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
Jump to
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 chats on this Forum having 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

Terrimanian have suffered from depression since childhood
  • replies: 2

I'm in my 50's & have suffered from depression since childhood. My illness has seriously impacted on my ability to manage my affairs,particularly financially. I have lived in rental accommodation since arriving in arriving in Melbourne over 10 years ... View more

I'm in my 50's & have suffered from depression since childhood. My illness has seriously impacted on my ability to manage my affairs,particularly financially. I have lived in rental accommodation since arriving in arriving in Melbourne over 10 years ago. In April, the job I had held for over 10 years was made redundant. 8 of my colleagues were also made redundant. I was very angry about being forced to leave the organisation in this as it was very clear that the nature of my role & its value to the organisation had not been properly assessed or understood. I have had several months of casual & contract work since April. I sufficient funds (just) to purchase a very modest apartment, but have not been able to proceed due to my uncertain situation. I was recently hospitalised for depression & discharged just over a week ago. I felt considerably better while on hospital but have relapsed since my discharge. I live alone & am desperately lonely. I am in desperate need of a support group & mentor to assist my decision-making

Gerby Lost hope in life and love
  • replies: 22

I've visited this forum from time to time when I'm feeling down but this is the first time it's felt so bad that I thought maybe I should post something. I'm 28, male, Software Engineer by trade and living alone in an apartment in East Melbourne and ... View more

I've visited this forum from time to time when I'm feeling down but this is the first time it's felt so bad that I thought maybe I should post something. I'm 28, male, Software Engineer by trade and living alone in an apartment in East Melbourne and never had a girlfriend in my life and it's completely destroying me at the moment having nobody in my life for companionship. I've been sitting here for 10 minutes trying to think how to even start to explain my problems but I think I'll just recap briefly up to this point. I feel like I was a normal kid up until about the age of 14 or 15 when suddenly I just stopped wanting to go out, I'd avoid my friends requests to hang out with made up excuses and the times I couldn't escape going out I'd be filled with anxiety and unable to enjoy myself. Then at age 16 my father died of lung cancer which was devastating for both me, my mother and my sister so from that point on I didn't have any male role models in my life. The following year my grandfather died (mother's side) so as you can imagine my mother was not in a great place mentally herself, after I graduated year 12 I started playing 'World of Warcraft' and doing virtually nothing else. 'World of Warcraft' was my life for about 6 or 7 years and it was not a healthy habit in the slightest, my anxiety issues worsened along with depression until it got to a breaking point where my mother sent me to see a psychiatrist for a year because I vomited from anxiety of something as basic as going to get my haircut. I slowly worked through my anxiety issues and eventually was able to leave the house again without turning into a train wreck, then came my mothers new boyfriend. Things seemed fine at first but then he'd just snap at me some days and call me things like "worthless", "lazy" and "not a real man" (because I didn't like drinking or going to pubs) so this did wonders for my already low self esteem, my mother would defend me but in the end she'd still keep him around. To quickly sum up the next few years I ended up going to Uni and walking straight out of Uni into a job, I moved out of home and now I sit alone in an apartment every night wishing I could just find a woman I can relate to or connect with. Every year I lose hope that I'll ever find that someone and I'm starting to seriously question if I'll even make it to 30, I took Tuesday off as an example because I couldn't get myself out of bed. Can anyone tell me why I'm failing at life so badly?

LostFuzzy Income Protection - Where on earth to turn
  • replies: 7

Dear Forum, Desperately hoping that someone here might have an idea of where to point me to ... I've kinda suffered with anxiety and mild depression for a number of years, but I recently started a new job 6 months ago, and 3 months into is I had a st... View more

Dear Forum, Desperately hoping that someone here might have an idea of where to point me to ... I've kinda suffered with anxiety and mild depression for a number of years, but I recently started a new job 6 months ago, and 3 months into is I had a stroke and was hospitalized + off work for a total of 6 weeks and a bit. I went back to work too early I think and this has ended up with me having a total mental meltdown and admitted to clinic. My GP seems to agree but it looks like it could be a real grey area. I'm expecting to be in the clinic for quite a while and off work for a minimum of 3 months according to my psychiatrist. Money is real tight as I didnt get paid for the first 6 weeks I was off due to almost no personal leave accrued. I have so many questions, but the entire thought of having to battle "the system" is just sending me into a complete flat spin even with the nice meds that they have got me on - I just dont know where to turn. i) I have 3 super funds, all have some kind of income protection as far as I can gather ii) Would the current mental episode me a seperate event to the stroke? IE would I have to make 2 claims and a second 6 week waiting period now for the mental health? iii) How would the kinda referee process work, because I know that they will all be trying to make each other pay, so have no ideas even which one i shoulkd contact first? maybe the fund I have had the longest? iv) Any ideas how I can get help to "cope" with all of this process? I'm in a expensive private clinic and no one here seems to have a clue. Even the psychiatrist said "maybe you should just call your super fund and see what they say" -- OK, so I'm not going to get any help on that from the clinic. You would have thought that kind of support would be really high on the agenda. Amazing really v) If you are off work for 6 weeks, anyone know if they backdate it to the first day you stopped getting paid? Its driving me even more nuts that I already am with sick worry. If anyone can help me out you would be doing me and my family a huge huge service. Thanks Fuzzy

