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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: 0

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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OTM-D Think my depression is impacting my relationship
  • replies: 7

Hi guys, I have have had depression for almost a year and have been diagnosed with depression for 9 months and been on and off medication for 7. I noticed during my first lot of meds I had mental blunting so came off it. I have recently been put on a... View more

Hi guys, I have have had depression for almost a year and have been diagnosed with depression for 9 months and been on and off medication for 7. I noticed during my first lot of meds I had mental blunting so came off it. I have recently been put on an atypical antidepressant which works but is very expensive. Over this time my partner has been incredibly supportive and made a huge difference. Especially since I had a couple of suicide attempts in this time. I currently have my dr, meds and psychologist as professional support. I have noticed that my partner says less about the future now that I have been really unwell and I know he does struggle with anxiety himself (seen psych and is a lot better) and im sure it is hard balancing a lot of different things atm. I have been difficult of late as I cry a lot over little things that normally wouldn't upset me and have a lot of negative thoughts and often speak them aloud (about myself not him). How can I really give myself to become better so I take that added pressure off of him? I am gonna restart my meds now that I have my script back for that (issue with drs appointment and had no medication left when I eventually was rescheduled to see them). I also am gonna get back into the gym as I used to do that lots when I was on my SSRI with my partner and it was fun. Im just super annoyed at myself for being so ignorant and self centred that I didn't realise me not really trying to get better was impacting our relationship so much. He hasn't mentioned it, it's just an epiphany I've had of late realising how hard it has been on him and that of course it'd have an impact when dealing with your own problems. Im planning on spending a couple weeks away from him to give him some time to himself but any other ideas??

Skaters Inappropriate relationship with therapist.
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone I guess the title says it all really.. I am a 28 year old female and the relationship with my therapist has gotten to the point where it is probably inappropriate but then I am not to sure and I also have very strong feelings for her. I h... View more

Hi everyone I guess the title says it all really.. I am a 28 year old female and the relationship with my therapist has gotten to the point where it is probably inappropriate but then I am not to sure and I also have very strong feelings for her. I have been seeing this woman for about 10 months and have shared some very personal information with her during our sessions and she has been a huge pillar of support for me and I noticed I began feeling excited to see her and felt some feelings towards her about 3 months in, I immediately took control of the situation and made sure I was aware of my feelings and reassured myself it is normal and will pass I also took steps to lessen appointment times and sessions. Over the past 3 months she has begun telling me that she gets butterflies when she thinks about seeing me and she "Loves how excited she gets when she sees me" I know everything about her life because she has told me everything, and we have started seeing each other outside of therapy a few times catching up for lunch. Yesterday we met up again this time for breakfast and she was constantly touching my hands and my back and when I went to say bye and leave she hugged me tightly and kissed me on the cheek. I am beyond confused I get a huge sense that this woman has strong feelings for me, but it is wrong on so many levels... She is my therapist and also a female (I have never had feelings for a woman before) I am so concerned fir her and her job but at the same time I am falling in love with her to the point of literally feeling my heart flutter and all that other romantic stuff lol when she is around.. What do I do? Am I even right for thinking she has feelings for me? And should I cut all contact to protect us both... I am so confused Thankyou so much for reading my post and I hope it makes sense

via123 Alone
  • replies: 5

Not sure where to start i want to talk to someone but i dont want to burden anyone i feel like such a failure...... at work in life i dont really have much friends as i put work over them my family arent really the talking type about this info but i ... View more

Not sure where to start i want to talk to someone but i dont want to burden anyone i feel like such a failure...... at work in life i dont really have much friends as i put work over them my family arent really the talking type about this info but i do feel like ive been depressed so awhile just putting on a brave face ... but i also know theres people out there doing it even worse so then i suck it up & keep going but i feel today its very heavyyyyy .

