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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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Zebra Depressed
  • replies: 5

I've been suffering from depression for about 4 years now and didn't realise just how bad it was or that I even had it until I took an online quiz and read other peoples stories on beyond blue. The thing is I didn't have an major traumatic experience... View more

I've been suffering from depression for about 4 years now and didn't realise just how bad it was or that I even had it until I took an online quiz and read other peoples stories on beyond blue. The thing is I didn't have an major traumatic experience that caused my depression. My husband had been working FIFO at the time and had been doing it for 2 years at the time my depression started. At first I thought I was just feeling lonely and was missing him that's why I was feeling down but even after he came back for good I never got better. It's been 4 years now since I first realised I was depressed and I can't seem to break free from it. I used to be a very happy and bubbly person who used to enjoy going out and having a good time. Now I don't go anywhere I have no enjoyment in anything and just about find everything I do exhausting and a task even something as simple as going to the corner store which is literally down the road. I have no patience for anything or anyone. When my husband wants to take me out to dinner I get anxiety I don't wanna leave the house. I'm so unhappy I feel like nothing I do is good, I feel worthless, guilty about everything and nothing at the same time even though I haven't done anything wrong to anyone. I'm worried that my marriage is going down because of it, my husband is supportive but not in the way I need him to be because I can see how annoyed he is getting especially when he suggests we go out and do things and I always say no ALWAYS. I really hate myself for being like this with him but I can't control it I really really can't. I don't have any thoughts of suicide, thank god but I really am unhappy.

Ianian ASD and a downward spiral
  • replies: 3

Hi, I'm not sure what to post here to be honest, or what to say. I've got ASD with side orders of major depressive and anxiety disorders... I came off my medication a few months ago and have had a slow downward spiral ever since, to the point where I... View more

Hi, I'm not sure what to post here to be honest, or what to say. I've got ASD with side orders of major depressive and anxiety disorders... I came off my medication a few months ago and have had a slow downward spiral ever since, to the point where I've been in tears at work for no reason at all and have been panicking that - for some unknown, unspecified reason - I am going to lose my job. I've always fought my own battles - I have no family to speak of and my wifecan' t cope... she will be there for me but she can't help me through. But now I am working FIFO I can't fight it on my own, there's no escape. I've rung EAP and seen the site doctor who wanted to send me home because he thought I was (am) going to do something to myself... I convinced him (and my manager and my manager's manager) to let me stay. I need to keep busy and working; if I get sent home I will be just sitting there isolated from my workmates and with little support. As I wrote before, I'm not sure what I am doing posting here. Perhaps it just helps getting it out. I have difficulty communicating what is going on in my head to people. I have been speaking to counsellors etc. but I am not sure that I have got it across properly. I have some good friends here on site who have been going out of their way to help and understand which is great, however I also feel guilty about that, being a burden etc. I have found myself disguising it again if I am not doing well so I don't worry them or be an inconvenience. Stupid, I know, but I feel really naked and exposed and it feels like everyone knows about what's going on. It is a long, dark road. At times, like now, I don't know if it is worth travelling.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.

JaeS Needing a break?
  • replies: 2

Hi, so I have been dealing with Depression and Anxiety for about 5 years now, since I was 16. I am now a 21 year old male, my mental problems I had gotten under control pretty well for the past 3 or so years, still having occasional attacks. Recently... View more

Hi, so I have been dealing with Depression and Anxiety for about 5 years now, since I was 16. I am now a 21 year old male, my mental problems I had gotten under control pretty well for the past 3 or so years, still having occasional attacks. Recently, within the last month I have fallen back completely into my depression, sometimes not leaving my bed or bedroom for days straight. I have had my roommate/friends come wake me up cuz it was 4:30pm, I couldn't get to sleep all night, til 12pm that day. What this post is about, is I just feel so lonely, stressed and depressed all the time. What I am wondering is, is it wrong of me to want to badly go into a mental rehab, only for a few weeks. Just so I can have a break? I don't want to have to worry about if I can afford to pay rent, or that 6 month over due bill. Or my career not going right, or the fact I can't go a day without drinking or getting high.. I started self harming again too.. Is it wrong of me to want to have this break? I have not been into a mental rehab as I hide my problems quite well. But I would think the people who visit are able to have a rest from life.. Again, is it wrong for me to want this..?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.

