Immediate support
Immediate support

Depression

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

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

Start a discussion

jodes76 had enough
  • replies: 1

Can't handle it anymore, my daughter is full on hard work. Lately she been pushing me over. My hubby is also hard work. I hate being controlled. I feel like I need to get away from it all. It's not helping my mental state. I'm so sick of this. I want... View more

Can't handle it anymore, my daughter is full on hard work. Lately she been pushing me over. My hubby is also hard work. I hate being controlled. I feel like I need to get away from it all. It's not helping my mental state. I'm so sick of this. I want to leave I don't want or need this shit anymore. I'm smoking I can't quit I can't deal with it at all. It really hurts but I need to get out and change things. I love my hubby but I'm not in right state to deal with this anymore. Feel like a slave. When I do get try get time to myself I get made to feel guilty. So feel down right now, trying to beat the urge to hurt myself. I don't know how much longer I can go on like 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.

debi30 post surgery depression???
  • replies: 1

hi,im now 7 weeks post op from TT and arm lift, i lost 74.5kgs and needed excess skin removed i was due to return to work 2.5 weeks after surgery but recovery took a little longer, once i was due to do back i found out i had internal bleeding and a n... View more

hi,im now 7 weeks post op from TT and arm lift, i lost 74.5kgs and needed excess skin removed i was due to return to work 2.5 weeks after surgery but recovery took a little longer, once i was due to do back i found out i had internal bleeding and a nasty infection, ended up back in hospital and had another surgery.. last monday i went back to work and i now have a new position at work due to people leaving etc.. but since monday i cry at the drop of hat { im far from a cryer}, no appitite, have a constant sick feeling in my tummy, and feel on edge, not sleeping.. my dr recons its post surgery depression and wants me on meds - but i dont really want to as my body is still jammed packed with medications... but i also cant go thru like this.. im not me im not anything. i know my body is healing but im struggling with the let it go and ill get over it vers take the pills and feel better, ive never in my life had depression issues.... anyone else had this who can help??

Jo3 will i ever get better
  • replies: 2

I don't know if I will ever get better. Whether this damn depression that eats away at me will disappear. Whether my anxiety levels will drop. Will I ever have self esteem or confidence? Will I ever lose weight or be strong? There are so many scenari... View more

I don't know if I will ever get better. Whether this damn depression that eats away at me will disappear. Whether my anxiety levels will drop. Will I ever have self esteem or confidence? Will I ever lose weight or be strong? There are so many scenarios and questions that I can't answer. Today I feel sort of okay. I went for a 6km walk with my hubby this morning and now my legs are sooo sore. Sitting on my deck in the sunshine listening to the birds whistling away among the trees I feel free but scared. I still have so much trepidation where it concerns my parents. And I don't have any self esteem, in fact I hate myself so much; I hate the way I look, my body, the weight I have put on from the anti depressants and the lack of confidence. I struggle daily even though I work (that's when I put on a mask). I still wonder about self harm, still wonder what's it like to go to hospital. I am scared that I may never get this depression out of my head, my body, me. I am scared that it will be with me forever. It's hard to not be scared when the thoughts pop up about self harming and suicide come up. Do I just keep taking the meds forever. I asked my psych yesterday if I could come off them and his reply was that talking to my parents now wouldn't solve the depression instantly. So that means that i have to keep taking them. Sorry guys, I am just not understanding depression, I thought I knew what it was but i don't think i really do. Was I born with it; did i develop it as I got older; is it a chemical imbalance? Will I ever get better - I guess time will tell. Jo

Notmyself New Year,............
  • replies: 4

Happy New year to all my Beyond Blue Friends!!! I hope that through all your daily struggles you managed to feel some happiness and positive energy throughout the festive season!! I haven't written in such a long time and for that I feel guilty and s... View more

