Finally letting it all out

[massdancer]

I have never been one to express my emotions and tend to bottle everything up, but I just need a place where I can express all the feelings I feel in a judgement free zone. I'm hoping this is the place. My recent move to Australia from the states has taken quite a large toll on my mental health, way greater than expected. I have felt so alone and am afraid to confide in my new found friends about my depression, homesicknesses, and the anxiety i get just thinking about going to uni. I have been purposely avoiding class so I don't have to participate because every time i think about speaking in front of classmates I can feel a panic attack coming on. Back in the states i suffered from this as well, but it was easier to stay in the comfort of my room and just forget about it . Here I am confronted with my thoughts and emotions every second of the day. I have felt so alone and like i'm not good enough recently. It has been affecting my sleeping and my eating habits. I want to be able to talk to my friends about it, even my friends and family back home, but I don't want to scare them away or make them think any less of me because of it. I don't even know how to go about bringing the topic up to them.

*just needed a place to finally write down what I'm feeling and not have it bottled up inside*

[BballJ]

Hi massdancer,

You are in the right place, this is a non judgemental safe zone for you to vent and well done for getting your story out and getting it off your mind and into words, it can be very comforting I have found writing stuff down. I can imagine how hard it would be to move in-between states let alone countries so that tells me you have a lot of strength because to do that and leave your friends and family and go off on your own adventure.

My first recommendation would be to maybe go and speak with your local GP and get some advice from them and maybe think about seeing a psychologist to talk through what you are feeling. Getting some tips to help manage it would be beneficial to you I think as well. As you said this hasn't just come about and you managed it back home due to the fact your had a safe place at home so I can understand why it is harder here but I honestly think speaking to a professional may really help you.

Please also know you can call the Beyond Blue helpline on 1300 22 4636 24/7 to discuss anything you are going through.

Please, post back as much as you like.

My best for you,

Jay

[geoff]

hello Massdancer, many times I been homesick and that's just being away from home a few hours away and that was when I was a young kid, it's an awful feeling which can obviously lead to becoming depressed, why, well because you're already feeling low and susceptible in rejecting anything that is mentioned to you, let alone feeling the courage to open up to those you are friends with, that's the strength of how powerful depression is.
It maybe hard to get any sympathy from your family/friends back home, because they may say that it's a decision you have made on your own and may not offer you any comfort, and that's certainly not what you want.
As you're not sure which friends you think you could talk to is always a very difficult decision, so first of all I think you should see your doctor, however I don't believe there is any medication to cure homesickness because that's what I asked for, all they said is take it one day at a time, easier said than done.
Are you able to google this 'homesick and depressed' there maybe some good information for you there, but please we'd like to hear your thoughts. Geoff.