I'm looking for help with depression, social anxiety and gender dysphoria. Any ideas that might help?

[Emberr]

I'm a trans girl with gender dysphoria, social anxiety disorder, and depression. I'm just looking for ways to help myself when I'm feeling any of those things. I do feel those things a lot of the time, so I need suggestions that I can do whenever and wherever. Thanks for your help.

[smallwolf]

Hi Emberr,

welcome to the community here at beyond blue.

Your post was quite direct and straight to the point. So while I might make a few suggestions I am unsure how they will be taken given the little I know about you except from your post - which is fine by the way...

I do not know how bad your social anxiety is, but I will suggest you might find a local support group in your area. Or they may even be groups for trans girls as well? Regardless being able to talk to someone, and perhaps create connections with others could be useful.

Is there anyone in your circle of family or friends you can talk to?

The first time I saw my psychologist she told me to install an app called virtual hope box on my phone - it has tools to help me "whenever and wherever".

There are a number of threads on the forums on grounding and mindfulness with other hints and tricks you can use.

Most importantly, it is courageous of you to come and post here. I hope you return and tell more of your story. I will listen and respond as I can.

Peace and comforting thoughts to you,

Tim

[Emberr]

Hi, sorry that I didn't give you much information about me I wasn't very sure if anyone would want to know much, but anyway I tried the app you recommend for me and I think it will help out so thanks for that. I do have friends that I can talk to but I feel like I annoy them when I talk about that to them and my family hasn’t been the best in supporting family members with mental diseases and LGBTQ+ family (I have an aunt who is transgender so I’m hoping to get in contact with her soon), but I have started going to a phycologist recently but its too early to say it’s working just yet

[Birdy77]

Hello Emberr, hi smallwolf,

It's good you've come here for suppot Emberr, I'm glad you're here.

You're welcome to talk as little or as much as you like about yourself and your feelings or situation.

You are amongst friends here.

I don't know if you've accessed any support through places like The Gender Centre (gendercentre.org.au) or Qlife.org.au? If not, you may find some really helpful resources and support there in relation to your gender dysphoria and other issues and concerns you might have as a trans girl.

I'm so glad you downloaded the app Tim mentioned. I tend to listen to guided meditations a lot on Spotify that really help me and am happy to share them if you're interested.

Do you have any hobbies or interests that allow you to firget your anxieties and depression? I lose myself in gardening, i can go for hours without remembering my issues (🙌). This can help a lot with giving your mind a break, do you have something like this?

You are very welcome and safe here.

🌻birdy

[smallwolf]

Hey! Give yourself time with the psychologist - real change takes time. And while you see your psychologist it is also good to have support on the outside and hopefully you can get that from your aunt. I would also say that some people like small talk and others prefer deeper conversations. I fall into the latter category. Which group are you in?

Don't worry about how much you did or didn't put into your initial post. People here are interested in caring for and supporting each other. After all, all anyone wants is to be accepted as they are, and if possible to overcome if not manage whatever gets us down

Tim

[Emberr]

Hi again, so no, birdy I haven't used any of those websites you gave me, but I will give them a try and hopefully that can help me with that issue. I’m interested in the guided meditations you mentioned if you can give me the names of them. And though I don’t have many things I like to do at the moment I am looking for something like that, I haven’t been able to get into them and I lost interest in the things I liked to do before.

And hi again smallwolf (or Tim or whatever you want me to refer to you as), I know that getting better takes time and I will give it that time needed, and I will be seeing my aunt sometime soon. I do agree with you on preferring deeper conversations rather than small talk.

[smallwolf]

Other than theatre what sort of things interest you conversation wise.

Or perhaps, what gets you down?

Or you could tell me something about you - either depression or transgender or something totally different?

Tim

[Birdy77]

Hi Emberr,

I really hope you find those sites helpful, there are lots of different resources there and ways of accessing support. I know Qlife has a webchat, not sure about The Gender Centre.

It's really good that you have your aunt that you can reach out to, having gone through maybe some similar feelings, and who may be able to guide you in some ways.

I listen to different meditations through Spotify, lately I've been listening to some by Tara Brach - she has them on her website if you don't use Spotify. I like Jack Kornfield too. There's a podcast called Nothing Much Happens, and it's like a bedtime story for adults, it has helped me fall asleep even when I've been anxious, she has a calming voice and it'sa way of training your brain to switch off fir a good night'ssleep. I will give you some other names next time if you're interested.

There are meditation apps but i haven't used them, I have heard Smiling Mind recommended a few times.

I understand just what you mean about losing interest in the things that you used to be into. I think that's a big factor with depression, it kind of deprives us of those things that usually brought us pleasure or peace. What sorts of things used to interest you, or made you feel happy?

Let us know how you're going when you feel up to it.

🌻birdy