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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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Krissyshell Good days, bad days ...,,
  • replies: 5

Just wondering if others have several good, positive days and then for no real reason I can reflect on, crash ? I crashed on Tuesday and spent it and Wednesday pretty much in bed, exhausted .... And slept and slept. I pulled myself together to get to... View more

Just wondering if others have several good, positive days and then for no real reason I can reflect on, crash ? I crashed on Tuesday and spent it and Wednesday pretty much in bed, exhausted .... And slept and slept. I pulled myself together to get to work yesterday and felt pretty good . I tried to focus and concentrate and managed to cross some things off my to do list... How do you avoid these crashes ? My work has suffered (among other things) so much already this year. I have soooo much to do.... I can't afford to continually crash...

twentyone I'm scared for my friend...
  • replies: 4

So its been pretty tough over the past year due to exams in school. My friend has been under constant pressure by his parents to achieve great marks, however this is not the case. His marks are still good yet not up to his parents standards. He told ... View more

So its been pretty tough over the past year due to exams in school. My friend has been under constant pressure by his parents to achieve great marks, however this is not the case. His marks are still good yet not up to his parents standards. He told me via text that he felt suicidal and that he had a plan for how he was going to do it. I was unable to meet him personally for a few weeks due to reasons but i managed to convince him not to and prayed that he wouldn't. After the few weeks i met up with him and he seemed all right, happy. But then i guess it was my turn. I felt really depressed due to other things and shut people out for a while. I think he may have thought that i was avoiding him after confiding in me...? i don't know. I'm better now but i think he's worse. He's also had a lot of absent days so i have not been able to talk to him at school. i feel distant from him and i don't know what to do... And sometimes i think i'm the one distancing myself from him because i don't want to have those thoughts anymore (which is really selfish, i know...) How do i help him without causing myself to have those same depressing and suicidal thoughts?

Kantok Stay at home mum struggling
  • replies: 6

I'm a stay at home mum living in a tiny community, my son is almost 2. I've never been quite happy here, the community is stifling,the only friendships I have are sugar coated, with no real substance. For a long time this has all been a bit too much ... View more

I'm a stay at home mum living in a tiny community, my son is almost 2. I've never been quite happy here, the community is stifling,the only friendships I have are sugar coated, with no real substance. For a long time this has all been a bit too much and I feel like I'm drowning. I just want to sleep all day, even when I'm home alone with my son I would rather lay in bed than play with my beautiful boy. I snap at him a lot, and am always a grouch. I feel like a horrible mother. Sometimes I feel like crying for no reason, and this morning my partner decided he'd had enough of my distant moods and he questioned the safety of our son. We have a gp in our town, but the problem is i used to work there and i know everyone. I'm so stuck and I feel so alone. My partner struggles to even feel his own emotions let alone understand mine. I need help, I need reassurance. I need someone to tell me I'm going to be ok and to shake me and tell me that I'm hurting my family. Because I can't dig myself out of this dark hole.

angeplussix so over being numb
  • replies: 5

I was diagnosed with servere clincal depression back in 2000. I have been on the same meds for 12 years and they work sort of ..im not depressed but i am numb. I have six kids and i love them so god dam much. But to feel the excitment when they do so... View more

I was diagnosed with servere clincal depression back in 2000. I have been on the same meds for 12 years and they work sort of ..im not depressed but i am numb. I have six kids and i love them so god dam much. But to feel the excitment when they do something awsome is absent. I have no drive for intimacy (a side effect) so that puts a relationship on the edge. SO!! my doc thought it might be beneficial to see.if reducing my dose would help in the relationship department. It didnt. But it did take me to a place of false security. Where in my mind i thought i wohld be fine without any meds at all .. So i came off them a week ago ( back on today) and last night had a breakdown of epic porportions was convinced my children didnt need to suffer along side me and that they deserved a life without a mother who was unable.to share their happiness for life. Ig didnt help matters that my ex (of 2 weeks) thought the kids would benifit from not having my input in their lives. Almost pushed me over the edge i was hanging on by my fingernails . But my kids reached out and got a friend to ring me (52 times before i answered) who brought me back. Today life.is still not good and i am still in a really dark place. Bu i know now that there are.hands out there in the darkness waiting for me to grab a hold of WHEN IM READY. The war between depression with all your feelings striped bare and the world on medication where life is in a constant haze will be forever my battle. But today i am alive.

_Ghost_ Is my depression an excuse?
  • replies: 6

Hello. I'm 23 years old and I've been depressed for two years now, and on meds since the beginning. So, I was troubling myself with some thoughts lately... It's basically whether I'm using my depression as an excuse to be lazy and avoid responsibilit... View more

Hello. I'm 23 years old and I've been depressed for two years now, and on meds since the beginning. So, I was troubling myself with some thoughts lately... It's basically whether I'm using my depression as an excuse to be lazy and avoid responsibility and being a grown up... This thought really scares me because I'd hate to be this kind of person. But the truth is that I've always been kinda lazy and didn't really like chores or study too hard. But on the other hand I like having a job and living on my own, not depending on others. And there used to be things I enjoyed doing, which now isn't the truth. I admit that when I was younger I liked getting away with not doing chores or studying, but when this happened I would get happy because I could do something else I enjoyed. Now I dont like doing chores and running errands but there isn't really anything else I would like to be doing instead. I would just prefer to stay at home and do nothing really... But still I thing whether I am fake and a manipulator and whether I'm forcing this misery on myself because it's convenient. I would hate for this to be the case because it would mean that I wont have a reason for being miserable and that scares me because I can't and I don't know how to be better. It's really hard faking being ok and pushing yourself to do all the things healthy people do, and I'm scared of having to instantly get better. I feel so useless and not good enough and I feel so guilty for being like that, but I don't know how to change it. But then I think that I dont want to do much of anything and that I like just being lazy and that thinking that Im depressed is just an excuse I have for myself to be useless, because it's easy. I really wish someone could tell me what is wrong with me, whether I'm depressed or manipulative. I also have mild ocd and anxiety, so I tend to overthink stuff... Thanks for listening.

