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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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MelissaFirstTimeMum Post partum depression
  • replies: 7

I am really struggling. I feel like I'm not enjoying being a mum. I love my daughter but I really strugle with the stress of it all. I see a psychologist and I'm definitely doing better than I was but I am just wondering if I will ever be "better" or... View more

I am really struggling. I feel like I'm not enjoying being a mum. I love my daughter but I really strugle with the stress of it all. I see a psychologist and I'm definitely doing better than I was but I am just wondering if I will ever be "better" or "normal" or "me" again. I get so anxious in public situations especially if she is cranky or tired so I just avoid going out completely. I keep wondering how the psychologist is going to fix me. I'm just a bit lost.

StephD I hate humanity
  • replies: 7

Is this just depression or am I right to feel this way?I hate humanity because I get pushed out of the way by selfish business men trying to board the train before me so they can get a seat.Because I was insulted and teased by strangers on the street... View more

Is this just depression or am I right to feel this way?I hate humanity because I get pushed out of the way by selfish business men trying to board the train before me so they can get a seat.Because I was insulted and teased by strangers on the streets for being overweight and now being accused of a drug addict or told to eat more food because I worked hard to lose the weight and am now apparently too thin (I'm not).Because women on three occasions have thrown drinks at me from their car window and have shouted abuse. Even though I hate my body, and was a virgin when the events happened.Because I fianally worked up the courage to wear a dress for the first time and a man spat at me for wearing a dress. It was below my knees and I was wearing a jumper.And because a man once punched me in the shoulder because I walked too close to him.Because I feel lonely and other women walk past me giving me narky looks.Because I'm socially akward and people assume I'm dumb and condescend. Because a man once asked me if I was a prostitute while I was waiting for a bus. I know it sounds like I underdress but I don't.Because I dated a narcissistic man for six years who took all my money and my self respect.Because I survived high school not being seriously bullied but had my self esteem damaged by my mum when she was going through her mid kife crises and started to call me flthunder thighs before I even started gaining weight.Do I menifest this behavior from others because I don't love myself or something? Does anyone go through what I go through? I also hate the way people judge others in such a small minded way. I hate that people stare at their iphones all the time. I hate that they're addicted to technology.I hate that they take too many selfies and are self absorbed. I hate that they all follow trends no metter how ridiculous.I hate that people throw around mental illness and disorders like OCD, depression, bi polar, adhd, etc like they're meaningless adjectives. "I'm tots OCD because I'm so neat".I hate that people are fake to impress others.I hate that people are selfish in general.I hate people who use a instead of an.That's just my OCD.I know that there are diamonds in the rough. I wish there were more good people than there are bad. I don't want to hate humanity. I want to have fun in life.

NOmadx Guilt about depression
  • replies: 4

Hi guys, I have been quietly struggling with depression, anger and mood swings since I was 18. What gets me the most when I feel depressed is the enormous sense of unbridled guilt. Guilt that my partner and my family have to put up with me on my bad ... View more

Hi guys, I have been quietly struggling with depression, anger and mood swings since I was 18. What gets me the most when I feel depressed is the enormous sense of unbridled guilt. Guilt that my partner and my family have to put up with me on my bad days, and guilt that I'm depressed but don't have any valid and communicable reasons for it. I have a decent paying job and a loving partner and a supporting family. Not all that much bad has happened to me in life that warrants me being a depressed curmudgeon. My dad did die when I was in my early 20s and I did struggle with school early on (primarily because I was angry) which resulted in me dropping out really young. I did work through that though, so I thought, I went back to school accrued a couple of tertiary qualifications and found a loving partner. On paper at least and in my own head I feel like there is just no rational reason for being depressed and I'm guessing this is why I feel incredibly guilty about it. I'm 29 and I just don't know what the right next steps are. Does anyone have any good tips about how to cope? Is this something that warrants professional help?