AshN117 Struggling
  • replies: 4

I am 26 with depression. Lately with my financial and social issues it's become a real chore to continue day to day life. I lost my job that I really enjoyed four months ago and I am still unemployed. Between juggling bills, rent etc finances are ver... View more

I am 26 with depression. Lately with my financial and social issues it's become a real chore to continue day to day life. I lost my job that I really enjoyed four months ago and I am still unemployed. Between juggling bills, rent etc finances are very thin and I do not know how I'm going to feed myself until the next centrelink payment. I am applying for work but I always get knocked back, sometimes without explanation. All this stress is becoming too much and I am afraid that I will collapse under all this pressure. RELATED THREADS Broke? Oh that rotten feeling Young, unemployed and feeling useless Unemployed and lacking motivation Unemployed, thinking about the future New father, unemployed, on medication

MisterM Don't have friends, feel so alone and desperate
  • replies: 8

Hi All,I am new to this forum.I don't know what to do my life is completely messed up.I am a 30 year old male and have been diagnosed with anxiety and dysthymia after going to see a psychologist late in 2012.I was attending regular sessions up until ... View more

Hi All,I am new to this forum.I don't know what to do my life is completely messed up.I am a 30 year old male and have been diagnosed with anxiety and dysthymia after going to see a psychologist late in 2012.I was attending regular sessions up until early this year as I wasn't getting anywhere and felt my psychologist got fed up with me not doing what he told me to do to improve things. I have one good friend who I've been close to for about 12 years now but we don't see each other as often as we used to due to the busy life he lives (work, pursuing a music career, and long time partner). We catch up maybe once every 2-3 months if that, sometimes longer. However we have regular contact online and he or I will call to have a catch up over the phone.Apart from my good friend, I don't have anyone else and no social life as a result.I have never had many friends throughout my life, in school I wasn't very popular and cool to be with and felt I wasn't really accepted by people I hung out with after high school. From the age of 18-19 to about 25 I had a small number of friends but we just drifted apart and also I cut some out of my life, and feel I have been shunned.I don't know why I have never had a group of friends. I am shy but there are other shy types with friends. I am kind to people and down to earth so I just can't work out why I don't attract friends.I have former friends and people I have met on Facebook, they are pretty much internet friends. I can see how most have gotten married, had kids, are engaged, bought a home. Pretty much everyone is getting on with life and I am stuck and have been stuck going nowhere for years now.I have never had a girlfriend and still live at home with my elderly parents as I could not afford to move into a house I bought 3 years ago.I am renting it out and was hoping to find a higher paying job so I could afford to live in my home but I failed at all attempts. I have suicidal thoughts often, I live in constant terror of being alone. I don' t know what to do, I fear death but also life. I am stuck in a vicious cycle, I am afraid to meet new people or go on dates because of the shame I have of not having friends.A few days ago I got invited by an artist to an art exhibition this week where she will be displaying her artwork. We got in contact after I contacted her on Facebook after seeing an article on her in my local paper.However I can't bring myself to reply to her email to say I will go because I feel like such a loser.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.

Julieeb Does anyone else have dysthymia ?
  • replies: 5

I had a double depression as I have now just realised I've suffered dysthymia for 6years. Always just feel flat for no reason and when good things happen I never get as excited or happy as I should or as others do. It turned into double depression th... View more

I had a double depression as I have now just realised I've suffered dysthymia for 6years. Always just feel flat for no reason and when good things happen I never get as excited or happy as I should or as others do. It turned into double depression three months ago when I had a big episode of depression. I don't hear or see much about dysthymia and wanted to know if anyone else has it or has had it and have they felt anti depressants helped? I am on anti depressants currently trailing a higher dose and go back to my phyc next week to see if it needs increased. Because I have had dysthymia for so long does that mean it takes ages to go away? Any adivce would be appreciated. I have a place in my heart for everyone and anyone suffering depression - it is a real monster! SIMILAR POSTS Dysthymia - I'm newly diagnosed Doctors and dysthymia Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) I came across dysthymia online yesterday and I think it fits Dysthymia and chronic illness

banksmaree realization
  • replies: 8

The pastt week I've finally come to terms with the thought I have depression. I hate myself, am never happy, keep pushing people away, especially the ones who mean the most to me, and never want to do anything anymore. I've been fighting with my boyf... View more

The pastt week I've finally come to terms with the thought I have depression. I hate myself, am never happy, keep pushing people away, especially the ones who mean the most to me, and never want to do anything anymore. I've been fighting with my boyfriend so bad. And it was one of them fights that I realised and finally admitted to myself, and him. I just dont know where to go from here. I just want to get back to the old me

