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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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Butterfly91 Losing hope
  • replies: 15

Hi there, I have struggled with depression for most of my life. At the beginning of this year I seemed to have a grip on things and was doing pretty well but after a couple of months once I decided to stop taking my medication I fell into a dark and ... View more

Hi there, I have struggled with depression for most of my life. At the beginning of this year I seemed to have a grip on things and was doing pretty well but after a couple of months once I decided to stop taking my medication I fell into a dark and inescapable hole. I isolated myself and found it harder and harder to reach out to others. To this day I've tried three different types of medication and while i know it's not a cure, I'm still not feeling much improvement. I feel disconnected and barely like myself. I struggle to talk to others when I was once always sociable and optimistic. It feels like I am trapped and no matter what I do, nothing seems to make me feel better. In the new year I want to further my studies but even finding motivation is really difficult. It feels like I've completely lost myself and I don't know what to do. Please help

ThisCarl So yesterday I had some kind of mental snap. Not sure what to do...
  • replies: 1

Hi all,So yesterday something within me snapped and I think I had some kind of breakdown. I work 2 jobs (I have to) and my girlfriend and parents have been pestering me to take a break for years. They don't understand that work = money and money = re... View more

Hi all,So yesterday something within me snapped and I think I had some kind of breakdown. I work 2 jobs (I have to) and my girlfriend and parents have been pestering me to take a break for years. They don't understand that work = money and money = rent. I cant simply stop working for a week as then I won't have somewhere to live.Anyway, I think this pressure was really getting to me, alongside the constant work lifestyle I have to live. Then, on Wednesday night, my car broke down. I realised I would have to chose between paying to get the car fixed and my electricity bill and I just snapped. I got out of the car and just lost it. My vision blurred and nothing seemed to make sense. I found my self walking one way then 5 secs later walking in the opposite direction. I would get back in the car and try to start it only to leave it again, keys in the ignition. I felt like my brain was fading in and out of consciousness within my concious body. I rang my parents and girlfriend to sayI needed help and guess what they did? Lectured me about taking a break from work! That sent me into a blind rage of sorts. I managed to get home and sleep but the next day, yesterday, I was still really upset. My parents and GF started lecturing me: "Take a break", "Buy a better car" like I had all the money in the world. I would get incredibly angry at little things. I smashed my phone and laptop, which was incredibly stupid but I just lost control for a second. I would just pace the house endlessly. I feel a bit better today but still really mucky and not thinking clearly. What can I do???

Luke123456789 need a level head to give an outside view.
  • replies: 5

Hello, so my name is luke, i'm 20. I've never been an extrovert or enjoyed delvulge my own personal problems. mainly because of trust issues and well, its not something I really want to put on others. so i guess i'll cut to the chase. I'm just really... View more

Hello, so my name is luke, i'm 20. I've never been an extrovert or enjoyed delvulge my own personal problems. mainly because of trust issues and well, its not something I really want to put on others. so i guess i'll cut to the chase. I'm just really lost in life, it really all started when i was 16, my older brother ( one of two) had a car accident while i was on holiday with my family in england. he spent along time in hospital with brain injuries and its still an ongoing process. the day we flew back, we quickly moved from our old family home ( situated a couple hours from the hospital) to somewhere were we could be there for him. my school was quite good with it all and re enrolled me for the year later. as i did not want to be away from family and back in that environment, and by not coming back lost almost all childhood friends. ( small town talking). In the end i dropped out and got myself an apprenticeship, fully qualified now. a couple months ago my parents decided there marriage wasn't working, I'm living with my mother now, who needs the support, she needs someone to remind her on a bad day lives alright.. she hasn't worked for the last 25 years and the life change will be difficult. I've never dealt with emotional problems well at all, and i don't think i've ever worked through my problems. I've found myself with no friends, and the people that are in my life, i find cynical dark reason behind all there actions, in the end forcing them away, or just fading into the background. i've had problems with substance abuse since i was 15, and find self medicating has slowly made it all worse, downward spiral that has no exit. A couple months ago i quit my job to focus on trying to sort the bigger problems in life out which worked well for the first month or so, really tried kicking bad habits and tried to enjoy my own company.I find myself alone and Recently money has become an extra worry as christmas and etc, but i had planned for all this previously, unforced problems with cars and etc through that out the door. these thing are just little problems and i know that but I hate life, theres no fun in life, and i'm so alone, i try to make friends but i can't even start basic conversation. I'm not even sure who i am anymore, the moods are so flat and negative in life. I'm angry and been known to blowup over nothing . This isn't the person i wanted to be.

zailleh Self Intro - Recently diagnosed long-time depressed
  • replies: 3

Hi Everyone, I'm a man in my mid-twenties and I've only just been diagnosed with depression. Actually, that's not strictly true, it was first suggested I might be depressed (melancholic depression) about 3 years ago but I was only on medication for a... View more

