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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

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Unsubscribed It can't be as bad as it seems?!?
  • replies: 7

I can barely even figure out where to begin, on the outside it seems as though I have my life together, on the inside I'm breaking. I work 2 jobs and study at tafe full time, I also am a mum to a beautiful 18month old and have a partner that I've bee... View more

I can barely even figure out where to begin, on the outside it seems as though I have my life together, on the inside I'm breaking. I work 2 jobs and study at tafe full time, I also am a mum to a beautiful 18month old and have a partner that I've been with for 12 years, I'm 31 years old . Seems as though I should be living the dream, I think wow, there are so many others probably doing the same thing and worrying about the same thing, why does my issue matter and affect me the way it does?!?! i work long hours and am trying to better myself for my child so I can get a steady job instead of night shift, why the hell is it so hard for my partner to do the frickin dishes or at least tell me I'm still beautiful when I'm still wearing my pyjamas at 3 in the afternoon??? and that's just the tip of the iceberg, I've put so much stress on myself to pass this course and I'm only in the 2nd semester!!! i just....I can't even explain everything that's there, I've written it down, I've spoken to my partner, family and friends and still can't get past this feeling of hopelessness and wanting to run away but stay close at the same time, it's breaking me from the inside!

BenD Self-love and not relying on other people for happiness.
  • replies: 4

Hi all, I recently shared an intimate moment with a person that I've known for quite a while. We both agreed that we wish we were 30 rather than mid 20's because there are still things that we wish to do while "unattached". I like her a lot and she l... View more

Hi all, I recently shared an intimate moment with a person that I've known for quite a while. We both agreed that we wish we were 30 rather than mid 20's because there are still things that we wish to do while "unattached". I like her a lot and she likes me a lot. What really gets me is that I've been feeling those darn chemicals over the last few days that make me long for this persons company, even though I've survived long enough happily being friends. It's quite emotionally taxing. I feel like I am half the person that I normally am, and that she completes the whole. Which is totally different to how I felt as recently as a few weeks ago. The rational person in me thinks those feelings are related to an underlying sense of low self-esteem. Of a longing to feel appreciated by someone else, because I don't appreciate myself enough. Can anyone relate to that, as confusing as it sounds? Ben

sydney2012 Feeling alone
  • replies: 5

Hi, I guess this is my attempt to reach out as I feel like I'm even lacking the energy to begin the process to get a referral for help. Just feeling so very alone, and isolated, sad, guilty, and scared about how dark my moods have become. I moved to ... View more

Hi, I guess this is my attempt to reach out as I feel like I'm even lacking the energy to begin the process to get a referral for help. Just feeling so very alone, and isolated, sad, guilty, and scared about how dark my moods have become. I moved to Australia from the U.S. nearly three years ago with my Aussie husband and two children. We left due to financial issues and lack of a job for my husband and were thankful to have a new start here with a job for him. To make a long story short, there are other issues but since our move we have had a lot of family hostility waiting here for us and they've let me know they never wanted us here, my Dad, back in the U.S. has passed, and I have spent months getting my son the help he needs for his autism related issues. Now our daughter is being diagnosed with autism and is not doing well. I felt exhausted before her issues became severe and now feeling like it's a huge mountain I can't climb again.....but I will as I have to for her. The few friends I had made here have taken a big step back in seeing how overwhelmed I have become and there are no offers of help or support, just silence. As a result of the stress, my husband and I are not doing well now. I feel, firstly guilt......because I know lots of people have it lots worse and who am I to complain about our lot. Also because I feel like an absolute failure as a mother and wife. Our house is in chaos, I struggle to keep the kids ready for school each day, get homework done and everything else. I have completely lost myself in that in keeping up with the kids needs, I just do not have the energy to get myself showered and looking presentable every day, I'm ashamed of it but the energy just is not there. I have gone from sadness and crying all the time to just feeling empty and flat. All I want to do is give up and disappear and if not for my kids I would. I do think what a relief it would be to end things or to just have that plan as a back up and it scares me that my moods have become so dark. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.

