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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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Sav142025 How do I tell my parents that I have depression and anxiety
  • replies: 8

How do I tell my parents that I have depression and anxiety I am 14 you have probably read my other post if not I am 14 with very bad depression and anxiety if you have any ideas of how I can tell my parents please say something. Have a better day th... View more

How do I tell my parents that I have depression and anxiety I am 14 you have probably read my other post if not I am 14 with very bad depression and anxiety if you have any ideas of how I can tell my parents please say something. Have a better day than me 🫥

Griffyn My life is "good" but I'm not happy.
  • replies: 3

Hi all. I'll start by saying that by most peoples standards my life is good. I own my house, I have a fiance, I have friends and family who i reguarly catch up with, I have stable job in which I am respected and treated well, I have as much money as ... View more

Hi all. I'll start by saying that by most peoples standards my life is good. I own my house, I have a fiance, I have friends and family who i reguarly catch up with, I have stable job in which I am respected and treated well, I have as much money as I need to do things that I want to do without really doing any budgeting. Despite all this, I'm not happy. In fact I'm miserable. Previously I would expect 4- 8 months a year of feeling bad, this was standard for years but the last 2 years I have only really felt good for days at a time. I'm nearly always tired, I have next to no energy for doing the things I enjoy let alone all the life maintenance stuff I have to do. It just feels like all I do is eat, sleep, work and on the weekends, pass the time until I have to go to work again. Honestly life just feels like a huge waste of time and effort. I don't see the point of spending the next 40-50 years working just to retire, maybe do a bit of travelling and then die. All that time and effort for nothing. I know the script at this point is to tell me to reframe my perspective or practice gratitude but it doesn't make any sense to me to change my mind, to lower my expectations just so I can live out my boring regular life. I want to do something extraordinary, I want to be someone who really matters, not to other people, but to myself. The issue of course is that I'm not extraordinary. I'm just a regular person who is going to live a regular life like all the other regular people. Anyway, I'm not sure why I'm writing this because I know I won't find the magical solution to all my problems here but a small part of me hopes that I will. I've tried talking to several psycologists but they can't tell me anything that I don't already know. I don't think SSRIs would benefit me because I don't think I have issues with regulating seratonin. I just don't know what to do, I don't know what to try next. I feel like I'm going to be miserable and dissatisfied for the rest of my life and my only options are to find a way to deal with it or KMS.

Guest_47874125 How do I cope with the unfairness of life?
  • replies: 5

Time says it all really. how do I cope with the fact that life will never be fair? For me and for others. how is it that so many evil people get so much good stuff while so many good people suffer?

Time says it all really. how do I cope with the fact that life will never be fair? For me and for others. how is it that so many evil people get so much good stuff while so many good people suffer?

Amber88 My cheating partner
  • replies: 4

So my partner thinks I’ve cheated , which I haven’t, I’ve told him multiple times I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise this rship, but every time we have an argument, he keeps bringing it up saying oh you’ve cheated. His exs have cheated on him in th... View more

So my partner thinks I’ve cheated , which I haven’t, I’ve told him multiple times I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise this rship, but every time we have an argument, he keeps bringing it up saying oh you’ve cheated. His exs have cheated on him in the past, because of that he thinks I would do the same, as he keeps saying all girls are tied to the same brush, he does not trust me at all, he’s got trust issues, I’ve showed him he can trust me but doesn’t . So because of getting accused for something I’ve not done, I’ve stopped being so affectionate towards him, I’ll still do small affectionate things like kiss him on the cheek and that. So lately because of this, he decided to download dating apps ‘to keep his options open’ so he’s been flirting with other girls behind my back, i told him I want to work on us, but I said that he needs to delete the dating apps and close the ‘open options’ he doesn’t want to do that , so I’m literally living with someone who’s interested in talking to other girls behind my back…

OrangeFantastic I feel like i have lost something but i do not know what it is.
  • replies: 2

I feel like there is something missing. My life is perfect on paper, i get good grades and i have good friends and im creative and fit and cute or whatever but i just..something just feels off. My heart doesn't really resonate with anything that it u... View more

I feel like there is something missing. My life is perfect on paper, i get good grades and i have good friends and im creative and fit and cute or whatever but i just..something just feels off. My heart doesn't really resonate with anything that it used to, my hobbies dont feel fufilling and i cant be bothered to be half as disciplined as i used to. I would rather sleep in the whole day than do anything. There are things that make me happy but i feel like these things come with the cost of failure and...i dont know how to explain. It is so confusing for me and even i don't understand why i'm feeling so lost and tired and fatigued or whatever . Even when i do love something i lose interest after a couple of weeks or i elf sabotage and convince myself to stop putting in so much effort. I push myself to consider what the purpose of all the things i do even are and when this happens i just feel so overwhemed. I need help but i dont know how to get it. I went a school counsellor and they just brushed it off and didn't let me get more sessions and i basically just vented to them but got no help at all. I want to go to a psychologist because theres so much happening in my head but my parents would judge me like they always do and it hurts so much. I feel like im so alone and no one wants to help me. I turn the things i love into habits and then i forget why i do them, i guess. And my mood changes so much too, which really affects why i cant get help because i feel like once i stop feeling sad my sadness from before just doesnt even matter anymore.

