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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
  • replies: 0

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for ... View more

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for coming this far, we know it can be really hard to take these steps if depression is in your life - we see you and think this is a great step. To get the most out of this space we have a few tips: Get involved. The Forums work best for you when you get active and post where you can. Now, we know that can be really hard, especially when you are experiencing depression. So, if you can post something supportive to someone else here, that would be an incredible start. Speak from the heart. This community wants to know how YOU feel and what has worked for YOU. We trust that you have something unique to say and we can’t wait to hear it. Check in. Lots of the discussions in this section of the Forums have been going for years and they are some of the richest conversations we have. Keep checking in to get new ideas and offer your support. We know it can be tough to start, but when you are ready we want to hear your thoughts. If you need some time to get to know the community, that's okay! Have a look around and see where you want to get involved. Thank you for being here! Beyond Blue

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.

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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Cate65 Worried about daughter
  • replies: 2

I'm hoping for some advice regarding our 24 year old daughter. She lacks motivation has gained a significant amount of weight over the past few months, does no exercise and has not been able to sleep the last few nights. I've tried to get her to just... View more

I'm hoping for some advice regarding our 24 year old daughter. She lacks motivation has gained a significant amount of weight over the past few months, does no exercise and has not been able to sleep the last few nights. I've tried to get her to just go for a short walk each day focusing on the health benefit both mentally and physically (without mentioning her weight at all) and tried to educate her on the benefits of eating healthy again not mentioning her weight gain. Both my Mother and sister had bipolar so I am very aware of the symptoms of mental illness. Should she go to a GP first or would seeking help from a psychologist be our first option? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

EmiJ I don’t know how to justify my existence anymore.
  • replies: 13

So for the last eight years I feel that along with losing my youth I have just destroyed any hope of ever achieving even the smallest of my once great dreams.I am a constant job hopper due to hoping that I will finally find a place where I won’t feel... View more

So for the last eight years I feel that along with losing my youth I have just destroyed any hope of ever achieving even the smallest of my once great dreams.I am a constant job hopper due to hoping that I will finally find a place where I won’t feel like an incompetent embarrassment. I am unreliable due to always being physically ill. I just want to be a reliable and competent employee with consistency but I have never been able to achieve this.I share a house with an older sibling and accept that they are who they are but I feel like the maid who is treated however they feel depending on how they are feeling. Honestly I am also scared of them . I need cleanliness and organisation to thrive but they constantly mess up my efforts with zero care about the effect it has on me. Yet I am always expected to give way to and be conscientious of anything that may upset them. My home life greatly affects my physical and mental health but I can’t afford to live on my own unless I can hold down a job which I can’t seem to do due to my home life it’s a constant vicious circle.I can’t keep existing like this but I also can see no way out. I feel like I have exhausted myself with trying and just feel like a waste of a life. I honestly hate myself for what I have done to my life.

OllieA_TransKid Why do I feel this way...?
  • replies: 3

I always feel as if i have to put on a smile for everyone. It's getting more difficult and people know about my mental health issues. I need advice to put on the mask again so people can stop worrying about me, and I feel like a burden. I just want i... View more

I always feel as if i have to put on a smile for everyone. It's getting more difficult and people know about my mental health issues. I need advice to put on the mask again so people can stop worrying about me, and I feel like a burden. I just want it to stop. My ex gf is harassing me online, keeps telling people i'm a bad person, she keeps sharing my personal info online like my birth name, my phone number, and my age. I have had 2 unknown numbers call me and say I am a bad person. I need the harassment to stop. She keeps telling people abt my life and is spreading lies abt me to her online friends who are doxxing me as well. I've blocked my ex on everything but she is still putting things in her roblox bio saying that i need to grow up, how she's "moved on" (she clearly hasn't if she's still talking about it) ect. and its just turned into harassment in my point of view. Idk if i should report her to the police bc she is threatening violence on my friends, bc i have a new partner and we told our friends to stay quiet about it bc i know my ex has very... violent tendances, lets js say, and they wont tell my ex if me nd my partner are together or not. When she does this to me, and is now harassing my friends, it makes me feel disappointed that I had dragged them into this, and now they're being threatened, as well. I know they aren't blaming me, but i feel like they should bc I technically brought this upon them, I was the one who had to ruin it. And if u haven't been reading my other posts, My ex is the one who broke up with ME and is now playing the victim... and the worst part, you might ask? She's blaming it on me...(JOKE) Thank you for listening to my TedTalk.