Staralfur It never seems to get better
  • replies: 3

It gets to this time of night. Surprise surprise I'm sad. I'm so sad it hurts my chest and I can't breathe and I cry myself to sleep. I don't have many friends anymore, and my depression feelings are getting more frequent. I just feel so alone. So ve... View more

It gets to this time of night. Surprise surprise I'm sad. I'm so sad it hurts my chest and I can't breathe and I cry myself to sleep. I don't have many friends anymore, and my depression feelings are getting more frequent. I just feel so alone. So very very alone and I wish I could just lie in my bed and sleep all the time. I don't want to see anyone or go to work. I don't think about dying anymore, but I sure don't want to be around here either. It doesn't help that the person I thought might have liked me... Doesn't even think about me. Nope. It makes me feel so stupid and even more lonely and for some reason I can't stop thinking about them. everything I do wrong plagues my mind endlessly. I get so paranoid. Even if that person were to like me it wouldn't matter because I'd get so paranoid I'd push him away anyway. everyhing I do and say is wrong, I always speak and say the dumbest things that annoy people and drive them nuts. I don't know what to do anymore. I honestly can't stand this and I just needed to vent for once because no one I know here understands. To everyone I'm just dramatic and need to get over it because people have it worse off. And they do, but I can't help it! Honest I'm trying so hard and I just can't! I can't... beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.

littlemisspippa A message of hope
  • replies: 6

Hi all, I wanted to spread a message of hope. I have recently relapsed into anxiety (with depression). Around 3 years ago, being bullied at work with a number of stress made me have a number of panic attacks, issues with sleeping and eating and just ... View more

Hi all, I wanted to spread a message of hope. I have recently relapsed into anxiety (with depression). Around 3 years ago, being bullied at work with a number of stress made me have a number of panic attacks, issues with sleeping and eating and just feeling like a walking zombie. I had a melt down and it took me 3 weeks before l was better to go back to work. During this time I saw my doctor and got treatment. It was that hardest time in my life and yet te proudest because l went back to work, lodged a compliant with HR because l couldn't let him do that to others. I don't know what happened with him but that's not my issue. I continues working for 3 months and on the morning l was penning my letter to leave work, I was called into a meeting to be told my job was made redundant. I was going to leave and yet l scored a redunancy payout! I made the mistake of thinking l was better earlier this year and l stopped taking my tablets. Considently this, I lasted a fairly long time before my anxiety took over. Add a breakup, stressful work, neighbour issues, moving, sick grandma etc. I am back on my meds and l knownl will be fine. I say l have an anxiety disorder but when it gets out of hand, I get symptoms of depression. . Know that depression is just a disease and you can get better (just remember to listen to you doctor!). Tell yourself you are not a depressed person you just have depression. Be kind to yourself as this is a terrible disease and let others help you recover. Practice smiling and force yourself o laugh and be silly - eventually you won't have to please remember you are not along as this affects far too many and l hope my message has given you hope pippa and her kittens Bam Bam and Pebbles (see profile pic)

lm99 White Picket Fence
  • replies: 7

Not sure where to start. Text book fantastic partner. 3 beautiful kids. Volunteer at the local sports club. I have the white picket fence. I thought that if I convinced myself long enough in the dream I would be fixed. Clock on clock off next day beg... View more

Not sure where to start. Text book fantastic partner. 3 beautiful kids. Volunteer at the local sports club. I have the white picket fence. I thought that if I convinced myself long enough in the dream I would be fixed. Clock on clock off next day begins. My family is not very supportive. My sister points out on a regular basis how Im not good enough at anything and my brothers drain me with all their dramas. My folks are old school. Stuck in their ways and how we should be. Die by the sword of 'what will people think'. And I must keep up the charade. See Im the fix it girl. If there is a problem I fix it. If you need something, I do it. I solve it all. Hubby is everything you should want. He is loyal and honest and he loves me. Really loves me. And I love him. He knows somethings not right but I just cant let him in. Truth is I know he would be happier without me. I know what you will say but he would. He deserves so much more than I can give. I have this huge part of me that I keep hidden away and I wont allow anyone to get near it ever. Its been for so long, I dont know what its like without it. If you come close I will run and if you love me I will hurt you until you hate me. I wont let her get hurt ever again. Noone will know. I have let others in before but they always leave. They dont look at you the same way when they know. I think, I will just keep busy. Take on more work. Focus on the kids. Fix everyone else and no-one will see. Play the white picket fence game. But im tired. I want to not be but I cant do that to my kids. So back to playing the white picket fence. It is what it is I guess? L

Sn0wLeopard Daylight savings and depression
  • replies: 2

Hello! I have been struggling since daylight savings has started. I really find that once winter starts coming in, my symptoms increase and I lack motivation and struggle to enjoy the things I used to. Everything is hard - finding energy to go to wor... View more

Hello! I have been struggling since daylight savings has started. I really find that once winter starts coming in, my symptoms increase and I lack motivation and struggle to enjoy the things I used to. Everything is hard - finding energy to go to work is difficult, and then I have after work hobbies I partake in - and lately I havent been going. I really enjoy the activities but I just don't have the energy. In the past I was on medication and I chose to stop taking it, more so for anxiety as I'd worked through my depressive symptoms with a psychologist and felt that I was experiencing more anxiety than depression - but lately, the depression is really kicking in and I am starting to feel the dark cloud looming. I hate this feeling and I want to nip it in the bud before the symptoms worsen. I honestly think that daylight savings plays a huge role in this though because I recall the same thing happening last year! Does anyone else get affected by daylight savings?

