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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: 0

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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mini75 Depression rollercoaster
  • replies: 8

Hi I'm new to the Beyond Blue forum and hoping if I express myself on here with others, it may help. I have realised over the last few years my depression is getting longer and stronger. I live on this depression rollercoaster. I am happily married w... View more

Hi I'm new to the Beyond Blue forum and hoping if I express myself on here with others, it may help. I have realised over the last few years my depression is getting longer and stronger. I live on this depression rollercoaster. I am happily married with one child and both are very supportive. I have a regular job and seem to hold this together but outside of this I turn into a mess of low moods, hide from people and feel very lonely. I feel like I am two different people. I put on a front for work and then become me when I get home. I usually manage my depression with exercise but everything I do is alone. Mostly because I want to be alone. Loneliness then leads to thinking then leads to depressing moods. up and down, up and down. Is it normal to ride this ride?

Jo3 Feeling overwhelmed
  • replies: 5

I don't know what is going on at the moment ...... i am so overwhelmed; i am struggling to think; struggling to stay focussed. Too much to think of; I can't do it all. I thought I was doing okay but now it has hit me and I don't know how to cope. I f... View more

I don't know what is going on at the moment ...... i am so overwhelmed; i am struggling to think; struggling to stay focussed. Too much to think of; I can't do it all. I thought I was doing okay but now it has hit me and I don't know how to cope. I feel like I am being strangled by so many things to do; so many things i have to worry about. I can't do this anymore. I need to take a breath. Jo

songofthesanguine Confused
  • replies: 2

I actually don't know if I'm depressed or if this is just a really long case of feeling down. For the past 2-3 months, I've had erratic mood swings. I sleep a lot and yet I still feel tired after. It's actually more of feeling fatigued than just plai... View more

I actually don't know if I'm depressed or if this is just a really long case of feeling down. For the past 2-3 months, I've had erratic mood swings. I sleep a lot and yet I still feel tired after. It's actually more of feeling fatigued than just plain tired. I get cheered up easily, but then once that "high" is gone I'm back to feeling just "blah" about things. I've been more irritable and less patient lately as well. Sometimes, I get really frustrated and I just want to scream. Well, I do scream. Inside. I sometimes think of turning back to self harming to cope. Lately, my boyfriend and I had an argument and it ended up him hurting me physically. Again. I love him, but I don't think I deserve to be hurt like that. He says he doesn't mean it and he just loses control and that I pushed him into doing it. I do believe he doesn't mean to do it, but I don't know. I've just been disinterested in a lot of things lately. All I've been wanting to do is stay at home and in bed. But when I' m at home alone, I find myself restless. Sorry for the very confusing and disorganized rambling.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.

Chloekat84 Feeling of emptiness and sadness
  • replies: 8

Not a great day for me today or a good week at all really. Been feeling really down for no good reason. I suffer from BPD and Dysthymia and find even little things get to me. Like watching the news updates where it says children or babies have been k... View more

Not a great day for me today or a good week at all really. Been feeling really down for no good reason. I suffer from BPD and Dysthymia and find even little things get to me. Like watching the news updates where it says children or babies have been kidnapped or killed or missing makes me want to cry i can handle it when it comes to the young. Im such a softy. I cant watch movies if i know kids r gonna get hurt in some way. Unfortunetely a lot of movies dont tell u this until u watch it then i keep telling myself its just a movie and its not real over and over but it often doesnt stop the tears. Im soo emotionally fragile its not funny. Well thats it for now just feeling kind of neaseus and ot some anxiety as well. Prob will try and settle for sleep soon, we shall see. Bye for now x

lexibelle wishing I could fly away...
  • replies: 6

Sometimes I find myself really wishing that I could fly out of my own mind and be in the mind of someone who hasn't experienced the things I have, someone who doesn't have depression, someone who is free from what feels like constant voices/thoughts ... View more

Sometimes I find myself really wishing that I could fly out of my own mind and be in the mind of someone who hasn't experienced the things I have, someone who doesn't have depression, someone who is free from what feels like constant voices/thoughts telling me I'm not worthy because that mind is a place I would love to be... I can usually keep the voices/thoughts at a low to dull murmur and sometimes forget they are even there, usually when I am around my partner, best friend or family...but at the moment I find myself wanting to hide away from everyone in my life because I feel like I have bothered them enough with my depression...I know they will support me and be kind to me, but I just want to push them away because I am sick of hurting them because of the way I feel about myself...this is the start of what I know will be a dark time for me, all the signs are there, I know them well...yet I still can't find a way to stop them from taking over and making my world grey again... I'm hoping that by posting my thoughts here, maybe someone will have some advice on how to stop the darkness from winning again so I don't have to keep hurting the people in my life by shutting them out...because I want to protect them, from me.

