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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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Jezzsm im struggling with my thoughts lately
  • replies: 4

So anyway since my first day at primary school to the end of high school. I have always been picked on having trash thrown at me, gang up on in groups of 5 or me bashed then left me laying there called me loser , creepy, dumb , worthless and poor bec... View more

So anyway since my first day at primary school to the end of high school. I have always been picked on having trash thrown at me, gang up on in groups of 5 or me bashed then left me laying there called me loser , creepy, dumb , worthless and poor because im ugly and due to that i have been isolated most of my life no body wants to be friends with the ugly kid. my family life isn't much better either my mum is a abusive alcoholic i have no dad and during school basically was living on and off the streets which was really hard to get good grades because as soon i was 15 i got a part time job so i could help pay mums rent, hotel, food or education school fees but most of my money i gave to my mum went to alcohol anyway. When i was 18 i moved into a share house because i couldn't stand my mum anymore i started a apprenticeship and recently finish im 23 now. i always thought it would get better when i got a roof over my head, car and a good income but i still find myself isolated and really struggling my thoughts lately. But i find it hard to reach out because i have anxiety lately i feel like there is someone in my mind always giving me negative thoughts making me feel down, worthless etc... like im a failure, your worthless, nothing is ever good is going to happen to you. i don't think help will work but has anyone out here had a similar story and had a positive outcome.

Archie3 Started University Prac and can't make it through the day without crying
  • replies: 4

I have been treated for clinical depression and on medication for over a year now after a major breakdown while working full time. I have been stable and doing well since. I started a Masters of Social Work this year and did excellent going to class,... View more

I have been treated for clinical depression and on medication for over a year now after a major breakdown while working full time. I have been stable and doing well since. I started a Masters of Social Work this year and did excellent going to class, participating in life in general and got great marks. My psychiatrist felt I was doing well and felt that I would do well coping with my placement. This semester I need to do 15 weeks (4 days per week X 8 hour days) on prac + a day at university doing a required course. I got a great prac at a hospital with an amazing supervisor in the area I want to study. The problem is by the end of the day I spend the drive home crying and feeling awful after a great day at work. For the first two days of placement I went to the bathroom throughout the day and cried but I think I was working through nerves and anxiety. I spoke with my supervisor and we arranged a daily to day list so I was always aware of what I needed to do that day and could take it slow as I am only a 1st year student. This worked wonders and I didn't have any more anxiety at work after this. I've tried pacing myself at home and not really doing much to conserve my energy and I have no negative feelings about the prac but even doing simple things like visiting my nephew, washing my work clothes and participating in family dinners is hard. I think my depression is getting worse again. I am exhausted all the time, I am binge eating everyday and for the last few days I have been really sad, crying hysterically for hours at night and this morning I called in sick because I couldn't control my crying for hours and telling myself I wanted to die, couldn't sleep but wanted to and just not wake up. I don't know if I'm just tired and need to rest more during the weekends? My prac is only for another 11 weeks (done 4 already). How can I get through this. I've worked too hard to chuck in the towel.

roadhawk depression (a poem)
  • replies: 5

my mind fireside momentum a buoyant life tame of mortal body, but idle strings dull, with weary rust marching over to melancholia at its bugle call then march through shadowy feelings into a Caravaggio painting of darkness and light, perilous is the ... View more

my mind fireside momentum a buoyant life tame of mortal body, but idle strings dull, with weary rust marching over to melancholia at its bugle call then march through shadowy feelings into a Caravaggio painting of darkness and light, perilous is the grip that the psychological tip-toe thief has on the frailty of the mind, depression breach the dam mad from jelly, it’s impetus flow into the gin clears waters of blood stream, through out the body.

happyannie Low mood not sure why
  • replies: 10

Hi Im having a really bad day today my mood is so low and my thoughts are all over the place. Ive also started taking meds at a different time of the day, not sure if thats anything to do with my being extremely depressed. Sometimes we have triggers ... View more

Hi Im having a really bad day today my mood is so low and my thoughts are all over the place. Ive also started taking meds at a different time of the day, not sure if thats anything to do with my being extremely depressed. Sometimes we have triggers that can upset us and our moods,but I cannot think of anything, I feel like Im losing the fight. I have a beautiful family, great medical support, I feel like I should be doing better than I am. Any advice would be so helpful, thanx BB for letting me vent. Thanx Annie

Frosty55 Lost my business
  • replies: 4

Hi im new to the forums. My husband and I have recently (July) had to put our business of 10 years into liquidation. I have been on medication for depression for 16 years now and at the moment I am really struggling with life. We may lose our home an... View more

Hi im new to the forums. My husband and I have recently (July) had to put our business of 10 years into liquidation. I have been on medication for depression for 16 years now and at the moment I am really struggling with life. We may lose our home and the only job I can get is part time and doesn't cover our bills. I have a Doctors appointment on Monday but life has become hard. I am having to deal with the liquidator as well as run the home and I feel so alone even though my Husband is with me(he is coping ok. I am snapping on my kids and don't know if life will get better. I would love to get advise from anyone who has been in a similar situation. Thanks for reading my post x

