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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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Craig87 a very shallow depression
  • replies: 5

Hi, I just wanted to put my thoughts out there. I'm a 29 year old Male. I've been dealing with depression since my early teens. I guess it started when I first realized that I wasn't attractive.. I was/am just an average looking guy.. nothing special... View more

Hi, I just wanted to put my thoughts out there. I'm a 29 year old Male. I've been dealing with depression since my early teens. I guess it started when I first realized that I wasn't attractive.. I was/am just an average looking guy.. nothing special. I just have never really figured out how to deal with this. I find now that it's gotten to the point where I stay inside as often as possible to avoid seeing happy couples, or even just women in general because if I see a girl I find attractive while I'm out.. my mind instantly goes straight in to the whole "why even bother looking, she would never be interested in you.. no one ever will" mode and then that's me done for the day. I'll spend the whole day hating myself and wishing I was someone else.. I don't even fantasize with my self included anymore because it just seems so unbelievable that any girl would find me attractive anymore. I tried tinder and various online dating sites which were ok when I started back in my early 20s. Not many people used them as they do now so the people on there tended to be more serious about it. but now.. I think those kind of sites just don't work for average guys anymore.. now that EVERYONE is on them there's just way more "better" options for women now, so there's no need to settle with someone like me anymore. On top of all this I just feel guilty that my depression is because of such a stupid shallow reason. I want to be happy with myself.. but I don't ever see that happening. I feel resentment towards couples.. not them directly. but the fact that they have what I don't and wont. I know some people live quite happily alone for their lives, I am just struggling a little to accept that as my possible fate. Sorry for the ramble

Berenice I really don't know what to do any more
  • replies: 6

Life is hard. I have been suffering from depression and anxiety for 14 years now but I've hit my hardest time yet. Severe anxiety and panic attacks forced me to stop working in Dec last year. After this, I found out my partner who is supporting me, h... View more

Life is hard. I have been suffering from depression and anxiety for 14 years now but I've hit my hardest time yet. Severe anxiety and panic attacks forced me to stop working in Dec last year. After this, I found out my partner who is supporting me, has a hefty amount of debt. We are struggling just to buy enough groceries every fortnight, let alone seeing my psychiatrist or anything else for that matter. I can't access disability because my partner earns too much. I can't get better... They think he has inflammatory arthritis too. He hates his job but to leave he needs a redundancy to pay off his debt. I feel so trapped and so useless, like I'm barely living and I'm not sure I want to continue fighting. I love my partner dearly after being with someone emotionally abusive previously and who left me for another woman. But the weight of everything is dragging me so far down and his debt makes me feel utterly trapped, with no end in sight. Like I can't live my life until this burden is lifted. I'm so upset and I know he is too and it feels like life keeps kicking us down over and over again. I just have no idea what to do.. I need help but it seems to get it you have to be off the deep end and I don't want it to get to that. What am I going to do?

Clues_Of_Blue Anger and depression
  • replies: 36

Something that has come up recently in conversations for me is anger. There are so many resources regarding managing or controlling anger, or about what to do when it is visited upon you by others, but what about the matter of simply possessing it, a... View more

Something that has come up recently in conversations for me is anger. There are so many resources regarding managing or controlling anger, or about what to do when it is visited upon you by others, but what about the matter of simply possessing it, and what it does to us? I have no trouble controlling anger in its outward expression. For me, that is the problem. I've spent so much time repressing it, it's on automatic mute. And do you know what that does? It burrows in and turns on me. I'm finding it's a huge catalyst for my depression, as it just skips the venting phase almost entirely and goes straight to self-destruction. I'm willing to bet I'm not the only one here that happens to. My little epiphany a day or two ago was this: I have a right to my anger. We all do. There are things in everyday life that make us angry. There are huge and abnormal circumstances that cause us rage. Whether it's justified or not, we feel what we feel, but it's like any sort of expression of that these days is some kind of massive taboo. Of course I'm not endorsing taking it out on your loved ones, or beating up the guy who stuffs up your change at the servo. But I've found that just talking about it, so many people will laugh it off, or try to redirect it, or tell you to calm down, or it will be okay, and all that sort of stuff. At what point did we lose the right to express anger in any way whatsoever? This thread is for us to discuss our anger. Vent. Talk about what really grinds our gears, and about any way in which anger has impacted our lives and our depression. To share ways we know of letting out our anger without hurting anyone. I could certainly use some advice on getting it out, and some help with getting out of that automatic habit of turning it in on myself. Anything you have to share on the subject, this is the place for it.

