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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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white knight The financial world of "snakes and ladders"
  • replies: 3

You know the game well. You all start at the bottom and up you go as the dice rolls. Then just as you think you are ahead, down you slide, everyone laughs but you, hiding your disappointment behind your smile. The thing with a game like that, the win... View more

You know the game well. You all start at the bottom and up you go as the dice rolls. Then just as you think you are ahead, down you slide, everyone laughs but you, hiding your disappointment behind your smile. The thing with a game like that, the winner is the result of pure luck and nothing more. The luck of the dice. There is no real magic ability lurking within us. The Prime Minister or a mathematician would have no more luck than you. So while it is a game, it, like depression, can strike anyone at any time regardless of who you are, how clever you are or how stable you think you are. Take Mr and Mrs average. This modern world of Dad, mum and two kids for example. More often than not both parents work. Lets look at the cash strapped modern family. They experience the never ending ‘snakes’ that they slide down every week. They live on the brink, it could be because of poor financial management, too many expensive purchases etc. All the while their game is more a gamble, for if one of the parents fall ill outside of work as they cant afford income protection insurance (not many can) they drop to one income. Result stress on top of a stressful situation. Even if a workplace accident income drops to 60%. For the family above, they need to find, somehow, more ladders than snakes. Some find it by way of inheritance, others a third job, and some downsize with their home. Some don’t make it. Bankruptcy in 2014-2015 were over 17,000. Some were companies, companies or individuals this is staggering. Imagine the number of families effected by this financial doom? Imagine the number of people struck down with depression during that process of seeing their life as a failure, losing their homes or cars, the humiliation. Little things to some of us like rolling up at a friend’s BBQ driving an old car – “what happened to your lovely Land Cruiser Bill”? "umm, just sold it" The important message here that I want to convey is that bankruptcy is temporary, one day it will end and you are able to seek a limited amount of finance to secure essential items for your basic survival until it does terminate. The numbers show, it is very common. It doesn’t mean its your fault. The roll of the dice remember! Basic financial stress is best to be dealt with by a qualified financial advisor. And as soon as you feel depressed, visit your GP for a talk. Suspect a friend has money issues? Reach out and chat. Tell them its doesn't last forever. Comfort them. Tony WK

Random_name I have no energy to do anything
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone, In April 2018 I was diagnosed with Major depression, Social anxiety and an adjustment disorder. No one in my family ever spoke about mental health so I never really thought about it before all this happened and now I just feel broken, pa... View more

Hi everyone, In April 2018 I was diagnosed with Major depression, Social anxiety and an adjustment disorder. No one in my family ever spoke about mental health so I never really thought about it before all this happened and now I just feel broken, pathetic and weak. I’m having a tough time at the moment, the past 10 months have been the hardest time in my life it’s full of ups and downs and I think I’m just about ready to crack. Just trying to get out of bed each day and find the enthusiasm to do anything anymore is so difficult. I've been on line a lot reading about how people have been in the same situation and what they have done to help them and I just don’t understand these people. Speaking to friends, doing exercise, eating healthy, talking to a psychiatrist. But I don’t understand how people can just do any of that! I have no energy to exercise, I don’t trust anyone to talk to them and I don’t have the energy to do groceries so when I can be bothered to eat then it’s gonna be junk food. Im always tired and all I think about at work is getting home and crawling back into bed, I used to put so much passion into my work and really make changes now I couldn’t care less. The only reason I turn up and do the bare minimum is because if I lose this job I also lose my house, and access to health professionals. I am a burden on those I work with and I hate that it’s come to this but I really just don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t think this job is for me but if I leave I lose everything. I was taken off antidepressants and sleeping tablets in October 2018 because apparently I’m doing well but nothing has changed, even on the medication I didn’t feel any better. I feel like the Dr’s just don’t want to deal with me. I know things have to change, I just can’t do it and it makes me feel even worse, I wish I could wake up one day being totally happy with everything and not have a care in the world but thats never going to happen. I don’t even know why I’m typing this, it’s not like I have a question I guess I just wanted to share my story with people that would listen and hopefully not judge me. I guess any words of wisdom or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Regards, Random name.

Louisville So Confused and Exhausted
  • replies: 13

Hello All First off...thanks for reading my post. I am new to this site and not sure how to go really...therefore I will try to keep it small! My diagnosis is major depression and 'aspects' of BPD . I also have issues with alcohol. I understand how I... View more

Hello All First off...thanks for reading my post. I am new to this site and not sure how to go really...therefore I will try to keep it small! My diagnosis is major depression and 'aspects' of BPD . I also have issues with alcohol. I understand how I have come to this point and I won't go into it here. I am just looking for friends to talk to. Most people I know would have absolutely no idea about me...I put on a brave face and everyone either thinks I am ok or basically they don't care (which is fine as I don't truly care about others either! UNLESS they are suffering..then I will do my utmost to help). That may sound mean...it is not meant to. Just that I am surrounded by wealthy, successful and happy people who really would not understand me if they only knew. I am so over it...the meds (that I do not think help)...the struggle daily...I have a 'boyfriend' who I believe is making me worse! He is unemployed, uneducated, unmotivated....you get the gist. I guess I am just wondering if there is anyone out there feeling the same and what you do to deal with it. I absolutely adore dogs so I go to the dog beach/park every day for my 'furapy'! I am currently unemployed and hating my boring life and sitting around thinking rubbish all day/all night....sorry if this is a bit convoluted. Thanks for reading. L

