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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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

All discussions

Rhys_4 Diagnosis and advice please
  • replies: 4

I think my mental health has been declining for a while now. I got very sick in 2019 at age 33 and spent a long time in the ICU. It took months for me to even walk again. The brain illness has left me unable to work in my profession being a QS which ... View more

I think my mental health has been declining for a while now. I got very sick in 2019 at age 33 and spent a long time in the ICU. It took months for me to even walk again. The brain illness has left me unable to work in my profession being a QS which I spent years studying for and building a career in. I have not been able to earn an income and I have been relying on dwindling savings because pvt disability insurance has not paid out yet lumpsum and it keeps gettin delayed. I’ve been trying 2 get some flexible non-professional work which I think I might still be able to manage. I’ve really been struggling with trying to earn money and I feel that the ongoing decline in my mental health is making trying to work again impossible, especially as its compounded by the cognitive difficulties and fatigue I’ve been struggling with on a day-to-day basis since 2019. All the changes that have happened in my life dealing with the after-effects of the 2019 illness plus this awful and ongoing delay with the insurance company has left me feeling lost, sad and unable to motivate myself to do anything. Not saying money will solve all the problems but I feel in my heart that if the insurance company finally paid, I could be in a much better position to try and improve my mental health but in the absence of that happening, finances are getting worse and I am sinking deeper into a depression spiral. I am trying 2 claim for some small temporary income protection payments with my insurance company for the depression, but I need to know if I am actually depressed and what to do about it as I also want 2 get treatment and get better. I went online and took a depression diagnosis test which confirmed that I am depressed. Basically, my symptoms which I’ve been experiencing more intensely for several months now include constant feelings of hopelesness, not eating and losing weight, not having energy and feeling overwhelmed (even if I’m not doing anything), not doing the things I used to enjoy, struggling to make decisions, not wanting 2 go anywhere and lately I’ve been wondering if just not waking up would better than running out of money n being forced out on the streets. I would really appreciate if someone could help me understand what type of depression I am suffering from, if I am indeed suffering from depression, and if you could please recommend how long I need 2 recover and what I should be doing to recover?

Bee40 A wave
  • replies: 2

Today a wave of depression has came over me, it comes once or twice a month the day feel down from the morning right uphill I go to bed. I don't know why it comens , I'm happy most other days. I get snappy at ppl and then feel bad . Then I start to t... View more

Today a wave of depression has came over me, it comes once or twice a month the day feel down from the morning right uphill I go to bed. I don't know why it comens , I'm happy most other days. I get snappy at ppl and then feel bad . Then I start to think of the ppl I've lost years ago and get upset like they just died yesterday. Doss others get these days ?

Ryan7519 Situational depression.
  • replies: 3

Hello everybody my name is Ryan I am 27 years old and I have not posted on here in a while. well what can I say ? I have been feeling melancholy for the past few months however the funny s that I attribute it similarly being in a clinical state physi... View more

Hello everybody my name is Ryan I am 27 years old and I have not posted on here in a while. well what can I say ? I have been feeling melancholy for the past few months however the funny s that I attribute it similarly being in a clinical state physical discomfort in the respect that there is moments of relief from feeling depressed but it inevitably comes back I am employed casually as a kitchen attendant and I have been hanging in there. The work environment is positive and I could not have asked for a better team everyone is kind to me and I try my best to be genuine and friendly at the same time I do my best to mask it with that being said at the end of the day everybody these days is so focused on their own world that they wouldn't notice if anything was up. even when my coworkers do I respond with the usual "I am fine thankyou for asking" and normal polite conversation and that it is it.In terms of the depression I feel trapped I am content in my current position but I don't want to be stacking porcelain or scrubbing pots and pans forever I recently upskilled to become a barista and I am quite competent at making espressos I dreamt of being a pastry chef of going back to study Patisserie and earn my Pastry Chef certification. The problem is no matter how clear the intention or goal this feeling of depression keeps getting in the way this overwhelming sense of self doubt I keep looking for excuses of which I am running out of. people tell me to go for but it is easy for them to say it's not their life is it.

R.Penn Need some outsider advice - Lost in life
  • replies: 2

Hello BB community, it's amazing to see how much support is here. I have posted here in the past but have returned to gain some advice in regards to my situation. I have been told I have GAD and Depression, but I do not identify with this. I recently... View more

Hello BB community, it's amazing to see how much support is here. I have posted here in the past but have returned to gain some advice in regards to my situation. I have been told I have GAD and Depression, but I do not identify with this. I recently relocated interstate to be near family after living in Melbourne for 9 years. I gained 3 qualifications while I was living in Melbourne and have been unemployed for the past year or more. I was having a terribly hard time trying to find work within the Disability sector, as I love to help people. But I was also feeling anxious and depressed as I wasn't getting ahead. My most recent job lasted two shifts as my Supervisor was very unprofessional with his communication and I was not supported there as a new staff member. He wasn't allocating me hours either. I was also on medication the last 7 months for the second time as my acne condition was severe again and I couldn't look in the mirror. This was greatly effecting my mental health and I needed to come home to heal. I was really broke and couldn't afford to live and pay rent in Melbourne and I had the opportunity to live with my family (in my mums caravan) which I am grateful for but it's not where I want to be. I have been on my own since my last relationship ended Sept 2017, and I know I need to work on my independence. I have been challenging myself daily to go and do things on my own that I find difficult but it seems to be getting harder to do. Sometimes just going to the shops for food is almost impossible. I am seeking out a new psychologist but I am a bit put off from the last 2 I had as they made me feel worse. I also don't know anyone where I have moved to and am feeling very isolated from friends. I know now is my time to do some self-discovery but I feel so weak and shy all the time. I do not want to go on medication either as I have tried that and prefer natural medicine. I think I just need someone to talk to as I am in limbo at the moment physically and mentally. I can't decide where I want to live. Near my friends in Melbourne or near my family. I am torn. May I ask what you have done when feeling lost in life and unsure of what path to take? especially being unemployed, I have had no help whatsoever from the job providers and am getting really impatient. Any advice would be muchly appreciated.

