Support
Support

Depression

Depression affects people in Australia every day. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with depression.

Start a conversation

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a conversation

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a conversation

Benny33 Ennui and Depression
  • replies: 3

Hi, Um, so I'm in my late twenties and I've had Depression/Anxiety for over 10 years, and have gone through numerous medications and psychologists/counsellors over that time, so in a way I'm fairly experienced with it, eg. I've matured past the stage... View more

Hi, Um, so I'm in my late twenties and I've had Depression/Anxiety for over 10 years, and have gone through numerous medications and psychologists/counsellors over that time, so in a way I'm fairly experienced with it, eg. I've matured past the stages where I was potentially suicidal, I'm quite good as assessing and modifying my thoughts and actions, I'm fairly comfortable talking about it with other people and I'm much more in control of my emotions etc. I do still get the common depression symptoms: struggling to find things enjoyable/feeling numb, feeling isolated or lost/crying, feelings of dread/hopelessness etc. My big problem is that while I've matured and pretty well manage my negative emotional/impulsive thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately, I have now calmly and rationally come to the conclusion that life and how I/we live it is actually fairly awful, boring and depressing. eg. My friends are becoming less social and inclined/available to do social things as we get older. I also don't seem to enjoy things on the same level as other people. Things like movies, social media, going to cafes, dinner parties etc. These are all fine, and I enjoy them well enough while I'm doing them, but I don't find them fulfilling or particularly engaging, they're just fun little distractions, like a mobile phone game. I'm pretty good at engaging with new people, but it is very hard to make new friends as a lot of people don't really want to expand their established social circle. I feel a kind of societal obligation that I should be spending more time working, even if it's something unfulfilling. I know earning money is important, but what's the point if in my leisure time there's nothing fun to spend it on/no-one available to do fun things with. I'm not suicidal at all, I just have a suspicion/feeling that life actually sucks, and that's more worrying because I feel I've come to that conclusion rationally. I'm also very responsible regarding alcohol and drugs, but now and then I somewhat rationally think maybe I should start drinking a lot more or give hard drugs a go because maybe that'll be properly enjoyable and help me forget the day-to-day dullness of things (I know that that is a terrible idea, but you know, carrying on the way things are doesn't seem that much better). I am hopeful that I'll one day discover that actually life is good and fun etc. I just don't really know where to go from here. Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you

LillyG Mood swings are taking over my life. What could this be?
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone. I’m a 20 year old woman and i’ve Been experiencing mood swings regularly for 2+ years. (I can’t remember exactly how long) I have no diagnosis as of yet in relation to these mood swings. I swing from a low grade depression to hypomania m... View more

Hi everyone. I’m a 20 year old woman and i’ve Been experiencing mood swings regularly for 2+ years. (I can’t remember exactly how long) I have no diagnosis as of yet in relation to these mood swings. I swing from a low grade depression to hypomania multiple times per day. Occasionally a deeper depression or a full blown manic episode but these a much more rare. I also have severe anxiety which is diagnosed (GAD) What I experience every day is completely exhausting. I lost my social life almost completely, I don’t work because I can’t handle it. I only study part time but am on the edge of not being able to cope with that either. Daily stresses often trigger mood swings. A small stress in my day could send me into a depression. Often by night I’ll switch to a hypomania and could stay up all night being creative and energised. I may change half a dozen times or so a day! My mood swings don’t seem to hold much of a pattern except that I’m often hypomamic at night. I sometimes feel stable in between these highs and lows for a short time and sometimes I feel manic and depressed at the same time. It’s all a complete mess! My episodes seem to be getting more intense on average as the years go on. I’m exhausted. Sometimes I self medicate to be able to chill out or I do other risky things. Doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists I have spoken to just keep telling me I have anxiety but don’t seem to consider these swings as anything seperate. I was prescribed anti-depressants multiple times in the past and each time they made me hypomanic/manic. Does anyone know if these swings may fit a specific diagnosis? Does anyone go through a similar thing? I’ll be more than happy to explain/clarify if needed. Any help/support would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!