resistor A heavy depression
  • replies: 3

Hi. I am in a very hard depression cycle right now. I have been seeing my mental health councillor for seven months now but I'm still unsure if it's helping. I have dark days that last three to ten days. my doctor knows about my moods. I'm open about... View more

Hi. I am in a very hard depression cycle right now. I have been seeing my mental health councillor for seven months now but I'm still unsure if it's helping. I have dark days that last three to ten days. my doctor knows about my moods. I'm open about them in my sessions. Sometimes I self harm to pull myself out of the spiral. They know about my s/h too. How else can I get help if I am already on the maximum medication and have talk therapy once a month? How do I recognize when I need to switch doctors? I don't want to start from scratch with a new psychiatrist as it's a tough process and I don't want to risk losing progress for nothing. I worry when I feel this hopeless. do I internalize my emotions too much? I don't have any other way to express how I feel outside our sessions. Any advice, please. I'm desperate.

Marmot Sometimes I just feel replaceable.
  • replies: 1

I've just been having a few waves of panic attacks and just feeling depressed because I constantly have this idea that I would be so easily replaceable. I'm not interesting, quite frankly I'm boring because I never know what to say. People seem to fo... View more

I've just been having a few waves of panic attacks and just feeling depressed because I constantly have this idea that I would be so easily replaceable. I'm not interesting, quite frankly I'm boring because I never know what to say. People seem to forget I exist for hours on end even mid conversation and I get that others have lives but when you know they are on different platforms it hurts, I'm sure someone reading this can understand the feeling. Yet I feel like I'm the problem for just wanting to talk to someone, I would never say anything or how much it hurts because then that just gives them more of a reason to not want to talk to me. My parents and I don't have necessarily the strongest relationship either, I'm just going to be met with the whole "be a man" phrase and told to suck it up. So does that make me not normal now? And that's the feeling I get from my own parents then they wonder why I don't like to talk to them in the first place. Hard to do it anyway when you're raised on the notion kids are meant to be seen not heard. I'm so lonely. Plus a friend of mine is currently going through the meat grinder of mental health and I have to be with him to help him out of it. Don't get me wrong I'm worried about him. But no one ever asks if I'm ok, even if they probably don't want to hear about it. Why waste your time on someone so bland and boring that you'd forget them in a heart beat, even the scum of the earth would get more attention than me, so does that make me

Guest_30208021 Tired of life
  • replies: 1

I'm 17 four months of 18 I have depression and have since I was 15 I've been struggling since I was almost 13 I grew up with an abusive mum she emotionally, mentally, verbally and physically abused me and neglected me for 8 years I finally left her 1... View more

I'm 17 four months of 18 I have depression and have since I was 15 I've been struggling since I was almost 13 I grew up with an abusive mum she emotionally, mentally, verbally and physically abused me and neglected me for 8 years I finally left her 10 months ago now I've been in and out of family's houses because I'm too much for them all my family have failed me now I feel like I'm failing I'm 17 living in a refuge now licence working on getting a casual job getting youth allowance once a fortnight but I go through my money fast even when I try to budget I feel like such a disappointment because my mum's in jail and my biological father's slowly dying from cancer I have nothing to do with either of them and barely their families I try my best to go to school but the buses in the mornings are so unreliable I've had struggles sleeping since I was 10 because of my upbringing I've recently got tested positive for ADHD and I have autism along with PTSD and anxiety I have really bad eating issues and have tried multiple times to get better but just end up back at square one I go to counseling once a month and talk to my wellbeing teacher but I feel so hopeless my life's a mess and I feel like I've failed myself I can barely concentrate at school and my attendance is getting meh I'm not eating properly and haven't for a long time I constantly get told I need to stop being so hard on myself but that's how I grew up some days and nights I just wanna give up at times... but I give up on life I try so hard and still end up taking steps back I feel like I'm a mess of a 17 year old

Too_much Making friends at 37 - With no friends
  • replies: 1

Hi Everyone. I Would like to know how to make Friends at age 37. Unfortunately due to control and domestic violence extremely hard domestic violence I’ve been left feeling useless hopeless and all the rest of those negative words and I havnt had a ch... View more

