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

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.

Chris_B Are you looking to support someone else with depression? PLEASE READ before posting
  • replies: 1

This forum is for people seeking support for their own mental health issues. If you're posting on behalf of someone else with a mental health issue that you're concerned about, please have a look at this section of our forums: Supporting family and f... View more

This forum is for people seeking support for their own mental health issues. If you're posting on behalf of someone else with a mental health issue that you're concerned about, please have a look at this section of our forums: Supporting family and friends with a mental health condition It's full of threads from people who have family members and friends going through anxiety, depression or other related conditions. Have a read through the threads there, and feel free to take part in the discussions. Below are also some helpful beyondblue resources you might want to look through first as well: Supporting someone Have the conversation

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

Oceans Struggling with anxiety and depression
  • replies: 5

hi, I have recently been experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression that are. Making it hard for me to function as normal. I have seen my doctor and she has scheduled an appointment tomorrow for me to probably be prescribed medication. I feely r... View more

hi, I have recently been experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression that are. Making it hard for me to function as normal. I have seen my doctor and she has scheduled an appointment tomorrow for me to probably be prescribed medication. I feely really uneasy about this. I know that I need help and I started seeing a psychologist 3 months ago when I first realised I was struggling. I thought it was issues related to deaths in my family but other things have come out of the therapy and I now feel like I am spiralling out of control. I am having trouble sleeping because my heart won't stop pounding, I feel in a constant state of fear or really low. I am finding eating difficult. I have been off work for over a week and have managed to say it was due to asthma and infection but I don't know how much longer I can hide the truth. I am worried I won't be able to work if I can't control this. I feel to ashamed to admit what is going on as it is a relatively new job. If I try to go in I am worried I will have a break down at the slightest thing because I am so jumpy, on edge and exhausted. i just don't know what to do would love some advice

D Walsh Relapsing for no reason
  • replies: 3

I've had depression for about ten years now and I am on maintenance doses of antidepressants under a specialist. I am someone who is generally highly active with work and exercise. Every few months I still have relapses in my depression and for no re... View more

I've had depression for about ten years now and I am on maintenance doses of antidepressants under a specialist. I am someone who is generally highly active with work and exercise. Every few months I still have relapses in my depression and for no real apparent reason. I know it is an illness and their doesn't have to be a trigger, but it is really hard to deal with. I usually notice it coming on when my dreaming becomes really vivid and I can't get into a deep sleep and I get the early morning waking cycle back. I was wondering whether anyone else experiences the same thing and what are their way of dealing with this?

bek0812 Does it get any easier?
  • replies: 3

I don't know how many times I have wondered what's the point? I have recently been diagnosed with depression anxiety and ocd but I can't remember a time that I've been truly happy. i feel like my self worth has hit an all time low. I find myself cons... View more

I don't know how many times I have wondered what's the point? I have recently been diagnosed with depression anxiety and ocd but I can't remember a time that I've been truly happy. i feel like my self worth has hit an all time low. I find myself constantly doubting every decision I've ever made. I am unable to hold a steady relationship because I self sabotage and question their motives. I often wonder why I'm here and why someone would be put on this earth to feel this bad... i know I'm not the only person to have depression and to feel like this. I want to be happy. I look at my beautiful nephew and the smiles he gives me and I wanna be the person he sees that isn't broken. Thankyou for reading about me and making it to the end of my rambles. I don't know what I was trying to accomplish by writing this down. I will forever be amazed at how many tears the human body can produce...

onward_and_upward_ Feeling so lonely...Depression gone but so have all my friends
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, it is so nice to find this forum. I have been through a really tough few years and didn't want my friends to experience me so low and what I believed 'self consumed.' I used to have many friends and now that my old self has returned I do... View more

Hi everyone, it is so nice to find this forum. I have been through a really tough few years and didn't want my friends to experience me so low and what I believed 'self consumed.' I used to have many friends and now that my old self has returned I don't have any friends. Worse still, I am trying to reconnect but they don't seem interested. I am 42 now and miss my friends. This alone makes me feel like I am going back into a depression. I am so desperate for friends and lonely but I feel like people think something is wrong with me. I can't communicate like I used to. I tried a yoga group but even found that clicky and I felt excluded. Has anyone experienced this? Thankyou for listening. X

phoenixstone Self Worth
  • replies: 8

I don't know what to say. I've hit rock bottom. I don't know what to do. I'm gay. I live in a country I feel hates me...at least the government. I can't marry my partner. I've had to quit a job because at staff meetings they talked about homosexualit... View more

I don't know what to say. I've hit rock bottom. I don't know what to do. I'm gay. I live in a country I feel hates me...at least the government. I can't marry my partner. I've had to quit a job because at staff meetings they talked about homosexuality as a psychological disorder. My next job was worse. At the Christmas part I was called a fag. When I tried to talked to my boss about it the next day, he shrugged it off and says they were letting their hair down. So I quit that profession. I'm at home now. I write in hopes to be published, but the pay isn't regular. My partner is working his butt off to support us both. I'm trying. I'm failing. My family have abandoned me. My friends have abandoned me. I am trying. I just don't know who I am anymore. Why was I born? Why am I here? I don't know what to do anymore guys...

bencal Meeting in the Dark
  • replies: 2

I was just walking my dog, and as usual my head is over at the dark side, it used to only visit this side, but now it appears it is spending more and more time over there. I thought how good would it be if we could all meet on this side. No more lone... View more

