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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

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Von is lost Massive guilt
  • replies: 3

I accidentally ran over a cat this morning and it died when I took it to the vet. It must’ve been hiding under my car and I heard a bump once I started to drive and I looked in the mirror and saw the poor thing. I picked it up in a towel and drove to... View more

I accidentally ran over a cat this morning and it died when I took it to the vet. It must’ve been hiding under my car and I heard a bump once I started to drive and I looked in the mirror and saw the poor thing. I picked it up in a towel and drove to the vet basically in hysterics. They did what they could but sadly he passed away. I haven’t stopped crying since it happened and I can’t stop thinking about his body and eyes and the way he was breathing on the way to the vet. I feel an immeasurable amount of guilt

SLSTR computer gambling game
  • replies: 7

I need some assistance with something that is bothering me. My dad sits up most nights after dinner and ignores the family and plays a computer gambling casino game for hours. This happens most nights, recently he has been very angry again and I thin... View more

I need some assistance with something that is bothering me. My dad sits up most nights after dinner and ignores the family and plays a computer gambling casino game for hours. This happens most nights, recently he has been very angry again and I think he is depressed with his life situation he told me today he did not want to see other members of our family because he is "sick of hearing about their holidays and good things they are doing". I feel like he avoiding the family or maybe he is just winding down each night but I feel its not healthy.. what should I do hes 74, it may seem fun and harmless but i feel it could be a behavioral addiction.

random__ I'm terrified of my ex best friend part 2
  • replies: 4

Hello to whoever is reading this.. WARNING SENSITIVE TOPICSI have already had a discussion about this topic which is still up on my profile and it includes some sensitive topics but I am making a part 2 on this cause after years it's still going..BAC... View more

Hello to whoever is reading this.. WARNING SENSITIVE TOPICSI have already had a discussion about this topic which is still up on my profile and it includes some sensitive topics but I am making a part 2 on this cause after years it's still going..BACKSTORY: I had a best friend who had made some horrid accusations about me "SA-ing" her in 2021 which is false as I have many screenshots and convos of her admitting to me is was a false accusation. she took any guy that I wanted to get to know, she made fat comments to me on a daily, she made posted photos online that looked identical to mine, she use to stalk my house before school and when she accused me of SA-ing her I moved state which she followed me her.This has been going on for years and as of recent she has been doing some things that are quite uncomfortable e.x.changing her name on her socials to the same as mine just with 1 letter difference.dying her hair the same color as mine every time I change it.stalking all my socials with other accounts.trying to destroy my friends by telling people about the (SA).. and when she tells people about it she smiles and laughs about it almost like she's proud of it.. and as someone who has been R-word before.. it makes me sick to my stomach watching her tell every Tom, Dick and Harry about it with a smile.. even posting tiktoks of her posing 'sexually' whilst spreading what happened..It's taken a few years but I've gotten better with physical touch now but I'm still a bit scared of touching girls e.x. (hugging, touching arm, sitting next to someone and our legs touch)I've been told to go to the police but because it was so long ago.. "nothing can be done"and I can't go to the police about this.. they'd turn me away as it was considered "just girl drama"it still keeps me up at night and sometimes feel like I shouldn't be existing because that's the label I'll always have attached to me, no matter how much proof I have against me showing I'm innocent..I want to see it a different way and not see it as I'm stuck in one place scared all the time, I've been trying different methods to help ignore, help the situation and how I feel but it's always sitting there in the back of my mind.. Sometimes I feel like I hate this world and humanity and there is no point cause people are so mean and they don't care how it effects others.

