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
Categories
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

Hidden On a endless merry-go-round with no foreseeable end?
  • replies: 6

Hi, It's been a while since I've posted anything. Years, in fact. Yet I feel like I've gone nowhere. I've been seeing a psychologist every week for the past 6 months. Today was my last session for a while and I feel like I've gotten nowhere. I'm star... View more

Hi, It's been a while since I've posted anything. Years, in fact. Yet I feel like I've gone nowhere. I've been seeing a psychologist every week for the past 6 months. Today was my last session for a while and I feel like I've gotten nowhere. I'm starting to think maybe I've done something wrong. Is this normal? I have a lot going on in my life at the moment so I understand that part of what I feel is caused by situational things. However, there's a large part that isn't. I don't know whether I haven't tried hard enough to get better? Or whether this is just a feeling that I'm going to have to accept for the foreseeable future? I suppose it's hard to accept that maybe happiness isn't for me... especially after so long of trying to achieve it. I suppose I'm writing here, to feel a little less alone in this. Have others come out the other side of endless psychologist and psychiatrist etc. appointments and felt like they're still where they started? What else can I possibly do? I'm feeling a little hopeless with it at the moment. I just keep turning up with questions that seem to have no answers. When does this merry go round stop?

Flossy76 Feel so low
  • replies: 2

For many years I’ve been up and down can’t get out of bed, destroyed relationships, abused drugs and alcohol, have no friends and have reached rock bottom. I feel like my life means nothing. I feel very isolated. Even though I’m not. I have an incred... View more

For many years I’ve been up and down can’t get out of bed, destroyed relationships, abused drugs and alcohol, have no friends and have reached rock bottom. I feel like my life means nothing. I feel very isolated. Even though I’m not. I have an incredibly understanding partner but when I have these episodes he can’t do anything to pull me out. I have never been diognosed with depression but I know this is what’s happening to me. How do I stop these days where I feel like I want to just disappear? days when I can’t get out of bed?

Tegan_Rose Depresssion: I can't move
  • replies: 3

I'm experiencing an episode but it's so much worse then what I've previously experienced. I am so depressed that I can't move. I have no will power, no energy. I can't even cry. I just have nothing to give. I have school, but I don't even know if I c... View more

I'm experiencing an episode but it's so much worse then what I've previously experienced. I am so depressed that I can't move. I have no will power, no energy. I can't even cry. I just have nothing to give. I have school, but I don't even know if I can get out of bed. I've just lost all sense of worth and hope. If anyone knows anything about this, or can help me, please I beg of you to respond. I'm scared, and that's just using what ever emotion I have left. I am emotionally, and physically drained. And it hurts.

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.