Hi Everyone, I'm a man in my mid-twenties and I've only just been diagnosed with depression. Actually, that's not strictly true, it was first suggested I might be depressed (melancholic depression) about 3 years ago but I was only on medication for a short time as it seemed to be related to another medical condition I was then suffering that had me confined to the house for about a year. It's gotten to the point now where I've approached a psychologist and GP for help. This was prompted by months of trouble at work - not caused by bad working conditions but more by my difficulty coping. I first started noticing I was taking days of work simply because I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed. More recently, I've started noticing increasing anxiety in crowds (agoraphobia). This was the final straw that took me to the GP to get medication. On a good day, I can manage to force myself out of bed to go for a walk; otherwise I'll procrastinate until the last minute and then trudge off to work, only to leave work as soon as I'm possibly able. I generally start to feel almost like a normal person around 7:30... and then because I need to go to bed early at around 9pm in order to get up at 5:30 to start the day, I get cranky because I only get about an hour of feeling human before I need to go to bed. I hate going out to places where there are people, but at the same time I get bored staying at home. It's gotten to the point now that I don't even know what activities I actually enjoy. I feel like I've lost my identity. It's not like I'm not good at things; I'm great at my job and I'm well paid for it, I'm relatively fit and healthy as I force myself to go to the gym (which is easy because there's one at work). I'm at the point now that, with diagnosis, I'm ready to admit that my life over the past 15 or so years has been heavily influenced by depression and it's not just "my personality" or "the way I am". Knowing that doesn't help me feel like any less of a failure but hopefully, with anti-depressants and help from a psychologist, I can begin to make a difference in my own life and gain back the joy. If I were to sum up my experience with depression simply it would be: I'm incapable of feeling excited and cannot remember the last time I did so. I'm hoping that, by spending time on this forum, I can come to terms with my condition and gain confidence by being able to speak more about my experiences in a friendly understanding environment. ~ZaiLLeH::

EMH80 I came across Dysthymia yesterday online and i think it fits
  • replies: 6

I wondered if anyone has been diagnosed with Dysthmia and can tell me anything about it. I have been wondering for some time now if I have depression. When I read the information about the different types (bipolar, major etc) I think no I'm not that ... View more

I wondered if anyone has been diagnosed with Dysthmia and can tell me anything about it. I have been wondering for some time now if I have depression. When I read the information about the different types (bipolar, major etc) I think no I'm not that bad. I'm not suicidal and I do look forward to things and get enjoyment out of a lot of everyday activities. I came across Dysthymia yesterday online and i think it fits. I know i should talk to my gp about it but i havent plucked up the courage yet. I do realise that self diagnosis is not a good idea but i thought i would look for some info here first before i go any further. I seem to suffer with a chronic low mood. I'm not in the depths of despair, i just cant be happy a lot of the time and there is no apparent reason. I feel really tired a lot even though i get a full nights sleep. I snap at my husband a lot and get angry at him for no good reason. I find it hard to motivate myself at times and feel hopeless and completely drained. I just want to disappear sometimes. There are times when i feel like i'm just passing through this life not really living it. For a while i thought it was all down to hormones and time of the month certainly seems to have an effect on my moods but it doesnt explain everything. This has been going on for so long now that it feels like part of my personality and maybe this is just who i am- a moody person. Exercise helps lift my mood but only temporarily. The past year has been stressful and the one ahead is looking to be quite stressful too and i think this is contributing to my current low mood. I dont have major highs and lows, I feel like maybe its chronic depression. Does anyone out there suffer with chronic depression and have any words of wisdom? SIMILAR POSTS Living with dysthymia Does anyone else have dysthymia? Dysthymia - I'm newly diagnosed Doctors and dysthymia Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) Dysthymia and chronic illness

ThisCarl Do I have a disability?
  • replies: 4

Do I have a disability? I have clinical, treatment-resistant depression. I find it very difficult to concentrate on work and am very, very tired most days. At a guess I would say I am only about 20% as efficient as I was when I was younger. Of course... View more

Do I have a disability? I have clinical, treatment-resistant depression. I find it very difficult to concentrate on work and am very, very tired most days. At a guess I would say I am only about 20% as efficient as I was when I was younger. Of course, I have had countless tests, scans and doctors appointments to find out why I lack energy but it all comes back the same: major depression is the problem. I've never thought of myself as disabled - I work 12hr days (please, no one tell me that's the problem - I don't have a choice in this as I work so slowly I need the extra hours just to pay rent [I am paid per project]) and exercise and try to be a functioning human being, but slowly I am beginning to realise I will probably never be able to have a regular life. I've had to endure watching my friends and peers succeed in studies, start amazing careers, own houses, etc whilst I plod along barely scraping by. This particularly is getting me a very, very, very down to the point where I have considered suicide. I feel don't want to be the 'broke guy' of my friend group. I don't want anyone to pity me or think I am lazy and most off I don't want to be around to watch as these people lead fulfilling and adventurous lives - get married, have children, travel, etc. So, what am I? Disabled? Lazy? Stupid? The reality is its got to be one of those things.