ChloeKatt84 when will this journey end??
  • replies: 2

I have previously commented on another thread but basically ive suffered from anxiety and depression wince i was a teenager and i now 34. i have had to start coming off a lot of my medications as they arent safe to take while pregnant and im trying t... View more

I have previously commented on another thread but basically ive suffered from anxiety and depression wince i was a teenager and i now 34. i have had to start coming off a lot of my medications as they arent safe to take while pregnant and im trying to have a child with my partner through ivf. coming off these mood stabilisers and others meds are making me very anxious and depressed. sometimes i wander if it just too much but i either need to go through this for the baby we both want or i go back on my meds and theres no baby. im just so upset i cant handle feeling like this. im so fatigued and i just want to sleep the days away and im often neauseas. ive talked to my family doctor and he just said its not an easy journey and i need to weigh up whats more important to me. i just dont know what what to do :'(

Churchess Hate my life... Never felt like more of a loser
  • replies: 1

I'm 21-years old and literally am the biggest loser. I have almost no friends, outside of people who i work with (So i'm forced to be with them as its work time), i literally never hang out with anyone. I was okay in school, had friends here and ther... View more

I'm 21-years old and literally am the biggest loser. I have almost no friends, outside of people who i work with (So i'm forced to be with them as its work time), i literally never hang out with anyone. I was okay in school, had friends here and there and got a long well with most people, never ever had fights or anything, i got along well. Ever since school finished, my life has gone down hill... I work almost all the time, i do have a good job and study at uni... but i literally have no life. This started from literally the moment i finished school, i hardly had the time to hang out with people and only had so few friends that eventually its all faded away. The People who i thought i was close with, i almost never see. I do have 1 friend i've always been close with... just 1, however tonight really killed me inside with this person. Me and my close friend were at 21st tonight from an old school friend, and I literally left after 2 hours, coz i had no one to talk to. I just sat in a corner, which has been the case for the last couple parties i've been to. My close mate i was with, totally brushed me and spoke to all the old friends i had (people i was very close with in school), and no one really seemed to care and or even add me in conversations. I had to walk out and go home, had never felt like more a loser in my life. I had good relationships with people when i was around 17/18, hence why i was given an invite to their 21sts. However, all i am, is a simple 'hello, how are you going?" type guys to everyone, and then they walk away, and i realise how little friends i have. I'm really hating my life. I work too much, I've always been working nights when people are out. when i had just finished school and was 18/19, i barely got to hang out with friends, because i was working and i feel it's one reason why this has all gone to shit. I get along with people well, the people i work with all like me, and we work well together. But that doesn't matter, because all i do is work and just lay at home bored when i'm not at worki, wishing i had friends to hang out with. Two other really close friends i had, i saw maybe 3 times in the previous year, guys who i considered my best friends. I doubt i will even see them this year, they have girlfriends and are busy with their own life etc. I literally have no one to spend time with, people from school who were my friends, other people who i had friendships for a long time, are now all gone.

AC1994 Cannot vocalise feelings of depression
  • replies: 7

I find it increasingly difficult to vocalise my depression; this lack of capacity to vocalise then releases as anger, and often this anger takes the form of yelling at those who only wish to help. Any advice on how to vocalise depression/anger concer... View more

I find it increasingly difficult to vocalise my depression; this lack of capacity to vocalise then releases as anger, and often this anger takes the form of yelling at those who only wish to help. Any advice on how to vocalise depression/anger concerns/issues? More problems are being caused as a result.

SilverFox49 Am I depressed or just sad?
  • replies: 2

I graduated 2 years ago and Im in uni. Last year I took a gap year because I was crying every night and I found it really hard to commit to the study load however I didn't really think much about it because uni is hard! In the past year, I have spent... View more

I graduated 2 years ago and Im in uni. Last year I took a gap year because I was crying every night and I found it really hard to commit to the study load however I didn't really think much about it because uni is hard! In the past year, I have spent my time with my boyfriend of 2 years, however I cry a lot. This might be TMI and remove if it is, but after we sleep together I normally end up crying, and whenever we're on a phone call it usually ends with me crying (he isn't abusive). Another instance is with my family. I am the youngest and I have ALWAYS been spoken to as a child and ignored despite being an adult. Whenever I try to talk to my mum about something serious e.g. being sad or having problems she just shrugs it off and leaves which in turn makes me feel neglected and unloved. This, again, leaves me crying because I feel a sense of uselessness and like I'm not good enough. I often turn to alcohol to make me forget about it which isn't a good coping mechanism but it works. I also often cancel plans on people because I don't feel up to going out because I feel like if I do I will ruin the mood and be upset the whole time. So my question, am I depressed or just sad? I don't know if it is normal to cry this much, and I'm not sure if it's just who I am as a person? My mum has depression and has been for the past 5 years and relies on her medication. I'm scared of seeing someone, being diagnosed and then relying on something to make me happy

