

chelpformum Helping mother with depression
  • replies: 4

I'm 18 and my mother is 46 and for the past 6 years my mum has had severe depression. 2 months ago I moved 3 hours away to go to university, leaving her alone. I feel bad about this but also know its right for my future. Over the past week, she has t... View more

I'm 18 and my mother is 46 and for the past 6 years my mum has had severe depression. 2 months ago I moved 3 hours away to go to university, leaving her alone. I feel bad about this but also know its right for my future. Over the past week, she has told me she has no motivation to do anything (walk the dogs, go to the shop, clean the house) and she feels extremely bad about this. She also has no job and no friends. This upsets her immensely as she wants a job yet is unsure that she will ever get one as it has been many years since her last employment. She gets very upset and sometimes states that she no longer wants to be alive and is only here for me. She struggles with alcohol and buys it when she goes to the shop, then gets very sick and falls back into a pit of depression. This makes her afraid to go to the shop and meet people as she thinks she will ruin all her friendships when she is drunk. I just want to know how I can help her, she won't see a psychologist and has no car to get to the doctors to go on another antidepressant (3 different ones tried and still no results.) She has no friends to talk to about this other than me and I feel so unable to help her. Please, I need your advice as I love her more than anything and would do anything to make her be happy again.

BlueArt I’m really struggling
  • replies: 9

Hi, so I got diganoised with depression and anxiety about a year ago. I know I’ve had it for longer than that though. I’m 22 years old and I just feel utterly worthless. I’ve left two different uni degrees because I either couldn’t handle it or didn’... View more

Hi, so I got diganoised with depression and anxiety about a year ago. I know I’ve had it for longer than that though. I’m 22 years old and I just feel utterly worthless. I’ve left two different uni degrees because I either couldn’t handle it or didn’t want to study it anymore. I’ve got a job that barely gives me any hours and absolutely no talent in anything. I don’t have something that I’m good at or passionate about, I’m just numb to everything. I don’t even feel like I have friends anymore. My two “best friends” just booked a holiday without me, they never notice that I’m sad and when I mention it they do nothing but encourage me to drink alcohol. My family don’t understand either, I know they are trying to but they just don’t. I’ve never felt so useless in my life and I feel like I’ll always be useless. I have no idea why I’m even here anymore. i just have no idea what to do.

Zaccy77 Not Coping Too Good
  • replies: 18

Hi Everyone. I am new here and had a nurse at the hospital I am in recommend this site. At the moment I have been in hospital for the last 4 weeks on a Surgical Ward. I have diabetic ulcers on the side of both feet and under my big toe on my left foo... View more

Hi Everyone. I am new here and had a nurse at the hospital I am in recommend this site. At the moment I have been in hospital for the last 4 weeks on a Surgical Ward. I have diabetic ulcers on the side of both feet and under my big toe on my left foot which were really bad. After being in for 2 weeks with many x-rays and bone scans it came back that I have osteomyelitis in my big toe. This is a serious bone infection. What they are saying is that the infection from the ulcer on my big toe went into the bone and started spreading. Yesterday (Friday 13th) I was moved to from the Surgical Ward to the Acute Rehabilitation Unit at the same hospital and was told that I will be in for at least another 5 weeks. Being in for just 4 weeks isn't helping my bipolar and anxiety as it is. But now having to be in for over another month is not helping me at all. I am in a room with 3 other guys, a lot older then me, they are in there 80s, and this is really distressing to me due to some things that happened to me by an older guy when I was a child. It has brought my anxiety to the forefront all over again. They are really good at the hospital trying to do what they can. They are trying to get me into a single room to make things easier since I am going to be here for such a long time. I just don't know how to handle this much more. I want to just leave but the problem is if I discharge myself I will 100% lose my toe, if not my foot is what they are saying. And with what it looks like and the pain (for which I am on morphine every 3 hours) I believe them too. Any support and advice would be very grateful. Thank you!

