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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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Shellee32 Feeling trapped with no way out
  • replies: 4

I am 65 years old, have a partner, we are both on the pension, we have a mortgage which takes almost one pension payment each month, we struggle with everyday living, live in an older house, with no real heating, a wood fire which we cannot afford to... View more

I am 65 years old, have a partner, we are both on the pension, we have a mortgage which takes almost one pension payment each month, we struggle with everyday living, live in an older house, with no real heating, a wood fire which we cannot afford to buy wood for, an old AC/heater in the wall - expensive to run - we are in a rural area, nearest actual shopping centre is 26 km's from us and is almost useless. I feel so trapped, the house is old and very cold, high ceilings and mornings can be around 5° inside, I now stay in bed where I am warm but this means I am bored,lonely and frustrated. Cannot afford to go anywhere as money is not there, we have no savings, neither of us had Super, my partner was injured 20 years ago and has not worked since. Cannot move as the selling price once debts removed would not cover anything at all and the banks just laugh at us so we are stuck, cannot afford to improve things here and cannot afford to move. I know that no one can give me a solution I just need to vent and talk . .

JillCameTumbling Bipolar- how do you know when a swing is coming?
  • replies: 12

I'm looking for shared experiences from other ppl living with bipolar (one or two)- Most of the time I look for signs my mood is sinking, and I think I'm getting pretty good at managing it before I get really depressed. Then sometimes I feel I'm in a... View more

I'm looking for shared experiences from other ppl living with bipolar (one or two)- Most of the time I look for signs my mood is sinking, and I think I'm getting pretty good at managing it before I get really depressed. Then sometimes I feel I'm in a weird space and I wonder if this is the precursor to a coming high. Im on mood stabilising medication so haven't reached a full-blown mania episode but I sometimes these mild "highs" do make me feel impulsive and risky. I want to go out dancing and drinking with friends. I get more energy to do things around the house. My sleep changes a little but not in the way I've experienced in hypomania. C anyone share what it feels like for them before mania or is it just a "normal" strange mood? I feel like I don't want to worry my family or doctors unnecessarily. I also don't want to need to increase my meds unless I really have to.

Sammy_ Bipolar diagnosis. No one believes me
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, so for the past year or more I haven't been myself... went to the doctor and got a referral for the psychologist and his diagnosis (and the doctors) is bipolar. I am booked in for a psychiatrist appointment for a second opinion and am wa... View more

Hi everyone, so for the past year or more I haven't been myself... went to the doctor and got a referral for the psychologist and his diagnosis (and the doctors) is bipolar. I am booked in for a psychiatrist appointment for a second opinion and am waiting on that.... the problem is I told my partner and he just said to me - great... another problem we don't need. We can't catch a break. He told me he doesn't believe any of the people I have seen and I don't think he will believe anyone. i don't know what to do. I have no support and I am all alone. Since I found out I was kind of realived... I was happy to know that it was okay for my mind to be this way and there are ways of managing it but he thinks I am fine. I hide behind a facade that takes all my might until I snap... it takes all my energy and I am just so exhausted. I am a mother I do everything for everyone else... but I guess this is just an inconvenience

Sammy567 I think im at my lowest
  • replies: 3

I think with everything going on in my life im beginning to realise my sadness and anxiety has turned into depression, i feel like in the past year i have completley lost myself, i have little to no interest in anything, i have no motivation what so ... View more

I think with everything going on in my life im beginning to realise my sadness and anxiety has turned into depression, i feel like in the past year i have completley lost myself, i have little to no interest in anything, i have no motivation what so ever and im finding it seriously difficult to get the initiative to actively find a new job, every night now i think about my my life and how i pretty much dont have one, i dont do anything anymore, i dont see my friends much anymore, i dont laugh much anymore and its like i dont even know what i like, my dad knows that im depressed, even my sisters psychic says im in a "dark place", people are starting to realise it and its affecting my life so much that i really do not know what to do!?

Byathread Endless cycles of guilt.
  • replies: 3

I just joined today. Maybe filling this blank box will be therapeutic in itself. I have a decent enough full time job but only just it feels. I work for good guys that understand my depression as much as you can as employers. But im home again cant d... View more

I just joined today. Maybe filling this blank box will be therapeutic in itself. I have a decent enough full time job but only just it feels. I work for good guys that understand my depression as much as you can as employers. But im home again cant do it, cant face people. I feel useless and guilty every time i miss work. Im sure my work mates get frustrated to see "oh he is sick again." I watched Chester Benningtons last interview and cried for a long time. I cried because it felt like he spoke from my soul too. Im getting married soon to an amazing lady, im lucky enough to some times travel the world. My family and friends are supportive. I have a lot to be grateful for. I know im not well though. I resent these things and people because they force me to stay. I feel ungrateful guilty and obligated to live a "happy" life. But today like many others i just cant paint the smile on.

melhun79 crying too easily, depression and anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi, i am 37 years old and have been through the ringer a fair few times. I feel like no matter what i do, i can never get out of this rutt i am in. Went to see the GP, using the K10 it worked out i was in a high range so he prescribed me medication t... View more

