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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

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Olivia2 What are your triggers?
  • replies: 3

Hello I'm a newbie to BB but not to depression having suffered from depression/anxiety for most of my life. I have been on medication for 6 years now which has been a life saver and I think will also be a life-long commitment to staying well. I am a ... View more

Hello I'm a newbie to BB but not to depression having suffered from depression/anxiety for most of my life. I have been on medication for 6 years now which has been a life saver and I think will also be a life-long commitment to staying well. I am a high achiever, I am a mummy to a gorgeous 2.5 year old boy who I love to bits and who can also drive me mad, you know how it is. I work in academia, 4 days/week. In general I manage all the general day to day of life, work, housestuff, child minding etc. I have a supportive partner etc. And yet my depression or anxiety are always just 'there'. I have had years of therapy and had traumatic teenage years caused by a mum who herself was and still is seriously mentally ill. I now have minimal contact with her as a way of surviving. My psychiatrist says that my brain has simply wired itself to be this way eg thru trauma and genetics but I hate feeling like this. I am going through a depressive stage at the moment and I often just can't put my finger on what the trigger is. Life just seems like a constant balancing act which most of the time feels like it takes a huge effort to maintain. I was lying in bed last night feeling terrible and thought reaching out to BB would help, and reading the stories on here have been an amazing way to just think 'oh my god I'm not alone'. I am just interested in how others feel they manage the day to day, and if you are any good at recognising your triggers. I know the usual take time for yourself and so on, but then feeling guilty through mother guilt is so self-sabotaging too! We are thinking of moving overseas back to my husband's home country where I have lived before and am actually feeling ok about (well actually very up and down but am open to), but I worry about not having support like I have set up here with access to my psychiatrist, and I don't even know how it works with medication....I assume people in Ireland take antidepressants but would I have access to the same medication? Anyway just interested to read some more ideas.

GetBetter Hard days turned into harder weeks....
  • replies: 3

Hi guys, First time for everything. Never thought I will have to reach out. Never thought that I, guy who’s seen it all, has been through a lot with his head up, who has been to hell and back, could be posting on a forum related to depression. Long s... View more

Hi guys, First time for everything. Never thought I will have to reach out. Never thought that I, guy who’s seen it all, has been through a lot with his head up, who has been to hell and back, could be posting on a forum related to depression. Long story short –I’m in my late 20’s, had a very good social life, decent job with good income (bit of stress at work but hey, every job is like that isn’t it), beautiful and gold hearted fiancé, living in a nice apartment etc etc. I don’t think I need anything and I’ve very comfortable. Bit of a family history with abusive alco father but I don’t think it overly bothers me now – I have moved out so my contact with family is very limited (my choice). Over the last few weeks / months I’ve just been feeling down a lot. Constantly tired, never want to get out of bed, can’t be stuffed doing anything or seeing anyone. My hobbies (which consists of playing video games and painting miniature models) no longer brings me joy (quite the opposite – it actually pisses me off and gets me frustrated). I enjoy doing what I’m doing for a living – I just can’t be bothered most of the times. My sex life is semi-existent but only because of me – if it was up to her (and if I was co-operative) we would have sex every day. My friends – long story with some of them – I just can’t be bothered seeing because I know they will say something that I will take personally and that will piss me off. I thought about joining a gym and going for runs – just too tired with a lack of motivation. Constantly blaming myself and thinking that I’m just a problem for some people. Would love to tell a lot of people to F OFF but I feel like it will ruin the group we have going on (I’m only “friends” with some of them because of the group). I sometimes drink but not often (maybe once a fortnight) and I don’t get very drunk. I’ve done a lot of drugs when I was younger but nothing for last few years. Quit smoking few months ago as well. I’m definitely not happy. It almost feels like I don’t want to be happy. I don't even know what I should do to be happy - I'm not looking for it - I'm avoiding it. Did I think about necking myself few times over last days? Sure did – I know I would never do it, I just have thoughts of it. Anyone in similar situation? Should I see somebody? Should I just eat a spoon of cement?

