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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: 1

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

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Sad_Mushroom I was born this way
  • replies: 12

Hi all, I've read thousands of posts and seen all the advice and it's all good BUT I was born this way. Nothing happened to me and my parents did not do anything to me. I was just born this way. No one touched me as a child, I was NOT abused or felt ... View more

Hi all, I've read thousands of posts and seen all the advice and it's all good BUT I was born this way. Nothing happened to me and my parents did not do anything to me. I was just born this way. No one touched me as a child, I was NOT abused or felt up. I was just born this way. I hated people from day one and thought they were all suspicious. I have never liked anyone. I would rather hate people than get to know them because no doubt they would turn on me. I just wanted a thread for people who thought they were born like this rather than all the threads that state something happened to make them like this. Nothing happened to me....I was born like this. SM

Guest_4 Brief Intro
  • replies: 4

Hi BB'ers This is my first thread. I'll keep it short as I'm on the train going to my dreaded job. Plus, would rather give bits of info at a time. 35 year old male from Sydney, Australia. I guess I have a mix of depression, anxiety and the overall is... View more

Hi BB'ers This is my first thread. I'll keep it short as I'm on the train going to my dreaded job. Plus, would rather give bits of info at a time. 35 year old male from Sydney, Australia. I guess I have a mix of depression, anxiety and the overall issue of bipolar type II. I've had 20 jobs (19 to be exact) since I was 17. Have had counselling and was on meds for 3 years which I stopped 2 months ago on my own accord - the meds weren't worth it. Anyway - I feel good now as I generally do on the train in the morning. I'll be updating this thread over time with more detail about myself, my current state of mind, and contributions to others. Chat soon Nicholas

Guest_7659 No motivation
  • replies: 12

Hi, I am a new member. This is my first post. I am struggling with motivation even though I have a full time job that I love. I am motivated when I am at work, but when I am at home I often struggle to do simple things like putting on a load of washi... View more

Hi, I am a new member. This is my first post. I am struggling with motivation even though I have a full time job that I love. I am motivated when I am at work, but when I am at home I often struggle to do simple things like putting on a load of washing. I am 37 years old, single and have no children. I live alone because I love peace and quiet. I have a "to do" list which is never even close to being finished. I just feel like I can't be bothered, and I am tired most of the time. However, overall I am disappointed with myself for not getting things done. Symptoms suggest that I have moderate depression. Please don't tell me to go to a GP. I was on antidepressants for 6 years (2011 to 2017). I stopped taking them about six months ago - against medical advice. I was sick of the side effects (low sex drive and difficulty to orgasm). Also, since stopping the meds, I have noticed very little change in mood. I have had problems with fatigue and motivation for many years. I had a blood test less than two months ago which was normal. I.e. iron, B12, blood sugar etc. are all within the healthy range. I am also quite fit and regularly ride a push bike (1-2 times a week). But I used to cycle a lot more. Has anyone here had a similar experience and was able to get their motivation back? How did you do it? Thanks for reading.

Aussieonblue Do I hate my life due to depression or am I depressed due to my life.
  • replies: 3

Hi Firstly thank you everyone for just being here. I am currently diagnosed with depression and taking medication. As per the heading, I am trying to work out, am I depressed because I do not like my current situation or do I not like my life because... View more

Hi Firstly thank you everyone for just being here. I am currently diagnosed with depression and taking medication. As per the heading, I am trying to work out, am I depressed because I do not like my current situation or do I not like my life because I am depressed? I have a good job, make good money, have a good house and a good relationship. But I hate my job, I hate the city I live in and just do not like the things we do. I have become a hermit and really only leave the house to go to work and social events I can not find an excuse to avoid. I am counting the days to my “early retirement” so I can get out of here, but 2.5 years seems to far away and it was when I considered other ways out I visited my GP. My partner knows how I feel, but she is happy in her own world and gets annoyed by my excuses and “lazyness”. Becasue of my “comfortable” situation no one canundetstand why I am unhappy. Would changing my life make me happy or will depression just follow me into a new life and make me hate that one too? Thanks for listening. Cheers Craig

Poppet I just want to stay in bed and not do anything
  • replies: 10

I am not coping with anything at the moment, work stresses me out, home stresses me out, I just want to stay in bed and not do anything! Just want to hide from everything! I am on meds and have been for some time, just feel like I am on a downward sp... View more

