First Post.

[Kkat1]

Hello, 

I have joined because I find myself having difficulty staying positive a controlling my depression. I have treated it in the past but lately I feel angry, agitated and hypersensitive. My most common thought now is that I am wasting the time of my life that I should be enjoying; my 20's. I feel isolated from my age group and life, and self. 

 I also love helping others over forums. 

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Kkat1,

Welcome to BB and thanks for posting.

First things first: 20's are so overrated!  As someone who is in their 20's I was always told that this age is 'the time of your life' and 'where everything happens'.  So please, try and ignore that silly stigma that happens with ages.  As someone in their 20's I'm still figuring things out too. 🙂   Just because you may not being enjoying it like you want to (yet!) doesn't mean that you are wasting your life.

Can I ask what helped you to control your depression in the past?  Were you seeing a counsellor or psychologist?  Sometimes people find that having that support network is really helpful and having someone to reach out too even if it's not regularly.    What's making you feel isolated?  Are you catching up with friends/in social networks?

Feel free to let us know more or reach out for some extra support.

and if you love to help others over forums feel free to reply to threads too and offer your own advice.  You could also consider being a bluevoices member for BeyondBlue if you wanted to.

🙂

[Narniakid]

Hi Kkat1, welcome to the forums!

It sounds like you're going through a kind of identity crisis - my suggestion for you is to make a mood board (search on Pinterest for some ideas) of things you'd like to try, places you'd like to go and photos of people and things that make you happy, and hang it in your bedroom or near your work space. This can help you re-evaluate your goals and stay on track.

Have you reached out for any professional help? A common mistake is thinking once you've treated the depression that it won't come back again, however it is something that often reoccurs and can be triggered to all sorts of experiences. I suggest going to your GP for a professional diagnosis and to discuss further treatment and therapy options.

Remember you are always welcome here to share your thoughts and experiences. We are a judge-free zone and we encourage help and support.

Crystal

[morgs29]

Hi Kkat1,

Welcome to the forums and well done for reaching out. I think it's an incredibly brave thing to share how you feel with others.

I have suffered with depression since I was 16 and I can completely relate to how you are feeling. Please don't feel as though you are wasting your 20's. I know that feeling, you see other people who do not suffer with the same things as you do and ask 'why me?' Comparing ourselves with others can be very upsetting and takes away from positive things in our lives.

It has taken me a really long time to learn how to balance my wellbeing whilst suffering with depression and anxiety. Have you seen a professional GP, psychologist or counsellor about your depression? I have found this really helpful, as well as learning techniques to deal with how I feel in a more manageable way. I think the worst thing we can do sometimes is fight against what we are feeling. Sometimes, we have to accept what we are feeling and look for ways forwards. This doesn't mean you have to like what you are feeling, but know that there are ways of looking after yourself when you are in the deepest periods of your depression.

Maybe begin with asking yourself what helps you. Is it walking? Is it something creative like painting, drawing, singing or dancing? Is it listening to music? The more things you know you love, the more tools you have in your backpack to use when the depression hits. I would encourage you to start here and begin thinking about what makes you feel good.

Take care and know that you can continue to post here on the forums or even use the online chat function on the beyondblue website page. There are also some really great information sheets on depression on this website, which you might want to have a read through.

Morgan