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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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Guest_16278551 Support for partner
  • replies: 1

My partner has had depression on and off for 10 years.He is genuinely a loving caring funny guy but the last twelve/eighteen months has been rough.He has in the last twelve months began anti-depression medication again which at first helped him but r... View more

My partner has had depression on and off for 10 years.He is genuinely a loving caring funny guy but the last twelve/eighteen months has been rough.He has in the last twelve months began anti-depression medication again which at first helped him but recently he is moody angry withdrawn and is saying things that are every concerning to me about how he dislikes himself.He experienced a very rough childhood of parental domestic violence and alcohol abuse to which he decided in the last couple of years to segregate himself from his parents and he has not spoken at allto his parents in the last twelve monthsHe has also left a toxic work environment for a new job but is being very hard on himself in learning his new job.He was speaking to a fabulous GP but he has left our area and he has not found anyone else he “clicks with” to talk to.He was speaking to a physiologist but he says it makes him feel worse so he stopped seeing him.We are very blessed with 2 beautiful healthy children we have my parents who are very supportive we have a great friend group we are financially comfortable but he always finds something to stress about.I am looking for advice on how I can helpmy husband to bring back the funny caring person I know he is.

Shadow No where to go but up…
  • replies: 1

… or so they say.And so I used to believe. What felt like rock bottom wasn’t the worst but in that moment it would feel it. But still the fire would ignite and perseverance and grit would kick in - raising me to a place better than when I started. Ad... View more

… or so they say.And so I used to believe. What felt like rock bottom wasn’t the worst but in that moment it would feel it. But still the fire would ignite and perseverance and grit would kick in - raising me to a place better than when I started. Admittedly I was partially inspired just to prove to those who had wronged me that they hadn’t broken me. And I believed in the good karma that would return to those with integrity. Those who fought for others. For a better world. I always gave 110% of me. But it has been many years and this time, I feel broken. I was not made for this world and I don’t know how to exist in it any longer with the society norms that are ever so heavy. The effort of leaving the house and trying to stay positive/happy mask only to be met with ‘that I’m too much’ or ‘not enough’. This time I feel no desire to get up and try, no hope for a better future, no faith in people at all.Least of all in myself, after everything that’s happened to me throughout life - they’ve just turned me into another one of them. Just another black heart - only one thing remains the same …despite its colour I still wear it on my sleeve for all to see. And with that brings the darkest of times.

That_Boy_Needs_Therapy Lonliness
  • replies: 1

I always come back to this really empty feeling of loneliness, where there is no cure for this. And then it just flames my depression.But it also feels like that this is a really taboo reason to be upset about.

I always come back to this really empty feeling of loneliness, where there is no cure for this. And then it just flames my depression.But it also feels like that this is a really taboo reason to be upset about.

Stephanie Overwhelmed & Alone
  • replies: 6

This is the first time I have ever said this outloud (so to speak) I have always felt embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I am lonely and scared. I am 51 yesrs old and feel pathetic saying I'm afraid as a "grown up" I dont have anyoune to talk to b... View more

This is the first time I have ever said this outloud (so to speak) I have always felt embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I am lonely and scared. I am 51 yesrs old and feel pathetic saying I'm afraid as a "grown up" I dont have anyoune to talk to because I hide how I really feel every day. I left my home country over 20 years ago and don't have a single close friend. I am finding human interaction increasingly overbearing. I feel like I am the only person who feels like this and I want to be normal. I wake up every day with a feeling of utter despair and have to put on a brave face. I work in sales.....possibly the worst job in the world for somebody who feels like this. I just needed to get that off my chest.

Mitch- Forgotten how to feel happy
  • replies: 1

Hi I’m 56 years old and if I were to define my life with one word it would be Hard.Ive never felt I fit anywhere, I have always just lived around what others need from me.I feel others don’t really see me I guess.I was adopted and even though my pare... View more

Hi I’m 56 years old and if I were to define my life with one word it would be Hard.Ive never felt I fit anywhere, I have always just lived around what others need from me.I feel others don’t really see me I guess.I was adopted and even though my parents were good people I remember my childhood as being sad and lonely.As I grew older I desperately tried to find that person who would love and recognise me, but got it wrong too many times.I view the world as a hard and lonely place to be and at times wish I was no longer in it.My life now is one that so many people would love to have but I’ve lost the ability to feel happy or trust in happy.My head is always filled with negativity.thanks for listening

Guest_10345 Loneliness/Depression/Lost
  • replies: 2

HI there I'm Drew and are from Western Australia I'm going though major depression ATM and are struggling to cope with my circumstances and situation that I find myself in. So I thought I would reach out.I stopped drinking in 2019 and since then have... View more