Braxiatel81 I need to get this off my chest
  • replies: 4

I need to say right at the start that I just need to get this off my chest. I have anxiety, depression, bi-polar and I'm not coping...I'm over it. I don't want any more help...its not working. Everything I do is impacting my family and my friends and... View more

I need to say right at the start that I just need to get this off my chest. I have anxiety, depression, bi-polar and I'm not coping...I'm over it. I don't want any more help...its not working. Everything I do is impacting my family and my friends and all the strategies and sessions and meds are not working. Its all happening still and its impacting my family, my friends and my colleagues. Its not fair on them and I am over it. I don't know what to do and all I want to do is crawl into a corner and cry. I don't want to talk about it anymore, I don't those looks of sympathy, those looks of "I don't know what to say". I don't want to be included in the world anymore..i want to be me, away from everyone that I make frustrated and angry. I don't know what to do other than to write this down and get it off my chest. No one else I know is like this and I can't deal with professionals anymore.

Ant71 Post adventure depression
  • replies: 4

Hi there everyone. I wondered if anyone had any experience with this. Last year I had an awesome adventure that I had been training for and planning for a long time. When I got back home and went back to work I crashed. I read some article last night... View more

Hi there everyone. I wondered if anyone had any experience with this. Last year I had an awesome adventure that I had been training for and planning for a long time. When I got back home and went back to work I crashed. I read some article last night about post adventure depression and it seems to describe what I am going through only all the articles say it only lasts a few weeks. I have been down since I got home in September. I keep thinking and hoping that things will get better but there always seems to be something bad to bring me back down again.

Rob_us_expat I just want to be happy
  • replies: 3

I've dealt with depression since my teens but I always hid it well. I always smiled made jokes anything to make sure my family and friends didn't need to worry until it caught up with me and I became exhausted and couldn't put up the masks anymore. I... View more

I've dealt with depression since my teens but I always hid it well. I always smiled made jokes anything to make sure my family and friends didn't need to worry until it caught up with me and I became exhausted and couldn't put up the masks anymore. I've been on medication regularly for 4 to 5 years, But I can't seem to break the curse, lately it feels like it's gotten worse. 2 days ago I actually let myself do what I call a depression sleep. It's that sleep of mental exhaustion and the thought of getting up was too much to handle so I sleep the day away as my partner and our son were at work and school. We moved here so my partner could take a job at the university. I'm originally from the US and thought I would pick up my career just as I did in the last country we lived in.I wrong, so I took a part time job below my skill set so I could get my masters degree, I finished last year and for the past year no job, not even in my own company. So I find myself trying to take more courses, apply for more jobs , my family is doing well here in Perth , I'm so proud of how my son is growing and how much enthusiasm my partner has , and I feel like what am I doing wrong?I find myself homesick quite often,envious of past colleagues, and find myself getting angry with the managers I work,all of I feel is just petty.Digging deeper, I've never not had a career since I was 18, my parents are not doing well and I can't send them my hard earned money I send my partners, my son isn't seeing what I hoped he'd be seeing which is a successful accomplished person, I feel as if I'm not wanted here, I've dealt with more bouts of bigotry here than I have in US or RSA and I struggle to not let it get to me but I hide it well cause I don't want my son to understand that part of life yet I want to protect his innocence as long as I can. I don't want my partner to know just truly how unhappy I am so I wait to he falls asleep so I can cry to sleep from exhaustion. I just want to blend into Perth and every day I tell my self that I just need to embrace it and I try. I don't give up the job search, I don't let the bigotry seap in, I do what I can to make sure my mom and dad know I love them and am doing my best, and I'm sorry I'm not the independent person that taught me to be, I tell my partner that what counts is that he loves his job because I want him happy. But I'm afraid my lows are coming back that I can't but on a mask of drama or laughter to hide. I just want to be happy.

Clementinee So tired
  • replies: 2

Hey there, This is my first post and it seems a bit strange to write to the "unknown". But here goes. I am in my late 20s and I have a good life. I recently got married and I am finishing up my professional degree. I moved to a new country about 4 ye... View more

