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

Jessksch Someone bought a bunny at our pet shop, now giving it away on facebook...I am so damn upset!
  • replies: 4

I love my job so much, I love helping people with their pets and their issues. However, I am so upset at the moment. We had bunnies in our pet shop, we treated them with royalty. I even used my own money to spoil them with snacks, toys...when it was ... View more

I love my job so much, I love helping people with their pets and their issues. However, I am so upset at the moment. We had bunnies in our pet shop, we treated them with royalty. I even used my own money to spoil them with snacks, toys...when it was quiet I would give them so much love and cry a little when they were adpoted because I was so happy if they went to a good home. Now, we had one last bunny and this woman bought him and now a coworker found out on facebook they were talking bad about our store, that he was in a small cage and suffered... and wants to give him away to someone else! How is this good for the poor thing?! When I saw it my heart sank, how people can be so selfish... I can't stop thinking about it, obsessing...I quit my full time job for this job because I had a nervous break down before and needed to find a more relaxing environment. Now this happens and I am falling appart. I wanted to save money to continue to do a course I dreamed of, and the more I see these people talking bad about us and misstreating our bunny like this. He will have anxieties not having a stable home, moving around will stress him out... I have work tomorrow and have been having trouble with my mental health lately moreso, now this happened and I feel like I'm loosing it. I'm scared I will snap, get angry at the next stupid customer and be filmed and never get a job again... anxiety and depression are through the roof.

frog93 29 y/o virgin who failed at everything in life, I feel like giving up
  • replies: 21

Hi, it's my first post, sorry if it's in the wrong place. I really need help, please. I've been depressed for so long, every day I feel so much regret and sadness that it hurts physically in my chest. I can't keep living like this. Even though I'm al... View more

Hi, it's my first post, sorry if it's in the wrong place. I really need help, please. I've been depressed for so long, every day I feel so much regret and sadness that it hurts physically in my chest. I can't keep living like this. Even though I'm almost 30 I haven't achieved anything at all with my life. I'm worthless and a loser and I don't deserve to be alive. I still live with my mother, no job, no experience, no education beyond high school, no relationship. It's a long story... I was abused as a child / teenager and was traumatised, for over 10 years I've been crippled by anxiety and depression. This year I finally tried to get help, I was on medication and have talked to two psychologists, I've made progress in some ways but I know it's never going to "fix" me. I know I need to get a job and move out, I know that should be the priority. But please, I just want to know how to deal with the regret, especially around relationships and being a virgin... I've missed out on so much. I'm never going to get to experience so many things that other young people do. It feels like my life is utterly pointless from here and I shouldn't even bother trying. I've missed out on the best part of life already, even if I somehow fixed everything from here, I can never get that time back and it will never be the same. It's so painful and it makes me not want to be here anymore. Not only that but the older you get the harder it is to meet people, it's most likely I'll die a virgin and never experience love. Maybe worst of all is how I always compare myself to others now, which I know is bad but I can't help it. I'm the oldest of the grandchildren in my family, and yet I'm the only one who doesn't have a relationship. My sisters and cousins all have partners, all before me, some of them are over 10 years younger than me, it's so depressing. Also seeing couples together everywhere I go makes me cry, it hurts, I just want to be like them. Being alone your whole life and being a virgin at my age is just so shameful. Please, how can I stop feeling this way?

j_s11 Struggling with the future
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone this is only feelings that are recent but really affecting my everyday life including work, family and friends. I have accepted that I’m bi (even though I still don’t want to accept it.) But my issue is that I feel like in the future I’ll... View more

Hi everyone this is only feelings that are recent but really affecting my everyday life including work, family and friends. I have accepted that I’m bi (even though I still don’t want to accept it.) But my issue is that I feel like in the future I’ll be by myself because I can’t see myself with a girl and will NEVER come out of the closet. It’s bothering me to see friends starting to get married and feel like I won’t ever get to that position. It’s making me unmotivated and just overall disappointed in myself. I’m not really sure how I’m suppose to fix what I’m feeling