I was just walking my dog, and as usual my head is over at the dark side, it used to only visit this side, but now it appears it is spending more and more time over there. I thought how good would it be if we could all meet on this side. No more loneliness, people to talk to with the same dark thoughts, hey we could even have a dark party. Just maybe we could see some light together.......

phoenixstone Hard To Keep Friends
  • replies: 16

Lost a friend today. Over Facebook of all places. I'm beginning to think Facebook and depression don't mix. I suffer from depression. Sometimes I'm irrational. I'm paranoid. I'm fearful. I'm angry. I'm scared. I feel like the world is against me. I l... View more

Lost a friend today. Over Facebook of all places. I'm beginning to think Facebook and depression don't mix. I suffer from depression. Sometimes I'm irrational. I'm paranoid. I'm fearful. I'm angry. I'm scared. I feel like the world is against me. I lash out against even the best of friends. I'm tired. I'm lonely. It's a cycle. A constant battle. I'm trying. Sometimes I get it in my head that people are talking behind my back or I recognise some of their complaints in their statuses as how I act. So I think they are referring to me. So I'll confront them impulsively. She said some pretty hurtful truths and criticisms. She recognised that I immediate jump to conclusions and have low self esteem and paranoia. I was accused of draining the joy from her life. That not everything was about me or that everyone is out to get me. I can't help it though and her reaction only confirms to me that maybe I am a terrible friend and a terrible person.

Dennis38 Depression the great Lie or Change Your Truth
  • replies: 8

I have suffered from depression for the last 15 years, to the point of me losing control and trying to commit suicide. As I have slowly rebuilt myself, and learned more about this great lie. Depression is a great lie because it based on lies that we ... View more

I have suffered from depression for the last 15 years, to the point of me losing control and trying to commit suicide. As I have slowly rebuilt myself, and learned more about this great lie. Depression is a great lie because it based on lies that we tell ourselves. I am fat, I am worthless, I have no friends, my family hates me, I am not worth loving. These are just some of the great lies that we tell ourselves, and we believe these lies because our emotions are running our head not the logical side of us. All of these things and more are going on in our minds . What does "Change your truth." mean? You see we each hold our own truth, what may be true for one person may not be true for another person. With depression the key to winning this war, even the small battles with it, which turn into great victories if we allow, is to change our own truth about ourselves. You see all those lies that I mentioned before, a lot of them have a grain of truth in it, that is why we start to believe all of these negative emotions that we have. It gets so bad that we overwhelm ourselves, and can not see the honest truth. Logic is the key to fighting depression and here is how Change Your Truth, comes in to effect. What we need to do is take, one of the negative thoughts about ourselves, lets say you keep seeing yourself as fat because of the weight you have put on...the truth of the matter is sure you may have put on 5 or 6 pounds, but when you look into the mirror you do not see these 5 or 6 pounds what you see when you look at yourself is this false image of a person that looks like a blimp. Yet the reality is that you are not a blimp but our minds do not let us see the truth.So what do we do? We Change our Truth, this is a hard thing to do, but once you start with ONE negative thought, and truly look at it with logic, not with emotions, you find that grain of truth and you CHANGE it...so you have gained a little weight, get up and go for a walk, go outside and watch your kids or pets play and get a little active. I am not talking about running a marathon, even if its just going down the front steps and walking to the end of your drive away and back, do that every day for a week, then next week, go beyond your drive way and go a little farther each week. This way you change YOUR truth as you will see that the weight is coming off. This is how you change YOUR Truth about yourself! It is not easy but you can do it! .

Inadeephole All alone and don't know where to start
  • replies: 2

Hello. I am suffering from depression. I have no friends, no one to lean on, I've lost interest in work, life-socialising, I sit in my house 24/7, I don't feel I'm excepted in this life, I have government debt overwhelming me to a point I'm drowning ... View more

Hello. I am suffering from depression. I have no friends, no one to lean on, I've lost interest in work, life-socialising, I sit in my house 24/7, I don't feel I'm excepted in this life, I have government debt overwhelming me to a point I'm drowning in my own tears because I have a fear I'll end up in jail because I can't manage money and find it extremely hard to wake up, trouble sleeping but when I do sleep it can be up to 24 hours at a time, I'm a 42 year old male that is very emotional and tear up at a drop of a hat, this has been going out for 2 years and I'm at the end of my tether. I don't know who to talk too , I don't know how to fix this, i need help

Lookingforpeace I know I'm not alone but still feel lonely
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone ok so I know depression and anxiety skews your thoughts. I know other people suffer. I know I'm not alone, but then why do I still feel so lonely? is it because depression is so unique to each individual? Perhaps my depression is not the ... View more

Hi everyone ok so I know depression and anxiety skews your thoughts. I know other people suffer. I know I'm not alone, but then why do I still feel so lonely? is it because depression is so unique to each individual? Perhaps my depression is not the same as yours. Or is that the anxiety talking? Lately I have been really wondering what the meaning of this all is. Why do we get up each morning, go to work, eat, sleep repeat? Like guinea pigs on a wheel. I envy people who don't have these thoughts. I look at people walking by me on the street, at work, and think "lucky you, that you don't have these thoughts, that you don't feel like I do." And if there's no meaning, then what's the purpose? And if there's no purpose, then what's the point? And if I am thinking this way, then God what is wrong with me?! How could I be so selfish as to even have that thought cross my mind. i know this post sounds a lot more like a string of rhetorical questions, but hoping somebody can relate.