Depression

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

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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: 1

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

All discussions

TinyJanet Really feeling it
  • replies: 13

Hey everyone I wanted to write on here because I spend so much of my day biting my tongue. My friends and family ask "how are you?" and I give an automatic bright smile and reply with "Great! how are you?" I feel relieved to find an online forum wher... View more

Hey everyone I wanted to write on here because I spend so much of my day biting my tongue. My friends and family ask "how are you?" and I give an automatic bright smile and reply with "Great! how are you?" I feel relieved to find an online forum where I can give an honest answer. And honestly? I'm NOT okay. Not even a little bit. I'm angry. I'm tired. I'm really hurt. I want to be around those I love, but I dont want to have to interact with them in any way. I get confused easily, I feel frightened all the time. I dont sleep - I just worry. Every night, my mind replays in alarming clarity everything I've ever done wrong and every hurtful event I've ever encountered. I arrive at work for my 9-hour shift exhausted but I keep going because right now, I'm the sole 'breadwinner' for my Fiance and I and everything relies on my ability to get the rent paid and put food in our fridge and cupboards. Albeit pot noodle and baked beans, at least we're still getting fed. But I want to shout "STOP" and I want to go home - to bed - and stay there for about 3 months. I want so badly to say I'm really hurting. To tell someone that I'm really unhappy. I feel so lost and so alone and I'm so stressed, strung out and under so much pressure that I literally think my head will explode. I feel desperate. I really want to say to my friends - I'm broken and you dont have to fix me, just hold onto me. Hold onto me so that I dont fall apart and remind me that things are going to be better. Please just tell me that you still care, you still like me and although I feel like I'm losing my mind - you'll still be there when the smoke clears. I'm at the stage where I'm so unhappy, I dont know how to get through today. I would rather...not. It's 9am now...I have 8 hours of very stressful work at Reception until I can go home again. How do I do this?

Mitch154 Confused
  • replies: 2

Hi my names Mitch , in February of 2013 I was diagnosed with a condition known as brachial neuritis , it is basically a condition where my nerves in my shoulder / back on my right side becomes inflamed and I have lost muscles and movement. Being a ve... View more

Hi my names Mitch , in February of 2013 I was diagnosed with a condition known as brachial neuritis , it is basically a condition where my nerves in my shoulder / back on my right side becomes inflamed and I have lost muscles and movement. Being a very active 21 year old you can imagine how hard this hit me , I also lost my job around this time and nothing seemed to be going right , I have since found it hard to get motivated to do things I used to love , have trouble sleeping , I am moody where I have never normally be . I also get headaches regularly and seem to have muscle / nerve pain in other parts of my body out of nowhere . Has anybody has any experience with depression causing physical problems ? Thanks

iamsotired just feel flat
  • replies: 4

I have plenty to fill my time with, but I find I need to use so much energy to start and then stay focused. Any suggestions?

I have plenty to fill my time with, but I find I need to use so much energy to start and then stay focused. Any suggestions?

guest75 I am scared
  • replies: 21

I am so scared of next tuesday I know I have done everything asked of me in the temp IVO, i have not contacted Tara even though every impulse i have in my body wanted to I have done everything I can think of to improve myself (Meds, Psychologist, Enr... View more

I am so scared of next tuesday I know I have done everything asked of me in the temp IVO, i have not contacted Tara even though every impulse i have in my body wanted to I have done everything I can think of to improve myself (Meds, Psychologist, Enrolled in Mens Behaviour Change Program, Given up drinking coke, working on mensline anger management worksheets, writing stuff to get it out of my head, have a job and an interview thursday for one much closer to home, gotten a myself a car) What happened at the start of december knocked me to the canvas...it has taken every ounce of strength i have to get myself back up and to the point where i am now. If it goes bad next week, i know i dont have the strength to fight back again, i dont even know if i want to fight back to be honest Im scared...so so scared and its making me feel sick