Xris It's really bad right now
  • replies: 9

I am not doing well right now, I don't know how to continue this

I am not doing well right now, I don't know how to continue this

Lovely86 Detached
  • replies: 5

This is my first post here. I have had a number of issues with depression and anxiety since I was a child but recently I have been going through my worst episode. I have been working in the same job for almost 7 years now, but over the past 2 years I... View more

This is my first post here. I have had a number of issues with depression and anxiety since I was a child but recently I have been going through my worst episode. I have been working in the same job for almost 7 years now, but over the past 2 years I have felt increasingly anxious and in the past few months depressed. I used to value my job, it was fulfilling but now just the thought of having to "pretend" and actually go to work fills me with an overwhelming sense of dread. I have been prescribed medication to try and help & I have had sessions with my psychologist. I have also been referred to psychiatrists but as I live rurally I have been waiting 6 weeks for a full assessment. In the past couple of days I find that I am beginning to feel detached from everything. It is much like watching my life on a screen being played out like a video game. I have gone to work, I have done the things that need to get done but I am working on autopilot, just watching it all be done & I don't like the feeling at all. My psychologist suggested that I should just work part-time, while I consider options for a different career path. Which is easier said then done. My boss has been wonderfully supportive so far, but it's a small business and having to keep me on part-time & employ someone full-time for the duties I was fulfilling would drain the business. The only option I can see would be to resign. But then what? I would have no income and I can't really afford not to. My mother is trying to be supportive too but to her it is all in my head & I just need to keep going to work and get over it. Yesterday while driving to work I thought about how little I was actually paying attention to what I was doing and how I could easily have an accident & I honestly couldn't force myself to care about that. It would have meant I didn't have to go to work.

white knight Blame, guilt and being fair to yourself
  • replies: 16

Do you blame yourself for the mistakes you've made? Do you feel guilty about them? Do you spent time dwelling about "what could have been"? I use to until I realised, that you are only responsible to limit our mistakes in the here and now. Once that ... View more

Do you blame yourself for the mistakes you've made? Do you feel guilty about them? Do you spent time dwelling about "what could have been"? I use to until I realised, that you are only responsible to limit our mistakes in the here and now. Once that decision making has been made, if it was the wrong one, it was only wrong after making it. But punishing ourselves year in year out is not clever, its responsive and harms us. Eg For whatever reason I grew up impulsive problem I now dont have. Such a trait resulted in buying and selling 35 cars before the age of 23yo and as they were on loans I got myself into heaps of financial trouble. My family heard my justifications each new car I purchased, friends laughed but it was a serious issue. As the years rolled by I dwelled on those impulsive years and beat myself up about them. But was it my fault? We end up as we are for a reason. In my case it could be I needed attention, needed change often, liked different cars in my driveway or got tired of one car quickly and desired another. Or my mothers BPD (undiagnosed) had its effect on us kids. Whatever the real reason, it wasnt fault on my part. There is only fault when one doesnt learn and improve on the situation as best one can. As time went by I tried to keep a car for long periods. By 30yo I kept a car for 3 years, by 40yo 5 years and now my new csur purchased in 2008 I still have. In my 20's my then girlfriend had had a baby adopted out when she was 16yo, 8 years earlier before I met her. We split after 6 years then met up 20 years later. She'd spent many a restless night dwelling on that one mistake, to give up her baby. I told her that under the same circumstances she would have done the same thing, she would bow to the pressures from family, no means to support her baby and the stigma from that era. Essentially, blaming herself was unfair. What would be more unfair is to not search for her child and help her child through life by knowing her birth mother. We met up again 10 years later. She told me she found her child, now with children of her own. She had accepted it was unrealistic and hurtful to lay blame on herself for giving up her own baby. She has some lingering guilt, wished things were different and still takes medication for depression. Importantly, her self blame has drifted. She is now an active granny. She progressed. Blame and guilt are suppressive thoughts that need to be contained. Be fair to yourself. Tony WK

Del1971 Can't stop crying
  • replies: 7

I feel so lonely, l just want to cry all the time! And because this makes me needy l feel like no one will want to be friends with me or want to be around me

I feel so lonely, l just want to cry all the time! And because this makes me needy l feel like no one will want to be friends with me or want to be around me

Guest_554 Premenopause worries???
  • replies: 29

Hi ladies, I am 41 and have many symptoms, sensations... I have recently been diagnosed with Anxiety/ mild depression.... but leading up to this diagnosis I had many symptoms, changes going on. I have just opened this thread in the hope of some advic... View more

Hi ladies, I am 41 and have many symptoms, sensations... I have recently been diagnosed with Anxiety/ mild depression.... but leading up to this diagnosis I had many symptoms, changes going on. I have just opened this thread in the hope of some advice of any other women out there that may have had similar symptoms/sensations or are able to tell me their stories. I stopped the pill 11 months ago, since then my monthlys only last 3 days. My breasts are constantly sorer. I get period pains 1-2 weeks before my actual period. I get light headed, palpitations, mood swings, bloated, lower back pain, chest, neck, shoulder pain. I am a mystery... least I feel I am. I was told by one Dr that I was oestrogen dominant, another Dr told me I wasn't..... anyway, very confused. I look forward to hearing from any other ladies my age to see if they have similar things going o.