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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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
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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?
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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
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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

Karen71 What I couldn't show him is just how yuck I feel
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Ok so saw a psych he said I was depressed and changing medsit was like talking to a alien on a computer screen.skpe. What I couldn't show him is just how yuck I feel.im sick with a stomach thing my insides feel like they've been scoured, my head won'... View more

Ok so saw a psych he said I was depressed and changing medsit was like talking to a alien on a computer screen.skpe. What I couldn't show him is just how yuck I feel.im sick with a stomach thing my insides feel like they've been scoured, my head won't stop thinking about suicide and how the world just is horrible.i just don't want to be here anymore I've fought depression for so longim tied it just keeps comming back.im a nice person I don't do drugs or alcohol I don't really swear I raise wonderful kids whom I stay alive for but do I really have to live this way?im getting constant problems if it's not one thing it's anoutheri have to get an organisation to visit me because I have no freindspeople don't like me I don't know whyit hurts my pride to know the person talking to me gets paid tothe world is an ugly placeim tied so tied all the time and other people don't accept me my 5yrold has asphergus how do I leave himim so so tied no one really understandswhat happens really if I give up!no I'm not suicidal tonight just I don't know how much can I take I'm donebeyondblue’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.

link09 i am scared to ask for help
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i have been looking at this site for a while and have decided to post. i dont know what to do any more everything just seems like a huge effort to me and i havent been happy in a long time, i wish that i would die or go to sleep and not wake up. so f... View more

i have been looking at this site for a while and have decided to post. i dont know what to do any more everything just seems like a huge effort to me and i havent been happy in a long time, i wish that i would die or go to sleep and not wake up. so far i have managed to get through but i dont see anything getting any better. i am scared to ask for help as i am worried that i might lose my job or that it would cost me any future oppurtuinties in my career. i am also worried about going on medication as i think it may make me worse. can anyone give me some advice on what to do i am sick of feeling like this

bluerose My doc has said I am treatment resistent
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I have suffered depression and anxiety for many years. My doc has recently said I am treatment resistant. He took me off meds and now I am having awful withdrawals. I cannot work, I have no friends or family and have not had any luck with talk therap... View more

I have suffered depression and anxiety for many years. My doc has recently said I am treatment resistant. He took me off meds and now I am having awful withdrawals. I cannot work, I have no friends or family and have not had any luck with talk therapy. I feel I am all alone, sick, depressed and there is nothing that can help me. Struggling to find a reason to fight.

Scotty2013 Anyone know of another Planet i can go stay at for a while
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Hi guys I'ts been sometime, just thought i would pop in say hi. I'm doing ok-ish but of late i been feeling a bit down /flat. Mostly because I'm so damn tired of the world, its always a struggle. Sometimes i feel like i am taking a pill because of li... View more

Hi guys I'ts been sometime, just thought i would pop in say hi. I'm doing ok-ish but of late i been feeling a bit down /flat. Mostly because I'm so damn tired of the world, its always a struggle. Sometimes i feel like i am taking a pill because of life the way it is.., not me does that make sense?. I look at news governments and think what a mess, why do people have to make this so much harder for others?. I'm tired of peoples attitudes around, their motives..I feel like everyone is trying to control one another.. or people are just to damn bossy!!! . Anyone know of another Planet i can go stay at for a while?? Thanks.TC...

Guest_3712 no more secrets and lies, i'm telling my husband about my depression
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Hi guys, I have been really humbled by the responses to my post, "Depression is not a cold.....". It proved to me that no matter what our ethnicity , sex, age or social status we all have the one thing inn common- to be understood , not judged or pai... View more

Hi guys, I have been really humbled by the responses to my post, "Depression is not a cold.....". It proved to me that no matter what our ethnicity , sex, age or social status we all have the one thing inn common- to be understood , not judged or paid lip service. What I also read was that we all put ourselves last. We worry about how our depression affects our family, friends, partners, kids. We feel guilty for being sick. we put off treatment because our family won't cope without us and meanwhile we get worse. I have been very distresses for the last few days and have taken comfort in posting here. but it is not enough. Ican't do this anymore. I need to be able to tell my nearest and dearest I am sick. My psych has been trying to get me to see this for years - and I think I get it. you all have helped me see how wrong we are in how we view our illness and yes it is an illness just like, cancer or heart condition. it needs treatment and without it can be life threatening. guys tonight when my husband asks what is wrong as I know he will, ( I know he senses a shift in me as he's been thru it before) I am going to tell the truth. I am sick. I feel very sad, anxious scared and don't really know why. Let the chips fall where they may! I can't cope with the secrets and lies anymore. wish me luck be kind to your selves Stressless

