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

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mate23 me today
  • replies: 4

i am 16 and a student studying in year 10 I don't know if i have depression or anxiety or if its just all in my head, but today when i woke up i didn't want to go to school or anything but that's what most teenagers feel like. But today i felt really... View more

i am 16 and a student studying in year 10 I don't know if i have depression or anxiety or if its just all in my head, but today when i woke up i didn't want to go to school or anything but that's what most teenagers feel like. But today i felt really sad and irritated by everyone that talked to me all i wanted to was to be alone. I got my results for two of my exams and i failed both of it. yesterday was my Athletics Carnival the whole day i felt like i try too much but then when i don't get the result that i want I felt i wasn't good enough. i honestly believe that i over think things, the smallest mistakes and i feel like burdened by it so much. I really want to talk to my school Councillor or any one but i am scared to tell any one because they might think that i am just "attention seeking." I just want to know if i have depression or anxiety or if this is just all in my head. p.s this isn't the first time i have experience this.

audreysquinta here i go again
  • replies: 3

I have been managing my depression for two years with medication and have started to feel the vale coming over me again. At the moment I am dealing with a teenage son who is testing both mine and my husbands limits. My husband is blaming me for my so... View more

I have been managing my depression for two years with medication and have started to feel the vale coming over me again. At the moment I am dealing with a teenage son who is testing both mine and my husbands limits. My husband is blaming me for my sons behavior and isn't talking to me. I know this feeling very well, this feeling of sadness and hopelessness I thought I could fight my depression without medication before but I ended up on suicide watch before I knew that I needed help. Now I am on the medication and this feeling is starting to take hold of me again I am not sure what to do.

246_bloke The feeling of the unknown..
  • replies: 3

Hi Everyone, I really hope that this thread conveys how I truly feel. I have been with my wife now for going on 9 yrs and for the past 1 and a half/2 years I have known about my wife's depression. The focus of her depression and the source seems to b... View more

Hi Everyone, I really hope that this thread conveys how I truly feel. I have been with my wife now for going on 9 yrs and for the past 1 and a half/2 years I have known about my wife's depression. The focus of her depression and the source seems to be my family. She is incredibly angry with my family about things that they have done towards her, and she can't understand that I'm not as angry as her. She doesn't understand why I'm not yelling at them for how they made her feel. I don't know how to be. I'm just confused because I'm the type of person who can forgive... She was on medication but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get her to stay on them, she thought she was better... So did I, very naive. She is in a dark place and now that anger and hurt is aimed at me.. I have gotten her family involved but that has upset her more because she feels like I'm hand balling her to them. But I just need help, I feel damned if I do and damned if I don't. I have told my family what they have done and they just apologize. I want to forgive and move on with life but I just feel broken that this sickness isn't letting her. We are just treading water. She cannot speak to my family, so they can't apologize to her.. She is refusing help, and because I haven't reacted in a way that pleases her she is angry with me and says there is no hope for us. I love her more than anything and I know that the things she has been saying is not the real her. I just don't know what to do cause I feel guilty now that I can't deal with it. Today was the first day I spent a few hours on my own. She was with her family and so I took a few hours to compose myself and try comprehend the next step, but she is angrier at me as she feels I abandoned her.. Just needed to write these things down... I hope this hasn't come across as anger, cause I'm not angry. I just can't handle this feeling of the unknown and seeing her in pain. Thank you for reading... and I cannot thank beyond blue enough for having made this forum available... Im just a bloke, confused and sad for my wife.

LostNConfused Trapped by my inability to do anything
  • replies: 3

Hi, I've tried many times to change my life (at least I think I have), but I feel like I'm at my wits end. Years ago when I started high school, I met someone who was always on their own. I went to a catholic school so i thought "everyone should have... View more