I am not coping with anything at the moment, work stresses me out, home stresses me out, I just want to stay in bed and not do anything! Just want to hide from everything! I am on meds and have been for some time, just feel like I am on a downward spiral! Feeling lost and alone

arealinsomniac Severely Depressed & Anxious? (I don't know how i feel anymore)
  • replies: 2

Hello everyone, i am new to the forums and felt like it would be good for me to write how i feel, and what i have been feeling for the past couple of years that i have been afraid of opening up about. I'm 22 years old, and feel like i am severely dep... View more

Hello everyone, i am new to the forums and felt like it would be good for me to write how i feel, and what i have been feeling for the past couple of years that i have been afraid of opening up about. I'm 22 years old, and feel like i am severely depressed and anxious in general. I have little to no friends, no social life what so-ever due to my parents being super strict growing up due to religious beliefs and my 'safety' it was in their 'duty' to keep me safe at home and not find out who i truly am by making relationships with other people outside of school and so on forth. I feel like it had spiraled from when i was in primary school i would say 1st, to 2nd grade i would get bullied a lot by kids, and it kept happening from then on until 6th grade. It caused me to end up going home crying every single day. Starting highschool the same thing. I've never been a type of person to stand up for myself. In general i am not that aggressive looking at all i am petite, and small only 4'5 of course everyone had towered over me at school even other girls. I was born prematurely, very early! so that is why. Nobody seems to understand it, i've realised through out my life people are quick to judge and point fingers once they see something 'out of the norm' I am a perfectly healthy girl, nothing wrong with me except i am very short. I feel like all of my pent up emotions as a child, and how people have treated me have just made me hate myself. I often look at other people and wish i could be like them. I think i have depression, and anxiety. I cry a lot, almost every single day, i feel uneasy about being near people i prefer to be alone. I often get sad, and just cry away my feelings until my head hurts. I have seen a school therapist when i was younger, but i honestly am not sure if i have depression i think i am just lonely in general. I have noticed nobody in my life stays, i feel like i am a person who loves too much and i seek for the love, i give out. for somebody to reciprocate those feelings. i feel unwanted 100% of the time, and i am scared that i have a dependent problems. I love being alone in my bedroom for hours, but then at night i get lonely because i feel like i have nobody in my life who cares about me truly. I feel like i am so depressed but then again i don't know if i am i feel like there are people who have it much worse and that i am 'not worthy' or getting help, or getting medication because i don't know if i am depressed, but i feel it.

WiltingLilly New and alone
  • replies: 2

Hi, I'm new on here and I'm not sure how to do this all but here I go... I have major depression and anxiety and have battled with this for many years but just recently things have gotten worse. Even though I'm going to work and look happy on the out... View more

Hi, I'm new on here and I'm not sure how to do this all but here I go... I have major depression and anxiety and have battled with this for many years but just recently things have gotten worse. Even though I'm going to work and look happy on the outside on the inside I'm a mess. I feel lonely, judged, misunderstood and so empty in life. Everytime I try to reach out I get rejected or attacked and I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't know where to turn. I have a psychiarist and GP trying balance my med and a psycologist to talk to every few months but nothing is working!!!! I don't want to feel like this anymore. I have no energy to excersise and eat well... I'm at rock bottom...what do I do?

Louise__ Trying to change my mindset at work to be happy again
  • replies: 2

Hello, I’ve been increasingly struggling to be happy, mainly at work, but it’s starting to make me feel unhappy all the time now, and I’m not sure really what I’ve done wrong or to cause this mindset. I love my job. I am lucky to work with great ment... View more