Chloekat84 Having a bad day with the kids
  • replies: 3

I don't know where to start my eyes hurt from all the crying. I hate having to rely on others but I have a driving phobia. I have depression. Dysthymia to be exact and my sister is pregnant with her second which is crazy as she trouble coping with he... View more

I don't know where to start my eyes hurt from all the crying. I hate having to rely on others but I have a driving phobia. I have depression. Dysthymia to be exact and my sister is pregnant with her second which is crazy as she trouble coping with her first. Anyway drove me and my kids to playgroup this morning and she always wants me ready on the dot. no waiting around at all. anyway she had to wait a few minutes and that annoyed her, I had 2 kids to organise and then and hour into playgroup her son screams and makes a big scene so she decides then and there that shes leaving leaving me no time to get things ready to go. She just says im leaving see ya. U see the reason her son was carrying on was that he saw my son outside which he shouldn't have been he asked me if he could and I said know then told the other carers I said yes which is a lie so he had to be brought back inside. That caused the problem and I tried to be as quick as I could to go I wasn't even aloud to even my coffee! and I was having a convo with one of the carers. So on the way home she says I need to respect when she leaves as Im going in her car and that she wont take me or my kids anywhere anymore. Then as I got out it was the first time I didn't say thank you for the ride and that got her angry again. I was just too upset to say thank you. This plus my dad having a go at me cos my house isn't clean atm because my son makes a mess. Im Just a mess atm and needed to vent

corbeau Feeling alone and helpless
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone. This is my first post here. I'm not sure what is wrong with me, but all I know is that I am not right. I have had a couple of sessions with a counsellor who suggested I may have dysthymia but she wasn't able to diagnose it, in addition t... View more

Hi everyone. This is my first post here. I'm not sure what is wrong with me, but all I know is that I am not right. I have had a couple of sessions with a counsellor who suggested I may have dysthymia but she wasn't able to diagnose it, in addition to that I saw her while I was feeling okay so it masked a lot of what I feel most times. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist next week regarding issues with controlling my moods. I have some of the symptoms of a personality disorder, whether or not the psych will agree in that, I just want some help. I also have a persistent feeling of lowness, of unhappiness. I have never been a cheery, happy person and it's not something I can just snap out of. I just came back from an overseas holiday of a lifetime and I had some mental issues while on it, however I mostly felt content. However upon return I have hit a wall. I feel as if my life has no future, I have no friends, no prospects, my relationship with my boyfriend sucks. I find myself thinking about suicide, I don't think I would do it but just thinking about it seems to feel right. Basically, I feel as if I will never be happy, never have anything to be alive for, never have anyone. I look at my family and wonder when I will have what they have and realise maybe I'm just not meant to have anything. I don't see a future and I am tired of feeling so sad inside, I just want to feel happy and have a chance to be a normal person, and I wonder why my brain won't let me. I have no one in real life that I feel I can talk to about this so I guess I am desperate for a place to vent these feelings and wishes.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.

Chrisj Lost
  • replies: 1

I just can't seem to get it right. The more I try to fix things the worse I seem to be making it. I can not think straight enough to talk logic . I am trying to build back the relationship I thought I had prior to needing to work so much that I forgo... View more

I just can't seem to get it right. The more I try to fix things the worse I seem to be making it. I can not think straight enough to talk logic . I am trying to build back the relationship I thought I had prior to needing to work so much that I forgot how to enjoy my life. Now my life has seemed to have moved on and I am lost. I don't want to keep trying . I feel like just giving up . I have no idea how to move forward and I don't think my family want me in their life anymore . 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;}

trybehappy Sick of the Rollercoaster
  • replies: 4

Suffered from Depression and Anxiety since I was a teenager. Sought help in my early 20s and was generally okay with a few minor ups and down for 20 years then 5 years ago a series of events happened which have set me back to where I was as a teenage... View more

Suffered from Depression and Anxiety since I was a teenager. Sought help in my early 20s and was generally okay with a few minor ups and down for 20 years then 5 years ago a series of events happened which have set me back to where I was as a teenager. Major rejection from a very dear friend, my mum died of cancer and I'm left to look after my alcoholic depressive victim father who can do nothing for himself, he would spend all this money if someone didn't manage it - all this was left to me as my elder sister moved interstate 3 months before mum died and has basically forgotten about her family (another selfish person), my brother who is the only one living in the same state has nothing to do with my father as he wasn't a particularly nice father and my younger sister who is there for me but lives again interstate. So I feel a great sense on obligation to make sure my father is okay (goodness knows why). The main problem is he was okay for two years then he seems to be gradually returning to his old selfish victim self. I couldn't wait to get away from him at Christmas as we took him interstate with us to spend Christmas with my younger sister. I suffer from needing to feel liked, most probably due to rejection as a child. So I constantly seek reassurance which dives me mad. I feel like a square peg in a round hole most of the time. I am sick and tired of the ups and downs - negative thoughts come into my head and I try to examine them then get rid of them but its just so hard. Most of the time I feel so lonely it hurts and that no one understands or even cares as people are so wrapped up in their own lives no one even notices or asks......................