DanaS Life down the drain
  • replies: 3

Hi, It said to share as that might help dealing with emotions so I'm trying it.The job I had was hell, about 10 hours of un-paid over-time a week, constant stress, constant bereating from management that what was being done with a team of 7 can't be ... View more

Hi, It said to share as that might help dealing with emotions so I'm trying it.The job I had was hell, about 10 hours of un-paid over-time a week, constant stress, constant bereating from management that what was being done with a team of 7 can't be done with a team of 1. a few months before new year I finally got an apprentice to help me out, but yeah teaching takes more time so no quick result. Anyway I put up with it because I couldn't find another job and we'd bought a home in Byford and finally adopted 2 little girls.Then in February my partner and I were in a car crash, the car was totalled but we only had a little whiplash. Damage was beyond our insurance cover since it was an old car they pay out wasn't even enough to buy a new one.And then 2 maybe 3 weeks later the GM pulls me aside and tells me that they're getting rid of me in favor of my aprentice yipee. At first I was kinda happy out of the hell hole. Then the financial problems hit home.I've been job hunting every since and send out between 20 and a 100 applications a day and receive dozens of rejections each week. Since it's been going down hill.Every idea I've had to save my familie has been shot down by banks, government, possible employers. nobody seems to want to deal with me at all.Even centerlink won't help us because my partner is not on minimum wage she earns just enough to pay our morgage but hey we need food and pay bills as well. And I got told very firmly by centerlink that they won't help us as long as we have our home. So we need to lose everything before they'll even give us a break.my car is gone, my job is gone, and every week something else seems to happen. my laptop dies, on of our girls gets sick and needs treatment, I get injured,it's constantly going on and I'm not holding on very well anymore.I'm a lesbian woman with chronic illness and chronic pain, and nobody wants to have anything to do with me,and I can't seem to be strong anymore I haven't stopped crying since I woke up today. 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:8.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:107%; 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-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Macka90 IT DOES GET BETTER
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone. I am on 3 weeks of my meds and would like to say, it does get better. I have been on these meds before a few years ago so they have kicked in pretty much straight away, I am slowly becoming my old self again. i had a mental/nervous break... View more

Hi everyone. I am on 3 weeks of my meds and would like to say, it does get better. I have been on these meds before a few years ago so they have kicked in pretty much straight away, I am slowly becoming my old self again. i had a mental/nervous break down a few weeks back, my whole body crashed on me, I was then diagnosed with depression and anxiety. But with the help of good doctors and my family and friends I am slowly getting back to myself.

Juggler The craziness of depression - this forum made me laugh while I am crying
  • replies: 2

I have just joined here.. Having a badish day but I had to share what just happened to me to me just shows how the simple things can become overwhelming when depressed. I was reading some of the posts and when I went to the top of the page I saw 'Hom... View more

I have just joined here.. Having a badish day but I had to share what just happened to me to me just shows how the simple things can become overwhelming when depressed. I was reading some of the posts and when I went to the top of the page I saw 'Home >Connect with others > Online forums' the Online forum part was not clickable so the only way I could work out how to get back to the forum was hit the back button after doing this a few time I burst into tears yes no clickable link seemed to mean that much to me I am sure some will understand that here. After reading a few more posts I realised just below the button for the 'Community rules' is the clickable link back to the forums well when I realised that I started laughing so as I started writing this I was both crying and laughing as well as think damn your crazy. Sorry just had to share that depression if you have not had it you are not going to believe the things that effect you

Raven666 What do you do when no one will listen?
  • replies: 13

Hey, I, umm, new here and really don't know what i'm doing. I'm 25 female and been having a tough time. Had a break down at work 3 or 4 years or so ago and been struggling since. For 3 years I was seeing Psychologists, Psychiatrists,GP, getting medic... View more

Hey, I, umm, new here and really don't know what i'm doing. I'm 25 female and been having a tough time. Had a break down at work 3 or 4 years or so ago and been struggling since. For 3 years I was seeing Psychologists, Psychiatrists,GP, getting medicated and all that but no one seems to really want to listen to what I say. I keep getting fed lines like "You're young", "you've got your whole life ahead of you", "Your pretty". I keep feeling like i'm getting dismissed a lot. Yes i'm small, yes i'm built "petite", yes i'm young but that shouldn't mean i should get dismissed, does it? I've read the Psych reports on me and one Psych said I "chose" this and the other said I "overreact". Half the time they don't even give me enough time to arrange my thoughts, and how to word things properly. I don't know what I can do. I've been giving it my all, its taking a lot of strength and will out of me and i keep getting stone walled. I try and i try and i try and nothing happens... I'm finding it hard to continue on, i'm struggling to survive with all this stone walling and deaf ears around me. I'm standing on my last leg and I'm in need of help. Can anyone help me? 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:8.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:107%; 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-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Fire_is_catching Having a rough time
  • replies: 2

I have been suffering from depression since I was 13, I am now 25. It hasn't always been a struggle, I have tried to manage it as best as I can. Done the meds thing, I see a psychiatrist... but it never really goes away. The dark, the negative thinki... View more

