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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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The_Possum Will I ever be normal again?
  • replies: 7

I used to be in control. Have my life together. The one that people came to as I could figure their issues out and help. The rock my family could depend on. Now I'm a mess. I'm bipolar ii, I'm medicated, I see a psych. I've stabilises over the last 6... View more

I used to be in control. Have my life together. The one that people came to as I could figure their issues out and help. The rock my family could depend on. Now I'm a mess. I'm bipolar ii, I'm medicated, I see a psych. I've stabilises over the last 6 months. As soon as something happens, it sends me spiralling off. My mum is really sick, probably won't make it and I can't cope at all. I used to be the strong one supporting family, in times like these, now I am useless, falling apart. I feel guilty the last 6 months I couldn't talk to my mum. We didn't have a common understanding and I couldn't be honest with what I was going through so I shut her out. Now I regret it. I don't think I will ever go back to the old me. The strong independent woman I was. This illness has ruined my life forever. Who can honestly say they are the same person as before they were diagnosed? Yes you might have pieced most of your life back together, gone back to work, exercising and eating well. But are you really the same you? Or a broken version of yourself slapped together so you can function just good enough to make a contribution to society?

Pickmeimfluffy Had surgery a week ago and ever since i have been suffering with depression and panic attacks.
  • replies: 7

Hello everyone im new to this forum and just wanting a little help and advise. I just wanted to say thankyou for reading this to anyone that has been in the same situation as my self. Through out my life i have suffered from depression and anxiety bu... View more

Hello everyone im new to this forum and just wanting a little help and advise. I just wanted to say thankyou for reading this to anyone that has been in the same situation as my self. Through out my life i have suffered from depression and anxiety but after a recent operation things took a turn for the worst. Im a 25 year old male who has recently gone through three operations in the last six months however my last operation on the 11th of April 2017 things took a turn for the worst. I was having a Septoplasty due to not being able to breath through my nose , i was a little worried going in but nothing to out of the blue. The procedure seemed to go well however as soon as i woke up from my general anesthetic i woke up with massive panic attacks and a week later im not feeling any better. These panic attacks hit me with out no warning they hit me when im trying to sleep, I have and over whelming feeling of worrie and panic that i just cant shake. I have cried for the first time in 10 years i feel like an absolute mess. i dont know if its the drugs that was used to put me to sleep ? I dont know if post operative anxiety is a thing i just dont know i just want some advise and someone to talk to Thankyou for reading

Janeie Depressed
  • replies: 2

Im so depressed, it's hard to stand it. Im walking around in a black cloud and feel like someone's squeezing my heart. I have stressful thoughts, I feel exhausted and like there's no joy and n my life and the worst thing is I don't have anything to h... View more

Im so depressed, it's hard to stand it. Im walking around in a black cloud and feel like someone's squeezing my heart. I have stressful thoughts, I feel exhausted and like there's no joy and n my life and the worst thing is I don't have anything to hope for/look forward to. im so tired of struggling, feeling anxious.

Chronic_Resistive I'm back!
  • replies: 2

I made a post a while ago and have an update. As of now, I have seen: 5 Psychologists 3 Psychiatrists (Not including 3 seen in ED on seperate occasions) 3 GPs I have attended an estimated 80+ sessions with the aboveI have unsuccessfully used 2 SSRIs ... View more

I made a post a while ago and have an update. As of now, I have seen: 5 Psychologists 3 Psychiatrists (Not including 3 seen in ED on seperate occasions) 3 GPs I have attended an estimated 80+ sessions with the aboveI have unsuccessfully used 2 SSRIs 1 NaSSA 1 SNRI 1 atypical Well, not much is better. Does anyone know what I should do from here? I will continue psychological treatment but are there any other treatments available? Combinations? TCS? Not specific advice necessarily, but if anyone has gone down this route and has come out. That would be good to hear about.

Neb Want to run away and get desperately needed help
  • replies: 3

I feel the need to move state to seek the help I desperately need because I can't see my life getting any better where I am and I'm close to the edge as it is.... plus the added pressures of so called "family and friends" that don't really care and k... View more

I feel the need to move state to seek the help I desperately need because I can't see my life getting any better where I am and I'm close to the edge as it is.... plus the added pressures of so called "family and friends" that don't really care and know how to push all the wrong buttons to make me feel like a worthless piece of shit..... I have no support at all I only have ME to help MYSELF but with my anxiety taking over lately that's extremely hard on the best of days.... so I'm just hoping someone can give me some advice or even just let me know if this is even possible

Neb Lost with no direction
  • replies: 3

Hey guys I'm going to try keep this short.... I was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety about two years ago now and started taking med's and seeing a psych for about six months what ended with me kinda getting told I had bipolar, but I wasn't... View more

Hey guys I'm going to try keep this short.... I was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety about two years ago now and started taking med's and seeing a psych for about six months what ended with me kinda getting told I had bipolar, but I wasn't diagnosed as I stopped going to my appointments and taking my med's because I thought none of it was working.... now this past month each day has been a struggle to get to the end of the day and I'm right on the edge right now as I don't know what to do and don't want to go through it all again....