Birdman Why I sought help. Denial is never a good thing, it catches up to you.
  • replies: 10

Hello, I wish to share my story as I think, hope and pray getting the feelings out of my mind to people who cannot judge me in person nor see my state, will help me. I will start by saying I have sought help through my GP and thus a psychologist. It ... View more

Hello, I wish to share my story as I think, hope and pray getting the feelings out of my mind to people who cannot judge me in person nor see my state, will help me. I will start by saying I have sought help through my GP and thus a psychologist. It took a long time, people telling me I needed to see a doctor for me to seek help. I never wanted not to be ok. I told myself I was ok. I was not. My mother had brain cancer almost six years ago. I feel I never grieved as I had to be strong for my father. Recently he passed away too. The first few weeks whilst things were busy arranging things I felt I was fine, I was however running on autopilot. Once all the phone calls, visits came to a stop I had a hole that was left unfilled. I was in the family home, with the memories and reminders and my support system, a neighbor who has known me all my life went away. I felt I had no-one as I had isolated myself from friends when mum died to concentrate on dad. I still have a couple of good friends and I think their presence saved me from thinking or keeping thinking no-one cared. I broke down due to pressures dealing with dad's estate that I am not going to go into. I could not stop crying in the solicitors office, and she told me I needed to go see my GP as it was clear I was not copping. I sat in the car outside the GP's practice for 20 mins. Eventually I convinced myself I had no choice as the solicitor knew where to contact my family and knew which doctor I was heading to. I convinced myself that she would "dob" on me. That was the only way I could get myself to go in. I did not make it to the desk before I broke down again. A grown man crying and not able to get any words out. It affecte me even now I am typing this. I was lucky, the recpetionist was the sister of a friend. She knew that dad had passed away recently and she got me in to see the doctor, who also treated dad. It took me a while to settle down. I am getting help now, it is helping a little. I am going back to ask for anti depressants as I am still not coping enough to be a part of society. It is or was hard to tell my family. They were not shocked. I am only at the start of what will be a long journey. I cannot get through a day without crying and at times it only takes a little thing to set me off/ The one thing I want to say is anyone reading this who has not sought help, please do. It is hard, I know it is hard. But it is just something you have to do! Thanks everyone for letting me rant.

HelenM Is my depression mutating?
  • replies: 1

My depression is hardly there. As it waved goodbye in May it left me spells of fear. I think it was Snoman who suggested it had gone into a new phase. Just lately I am really dogged with anxiety. I know it's a problem because today my Mum is travelli... View more

My depression is hardly there. As it waved goodbye in May it left me spells of fear. I think it was Snoman who suggested it had gone into a new phase. Just lately I am really dogged with anxiety. I know it's a problem because today my Mum is travelling up to visit. I feel so anxious. Yesterday I rang her and asked if she'd come another time as I don't feel well enough (I've never done that before). She wouldn't cancel and is going to stay at my son's nearby. I'm so nervy about it. Also I am worrying about nothing. So I think it is another phase. Someone said that in a way it's a step further forward. I'm going to ask my GP to be referred for mindfulness course. My overwhelming problem is my fear of never getting another good spell even though I always do. I think most people learn to be optimistic regading this. By nature I'm very pessimistic. I take after my Dad. But back to my question; does depression mutate?

star101 cure or treatment
  • replies: 3

please help me know is there a cure for depression and anxiety or is there just a treatment??

please help me know is there a cure for depression and anxiety or is there just a treatment??

angelite Darkness of Depression
  • replies: 21

My g.p has told me l have depression, why is that so difficult for me to accept. I feel too broken to be fixed, unable to help myself anymore or believe that l deserve to be helped. I spend my days in the car the only place l feel safe away from the ... View more

My g.p has told me l have depression, why is that so difficult for me to accept. I feel too broken to be fixed, unable to help myself anymore or believe that l deserve to be helped. I spend my days in the car the only place l feel safe away from the world. Through the fog and emptiness l watch myself slide into the deepest depression, consumed by hopelessness. Trying to find the strength to get help.

Nala123 Keeping my head above water
  • replies: 6

Hi guys,I'm new here and not really sure what I'm expecting from it but here goes!I've had extreme periods of mania and (mostly) depression since I was a teenager but was only ever prescribed antidepressants on and off. I was never referred to a psyc... View more

Hi guys,I'm new here and not really sure what I'm expecting from it but here goes!I've had extreme periods of mania and (mostly) depression since I was a teenager but was only ever prescribed antidepressants on and off. I was never referred to a psychiatrist or psychologist. I'm now in my early 30s and moved to Australia from the UK just over 2 years ago. The healthcare here has been so much better - I was diagnosed as bipolar straight away and started medication and therapy, although my medication is proving to be pretty ineffective at the moment.Life's been pretty turbulent since I got to Australia, with the breakup of my 8 year relationship and the death of my beloved dog amongst lots of other things. I didn't have any friends/family apart from my partner over here when I arrived and am now living by myself. I have made some friends but without a solid foundation of shared history it's not so easy to ask for help. I work full time and my employers are supportive but I've run out of sick leave from taking days off when I just can't face the world. I've just cycled through a mania coupled with extreme anxiety/panic attacks and am now on the other side feeling really depressed and alone. I've been to hospital and have an emergency appointment with a new psychiatrist on Friday to review my meds but I'm finding it really hard to cope with just existing until then without knocking myself out with medication. Unfortunately they're not good for driving and I crashed my car last week (nobody was hurt thank god). I'm exhausted from trying to keep my head above water, I can't afford to take any time off work and I just can't see how life is ever going to be manageable with this disease. I know I'm a nightmare to be with when I get sick so I can't imagine finding anyone who would want to put up with me but I hate being alone. I'd love to hear how you have managed to cope, what you've found to be effective and I guess mostly how you can learn to accept being alone and not rely on others to get you through the worst of it?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.