Immediate support
Immediate support

Depression

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

Start a discussion

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 discussion

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 discussion

Cb004 Can't shake my sadness
  • replies: 6

I feel as though alot of my young adulthood I have spent at one time or another feeling alone and depressed. I have been through relationship failures and have struggled with other relationship related loss. I've always kept my problems to myself and... View more

I feel as though alot of my young adulthood I have spent at one time or another feeling alone and depressed. I have been through relationship failures and have struggled with other relationship related loss. I've always kept my problems to myself and have always had the mentality that dealing with personal problems should be faced alone, because I do not want to burden others with my issues and thought that it would also strengthen my character. I find myself in my thirties and worried that I'll never find another lasting relationship or start a family that I have so longed for. I do think that I have great qualities and am physically in great shape, but I'm struggling to see why I am the only one that thinks that this is the case. I have dated people for short periods and it always seems like I'm putting in effort and it's never reciprocated. People just seem to loose interest? I know I have a great humorous personality and I'm not the clingy type. I'm very easy going and I just dont understand why men just don't see myself as having great potential. I'm constantly over thinking situations and seem to be trapped in my own head. I'm trying to remain positive by reminding myself that my situation isn't abnormal and I'm sure many others face bigger struggles than Im currently facing. I feel a heavy sunken sadness that I cannot shake and suffer from sleeping issues because I can't stop over annalysing my life which keeps me awake at night. I do alot of shift work, so I'm finding myself sleeping too little at night and sleeping too much during the day. There are times that I cannot get out of bed. Not because I'm too tired, just because I don't feel like I can face the world feeling the way I do. It takes a lengthy time to complete small tasks and I'm finding it hard to just do simple things like folding washing, cleaning my bedroom, going to the gym because it takes so much motivation. I just feel like I get to a good place in my life and start feeling positive only to get knocked back down again. I just don't know where I go from here?

TWJ New here and need help
  • replies: 5

hi, where do I start ? I a happily married guy with a great family that will be 56 next week. Sorry this may get a bit confusing but here goes.Things started to go wrong in October 2014 when I got sick on a cruise for our 30th wedding anniversary. In... View more

hi, where do I start ? I a happily married guy with a great family that will be 56 next week. Sorry this may get a bit confusing but here goes.Things started to go wrong in October 2014 when I got sick on a cruise for our 30th wedding anniversary. In January 2015 I finally admitted to my family I needed help as I was in a black hole off depression, felt worthless was not interested in anything or anyone.I have been told that I contracted a virus that has managed to infiltrate the nervous system in the brain - but have no proof. We will touch on that shortlyI went to our local GP and was confirmed as being depressed, given an anti depressant tablets to take everyday and sent on my way.After about a week I was hit with bad headaches and buzzing / zinging noises in my ears, back to the doctors and he changed the tabs to another brand. Not long after this I developed a tic / twitch in the left arm and now in the neck.They did seem to help the mood a bit but there would always seem to be highs and lows over the following months.We were sent to psychologists and later to neuro specialists for brain scans , blood test MRI etc etc and they could find nothing wrong.I was put on medication by the last psychologist and that was so bad I was having suicide thoughts. So we quickly stopped them.Out of frustration my wife suggested acupuncture and no meds - this is where the virus was mentioned and was told to see a Chinese herbalist.This seemed to really work and the headaches decreased , the tic / twitch slowed dramatically and the mood improved. But it has never totally gone away and has gradually returned.Some days I want to sit in the corner and cry, and have had days when I wish the floor would just swallow me up - I suffer bad memory and confidence issues.Has anyone heard of this or suffering similar issues?Just wish life would get back to where it was. TWJ

Lolita Jealousy over others receivig sympathy/attention
  • replies: 4

This is going to sound absolutely horrible. But does anyone else feel even worse when someone else you know is unwell and gets lots of sympathy and attention from others? Normally this wouldn't bother me but since my depression has started spiralling... View more

This is going to sound absolutely horrible. But does anyone else feel even worse when someone else you know is unwell and gets lots of sympathy and attention from others? Normally this wouldn't bother me but since my depression has started spiralling, seeing others who are unwell getting sympathy and support from other people while i struggle silently is making me feel terrible and even more hopeless! Am i a horrible person for saying this?? Does anyone else ever feel like this also?

b_rock isnt that just being numb
  • replies: 3

Hi im new to bb and a bit lost on the website and in life ..... iv have a background of sexual, mental and verbal abuse iv always suffered depression it usually comes every 6months sticks around for a few weeks then takes off again but since January ... View more