Girl_Anachronism Today is not a good day
  • replies: 18

The past two days have been ok. I have alternated between a sober mood and a manic ones. I literally could not sit down two evenings ago. My mind would not stop racing. Thoughts chasing thoughts, around around my head. Yesterday afternoon, I couldn't... View more

The past two days have been ok. I have alternated between a sober mood and a manic ones. I literally could not sit down two evenings ago. My mind would not stop racing. Thoughts chasing thoughts, around around my head. Yesterday afternoon, I couldn't stop laughing. Half the things weren't even funny. Last night there was some little comment or other- something incredibly petty and I was just suddenly so angry at my husband. It made no sense. This morning I am torn between wanting to punch walls and cry in a corner. If only I could control this. I don't necessarily want to jump off my rollercoaster ride but riight now I want to bash my hands against the safety railing. There's got to be something better than this awful state. There's got to be a way out. I am not winning against the monsters in my head today. One of them has me swallowed whole and I don't know when he's going to spit me out. GA

Guest_3712 Climbing out of my skin
  • replies: 10

Hi All, It's been a beautiful day in the sun and for a while there I felt normal. Until I remembered I'm not. I am a drug abuser and suffer from depression. It is almost 4 years ago since so my first hospitalisation and yet it seems like yesterday. T... View more

Hi All, It's been a beautiful day in the sun and for a while there I felt normal. Until I remembered I'm not. I am a drug abuser and suffer from depression. It is almost 4 years ago since so my first hospitalisation and yet it seems like yesterday. The same fear, shame , anxiety and the overwhelming sadness I felt at having been reduced to that state washes over me still when I am feeling particularly low. How did it happen I ask myself over and over. Now after years of therapy and four more admissions I still have these feelings. I still feel bad!. One good thing in hospital was the shared feelings and camaraderie you tend to develop with fellow sufferers after a few months. I joined BB to help fill that gap and the support has been good but part of me says I don't want to be in this 'club ' anymore. Is it just me ? I don't want to have my GP and Psych on speed dial. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on meds that make me fat and stupid. And I really don't want that tag hanging around my neck forever of 'someone that needs to watched '( "you know because of what she did") I have been waiting to see my psych for a month due to Christmas etc and I am climbing out of my skin. It's never over. No matter how much better you become or how you seemingly get back to normal. You are not allowed to forget, ever! It's great that people from BB are going on TV, I'm all for it and if it helps make the subject less taboo then that's wonderful. But the reality for those of us living with depression is that we face discrimination, lack of understanding. and rejection on a daily basis and more often than not it's not from strangers but people we know and love. I want my family and friends to "get it", but the problem is I agree with most of the misconceptions out there. I loathe myself for what I've become and the friends and money I've lost. I can't give them back this time. I can't make it better. So all I can do is to try to make myself less loathsome and carry on. This is where the meds help. But then................................ Yep I hate myself all over again for being so weak. Feeling really shattered at the moment and despising myself for not doing what I know I need to do Stressles

Purple818 What am I supposed to do?
  • replies: 10

I think I have depression, I think I have had it a very long time. How am I supposed to get help? What do I say? I am really afraid.

I think I have depression, I think I have had it a very long time. How am I supposed to get help? What do I say? I am really afraid.

Andrew125 Now I'm really terrified, seriously seriously scared
  • replies: 2

Hi - I'm really sorry to say this to everyone but I need to vent it somewhere so i thought here would be a good place.For the last several years I've been battling depression and suicide thoughts. As I'm sure others can relate too, it's so incredibly... View more

Hi - I'm really sorry to say this to everyone but I need to vent it somewhere so i thought here would be a good place.For the last several years I've been battling depression and suicide thoughts. As I'm sure others can relate too, it's so incredibly difficult to get out of bed sometimes. I've been coping with it for years without any medical treatment or even seeing a doctor - maybe that was a big mistake.When I get these suicidal thoughts (almost daily) I can immediately recognise the difference between "what I WANT to do" and "what I would ACTUALLY do". But today, for the first time ever........I felt like I couldn't trust myself. If I was ever going to do something I know exactly how it would be done but I had always trusted myself and knew that I wouldn't do anything. Now, all of a sudden and completely out of the blue, I don't trust myself and I'm terrified that I'm going to have a "moment". It was so bad that my work had taken my car keys off me and refused to let me drive home without an escort. I don't know what to do. I always trusted myself but now I feel like I can't even trust myself anymore. Does this mean it's getting worse? All my supervisors know now and it's so embarrassing. Am I over reacting or has this happened to others where you always trusted yourself not to do anything but now you feel like that you may not be able too?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.

