Support
Support

Depression

Depression affects people in Australia every day. Share your own story and learn about other member’s experiences with depression.

Start a conversation

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
Categories
Start a conversation

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 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

All discussions

Start a conversation

Mares73 How do I explain depression to my children who resent my symptoms?
  • replies: 2

Hi im struggling with my two children (daughter 16, son 11) who constantly put me down, criticism me & call me names such as a "druggie" who is "off my face". They are referring to my antidepressant medication which makes me very tired by about 8pm. ... View more

Hi im struggling with my two children (daughter 16, son 11) who constantly put me down, criticism me & call me names such as a "druggie" who is "off my face". They are referring to my antidepressant medication which makes me very tired by about 8pm. its been a roller coaster the last 12 months with my husband having a bone marrow transplant as the only hope to treat his leukaemia. Then I'm involved with the Royal Commission & a civil case against a priest who abused me as a teenager. i love my children more than anything but I'm so hurt they are drifting away from me. My daughter who I've always been close to now doesn't ever want to be at home & is angry at me. my son just wants his dad all the time & refuses to do anything with me. He is the most sensitive beautiful child & everyone comments on how lovely he is yet behind closed doors he only communicates with me aggressively if he wants something. its breaking my heart. I've asked my husband to have a talk with them & explain depression & anxiety. But he won't-he says we all need to talk as a family which yes it would be ideal in different circumstances. But I don't think they'll say how they really feel if I'm in the conversation. They need to have space to talk openly without feeling restrained by my presence. i understand they resent the times I havnt been able to disguise my symptoms, the times I've cried, the nights I've fallen asleep early due to exhaustion. I'm terrified they will grow into adults & only remember the symptoms they have seen me battle. I grew up in a very abusive family & from the time my children were born I was devoted to raising them to be confident & able to express themselves. I wanted to give them all I could & I even started sending them for things like massage from when they were very young. I even gave up working because they wanted me there for them after school like other mums. I've instilled in them that no matter what situation they may face in life I will always love & protect them & never judge them. An example is recently my daughter drank alcohol for the first time & was very sick. I just went & got her, held her, made her food & gave her lots of water & told her I'd always be there for her. I also talked about the effects of alcohol & the dangers of losing control. I never shame or embarras her. I treat her with unconditional love. But I'm losing them as they resent my depression symptoms.it breaks my heart. Depression is so cruel. mares

Charlie_Jane Returning to work after a bout of illness
  • replies: 5

In just after 2 weeks I will be returning to work after being in hospital for three weeks for a breakdown, sleep deprivation and diagnosed with Bipolar II. I have been off of work since later November and I have been doing everything I can to move fo... View more

In just after 2 weeks I will be returning to work after being in hospital for three weeks for a breakdown, sleep deprivation and diagnosed with Bipolar II. I have been off of work since later November and I have been doing everything I can to move forward with my recovery. Medication, daily exercise, monitoring my diet, using a psychologist and relaxation techniques. My downfall occured after I was assaulted at work (I work in a prison) and shortly after things started to spiral downhill very quickly. Even though I believe the assault contributed to my being hospitalized, it has not been the complete reason why I had my breakdown. I have been suffering with Bipolar for years and had always tried to fight it but finally it got hold of me and I couldn't cope any longer. I thought I was ok to return to work but today I had a discussion with a Mental Health professional and when I pictured myself back in the workplace, I really panicked. Tears came out of my face and I had no control over myself, it was like it became reality. Like I said, I have always been trying to keep everything together and returning to work is no exception but I am really really concerned about going back and it's only just come to the surface. I know the working environment I am in is not ideal for my mental health but I am now worried that returning may trigger me and I lose it again. We discussed changing jobs but even the thought of that right now is to much to handle. I feel like my back is against a wall. I have been financially upset by my time off and the return is going to help with the finances however I am not sure how I am going to cope in the working environment. Any ideas/suggestions/thoughts would be really helpful at this time.

white knight Happiness- what should be your goal?
  • replies: 6

We know from our forum that there are a good percentage of people newly diagnosed with mental illness that seek a cure for their condition. Regularly we try to educate them by saying good management of their condition is a preferable approach rather ... View more

