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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

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Essy Do I actually feel this way?
  • replies: 4

In my course we learn a lot about mental illness so I would say I have a quite thorough knowledge. For a long time I have known I am a little bit different but learning specifics about all the illnesses concreted my belief that I had mental health is... View more

In my course we learn a lot about mental illness so I would say I have a quite thorough knowledge. For a long time I have known I am a little bit different but learning specifics about all the illnesses concreted my belief that I had mental health issues. Now I'm at the point where I am considering getting help but starting to question whether I actually feel the way I think I do or if it is based on what I have heard and I am simply trying to categorize myself to try and make sense of my "differentness". what if I'm not sick and I am just wasting everyone's time.

robynmary How can apathy and frustration by my constant companions?
  • replies: 4

hello new friends, I lost my georgeous father in April 2011 to the sinister disease - Alzheimers. have been on antidepressents for years and still just don't care enough about what I used to care about. I don't care about paying my bills. I don't car... View more

hello new friends, I lost my georgeous father in April 2011 to the sinister disease - Alzheimers. have been on antidepressents for years and still just don't care enough about what I used to care about. I don't care about paying my bills. I don't care about my house, my car, my stupid useless possessions. I don't care if the people I work with give a hoot about who i am or what i do or whether i am happy or sad or neutral. i don't care about looking after myself healthwise. i don't care about the fact that i can't climb out of my cave of sadness.... i think i like it here... i think maybe i deserve to be here. the world no longer makes sense to me. i do care about my son and my mother and my brothers and my mum. i care more about them than i do about me, and I know that's not healthy. I haven't felt excitement, joy, surprise or any such emotions for years since my father became sick - my main emotional companions these last 2 years have been anger, frustration, with apathy dragging his ass not far behind. okay, so i just let my feelings type themselves out then... i sound scary is there anyone out there who, like me, is finding it so hard to move on from loosing a loved one to Alzheimers?????? people who have known me for a long time tell me I am not the happy, quit-witted fun person I used to be. i know.. i miss her, too.. Robynmary

Lassi Not trusting the advice
  • replies: 18

Hi my husband has recently been diagnosed with clinical or severe depression. He has been under extreme pressure at work and financially for years and since around the beginning of this year he seemed to become more and more overwhelmed. Then in more... View more

Hi my husband has recently been diagnosed with clinical or severe depression. He has been under extreme pressure at work and financially for years and since around the beginning of this year he seemed to become more and more overwhelmed. Then in more recent months he strated avoiding coming home and withdrawing from me and our kids. We could not get hold of him as easily as before - he was always at work day and night, stopped responding to calls, messages and emails. Then he spent 6 weeks interstate and overseas - normally he would return between trips even if just for a few days to be with us but this time he didn't. Upon his return about a month ago he left after a few short hours of being home - overwhelmed. He never returned home. After spending an entire day working from a local park bench (unable to enter his office) he finally accepted my help to find him a psychologist and to see a GP for underlying health issues that might cause depression. I understand he is currently on medication and seeing his psychologist weekly. I am also seeing the same psychologist to help me get through this difficult time - we were supposed to attend together so that I could have the best chance of understanding what what going on but at his first session with me he clammed up and I had to leave the room so that he could open up. When I was brought back in I was informed that my husband would be leaving the home for a month to clear his head. I was also informed that therapy would continue for both of us but not together and that he would maintain contact with 1 weekly phone call to say hi to me and the kids. He has been gone the full month now with no signs of returning and the phone calls have not really been happening. I suddenly find myself alone, confused and quite in the dark. The phsycologist keeps reminding me that he is likely to be gone for much longer than the prescribed month and that he'll need lots of time. That I should just leave him alone until/if he decides to make contact and that once he is able to think and feel again that then we might then be able to work on the marriage (he has questioned whether he would rather be alone than continue with our family). I feel completely helpless and after such a long separation and distance (viturally no communication apart from financial matters) I am startting to feel that I am not even able to enquire about his health. It feels like we are divorced and I have no claim to my husband anymore or him to me. This does not seem right to me and I am really worried that this lack of contact is detrimental to him and potentially to our family. Our 3 year old daughter asks for him daily and questions why he is working away for so long. He is severly depressed, working alone and living alone 24/7. I am not to call him or SMS him about anything personal - not even to ask how he is going or to tell him I love him or miss him or to send him a picture of the kids. This all seems quite strange to me, would have been unimaginable for our relationship just 6 months ago and conflicts other advice I have been given which was to never leave him isolated and alone. Just looking for some feedback. I don't force myself onto him as I don't want to put any pressure on him but leaving him alone like this goes against my intuition. I worry that he might feel abandoned. Even though he says he wants the space might he secretly be feeling like nobody cares enough? Against my therapists advice I have contacted him on very rare occasions and once got a positive response - he asked me to join him for his GP visit that he had been avoiding until I said I'd arrange the appointment for him. This would not have happened if I just left him alone as instructed. I am so torn, confused and worried. Frozen into inaction for fear of doing the wrong thing by insisting to be part of his life and all the time that I leave him alone I worry that I am not doing enough to support him. Sorry for the long post - any advice and personal accounts would be welcome. Thanks