Sandi_blue Heavy chest / Where to start? Real world problems or depression?
  • replies: 2

Hi world I am what some people call a high achiever and this is extremely difficult for me to accept. Im some one the community relies on heavily. It’s my job to help people solve social and financial problems. My entire family have severe mental hea... View more

Hi world I am what some people call a high achiever and this is extremely difficult for me to accept. Im some one the community relies on heavily. It’s my job to help people solve social and financial problems. My entire family have severe mental health history, I’m 32 years old and made it out of a crazy upbringing fueled by un managed mental health of my mother and my two siblings. I cut my entire family off many years ago and pretend none of that ever happened. My life is great, but I’m not sure I never knew what “being ok was” I don’t know how not to be ok. I’ve spent my life turning the heartbreak into motivation. I feel my mindset has been building over the years and in the past 3 years I’ve become more and more cynical. in the past 6 weeks, I’ve not been able to take control of being derailed like I usually can. I have cut all my friends off and feel a deep pain of heartbreak in my chest from the moment I wake up to the moment I go back home and get into bed to cope. I get through my home life by shutting the bedroom door to avoid the anger building when I can hear my kids play / I have minimal interactions with my partner as I am worried about blowing up at her and hurting her. I see old wise men change the subject when I say something bitter - like “they know” I genuinely can’t look any one in the eye and tell them how I feel. I think I need help, but I’m even too proud to say these things to the family doctor - I’m always the problem solver. For some one who hasn’t cried in 32 years. I’ve been finding myself holing back tears in the McDonald’s drive through ordering the daily coffee like it’s a new part of my day. I have a long list of problems I’m working through, for my clients & personally but is this depression or is this just a hart time. Will meds help or will they distract me from working on the real problems to get them off my desk.

LA_88 I don't feel like I should be unhappy
  • replies: 2

I grew up in a financially comfortable family never had to want for anything. Over the years I've been beaten, abused & come out the other side still in one piece I guess you could say. By 14 I was self-harming regularaly just to feel something and a... View more

I grew up in a financially comfortable family never had to want for anything. Over the years I've been beaten, abused & come out the other side still in one piece I guess you could say. By 14 I was self-harming regularaly just to feel something and at 16 self-harmed significantly, my mums distraught reaction to this was the only thing that made me hang on. That kept me going for a while.. by 23 I tried to end my life but a call from my dad snapped me out of it.. I got involved in recreational drugs for fun if not to feel something I graduated uni, I got married I have a good job.. I feel like each day it gets a little worse but I smile and go on with life because I know people need me. I lost my dad recently thought I'd be ok I mean hell when I was a teen he was just an abusive alcoholic but by my 20s as he got older I felt like what didn't kill me only made me stronger and all the bad he and everyone else did only made me the strong person I am today.. he got sick a few yrs ago and changed and we became close I guess I finally got to be the daddy's girl I wanted to be, but then that was taken away. My mum is so strong she has massive shoes I could never fill and my brother suffers from his own mental issues. I feel a constant pressure to be strong and never let anyone know the darkness I carry inside.. I just try to make everyone happy because that's my only reason to live.. My partner has his own issues and I know he'd never be able to handle what I hold inside so I go through life just carrying it around not wanting to burden anyone. There are so many people going through worse out there and I don't feel like I have the right to feel the way I do, I'm not sad like I'm going to cry all night I'm just numb, nothing truly excites me. I want to feel happy because I've gotten through all my bad stuff and am still standing but I don't.. I just feel like a shell of a human who can't leave because of others but also doesn't have reasons for myself to stay if that makes sense. I've built such a great facade over the years that everyone just sees me as the happy cheerful girl, but more recently I'm struggling to keep up appearances and each day I feel more ashamed to feel this way, I've lived my happy life for so long I think even I believe it and now I just feel empty and confused. I'm too logical now to try and kill myself again but I'm concerned of those moments where impulse takes over, I just don't want to let anyone down.

Dk2022 How to help Depressed loved one.
  • replies: 2

Hello all, can someone offer some advice on how to approach someone that dosent acknowledge they are depressed,I've tried to bring a doctor home and was refused entry, so a friends and family.She won't leave the house or attend any function.

