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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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Aeroboi Getting back into work with depression.
  • replies: 5

So this is possibly the first time making a thread, I’m looking for some advice on something. some background information, I have had depression for along time now and for the past 4 years I have been slowly recovering from a series of negative life ... View more

So this is possibly the first time making a thread, I’m looking for some advice on something. some background information, I have had depression for along time now and for the past 4 years I have been slowly recovering from a series of negative life events. i am on medication and see a psychologist quarterly, as such I won’t see her anytime soon to ask her the questions I have. i haven’t had a proper job in the past 4 year and I expect to experience some issues in returning to work, I recently had a 3 day assignment of hard laborious work. By midday I was ready to give up and go home, however I stuck out the full day. the following two days I called in sick because of my depression, I think that I pushed myself to much and didn’t have the energy levels remaining to overcome my depression. My question is more about understanding the connection between my depression and the hard work preformed, assuming they are indeed related.

Merkus Help/Tips needed
  • replies: 2

Hi, I'm 17 and I'm pretty sure I have really bad depression. My HSC exams start in a little over 2 weeks, and I'm struggling to get in the mood to study, as some mornings, and during the day, I just feel sad. It's sort of like an emptiness? I'll just... View more

Hi, I'm 17 and I'm pretty sure I have really bad depression. My HSC exams start in a little over 2 weeks, and I'm struggling to get in the mood to study, as some mornings, and during the day, I just feel sad. It's sort of like an emptiness? I'll just sit on the floor of my room feeling like throwing or punching something, if I get annoyed, and then cry. It was like that today. My mum came into my room and just pointed at my study timetable that's hanging on my wall, and didn't leave until I moved to get up off my bed. As soon as she left, I had the sudden urge to peg something at a wall or hit something, and when I got to my desk and turned on my laptop to start studying, I burst into tears. The weird thing is, that it'll just stop, and then start later on. I feel hopeless, it's as though I can never get out of this never-ending circle of sleep, eat, study, sleep, eat, study, and I'm sick of it. I've talked to my doctor a little about it, and she wants to wait until I finish the HSC, to see if it'll continue, or if it's just a phase because of the huge amount of stress. It's really hard to concentrate right now because I feel like I'm about to burst into tears at any given moment. My mum knows about my depression-like behaviour and says that I should do more things that I enjoy, but I feel as though I don't have the time anymore, and never did or will. I really enjoy listening to music, colouring in and writing my own stories, but if I listen to music I'll get easily distracted, and the other 2 just take up time that I feel I need for study. It's the same with my friends, as I haven't really been able to talk to them much throughout the year, as I've moved schools, and I just feel really lonely and secluded. I don't know what to do.

Anna1234 Slipping back into depression
  • replies: 4

Hi there, I have suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. I finally got to a point where I needed to start antidepressants. After some initial side effects, I started feeling great. It's now been 8 weeks and I'm finding myself more depres... View more

Hi there, I have suffered from depression and anxiety for many years. I finally got to a point where I needed to start antidepressants. After some initial side effects, I started feeling great. It's now been 8 weeks and I'm finding myself more depressed than before. It all seems to have changed within a week and I feel low most of the time. I don't understand how it changed so quickly. Any advice or experience from someone who has been through this would be great. thanks!

QuinnH Please help - long term mental illness and run out of options.
  • replies: 7

Hi I've suffered from Depression, Anxiety & Complex PTSD for a long time. I've been in treatment for the past 4 years. I've taken multiple medications, engaged in a number of talk therapies, had a round of ETC, and continually tried to implement all ... View more

Hi I've suffered from Depression, Anxiety & Complex PTSD for a long time. I've been in treatment for the past 4 years. I've taken multiple medications, engaged in a number of talk therapies, had a round of ETC, and continually tried to implement all the strategies I've been given. I'm 29, eat healthily, exercise at least a few times a week, maintain a full time job, get involved in fundraisers and help at my church, try to socialise with others and invest in my friends and families lives and have an outward, grateful focus. But I'm still struggling every day. Some things have helped somewhat over time, but nothing has had a lasting effect and I'm feeling really desperate and exhausted. I can't focus or think clearly, forget things, feel overwhelmed by simple things and by intrusive thoughts that I find hard to ignore, get anxious and have panic attacks and feel so low and despairing and just wrong. I don't know what to do. I'm trying my best to stay for my family & friends, but something has to change. I wish I was strong enough to just live with these symptoms and thoughts, but I just don't think I am. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could try? Any ideas would be so appreciated.

Mollysah Taking a mental health day/week off work
  • replies: 2

Im a 28yo female with diagnosed bpd. I've been off "sick" for a week and a half now. Usually when I have these down periods I come back after one day feeling a bit better. Sometimes it takes much longer. It has gotten to the point where I'm wondering... View more

Im a 28yo female with diagnosed bpd. I've been off "sick" for a week and a half now. Usually when I have these down periods I come back after one day feeling a bit better. Sometimes it takes much longer. It has gotten to the point where I'm wondering if I will ever return to my permanent part time job in childcare or simply quit. Except it's never that simple, right? If I quit I lose my study (you need to have a work placement) and I'm only 6-12 months from completing my diploma. But the idea of 6 months, even one month mean nothing to me because I can't even get through today. What I'd like to find out is if anyone has successfully managed working while suffering from bpd, and if anyone can not work due to the illness- how did you get government assistance, and access mental health services? Thank you.

