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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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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!!

Nikname Can't stop feeling down and useless.
  • replies: 4

Hey everyone I'm new to this im not sure what to do.. I suffer from bad social anxiety & constantly feeling down, I feel useless at everything i do & have zero confidence.. looking in the mirror annoys me aswell. I' m over putting on a fake face. I j... View more

Hey everyone I'm new to this im not sure what to do.. I suffer from bad social anxiety & constantly feeling down, I feel useless at everything i do & have zero confidence.. looking in the mirror annoys me aswell. I' m over putting on a fake face. I just want to be confident and happy again. I want to enjoy life but I feel like I can't.. It's affecting my life so much I've been unemployed for 3 months now because I'm to scared to apply for jobs as I feel like I'm not capable to do it. my partner is really supportive but I feel it's going to eat away at us. I'm not sure what to do im to scared to see a shrink. Is it possible to come put of this slump?

Jessa_ Nothing makes me happy anymore
  • replies: 2

Last week I quit my job. I had just got a promotion and I didn’t feel I could do it and I was stressing about it all the time and coming home crying most days. Now I’m unemployed and feel so down and have no motivation or energy to do anything. All I... View more

Last week I quit my job. I had just got a promotion and I didn’t feel I could do it and I was stressing about it all the time and coming home crying most days. Now I’m unemployed and feel so down and have no motivation or energy to do anything. All I want to do is sleep and not think about what my life has become. I constantly compare myself to others which I know is not healthy but I can’t help it. All my friends have great jobs and seem happy but I feel like I’ll never get to that point. It’s starting to affect my relationship with my boyfriend who I live with too

Anit Not sure
  • replies: 6

Things have been getting worse and no matter what I try to do, I can't seem to find a solution. I have always told myself sadness is mind over matter, and that got me through things until now. I thought I was OK and thought I had dealt with the thing... View more

Things have been getting worse and no matter what I try to do, I can't seem to find a solution. I have always told myself sadness is mind over matter, and that got me through things until now. I thought I was OK and thought I had dealt with the things that are getting me down, but lately I can't seem to think about things without falling apart. I have felt very sad sometimes throughout life, when things have happened, but I was OK, life went on, I just continued. But I've never felt like this before and its starting to worry me, because also sometimes I dont seem to care or feel about things either, and that just doesn't seem to be the person I think I am or was. I only think its depression now, because I took the online test. Im not sure if it is, or I'm just experiencing really different, overwhelming and sad feelings... Im not sure about how this works, as I honestly didn't read all the information properly. I was just hoping someone could tell me what I should be trying to do next. I dont think I could talk about things to people, cause I dont like doing that. I dis some online reading, but I don't want to speak to a GP or tell my family and friends how I feel. I know I'm not feeling sorry for myself, cause that's also not me and I have never asked for help before. I sort of want to just delete this message and figure it out, but I have been trying to do that, and I can't get ahead. I know I need to send this message, cause maybe I do need some help and I don't know. I really wouldn't be here if I hadn't tried to sort myself out. I am sorry if this is not the right place to be writing this, I know there's a lot of people that definitely need the help. I was just really hoping I could speak to someone online about how I feel and if someone can tell me if I am depressed or its something else. I also had like two out of the ordinary emotional outbursts last week and I can't understand that either...Thank you for your time to read my message. I hope to hear from you soon.

Guest_4987 Isolated-cold-lonely and depressed.
  • replies: 92

As i live in an isolated regional area with all the cold weather with my depression i am finding life very hard at the moment. I am not new to BB but have not posted for some months but find myself needed help as I am sliding into a dark place which ... View more

As i live in an isolated regional area with all the cold weather with my depression i am finding life very hard at the moment. I am not new to BB but have not posted for some months but find myself needed help as I am sliding into a dark place which i seem to carry with me… With not that much support available in my area at night i decided to reactivate contact on these forums as it was helpful then so why not now. STS