We know from our forum that there are a good percentage of people newly diagnosed with mental illness that seek a cure for their condition. Regularly we try to educate them by saying good management of their condition is a preferable approach rather than a 100% fix. I mention this because if we admit to our ambition of good management then we resign to the fact that we will never have a full recovery. That being said does that mean we will never find true happiness? Will we always reflect upon not getting to full recovery and so never really be happy? I'm asking this here today because I have finally found happiness yet still have my down and up days depending on my mania/moods. I'm happy even though I'm fragile emotionally and I'm happy besides the fact that humans upset me regularly. Why is this so and could there be tip I can give you? Briefly- I have bipolar 2, dysthymia, depression and previously had anxiety with panic attacks. I'm on mood stabilisers and a small amount of anti depressants, fish oil. Physical issues include sleep apnea and deep vein thrombosis. My wife has depression. Unlike me she sleeps a lot when the black dog visits. My road to recovery- well inside my mind is a positive "never give up" person that changed from being negative in 1983 after attending a motivation lecture. I cant begin to tell you what good effect that had on me. It planted the seed to the fighter in me now. Then a major down time prior to my marriage split in 1996. Clearly leaving my then abusive and ungrateful wife was the best move I ever made. So if you have big doubts follow your heart if all else fails. Don't hang around a doomed relationship. I began to write poetry in 1994 unaware it was good therapy. Writing anything down helps. And these changes- -A move to the countryside (if this interests you then try it. I advise a very small town within 15 minutes of a larger town the latter with hospital, gym, supermarket and schools. -I got rid of all toxic problem people -met kind people -limited social media -Hobbies -get lots of sleep -Staying away from club committees/politics -spiritual contentment Self help is good. Happiness can be claimed when you have more good days than bad, when you act on your needs, when you are well enough to help others, when you've accepted your illness as part of YOU and when you are stable enough to come across as not having a mental illness. My goal is reached...what about you? Tony WK

2514 idle thoughts
  • replies: 2

I cherish the time spent with family. Everything else is a composite for a warm life. I am alone. I exist in pain. This path leads further inside. Time passes, and I reflect solemnly on all that is lost with each passing moment. I never wanted to be ... View more

I cherish the time spent with family. Everything else is a composite for a warm life. I am alone. I exist in pain. This path leads further inside. Time passes, and I reflect solemnly on all that is lost with each passing moment. I never wanted to be here, but I've been too scared to stray. And it is self fulfilling - the feared turned inevitable. Where's the light? Where's my hope? What hasn't crumbled in my fingers when clutched to the chest? I'm a fool.

Gameface Can isolation trigger depression?
  • replies: 5

Hi, I'm new here and new to depression I was diagnosed last October after the first gp I visited simply told me exercise was the best anti depressant as she handed me a tissue and showed me the door. Once I was properly diagnosed I was put on meds an... View more

Hi, I'm new here and new to depression I was diagnosed last October after the first gp I visited simply told me exercise was the best anti depressant as she handed me a tissue and showed me the door. Once I was properly diagnosed I was put on meds and after two weeks I began feeling 'normal' again. Everything has been going great until this week. I returned to work after a wonderful holiday with my family. Working for a small company in an admin/sales role I found myself alone this week as all the other employees were away and my depression returned. I haven't skipped a dose of my meds but I felt how I did when it all began. Crying at my desk and watching the clock. I removed myself from social media and my social life as well. A few close friends have tried to reach out but I just want to be left alone? My gp is on leave so I'm just reaching out here. Is it possible the isolation has triggered my relapse? I have been looking for new employment but it's very hard when I'm struggling just to get out of bed each day. Thanks for listening!

Genesis Depression is ruining my life
  • replies: 2

Hi All New to BB. I have been suffering from depression for over 20 years. Tonight is a particularly bad night. As I look back I am counting the cost of what my depression has bought me. My marriage broke down 5 years ago as my ex-wife was unable to ... View more

Hi All New to BB. I have been suffering from depression for over 20 years. Tonight is a particularly bad night. As I look back I am counting the cost of what my depression has bought me. My marriage broke down 5 years ago as my ex-wife was unable to cope with living with a miserable man. She gave me a lot of support over the 10 years we were together but in the end it was too much for her. My 16 year old daughter also struggles with my condition and I am seeing less and less of her as she grows up (which is breaking my heart). I have been unemployed for 4 years and am on a disability pension. I once had a good career with a decent salary and now I struggle to make ends meet. I am living in a small unit on my own and am very lonely. Many of my friends have drifted away , either unable to comprehend mental illness or sick of my unreliability ( I never know when a bout of depression will leave me unable to attend an event until the last minute). My parents have been wonderful support to me but they are now in their eighties and neither are well which worries me greatly. Basically I am sick of my life and I suppose I am feeling a bit sorry for myself tonight but I just needed to express myself. Thanks for listening

bobo13 Depression and Binge eating
  • replies: 8

Hi Over the past few years i have suffered with depression on and off. Sometimes its not so bad and i have the motivation to do things that distract me. Sometimes so bad (like at the moment) that i can barely get off the couch except to go to the cup... View more

Hi Over the past few years i have suffered with depression on and off. Sometimes its not so bad and i have the motivation to do things that distract me. Sometimes so bad (like at the moment) that i can barely get off the couch except to go to the cupboard or the fridge to have a binge. Because of the binge eating i have gained a large amount of weight. At present my mood is so low and my eating is out of control it is putting a real strain on my marriage. Dont get me wrong he would support me in anything i did to get help (which i attempted once a while ago) but he has also said things like he no longer finds me attractive because of my weight gain and that he still loves me but not as much because of the person that i have become. I want to get help but I'm afraid of taking the first step and am not exactly keen to go on long term medication either. Any advice is appreciated

Bayleaf Seeking glue for my House of Cards?
  • replies: 6

I am the happiest I have ever been and I have a great deal to be happy about. I live in comfort with most amazing woman who is, without doubt, the love of my life. I have everything yet quite suddenly I am miserable, lethargic and frightened. In the ... View more