Trans22 My history with depression (positive ending)
  • replies: 4

I'm currently 53yo and have spent far too much time in a state of severe depression (self diagnosed). I call it severe depression because there are relatively few days in my life after puberty, that I didn't contemplate suicide or wish for death to p... View more

I'm currently 53yo and have spent far too much time in a state of severe depression (self diagnosed). I call it severe depression because there are relatively few days in my life after puberty, that I didn't contemplate suicide or wish for death to pay me a visit. The deeper a person goes into depression, the harder it becomes to think about a reason to continue existing. I never went through with a suicide attempt, mostly because of fear of failure (for me) but my psychologist tells me that my family life and my religion may have been more important factors. I now realize that I did engage in self harm occasionally, and I admit to frequently invited death to join me with actions I took. I only sought medical help once - was prescribed anti-depressants that didn't help because they were only treating the symptom. My story changed to a happy one when I discovered the reason for my almost 40 years of confusion and suffering - I was born with a female mind and a male body. I embraced this and said goodbye to my long term companion, depression.One of the most therapeutic things I've started doing since my discovery is writing a diary/journal. I try to focus mostly on the positive and affirming moments and have done pretty well in this regard. I have reread my diary/journal twice, when I've felt a little down, and it reminds my of how beautiful my life is now and I'm quickly back into loving myself and my life mode. I wish I had thought to start a happy journal like this when I was 12 - I'm sure it would have helped.I will provide one final recommendation, avoid spending too much time trying to understand your problem and seek professional help. I fell into the trap of merging other people's stories into my own and this is why I have had short periods of feeling down after accept that I was transgender. My gender psychologist brought this to my attention and suggested that I should spend my time living my life and focus on how wonderful my transition has been.

Lulu00 My problems are so small but I’m still so sad
  • replies: 4

Ok… this is my first time talking about this soooo Lately I’m just so down. I’m unmotivated. Sad. Tired. Bored in class. Grumpy. Moody. Everything. Im usually a bubbly person but I’m just faking it now so people don’t notice. There’s nothing seriousl... View more

Ok… this is my first time talking about this soooo Lately I’m just so down. I’m unmotivated. Sad. Tired. Bored in class. Grumpy. Moody. Everything. Im usually a bubbly person but I’m just faking it now so people don’t notice. There’s nothing seriously wrong with my life though, and I feel horrible that I’m depressed with this beautiful life I have! Like there are people starving, and I’m here complaining about me being depressed about my boring life! Like I feel so petty saying this. In school I’m usually happy and smiling but now I just try to be calm and to not cry. I get good sleep but I wake up tired. I have a shower in the morning and just cry because I’m awake. I fought with my brother today, over nothing. Nothing. I mean he did hit me in my ear but I shouldn’t have to cry before he sees that he is being mean. This morning I fought with my dad over nothing. Again. The only thing in my life that makes me happy is food and music now. sad

bb2005 Dysthymia
  • replies: 3

Hey everyone, I was diagnosed with dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) by a doctor on discharge from the psychiatric ward on Monday. I thought I would drop in to say hi as I guess I belong here now. Cheers.

Hey everyone, I was diagnosed with dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) by a doctor on discharge from the psychiatric ward on Monday. I thought I would drop in to say hi as I guess I belong here now. Cheers.

MissAnthrope07 Does anyone ever feel like nobody believes you're depressed because you seem happy?
  • replies: 1

I spoke to a mental health professional 2 weeks ago and the entire time I felt like he didn't believe me. I just sat there, mild-mannered, giving this stranger compendious details about my history and trauma and he probably didn't take me as seriousl... View more

I spoke to a mental health professional 2 weeks ago and the entire time I felt like he didn't believe me. I just sat there, mild-mannered, giving this stranger compendious details about my history and trauma and he probably didn't take me as seriously because I wasn't visibly broken up about it. Sometimes I don't even believe myself. I regularly work out, eat clean, sleep well, socialise - I even tried those stupid joe rogan shorts about cutting coffee, avoiding social media, and taking ice-cold showers which are all supposedly good for your dopamine levels - so statistically I should be as happy as a crackhead by now, but instead I'm miserable.

