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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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james1 (Re)learning how to concentrate
  • replies: 27

Hello everyone, One of the things I seem to be struggling with is concentrating. Dissociation and obsessive thoughts aside, I seem unable to really do anything that requires mental work. I think it's a major obstacle in me getting my life really prop... View more

Hello everyone, One of the things I seem to be struggling with is concentrating. Dissociation and obsessive thoughts aside, I seem unable to really do anything that requires mental work. I think it's a major obstacle in me getting my life really properly on track because it means I can't work properly, and I can't write either which I want to do as a productive hobby. I've tried things like getting up and going for a walk and listening to music (which is my version of mindfullness/meditation), but the best I can manage is writing stream of consciousness which I just get fed up with anyway. Anyone have any ideas? I know I shouldn't be too hard on myself about it, but it's pretty darn infuriating. James

blujeans96 Overemotional in a good life
  • replies: 5

I have suffered from anxiety and depression for a couple years now. Ironically it has been since my life took a positive and happy turn and the reality of my past began to weigh down. Since my life was positive, it made me feel like it was a happy bu... View more

I have suffered from anxiety and depression for a couple years now. Ironically it has been since my life took a positive and happy turn and the reality of my past began to weigh down. Since my life was positive, it made me feel like it was a happy bubble that if I wasn't careful would burst and I would be back to square 1. It has been a lot of ups and downs of believing it is a condition and is not just my persona. I spent a long time thinking it was just how I was because, hey, my life was stressful but it was full of positive things, my life was amazing, I had supportive people around me and still do, but I couldn't just sort myself out and be happy, I couldn't stop criticizing and micromanaging myself to be as positive as I was in the past. I feel angry that my past got the positive happy person that my current positive life and people deserve and that iI feel I always do or say something wrong if I don't manage myself... like I impact those around me without meaning to. I feel like if I do in fact impact those people I will lose what's important to me. Anxiety sets in. I take too much responsibility on myself to care for those around me and achieve more, and don't understand when I can't handle it and the stress that comes with it. I have this need to constantly test and push myself because 'I have to be able to do better and be better'. I have progressed to being very internal because in a lot of cases I work myself into the ground and convince myself that I cannot change because I cannot cope and I am exhausted. I am overemotional, I just feel too much, consider too much, consider too many different options or reasons I may feel that way or how I may make someone else feel that way. I recently found out my husband finds it to be hard work being around me as he is always trying to make me happy but only succeeds for short periods of time before I recede again because I feel irrational that I have done something wrong. People ask what I'm thinking, and trying to capture my thoughts and express them is like trying to catch confetti in a wind tunnel, each confetti piece being a thought. I am working on being more self-aware and have been seeing a counselor, but I'm just wondering if there are others that experience this and if they have advice. I feel like I can't express myself to my counselor, but I just hope someone out there understands and it's not just me. I'm working on myself, I know I can get through it I just don't know HOW.

HardyBoyz I don't have much sense of accomplishment
  • replies: 2

I am currently unemployed, and I do not feel motivated to get much done, and when I do finish something I sometimes feel even more bashful. Any advice in overcoming this would be greatly appreciated.

I am currently unemployed, and I do not feel motivated to get much done, and when I do finish something I sometimes feel even more bashful. Any advice in overcoming this would be greatly appreciated.

Snowbear Is it depression
  • replies: 6

Hi Everyone, I've been going through a tough time the last 12 months. Loss of job due to sexual harassment & bullying that lasted a long time and slowly been coming to terms with the situation. Now at university trying to follow another career path. ... View more

Hi Everyone, I've been going through a tough time the last 12 months. Loss of job due to sexual harassment & bullying that lasted a long time and slowly been coming to terms with the situation. Now at university trying to follow another career path. I am having difficulties distinguishing depression from normal down feelings. How do you know for sure its depression? When a doctor ask me how I feel I struggle to answer. My daily routine is get up around 6-7am, have coffee and study, by 10-11am I am back in bed. the general feeling I have is that I need a rest but I feel that something else may be going on under the surface. Am I hiding from something? Am I really that tired each day? do I really have a cold? I just can't figure it out and why I am going to bed so much. I do try leave the house, I have some shows I enjoy watching, books I like read. I do stuff but i am not consistent, theres no balance and the sleeping takes over. I feel like I could be trying to get away from something or a feeling but I don't know what it is. I am seeing a GP, psychologist and psychiatrist one told me when I feel like going to bed just go for a run...thats easier said than done. I struggle with chores, paying bills, appointments and sometimes brushing my hair. I just don't care. I wish I knew why though. Any thoughts would be great.

The_Possum Psychic
  • replies: 6

Hi all I feel really weird for posting this because I've raised this before with a few people who think that I am crazy. Is it possible to be psychic triggered by your mental illness? I have tested the theory more than once and have been right each t... View more

Hi all I feel really weird for posting this because I've raised this before with a few people who think that I am crazy. Is it possible to be psychic triggered by your mental illness? I have tested the theory more than once and have been right each time. It's not things like lotto numbers or telling the future like a clairvoyant claims to be. It's a feeling I get inside my heart of people, I can feel what they feel and it's enough to alert me to their pain or sorrows. Or I dream that people are in trouble etc These things then turn out to be correct. I'm a very intelligent woman, straight A student, HD's at uni etc So I'm not the type to buy into things if I didn't have solid facts. But people think I'm crazy and because I was diagnosed bipolar last year it's easy to just lumber me into a category etc etc Having said that I never felt so deeply about people as I have since been diagnosed last year. I feel my emotions are heightened and I feel auras of emotions by been in a room.. It's quite painful for me. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't type it, I don't feel like be bagged out for what I'm saying here. But was just hoping someone might be able to understand and relate without judging. The experience is painful for me. These are emotions I don't want to be feeling when I have my own emotions and problems to be dealing with. Thank you x