Girl_Anachronism It's so hard just to keep up pretenses everyday
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I am beyond tired and exhausted.It feels like effort to do anything..Everything I do blows up in my face, and to what end? It's so hard just to keep up pretenses everyday.GA

I am beyond tired and exhausted.It feels like effort to do anything..Everything I do blows up in my face, and to what end? It's so hard just to keep up pretenses everyday.GA

Lilyn feel completely invisible to the world
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Today is not a good day. I feel very alone....I am finding it hard to express just how I am feeling. I don't have anyone in my life and that is making dealing with my illness even harder. Most people seem to have a partner/husband/friends/family arou... View more

Today is not a good day. I feel very alone....I am finding it hard to express just how I am feeling. I don't have anyone in my life and that is making dealing with my illness even harder. Most people seem to have a partner/husband/friends/family around in some capacity. I do not. And it is all at my own doing. I responded to someone on here a few days ago who expressed similar feelings but they talked about having a supportive husband and children. I suggested that their feelings of being a terrible person, unworthy and incapable of love and care could not be true as they had their husband and children- it would not be possible for them to have that if they were the way they felt they are. That has stayed with me as clearly I am unable to have a relationship of any kind. So that must mean that I really am just a terrible person, not worth anything to anyone. No one wants to be around me. I am completely alone. I sit in my home day after day with no interaction with anyone. No one calls to see how I am or ask me to spend time with them. I am just left to myself. I am completely isolated. I have nothing to look forward to. Nothing brings me joy. I don't know what I like or am interested in. I feel so lost. I feel so unloved. I feel so uncared for. I feel like I don't exist. I feel so pathetic. I am drowning in self pity but not having anyone who believes in me or even likes me makes it seem almost impossible to get out of. I have made so many mistakes in my life and it feels like this is what I deserve. I recently reached out to a couple of people from my past work. Neither of them has answered me. Being ignored like that just makes me believe even more how bad I am. I must be. It was and is very hard for me to reach out to anyone so that in itself was a huge thing for me. And being silently rejected by them has pushed me back to where I was. There is no one in my corner. I am all alone and feel completely invisible to the world.

Kirby Am I depressed or just having that 'phase'?
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Since the end of last year I have been feeling very down on myself and sometimes feeling a sense of loneliness and mainly depression. I often wake up in cold sweats and frequently battle to get to sleep unless I am extremely tired from work and what ... View more

Since the end of last year I have been feeling very down on myself and sometimes feeling a sense of loneliness and mainly depression. I often wake up in cold sweats and frequently battle to get to sleep unless I am extremely tired from work and what not. After the end of year exams last year I've been under a lot of stress and it has really been getting to me. I have had thoughts of suicide because I've just gotten to the point of thinking that everyone would just be better off not worrying about me and just going about their business. I haven't spoken to any friends or family because I feel like I'll be laughed at and or told that people have much bigger issues than I do. Please help me figure out what I need to do to get some help before my schooling plummets along with my social life.

samanthakate_lorna R&R - "relapse & recovery"
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I've found myself stuck in a never ending loop of what i like to call "R&R". Not your typical R&R... i wish it was restful & relaxing... but a physically & emotionally draining process of falling, recovery & repeat. my life at the moment is a cocktai... View more

I've found myself stuck in a never ending loop of what i like to call "R&R". Not your typical R&R... i wish it was restful & relaxing... but a physically & emotionally draining process of falling, recovery & repeat. my life at the moment is a cocktail of problems with shots on the side every second i have a chance to take a minute to breathe... i feel as if i'm drowning & have lost any kind of control over anything. Anyone relate?

Purple818 I work up the nerve to get help then chicken out
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Why is it so hard for me to get help? I always think to myself ' tomorrow the day' but then when I work up the nerve to do it, I chicken out. I really don't understand. I am just so tired of it.

Why is it so hard for me to get help? I always think to myself ' tomorrow the day' but then when I work up the nerve to do it, I chicken out. I really don't understand. I am just so tired of it.