JSM Short sad story
  • replies: 6

The Plate Imagine a plate dropping on the floor. Its broken but the pieces are easy to fit back together with some glue The same plate is dropped again, not only the glued pieces ..now there are smaller pieces and this time it takes longer after pick... View more

The Plate Imagine a plate dropping on the floor. Its broken but the pieces are easy to fit back together with some glue The same plate is dropped again, not only the glued pieces ..now there are smaller pieces and this time it takes longer after picking up each piece…fitting it back into place. Not long after the plater is dropped again. There are a lot more pieces…even smaller than before..some pieces need to be thrown away, some are chipped. After a long and tiring process the plate is put back …well kind of. It will never look or feel the same it now has rough edges and pieces missing. Again not long after this, yep you guessed it the plate is dropped. The floor is covered in hundreds of pieces. Is it worth picking up and putting together? It is decided..yep..it can be fixed. It takes over one month but with lots of glue and some paint the plate seems to be restored …It will just need to be handled with a lot more care and definitely not dropped again. Not even 1 full year goes by when the plate is taken away to a different house. It is continuously dropped on the floor but surprisingly the plate does not break. The glue and paint have worked …so you think. The plate remains unused until the next year where it is being used for an important event, there are doubts about its use…judgements from other people even; they advise that the plate is not good enough and cannot do the job. The plate is used despite the doubt and lack of confidence. Not long after the party has began pieces of glass are found on the table..on the floor..pieces from the plate….it was not dropped this time it fell apart on its own slowly but surely before the end of the night millions of pieces of the plate lay scattered on the floor all over the place.. This time there is no hope of putting it back together, even if attempted. 90% is thrown away…the other 10% a small, rough piece is kept for some reason. It is not useful at all. When some pick it up out of curiosity they are cut and hurt by it. Others avoid it completely or try to throw it away. The piece of the plate is now dangerous. It now has the capacity to kill a person so it is monitored to ensure nobody is hurt… There is talk of the piece being fixed..made in to something else…But it doesn’t fit anywhere it is useless. What would you do?

Matine1 How do I cope with long term major depression?
  • replies: 4

I can't cope any more. I've had severe depression for over 2.5 years and tried everything. Nothing works. I don't know how I can keep going like this.

I can't cope any more. I've had severe depression for over 2.5 years and tried everything. Nothing works. I don't know how I can keep going like this.

CaitieLiz80 Restless and lonely
  • replies: 2

Hi all. So I have been reading up on things and taking in other posts. It seems like a warm and embracing community on here. I've been on my new meds for depression for almost 3 months. I am still strugglung with dark thoughts and finding balance. It... View more

Hi all. So I have been reading up on things and taking in other posts. It seems like a warm and embracing community on here. I've been on my new meds for depression for almost 3 months. I am still strugglung with dark thoughts and finding balance. It's been a long time unmedicated so i guess it's takibg time to find my way. I really need the meds....noticing the difference in me if I forget a day's dose. I've found the last 2 weeks particularly hard as work has been quiet so my routine has been a little different. I've loved the time to myself but now at night i struggle with restlessness and I feel very lonely. I have 4 kids, a noisy house but i am still lonely. I also have a great husband. Does anyone else deal with this kind of thing? I'm open to suggestions. Thank you. Caitie

Kaz01 Feeling alone
  • replies: 3

Every day is a struggle atm, I am still taking my meds, going to work and putting on a brave face. I can't tell my family what is really going on inside my head and my body but I really feel like I'm slowly drowning and I don't know how much more I c... View more

Every day is a struggle atm, I am still taking my meds, going to work and putting on a brave face. I can't tell my family what is really going on inside my head and my body but I really feel like I'm slowly drowning and I don't know how much more I can take. I don't want my kids to see me failing again. I have made an appointment with my GP but I cant see her until the end of May. I m not sure if I should increase my meds myself of try to battle on until I see her. I wish it would just all go away!