Gravity Struggling to cope
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, Ive posted a few times in the past and things seem to be going okay then I get somewhat blindsided by something totally out of left field. This is another one of those occasions. im nearly a 40 year old man who lives and works in the LGB... View more

Hi everyone, Ive posted a few times in the past and things seem to be going okay then I get somewhat blindsided by something totally out of left field. This is another one of those occasions. im nearly a 40 year old man who lives and works in the LGBTIQ community, I'm typically surrounded by supportive people most of the time and whilst I am grateful, I can't help but think that they don't actually know me and if I wasn't around then they wouldn't notice. I'm sure a few people are saying I'm being melodramatic and sometimes I even think that. I feel isolated from those around me, I rarely get asked to do things with others and when I ask people to do things I often get no response. I feel lonely just about all the time and it is getting harder to cope with these feelings, most people my age have families, partners and something to show for their life. I don't have any of these things. The person I class as my best friend is a lot younger than me, also my ex partner who I live with. They've just started a new relationship and I feel like our friendship isn't important to them anymore. It may sound like I'm jealous and in some ways I am but not in the way you would think. I miss that companionship etc it's hard to explain without getting emotional. Im just struggling to cope with everything right now, feeling really lost and questioning my place in the world. I keep thinking that after nearly 40 years of life I should just be able to just move on, make new friends and not dwell on the loneliness. Not sure what to do anymore.

Scott76 Guilty about getting better
  • replies: 5

I've been medicated for depression for about twenty years. Last year I lost my dad, my mother in law and a great friend to cancer. As a result of this I descended into a severe depressive episode that's been going on for over a year. I've hardly work... View more

I've been medicated for depression for about twenty years. Last year I lost my dad, my mother in law and a great friend to cancer. As a result of this I descended into a severe depressive episode that's been going on for over a year. I've hardly worked, been on a range of new medications and was even in hospital for a few days. More recently I have started seeing a psychiatrist. He fiddled with my meds. Since the last alteration I feel good. No tears, and the feeling of sadness and being on the edge is pretty much gone. But it's been replaced by guilt. I feel so bad that my wife is out working supporting the family while I'm at home. The dr says my recovery will be a long term thing and even once my depression is controlled it will be a long time before I have my confidence back (I'm a teacher). I've got myself into a routine which my therapist suggested but I just feel so bad that I'm not contributing. It almost makes me miss the lows of my depression.

Beetle Today i just hate people.hate their games and immmorality.
  • replies: 6

HI Just need to vent.Im not antisocial.i have friends , working as a nurse. But humans and their immorality and their games gives me the sh.... I have quite high moral standarts and it makes me sick seeing so many people, especially CEO's and executi... View more

HI Just need to vent.Im not antisocial.i have friends , working as a nurse. But humans and their immorality and their games gives me the sh.... I have quite high moral standarts and it makes me sick seeing so many people, especially CEO's and executives kick morals with their feet. And these people are nurses and doctors too!! Its disgusting. At the moment I just want to turn into cavewoman . I have been diagnosed with D+A and have experienced the usual shi++++ many of us have in their childhood. I

phil1967 long term depression,anxiety and ptsd now causing digestive problems
  • replies: 4

hi all ,I have been suffering long term depression ,anxiety and ptsd caused by a number of things but have recently been plagued by digestive problems ,doctor seems to think i am creating the problems myself and that its all associated to my mental h... View more

hi all ,I have been suffering long term depression ,anxiety and ptsd caused by a number of things but have recently been plagued by digestive problems ,doctor seems to think i am creating the problems myself and that its all associated to my mental health . can any 1 else relate to this ? am I doing this to myself ? or is there other factors in play here ? without a heap of invasive tests that I might put myself through for no real reason I might never know . if others have had this same problem then could you describe your symptoms ,this may help me a lot in working out if its me or something else and give me the drive I need to pull out of this or get the medical help I may need ,any help would be appreciated

whitepointer Husband not coping with my depression
  • replies: 18

Hi, Im new. Sorry a bit useless with the site, but Ive just joined. I was carted off by my daughter to my physchiatrist last week and he told me I was depressed and I didnt even recognise it. I have been on Anti depressants for about ten years, quite... View more

Hi, Im new. Sorry a bit useless with the site, but Ive just joined. I was carted off by my daughter to my physchiatrist last week and he told me I was depressed and I didnt even recognise it. I have been on Anti depressants for about ten years, quite a high dose actually but with many very stressful things happening to me, a death, diagnosis of a grandchild with autism, and two medical issues ontop of each other I went down hill. I couldnt get off the bed for months. I have a thyroid condition, Hashis so thought my tiredness and being exhausted was due to that. My husband has put up with three years of ill health due to that trying to get me medicated properly. I dont blame him but since last week he seems angry with me, (hes overseas for work and hadnt even asked if Im okay. He left day after diagnosis. He has sent me some angry texts and I almost feel like hes trying to blame me for my depression. Hes a good man but dosnt understand depression. I actually think hes depressed now himself. I dont blame him for being frustrated because I have been tired, grumpy and suffering social anxiety for years.