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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 chats on this Forum having 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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DeepBlue1771 In-person support groups
  • replies: 1

Hello, I was wondering if anyone knows of any in-person support groups in Melbourne where people going through depression or a hard time can regularly meet, talk, and support each other, without judgement? People going through depression or hard time... View more

Hello, I was wondering if anyone knows of any in-person support groups in Melbourne where people going through depression or a hard time can regularly meet, talk, and support each other, without judgement? People going through depression or hard times often don't really want to keep burdening friends and family with their issues and are often isolated as a result. Forums like this are good but online support doesn't really foster true connection and can only help a bit. We're living in a world that is becoming more and more virtual and isolated, and I think human connection in person is needed.

Poppycorn Somewhere along the way I lost my sparkle
  • replies: 2

Hello! Not sure how to start... I feel like my life got stuck at some point and I run out of motivation to change it. I live quite comfortable, thanks to my husband. He is amazing and does everything he can to cheer me up. But I often feel sad and fe... View more

Hello! Not sure how to start... I feel like my life got stuck at some point and I run out of motivation to change it. I live quite comfortable, thanks to my husband. He is amazing and does everything he can to cheer me up. But I often feel sad and feel like I'm wasting my life, thinking about everything I could be doing, but I don't have the energy...We have everything that we need but we could be better financially. We have some debts so there isn't much spare money and I feel bad that I'm not helping. Sometimes, the only productive thing that I do in a whole day is a load of washing. I've been living in Australia for 6 years, the only job that I could get since then is sales assistant. I've applied for hundreds of jobs and never got a successful outcome. I had a career before, I used to have confidence that I could achieve things, but now I just feel like I'm dumb, I'm boring, I'm inferior, I'm not good enough. I'm currently studying a Master and I constantly feel that everyone is smarter and they are taking the course way better. I'm struggling to focus on my assignments because I have a lot of anxiety and worries about failing. I also feel that I don't belong, that I am the "spare" friend. I never had too many friends (still have some good ones overseas) but I feel like I'm not good in terms of building strong friendships. I'm 35 and I'm feeling completely lost and that I didn't do anything significant in the past few years. There are some situations that I feel sad to remember because I couldn't feel the plenitude of the moment, even if it was something really great. I was feeling empty. I find it hard to stick to a routine, get into hobbies, be motivated to exercise and finish whatever I started. I'm just tired of doing things the wrong way and not doing my best (or not doing enough) to achieve things. I still dream with a better version of myself, living with purpose and sharing the weight of the responsibilities with my husband. I look my photos from 5 years ago and I was glowing, I miss being that person but I don't know what can I do...

Von is lost Massive guilt
  • replies: 3

I accidentally ran over a cat this morning and it died when I took it to the vet. It must’ve been hiding under my car and I heard a bump once I started to drive and I looked in the mirror and saw the poor thing. I picked it up in a towel and drove to... View more

I accidentally ran over a cat this morning and it died when I took it to the vet. It must’ve been hiding under my car and I heard a bump once I started to drive and I looked in the mirror and saw the poor thing. I picked it up in a towel and drove to the vet basically in hysterics. They did what they could but sadly he passed away. I haven’t stopped crying since it happened and I can’t stop thinking about his body and eyes and the way he was breathing on the way to the vet. I feel an immeasurable amount of guilt

SLSTR computer gambling game
  • replies: 7

I need some assistance with something that is bothering me. My dad sits up most nights after dinner and ignores the family and plays a computer gambling casino game for hours. This happens most nights, recently he has been very angry again and I thin... View more

I need some assistance with something that is bothering me. My dad sits up most nights after dinner and ignores the family and plays a computer gambling casino game for hours. This happens most nights, recently he has been very angry again and I think he is depressed with his life situation he told me today he did not want to see other members of our family because he is "sick of hearing about their holidays and good things they are doing". I feel like he avoiding the family or maybe he is just winding down each night but I feel its not healthy.. what should I do hes 74, it may seem fun and harmless but i feel it could be a behavioral addiction.

random__ I'm terrified of my ex best friend part 2
  • replies: 4

Hello to whoever is reading this.. WARNING SENSITIVE TOPICSI have already had a discussion about this topic which is still up on my profile and it includes some sensitive topics but I am making a part 2 on this cause after years it's still going..BAC... View more