Rara Am I in denial?
  • replies: 2

BG: I have been diagnosed with Bipolar depression from my previous psychiatrist. I seek a professional help way back 2020. I had my anti depressants since then. Around 2022, I attempted suicide and was hospitalised for almost a week. Then around Augu... View more

BG: I have been diagnosed with Bipolar depression from my previous psychiatrist. I seek a professional help way back 2020. I had my anti depressants since then. Around 2022, I attempted suicide and was hospitalised for almost a week. Then around August 2023, I full forced stopped taking any medicine. I thought I was getting better. From the past, I have prolonged low episodes. Usually every 2 and more months before I switch to any episodes. Yet, after not taking any medicine. My episodes became upside down; switching either weekly (or within the week) or having many switches within a day. At some point, I was still in denial. I think? Not fully acknowledging that I am really personally experiencing this. Since I was way compassionate helping people in a mental health sector. I wanted to seek professional help again, this time through more compassionate psychotherapy. But then, I also don't know why. Why should I?At some point, I wasn't ready for my subconscious to be awakened.I have the fear of being questioned. I have the fear of not being believed by what I talked about.Their questions made me feel like disregarded for what I feel or for what I am experiencing. Knowing that it is often for me to hear from a family member about their capacity to conquer different situations over mine (a harder one than my experiences, leaving me comparing everything from my emotions and mental capacity). Most of the time, my voice isn't really heard. I was stopped in the middle of telling myself—of me speaking on behalf of my most authentic self. Most of the time, they heard of themselves more than they heard the sole soul I have. And now, somehow, I feel hesitant and in denial? It's like, people, they generally make you feel that what you are experiencing is nothing more than your own kind of trouble with yourself. Leaving me questioning myself: am I overreacting? Am I sensitive, or are they insensitive? Somehow, it makes me think that what I am experiencing is far from what they had. And questioning my right to be in this mental state. And everytime I have my sessions, I thought that "why should I need this? I am doing fine. Does those matter? (The lows)". Because it usually happens that I feel high when there's a session. Or sometimes, I just felt like I am fine. It is very confusing and hard—too.

Earth Girl Everyone is saying that I pretended to be friends with people, but it's not true
  • replies: 2

In college, I was friends/acquaintances with a small group of people and I also become friends with one of these people's friends just a bit before formal and I went to formal with this friend and we sat with the rest of the group there. The friendsh... View more

In college, I was friends/acquaintances with a small group of people and I also become friends with one of these people's friends just a bit before formal and I went to formal with this friend and we sat with the rest of the group there. The friendship with this girl started out really good, but even early on in the friendship, there were things she did that I really didn't like. E.g. she asked me to put her rubbish in the bin for her on the day we went out for shopping for our formal. She got really mad at another girl who sat at our table because she was trying to help pass the water to someone and she accidentally spelt it on the table, etc. I was friends with this girl for about 2 and a half years and I wasn't feeling sure about the friendship anymore, but I didn't know how to end it. On one night out, her boyfriend drove me to where we were going and back home and he beforehand asked me for $20 to do so. My Mum and sister said he ripped me off and that I shouldn't have had to pay him in the first place because they were going past my house on the way anyway. I then told them that I didn't like how some of my friends treated me and then they said I didn't have to stay friends with them. I asked how do you do that and they said just stop talking to them and keep telling them you are busy and the friendship will die. I did this for 3 years! She wouldn't let go. I told my sister that I was going to just let her know that I wasn't feeling the friendship anymore and she said that it is rude to tell someone you don't want to be friends with them anymore and to just let it die even though it wasn't ending still. I ended up deleting her on Facebook because my sisters said it would be okay to do that. L asked me why I deleted her and I told her that I just felt our friendship wasn't working out and she got really mad and then blocked me. One of the girls in the college group, C would invite me to their night outs, but that was it friendship wise. We became a bit closer later on for about a year until I deleted her on Facebook as well (long story) and now she's saying I was pretending to be her friend for 7 years when I wasn't. We weren't even friends for most of those years, just mild acquaintances. I made friends with a girl later in CIT, A and it was good at first, but I wasn't feeling it anymore after a while, but I was scared to end it because I knew she would bully me. I ended it eventually and she's now bullying me even worse than I thought she would.