Hi, I've tried many times to change my life (at least I think I have), but I feel like I'm at my wits end. Years ago when I started high school, I met someone who was always on their own. I went to a catholic school so i thought "everyone should have a friend" and that it was the right thing to do, So i went and started talking to him, I tried to encourage him to talk more and he became a member of my small circle of friends. He eventually started to hate or just didn't want me around - hard to say I blame him, I was talkative and sometimes annoying. But he never told me anything, instead one day when we were playing a game online, he just started insulting me with some of his other online friends and started avoiding me and turned my small circle of friends against me. I never understood why for several years, mainly because he never told me why. To me it was all so sudden, I tried talking to other people in my year (just as friends - not mentioning anything uncomfortable) - and I noticed sometimes pissed those people off as well - unintentionally, so I tried to be more careful of that. People were really immature in high school, and I didn't understand why, I thought that was for kids in primary. But I changed for him, I changed into someone who did not care too much, I went from someone who was really introverted to someone who was extroverted. I let all the insults and jokes that he made to me go and just laughed it off. What started as my mask to hide my true feelings eventually became my face, I no longer remembered that it was just a mask and not who i was. Years passed and that friend and I had our ups and downs, but I still thought we were friends. One night I apparently embarrassed him in front of other people (once again unintentionally - I seem to do that a lot). so he started avoiding me again and once again I didn't know why. lost and confused like always. I was kinda interested in this girl during high school, but knew I had no chance, so me being the crazy outgoing guy I was, came up with the idea to ask her out and get rejected and then not care, I was so emotionally high that I believed I could just walk it off like nothing happened. But I was wrong, I was hurt. When I woke up the next day I felt like I was detached from reality, that I wasn't actually there with the people around me, but was just watching a movie through my eyes instead of a screen. I tried having normal conversations with the people around me, but it didn't change anything. I didn't know what I was going through. I was forever changed, I noticed I began to have inner monologue (I started thinking again - LOL - for years I just did things without thinking). I also noticed the crumbling relationships around me. I tried fixing them, but it soon became apparent that it was too late to fix the damaged relationships that I had ruined. I started to think that if I found the core root of my problem and addressed it, I could escape this confused state. I realized that I....was unable to maintain friendships with anyone, and I had a 100% fail rate. This realization destroyed what little mental strength I had left - and became severely depressed. That was years ago, that was the start of my 5 yr battle with depression. I eventually got to a point where I was no longer the immature kid I was in high school, I became the person I truly was all those years ago, I became kind and caring, but with the confidence I had in high school, things were looking up, got a job, finished uni.. I even fell in love - or so I thought... With the realization that it was a one sided relationship, I was hurt, but accepted it. However I began looking at my life again and saw nothing in it worth living for. No one I cared about, No one I thought cared about me, I felt so utterly alone and lost. after 3 months of agonizing pain, emotionally and from my heart break, I could not stand it anymore and tried to kill myself. Unfortunately I survived, and things have gone from bad to worse, friends can no longer deal with me. my best friend told me straight not to contact him anymore, I felt even more alone. Now, I know I need to make new friends, I need to be more active etc, but I lack the strength? direction to do anything...all i do is stay at home alone, suffering from my own inability to do anything. I've become so pathetic, but it's hard to keep trying when every friend you've ever known has abandoned you in one way or another. my circle of trust just gets smaller and smaller, making it all harder and harder. I do see psychs/take meds but it's all just stale. I...guess this is my way of making a first step in changing, I lack the strength to face people yet, but I want to get involved in more social groups, some community thing anything. I can't keep going on like this. But am so weak I don't have the strength or direction. So tell me what can I do......I can't seem to find things on my own..

Jaso69 Tired
  • replies: 3

First off I'm sorry for being and sounding like a downer and a pathetic sympathy seeking melodramatic loser. But i have to vomit my crap somewhere. I have always been philosophical about things and tried to help others by relating my experiences with... View more

