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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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Not_happy New date.... Same thinking and life....
  • replies: 3

Hi, I am new to this. I dont know if this is right but it's one of the last thinking spaces I seem to find some clarity, some peace and some affiliation. It's a places feel people understand what I think and feel in reading other posted but while get... View more

Hi, I am new to this. I dont know if this is right but it's one of the last thinking spaces I seem to find some clarity, some peace and some affiliation. It's a places feel people understand what I think and feel in reading other posted but while getting some comfort in that (no offender to others feeling as I do intended), it doesn't change how I feel. I am older well not old but getting up in years now. I had a great life's decade ago, out, friends and life at a fast pace. Move forward, divorce and job changes, bills and life just so hard. I find myself beyond stuck. I don't go out and don't do anything. None of my 'friends' call ordo anything g and I hear from nobody. My family, well only one of them touched base in any meaningful say monthly time period. I have bills and things out of the whazoo format son and what my ex left after a life of spending everything plus, a lonely and nothing existence it seems to me. I can't just get out and meet people, it's not me anymore. I can't afford it anyway. I can't afford a psych irthe subsidised psych as I have bills and commitments to everything everywhere that I can't keep up. I wake up every day with dread, well that is when I sleep. If I do sleep I don't want to get out of bed. I am lazy and I hated who I am and everything about who I am now. I don't know kw what to do anymore. I have thought lots of Anthony's and searched a lot how to do things. I don't even have the guts to do anything which is more of why I feel shit. I can't even do feeling rubbish and doing something a bout it right. I am lost and so alone. I have tried to reach out to services but I can't afford the cost of getting help. I only get - here's a service, call and go see someone. If it where that easy I wouldn't be here. I can't afford so that. I have a son in private school, crippling divorce and past bills from my ex. I am lost and can't go on line this any more. Does anyone have any advice. Please don't tell me to just go talk to a psych,if I could have I would have. I want to but I literally can't afford that and I need help, I want help. I can't live like this any more.

Ilovemycathaha medication - depression.
  • replies: 3

Hi there, i just joined this website and was hoping I could talk to others that may be experiencing what I am experiencing. Due to me starting a new job I've becomed stressed. Therefore my skin has had a lot more acne than normal. Cystic acne however... View more

Hi there, i just joined this website and was hoping I could talk to others that may be experiencing what I am experiencing. Due to me starting a new job I've becomed stressed. Therefore my skin has had a lot more acne than normal. Cystic acne however that just won't die down. i decided to see a specialist and they put me on medication. I was excited at first. I understand the side effects, such as blood noses, possible depression, sore joints, skin getting worse etc etc 1.5 months in and my skin has gotten worse- yes I expected it, but it's just so red. It's so much worse than when I started the medication. Also, I've felt very 'down' lately. Ive never really been depressed so this is a shock to me. I just feel terrible...all the time? i need to go off this medication. i want to smile, even if I do look bad I need to smile. Can anyone give me any advice on depression and what's it like? I'm scared I don't like this.

FallenFreaK Struggling with life and motivation
  • replies: 4

First time posting. I have depression and anxiety. I am studying nursing at tafe. I live with my real dad who isn’t able to work atm due to rain. But any money he gets he seems to spend on smokes and random things. I have put in place a budget which ... View more

First time posting. I have depression and anxiety. I am studying nursing at tafe. I live with my real dad who isn’t able to work atm due to rain. But any money he gets he seems to spend on smokes and random things. I have put in place a budget which isn’t working. I have to buy groceries, care for 5 animals, clean, wash clothes, do stuff for tafe, etc. I don’t take my meds regularly because I forgot or I’m busy. I see a psychology’s every few weeks which isn’t enough but I can’t affoes anymore. I can’t get anywhere unless my dad drives me because I only have my learners. No one is able to give me lessons so I can get my hours up and I don’t have the time. I have my bf and my grandfather. But that’s about it. My bf is great but is also studying but at uni doing law. And he has his own family to deal with. The only friends I have are the ones at tafe. I don’t have much support, money or food atm. I can’t just pause anything or work. I dunno what to do.