Hi, i am 37 years old and have been through the ringer a fair few times. I feel like no matter what i do, i can never get out of this rutt i am in. Went to see the GP, using the K10 it worked out i was in a high range so he prescribed me medication to tackle the depression. I started taking the tablets and found my crying for no reason had stopped for a while, then even whilst i was on the tablets i started to again so i took myself off the tablets. Now i am back to crying for no reason, even seeing a commercial on the T.V. with sad music makes me tear up. My GP recommended me a Physc, had one session and then she went on leave for a month, i haven't booked another appointment with her yet. didn't really gel with her to be honest. Not sure if i can just get my GP to give me a referral to another physc. I work very long hours to keep myself busy. I seem to fly off the handle quite easily with my partner and then minutes later i am back to normal. Im not sure if my GP is taking this very seriously. he seems to just want to write a script for medication and pass me to a physc. My appointments with him never last more than 10min. I have read posts here, on how people have spent a while taking to their GP so makes me wonder about my GP as well. my life so far has been a struggle from a very young age and still continue to struggle. I dont really know how to talk to my partner without worrying him. So thats why i am on here, where no-one knows me and my family and hopefully wont judge me. I feel like i am alone in this world. Even though i have a great partner, great father and my work is going very well with a successful career. Still feel like i am alone. I sometimes cry myself to sleep. (even writing this post, i am welling up). I worry alot and avoid groups of people. -Mel

roadhawk depression
  • replies: 3

i'm a man, plumb straight, by self control, i'm able to defy detection by the closet observer, my depression. but underneath the delicacy is still there, the tiredness and agitation by over-work in the paddock of capital and to make good pastimes. i ... View more

i'm a man, plumb straight, by self control, i'm able to defy detection by the closet observer, my depression. but underneath the delicacy is still there, the tiredness and agitation by over-work in the paddock of capital and to make good pastimes. i have a house over-looking the sea, my partner has a new car, away from all this i live in my car, charitable institutions feed me, my strategies can fail but not in a complete heap of ash,

Mongolia Good morning everyone
  • replies: 6

I'm starting today on the positive mood. I've decided that I will not allow myself to wander away from my personal positive vibes that I feel and wish to share same with everybody out there. Again, I'm requesting myself and people reading this and aw... View more

I'm starting today on the positive mood. I've decided that I will not allow myself to wander away from my personal positive vibes that I feel and wish to share same with everybody out there. Again, I'm requesting myself and people reading this and aware of my present condition to provide positive feedback if I've made a good start for the day. Please feel free to do so. Take care people. PS. Don't drown yourselves in negative environments and and please keep in touch. As always, live long and be positive. Thanks

Randlo Running out of time...
  • replies: 1

It's 5am and my mind is still very active. Times like these I'm bombarded with a myriad of feelings and thoughts. Mostly of worry/fear, deep regret and painful memories. I've been diagnosed with depression/anxiety and mood disorder; and have been rec... View more

It's 5am and my mind is still very active. Times like these I'm bombarded with a myriad of feelings and thoughts. Mostly of worry/fear, deep regret and painful memories. I've been diagnosed with depression/anxiety and mood disorder; and have been receiving treatment and medication for almost a decade now. The symptoms may have been around since i was in high school. I am now entering my 40s and I am disturbed by the fact that i have lost so many years to depression and solitude. I am still hopeful that things would turn out fine but i am afraid that time is running out for me to live life to the fullest. It all started in school, i was badly bullied, mostly emotional (i would rather have been beaten up than called names). I was publicly humiliated on many occassions. The most traumatic was during my highschool graduation where they sang a corrupted version of the garduation song to humiliate me. What should've been one of the happiest moments in my life turned out to be a nightmare that would haunt me for years. I was fed up. I swore to myself that i would never be in that situation again. I changed my persona to one that was a complete contrast of my former self. One day, my worst bully came up to me and bitch slapped me with a newspaper in front of a crowd. By then I had developed a fairly good reputation that i felt i had to keep, so with the little dignity i had, i was able to muster the courage to fight back. So i got up and punched the guy in the face. He was petrified, he retaliated with nothing but words and walked away. After what happened we became friends and i became one of 'them'. Part of me had died the day i punched the bully. I began to lived a life of pretence, i was conceited, arrogant, extroverted yet introverted. Behind the facade was i was shy and insecure. I developed trust issues and attitude problems. I started losing friends and began to have difficulty any form of work. I dumbed down, barely passed college and always had difficulty in my job. After so many years of sad and traumatic experiences, I became an escapist. I kept mostly to myself, playing video games, surfing the net, playing the guitar, and procrastinating. With each passing day i still hope that someday i would discover my true self and become happy and successful. I pray that it happens soon as i fear that i am getting old. My shyness and lack of skills has made it difficult if not impossible to get me out of my predicament It seems like only a miracle can help me.

Raine49 I think I'm depressed...
  • replies: 8

Hi all, Raine here. Have been struggling with my mental health for many years, and only have started seeking help mid way through last year for anxiety. I have informally been diagnosed with GAD and mild social anxiety however lately I feel like I am... View more

Hi all, Raine here. Have been struggling with my mental health for many years, and only have started seeking help mid way through last year for anxiety. I have informally been diagnosed with GAD and mild social anxiety however lately I feel like I am depressed also. I'm in my second year at Uni studying Speech Pathology, living 6 hours away from my family and 7 hours from my boyfriend. I have quite a few friends where I am, and am living with 4 lovely people who I get along well with. I just feel so lonely and isolated from everyone and everything. I find myself not wanting to get out of bed, not wanting to talk to people. My appetite is very small and very unhealthy. I am finding that I am less interested in things I usually would be excited or happy about. I have also recently stopped seeing my psych as I didn't like her, but had only been to 3 sessions. So I should probably be looking for a new one. I have a good relationship with my family, however they just don't quite understand, though they do try their best to support me. My boyfriend is wonderful, he puts up with my crying over the phone almost every time I talk to him and deals with my mood swings constantly. I feel so bad that I am always getting annoyed with him over the littlest things, but it's never anything I should be cranky about. I just don't know what to do. I'm so sick of crying all the time, I find myself getting angry over the smallest things and I just can't keep control of my mental health, my mood or my life. Any advice would be greatly helpful. ~ Raine