Jesse1 I am absolutely terrified
  • replies: 32

This is my first post ever on BB I suffer from chronic depression and I have turned to alcohol to self medicate although it is getting way out of hand now. I am currently 25 and only on centrelink. I want to get into rehab but there is a long wait. A... View more

This is my first post ever on BB I suffer from chronic depression and I have turned to alcohol to self medicate although it is getting way out of hand now. I am currently 25 and only on centrelink. I want to get into rehab but there is a long wait. All I seem to do these days is just be on my computer, drink way too much wine and putting every day of my life off. I am just hoping to talk to someone about this and what I could possibly do to better my life. I am desperate. Thank you for reading, Jesse

anxious_about_everything Sleep and depression
  • replies: 16

Hi Community, I have been suffering from poor sleep for years. Recently I have been diagnosed with depression and told that my sleep issues are as a result of the depression. I was also diagnosed with sleep apnoea which is well controlled with CPAP. ... View more

Hi Community, I have been suffering from poor sleep for years. Recently I have been diagnosed with depression and told that my sleep issues are as a result of the depression. I was also diagnosed with sleep apnoea which is well controlled with CPAP. Has anyone else been through this? Is it possible to have a decent/restful nights sleep with depression? I feel like a zombie and the depression is getting hard to handle. Only 72 hours until my first psychiatrist session - not that i'm counting!!

Jebecabob L.O.S.T
  • replies: 15

I don't know who I am anymore or where I belong, it is only until you get to this point where you truly realise that the world is a big place and you in comparison are very small. I have gotten good at faking smiles and conversation and pretend I hav... View more

I don't know who I am anymore or where I belong, it is only until you get to this point where you truly realise that the world is a big place and you in comparison are very small. I have gotten good at faking smiles and conversation and pretend I have so much life in me, where all I can truly feel (behind closed doors) is the life drain from me, sounds more intense when you write it down, don't get me wrong it isn't like I walk around sad all the times, there are times where I actual feel like I am there, present and happy, this may last a whole day or it could be hours... I don't have anyone to talk to, I have tried so hard, but I feel like I am constantly letting people down including myself. I think this is the first time I have said this in a way where I now become instantly vulnerable, I never let myself get to that stage, always having walls up and only letting certain people see the real, deep me... But here we are... These words have been said and now I am weightless for the first time, maybe I don't need to change or find who I am, maybe if I keep letting my wall down slowly I might just find my way back to who I used to be.

krs04 Unsure if I need help
  • replies: 3

This is my first time posting anything like this - I just am feeling lower each day / week / month / year. Each year I think "this is it" and something good will happen. It doesn't. I feel like more things keep happening to me. I sometimes feel like ... View more

This is my first time posting anything like this - I just am feeling lower each day / week / month / year. Each year I think "this is it" and something good will happen. It doesn't. I feel like more things keep happening to me. I sometimes feel like I am just a lazy whinger, but other times I think that should one more thing happen, I won't be able to cope. I live in a constant angry, bitter state, I hear the news on TV and just think this world sucks. My life hasn't been a hard one, but I have gone through a LOT in my 35 years and I'm angry that others don't haven't gone through what I have, yet they have everything I long for. I KNOW there are people going through WAY worse than I am, I shouldn't complain, I have a roof over my head, and food in my belly and a son I love. But I can't stop hating my life. In a nutshell - my father died when I was 5 - I was bullied to the point of contemplating suicide in grade 8. They bashed me, spread rumours, and told me I was "ugly, worthless, and nobody would ever want to be with me or marry me" - we were homeless for 6 months after a con man took everything my mother had - I suffered anorexia for 2 years - I failed uni due to extreme anxiety - I suffered from a major health condition at 27 - Cushing's Disease, leading to 2 brain surgeries & 6 weeks of radiation - I know have a life-long medical condition requiring medication. I've had 2 miscarriages - My partner of 4 years broke up with me a week before my 30th birthday (after I thought he was going to propose) saying he was still not sure I was the "the one"- we got back together 4 months later only for him to leave me again - I then found out I was pregnant & had a child - we tried to make it work but he abused me emotionally, continually breaking promises and getting drunk - now unable to have more children - partner is back with his married ex-girlfriend who I always felt like he was waiting to come back to him, which is why I was never "the one" for him. I constantly am in tears, I feel so worthless. I now overeat and use food as comfort, which, with my medical stuff, keeps me piling on weight. I feel ugly, worthless, and should I ever meet another man, I cannot give him children of his own. All I ever wanted was a family, I see my friends with their husbands - they haven't gone through what I have. I really feel like I can't take any more - but question is this depression or just a big case of the "feel sorry for myself". I don't know what to do.