amamas Home with the beast
  • replies: 6

Hi guys I'm back from my holiday, unfortunately! Managed to leave the beast (depression) behind so had a really nice time. But here's the beast back again. I know a lot of you are thinking we have a choice blah! blah! blah! Problem is there is so muc... View more

Hi guys I'm back from my holiday, unfortunately! Managed to leave the beast (depression) behind so had a really nice time. But here's the beast back again. I know a lot of you are thinking we have a choice blah! blah! blah! Problem is there is so much in normal life that causes my beast to rear it's ugly dark head and swallow me whole. I don't know how to do everyday life. I don't know how to cope with how cruel people can be sometimes.

Draconhart Does anyone else have trouble verbalising their feelings?
  • replies: 7

I'm suffering from depression and anxiety. But I have trouble expressing how or what I feel. I can't even write it down. Does anyone else experience this? Any suggestions on how to get past it? Thanks

I'm suffering from depression and anxiety. But I have trouble expressing how or what I feel. I can't even write it down. Does anyone else experience this? Any suggestions on how to get past it? Thanks

Nakka what is "normal"?
  • replies: 7

so after a s*** feeling day(don't know how else to put it) I was laying in bed thinking as I do.. and I started thinking to myself about my depression.. well debating to myself "hey I feel normal at the moment" "wait how can you feel normal after fee... View more

so after a s*** feeling day(don't know how else to put it) I was laying in bed thinking as I do.. and I started thinking to myself about my depression.. well debating to myself "hey I feel normal at the moment" "wait how can you feel normal after feeling so shit for so long.?, thats impossible your not feeling like that, your making yourself think you're feeling normal" after debating with myself like this but worse for awhile (strange I know) I came to this conclusion of "you make up these feelings your actually fine" Which left me woundering... why would I want to feel this way?...do I really feel this way? Am I actually normal?.. .maybe this is what normal is? Iseriously feel like im going crazy. Its like my anxiety (and the over thinking tthat comes with it) messes with my brain its so Frustrating. Im left feeling like an idiot.. confused I dont tthink anyone could make me as confused/angry/un-understanding as I can make myself. ^^^long story put short btw. So my question is what is "normal"?

Thelastbullet55 Help us please and thank you :)
  • replies: 1

Hi, my name is Andrian I recently posted a thread "Stressing over everything and anything" but i've came across another problem I've moved in with my girlfriend, because we were both kicked out of my own home down in Wollongong. At first I didn't wan... View more

Hi, my name is Andrian I recently posted a thread "Stressing over everything and anything" but i've came across another problem I've moved in with my girlfriend, because we were both kicked out of my own home down in Wollongong. At first I didn't want to move in because I knew that staying here I would have to put up with my girlfriend's mother and sister treating her like shit. But since i've been staying i've been getting bad treatment as well. Especially from her sister. My girlfriend and I are treated horribly and her mother doesn't do nothing. We get called c**t and get told to shut up when we are loud but when she loud its okay. We 'd have an argument, got nothing to do with her and we get told to shut up and get our face slammed by her, slamming the door. Recently whilst I was cooking dinner for my girlfriend and I, I accidentally left the gas on, i know stupid. Her sister caught me and told me about it. I apologized and laughed it off, but as she storms off to the other room I could hear her say "Your boyfriend is dumb, pathetic and can't do anything. He should f**k off out of our house," Obviously, this hurt my feeling so basically I am kicked out of my girlfriend place and have no where else to go. This is not the only thing that happens, my girlfriend get the worse treatment of all. She ask her mother to hang out with her, get a coffee or something but her mother will always say no because she want to hang out with her sister. No matter how many time she ask. Her mother says no, if she ask her to do something for her she wont but she will for her sister.This not only affect my girlfriend but it affect me cause i have to pick up the pieces everyday and dont get any joy all day because my girlfriend is too upset to do anything or go anywhere. My girlfriend will do nothing all day and sleep and i would have to cause im bored. My girlfriend get told she is dumb and stupid too and can't do anything as well and get told she is selfish and never thinks of others but she always helping her mother out with cleaning and paying for the shopping when her mother can't when she could be using that money for her bills. My girlfriend get verbally and occasionally physically abused for something she never did. I try to stand up for her but I am too much of a coward. Basically because I never had to stand up for myself We are miserable and I am on the verge of suicide (but I won't). We need your help, we are both currently unemployed but looking for a job so we can collect some money to move out. Everything is become too much for us and our relationship is falling apart because of her sister and mother. We have no friends or family to turn to. Our only best option i can think of is take an offer from a coworker to live with him and move out. But my girlfriend is reluctant to move out. Please help us