Jdavid Bipolar 11
  • replies: 1

Hello I have been diagnosed as bipolar 11 due to induced hypomania from ssris has anyone else had a diagnoses like this ? I don’t think I am bipolar Going to see another physiatrist

Hello I have been diagnosed as bipolar 11 due to induced hypomania from ssris has anyone else had a diagnoses like this ? I don’t think I am bipolar Going to see another physiatrist

Tgirll Not sure what to do?
  • replies: 4

Everyday is a struggle. It has been for maybe close to a year now. It's like I don't enjoy the day and I can't wait for it to all pass so it can be night time and I can just go to sleep. I feel like and haven't for a while, like I don't enjoy anythin... View more

Everyday is a struggle. It has been for maybe close to a year now. It's like I don't enjoy the day and I can't wait for it to all pass so it can be night time and I can just go to sleep. I feel like and haven't for a while, like I don't enjoy anything. Things make my anxiety a little bit better i think but I don't often feel many positive emotions. Or maybe I do but just very very minutely? I feel I can't just relax and just be in the moment. I feel like I'm just waiting for night to come so I can just be in bed and don't have to force myself to do anything. I know I have depression and will be having my fourth psych session this Tuesday. I have never had depression before (maybe mildly but never enough to really impact me or last long enough). I was diagnosed with GAD four years ago (OCD as a child and have always had anxiety) so am familiar with bad mind numbing anxiety and almost constant panic attacks but not so much these negative feelings. I had a real bad anxiety period over a year ago and i think thats where this depression stememd from if that makes sense. Despite having anxiety, I have always loved talking to people and doing different things and exploring the world. Now it's just like I want to sit still and do nothing. Everything I do I feel like I'm just passing time so that I can go to sleep and hope that I'll wake up a bit better tomorrow. it frustrates me because everything is pretty good in life. I have such an amazing partner, I have friends (I use to be so social now I strugggle), I work but shorter hours now since this newish job, my family is super awesome... I just don't feel much of these positive feelings anymore. I just don't want to engage and this makes me feel bad because I know I'm not this sort of person. I have always been quite positive and could make almost any situation positive. I also get upset that maybe I'm not making any progress and that this is the new me and I'll always be stuck like this. Some days I have the strength to laugh a bit and engage in conversation a bit more and act better and do more things even if I don't fully feel it. Is that some progress or am I just like this forever now? I used to love joking around and making people laugh and making them feel good now it's like I just don't care and I hate that. Thanks a bunch for reading! Sorry there is so much to read lol

Frantic1 Really struggling
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone, i am really struggling with anxiety and depression at the moment. I have seen my GP who has started me on some new medication but I am just so sad all the time. I feel totally worthless and am struggling to get through each day. I keep c... View more

Hi everyone, i am really struggling with anxiety and depression at the moment. I have seen my GP who has started me on some new medication but I am just so sad all the time. I feel totally worthless and am struggling to get through each day. I keep crying and feel like I can’t do anything right. I feel so alone and that nobody cares. I have no confidence in my abilities and that I don’t know what I’m doing at work. I am studying as well and really have no belief that I can do the work. I just feel like giving up

SilverRB Post holiday blues or....?
  • replies: 8

Hello, this is my first time posting on this site but wanted to get other peoples opinions on my situation. The start of march my girlfriend and myself went on a 3 week holiday overseas...which was great for both of us...so no issues there. But ever ... View more

Hello, this is my first time posting on this site but wanted to get other peoples opinions on my situation. The start of march my girlfriend and myself went on a 3 week holiday overseas...which was great for both of us...so no issues there. But ever since I've returned I've felt like I've been in this never ending slump. Before I went away I was a frequent gym goer and always (for the most part) happy. But ever since I've returned I haven't enjoyed the gym and i actually can't stand to go anymore. I now drink almost every night now which I never did previously. Can't understand or pinpoint what the issue could be...we've been back from holidays well over a month now

jman26 Lost and confused.
  • replies: 4

The title says it all, I'm at a crossroad in life or some might also say a quarter life crisis. Up until about 4 years ago I was a very happy person. I had a great social life, girlfriend, travelled a lot and was essentially completely different. I t... View more