Bullitt Careful What You Wish For
  • replies: 2

Hi! I am 33 & single. I own my own house. I own and operate a commercial cleaning business with my best friend. I love music, video games, 4wding and comedy. I love playing with my niece. I earn good money and life isn't too bad. I have reached an ag... View more

Hi! I am 33 & single. I own my own house. I own and operate a commercial cleaning business with my best friend. I love music, video games, 4wding and comedy. I love playing with my niece. I earn good money and life isn't too bad. I have reached an age where I can finally do whatever I want with no-one to stop me! I can finally get my bike license! I can finally plan out and write the album I have been envisioning for years! I can spend the night relaxing and playing games! Sounds pretty sweet huh? I can't do any of these things, and I couldn't be more miserable. What frustrates me the most is that I'm not an idiot. I KNOW I am capable of doing the things I want to do but I can't make myself start! It's like I'm that scared of hard work or the possibility of failure that it is easier to just not try. If it stays on the list of things I know I COULD do if I WANTED to I haven’t failed! Why don't I do it? Why don't I care? I'm not complaining I really want to know why I hold myself back. It's like I just don't care, but at the same time I am guilty as hell for not caring. All I want is to be left alone, and now I'm 33 and my life feels like an all you can eat buffet of hollow shit. I can sit around and do nothing as much as I want! And no-one can stop me! But that's the problem. Whenever I am at home, I wish I was out seeing friends, family, or trying something new. But if I am not home, I just wish I was home and start doing the maths in my head to figure out how long until I am home. When I get home, smoke some weed, and watch YouTube or tv repeats of a show I have seen literally hundreds of times and am bored out of my mind! I can't even commit to watching a good movie I haven't seen as that would take 2 whole hours! What a waste of time! I'll just spend that time watching MASH repeats instead. How ridiculous. It feels like I'm missing out on something. Wasn't I supposed to be married with kids by now? Wasn't I supposed to have done the 'become an adult' thing I have been waiting for since I finished high school? I think I need help to snap out of this rut. I have tried many times to do it myself, and for a week or two it's great! Then it all turns back into shit. I need help to get through week 3 & 4. To get to week 20. To realise one day that I have no idea how long ago I lost count of how many weeks since I sorted out my life. I don’t know why I posted this. I don't feel sad, I just wish I cared more. Does this post even make sense to anyone?

4321 Struggling
  • replies: 6

Hello, I'm really struggling with finding motivation. Today I have a day off, the weather is great, I live opposite the beach and I still don't feel like doing anything or seeing anyone. I have been diagnosed with depression and few years ago and am ... View more

Hello, I'm really struggling with finding motivation. Today I have a day off, the weather is great, I live opposite the beach and I still don't feel like doing anything or seeing anyone. I have been diagnosed with depression and few years ago and am still taking medication. I just don't understand why I am not getting better.

budzy922 Need a new start. Don't no where to start.
  • replies: 1

Starting to lose the screws, Haven't done anything for three months been stuck in my house. Some days i think its Friday when its Thursday. Its like i am living under a rock. I've put the doctor off at least 10 times i no i need help as i think i hav... View more

Starting to lose the screws, Haven't done anything for three months been stuck in my house. Some days i think its Friday when its Thursday. Its like i am living under a rock. I've put the doctor off at least 10 times i no i need help as i think i have bpd or something similar . I think its time to pack up and move to another city as i am trying to quit marijuana but cant kick the habit aside with betting all my cash witch became a new addiction after winning big a couple of times now i just go to far . besides from that is it gonna be worse to try and move i don't no. Just wondering if anyone has been in this position.

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