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

naralle Still Working on my Depression
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone,I would like to let everyone know that I'm trying to fight back on my depression which isn't easy but if I don't start now it will never happen. I know I have support here and I really do appreciate it and I now know that I can come here ... View more

Hi everyone,I would like to let everyone know that I'm trying to fight back on my depression which isn't easy but if I don't start now it will never happen. I know I have support here and I really do appreciate it and I now know that I can come here and talk about it instead of bottling it up. Its just going to take one day at a time to work on my health and get my motivation back on track that's for sure and tell my depression were to go lol. But it won't be easy but I have to make a start and do something about it. I know I will have some off days hey I know I will jump on here and talk about it. Anyway thank you for listening.

NewDad24 Depression for new fathers
  • replies: 2

Hi all,I’m a new father to a beautiful 7 week year old boy. My wife and I have been doing really well with him, however, over time I have started to feel more anxious and depressed as I have felt that my son is not bonding with me. I would get easily... View more

Hi all,I’m a new father to a beautiful 7 week year old boy. My wife and I have been doing really well with him, however, over time I have started to feel more anxious and depressed as I have felt that my son is not bonding with me. I would get easily overwhelmed when he cried while his mother was out for a bit of space as I could not do anything to settle him. I understand at this age he is hungry and relies on his mother for food, but my mentality did not allow me to think this. Instead I would think ‘he hates you’, ‘you’re not a good father’. This made my anxiety and depression worse, and also made me more impatient and easily aggravated. It’s reached the point where my wife has asked for space and I know I need help to change these behaviours or I will lose the people I love more than anything. I plan to talk with my GP and see a specialist but would love any insights from other fathers, or relatives of fathers who have experienced something similar

naralle Depression
  • replies: 6

I find having Depression sux, because I know I'm not a normal person, I've been living with Depression for 18 years and I miss being normal. I've forgotten what it's like to be normal, now I have to fight to do what I want to do or my Depression take... View more

I find having Depression sux, because I know I'm not a normal person, I've been living with Depression for 18 years and I miss being normal. I've forgotten what it's like to be normal, now I have to fight to do what I want to do or my Depression takes over and that's it I'm just a zombie. I don't have a normal night sleep, my husband also has depression and anxiety I have anxiety as well and we try to look after each other. At the moment we both aren't coping due to a few circumstances one of the being financial, but I'm really starting to struggle with my Depression again. I want to get back into my hobbies and start taking up new ones, I'm trying very hard to stay positive but when your constantly worried about your husband well your mind is in over drive and then I start to stress eat. My Depression is always hanging around waiting for me to feel weak so it can let it self in, it's hard to be strong and active as I've got two pro-lapsed discs in my lower back and that's a everyday struggle in itself. I do keep a diary but I forget to write in it. I just wish I never Major Depression and Anxiety, its evil and it waits unit your weak and it then sneaks in then your whole mood changes. Sometimes its hard to be positive all the time, motivation is hard as well, I know one thing and I have to say this I blame my father for this and that's all I will say on that matter. I do listen to music, I do watch my tv shows but when I'm just not in the mood to do anything i lay on my bed with my eyes closed and do nothing. They say that ' try and go for a walk, or read a book or do something', but it's not always easy. I do try and I do have my good days and I do have my bad days. I am on medication and I take it everyday, I just wish I didn't have this problem. I'm just frustrated with having depression that's all.

Alida Fourteen (14) with depression and anxiety?
  • replies: 3

Hello all. I am very soon about to turn 14, and I think I have depression or anxiety. Sometimes I struggle so much to even move because I think whats even the point, but there are days I feel happy and grateful I'm alive. i told my friend about it an... View more

Hello all. I am very soon about to turn 14, and I think I have depression or anxiety. Sometimes I struggle so much to even move because I think whats even the point, but there are days I feel happy and grateful I'm alive. i told my friend about it and she said that depressed and feel sad all the time so I must be fine. I believed her for about a year, until one day we were eating at lunch break and I had cake. mind you she was one of the pretty skinny girls in my grade, and she was suddenly friends with the "cool" girls. I was eating the cake and she said, that's what you eating, she looked down and back up and said "no wonder" and all her popular friends laughed. I just laughed as well and pretended to not care, but as soon as I got home I cried and couldn't stop. i didn't eat for three days, and I'm still taking breaks from eating, where I only eat five days a week. i know its so unhealthy but I can't help it. someone pls help me!

One_More_Day Need Help Getting Work
  • replies: 11

Hi BBs, I am currently in the midst of a major mental health crisis perpetuated by unemployment. Is there any help out there to support people with invisible disabilities, which mental health unwellness is, in my opinion anyway, to get back into the ... View more

Hi BBs, I am currently in the midst of a major mental health crisis perpetuated by unemployment. Is there any help out there to support people with invisible disabilities, which mental health unwellness is, in my opinion anyway, to get back into the workplace? It is difficult to fit into workplaces, so ideally a job where I can work on my own and plough through allocated tasks. Perhaps a call centre? If there is any support out there, I would be very grateful to be pointed in the right direction. Many thank in advance, OMD.