Tracy71 Advice desperately needed
  • replies: 3

Hi guys, I live in a country area. My eldest son (20) has become extremely depressed. He refuses to take any form of antidepressant. The last 4 days he has barely come out of his bedroom. I contacted our local psych services and they had a home visit... View more

Hi guys, I live in a country area. My eldest son (20) has become extremely depressed. He refuses to take any form of antidepressant. The last 4 days he has barely come out of his bedroom. I contacted our local psych services and they had a home visit and pretty much said there is nothing they can do. He is not eating or drinking and is very gaunt in appearance. My concern is today I found 2 suicide notes. One to me and one to his mates. I have not confronted him about this because I dont want to make things worse. What do I do when he wont seek help and the professionals wont help?

oolsca Are these real signs?
  • replies: 2

* I try to feel positive, I find things to be thankful for and always see the glass half full * Feel as though I am forever trying to please people (mum inlaw) * I dislike myself alot (appearance, pretty much everything about me) * When I get praised... View more

* I try to feel positive, I find things to be thankful for and always see the glass half full * Feel as though I am forever trying to please people (mum inlaw) * I dislike myself alot (appearance, pretty much everything about me) * When I get praised at work for little things, I don't feel proud at all, I always wonder what I could have done to do even better) * I let others comments and judgement always affect me without meaning too * I have held on to a lot of hurt from when I was a child/teen (we all have hurtful times I know) and will not talk to anyone. * I trust no body and won't let anyone break my wall down these are just to name a few...

CashSmith Having trouble feeling anything
  • replies: 3

So... I've been having these problems for as long as I can remember, but recently a few other issues seem to have just piled up and made it more than I can stand. Most of the time, I have this weird feeling of numbness that pretty much pervades me bu... View more

So... I've been having these problems for as long as I can remember, but recently a few other issues seem to have just piled up and made it more than I can stand. Most of the time, I have this weird feeling of numbness that pretty much pervades me but seems to be localized in my chest, kinda like a hollow ache. Lately though, a really abrupt and gut-wrenching breakup with a woman that I spent a very long time falling in love with and issues with employment have ended up aggravating it. I have trouble getting to sleep, because I always dream and my dreams are so much better than my life right now that waking up is painful. So now, on top of the normal... I guess, apathy? I'm having trouble mustering the emotional energy necessary for anything, except for getting together with friends which is the only time I can feel anything other than empty. I'm planning on making an appointment with my doctor to get some kind of medication but I'd like some advice first. Is anyone familiar with this sort of thing? Is it bipolar or something else? I feel on top of the world when I'm hanging out and playing games with my friends but any other time is just... Crap. I appreciate any help.

Lost_one Been a struggle for so long-will it ever stop?
  • replies: 4

I had a bad day. Another one. As I washed up dishes tonight while husband put kids (2 young ones) to bed I actually thought wonder how I can go about passing legal guardianship of them to someone... surely I am not well enough to be looking after the... View more

I had a bad day. Another one. As I washed up dishes tonight while husband put kids (2 young ones) to bed I actually thought wonder how I can go about passing legal guardianship of them to someone... surely I am not well enough to be looking after them. I feel like I can't do another day in my shoes.... I know I have a pretty good life but my head is a wreck, the meds aren't working and no matter how much I talk and think about it I cannot implement the lifestyle changes my physchiatrist told me I need. (Exercise, stop working, have a break from child minding etc) My hubby tries to be there but I can't keep telling him I feel so unwell I can't get myself out of this. I love my kids- they are the reason I am still here.... but I have slipped lower and lower and I am scared one day I will slip to the point where I convince myself they dont need me. I am not there yet but I want to prevent that. Advice from other mums? anyone????

LKS Not coping very well
  • replies: 11

Hi, I have had depression, anxiety and low self-esteem for over 20 years. I left high school unable to cope with study, due to bullying (racism) from students and parental pressure (no uni = failure). Breakdown number 1. After returning to TAFE to co... View more

Hi, I have had depression, anxiety and low self-esteem for over 20 years. I left high school unable to cope with study, due to bullying (racism) from students and parental pressure (no uni = failure). Breakdown number 1. After returning to TAFE to complete my VCE and TAFE qualifications, I found a job and worked there for many years. When the management changed, the work environment became more stressful and eventually toxic. I resigned after my second supervisor was sacked, and the replacement was someone I could not work with (trust). Breakdown number 2. When I returned to the workforce, it was in a different role in a much better environment and I stayed for many years. Unfortunately, due to funding cuts, a number of staff were made redundant at the end of last year. Being made redundant has sent me into another tailspin. Breakdown number 3. Since then, my co-workers have found new employment. I have not found another job yet. My self-confidence is very low and I do not have much of a support network. This has left me feeling very isolated and alone. My anxiety levels are high and I am struggling to eat and sleep. My GP has me on medication for depression and anxiety. I know that this will pass and things will get better. It just does not feel like it right now.