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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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Brig Hey team, trying to confront depression for the first time
  • replies: 2

Hey guys, in a rough patch at the moment I'm trying to actively do something about it but I'm really finding it hard to know where to turn. Unrelated to what's bothering me, I'm an active serving member in the ADF, and while we have squillions of res... View more

Hey guys, in a rough patch at the moment I'm trying to actively do something about it but I'm really finding it hard to know where to turn. Unrelated to what's bothering me, I'm an active serving member in the ADF, and while we have squillions of resources available to us, attempting to use any of those would have me unable to participate in the only part of my life I still find meaningful. I investigated using an alias and paying cash to see a GP and then get a referral for a psychiatrist. Doesn't seem to be feasible. I want to hang on to what is really important to me, but am on the verge of not being able to white knuckle it anymore. This post is just the first step for me, not a lot in it, but I needed to start somewhere to believe that there is a road to feeling better. Thanks for reading.

Nope Body image issues - would like some advance
  • replies: 5

Hi, I've been depressed about the size of my breasts for 6 years now. I've seen psychologists and they do not seem to be able to help or understand. I've seen the GP and told my mum and other close family and friends and they too do not understand. t... View more

Hi, I've been depressed about the size of my breasts for 6 years now. I've seen psychologists and they do not seem to be able to help or understand. I've seen the GP and told my mum and other close family and friends and they too do not understand. they tell me the same thing "that it doesn't matter your breast size" but they all have large breast sizes so they don't see what i see nor will they ever understand because they don't have a flat chest. surgery; I've done a lot of research in and have seen a professional...it's very expensive and a lot can go wrong, plus I will have to fork out 10k every 10 years or so to get them changed...so it's not ideal or worth the 50-70K that it will cost me over my life time. I am at the end of my ropes really, all i do now is cry and lock myself up in my room - to be left alone. has anyone ever experienced something similar or have advice to help overcome my depression?

Cannotfindadisplayname Getting worse and getting desperate
  • replies: 5

Hi. Female in late 30s. I was formally diagnosed with anxiety and depression about 4-5 years ago but it's been going on for a lot longer than that. I've done exactly what I'm supposed to do - gone to the doctor, juggled around with different medicati... View more

Hi. Female in late 30s. I was formally diagnosed with anxiety and depression about 4-5 years ago but it's been going on for a lot longer than that. I've done exactly what I'm supposed to do - gone to the doctor, juggled around with different medications, and seen psychologists. I feel like now even the doctor is giving up (last visit she asked me what I'd like to do now, no options given, just kind of throwing her hands up as if I was the expert). I'm just getting worse and worse. Gradually less able to function. I can't face going out. I have lost all my friends, no support network left now. Surely after a year of regular psych appointments and medication I should at the very least not be getting worse? Anyone else felt like this? I really don't know what to do.

Bluebirdbrown Depression leads to low self esteem and worthless- what do I do.
  • replies: 11

Hi, It’s not typical of me to express my feeling as I usually find it intimidating to do so. However, I have been suffering from a lot of depression and old self hatred from my head. I wish I didn’t exist in this world. I have been seeing a psycholog... View more

Hi, It’s not typical of me to express my feeling as I usually find it intimidating to do so. However, I have been suffering from a lot of depression and old self hatred from my head. I wish I didn’t exist in this world. I have been seeing a psychologist, but obviously didn’t help much at all. As a mother, I never set up a good model to my children. Apart from feeding them, I don’t do any extras. No school follow up and not much bonding etc. I fee so shameful. As a wife, I look so ugly and I don’t do make up. At time, I wonder why my husband still stays with me. He can easily find somebody else who is more attractive and more capable. He would deserve more than this... I am just so useless. At work, apart from having a postgraduate qualification entry ticket, I only work as a clerk, you can see how low my self esteem is. And you can see how much time and money I have wasted to invest in study. I don’t get high pay and don’t earn any respect from others. Why can’t I climb up to the ladder a bit higher to use my skills etc? A Simple answer is that I am worthless!!! I always believe that I have some sorts of mental problems apart from depression since in my teen. My Psychologist and GP just don’t have the patience to listen to me or diagnose me! This vicious cycle goes over and over again forever.. now I don’t know what to do to regain my self-confidence. I just want to write it down here to release my painful self hatred.

Farthing Depression
  • replies: 19

Hi I am a 37 year old male with chronic depression. I also have anxiety and have become addicted to alcohol. Does anyone have any tips for how to become better.

Hi I am a 37 year old male with chronic depression. I also have anxiety and have become addicted to alcohol. Does anyone have any tips for how to become better.

AngelFlower Feeling weird
  • replies: 8

Hi all, I hope you all had an enjoyable Xmas, lots of yummy food and quality time with the family. I’ve just recently joined the forum and wanted to get some advice about something I’ve been experiencing and any response is much appreciated. I’ve bee... View more

Hi all, I hope you all had an enjoyable Xmas, lots of yummy food and quality time with the family. I’ve just recently joined the forum and wanted to get some advice about something I’ve been experiencing and any response is much appreciated. I’ve been feeling more and more weird over this past year. I’m 37, single, no kids, no close friends, and nothing is going on in my life. The worst thing is that I can seem to socialise with people, I just lose my concentration, I blank out, I can’t follow what is being said, my responses are dull and don’t even make sense, I get so anxious that I have nothing interesting to say. People don’t even want to talk to me because of the way I am. Its not their fault really, I also avoid people when I feel this way. It’s starting to affect my work, my life, my everything and I feel so sad. Has anyone ever experienced this? What can I do, really just want to get out of this slump

pawsy Seeing a psychologist isnt really working
  • replies: 13

I hoped that seeing a psychologist would slowly but surely steer me out of depression and isolation, and back into the world of social contact and proper employment again. I have been seeing a psychologist for 18 months now and while it has been an e... View more