Hello, I’ve been increasingly struggling to be happy, mainly at work, but it’s starting to make me feel unhappy all the time now, and I’m not sure really what I’ve done wrong or to cause this mindset. I love my job. I am lucky to work with great mentors and have opportunities to learn and grow. Just before Christmas, I applied and interviewed for a job which I had been acting in for 18 months. During that time, on many occasions, I was congratulated on my work and promised I would be rewarded when an opportunity presented itself. I think I feel like it was implied the job was mine, and the recruitment process was a formality. Well, I got an interview, and I don’t interview well, I get super nervous and my brain just gets confused and I panic. But I didn’t think this interview was so bad, but I didn’t get the job. They told me 10 minutes before I left for Christmas break. I felt very hurt and unvalued, and mulled over the whole situation for most of the holidays. I got to a point where I was determined to go back to work, put my head down, do my job, and wait for a new opportunity. I went back to work, and had no work to do! They had restructured the team and taken all the work I had been doing off me. I felt like I’d gone from a leader in the team to being discarded. I still tried to make the most of it, and be happy. But with every day that passed I have been getting a duller and duller and I’m starting to feel bitter. The new starters joined the team, and I know it’s not their fault the outcome is this, but I am finding it very hard to be enthusiastic about the changes. I’m normally very good with change, I embrace it and champion whatever cause is on this week. I am looking for new jobs, but need to stay here until I find something. I just want to be happy again. I am not sure how to change my mindset at work? And I don’t want my emotion to creep into my home life and make me feel low all the time. I have thought about talking to my GP, but I don’t know that she would be able to help? Thank you for reading my (long) post. I feel even a bit better already just having written it down.

Grace888 Hello new here - depression boomerang
  • replies: 14

Hello all I am new to the forum and hope that I will be able to make some positive contributions or at least be able to empathise with others' experiences. While I like to think that I have my depression 'under control' - after all I have lived with ... View more

Hello all I am new to the forum and hope that I will be able to make some positive contributions or at least be able to empathise with others' experiences. While I like to think that I have my depression 'under control' - after all I have lived with it for 30 years - the fact is that I live in constant fear of it boomeranging back. And this week it has. Can't sleep, no appetite, feeling anxious, tearful and fearful. The usual. So, I do the only thing I know works for me. . . drag myself out of bed, get dressed, and go out and fake it until I make it back again. My frustration is that this is all self-inflicted. I have in the last 3 months taken on exactly the type of job and work environment that in the past was almost guaranteed to stress me out. And it has. I thought I was "more resilient" these days. Not. A sensible person would say to themselves, "look, I just can't do this" and go and find something else to do that suits them better. Can't work out why it is that I keep returning to what is for me a poisoned well, hoping that I have developed some kind of immunity, and then getting surprised and upset when it makes me sick. What is that I am trying to prove? So, I am now going to sit down apply for another type of job that is less well paid, less salubrious, but which won't drive me nuts. Thanks for listening and hope to listen to you in turn.

batpig Anyone else living with a chronic (physical) illness too?
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone! Just wanted to see if anyone out there is potentially going through a similar thing. I was the happiest girl in the world all throughout high-school and my early teenage years, then when I was 16 I got diagnosed with 2 chronic illnesses ... View more

Hi everyone! Just wanted to see if anyone out there is potentially going through a similar thing. I was the happiest girl in the world all throughout high-school and my early teenage years, then when I was 16 I got diagnosed with 2 chronic illnesses - systemic lupus and another lesser known illness that I'm not really comfortable sharing with the world. Both of these conditions are lifelong and the best case scenario is that they get kept 'under control' with constant medication which hasn't worked in the nearly 4 years since my diagnosis. I feel like I've tried every medication and every natural therapy and yet, both conditions being progressive in nature, have only gotten worse over time. I am absolutely terrified of the thought of them continuously getting worse as I grow older and never going away as they have already taken such a severe toll on my life in such a short time. I have become extremely depressed in these last few years. They have stopped me from doing everything I enjoy, made me drop out of high school in Year 12, I was unable to do any further study, I had to quit my job, I have zero self-confidence, I can't go out anywhere, I can't go out in the sun, I can't afford anything but food and petrol etc etc. It has left me in such a horrible headspace that I can't even find the energy to go out and try any new medications because it's just such a big task that has already failed so many times and I get so overwhelmed every time I think about having to continue living like this for another 60ish years. I also am so stressed about all of this that I hardly ever sleep more than a few hours. Going out of the house is really difficult - pretty much the only time I go out is to go grocery shopping - so I have a non existent social life. I have no support from my family either so it's getting pretty lonely keeping all of this inside my head too. Sorry for the long post - any advice/similar stories/anything appreciated. Thanks for letting me get it out!!