Hi im new to bb and a bit lost on the website and in life ..... iv have a background of sexual, mental and verbal abuse iv always suffered depression it usually comes every 6months sticks around for a few weeks then takes off again but since January this year its hung over me iv also developed anxiety with it this time..... most of my stuff revolves around a general feeling of worthlessness I suffered in silence for months then with in a few days broke down in front of everyone im close to but still no one can call or message ...I say I feel disconnected and thay cant ask me over for coffee my partner said I need new friends but how can I open up to new people when the people who have been here all along dont give a hoot..... is it me is it the depression is it them.. why dont thay care...why would someone eles.... am I trying to get better so it dosnt hurt that no one cares isnt that just being numb

Ginnyh New here and struggling with depression relapse
  • replies: 2

Hi there. I am a 41f with a husband and 2 kids. I first sufferered depression due to a stressful job in my late 20s but didn't use medication and got better once i changed jobs. I then suffered from depression after the birth of my second child and h... View more

Hi there. I am a 41f with a husband and 2 kids. I first sufferered depression due to a stressful job in my late 20s but didn't use medication and got better once i changed jobs. I then suffered from depression after the birth of my second child and have been on meds ever since. I rarely have relapses and when I do then the dr generally tries a new medication which seems to sort me out. I have been on medication now for 2 years and have been very well but just a few weeks ago I started to feel bad again - everyday has got worse and today I find myself curled up on the sofa crying. I don't know what's caused this - I am in a new job which is stressing me and I'm struggling with my weight so I know both those things arnt helping. I hate feeling this way- each day I wake up hoping I will feel brighter but I don't. I have a dr app this afternoon so will talk to dr but I get so embarrassed as I know i will start crying and I hate crying in front of people . I'm also anxious as I don't want to change medication as I have heard that's it's really hard to come off this particular one I'm on.Thanks for reading - just needed to share and I hate continually burdening my husband with it as he has issues too

priya91 How to deal with constant failure
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, I've tried pursuing the same goal for two years now. Every time I try, I fail. And no matter how hard I try, I seem to fall. This led me to losing motivation in my job, and life in general. I find myself wanting to hide from everyone and... View more

Hi everyone, I've tried pursuing the same goal for two years now. Every time I try, I fail. And no matter how hard I try, I seem to fall. This led me to losing motivation in my job, and life in general. I find myself wanting to hide from everyone and everything. I find it extremely hard because my partner is pursuing the same goals, and has succeeded. The only difference between us, is our circumstances. What are some things that you do/say to force yourself to keep going? How do you know if it will get better? And what if it doesn't?

Ellie05 Scared, sad and lonely
  • replies: 4

Hello all, It's been a while since I've posted on this forum. I found it to be such a lifeline when I can share my troubles with other likeminded people and not feel judged. This time last year I went through a really bad case of anxiety and depressi... View more

Hello all, It's been a while since I've posted on this forum. I found it to be such a lifeline when I can share my troubles with other likeminded people and not feel judged. This time last year I went through a really bad case of anxiety and depression, which was triggered by job loss. I got a new job and whilst it was stressful it meant complete distraction from my deepest worries and allowed me to forget them and just focus on the day to day. I then decided to take some time out to travel as I was too exhausted from work. The two weeks leading up to my trip were so good and I was really happy, but I noticed I was really tired/lethargic as soon as I got to my first destination. This combined with headaches meant I isolated myself too much and began to dwell on all my deep seated fears and causes of sadness. I'm currently in transit (on my way to my next destination) and am locked in my hotel room crying. I'm so afraid of the anxiety and depression, it just seemed to come out of nowhere and take hold, sending my thoughts into a dark spiral. I just feel as though things are meaningless and I will never be able to lead a truely satisfying life. I feel badly about my appearance, my lack of accomplishments and most of all, my mental health issues, which scares me in that seemingly normal or even positive scenarios (i.e. travel) it just takes a hold and a I can't cope. I'm really reliant on my family as I love them so much and am unable to have a partner/kids of my own as dating is a real trigger. I really fear the ageing process as I don't want to lose them. Anyway, I helps so much to be able to get this of my chest. Is there anyone else out there who just gets completely overwhelmed at times by irrational thinking and the poison of anxiety and depression? If so, is there anything you do to help yourself cope?