LeadingWithKindness Opening up to Authenticity
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well. I think I had a panic attack. I’m completely calm now, just tired. It’s almost 3am and it’s my usual time I get to sleep. I’ve been having insomnia the past 4ish years and it’s horrible. I just want a break from ... View more

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well. I think I had a panic attack. I’m completely calm now, just tired. It’s almost 3am and it’s my usual time I get to sleep. I’ve been having insomnia the past 4ish years and it’s horrible. I just want a break from life for a week to just catch up on sleep instead of constantly having to do things. I’ve had family issues and friend issues and I’ve always just tried to deal with them but I think at this point I’ve fallen into depression. I’ve always avoided saying it but I think an important thing is to be real with yourself and that’s where you can get true help. It’s not easy at all but we’re all trying aren’t we? I’m so glad I found this platform and I hope to meet other kind people here - rooting for you all.

DiamondDreamz Depression and Anxiety
  • replies: 2

When i was younger, i was that kid that was always either smiling or laughing and talking a mile a second but during high school i began feeling like people were judging the way I looked and it got to the point where I was avoiding windows, mirrors a... View more

When i was younger, i was that kid that was always either smiling or laughing and talking a mile a second but during high school i began feeling like people were judging the way I looked and it got to the point where I was avoiding windows, mirrors and basically any reflective surface because i was convinced i was ugly. During COVID when we had to wear masks all the time, they became like a safe barrier for me that when we had to take them off i felt exposed and the self criticising got even worse. I became unable to hold eye contact with people during conversations and started obsessing over the conversations after they happened. Then when i started working, the people i worked with were already long time friends so it felt like i couldn't slip into the group and that made me feel isolated especially since during high school my parents never let me hang out with my friends outside of school ever. I became unable to smile at random people like i used to and would always think negative of everything. I would always cry at night but put a smile on my face for my family because in our culture it's not common at all to talk about deep feelings like depression and anxiety because they view them as "modern problems". But after a while i realised i couldn't smile at all to anybody both my friends and family like it would always feel so fake. I've tried training myself how to smile again but it feels so weird and almost painful to hold it and i even tried learning how to be happy but I can't seem to break through it. Does anyone have any advice on how i could find joy again and genuinely smile again?

Staffylover67 56 years of struggle, soul mate died, way too lonely today. Not sustainable.
  • replies: 3

Hi. My first time here.First time actually reaching out in 17 years.my soul mate died 6th Feb. I'm lonely angry and sad, yet picked such a fight with my housemate that I am going to be isolated, alone completely and the situation and my mood is hopel... View more

Hi. My first time here.First time actually reaching out in 17 years.my soul mate died 6th Feb. I'm lonely angry and sad, yet picked such a fight with my housemate that I am going to be isolated, alone completely and the situation and my mood is hopeless.I can't look after myself.nearly burnt the house down last night forgot about the fry plan. still can't breathe normally.soon I'm going to be paying a 100% lmortgage, rates, bills and food. and I've smoked since I was 14 only quitting when life was ok. I've got NDIS but it's proven to be an exposure to scamners and nothing more.I've got one estranged ish almost 30yr son and one 36, who I've raised successfully independent. No other family, I have no friends close by, didn't assimilate into the community. It's isolated, I'm fairly physically disabled, I'm BPD and add. I'm no fun to be around. No one cares. what's the point? I know nothing is going to change because some idiot thought that the last 30 years.I don't know why suffer anymore?

Jake_5 Resignation
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone I want to leave my job the stress and pressure of it all is now impacting my mental health severely and also my home life I literally throwing up from anxiety before I get to work can anyone please fill me in on the process I have a lette... View more

Hi everyone I want to leave my job the stress and pressure of it all is now impacting my mental health severely and also my home life I literally throwing up from anxiety before I get to work can anyone please fill me in on the process I have a letter from my doctor

Claire_4 How do I figure out why I’m sad?
  • replies: 5

Is there a way to figure out what’s making me sad. I have this ache in my chest that hurts so much it feels like someone close to me has just died but nothing has happened. Why do I feel so this intense sadness? How do I figure out why?

Is there a way to figure out what’s making me sad. I have this ache in my chest that hurts so much it feels like someone close to me has just died but nothing has happened. Why do I feel so this intense sadness? How do I figure out why?

try-to-smile2 Short term Depression
  • replies: 3

For the last 2 years I seem to be suffering from very short term bouts of depression but I’ve read this is uncommon. Does anyone else experience this?

For the last 2 years I seem to be suffering from very short term bouts of depression but I’ve read this is uncommon. Does anyone else experience this?