Hello to whoever is reading this.. WARNING SENSITIVE TOPICSI have already had a discussion about this topic which is still up on my profile and it includes some sensitive topics but I am making a part 2 on this cause after years it's still going..BACKSTORY: I had a best friend who had made some horrid accusations about me "SA-ing" her in 2021 which is false as I have many screenshots and convos of her admitting to me is was a false accusation. she took any guy that I wanted to get to know, she made fat comments to me on a daily, she made posted photos online that looked identical to mine, she use to stalk my house before school and when she accused me of SA-ing her I moved state which she followed me her.This has been going on for years and as of recent she has been doing some things that are quite uncomfortable e.x.changing her name on her socials to the same as mine just with 1 letter difference.dying her hair the same color as mine every time I change it.stalking all my socials with other accounts.trying to destroy my friends by telling people about the (SA).. and when she tells people about it she smiles and laughs about it almost like she's proud of it.. and as someone who has been R-word before.. it makes me sick to my stomach watching her tell every Tom, Dick and Harry about it with a smile.. even posting tiktoks of her posing 'sexually' whilst spreading what happened..It's taken a few years but I've gotten better with physical touch now but I'm still a bit scared of touching girls e.x. (hugging, touching arm, sitting next to someone and our legs touch)I've been told to go to the police but because it was so long ago.. "nothing can be done"and I can't go to the police about this.. they'd turn me away as it was considered "just girl drama"it still keeps me up at night and sometimes feel like I shouldn't be existing because that's the label I'll always have attached to me, no matter how much proof I have against me showing I'm innocent..I want to see it a different way and not see it as I'm stuck in one place scared all the time, I've been trying different methods to help ignore, help the situation and how I feel but it's always sitting there in the back of my mind.. Sometimes I feel like I hate this world and humanity and there is no point cause people are so mean and they don't care how it effects others.

Rara Am I in denial?
  • replies: 2

BG: I have been diagnosed with Bipolar depression from my previous psychiatrist. I seek a professional help way back 2020. I had my anti depressants since then. Around 2022, I attempted suicide and was hospitalised for almost a week. Then around Augu... View more

BG: I have been diagnosed with Bipolar depression from my previous psychiatrist. I seek a professional help way back 2020. I had my anti depressants since then. Around 2022, I attempted suicide and was hospitalised for almost a week. Then around August 2023, I full forced stopped taking any medicine. I thought I was getting better. From the past, I have prolonged low episodes. Usually every 2 and more months before I switch to any episodes. Yet, after not taking any medicine. My episodes became upside down; switching either weekly (or within the week) or having many switches within a day. At some point, I was still in denial. I think? Not fully acknowledging that I am really personally experiencing this. Since I was way compassionate helping people in a mental health sector. I wanted to seek professional help again, this time through more compassionate psychotherapy. But then, I also don't know why. Why should I?At some point, I wasn't ready for my subconscious to be awakened.I have the fear of being questioned. I have the fear of not being believed by what I talked about.Their questions made me feel like disregarded for what I feel or for what I am experiencing. Knowing that it is often for me to hear from a family member about their capacity to conquer different situations over mine (a harder one than my experiences, leaving me comparing everything from my emotions and mental capacity). Most of the time, my voice isn't really heard. I was stopped in the middle of telling myself—of me speaking on behalf of my most authentic self. Most of the time, they heard of themselves more than they heard the sole soul I have. And now, somehow, I feel hesitant and in denial? It's like, people, they generally make you feel that what you are experiencing is nothing more than your own kind of trouble with yourself. Leaving me questioning myself: am I overreacting? Am I sensitive, or are they insensitive? Somehow, it makes me think that what I am experiencing is far from what they had. And questioning my right to be in this mental state. And everytime I have my sessions, I thought that "why should I need this? I am doing fine. Does those matter? (The lows)". Because it usually happens that I feel high when there's a session. Or sometimes, I just felt like I am fine. It is very confusing and hard—too.