Aussiecobber Stay at home dad and life's hard
  • replies: 2

I don't know how to start or truly explain how I feel. I've been a stay at home father for my 2year old little girl and has been a great experience but for the last 2months I have been looking for work and having zero luck. I'm usually a pretty caref... View more

I don't know how to start or truly explain how I feel. I've been a stay at home father for my 2year old little girl and has been a great experience but for the last 2months I have been looking for work and having zero luck. I'm usually a pretty carefree person but I'm really starting to get down. I feel worthless and not wanted, all jobs I apply for are just constantly turning me down. I'm 36, have worked retail management for years, warehousing and other managment roles and do not understand why it is so hard.... I've been out of work looking after and raising my little girl for around 10months and can't help but feel this is having an impact. I'm struggling to make ends meet and really fear for the future and the future of my little one.... Anyone faced this before that might have some ideas on how to Cope?

mlc95 Unable to go to work
  • replies: 1

I can’t seem to crack the anxiety that comes with going to work and being responsible. A little background about me. I’m 23 and have had anxiety/social anxiety/ depression for eleven years, with it’s ups and downs. At the moment it’s very down. My gi... View more

I can’t seem to crack the anxiety that comes with going to work and being responsible. A little background about me. I’m 23 and have had anxiety/social anxiety/ depression for eleven years, with it’s ups and downs. At the moment it’s very down. My girlfriend of five years requires a constant income of money to pay for her student visa, and obviously needs my help, but I always let her down because I can’t bring myself to work. I’ve been on medication for a year now and I’ll still do anything to avoid the feeling that comes with going to work. I dread every single second leading up to going to work, and always end up feeling trapped and hopeless, usually resulting in tears or risking my position at work by calling in sick at the last minute, followed by a day of never ending guilt. I just can’t do it. I feel sick, tired, unable to put on a customer service mask for hours at a time. Sometimes I even hope something bad will happen to me before I have to go to work, like a car accident, or a sudden medical emergency. I’d rather be in the hospital, sick or injured, than go to work. I’m stuck in a place of letting my girlfriend down and being scared of my mental health deteriorating even further. I feel at peace when I know I don’t have to work, when I can deal with my depression in the comfort of my home, but working is really taking it out of me. I haven’t already worked since late July because of my workplace being renovated, but now that’s it’s recently opened back up, I’m due to come in again. If I’m honest, I don’t know if I can handle it in the state I’m in right now. I don’t know what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Asremoteasitgets Proper remote with a 1 year old
  • replies: 5

I live on a cattle station 500kms from the nearest town and have a 1 year old baby. As positive and easy going as I normally am, I find myself unhappy every day or struggling to cope with looking after a small child. I have no energy or motivation fo... View more

I live on a cattle station 500kms from the nearest town and have a 1 year old baby. As positive and easy going as I normally am, I find myself unhappy every day or struggling to cope with looking after a small child. I have no energy or motivation for anything. Now that i Am a mum all I am really able to do in terms of work is take phone calls, do bookwork and cook and clean. My partner is amazing and will turn himself inside out to help in any way he can, but has been having a hard time figuring out how to help me, his job is pretty full on on the cattle station and he is out a lot and I am alone with the baby a lot with nowhere to really go as we are so isolated. On top of this my cognitive ability and memory have seriously slipped in the past year to the point where I appear and feel like a proper dumb airhead while just recently I finished my honours in chemical engineering, am young and at the peak of my health. Does anybody have any ideas for strategies or activities that may help me get some motivation and energy happening again? Thanks in advance.

thatpersoncody No one helps
  • replies: 5

A couple of months ago, I started to feel really crap about depression. I felt alone, disgusting and unwanted. I decided to write a note to my friend explaining my situation. It took me about three days to write and have to guts to go up to him and g... View more

A couple of months ago, I started to feel really crap about depression. I felt alone, disgusting and unwanted. I decided to write a note to my friend explaining my situation. It took me about three days to write and have to guts to go up to him and give it to him. So we were hanging out outside. I approached him, took him to the side and told him to read it and come to me when he was finished. I walked off and regretted the decision right away. Once he was finished he came up to me and told that I was messed up and that I'm always happy so I can't have depression. He continued to deny that I was suffering and brushed it off his shoulder. Everytime I try to talk about it he just ignores it and avoids the subject. It took me another four months to attempt to tell someone else. Now I feel that I can't trust anyone and no one can help or comfort me. Does anyone have any advice or any sort of help for my situation?

o0o0o depressive episodes
  • replies: 1

Recently I have seen a psychologist to help we work on issues relating to adhd and anxiety. I've always had some level of depression but I haven't been comfortable enough to really discuss that with my psychologist yet. Recently I had an intense peri... View more

Recently I have seen a psychologist to help we work on issues relating to adhd and anxiety. I've always had some level of depression but I haven't been comfortable enough to really discuss that with my psychologist yet. Recently I had an intense period of depression which lasted 3-4 days where my mind was racing more than usual, i had some intense depressive thoughts and pretty much stayed in bed the entire time. I didn't really eat much and didn't shower during that time. Something similar happened a few months ago. But instead of staying in bed I was working fifo and there was a few times I burst into tears unprovoked. There was few times when I was working fifo where I felt that I had more energy than normal and was more productive. It was normally at the beginning of the day and I put it down to taking my adhd meds on an empty stomach or being on the wrong dose. Are these signs of BPD or bipolar, and how do I talk to my psychologist about them? I made an appointment to see my psychologist earlier than planned during my recent depressive episode, and I feel like that was the wrong thing to do and that he will think that I over-reacted or am attention seeking. I have never self harmed or attempted to take my own life, but I have had suicidal thoughts that I knew I wouldn't act on. I'm in my mid-20s.