Hi Everyone. I Would like to know how to make Friends at age 37. Unfortunately due to control and domestic violence extremely hard domestic violence I’ve been left feeling useless hopeless and all the rest of those negative words and I havnt had a chance to build friendships. The last time I had friends was 20. And they were forced friendships through HighSchool. I have not had a good upbringing. My childhood was horrible. We moved rentals a lot aswell. Anyway I don’t defy myself as my childhood but a way to have a better life. But unfortunately I can’t make a connection with people without running away. I’ve pushed myself to work in 5 different industries. I havnt worked in over ten years for longer than 3 months. But I have had 17 different jobs at Age26. Anyway I want to move away to The Netherlands or something. I prefer the colder weather. anyway back to what I was saying. Originally. I would like to feel content and comfortable in a way in myself to make those friendship connections.

Guest_39004620 Lost my Mum
  • replies: 1

My Mum died in December 5 days before Christmas. I thought I was doing okay but I'm so exhausted and little things that wouldn't usually faze me seem to feel like huge problems. I'm normally upbeat and positive but right now I can't seem to find the ... View more

My Mum died in December 5 days before Christmas. I thought I was doing okay but I'm so exhausted and little things that wouldn't usually faze me seem to feel like huge problems. I'm normally upbeat and positive but right now I can't seem to find the silver linings. I've never felt like this before, I can't even make a simple decision.

Jessksch Nothing motivates me or brings me joy...maybe because I cut out food I used to enjoy?
  • replies: 3

so I work in retail, of course I'm depressed! However, I only work 3 days a week, I do overall feel much more less stressed out than I did at my full time job (I quit due to a nervous breakdown). Overall I am feeling nothing anymore from things I use... View more

so I work in retail, of course I'm depressed! However, I only work 3 days a week, I do overall feel much more less stressed out than I did at my full time job (I quit due to a nervous breakdown). Overall I am feeling nothing anymore from things I used to enjoy though. I have to force myself to play video games even or paint or even talk to my fiance. I take at least 3 hour naps and have problems sleeping at night, I try so hard to get back to normal and take a sleeping pill at night, but then the next day I can't help myself, my mind and boredom makes me so tired. I jus feel no excitement for anything anymore, I don't want to travel or see the world, nothing the next day makes me want to get up as I feel I have nothing to look forward to... I had been doing so well, last week I joined a gym and went for 3 days, I cut out snacks and chocolate...usually that was what I looked forward to, eating snacks and watching my favourite movie, and now I don't have that anymore, I feel bored of everything else that brought me joy... On last saturday was the worst, I didn't want to talk to any customers and even got angry and agitated at my coworker I needed space and not talk to people. Thankfully I don't have work till later this week but I can't seem to relax. I paint a little, play video games a little and then just want to sleep but can't. I am frustrated and depressed and no clue how to move forward.

Gracie_PY4 Unhappiness
  • replies: 2

Hey there everyone, I just wanted some help from here, I’m feeling a low sadness, and unhappiness. I’ve been unhappy for a long time now. I will experience happy moments and things that make me feel joy but that distraction doesn’t get rid of the fac... View more

Hey there everyone, I just wanted some help from here, I’m feeling a low sadness, and unhappiness. I’ve been unhappy for a long time now. I will experience happy moments and things that make me feel joy but that distraction doesn’t get rid of the fact that I’m really unhappy, lonely and lost. I don’t know where I am in this world. It just feels like there’s too much and it’s hard to be around it. I quite my job recently because my bosses weren’t nice and because I was severely depressed there. I feel better, but not better! If that makes sense. It’s the same thing, at my job I was doing the same thing everyday, and when I’m at home I’m doing the same thing everyday. I’m bored of myself and a bit trapped almost. I obviously have to look for a job. That is my worst nightmare. All that work, resumes, cvs, putting in the effort to do so annoys me so much and I procrastinate it so much. I’ve applied to a couple of jobs. I worked for about 5 companies now and none I have enjoyed or thought were right for me. I'm 20 years old and so anxious that I will never find a career for myself or let alone go into another job and not like it and have anxiety. I’m scared that it’s just going to be the same pattern. I just think what is the point. Sometimes I really think what is the point of getting a job that I’ll last like 3 months in and hate, because I’ll never find anything I like anyways. Honestly I’m having thoughts that I don’t have a purpose, not that I want to hurt myself anymore, however it does come up in my thoughts and I have done it. I just feel like a big blob of crap, like nothing. I don’t matter. And again I have no happiness or barely any.