Earth Girl Everyone is saying that I pretended to be friends with people, but it's not true
  • replies: 2

In college, I was friends/acquaintances with a small group of people and I also become friends with one of these people's friends just a bit before formal and I went to formal with this friend and we sat with the rest of the group there. The friendsh... View more

In college, I was friends/acquaintances with a small group of people and I also become friends with one of these people's friends just a bit before formal and I went to formal with this friend and we sat with the rest of the group there. The friendship with this girl started out really good, but even early on in the friendship, there were things she did that I really didn't like. E.g. she asked me to put her rubbish in the bin for her on the day we went out for shopping for our formal. She got really mad at another girl who sat at our table because she was trying to help pass the water to someone and she accidentally spelt it on the table, etc. I was friends with this girl for about 2 and a half years and I wasn't feeling sure about the friendship anymore, but I didn't know how to end it. On one night out, her boyfriend drove me to where we were going and back home and he beforehand asked me for $20 to do so. My Mum and sister said he ripped me off and that I shouldn't have had to pay him in the first place because they were going past my house on the way anyway. I then told them that I didn't like how some of my friends treated me and then they said I didn't have to stay friends with them. I asked how do you do that and they said just stop talking to them and keep telling them you are busy and the friendship will die. I did this for 3 years! She wouldn't let go. I told my sister that I was going to just let her know that I wasn't feeling the friendship anymore and she said that it is rude to tell someone you don't want to be friends with them anymore and to just let it die even though it wasn't ending still. I ended up deleting her on Facebook because my sisters said it would be okay to do that. L asked me why I deleted her and I told her that I just felt our friendship wasn't working out and she got really mad and then blocked me. One of the girls in the college group, C would invite me to their night outs, but that was it friendship wise. We became a bit closer later on for about a year until I deleted her on Facebook as well (long story) and now she's saying I was pretending to be her friend for 7 years when I wasn't. We weren't even friends for most of those years, just mild acquaintances. I made friends with a girl later in CIT, A and it was good at first, but I wasn't feeling it anymore after a while, but I was scared to end it because I knew she would bully me. I ended it eventually and she's now bullying me even worse than I thought she would.

Theo26 Frustrated with my situation
  • replies: 1

About 9 weeks ago I thought my meds weren’t working properly , id been on them for 10 years and I was just starting to get really irritated and stressed hence why I thought they weren’t working, so I went to my GP and we change them which was the big... View more

About 9 weeks ago I thought my meds weren’t working properly , id been on them for 10 years and I was just starting to get really irritated and stressed hence why I thought they weren’t working, so I went to my GP and we change them which was the biggest mistake I ever made. 5 weeks in and I just spiralled into deep depression and anxiety through the roof so I went back on my old meds and my GP gave me something to ease the anxiety and I know they take time to kick in and it’s only my fourth week back on the old ones but I have a family now to support which I feel is a responsibility which elevates my anxiety even more. Everyone tells me not to worry about work you just need to get well. My wife’s wage looks after all the bills but I still feel like I’m failing them. I’m starting to get frustrated. It’s like I’m right at the edge of the tunnel but just can’t get out over that last edge. I just want to feel my normal self again…

Guest_45016542 Injured at work. Light duties taking a toll
  • replies: 2

I hurt my shoulder a month ago and reported it to work almost 2 weeks ago when it didn't get better. They put me on light duties and after a week, I decided to see a physio. He determined I have a rotator cuff injury. I'm in constant (low level) pain... View more

I hurt my shoulder a month ago and reported it to work almost 2 weeks ago when it didn't get better. They put me on light duties and after a week, I decided to see a physio. He determined I have a rotator cuff injury. I'm in constant (low level) pain. He restricted my duties to the point where I literally can't do my job (I work at Coles in the online department). So, work put me in the bakery and I stood there for 5 hours putting stickers on bread. Couldn't even lift the bread because of my restrictions. I decided to escalate the claim to workcover because my shoulder is just getting worse. I wish I never even mentioned it. The physio and the GP had heavy restrictions (no lifting, no pushing/pulling, no reaching). But still saying I can work 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Make it make sense? Anyway, I got told yesterday they are putting me in the checkouts. And I can't. There's a reason I never applied to work on checkouts. Also, I still can't do anything on checkouts with my restrictions. I think they want me to give people cigarettes. Again, I can't do that. No reaching, no pushing or pulling (drawers). This whole situation is making me feel so useless and depressed. I wish my gp had just said no capacity to work. I'm a casual and next week, they've cut my hours to 5. I usually work about 20.I can't just find another job because I'm pregnant and only have about 12 weeks left of working before I have the baby