Happy New year to all my Beyond Blue Friends!!! I hope that through all your daily struggles you managed to feel some happiness and positive energy throughout the festive season!! I haven't written in such a long time and for that I feel guilty and sorry!! You've all supported me alot and I feel as if I have been selfish! Never the less, here I go!! If i were to reflect truthfully and entirely on my last year I would be a ball of tears, fears and sadness! So I'll keep it brief. It sucked major Donkeys..... Depression.... Other health issues, simply not coping with my everyday life, very nearly destroyed a lot of relationships in my life and my will to get better and try to carry on a strong healthy happy person. Christmas day its self was a near on disaster, an event Christmas eve most def ruined my Christmas and I can say that it was a turning point in my head and in my heart!! I decided to try my very hardest and put all my effort into staying positive!! So far so good!! Now I know it seems so smug of me to say it but I am proud of my achievement so far!!! Its hard, and very very trying, but Im not giving up. I put a shield up and when I get those feelings of that sneaky black dog creeping up to rock me, I bang bang deflect all the bad vibes and think of something thats making me happy!!! Naturally I still have moments, but I'm just trying not to dwell on those moments! I got a promotion at work, my relationship seems to be blossoming even more so, This is all good and I feel appreciated and respected! Its going well!! Plus I no longer have to work away so i think thats a pretty big chunk of my problems about to go away!! My biggest struggle at the moment is small and its my weight, I know its only a minor issue but its mine!! I'm 25 172-175 cm tall and I weigh 57kg, just before Christmas i was 55kg and thats where I want to be, so Im doing it!! I often get down about my weight and realistically I know I have nothing to worry about Im not fat or over weight, im closer to underweight than I am over weight but it is a strange little thing always on my mind! I wear baggy clothes so I feel smaller!! I watch what I eat. But its nothing major so Im feeling positive about life again!! So I want to thank all of you have had helped me through the hard times, and to everyone who is struggling over whatever just remember that no problem is stupid, your not alone and thongs will get better. Dont ever give up. xxxx LP

Jo3 seeing my psych today
  • replies: 8

Hi everyoneCan't wait for 12 noon when I see my psych. It's been 10 days since my last session but it feels like forever. So much has happened in the past week that it's doing my head in. I thought that me seeing my parents would help me feel a lot h... View more

Hi everyoneCan't wait for 12 noon when I see my psych. It's been 10 days since my last session but it feels like forever. So much has happened in the past week that it's doing my head in. I thought that me seeing my parents would help me feel a lot happier. But I'm not and I now know that it's the depression, the chemical imbalance that is affecting me. So what do I do? Keep taking my meds, keep seeing my psych and GP, exercising, doing stuff that I can do. Maybe in my head I thought I would be "fixed" "cured" when I saw my parents. But that's not the case. Not at all. In fact part of me feels like I am heading downhill again. Is it the emotions. It has to be - the roller coaster of emotions I've had this week. I've had to deal with so much this week that I really don't know how I coped - well I'm not that's the point.You know, I craved for my parents for three years, I cried every day for them; and then it turned to my dad. I wanted to see him but couldn't, i wanted a hug from him but couldn't. And then last week I got the hug I so much wanted.I have a feeling this is going to take a long time for me to be happy again, thing is will I ever be happy again? I try, i really do try to be the best wife, mum, daughter, sister, friend. I really do but sometimes I don't know. I doubt myself so much, I have high expectations of myself, i can't make mistake, i can't fail. And I have - because I have depression, I have a mental illness.So where to from here - I don't have a clue. All I know is that my parents are speaking to me, I lost my last grandparent the other day; i struggle to work, i struggle to be happy. I don't know anymore.I hope by being on here I can gain some strength to keep going, because some days it's not easy; some days it's hard. I know I have a lot of friends on here now that we support each other; and i hope that one day, if anyway possible, we could all meet up - i would just love to hug everyone and say thanks. Thanks for keeping me alive, thanks for keeping me strong and thanks for picking me up when I'm down. (wiping me eyes with tissue). I really and truly believe that BB is a fantastic and safe site to use; we all understand each other and know what we're going through. I think I'm rambling on now, so I will go. Let you all know how my session goes today - though I'm thinking it won't be great, I'll need tissues.Jo xx

alenaxo Why am i feeling like this? Need help :(
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, Ok where do i begin.. I am 22 years old and have battled depression for 6 years now. Unfortunately it runs in my family and have the personality for it to target. I have big self esteem issues to the point where i cant leave the house wi... View more