Krystallis I need help.
  • replies: 3

I have been in a really bad headspace lately and I've finally come to the realization that I need help. I asked my husband to take the morning off work to watch our youngest daughter so I can go to the doctor. The thoughts I have been having I just h... View more

I have been in a really bad headspace lately and I've finally come to the realization that I need help. I asked my husband to take the morning off work to watch our youngest daughter so I can go to the doctor. The thoughts I have been having I just hate myself even more for even thinking them. I have been feeling like a complete and utter failure in everything that I've been doing. I'm restless, exhausted and miserable. I know I need help and I just don't know what else to do. I've never been big on opening up to anyone so making my doctor see that I'm depressed is going to be very hard for me but I can't hide it anymore.

Riaido Does it ever get better
  • replies: 14

First time trying anything like this, ive tried psychs, they didnt help cause i would hide to much, and i have the mentality, if you cant spot it, you dont deserve to know, stupid, i know. Pretty much i got depression a year or two ago, i dont know, ... View more

First time trying anything like this, ive tried psychs, they didnt help cause i would hide to much, and i have the mentality, if you cant spot it, you dont deserve to know, stupid, i know. Pretty much i got depression a year or two ago, i dont know, i wouldn't acknowledge it, cause i was always happy an optimistic, nothing could bring me down, then i got sick with glandular fever, and it all started going down hill, i lost my health, i lost my job from that, and it eventually lead to me loosing my fiancee, took about another 6 months after all that to acknowledge i had anything wrong, i was down , didnt want to do anything, but a friend eventually got through to me, currently trying diffrent medications, and nothing seams to work, when i feel like things might be starting to get better, i just get kicked back to the ground and it feels like im starting all over again, the worst thing is i dont have my family as support, 'just do something blah blah blah, they might think it helps but it dosnt. i just constantly feel like shit and it just feels like everything is always getting worse, i just want to genuienly smile, and get excited for something again, anything. /sigh

Hopefullseeking Been told I will never be well.
  • replies: 12

How do you cope with being told you have depression for life. You will have times where the depression will be managable but it will not stay that way. You will have bouts of depression, it will always be like this. I felt like someone had slapped me... View more

How do you cope with being told you have depression for life. You will have times where the depression will be managable but it will not stay that way. You will have bouts of depression, it will always be like this. I felt like someone had slapped me. I have been told this before but it sank in yesterday. Both my psychiatrist and my psychologist have said I have depression for life but I always thought I would beat it. Isn't that why I am in therapy. I feel like all hope is lost, I do my best well actually I try really hard to put into practice what my therapist say to do, and i was told yesterday I have worked extremely hard with the psychologist this year but that felt like a waste of time. I am not ready to throw in the towel but it makes it hard when you are told you will be up and down for the rest of your life. Extremely hard.

Deedee1 I don't want to be a part of a society in which I don't fit in
  • replies: 4

I feel like I genuinely have the shittest life ever. I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder- which means I have schizophrenia and severe depression at the same time, post traumatic stress disorder and body dysmorphic disorder. I look aro... View more

I feel like I genuinely have the shittest life ever. I have been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder- which means I have schizophrenia and severe depression at the same time, post traumatic stress disorder and body dysmorphic disorder. I look around at everyone else with their easy lives and hear them complain about the most trivial things. I'm 27 and live at home with my parents. I love them but my dad has an abusive past with my sister and I and he stills yells at me in a very vicious manner. My mum is highly judgemental and easily holds grudges with me and is obsessed with cleanliness and order. I am in love with my male best friend but he only loves me as a friend. I am extremely paranoid and suspicious of others and can't relax when I'm around other people. I have been severely depressed for three years and it never ever goes away. I had a significant delusion that I was deformed and the ugliest person in the world that lasted for an exhausting and paralysing 10 years. I believed my looks was causing all the bad things happening in the world and that people were offended and angered by my appearance. I turned away job opportunities, love interests, study opportunities and social events because I believed God was telling me to. I even stopped talking and eating for a few years due to messages from 'God'. The funny thing is I am so strong and work full-time at a bank, go gym every morning, am a really good friend and relative. This doesn't suit the life I've lived and how horrible I feel every second of the day. People like me usually end up being drug addicts, in jail or unemployed. I don't want to be a part of a society in which I don't fit in. Everyone around me has had it so easy. Losing their minds over breakups, not being skinny enough, not having the latest gadgets. Welcome to my life.