Hey there, This is my first post and it seems a bit strange to write to the "unknown". But here goes. I am in my late 20s and I have a good life. I recently got married and I am finishing up my professional degree. I moved to a new country about 4 years ago and I think that's what started it all. I started my degree after years of hard work trying to get into it. Once i got started with the program I just wasn't into it but I could not figure it if i am generally not interested in life or if I just hated the way the program went. I even wondered if it was burn out. I started feeling really crap because I had no family and friends were hard to make. That's when I met my now husband. Things were awesome between us but I knew i was always feeling a bit low. But he gave me happiness and was a good distraction. Unfortunately he had to move to another city and we started doing the long distance thing. I think my symptoms got worse then. I started having anxiety attacks and was always so tired. I lived alone far from the city and was isolated. I couldn't move due to placements for my course and i was just getting further and further tired. I started taking my frustrations on him because he was just focused on work and he didn't understand anxiety. I don't understand why i wa anxious. I tried to stay positive and i went to gym regularly. I meditated and I read self help forums to do the right things. I kept my self busy and adapted to live alone. I tried to stay away from him so that he can work and not be bothered by me. We speak daily and meet once a month dor a weekend. I can't ask anynore but why am I missing him so much? It bothers me that he is able to handle the distance so much better, I just want to be like him. I am honestly now so tired to the point where I am just crying non stop some days. Everything seems like an effort even sending a small email. Tiny stressors get me wound up. I used to be such a go getter with so many things on at once and I never complained. Now I am such a mess. I break down to my partner and then end up feeling so foolish. I have started to hate myself and i don't know what to do. I have big exams and I cant get the energy to study well. I sleep so poor and I can't seem to be in the moment. I wake up feeling crap and tight chested and I have to spend energy fixing myself. I feel a fool for this long message but can someone tell me how I can get my energy and my self back. I hate myself like this. Thanks

_KR_ Travel Insurance for Bipolar
  • replies: 3

Not sure where to post this... My daughter may be off to NZ on a school trip. It won't be until late next year and I've just put a deposit down. I think I need specific travel insurance incase she is not stable enough to go. If I cancel the trip now ... View more

Not sure where to post this... My daughter may be off to NZ on a school trip. It won't be until late next year and I've just put a deposit down. I think I need specific travel insurance incase she is not stable enough to go. If I cancel the trip now I still have to pay the whole $2800. I would like to be able to get specific mental health travel insurance so I don't lose money on the trip, also if she becomes unstable whilst on the trip she will be covered. Does anyone here have recommendations for travel insurance for mental health. Thanks

Era How do I get back on the wagon when it feels impossible.
  • replies: 1

I've been dealing with depression for what feels like all my life. I had another attempt at improving my life, joined a gym doing classes I enjoyed, took pressure off myself for not being on top of the housework and my husband kept telling me how ama... View more

I've been dealing with depression for what feels like all my life. I had another attempt at improving my life, joined a gym doing classes I enjoyed, took pressure off myself for not being on top of the housework and my husband kept telling me how amazing I was doing, being positive and changing my life around. Secretly, even though I have an amazing husband, an easy job I enjoy working only 12 hours a week, was only doing three workouts a week that I enjoyed and my life was cruisey by most peoples standards, I felt I was barely treading water. I then came down with shingles and I'm back in the dark. I feel pathetic, trying to turn my life around was exhausting. I just want to sleep on the couch. I want to want to get better but it feels impossible. I'm on medication, I've done the psychologists, I try happify, I do the exercise programs/meditation/mindfulness, it does nothing. I was walking every day last year with my beautiful dog, who lifted me every day, then she got sick, after two weeks and $6000 of vet bills, we decided the best thing for her was to let her go. I'm still heartbroken. I don't believe in god or fate but when I'm like this it feels like everything is conspiring to keep me down, I don't deserve to be happy. I think my brain is broken, it doesn't work like it should. I'm so tired

star76 Struggling with self hatred
  • replies: 4

I haven't posted for a while now. I can't find my thread any more its been so long. I'm back posting about my body image issues again. I've struggled since the age of 14 with my weight.This is when my depression first started also. I've both underwei... View more

I haven't posted for a while now. I can't find my thread any more its been so long. I'm back posting about my body image issues again. I've struggled since the age of 14 with my weight.This is when my depression first started also. I've both underweight and overweight ,currently over. I am very low in energy and my depression is bad. I don't have the energy to write up a long history again as I have done before.I have done therapy 12 years with the same psychiatrist and many self help groups and methods for about 15 years . I'm not open to more therapy at this point. I would just like to know other feel this way. I'm embarrassed that these thoughts still rule me. To the point of despair. I feel ashamed. I want to hide away. I feel hopeless and defeated. star 76