Theo26 Frustrated with my situation
  • replies: 1

About 9 weeks ago I thought my meds weren’t working properly , id been on them for 10 years and I was just starting to get really irritated and stressed hence why I thought they weren’t working, so I went to my GP and we change them which was the big... View more

About 9 weeks ago I thought my meds weren’t working properly , id been on them for 10 years and I was just starting to get really irritated and stressed hence why I thought they weren’t working, so I went to my GP and we change them which was the biggest mistake I ever made. 5 weeks in and I just spiralled into deep depression and anxiety through the roof so I went back on my old meds and my GP gave me something to ease the anxiety and I know they take time to kick in and it’s only my fourth week back on the old ones but I have a family now to support which I feel is a responsibility which elevates my anxiety even more. Everyone tells me not to worry about work you just need to get well. My wife’s wage looks after all the bills but I still feel like I’m failing them. I’m starting to get frustrated. It’s like I’m right at the edge of the tunnel but just can’t get out over that last edge. I just want to feel my normal self again…

Guest_45016542 Injured at work. Light duties taking a toll
  • replies: 2

I hurt my shoulder a month ago and reported it to work almost 2 weeks ago when it didn't get better. They put me on light duties and after a week, I decided to see a physio. He determined I have a rotator cuff injury. I'm in constant (low level) pain... View more

I hurt my shoulder a month ago and reported it to work almost 2 weeks ago when it didn't get better. They put me on light duties and after a week, I decided to see a physio. He determined I have a rotator cuff injury. I'm in constant (low level) pain. He restricted my duties to the point where I literally can't do my job (I work at Coles in the online department). So, work put me in the bakery and I stood there for 5 hours putting stickers on bread. Couldn't even lift the bread because of my restrictions. I decided to escalate the claim to workcover because my shoulder is just getting worse. I wish I never even mentioned it. The physio and the GP had heavy restrictions (no lifting, no pushing/pulling, no reaching). But still saying I can work 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Make it make sense? Anyway, I got told yesterday they are putting me in the checkouts. And I can't. There's a reason I never applied to work on checkouts. Also, I still can't do anything on checkouts with my restrictions. I think they want me to give people cigarettes. Again, I can't do that. No reaching, no pushing or pulling (drawers). This whole situation is making me feel so useless and depressed. I wish my gp had just said no capacity to work. I'm a casual and next week, they've cut my hours to 5. I usually work about 20.I can't just find another job because I'm pregnant and only have about 12 weeks left of working before I have the baby

Sofreakinsad Family court
  • replies: 2

VERY long story short, but my abusive ex is dragging me through the family court. Currently two years in and I’m drowning. I am a single mother to a three year old, and I also study full-time. Life is stressful at the best of times, but this is slowl... View more

VERY long story short, but my abusive ex is dragging me through the family court. Currently two years in and I’m drowning. I am a single mother to a three year old, and I also study full-time. Life is stressful at the best of times, but this is slowly destroying me. He was just granted supervised visitation, even though there are concerns about his behaviour and they were unsure whether to proceed with it at all. He 100% meets exceptional circumstances, but it was still granted. I just feel so, so broken. I escaped domestic violence and now he gets to weave his way into our lives and continue the insidious abuse and nobody seems to care. I wake up around 1:30 every night and can’t fall asleep. I’m constantly panicked. I’m still being stalked, he’s breached intervention orders, threatened to kidnap my son, done other horrendous things, has an extensive history of coercive control and is now using the legal system as a means to continue abuse after he lost control due to an IVO the police put in place. I was told unsupervised visitation isn’t always granted, and I hope not in this case, but I can’t stop thinking about my son and how I feel our bond is breaking because I can’t be present with him. Years of therapy to treat post natal depression are coming undone. I was even told by a lawyer that I am collateral damage and to simply go to therapy. I really just don’t know what to do anymore. Venting has helped, but I’m just honestly drowning. And my soul is tired. I can’t do 15 years with him if it came to that. To me, it’s worse than a prison sentence.