Sadsara The lowest
  • replies: 2

So I’m at the lowest I’ve been in a long time. I am trying to remain hopeful but it’s so hard right now. Brief story. I’m married with a 4 year old girl. I was pregnant with my second but delivered at 20 weeks about 18months ago. I soldered on after ... View more

So I’m at the lowest I’ve been in a long time. I am trying to remain hopeful but it’s so hard right now. Brief story. I’m married with a 4 year old girl. I was pregnant with my second but delivered at 20 weeks about 18months ago. I soldered on after that and did really well to put a brave face on and tried to be positive about having another baby. I have been married for 5 years but I actually can’t stand my husband anymore I even think I actually hate him. We fight constantly he calls me names we are not in a healthy relationship but I have it in my head once I have another baby I’ll be happy and things will improve for us. We’ve just had such a hard run the last couple of years. I’ve just gone through my 3rd failed ivf cycle and im finding it harder then ever to stay positive because the only Person I have around me gives me no support at all and makes me so miserable . I just don’t know where to go from here.

Lizzie86 Work Issues
  • replies: 3

Hi, I am a manager at a retail store and I have been diagnosed with Chronic depression and anxiety and it’s been ongoing for the last few years. I have a team member who is also in the same situation as me, however they have been dealing with it for ... View more

Hi, I am a manager at a retail store and I have been diagnosed with Chronic depression and anxiety and it’s been ongoing for the last few years. I have a team member who is also in the same situation as me, however they have been dealing with it for 20 years. My store manager moved the team member to a different area and told them that the reason was “they were putting to much extra pressure on me”. Is that a case for harassment as I never stated this at all and it felt like a way to justify their actions?

Paullus Help me understand
  • replies: 5

I live with my anxiety and clinical depression, it's with me every day in various strengths as you all would understand. I have tried a range of medications to try and take the edge of life but all of them seem to make the melancholy worse. No energy... View more

I live with my anxiety and clinical depression, it's with me every day in various strengths as you all would understand. I have tried a range of medications to try and take the edge of life but all of them seem to make the melancholy worse. No energy, no motivation which I have more of when not taking meds. I just become lethargic and always tired, basically useless. That is my ongoing experience with meds. How is it that others find meds very important for a sense of well being whereas I simply can't?

pawan so tired
  • replies: 4

Hello I'm so tired of meeting psychiatrists and psychologists giving general and generic advice (and in my experience they all do). They have not been through the pain and just give you advice like you have the power to change it. You can't, it is in... View more

Hello I'm so tired of meeting psychiatrists and psychologists giving general and generic advice (and in my experience they all do). They have not been through the pain and just give you advice like you have the power to change it. You can't, it is in built in your upbringing. I need a guide. Tired of not sleeping, unable to work. I was working in employment services and they really affected my mental well being. My father was murdered when I was 4. My mother is not mentally stable and raised us like animals. No guidance, no support. She took her not having a husband out on us. Her legacy to us with mental ill health. She gave us food and clothing and expected us to become perfect members of society. Never gave us any values. Put us down. She did more damage to us than anyone can imagine. I am 40. I just need someone to discuss my life with, someone I can share and bounce off my plan, so that I can move on, but psychiatrists and psychologists don’t do this. I need someone to advise me as they would there family member, son, friend, brother not all this political correctness do as you feel that psychiatrists and psychologists give you. I am bright and can do a lot but I am losing it slowly as for over 30 years I have been battling with this. I am sick of psychiatrist and psychologists saying you are an adult now you can deal with it. I can't. If they had their parents taken away from them, they would not be where they are, why can't they understand this? Sick of this feeling of emptiness, always thinking… Help me…

retnuhh Crying for no reason
  • replies: 2

Lately, I haven't been feeling anything. My hobbies, my favorite TV shows, music, nothing makes me feel anymore. It's mind numbing and honestly, I really don't feel like myself. But, last week, I came back from school, sat down at my desk, and bawled... View more

Lately, I haven't been feeling anything. My hobbies, my favorite TV shows, music, nothing makes me feel anymore. It's mind numbing and honestly, I really don't feel like myself. But, last week, I came back from school, sat down at my desk, and bawled my eyes out. I was crying for absolutely no reason what so ever, but after you cry aren't you supposed to feel relief? Because all I felt was an overwhelming sense of guilt and regret. Then, this morning, I woke up feeling nothing. I went to go brush my teeth but all of a sudden I felt... everything?? Like, all the emotions that were deprived of me over the past weeks were all coming back in a sudden burst. But then I felt nothing, again. So, I sat down in the same chair and burst into tears, for no reason again. Now, I'm in my bed, really confused about what's happening to me. I was supposed to go to school today but I lied to my mother that I didn't want to go because I had assignments to work on (which is half true) but she got really angry at me and started to argue. But, I just let it happen?? Normally, I would argue back but I just felt really guilty. She finally agreed to let me stay home, so now I'm here. I actually started crying while I was writing this (for no reason, I might add) so now I'm really seeking for help. What is happening to me?