Hello all, can someone offer some advice on how to approach someone that dosent acknowledge they are depressed,I've tried to bring a doctor home and was refused entry, so a friends and family.She won't leave the house or attend any function.

Misswren Tired and Depressed
  • replies: 4

I feel like I must have been born under a bad or star or been a terrible person in a past life, because so much of what I've experienced over the last 20 years has been abuse, rejection, feeling isolated all through situations where I've had no contr... View more

I feel like I must have been born under a bad or star or been a terrible person in a past life, because so much of what I've experienced over the last 20 years has been abuse, rejection, feeling isolated all through situations where I've had no control over what happened and mostly through the actions of the people around me. I constantly ask myself why does this keep happening when everyone around me has love, support and friendship. I'm not a very outgoing person, I do try to get along with others but they never respond the way I'd appreciate them to yet it seems so different with everybody else. I don't fit in, I never have but not for lack of trying. I'm tired of feeling like an outsider in life, stressed out because I feel so alone most of the time, but i don't know what to do about it.

Rachael666 Depression and anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi I have been suffering from really bad depression lately. It is getting worse. I feel like I can’t cope.

Hi I have been suffering from really bad depression lately. It is getting worse. I feel like I can’t cope.

white knight Homelessness and human empathy
  • replies: 2

A forum I'm a member of had a post that included a link. That link was of a location in a National Park, a campsite where it was home for a homeless man. The area, about the size of a medium garage was scattered with litter, an old broken down car, f... View more

A forum I'm a member of had a post that included a link. That link was of a location in a National Park, a campsite where it was home for a homeless man. The area, about the size of a medium garage was scattered with litter, an old broken down car, facies in a bucket and tied up tarps for shelter. A local member of the public complained to rangers and the latter attended to leave a notice for him to move and clean up the area (he wasnt present). So there was 9 replies to this members post on the forum. To be a member of this forum you would likely own a powerful tow car and caravan hence able to afford big fuel bills etc. Surprisingly and thankfully there was 3 replies that suggested the hermit might have mental health issues and needs help. Then 6 others had criticisms like- the man should bury his waste matterit's a National Park, he shouldn't be therehe should pay for removal of the trashwhy didnt he ask for help?Those 6 people 66% of the replies, showed little if any empathy or consider possibilities of how the hermit ended up in that living state. They hadnt met the man (as the rangers nor complainant hadnt either) so their information was based purely on an illegal campsite. Have humans dropped their standards of compassion to replace it with judgement with so little effort? Obviously my reply included that benefit of the doubt should be exercised in all cases as the man could need empathy, a arm around his shoulder etc as priority. Trash accumulated can always be removed by Rotary, Lions club and volunteers so that is not the main focus or shouldn't be. What is your take on society's shift to be less empathetic overall to people not only with mental health issues but towards homeless people of which is growing extraordinary in numbers. What can we do to change culture within a care less society? TonyWK

dwade3 How do I tell myself not to give up
  • replies: 6

Hey I'm a 19 year old guy. Today I really thought about ending it all. I've been going through some really long periods of feeling so worthless. occasionally there are some pockets of suprises that happen in my life , and for those brief moments I fe... View more

Hey I'm a 19 year old guy. Today I really thought about ending it all. I've been going through some really long periods of feeling so worthless. occasionally there are some pockets of suprises that happen in my life , and for those brief moments I feel like maybe just maybe it's still worth living. But I keep getting thrown back to this hole. One conversation one word or event is always enough to send me back. And sometimes I don't know how much more I can take feeling like this. Even though I got a new job started a new hobby with some people . Nothing quite seemed to fill the void. I'm so empty and it's as if no amount of goal, or moment of happiness ever lasts for me. And I've tried to maybe find something for myself to keep me going. But lately it just feels redundant. I hope someone can give me help to get through this