hello_ Numb
  • replies: 5

It's been a long time now that I've been 'unwell'. Today I even called in sick from work - isn't it sad that I have to make up some physical sickness? Why can't I just say my mind hurts today, I can't work. Anyway, I thought I was getting better, I w... View more

It's been a long time now that I've been 'unwell'. Today I even called in sick from work - isn't it sad that I have to make up some physical sickness? Why can't I just say my mind hurts today, I can't work. Anyway, I thought I was getting better, I was working full time, studying full time, occasionally socialising, but recently it's come back - the numb feeling. Does anyone else get this? You're there physically, but your mind isn't, it almost feels like you're not there at all - you're zoned out, and physically you just feel empty. It happens around friends, in class, at work, right now. I'm just completely absent. Now I'm having 'sick' days from work, failing courses at uni, not socialising at all. It just takes a full 360. How do you get back to passing, to working, to talking to people? How do you get back to being yourself again if you don't know who you are anymore?

white knight Depression and physics
  • replies: 9

What has helped me almost fully recover with depression is tricking my mind. That is, I usually dont know if a thought, a system or a philosophy works or not...but I'll try anyway based on the logic. "A ball wont bounce unless it rapidly drops". We p... View more

What has helped me almost fully recover with depression is tricking my mind. That is, I usually dont know if a thought, a system or a philosophy works or not...but I'll try anyway based on the logic. "A ball wont bounce unless it rapidly drops". We panic when we fall heavily into depression. Being a motivated person Im always looking for the positve...the bouncing ball tells me that there must be a reason we fall into that state and the ball, like our depression must hit rock bottom before the journey to recovery begins. It might not be "right" theoretically however when Ive been rock bottom Ive then waited for the up cycle to appear and like that bouncing ball..Went on the rise. What if that ball bounces down the road.up, down, up, down..many times until one day it bounces into your hand where you can have some control of it. It will..believe it. Another physics idea is empty/replace. So if you treat your depression as an intruder of your brain. To reduce its size we must replace parts of it with other volume items..like- a hobby, sport, social, activity, jigsaw...keep moving, replace, replace. If you be idle for too long your depression grows. Deptession loves boredom. Easier said than done? I know, I've been there many times. But this mentality is but one way to assist in beating the black dog. Stimulation. You are deeply depressed. In a matter of moments you reverse your mind to do the opposite of what you are allowing it to do. Google Topic: switching mindsets- beyondblue Imagine you suddenly decide to go parachuting or paying passenger in a race car?. For myself when I went abseiling down a cliff my depression evaporated for that 15 minutes, and then when I told friends..excitement replaced... It worked albeit short periods but it worked. Topic: depression, distraction and variety- beyondblue Keep going forward. Fighting it wont work. Out witting it with logic and playing its own game can find improvement. Tony WK

Anne_Autumn Hello pre-midlife crisis!
  • replies: 3

Hi, New member, first post (so pls be kind & apologies for rambling!) I am married woman with a successful career an turn 35 on Monday. I am also the queen of the mask- IE no one knows the struggles behind this perfectly crafted facade and according ... View more

Hi, New member, first post (so pls be kind & apologies for rambling!) I am married woman with a successful career an turn 35 on Monday. I am also the queen of the mask- IE no one knows the struggles behind this perfectly crafted facade and according to my counsellor I have having a mid life crisis of sorts- or as I like to call it a "pre- midlife crisis". I was originally diagnosed with depression and GAD a bit over 12 months ago.The depression crept up on me as I was dealing with relationship issues to the point where I was unable to work or barely leave the house. The diagnosis was almost a relief- as if having a name made this a beast I could identify and then beat (I come from a health background so a label was useful for me). I tried therapy very briefly but had not found the right therapist and I spiraled- I didn't go back. I opted for exercise & trying to deal on my own & was able to pull myself out of the initial crisis, with a probably unhealthy dose of denial and wine. I denied my GP's suggestion of an antidepressant- I didn't need meds! Fast forward 12 months and I hit breaking point. The straw that broke the proverbial camels back was a work scenario and my response to it was not healthy, I literally did not have the capacity to overcome what should have been a straight up difficult conversation- I cried, drank, reeled for a weekend and barely made it to work on Monday. It was then I realised I needed help. I made an appointment with a counsellor and the ensuing 6 weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster thats on a constant downward spiral. I am learning a lot about myself, and how I got here, I also finally filled the script for those antidepressants- and after 2 weeks feel like the numbing cloud over my head is lifting slightly. But I have a way to go- my therapist suggested I take a leave of absence to deal with my mental health, and spend some time truly analysing my life, goals, values, relationships... But this terrifies me- I feel like I might burn everything I have worked so hard for down and have to start again, I also know this could be exactly what I need. Keen to hear from others who have worked through similar times, did you take time off, go to a treatment facility, holiday solo? If this sounds familiar or resonates in some way I would love to hear from you X