The title says it all, I'm at a crossroad in life or some might also say a quarter life crisis. Up until about 4 years ago I was a very happy person. I had a great social life, girlfriend, travelled a lot and was essentially completely different. I travelled around the world for 12 months and moved to the big city when I returned. Since then I was lucky enough to land a high paying job as a truck driver. After discovering personal finance and self development I made it a goal to try and build wealth, that hasn't worked out how I thought it would. 3.5 years later of saving 80%+ of my earnings, I've reached a point where my anxiety to spend money is drastic. My connections with friends and family have diminished due to being too frugal and my last girlfriend ended up leaving me. Alongside this, I also decided to get into shape. I've achieved what some might say is a decent physique but that's not all. I thought this would make me confident but it's done the opposite. My insecurities are through the roof and my self esteem is at an all time low as I'm never happy with how I look. This has been going on for years now. I haven't had even as much as a verbal connection with a girl for 6+ months, my job isn't gratifying (I receive abuse from drivers all day for delivering them food, go figure) and the thought of knowing that this could be the rest of my life scares me. With all these combined I've found myself at a crossroad where I'm asking myself if this is really all worth it. I don't find joy or pleasure in anything anymore and I feel like all of the advice society gives (get in shape, get financially secure, succeed etc) just isn't for me. Surely there has to be another way to live than spending 6 days/70 hours a week working, saving everything I earn and torturing my body with exercise I don't even enjoy and eating bland food I don't enjoy just to have a physique that brings a tonne of insecurities? To end this I guess my question is, have you been here before and gotten out of it? Any advice I receive (i.e work hard, set goals, save money, be disciplined etc) hasn't worked as it's what has gotten me here in the first place. Thanks for listening.

Lizzy1 Being Bi Polar
  • replies: 7

Hi all, this is my first posting on a forum. I am Bipolar, have been all my life, well, since I can remember anyway. I was always diagnosed as depressed, and I guess that was because of some traumatic events that happened in my life, and obviously I ... View more

Hi all, this is my first posting on a forum. I am Bipolar, have been all my life, well, since I can remember anyway. I was always diagnosed as depressed, and I guess that was because of some traumatic events that happened in my life, and obviously I wouldn't come out of that unscathed. I always felt that it was more than that, ( being depressed, or suffering from PTSD), but I couldn't explain it. As I got older and with my symptoms becoming more serious and varied, I sought councilling and was described various medications to stabilize my moods. But nothing helped. I would swing between feeling what I would consider "normal", and deep, deep depression, which I could not understand, as everything was okay in my life. To cut a long story short, and to not go into too much, I was resently diagnosed. Bipolar. Well thanks. Even though it gives me a reason to understand my longstanding behaviours and feelings, and how I've never felt "normal", I now have to realise that this is my life. That nothing apart from medication, can help me. Where was the help I needed all those years ago, before I lost my children, my family and my friends?? How could I have expected everyone else to understand why I was like I was, when I never could understand it myself? I am now nearly 57, in my second marriage, which is being destroyed by this horrible disorder, and I'm really sick of it.

chelpformum Helping mother with depression
  • replies: 4

I'm 18 and my mother is 46 and for the past 6 years my mum has had severe depression. 2 months ago I moved 3 hours away to go to university, leaving her alone. I feel bad about this but also know its right for my future. Over the past week, she has t... View more

I'm 18 and my mother is 46 and for the past 6 years my mum has had severe depression. 2 months ago I moved 3 hours away to go to university, leaving her alone. I feel bad about this but also know its right for my future. Over the past week, she has told me she has no motivation to do anything (walk the dogs, go to the shop, clean the house) and she feels extremely bad about this. She also has no job and no friends. This upsets her immensely as she wants a job yet is unsure that she will ever get one as it has been many years since her last employment. She gets very upset and sometimes states that she no longer wants to be alive and is only here for me. She struggles with alcohol and buys it when she goes to the shop, then gets very sick and falls back into a pit of depression. This makes her afraid to go to the shop and meet people as she thinks she will ruin all her friendships when she is drunk. I just want to know how I can help her, she won't see a psychologist and has no car to get to the doctors to go on another antidepressant (3 different ones tried and still no results.) She has no friends to talk to about this other than me and I feel so unable to help her. Please, I need your advice as I love her more than anything and would do anything to make her be happy again.