DelSol So damn lost, i dont know where to start...
  • replies: 1

Hey guys,Need to find a starting point to 'feeling' better or at least working on that 'something' to feel happy again.So i'll start by saying im a husband and a father, to two beautful kids (7b & 3g) with a job that keeps us well fed and living quit... View more

Hey guys,Need to find a starting point to 'feeling' better or at least working on that 'something' to feel happy again.So i'll start by saying im a husband and a father, to two beautful kids (7b & 3g) with a job that keeps us well fed and living quite comfortably. Around about mid covid days depression hit me pretty hard, although this was an obvious build up of the Melbourne lockdown blues and just added workplace stress (container transport). During this time my wife and I were going through IVF also so stress levels were at an all time high, which i thought i could manage myself. Also during this time my grandfather had passed away due to ongoing sickness which really put me in the first hole in my mental state. A close friend had also moved north back home and for work (which not having many friends here to just catch up and chat sucks).What made things worse was my BEST friend taking his life and having to be one of the first few on site to help with things. This is where i think things may have taken a turn for the worst, i feel upmost regret in not helping anymore than i could have (ongoing mental stress within my friend but i'd reached out and visited almost every day, nothing more I honestly could have done but you can't help feeling this way).Now this sunk me into a hole big time but i let my busy work pull me through and time pass by. It still hurts every day to be reminded of what was and how it ended.So fast forward to last year and my parents (mother and step dad) have gotten a divorce, yet after discussing a male hand shake agreement that my SD would look after and not leave my mum in the dirt we would continue our relationship, to which he has proven this is not the case. So i have cut all ties. I can't help but to reach out as we have common interests and such, but we had an agreement.I also feel now as coming into a stupid busy period at work that everything is just hammering down on me emotionally and although I can manage on my own (which i have in the past) I'm just really struggling to get by now as it feels like a heavy Work,Sleep, Eat, Repeat cycle.With self harm completely off the table as my little girl is very dependant on me (and i have had those thoughts many years before she was born) i could never let her go, all i want is to find peace and feel happy each day again.How can I work on being happy each day and not feel like everything is such an effort?I've tried, but i think now i need that helping hand this time round.Cheers.

Ggrand DEPRESSION AND OUR DAILY ROUTINE. WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK.
  • replies: 46

Hello, A lot of us (me included). take to our bed for days on end when we are depressed. This is unhealthy for us...We need to look after us as best we can, I feel we should try as hard as we possibly can to make up a routine to keep us healthy and g... View more

Hello, A lot of us (me included). take to our bed for days on end when we are depressed. This is unhealthy for us...We need to look after us as best we can, I feel we should try as hard as we possibly can to make up a routine to keep us healthy and get us out of bed. I believe we need structure in our lives more so when we are depressed, A sense of structure is important to provide goal to your day, it gives a pattern to your day which supports your body's natural health structure. I think it's important to try to go to bed each night around the same time. Put away your phones,I pads etc, put on some soft music and drift away to sleep. Set the alarm to get up the same time each day, but don't just wake up, get up out of bed, open blinds, curtains the doors, let some sunlight into your home. Try having a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, keeping roughly the same times to eat and enjoy the meals, we need to eat healthy meals daily to fuel our bodies for healing. Try having a morning and afternoon cup of tea or coffee, maybe a couple of bickies as well, or my favourite cake. Try some light excersises throughout the day, or go for a short walk daily. even walking around your yard, just doing something will give our mind a rest. A daily bath or shower either morning, night or both, a bath or shower late at night might releases some stress and many relaxe us a little for sleeping. House work, not fun but necessary to keep our environment clean and healthy, set a day for washing, another day for ironing, try washing the dishes daily. Even if we just set a few of these goals to start with, it will still give us a purpose for the day, a purpose to get out of bed. Once we get into a routine we can then slowly add to our days activities to maybe add some social events, hobbies, things we like to do, things we enjoy doing. Recovery has to come from us, we can't give up on us. We have to try to help ourselves to mend our broken minds. All these activities will be doing mindfulness, getting our mind away from our dark thoughts while we are carrying out these simple but necessary tasks. All thoughts are welcome. Kindness only , Karen..(GG).