Missberri how to hide/ fight depression
  • replies: 4

Hi, I'm struggling as I seem to go on and off depression very often. I don't even know what causes it sometimes but I think it's my social anxiety and lack of good friends mostly.. At the moment I'm living with a room mate/ friend and I am dealing wi... View more

Hi, I'm struggling as I seem to go on and off depression very often. I don't even know what causes it sometimes but I think it's my social anxiety and lack of good friends mostly.. At the moment I'm living with a room mate/ friend and I am dealing with feeling very down for no reason. I don't want to be in this negative mood around her or anyone else because I feel as though it may ruin my friendships, but I know when I am feeling depressed I get very quiet and moody and it shows!! My friend is very loud and talks a lot so when I'm quiet I feel as if I will impact the friendship in a bad way and she will get sick of me. I'm very rarely in a great mood - and I don't know what is causing this - if it's lack of close friendships, lack of doing things I enjoy, being in a new city that I'm not sure I like or what. I was feeling okay for a little while because I was starting a relationship with a guy and he really listened and was there for me - but i realised I didn't have proper feelings for him and felt I had to be honest. I now feel completely alone again and I don't feel like I'm connecting with anyone properly. My room mate is becoming a bit much because I feel she doesn't understand I need my space - she wants to drink and go out all the time even when I've said things like I need to do job applications and things - and i feel like its almost my responsibility to keep her entertained. I'm starting to get a bit tired of it and miss living with my parents sometimes because of this It's not that I don't want to have fun but I just feel like I often need a break from her and we don't even really enjoy doing the same things and she almost always gets her way. Ugh I shouldn't be feeling like this I shouldn't be complaining I should just be trying to enjoy things and have fun I don't know why I can't and why I'm not enjoying things that I should be! It's almost like I'm just not getting what I want ever and I'm constantly just in the background getting swayed by other people.. I really can't take it anymore and don't know what to do sorry for the long rant

Missberri Lost my job
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, I'm posting because I pretty much lost my job today and I feel awful.. I have only been working in this job for just over 4 months and I found it very difficult from the get go. I wanted to leave as soon as I started, but decided to stic... View more

Hi everyone, I'm posting because I pretty much lost my job today and I feel awful.. I have only been working in this job for just over 4 months and I found it very difficult from the get go. I wanted to leave as soon as I started, but decided to stick it out as I thought things may improve.. my boss has been really really strict on me. She knows it is my first proper job after finishing uni, but there were a lot of things she expected me to know and pick up straight away, and unfortunately I I guess am not smart enough to do these things and I haven't lived up to her expectations.. I want to apply for a new job now, but my confidence is so hurt that I don't think I'm good enough to work at any job.. I tried really hard so many times to do the work I was asked to do, but I feel I just can't.. I'm really worried that this is going to keep happening to me in the work place and every employer is just going to think I'm a hopeless case.. I really want to improve, but maybe there is just something wrong with me I just have no idea where to go from here and I am really really worried about my career and what I'm doing with my life.. I just wish things were simpler and that what I can do would be good enough

elegantDownfall Isolated, Alone and Unwanted
  • replies: 3

I have recently started to feel alone and rather isolated from the rest of the world. I have lost several friends, some of which I have no clue why they no longer speak to me or what I have done wrong. My family is rather old-fashioned and doesn't re... View more

I have recently started to feel alone and rather isolated from the rest of the world. I have lost several friends, some of which I have no clue why they no longer speak to me or what I have done wrong. My family is rather old-fashioned and doesn't really understand why I am constantly upset and trying to explain everything to them is difficult. I feel as if I don't really belong in this world, and living everyday is a burden to my family. I struggle to get up in the morning, find motivation to do the things I used to enjoy doing and rarely go out to any social events or meetups anymore. All I want to do is stay in bed all day and avoid as many people as I can. I know that I will never be good enough to do anything, and is having the urge to give up once and for all.

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright � 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map