Hi everyone, Ok where do i begin.. I am 22 years old and have battled depression for 6 years now. Unfortunately it runs in my family and have the personality for it to target. I have big self esteem issues to the point where i cant leave the house without hiding behind make up and fake tan. I cant take any compliments and have never thought im good enough. I have an amazing boyfriend where sometimes i think how did i even get this person and doubt myself completely. I fear the future and just think he will eventually break up with me. I self doubt myself that much that jealousy comes into the picture. I get jealous even when he goes out with his friends.. WHY?! i think that his friends might egg him on to find someone better than me because i think im not good enough even though he would never do that i somehow keep putting ideas in my head that im not good enough and that he will just find better. I have no confidence in myself and he has to suffer for it. My depression has even affected us sexually because im not confident and self doubt myself. My boyfriend can never understand what im going through and just says im being silly but there is so much more to just being "silly". Sometimes i am that fed up with the way i think that i just cant be bothered anymore, i dont know how to help myself?? I am called beautiful all the time even by strangers yet i cant take any compliments or see why they are saying that. Everyday im negative in any situation and i dont want to be. I have tried reading self help books, they work for a short term period but eventually my depression takes over me. Can anyone please give me some advise who is going through what i am???? thanks, Alena

Chris D Trying to Help People
  • replies: 1

This friday evening. I like most other times when i have started a new thread or post am laying on my bed listening to music on my phone. This thread is quite similar to the "A must Read Thread". It is all about trying to help others who a in a real ... View more

This friday evening. I like most other times when i have started a new thread or post am laying on my bed listening to music on my phone. This thread is quite similar to the "A must Read Thread". It is all about trying to help others who a in a real dark patch at the moment and those you need to read some encouraging, supporting and inspiring words. It is to give us all on here at BB a pick up off the ground, so we can all walk together hand in hand with one another. For people who are in a really dark place, i understand your feelings we all do you are not alone and never wil be. I am hoping that this thread will bring people who are struggling out of the shadows of darkness and into the light of the sun. It is when this happens that you start to notice that things are changing for the better. I know what it is like to go to hell and back, you feel like nothing or no one can help but in the end it all comes together i assure you all. This is my own way of trying to help others, it is not because i don't want to post on anyone's thread it is simply that the best way for me to help people is to create threads like this turn the negative into a positive. I wish i could post on your threads, i feel so slack for not being able to in particular when i see other people are doing just that. YOU ALL HAVE THE STRENGTH, COURAGE, FAITH, BELIEF AND EACHOTHERS BACKS WHEN WE NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TOO, WHEN WE FALL WE ALL HAVE SOMEONE TO PICK US UP WE ARE ALL 100% BEHIND EACHOTHER. Kind Regards Chris

Carlyrm Struggling
  • replies: 7

This week is hard for my it's my father's birthday who passed away nearly 11 years ago it's two days before my own. I'm so scared of being alone on my birthday but have few friends, I feel crap to force them to do something with me. I've been on a tw... View more

This week is hard for my it's my father's birthday who passed away nearly 11 years ago it's two days before my own. I'm so scared of being alone on my birthday but have few friends, I feel crap to force them to do something with me. I've been on a two week break from work (just normal xmas holidays) and this weekend I'm feeling sad about it and I'm feeling alone - I only hung out with one friend during these holidays, mostly spent time with family and getting a things done that I otherwise wouldn't have time to do. I'm actually looking forward to going back to work on Monday so these feelings can subside too. I've been stressed out a bit due to an aggressive friend who I don't associate with anymore (before new year) and dealing with rude service from my previous job service provider (the people who you are referred to when unemployed) which has led me to file a complaint. These things don't bother me as much. I worry about when my social life will pick up, when I have close friends in my life I can trust and really care about me when I tell my mother about doing something social when I come back the first question is always "did they show up?" -- and that's how bad it's been for me. I have made a few new friends but I'm still a bit shy I don't chase friends for social things as I used to get let down a lot so I find myself holding back more so. It's hard to do it but I don't want to isolate myself. I miss being able to talk to someone on a regular basis, my ex and I were such close friends for a long time but I feel our friendship is over and it wouldn't be right to contact him. He broke up with me in August and nothing has been the same since, I feel I've begun to move forward but it's times like this where I feel grief for my father and lonely that I feel there's no one to confide in. My new friends are nice but we're not that close. I'm so scared of being alone on my birthday. I'm so scared.