Lemonysquash Struggling with depression and working in management
  • replies: 4

I don't even know whether this will help me at the moment but i think a part of me is trying to process my feelings. I work for a small business and the directors also happen to be my parents which in a lot of ways is fantastic. in others it can pres... View more

I don't even know whether this will help me at the moment but i think a part of me is trying to process my feelings. I work for a small business and the directors also happen to be my parents which in a lot of ways is fantastic. in others it can present challenges that you wouldn't normally deal with when working elsewhere. My family and i have alot of boundaries in place and treat work as work and when we leave then we talk as family. I have worked my backside off over the years with all of that in mind and have taken over my mothers role since she retired, managing the office admin side of things. One big issue i have however is that I have depression, PTSD and a huge issue with self worth. i guess i just want to see if there are other people out there who are managers or senior roles with mental health issues and how they manage to function in their roles appropriately? I feel like I cant do anything right and that I shouldnt be here doing this job even though i know i have the skills to do it. I feel like my mental health stops me being able to progress and work with others efficiently no matter how many strategies i try to employ

BG_95 Sleeping to avoid feeling
  • replies: 4

Hi guys. 28 year old. Complex PTSD. Mild anxiety and Major Depression. My whole life I’ve had an issue with sleep. My family and friends while I was in high school use to say I’d sleep my life away if I could. People still tell me now. I work up at 4... View more

Hi guys. 28 year old. Complex PTSD. Mild anxiety and Major Depression. My whole life I’ve had an issue with sleep. My family and friends while I was in high school use to say I’d sleep my life away if I could. People still tell me now. I work up at 4pm today and I’m still away now (12:54am) I’ve always had an issue with sleep. Sometimes I find it difficult to wind down others I can fall asleep just fine with a documentary or sleep noises playing in the back ground. I have depression episodes so bad at times go over my sick days at work and end up resigning. Every job I have had I’ve been spoken to about my days off. When I have these episodes all I want to do is sleep to avoid EVERYTHING. I’m on week 3 of 10mg antidepressants (my second go at antidepressants) and since November last year I’ve been sleeping 13-15 hours a day. I’m on uni holidays and haven’t started my new casual role yet as I’ve just moved town. I can’t go to work and focus on uni if all I want to do is sleep. Please. Can anybody help? Is there a diagnosis drs might be able to help me with maybe in regards to sleeping so much? I mean something has to be wrong because I’ve had it my whole life and I’m only noticing now that it’s so bad. Idk why it took me so long to realise I think I’ve always known but have just thought nobody would be able to help. I’ve tried to get into a night time routine and no screen time and reading ect. But no luck I still want to sleep a lot. Can anybody please shine some light on what might be going on or what I can do to help myself please

Karlas Coping with sadness that overcomes in waves
  • replies: 2

Coping with sadness that overcomes me in waves. I'm struggling to work through this, it makes me feel worthless and extremely sad.

Coping with sadness that overcomes me in waves. I'm struggling to work through this, it makes me feel worthless and extremely sad.

ellr Financial stress contributing to suicidal thoughts
  • replies: 3

Hey everyone, I’m a 25 year old woman who make about $1200-$1400 a fortnight and I’m in debt, behind in payments, been waiting for months for centrelink to give me a health care card and I’m just done. I pay $300 a week in rent, put $200 towards debt... View more

Hey everyone, I’m a 25 year old woman who make about $1200-$1400 a fortnight and I’m in debt, behind in payments, been waiting for months for centrelink to give me a health care card and I’m just done. I pay $300 a week in rent, put $200 towards debt and try live off the extra $100 -$200 for everything else and im just not coping. I was in an extremely abusive relationship for my mid to late teens which resulted in multiple long term injuries, I can’t afford an sort of doctor (pyschologist, psychiatrist, regular doctors or dentists). My health is getting worse and I need access to healthcare but centrelink keep messing me around. Just dont see why I keep trying to continue to fight anymore. Is this world even worth living in once I make it to the other side of this mental battle? I’m just so tired of having to fight to exist in this life. I don’t want to die, I just want peace. I want the stress to go. Anxiety to go. I need a break.

Maddie-7 Depression
  • replies: 2

I feel flat not badly depressed. I have been doing a few things to help myself. Written down a number of positives that relate to me.Positive thought I can do this repeat this to myself through the day.Positive activity. Going to ceramics, and mosaic... View more

I feel flat not badly depressed. I have been doing a few things to help myself. Written down a number of positives that relate to me.Positive thought I can do this repeat this to myself through the day.Positive activity. Going to ceramics, and mosaics. Talking and playing with my 3 dogs. Talking to a friend, my GP who is a friend. Talking to God and counting my blessings.Reading what I am interested in. Watching something on TV that I find funny and makes me smile. Seeing and talking to my daughter. Helping her with her mental health, as she gets depression too.Talking with my doctor and taking my medication, this is important as I have Bi Polar illness. Seeing my Psychologist. Having coffee with some friends once a month. Being part of a mental health support group and trying to help someone else. Having good sleep and doing mindful breathing. Going out to the heated pool once week. Doing some casual work. Plan my day and get two jobs done at home each day. I think I am working towards better health and I appreciate this forum. I hope these words might have helped someone else.Maddie7