HI there I'm Drew and are from Western Australia I'm going though major depression ATM and are struggling to cope with my circumstances and situation that I find myself in. So I thought I would reach out.I stopped drinking in 2019 and since then have realised it is probably too late to make any real differences or changes in my life @ (54)I'm currently homeless and living in a tent in a NP. I regularly have thoughts of suicide, have no family and not much in the way of friends, even though people tell me I'm a nice guy.What I have learnt since being homeless is that society in general is cruel, judgemental and not really forgiving or understanding, everyday it seems I'm reminded that this is true, Does anyone else have these thoughts/experiences? and constant thought's of suicide, any advice would be appreciated, preferably your own... Thankyou

mr magoo back down the rabbit hole
  • replies: 11

reading posts from years ago nothing has changed most times worse especially atm i’m not in the business of blaming other people for where i am definitely a reality check glad im trying to help myself

reading posts from years ago nothing has changed most times worse especially atm i’m not in the business of blaming other people for where i am definitely a reality check glad im trying to help myself

muminoz So tired of life
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I don’t even know where to start. I’m just tired of life. Married 22 years, he does nothing except for work and being a couch potato. I’ve been taking care of the kids, house, pets and bills. His business failed a couple of years ago and now ... View more

Hi all, I don’t even know where to start. I’m just tired of life. Married 22 years, he does nothing except for work and being a couch potato. I’ve been taking care of the kids, house, pets and bills. His business failed a couple of years ago and now we are struggling financially. I feel stuck and trapped in this marriage. Can’t leave as I’m financially dependent on him. No friends or family, so no support. Where do I go? I suffer from depression and anxiety and had a mental breakdown last year. I also have social anxiety and have trouble talking to others. I am so lonely. Have had suicidal thoughts for a while now and it is getting worse. I really want to end it, I do not see the point of living but I worry about my 2 girls. They are the only reason that is keeping me from going through with it. I stay strong for them but inside I am a mess. I can’t deal with the stress of living, work and worrying about money. Can’t stop the constant stream of negative thoughts in my head. Life is so meaningless. I hate myself so much for being weak, for being dependent on him, for not setting boundaries earlier, for not having a career, for trusting him

EmiJ Looking for hope
  • replies: 2

I guess as my title suggest I am just looking for some hope if there is someone out there who has been through or is like me and it has turned out better for them.I am a walking embarrassment who absolutely hates and disgusted by myself.I did age car... View more

I guess as my title suggest I am just looking for some hope if there is someone out there who has been through or is like me and it has turned out better for them.I am a walking embarrassment who absolutely hates and disgusted by myself.I did age care work for over a year then I left the company because I felt I had humiliated myself and was completely inferior.I tried a couple of other companies but it was very short-lived because I think I was too comfortable with the first company.I applied again for the first company and got rejected unfortunately due to health reasons I was unreliable when I worked for and no I don’t think I was the quickest worker and maybe my personality does leave something to be desired.I have multiple other issues but at the moment I need to be able to hold down a job and unfortunately any other job I get it’s not what I want. I want to go back to that job but now I never can.it’s not just a job thing. It’s everything I’m getting older fatter and I have no self esteem left .everything outside of my bedroom in the house I share scares me and sometimes I’m even scared in there. I’m just so mad at myself and I just feel like I don’t even know what I feel like just like everyone’s laughing and judging me

Guest_07631912 Completely done
  • replies: 1

I’m just so completely defeated by life. I don’t feel I have any strength or drive left. I have been fighting my mental health for so long and have done nearly everything do improve it. I worked so hard to build a life and career. But when life keeps... View more

I’m just so completely defeated by life. I don’t feel I have any strength or drive left. I have been fighting my mental health for so long and have done nearly everything do improve it. I worked so hard to build a life and career. But when life keeps giving you numerous traumatic experiences, you never have a chance to recover from any of it. Now it’s made me so alone and unlovable. No one wants to be around me despite giving everyone my complete loyalty and love and anything I can give I do, I sacrifice my own health and happiness for others and it’s still never enough because “I have a negative outlook on the world” like 27 years of trauma won’t do that? And it’s my fault? But it doesn’t matter how much you recover people still view you as damaged goods and the only people that stick around are the people that know they can keep draining me of my resources because I would do anything to be a good person and do the right thing by others. Genuine human connection is what I need so badly but it’s the one thing I can never get. The only person in my entire life that I thought was seeing me as my whole self, and accepted me for who I am turned out to be just like everyone else and discarded me without a second thought. I am so insignificant to everyone. If I died tomorrow, only my dad would care. So I don’t see how I am meant to keep going everyday, feeling like I’m suffocating under the weight of complete rejection from the whole world. Nothing makes me happy anymore and my job and hobbies all seem pointless. Whats the point in anything when you have no friends, only people that use you and the guy you thought was your soulmate was nothing more than the wishful thinking that someone would be empathetic enough to hold the space for me to learn to trust people again. I can’t keep hoping things will change when every year something worse happens and I’m even more alone and broken than before. You can only pick yourself up so many times. I don’t know how people can just go on. I just don’t know what to do anymore.