Arinexus Symptoms while similar dont fit any specific diagnosis
  • replies: 1

To start, assume ive done at least a moderate amount of research. Also while i know i have bouts of depression that add or possibly cause these "events" it is the events themselves i want to know about. They can happen anytime but always start in the... View more

To start, assume ive done at least a moderate amount of research. Also while i know i have bouts of depression that add or possibly cause these "events" it is the events themselves i want to know about. They can happen anytime but always start in the morning and can persist, happening once to twice an hour for the rest of the day. There is NO specific trigger. They can start mid laugh or cry. Tired or awake. Happy or sad. It starts by a wave of feelings very out of place but feel familiar. Like recall of an event that never happened. Kinda sad kinda anxious kinda lovelorn. Indescribable really. Then my heartrate increases and i sweat. I feel short of breath. All the while those "feelings" wash over me. The entire even lasts less than a minute. Not all the time but usually after the first they reoccur throughout the day getting slightly worse then better before dissappearing before bed. Ive done my research. These are NoT panic attacks or mini heart attacks or anxiety. There is NO specific trigger. I hope someone has a good idea or has similar expiriences so i can get some answers. Thank you.

Stormgrl101 the struggles of keeping the black dog away....
  • replies: 8

Hello to whoever is reading this, i hope you are well. So yesterday I had two appointments, one for Centrelink to get a job capacity assessment done and one at my Job Provider. The Centrelink one went well, she said she would write up the report and ... View more

Hello to whoever is reading this, i hope you are well. So yesterday I had two appointments, one for Centrelink to get a job capacity assessment done and one at my Job Provider. The Centrelink one went well, she said she would write up the report and I would most likely get referred to a Disability support Job Provider. I then went to the Job Provider and found out I was not seeing the girl I usually saw. This other lady asked what I was doing... studying certificate II animal studies and volunteer at the animal shelter, which my psychologist suggested for me and helped me be able to go. She went on to say that for the "work for the dole" I had to study a Certificate III or higher so what wasnt good enough and then the animal shelter volunteering was not an approved activity so I would have to do something else. Well of course my anxiety shot through the roof and I burst into tears in front of her. I struggled to get the words out that I went to Centrelink that morning and to look up for my report. She got on the phone to someone saying she had a client in front of her who was very tender and falling to pieces... which of course made me feel even more shit.... and then she finally found the report and saw "severe anxiety/depression. extreme emotions, tearfulness, freezes when anxious and struggles to talk.." etc. She said Oh I dont feel so bad now I mean I can be mean but not today. Anyway she wrote up the referral for the Disability support Job Provider which I have an appointment for on Friday. I just hope these people will actually help me and not just push me to the side and stress me out. Anyway now I'm just feeling quite down about everything and the future. I know I have a family who loves me and a caring boyfriend but still the black dog keeps pulling me down making me feel all alone and whats the point because I'll never get better from this, its just going to be a constant struggle. thanks for reading.

1977xxoox Newby! overwhelmed, sad, angry, scared, upset, frustrated, used
  • replies: 3

Hello fellowship, I am new on here so i appreciate your patience in advance. I was diagnosed with post natal depression at 18, and from time to time I have felt I recovered, medicated and un medicated. What I now understand is the black dog is still ... View more

Hello fellowship, I am new on here so i appreciate your patience in advance. I was diagnosed with post natal depression at 18, and from time to time I have felt I recovered, medicated and un medicated. What I now understand is the black dog is still there, it never goes away for me. I have many issues at present and am reaching out to see if others are having similar experiences, and how they cope with life. My issues at present are a list as long as your arm, from relationship, going for a big promotion at work, to my father who's in a nursing home and is sad all the time(he cries on the phone most times I talk to him), to my children whom I hardly see, my sons GF hates me so I can't even call him, a partner who is controlling and not supportive(although he would tell you otherwise), I have major surgery coming up, the house I rent is up for sale as of today, a have employees who push my buttons, I feel alone, I have a constant sensation of drowning, I suffer with fibromyalgia, my mother does not speak to me nor does my aunt, I only have my dad and my children. I have friends, but I feel like I'm a burden to them and am scared to ask for help, I feel I always help them(which is ok). I've received treatment in the past which worked short term, but the black dog still comes back. I'm struggling to cope. I've had huge weight gain, 30kg, which is something else that causes me irrational thoughts. If anyone has any suggestions on how I feel better about myself, I would love to hear from you. Even to just be a friend, who can understand. Thanks so much for reading my post. 1977xxoox