Mummykb Again faced with the PND darkness what can I do.
  • replies: 7

So my second child is 10 months old. my oldest is 4 it took me 8 months to acknowledge I had a issue with my first child and the wheels started falling off this pregnancy at 28 weeks gestation. i had been working permanent night shifts and I stopped ... View more

So my second child is 10 months old. my oldest is 4 it took me 8 months to acknowledge I had a issue with my first child and the wheels started falling off this pregnancy at 28 weeks gestation. i had been working permanent night shifts and I stopped sleeping. tried to be proactive seeing Drs from 28 weeks starting antidepressants, stopped working the nights and seeing a Psycologist every 2 weeks but now my baby is 10 months old I am almost ready to raise the white flag and give up. i am on a new antidepressant and that medication is now under control by a psychiatrist. i still have Psycologist I see every two weeks money is now a issue I never get time away from my children as I can't afford to pay for them to be in care. i was due to go back to work but work has changed its mind based on psychiatrist advice that I am not ready yet so I am off until July 2017. i get no help from Centrelink due to husbands income so are sometimes left making the decision of if I go to a dr or not based on do I have the money to pay for more medications and out of pocket consultations when we are currently budgeted to every last cent just paying the mortgage and other debts. what are free coping methods other PND mums use that I am not seeing. i was doing mums and bubs exercise for a while until I had to drop that expense.

Red_Zone Where to from here.
  • replies: 6

Hello, I don't know why I am here or how I got here but I have been told to talk to someone. I have been swimming around in a sea of regret and loss for some years now dealing with each problem as it came by drinking a little more each time. I have b... View more

Hello, I don't know why I am here or how I got here but I have been told to talk to someone. I have been swimming around in a sea of regret and loss for some years now dealing with each problem as it came by drinking a little more each time. I have been aware of my consumption of alcohol but my family wasn't and needless to say it all became apparent recently. I don't know how far my issues go back but I do know when things started to get a little pear shaped. 2010 my father passed away from cancer very rapidly. I had been working shift work at a brewery for twenty years at that stage. At the end of 2011 I took a redundancy and had a knee replacement that I needed and for the next 12 months I recovered and tried to get work which drained most of our redundancy money. I did manage to get a full time job just after that. It didn't pay much but it was money coming in. It also involved heavy lifting and loading and unloading vehicles by hand. I stuck with that job for just over two years and during that time my daughter tried to take her own life which turned our family upside down. After two years my other knee decided that was enough and I had to have surgery on that one too. We decided to sell our house of 14 years on the Gold Coast as we were struggling with repayments and massive credit card debt. We moved to Bribie Island to be near my mother as she was unwell and wasn't taking good care of herself and took our daughter with us to change the environment she was living in also. It all seemed like a plan to help everyone. After a while I started my lawnmowing business as I couldn't get a job. My wife managed to get a full time job but she had to drive an hour each way daily. After six months my daughter decided to go back to the Gold Coast where she got a full time job and also after countless visits to the doctors and hospital my mother come good too. We were there fourteen months when I had a heart attack, we decided then to move back to the Gold Coast to be with the rest of the family and try and start again. We have been here now for six months I have managed to get a part time job at a caravan park and my wife works full time from home. My drinking has slowly escalated over this time to a point where it has cost me and my wife socially. I have a lot of regret for the decisions I made over this time. We are both in our mid 50's have no home have no money other than weekly pays and nothing to show for years of hard work. Alcohol is a great sedative.

tim41 anniexty or Depression
  • replies: 3

Hi, I'm posting this because I think I have depression rather than GAD that my psychologist diagnosed a few weeks ago, last night I was in a shipping center buy a b'day present for my girlfriend and I just broke down I keep breaking down for no known... View more

Hi, I'm posting this because I think I have depression rather than GAD that my psychologist diagnosed a few weeks ago, last night I was in a shipping center buy a b'day present for my girlfriend and I just broke down I keep breaking down for no known reason and cant stop crying when I do, is this normal form of depression ?, I have been so down of late and I cant seem to sleep at nights which is not helping either, my mind goes into overdrive, I went to the doctors this morning and he has prescribed another type of anti-depressant, I took some for about 1 month 2 months ago but stopped them as I felt they did not agree with me, the doctor has stated that if I don't get better in time I may need to be admitted to hospital with depression, I'm really down now and I'm find it hard to get the energy to go on, sorry if this is negative thread but its just how I feel, helpless and in a very dark place at the minute, thanks in advance for any works of strength you can give me through this hard time