Zan DEPRESSION REALLY ISN'T THAT BAD A THING.
  • replies: 1

One heck of a lot of people only see their depression as being a bad thing. Well I for one wouldn't be the enlightened person I am today if it were not for my depression. My depression actually got me out of bed one morning (after many many years of ... View more

One heck of a lot of people only see their depression as being a bad thing. Well I for one wouldn't be the enlightened person I am today if it were not for my depression. My depression actually got me out of bed one morning (after many many years of suffering) and inspired me to re-examine and understand not only my entire life --- from a premature birth, to why a mother who suffered post natal depression and couldn't care for her baby, to a little boy abused, to a primary school kid left at home on his own, to a suicidal teenager with alcohol poisoning, to a young man experiencing 5 workplace redundancies in a row, to someone with brain trauma and so confused that nothing in life mattered ---- and why these events in my life had made me the individual I was. Through my depression I discovered that all life's experiences permanently impact the brain of the individual ... whether they be from what is called our "nature" experience (DNA - genetic - ethnicity, eye/hair colour, sex, height, disabilities etc) or our "nurture" experience (parenting/family influences, peer group influences, religion/atheist, schooling, friends, accident/injuries impacts etc). And because no one else (not even identical twins) shares the exact same "nature/nurture" experience (with identical twins perceiving even the exact same events through unique and very separate eyes and even a slightly different physical location), I worked out why I was different to everyone else and why they were different to me. I found the very reason why some people succeed and some fail. Those who succeed simply had a totally different "nature/nurture" experience to me ... and if I had had their same experience I would have succeeded in the exact same manner. They were neither better, nor more able, nor more "superior" to myself. They were simply lucky. Which meant that I wasn't. Some of you might find that depressing. I don't. Why? Because through my depression I discovered who I was and why I was who I was. And surprising as this might sound ... not that many people on this planet actually know why they are who they are ---- with the classic Zen Buddhist question being "Who are you?" So who are you? Your name -no! Ethnicity - no! Religion - no! Occupation - no! Qualification - no! Financial or marital status - no! Disability or abilities - no! And yet my depression was able to answer that question for me.

citizen1911 How to do this alone?
  • replies: 4

My depression had for many years been heavily disguised by my success in life.I grew up in a unstable home. I left my birth country at the age of 19 to escape from my family. I had been alone ever since, keeping some contact with a few of them back h... View more

My depression had for many years been heavily disguised by my success in life.I grew up in a unstable home. I left my birth country at the age of 19 to escape from my family. I had been alone ever since, keeping some contact with a few of them back home but have had no family surrounding me since.The good news is I transferred most of my loneliness to adventuring and fitness. Outwardly everyone sees me as fun, smart and successful. Unfortunately I had no success in any relationship. At the age of 36 I found myself desperately alone.Two years ago a family tragedy occurred. I went into severe depression when I realized how truly alone I was after my dysfunctional family broke up. I never got through the depression, after trying counseling amongst many other things. Now it feels like a chronic companion and I had lost all motivation in life. I am no longer fun and exciting to be around and even my friends start to go. I am in a constant state of despair. When I talk about it now, most people just ignore it or tell me how 'lucky' I am because I have money and a fruitful life. If that was truly the case why don't I feel like living anymore?How do I do this alone, with no friends, no family and no one tthat really cares?

guest139 Depressed and anxious
  • replies: 4

I'm new to this so I'm not too sure how it works..I'm here because I've hit an all time low and really don't know where to turn. my partner and I broke up 6 months ago and I feel lost, alone and depressed. I thought a 6 month grieving period would su... View more

I'm new to this so I'm not too sure how it works..I'm here because I've hit an all time low and really don't know where to turn. my partner and I broke up 6 months ago and I feel lost, alone and depressed. I thought a 6 month grieving period would suffice but the anxiety and depression is getting worse. I finished up my fifo job a month ago so now I'm just sitting around and I guess I have too much time to think. I have no family here (I moved to Australia from Ireland 8 years ago) and I don't have children so there's no great support system in place. I've been to life coaching and counciling and have good friends but nothing helps and I don't know where to turn. I've never experienced this kind of heartbreak and I don't know how to deal with it. Most days I feel like I have no reason to keep going. beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}