Jkp_BP I have Bipolar. Newly Diagnosed
  • replies: 6

Hi guys, I've struggled with my mental health for quite some time and it wasn't until the last hospitalization in (Aug18 for 6weeks) that i was diagnosed with Bipolar. In many ways the diagnoses made sense, however i never asked for this. I don't thi... View more

Hi guys, I've struggled with my mental health for quite some time and it wasn't until the last hospitalization in (Aug18 for 6weeks) that i was diagnosed with Bipolar. In many ways the diagnoses made sense, however i never asked for this. I don't think its quite sunken in just yet. All i see myself doing is having to take my medication each night going to sleep waking up going to work and repeat. The meds just slow down everything im not as productive as i use to be. the meds null the activity in my head and allow me to get some sleep. with mood stab in the mix. I guess i miss the old me me, wanting to run wild and i feel as if i'm losing many people around me as i feel i am not the same person i was. As much as things are a little more "balanced" in the doctors eyes in some odd obscure way, i find that i find myself more and more isolated in my head than ever. Also find that i'm more of an internalize r now as i do not want to say the wrong thing to someone and worry anyone around me as i have lost a couple of "good friends" with the last episode back in Aug. I wanted to see if any others had these feelings, and what did they do to try and find "legit Balance" in the head whilst on these BP meds. Cheers

BeccaBeccaGoGo Bouts of depression that go away
  • replies: 3

Hi there. I'm very confused with my depression. I am 100% sure it's depression and not just sadness I'm dealing with as I've had it on and off for years, but I don't understand why it just comes on so randomly and only for a few days to a week, then ... View more

Hi there. I'm very confused with my depression. I am 100% sure it's depression and not just sadness I'm dealing with as I've had it on and off for years, but I don't understand why it just comes on so randomly and only for a few days to a week, then it goes away. Like a virus, I get sick then get better, then it might happen again in like a month or 2. I don't get mania so it's not bipolar. I've started on medication again as I was incredibly bad for the last few days, but before I can even give it a chance to kick it, I'm better again. I don't think it has much to do with happy and bad things happening in my life, it seems so random but either way it's very strong when I get it. I don't want to face the day, I don't want to have a day, I keep telling myself to just get through it as I always get better but it's so hard at the time. It feels like I'll never get better and at the time I'm always convinced I'll be like this forever. It's not until I come out of it that I can think clearly again. I nearly quit my job last time it happened, because I didn't think I'd come out of it but I feel like I am getting better now even though I've only been taking my medication for 3 days. I'm not sure if I get anxiety, I feel like saying I worry is more accurate. I get obsessed with thoughts and play them out in my head to the point where I feel like they are real and I'll be at work convinced something bad I've thought of is happening and be trying with everything I have not to cry and concentrate on my work which I normally can't. I also feel constantly frustrated and irritable. I don't feel like this is me. I feel like I'm naturally patient so I don't understand the short fuse. Ive been like this for the past few years. I don't really know what I'm asking, I just don't know how to get better. My work is suffering and I've been through 3 jobs in the last year because of it. My relationship is suffering and I don't know how to explain to my partner what's happening because I get frustrated that he doesn't get it. He does try, but I just expect alot of him because I feel like I need someone to help me get better and he's not a miracle worker. Anyway, can someone relate or suggest any ways to get better?

liammcc1 Backpacking and miserable..
  • replies: 1

I’m from the U.K. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I have been feeling so down over the last few months. If I’m down in the most beautiful place on earth, then what hope do I have?! I was travelling with a group of guys I met up the east coast f... View more

I’m from the U.K. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I have been feeling so down over the last few months. If I’m down in the most beautiful place on earth, then what hope do I have?! I was travelling with a group of guys I met up the east coast from sydney and we stopped in Brisbane to do work and then carry on after. I soon realised that the group dynamic changed and that cliques began forming in our duration in Brisbane. I started to begin to feel like the group did not like me or have time for me. I was living alone for my duration in Brisbane as my job was very far out the city. Anyway, I started developing panic attacks where my arms felt tingly at night, I was going into a downward spiral. I’ve not voluntarily listened to music in months, and I’ve not been eating right. I opted out doing the rest of the east coast because I no longer felt comfortable, instead I opted to travel alone. I’ve had bad news about family back home, and the bank has told me that my credit card is overdue, everything is just happening at once. I feel like there’s only so much positivity I can have. I literally have no interest in anything and enjoy drinking to compensate. My dream has always been Australia. I have no chance of travelling the east coast as I messed up. I am exhausted from travelling and backpacking life, I feel like I should go home, but I know il hate being back. I’ve never felt like this before, and wondering what the hell is going on. I appreciate anyone’s advice. Thanks

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