I am the happiest I have ever been and I have a great deal to be happy about. I live in comfort with most amazing woman who is, without doubt, the love of my life. I have everything yet quite suddenly I am miserable, lethargic and frightened. In the dark moment, I hate myself and my eternal failure, I see my hopes, my efforts and my happiness as examples of my self delusion as I mark time until the moment of death. I have suffered from depression and social anxiety since childhood, "he's a shy boy". I've been taken to, sent to and gone to the doctor more times than I can remember, with little to show for it. For many years I sought refuge in alcohol to the point where it almost killed me and continue to live with the physical consequences of that. During those years professional medicine (UK) offered a choice between drinking and treatment for depression, I could not have both and I chose to drink although, on reflection, there was really no choice, I was physically dependent. Somewhere in The Last Chance Saloon I found an organisation called Turning Point and in 2010, with their help, I went through a medically supervised detox, my third. I believe that in getting and staying dry I created the conditions in which I could get well and my life could become better, no guarantees but a fighting chance and I have been one of the lucky ones, sobriety has given me everything or almost everything. In recovery, I have met and married the most wonderful woman, we have each helped the other through dark time and enjoyed good ones together and continue to do so. Without alcohol and with the help and support of "my angel" I have been able to manage my fears and depression much better but they both still exist and right now they are biting hard. Since arriving in Australia I have found a little niche within my new society but lately that niche has become less secure and my confidence has taken a knock. I am self employed and my work is physically demanding, I love that and it is part both of my recovery and my identity but in the busy run up to Christmas I overdid the whole thing and became ill. My reaction to physical illness has been predictable, but only in hindsight: "I can't do all of it so I can't do any of it, I am a failure, I am useless, my life is a house of cards and it's about to fall apart". Well I can't do it all but as to the rest: I can, I'm not, I'm not it isn't and it won't. This post is a gathering of thoughts, yours gratefully accepted.

Gertie_Rose trapped behind a screen of fear
  • replies: 13

Hi, I have PTSD. I'm getting better but I notice a severe lack of motivation. I've had about a week and a half off work and I just never want to do anything. I'm not engaged with life. There's a whole beautiful world for me to enjoy but I just resolu... View more

Hi, I have PTSD. I'm getting better but I notice a severe lack of motivation. I've had about a week and a half off work and I just never want to do anything. I'm not engaged with life. There's a whole beautiful world for me to enjoy but I just resolutely, stubbornly, WON'T. I just waste day after day lying around, sitting and reading, whatever. Whenever I get an idea to do something I have a crushing resolution that there is no point. And yet I'm bored and hate myself for never doing anything, being so unimaginative, being so boring, not making the most of life. How have you overcome that lack of vitality, fear of doing anything, conviction that there is no point in doing anything, resistance to fully living? What is it truly about, do you think? Where does it come from? What's the underlying belief? I've spent, like, a decade sitting around preferring to think and analyze, than to do.

Letsgethappy I feel like my depression and anxiety is ruining my relationship:(
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, this is is my first post and it has taken me so long to work up the courage to make it. A bit of my background; about 3 months ago I had a complete meltdown halfway through a semester at uni. I couldn't function anymore, i didn't eat for... View more

Hi everyone, this is is my first post and it has taken me so long to work up the courage to make it. A bit of my background; about 3 months ago I had a complete meltdown halfway through a semester at uni. I couldn't function anymore, i didn't eat for about 4 days and I was scared of everything. I couldn't switch off after handing in assessments, I quit uni and my part time job and moved back to my hometown, after 2 years of living away from my boyfriend of 5 years, and family because of uni. I saw a GP who said I was suffering from severe depression and anxiety and referred me to a psychologist who I began seeing straight away. my psychologist has called it an adjustment disorder with depression and anxiety symptoms, and said it usually lasts about 6 months after the stressor is eliminated. I think my stressor was a combination of living away and the stress of trying to manage uni and a job and living in a place where I don't know anyone. My GP suggested taking antidepressants but I'm so scared, so I haven't got any yet. I'm writing this post because I really thought I was improving from regularly seeing my psychologist and being closer to my boyfriend and family. But all of a sudden I feel as if I have taken 10 steps backwards and I'm almost back to where I was 3 months ago. My boyfriend has been my absolute rock through all of this but over the past 3 months I'm constantly questioning our relationship and my feelings towards him. I don't want my feelings to change at all because I just love him so much but I feel like I don't know how to be in a relationship anymore. I don't have any reason to think that we shouldn't be together and I just want to know if anyone else feels this way with depression? I'm constantly pushing him away, but I don't want to be alone. He told me it's starting to get hard for him, and that he feels he has to walk on eggshells around me because he doesn't know what mood I will be in when he gets home from work. That completely tore me apart. but he's so positive and knows that we will get through this. When I start crying he cuddles me and says it will get better. I can't wait for that day. Sorry for the long post and it probably doesn't make much sense, I just blurted everything out at once. i just can't handle my emotions being on such a roller coaster. I really don't know what to do

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright � 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map