Wilhelmina_Spankbottom Young Onset Parkinson's Disease and depression
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease about when I was 32 years of age. Since it became an issue, I have not been able to hold down a job for longer than 6 months. I have constant bouts of depression, for which my husband's answer is ... View more

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease about when I was 32 years of age. Since it became an issue, I have not been able to hold down a job for longer than 6 months. I have constant bouts of depression, for which my husband's answer is "suck it up". He is a control freak, has kicked me out of the house, and is having an emotional relationship with a once close female family friend and says it's all in my head. I am about to lose it completely. I just don't know what to do.......

Guest_12267680 I'm scared
  • replies: 1

I feel so numb. I'm just a random teen that's taking a break up too close to heart I guess. Nothing feels right anymore.

I feel so numb. I'm just a random teen that's taking a break up too close to heart I guess. Nothing feels right anymore.

Dave_76- Life’s too hard
  • replies: 2

(49yo) First time posting… I have been feeling very very low for a decade, and I can’t snap out of it. This morning, I decided to type ‘beyond blue’ in to my browser. The first site that came across was ‘MensLine.’ I clicked on it and saw several rea... View more

(49yo) First time posting… I have been feeling very very low for a decade, and I can’t snap out of it. This morning, I decided to type ‘beyond blue’ in to my browser. The first site that came across was ‘MensLine.’ I clicked on it and saw several reasons for mental health. They were…Men’s mental health, including anxiety and depressionRelationship problemsAnger managementCoping strategiesGrief and lossLoneliness and isolationParentingStressSuicide preventionIt’s a little concerning, when I realised that every one of these IS affecting me. Some more so than others. I feel so alone, but find myself going to bed early to be alone. I have never dealt with the loss of my grand mother, which affected me a lot. As did the loss of an uncle, and my mum won’t be too far away. I want to feel closer to my wife, although I feel that she isn’t trying…or is it me. I feel lonely and depressed nearly all of the time. I only have 1 true friend, who lives 2hrs away. The only other person I hang out with outside of my wife and girls, are my parents. Parenting…I have teenage girls, so I’ll say no more about that. I gave up alcohol 10 months ago. I feel that’s 1 positive in my life. I was brought up to be a man, so I keep all of this inside me. When I’m asked, “Hey, how are you?.” My answer is always, “Couldn’t be better!”Maybe things will get better soon…

Sunflower23 I feel like a failure
  • replies: 3

I feel like a failure because I should have my life figured out by now but I don’t. I feel like I’m failing uni because I’m so behind everyone in my cohort and not sure if I’ll even complete my degree because my confidence has been shaken and my life... View more

I feel like a failure because I should have my life figured out by now but I don’t. I feel like I’m failing uni because I’m so behind everyone in my cohort and not sure if I’ll even complete my degree because my confidence has been shaken and my life tipped outside down. I feel like I’ve taken a step backwards in not being able to get out of bed or do grocery shopping or get out of the house. I cancelled two appointments with my psych due to experiencing depression and not being able to leave the house on those days and now I’m back on the waitlist. I regret my decision to cancel now.In this moment I don’t feel like I will experience joy again. I feel so isolated and alone. I don’t feel like anyone truely understands what I’m going through and how difficult it is to keep on going. I find it hard to confide in others because I feel like a burden. I tend to mask how I truely feel around others because it’s easier to say “I’m ok”rather than be honest and say that “I’m not ok”. To this end I’ve been avoiding seeing people which is not the norm for me even though I know it would be good that I do… i just find it really hard to explain how I’m going and have small talk. I’d love to hear from anyone who has experienced anything similar so that I feel less alone. 🫶

Jojo100 Poppy Angel - the importance of pets
  • replies: 2

My name is Mel-Ann Collie,though friends just call me Mel,so listen up to the talethat I’m about to tell.I’d reached rock bottom,was in deep despair,there was no warmth orcolour anywhere.Each day had become somewhat colder,the world weighed heavily o... View more

My name is Mel-Ann Collie,though friends just call me Mel,so listen up to the talethat I’m about to tell.I’d reached rock bottom,was in deep despair,there was no warmth orcolour anywhere.Each day had become somewhat colder,the world weighed heavily on my shoulder. I felt broken, lost,devoid of feeling lying in bedstaring at the ceiling,wondering howto continue onthrough the bleak,oppressive dawn.In the midst of this painful sorrow I could see no future or a tomorrow.My saving grace was Poppy Angel:a faithful pet who was more than ableto get me through the desolation and help overcome the isolation.She would nuzzle in to my neck,not caring one bitthat I was a wreck,pulling me through many a day,keeping my negative thoughts at bay,while licking my face,wagging her tail,lifting my spirits without fail.This was better than any doctor’s pill,healing my soul,healing the chillof a thousand winters held inside,letting me cross the great divide from dark tolight to live again,and all because of my furry friend.