I have been suffering from depression since I was 13, I am now 25. It hasn't always been a struggle, I have tried to manage it as best as I can. Done the meds thing, I see a psychiatrist... but it never really goes away. The dark, the negative thinking, the stress, the anxiety... it is always there waiting on the sidelines, looking for an opportunity to take over when you're vulnerable and down. I have always been a very private person, I don't reach out well to others, I don't want to burden others with my problems or let others into the jumbled thoughts that bounce around in my head. Its pretty hard trying to deal with it on your own, who do you turn to when you're having a really off day? I decided to go off my anti depressants two weeks ago because the side effects were becoming to much and I had gained alot of weight in a short amount of time, right now though my emotions are stuck on a wild roller coaster ride and I feel my mood slipping into that dark pool, that horrible darkness deep within your soul. Going through a bit of a hard time right now and trying to muster all my strength to overcome it and see the light on the other side.

davethesock How to be less of a burden
  • replies: 3

I really ave no idea where to start with this so I will try to be as clear as I can. I have suffered from depression all my life, however, I have managed to function and hold down a job and a relationship. However, over the last few years my ability ... View more

I really ave no idea where to start with this so I will try to be as clear as I can. I have suffered from depression all my life, however, I have managed to function and hold down a job and a relationship. However, over the last few years my ability to cope has become less and less and I ended up getting divorced (that's another long story) and changing jobs. I am in a new relationship but I feel a constant burden. It seems that nothing I do is right and we have started to argue a lot I do not think it is my fault but I ave been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and a generalised anxiety disorder so intellectually I recognise that I am probably not being reasonable but I cannot make the emotional connection - it is like things are either blank inside or wound up so tight I could explode at any moment. I just do not know what to do and what would be reasonable behaviour and it scares the hell out of me. I am off work at the moment as I try new medication but there is a constant tension and it seems that for whatever reason either my behaviour or something else a history has built up in my relationship which means that as soon as anything happens it is instantly attributed to my depression, with comments such as - I cannot talk to you when you are like this. I just can't tell if this is me being unreasonable or whether this has become a habit or an excuse. Does anyone have any experience of how to deal with this and maybe have some form of benchmark that can help them know when they are reasonable and unreasonable - I just can't believe it is me all the time or is this something I have to get used to as one of the things that have to be dealt with whilst suffering from depression.

Fred23 Struggling after a workplace accident.
  • replies: 1

Ok so i have no idea where to start but I'm struggling to get back on track after an accident at work ended with me losing half my index finger. I've been fighting the depression from many years ago that's come back after it. Whilst my recovery is go... View more

Ok so i have no idea where to start but I'm struggling to get back on track after an accident at work ended with me losing half my index finger. I've been fighting the depression from many years ago that's come back after it. Whilst my recovery is going well, I'm so scared that i won't be able to do the job I love doing so well. I can't do my hobby to take my mind off it as I race remote controlled cars and it requires my index finger as a vital part to work the throttle. My mate is trying to push me to go bike riding and go to the gym, but I just can't get the motivation to keep it going. The big thing is that i feel like I've stalled in my recovery and it's not going as quickly and i want/ expect it too. I'm just completely lost and don't feel like myself all of a sudden and I don't know what to do to get through it.

Sunshine_lollypops Demotivated demoralised and frustrated
  • replies: 3

Argg! Why is everything so hard! Year in year out I've worked my hardest to be positive, hard working, motivated. I've worked a great job (which after 15 years I was retrenched from due to outsourcing) and did my best to see it as a blessing and an o... View more

Argg! Why is everything so hard! Year in year out I've worked my hardest to be positive, hard working, motivated. I've worked a great job (which after 15 years I was retrenched from due to outsourcing) and did my best to see it as a blessing and an opportunity to retrain. So at 8 months old I put my child in daycare 2 days a week and went back to school and got my cert 4 in fitness. And what a joke that has been. I hoped it would give me the ability to work the hours my child is asleep so I could spend the days with her. But getting shifts late enough so it doesn't interfere is non existent and most people seem to want a "cheap" trainer. And if you work for a gym they want you to do sales. I couldn't sell to save myself, I hate sales with a passion, so it appears I've completely wasted my time. On top of that, I have been training people I know just to keep myself current but I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall. People just aren't dedicated to their goals. They spend more time making excuses than listening to what I actually have to say, And it doesn't seem to matter what angle I take to help I've wasted my time and effort investigating new training methods. So what does that say about how effective a trainer I am? I'd rather spend all day in my room by myself (aside from my daughter). I have read about depression including not wanting to feel alone but I rarely feel lonely and often get annoyed and anxious about having to actually spend time with people. I know this isn't healthy and push myself to have activities to do every day but it's causing me more frustration everyday. I feel so demotivated to do anything. I've lost passion for most everything. It's driving me spare. I want to be a good mum and a role model but I can't even keep my house in a decent state. Why can't I work out how to make something work. Ive tried writing down things I'm grateful for everyday for 6 weeks. It make zero difference. what the heck do I do? I'm so lost.

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