Neil_1 Acknowledgement to Geoff
  • replies: 11

To Geoff, I've been thinking of doing this post for a while now and so thought today is as good a day to do it as any. Can I just say that the experience, advice and support that Geoff brings to this site is incredible. We know you’ve had your long r... View more

To Geoff, I've been thinking of doing this post for a while now and so thought today is as good a day to do it as any. Can I just say that the experience, advice and support that Geoff brings to this site is incredible. We know you’ve had your long ride through hell … just as most of us are experiencing ourselves right now. Your journey was damn long and though you’re through now, I know there are times that demons come back to haunt you. As I’ve referenced in the past, you have been the one constant on this site for the whole time and that’s evidenced by the incredibly high number of posts that you’ve sent. Over 1,500 posts provided to people in need, people in crisis, people crying out for help, for support ... people like us … you’ve responded and sent replies to so many and you have made a difference. A HUGE difference. I would hazard a guess that you have saved untold amount of lives by your support and advice when people were at their lowest ebb and about to end things. Things like this just emphasis to me just how amazing and truly special you are Geoff. I’m sorry if I’ve gone all fuzzy and warm with this post and have singled Geoff out specially (because for anyone who comes on here and posts responses – they are responses of support, care, advice and love – love for the other people who are suffering – and everyone should be acknowledged for being such wonderful, kind spirited, compassionate and the absolute best human beings on this planet). But I just wanted to say a quick thank you to Geoff for his constant advice, knowledge and unwavering support. Thanx mate and one day if we ever meet, I would love to shake your hand, buy you a beer and sit and have a few frosty ones with you. Cheers Neil Ps: I really don’t know what bought that on … it’s 10:36am, so that must have been one helluva coffee that I had this morning! Having said that, every word above is true and straight from the heart.

Girl_Anachronism My Day
  • replies: 24

You are probably of sick of hearing from me by now, but I felt the need to post what happened to me today. After a long and ardous 5 hour long conversation with my husband yesterday, I decided that I was going to go to this convention today which we ... View more

You are probably of sick of hearing from me by now, but I felt the need to post what happened to me today. After a long and ardous 5 hour long conversation with my husband yesterday, I decided that I was going to go to this convention today which we have helped plan for the past month. It was a small one- not even a thousand people but a couple of days ago I was sure I would be too fragile to face that. I wasn't even sure gioing to sleep last night. I woke up this morning and decided to to go. I would be volunteering close to my husband and some friends so if things tarted to go pear shaped, help was at hand to seek medical attention. The deal was we would be there as long as I could stand it and then we could go home or to the hopsital depending on my state of mind. It went alot better than expected. I spent most of the day there and even found the responsibility of looking after attendees helped me keep my mind of my troubles. I just focused on what others needed. When the crowd was toomuch, I withdrew to a spot working the door where it was quieter and I didn't even have to do much work. The biggest news of all- I had fun. I laughed for the first time in days. I found myself smiling. Today was a good day. I am not saying I won't have bad days after this, I probably will with the looming deadline of deciding what to do with my life now that I have wasted 7 years on a not quite finished degree. I haven't even began to deal with my family issues. But today was a good day all the same. I guess that's what the point of this post is- not to gloat that I am having a good day and others aren't, but that good days can and do happen. A good day happened to me of all people, and if you've been following my posts you know good days just haven't been happening for months. If I had quit before this, I wouldn't have seen today. I see the stars I was looking for. By gum, if good days can happen to me they can happen to you too. The second point is when the dark comes again for me and I can't see the stars, you out there can throw this day back in my face. You have full permission to do that. You can rub my face in this feeling until it scrubs out all the darkness and I see stars again. Now more importantly, how did your day go? GA