EP87 Pushing Away Friends & Family - Dealing With Guilt
  • replies: 1

I'm completely new to this. I only started seeing the doctor/psychiatrist in the last 3 months for a combination of anxiety and depression after suffering in silence for the last two and a half years. Recently I have been very unkind towards some ver... View more

I'm completely new to this. I only started seeing the doctor/psychiatrist in the last 3 months for a combination of anxiety and depression after suffering in silence for the last two and a half years. Recently I have been very unkind towards some very good friends of mine, as well as my immediate family. I push them away. I get off the phone as soon as I can. I don't answer texts/invites or brush people off with excuses. I set a ridiculously high expectation on them and when they don't meet it I conclude that they're not "true" friends or they don't really love me. I think I have become quite paranoid and distrustful. And I was beginning to feel as though no-one understood me and that I was fundamentally different from everyone else and there was no-one out there I could ever connect with properly. My therapist challenges me. She told me to get new friends. This has forced me to realise that I am being dramatic and unfair towards those around me. I am not the centre of the universe and everyone has their own lives to deal with. But the guilt of treating them so unfairly makes me cry. I feel like a terrible human being for having such horrible thoughts about my loved ones. Does anyone have any coping strategies to push those feelings away? I want to stop devaluing the people who care about me. They do love me and they show it in so many ways but when I'm down I can be so irrational and I just need ways to calm down.

confussed confused and scared
  • replies: 10

My husband has been diagnosed with Depression in the last week.. he apparently hasn't been happy at home for a few years, but instead of talking about it he kept pushing his feelings away... So as a wife, i really didn't see this coming, thought our ... View more

My husband has been diagnosed with Depression in the last week.. he apparently hasn't been happy at home for a few years, but instead of talking about it he kept pushing his feelings away... So as a wife, i really didn't see this coming, thought our relationship was in a really good place.. So now am on a roller coaster of emotions and feeling, feel guilty for not seeing that there was an issue and that he wasn't well, feel guilty for getting upset with not having any intimacy or affection in our relationship over the last month, feel guilty for crying, feel at a loss and am scared of whats to come.. He is talking to Councilor and is starting to tell friends and family, which i know is a good thing and is a relief to know that there is people here to support us

Hobo Depression and anxiety.....
  • replies: 2

Hi, I just found out about this site recently from my previous employer. I've been suffering from depression and anxiety for a number of years. At the moment I feel like it's getting worse. I've just recently moved from the UK to Australia for a chan... View more

Hi, I just found out about this site recently from my previous employer. I've been suffering from depression and anxiety for a number of years. At the moment I feel like it's getting worse. I've just recently moved from the UK to Australia for a chance to start afresh and experience a new country. I have some good days and bad days. On the good days I feel like I can do anything, I've got confidence, energy, I can absorb things, be aware of my surroundings, talking to people. On the bad days the complete opposite happens, complete mental exhaustion, I can't absorb information especially at work, I feel spacey like I'm not in touch and disconnected. My mind feels like a big weight has dropped on it and surrounded by cloudiness. Like today is the pretty extreme end where I've had thoughts of suicide and self harming. I just felt that a new start would give me a breathe of fresh air and lift my mood. But I feel it's just getting worse. I'm getting married in a few weeks and don't even have an exciting thought towards it. My fiancée doesn't really help me. The best she could do is ask me 'If I'm in one of my moods?'. She acts pushy and tells us to go out and do stuff where as I just want to be left alone. I don't think she understands what I'm going through at all. What do I do? I want to go see a professional for help but keep putting it off. Thanks. Rajeev