loganJ132 struggling to reach out
  • replies: 3

as a tall, more muscular and traditionally masculine person i find it hard to reach out because i think people will judge me and even when they do i say it’s okay because i don’t want to be a burden on them or be seen as vulnerable. i want to be able... View more

as a tall, more muscular and traditionally masculine person i find it hard to reach out because i think people will judge me and even when they do i say it’s okay because i don’t want to be a burden on them or be seen as vulnerable. i want to be able to talk but i’m not even sure why i’m feeling this way, i have no reason to feel like this but i just can’t find joy in things i used to and it’s really affecting my relationships, job, school etc. i just want to know how to deal with these feelings.

Nobodie Depression blocks me from doing anything
  • replies: 2

I am having so much problem about my parents. They kept discouraging me, denying all my achievements, and criticizing all the decisions I have made. Years before, I tried to listen to "part of" what they said. But what I ended up with was a crush in ... View more

I am having so much problem about my parents. They kept discouraging me, denying all my achievements, and criticizing all the decisions I have made. Years before, I tried to listen to "part of" what they said. But what I ended up with was a crush in my entire life and a self-abandoned suiside. What was left after that was a missing heart. I can't really felt my heart pulse after that and I don't even think my personality was there. Soon after that I chose to leave my mom and went to my dad who is in another country. There I met my first girl friend ever. Things happen on me was way more twisting and difficult than any TV series I have ever heard of. I have been trying to deny they are so bad cause I believe everyone has their own goodness. Yet, three years has passed, I couldn't believe what they did was even worse. What my mom has been doing was only breaking promise, misleading on all my choices, and being 24hr wavering. Now she started to fabricating the history, rooting all the previous bad things on me, and kept promising me all the things she couldn't have done and compelling me to go back and stay in her city. My father, another extremist, even got divorced and been single for couple of years, trust more on his ex-wife, "workmates," agents, and other relatives but not me. Most interestingly, all my childhood memory on him was ever-lasting bickering with mom at home. My mom always tells me what aspects on dad she looked down upon when I grew up. His business has been paying him less than half of the amount he deserve yet he is so proud of the "relationship". He once told me proudly that his peers called him for a midnight emergency job, but in return, they offered him a meal... He said this is true friends. He is so proud that even if paid at a discounted wage, he think that the vegetable friend send him is a witness and proof of that. As for agents, he is so close to the female agent that he wouldn't even care that I was cooking for the family. The agent was quite impolite to me but he didn't notice even a little. He kept on telling me how nice the agent is. Yet after I search online, I found him paying at the highest price of high point in history for houses at the lowest point of the market. Then after I learned more, I did realize that all the properties he got are sharply decreasing in price and no one was willing to purchase.

Baileysmells When does it end? When does it stop being a battle?
  • replies: 1

My energy is so low recently, my ability to fight my negative thoughts has been dwindling. I have a month to find a place to live or me and my sister are on the street. I’m the only one doing all the work: cleaning, packing, applying for houses. I’m ... View more

My energy is so low recently, my ability to fight my negative thoughts has been dwindling. I have a month to find a place to live or me and my sister are on the street. I’m the only one doing all the work: cleaning, packing, applying for houses. I’m physically and mentally drained. I moved away and grew apart from my friends so I’m in a new town, with no stability or people to lean on. I feel so alone. I hate that I’m jealous of my sister for finding a partner so close to her personality because I had found the same only to be ghosted, watching and being around them stings. No one new is coming along, all the apps have stopped providing matching all of the sudden. I truly am alone. I just want to have relationships and stability but I myself as well as external factors sabotage all of that. I have no certainty in my future, I just want to have someone and a roof over my head but I can’t even have that. Instead I sit here dwelling in my depression wishing for more while I hide away in my room from my sisters relationship. I feel pathetic, I feel unworthy. Life just never throws me a bone, it seems to be problem after problem. Every time I get close to someone it leads to heartbreak. When can I just be able to rest, when is the world going to give me a reason to smile- to keep going.