Do I have depression?

[GrayGray]

Hi. I've just come across Beyond Blue, as for the past five/six weeks I've been feeling like I've been having these continuous phases of sadness and despair. Sometimes I can feel extremely alone and hopeless and I just break down. It hits me at random times but there hasn't been a day so far that has been 100% free of that feeling. 

At first I thought that it was just sadness, but it seems different, like, I've never felt this way before. I started to look at some of the symptoms on this website and some explain exactly how I'm feeling - overwhelmed, irritable, miserable, hopeless and withdrawing from people and things that I used to love doing. I took the checklist test that the website provides and it came out with moderate depression...but I feel like I can't actually ask anyone if this could be happening to me, as I feel like they'd just think I was being dramatic. 

I'm not quite sure where to go from here or whether or not depression explains my thoughts and feelings lately, but any advice would be much appreciated.

[Lori]

Hi GrayGray, 

Welcome to Beyondblue and the forums, i have to say that i am glad you have stumbled upon Beyondblue it's a great organization that will do their best to help you. 

Taking the first step and reaching out is a great step to recovery i am no doctor but it does sound like you are experiencing depression. It's not always helpful diagnosing yourself with illnesses as i have done in the past. People always have those days where their in the blues and are feeling down. Depression is pretty much constant experiencing it every day isn't fun, and what you are describing definitely sounds related to it. 

I would suggest that you speak to your GP and see what they have to say, and to get diagnosed properly. See if they can recommended anything that may be helpful in your recovery. It's good to get control over it before it gets worse (hopefully it won't for you). 

Also if seeing your GP wasn't an option i would suggest fitting exercise into your daily routine, exercise is always great to help with depression even when you feel like doing nothing it can definitely help and is always good to give it a try even if it's only a 20minute walk a day give it a shot 🙂

For the time being, keep your chin up and stay strong! 

Keep us updated and shout out if you have anymore questions,  your doing a great job so far 🙂

- Lori 🙂

[GrayGray]

Thank-you, this was really helpful!

[geoff]

dear GrayGray, hi and it's great to be able to touch base with you.

Lori's one of our new members who would like to reply to people on a regular basis, and what she has said is very good.

There is a distinct difference between being sad and depression, both of these are no good to any of us or have no benefit towards us, however sadness will most likely disappear within a few days, but depression will stay with us for week after week and certainly for months/years, even though there maybe days when we feel some what better but it hasn't gone, and then it bounces back and delivers another heavy blow that will pull us back down into the black pit.

We can never predict when this blow will hit us, because it happens at any time or anywhere, and what it does is destroy any confidence, self esteem and affects our life where we just want to bury our head in a pillow and cry, hide from the world.

You can't keep going on the way you are, it's time that you received help and there are several ways about how to do this.

First you should go and see your doctor who will get the ball rolling, secondly you can ring BB on the phone number at the top of this page, and these people work tirelessly to help anyone who rings up and wants help, thirdly if you don't feel comfortable talking on the phone then you can email them and the link is just under the search bar at the top of this page.

Please can I suggest that all or any one of these options is something for you to consider. Geoff.