Alastairt having one of my bad days again. flushing my brain onto you guys
  • replies: 4

well another crap week of work is over again . felt like once again i didnt achieve anything like my life is in this kind of spiral that just doesnt end. everyday i think about which song i want played at my funeral as i dont want someone to play som... View more

well another crap week of work is over again . felt like once again i didnt achieve anything like my life is in this kind of spiral that just doesnt end. everyday i think about which song i want played at my funeral as i dont want someone to play something i dont like it would annoy me ( i wonder when we die if we will be at our own funerals in spirit?) . the thing is i hate being sad all the time but if for whatever someone could make me happy and well i really dont know if i would want that either? .everyday i wonder if it will be the last one i have on earth. im to scared of the pain of suicide so it isnt an option for me . i really hate the human race at times though i feel if i was dying in the middle of a busy street people would be to busy to stop and help me and walk right past me. people on this planet really need to learn to spend time with one another rather than watch tv and sit on facebook. at times i actually wonder if im the one with mental health issues ? thanks again alastair

jm1994 I don't have any motivation and cannot enjoy anything.
  • replies: 1

Hi, for about 4 or 5 years now I've been experiencing problems in which I feel have I completely changed from what I believed to be an intelligent, active and healthy teenager into an unmotivated, run down mess. I thought keeping this bottled up and ... View more

Hi, for about 4 or 5 years now I've been experiencing problems in which I feel have I completely changed from what I believed to be an intelligent, active and healthy teenager into an unmotivated, run down mess. I thought keeping this bottled up and not letting anyone else have to worry about it would be fine, but I feel myself deteriorating and need to let it out.I would have been in Year 11 in 2011 when I believe it started. Before then I was doing exceedingly well in my schooling to the point where teachers considered me skipping a year level, I was engaging in high level soccer, futsal, and basketball (and enjoying it), whilst in spare time I would go out with friends and enjoy their company and vice versa. In 2011 our family moved out from an area which I was able to ride my bike to school, to a quite isolated area (which I'm currently at) in which the only methods of transportation was either by car or by bus which would normally take an hour or so of the day to get to school. I live in a small house with 7 (grandfather, parents, 2 sister, brother and I) people and I sleep in the same room as my brother. During 2011 my sleeping patterns and overall sleep quality has gone due to my brother being on noisy electronics and watching movies in his bed whilst I tried to sleep, and despite efforts to stop it I haven't been able to revert since. I'd catch the bus to school and struggle to focus during class and even fall asleep, causing me to fall behind almost to the point where I was failing basic subjects. I dropped out of all my sports that year because I felt no passion in them anymore and my skill dropped. What was worse is that my parents noticed this and they didn't seem to care or make any attempt to help me out which further reduced my motivation to do well. I ended up scraping through VCE and in 2013 I worked 2 which totalled to 50 hours a week, so I could simply buy a car to reduce travel times so I could start studying. Travel times basically meant that I had to choose out of work or a social life.So I now have my car, and I am able to travel to uni, however cost of living at home and save at the same time whilst passing my course means I am working non-stop just to make ends meet.. and I can't even focus on my work, I have no friends, I'm constantly getting sick, I can't have a conversation with someone because I haven't gone out and experienced or felt anything for so long, and I feel alone and unsupported by my family.

SamanthaCam Not Sure Why..
  • replies: 10

Well I guess I best introduce my self, I'm 22, live at home with my parents still whom act unappreciative of my existence in our house, even though I know they 'love me' they sure don't act like it. We barley have any form of conversations and if we ... View more

Well I guess I best introduce my self, I'm 22, live at home with my parents still whom act unappreciative of my existence in our house, even though I know they 'love me' they sure don't act like it. We barley have any form of conversations and if we do, its more like aggressive talking towards me. I started my own events management company whilst working fill time else where as well, and recently held my first event (expo) which 120-ish people came to and to which I spent every waking minute for the past 8 months planning and co-ordinating leading up to it. Which I'm proud that I've achieved at my age. Meanwhile I've been dating this guy since January, we started off pretty perfect and to which I have never felt more in love with in my life, we had planned to go to New York during new years, (to which I found out he was planning to propose) Probably about 7 months ago I caught him lying to me on multiple occasions and he had done something which he knows is not ok in my books and is something that my previous (and only other x boyfriend) did but on a more extreme level. He looked through my phone while I was sleeping. I caught him. He denied it. I then caught him looking through my laptop while I had fallen asleep, I caught him again, he denied it. He then admitted to doing it to my best friend, and also told her that he had hacked my emails from his house as well as my Facebook. Which he then also admitted to me when I confronted him. I have nothing to hide at all, its more of a trust thing. Since that day, I have felt empty, all the time I used to enjoy my job, I now no longer enjoy anything at all. I don't even feel a strong connection with him anymore, the only thing I seem to want to do is go out and drink. I'm now stuck with these plane tickets to New York, which I saved so hard for I have told him I refuse to go with him. Had planned to go with my best friend instead since we have been meaning to go for years and years. She has now also cancelled due to work. I feel empty constantly, not knowing what I'm doing, feeling like I'm wasting my youth and my time in life. now I have no feelings for anything. No motivation, I've stoped working on my business which used to be my passion and drive for everything and although I'm still with my boyfriend, we had a 5 month break which didn't seem to help, he's very understanding and accommodating now but I honestly feel as though I have no idea who I am and that I'm dead inside & have no idea what to do

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