inais Feeling off
  • replies: 1

First post so hello everyone. And pre warning that I'm not great at explaining things. At 32 I've just begun my second fresh start in 6 years. I took myself 2k km from my friends and family with a partner, then when things failed in that relationship... View more

First post so hello everyone. And pre warning that I'm not great at explaining things. At 32 I've just begun my second fresh start in 6 years. I took myself 2k km from my friends and family with a partner, then when things failed in that relationship, I persisted 2 years til now after saving some money and really trying to rebuild myself. Rebuilding included Drs, Phsyciatrists, meds, exercise ect. For those two years I was unhappy. And potentially very lonely. So much so that even now I fly solo and so use to my own company as I never had any support network. I have so many issues banked up, that I didn't know about until my whole routine was changed in coming here. Naturally, I'm a stress head. I've also since Xmas last year not been on meds as the ones that seemed to work I grew somewhat immune to after 14months. Anyways, that's a bit of my history. There's much more detail in a lot of blanks. But it seems that I rebuilt nothing until this new move. My point of this thread. After reading these pages for a few weeks, not really knowing how or what to say, or if I should even bother. Is that I'm feeling very off, or done, or exhausted. I have no ties. Technically I'm free as, and a lot of people say they wish they were in my shoes. But they don't know my insides and what goes on there. So here I am. Fresh start. I've gone backwards. Crying when I cook a meal again, scared to go to the shops, having panic attacks when I see work uniforms and how I'm unemployed - yet way too not together to be able to even sit an interview. I refuse to centre link. I came here by choice after leaving a job. Ive never really had beliefs in how society is run. I've lost my motivation, even to enjoy little things. My attention span is short, restless, even sitting here writing this make me want to delete it and just not even bother cause it takes time. I tried opening up a few times. But I just seem to get categorized and it frustrates me. I guess my question is. What do I do now? I'm honestly exhausted from the last rebuild which feels like it was a waste. I feel purposeless and a waste myself with no energy to rise again. Not how I wanted my fresh start to begin at all. Thank you for sitting through that. I really appreciate anyone listening.

ewart Does there have to be a 'life event" reason for depression
  • replies: 5

The battle I continue to have is that there appears to be no rhyme nor reason for my mental descent into this involuntary melancholy. Yesterday, for no explicable reason, I felt in control of my emotions and went about my day just feeling "normal". I... View more

The battle I continue to have is that there appears to be no rhyme nor reason for my mental descent into this involuntary melancholy. Yesterday, for no explicable reason, I felt in control of my emotions and went about my day just feeling "normal". It is such as great feeling when the weight has gone and yet today, right now, and for no reason that I understand, the elephant has returned and sits squarely on my chest and he won't budge. I read everyone's own experience with this "thing" and there appears to be a reason for most people in terms of their journey with this debilitating madness. I can't find a reason, well a conscious one at least. Family and friends need to find a reason and constantly tell me why I must be feeling the way I do. It frustrates the hell out of me because they're wrong but they need to hang their hat on something. Is it possible that there is no reason for this solo journey of torment.