Tarranna What do I tell my GP?
  • replies: 1

I have been seeking help for depression for nearly 33 months now and find myself loosing it more and more often over the past few months. I have been keeping my GP up to date with my medication detals and support newtork details, but my frends, famil... View more

I have been seeking help for depression for nearly 33 months now and find myself loosing it more and more often over the past few months. I have been keeping my GP up to date with my medication detals and support newtork details, but my frends, family and myself are getting worried that I am getting worse and even my treating pysicoligist has asked my permissing to break confidance. I'm not sure where to go from here and I don't know what to tell my GP.

Neil_1 Dark depths of despair - it won't go away
  • replies: 12

Me of late … well it’s so hard to put into words. I know a lot of you have been asking over the last little while. I’m just so incredibly sad. Just so low. And then it makes me angry … with myself and sometimes it borders to others as well. Not that ... View more

Me of late … well it’s so hard to put into words. I know a lot of you have been asking over the last little while. I’m just so incredibly sad. Just so low. And then it makes me angry … with myself and sometimes it borders to others as well. Not that I want to do any harm to anyone, but it’s just so difficult to express. Just over the last couple of days, what I think I’m realising is that I’m still in heavy mourning and still overcome with grief from the loss of my brother and my Dad. And it’s a long time to be coping with this … 1991 for my bro and 2007 for my Dad. But I kind of feel like why should I be happy when they’re no longer here. I feel that why should I get any enjoyment out of anything; cause Dad and my bro aren’t here anymore to enjoy such things. Even more so for my brother, cause he was just 29 when I lost him. But yeah, it’s sometimes like it’s in the days after the funeral, where everyone else is getting on with their lives and I think, “to hell with that … I can’t and won’t live properly – I’m going to continue to feel sad, because I have too. No one else does this, f**k everyone else, I’m going to feel sad for them forever and I’ll show it to everyone”. And all the while, I’m just wasting away my life … and am worried every day that my kids will be ok, that they will turn out alright. This low, awful feeling has been with me for so long now … and it’s really getting to me you know. I see my Doc, I see my psychiatrist, my meds have been reviewed; I have recently had another mental health check and that proved that yes, I am definitely not a normal functioning human being … I’m just … I can’t … anyway, they’ve got me a series of appointments with my psychologist, but the first one isn’t for another month yet. I exercise every day, we have pets at home which are great, by the way … and yet I still feel this low. This unbelievable sadness that is ripping the absolute guts out of me. You know, I’m on here every day and I reply to all sorts of different folks … wonderful folks … but all the time, you’re hearing these posts from someone who is among their lowest ebbs in life. I can’t do anything to end my life … I couldn’t and won’t do that to my beautiful family. For as much torture and hell that I live through every day, if I did that, it would destroy them. For anyone else who might be reading this … if you’re at that particular way of thinking … please think of the people you’d be hurting so badly who would be left. I know we have these thoughts and how nice it’d be to not wake up again, but we can’t do this. I’ve mentioned that we have the demons, the torture, the living hell inside our minds every day … but there’s nothing for it … despite doing you know “all the right things that they say you should do”, I still am no better. I’m clearly getting worse. So there we are, we are just a under-performing, under-achieving (whoops, sorry, that should have said I am) ……………………….. I want to scream out, I want to cry, but I can’t do the latter and I’d frighten everyone in this workplace if I did the former. I can’t even think of anything funny to say. Bye for now Neil