I hoped that seeing a psychologist would slowly but surely steer me out of depression and isolation, and back into the world of social contact and proper employment again. I have been seeing a psychologist for 18 months now and while it has been an enormous relief to tell someone what has been going on inside me, and feeling the hurt and painful feelings instead of just pushing them aside as I do with other people, i'm not actually getting out of my isolation or feelings of fear and unconfidence. It's just that im telling someone and they are being kind about it. In some ways I feel further away from meaningful social contact than I did before. Not that the psychologist has made things worse, just that talking about my sadness doesnt change the conditions that make me sad: unemployment, loneliness, parents dying. How can i ever get better? Will i ever be happy in the world again, make new friends, feel valued again? Or will it always be this now ... for the next how long? 40 years? Fearful, withdrawn, worthless. How is everyone else going? Is there anyone who got very socially isolated, who has found a way back to contact with others? Id be so grateful if someone has ... and could share how it happened. best wishes, pawsy

jburrows I'm not who I thought I was
  • replies: 3

I suffered depression, anxiety and psychosis as a kid. It was without a doubt, the hardest time of my life. Now at over 30 years old with 4 kids I thought those times were behind me, until recently. I was doing all the 'right' things, getting a house... View more

I suffered depression, anxiety and psychosis as a kid. It was without a doubt, the hardest time of my life. Now at over 30 years old with 4 kids I thought those times were behind me, until recently. I was doing all the 'right' things, getting a house and a career. I was doing everything that you're supposed to do. And I thought I was strong enough to do it all, but I think it all just became too much. I've all but abandoned my work which I can't do with a mortgage. Last time I was going through this I was a kid without any responsibility, now I'm an adult and a father and everyone looks up to you to do the things that you just know you can't do. And your partner says she's there for you but you can just see that all you're doing is draining her of her own emotional reserves. Where does it end? I had a vision of who I wanted to be for my family and it turns out I'm not that person. I'm not strong enough to be who I wanted to be and I don't know what to do to get back to where I want to be.

MermaidLady23 My Life Feels Pointless
  • replies: 2

I don't know if anyone will read this or respond. This is my first post on here. If anyone here is reading I just want to say thank you. I've been struggling a lot with depression, anxiety and feeling worthless for a while now. Especially around this... View more

I don't know if anyone will read this or respond. This is my first post on here. If anyone here is reading I just want to say thank you. I've been struggling a lot with depression, anxiety and feeling worthless for a while now. Especially around this time of year. I'm 22-Years-Old and for nearly three years I've been working part-time in retail and hospitality. Prior to that I was unemployed for a long time and it hit me really bad with my self-worth. I'm grateful to be working the last couple years now but I still struggle a great deal. At age 22 I expected to have my life stable and to be a fully independent individual. I see all over social media people I graduated high school with four years ago now getting engaged, moving out, travelling and finishing college. Meanwhile, I'm working part-time, still living at home, still on my L's, though I've done over 70 hours driving now and I'm.going to be sitting my drivers test this year. I'm only just managing to get by and to save for a car, I dropped out of university when I was 19 due to not knowing what I wanted and being unable to cope. I did a Certificate III in Aged Care in 2018 and completed it but I feel I even struggled with that and I'm scared to go in to a new field of work. I love to help others and make people happy but I feel like I'll mess up as I had a hard time with everything. I am also lonely, try as I might to seem upbeat and happy I have no close friends. I blame myself for my past in being not the most positive person to be around. I understand my flaws and people's reasoning to maybe why they don't speak to me. That bring sad I've also been deserted many times by friends, can't open up to family and my psychologist I can't see until the end of the month. I want to go to college again someday but my mind isn't ready and I'm struggling mentally. I suffer from BPD, anxiety and depression. I feel like a failure and like I live a vicious cycle with mental health, always coming back to feeling like this no matter how much I try. I take antideppressants, recently started going to the gym and I still feel horrible. I'm ashamed for not going to uni or having my life together either. Am I alone in this? Will it always be like this? Am I a failure and stupid like I tell myself? I just needed to vent. Thank you for reading this far.

RoseToez Sick of being told tales!
  • replies: 2

I am utterly sick to death of people making up or exgerating stories just to upset me. I don't understand why people make things up at all.. don't they hear what comes out of their mouth? It's really been effecting me lately.. to the point I'm depres... View more

I am utterly sick to death of people making up or exgerating stories just to upset me. I don't understand why people make things up at all.. don't they hear what comes out of their mouth? It's really been effecting me lately.. to the point I'm depressed for days. I just get better then someone tells me something.. I look into it and what do you know it's a lie and I look like an idiot. I'm a single mum of 2 under 4, everyone knows I'm not coping very well. My ex who I left 5 months ago has a 21 year old girlfriend living with him, I was obsessing over it really badly.. but are getting better until this happens all over again. My dad did it for his own pleasure and a family friend has been coming out with really out there stuff. I dont know why theyre doing this! I find it hard to just ignore it because once ive heard it i cant stop thinking about it. I have no social media, I'm just sick of it!

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