First off I'm sorry for being and sounding like a downer and a pathetic sympathy seeking melodramatic loser. But i have to vomit my crap somewhere. I have always been philosophical about things and tried to help others by relating my experiences with what others are going through. It seemed to help them. I know I have had the love of others but I always push it away. Some times knowingly sometimes not. A lot of times not realising the love I have had and felt from others was self serving for them and not about me. Like they had had a bad time and I'd show them "hey not everyone is an asshole. Thanks for that. See you later." Some meant for me but now to late to have back. Just pushed away by self loathing and undeserved of it I felt from it " why love me ill only hurt you or you me". Trying to fit my life experience in a few words is hard. Ive always said to myself no matter what I go through there's someone else out there who is suffering worse. So suck it up. Right now with things I've done and things that have happened to me, that doesn't wash with me anymore. I liken myself and the people I've had there for me in my life to a tyre. I'm the rim and they are the tyre. Spinning around in circles. When I realise what a mess I have made I finally stop I look back at the skid marks I've left on the road that is my life. I try to pick up the rubber I have left on the road. There are big pieces and small pieces. I try to gather them up and put them back on my tyre "life" but they just fall through my fingers and blow away in the wind never to be seen again. I know what and why I do things but they still happen. Testing and pushing love to the edge. Always too far. Because I feel I don't deserve it or its not as real for them as it is for me. Only realising the truth when it's too late. Things I hear or have heard or never heard from those I love. My mother and father never said "I love you" I've said it many times to them. Both were alcoholics and abusive. My farther regularly bashed my mum weekly while they were together until I was 17. He left her for someone else then. She's been dead for a few years now and he wants nothing to do with me saying I have a new family now. Haven't seen him since 1988. Not from want of trying. The latest was from the woman I love a few months ago was "I'm trying to move forward and being around you is taking steps backwards." Shes now back with her controlling ex. Even people who commit crimes like murder and rape get visitors and people who care about them and understanding and forgiveness. Why don't I.

Ashrose Soooo sad
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum or to any online help really. But I've joined as I realised that I am constantly so incredibly sad. I feel like I am grieving, but no one has died. I'm so heart broken but I have nothing really to be sad about. I'm ... View more

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum or to any online help really. But I've joined as I realised that I am constantly so incredibly sad. I feel like I am grieving, but no one has died. I'm so heart broken but I have nothing really to be sad about. I'm hoping that by joining this online community maybe some of my sadness, grief and loneliness might be eased. ~ Ashrose.

lila How can I trust them again??
  • replies: 4

Hi Im not one to speak out or share much info about myself, but since this is behind a computer, then it shud b ok. In a nut shell, Ive been sad (i hate the word depression- i dont like saying i have that) since 2007. Every day since then has been da... View more

Hi Im not one to speak out or share much info about myself, but since this is behind a computer, then it shud b ok. In a nut shell, Ive been sad (i hate the word depression- i dont like saying i have that) since 2007. Every day since then has been dark and Ive been dealing with it my own way but it gets worse and worse. I have planned suicide many times, and planned to runaway too. A month ago, I spoke up- to a psychologist i happened to talk to in a mother group thingi. I have a child and since having this child my sadness has increased a lot and i hate being a mother. i wish i could just give this child away. Anyway- i spoke to this psychologist and told him everything. every detail, every feeling, every thought. What did he decide to do? Behind my back organise ambulance and take me as an involuntary patient to the emergency department. I was discharged the next morning because other staff believed it wasnt necessary to keep me in hospital. They instead organised supports, which i think should have been organised instead of forcing me to go to a hospital. It was the worst experience of my life. ppl following me everywhere i walked, eyes on me 24/7 even when i was sleeping. I have promised myself to never say anything to any professional again! Everything that reminds me of this experience sets me off. My sadness is at its peak now. My hatred towards that psychologist and everyone else is very bad. I now have a bad attitude when i talk to any psychiatrist or social worker. I believe they all just wana send me to hospital and get rid of me and stuff me with medication. They have nothing else to "fix me". IM SICK OF IT. IM SICK OF EVERYONE AND IM MOSTLY SICK OF MYSELF

LongHardRoad Help - how can I separate my true feelings from the depression?
  • replies: 4

Hi, I am 24 and I have been suffering from depression and anxiety on and off since adolescence but mostly it has gone untreated. I have a parent with bipolar and a sibling with depression and I have always had to be strong for them so I guess I just ... View more

Hi, I am 24 and I have been suffering from depression and anxiety on and off since adolescence but mostly it has gone untreated. I have a parent with bipolar and a sibling with depression and I have always had to be strong for them so I guess I just learnt to suffer in silence. But recently I have been finding it more difficult to cope. I moved out of home with my fiancee and I have been unemployed for months. My depression seems to come in waves but when I am at my lowest I feel like I can't imagine a future for myself. I can't imagine feeling better or being happy or just managing to cope at all. Has anyone else experienced this? I have been getting very irritable with my partner and having doubts about marrying him. We have been together since I was 16 and he is the only person who knows the real me and I know I love him. But our relationship hasn't always been smooth sailing. I don't know if how I am feeling is because of my depression or if it is how I really feel. I'm just really confused and I could use some advice from people who have been there Thanks.

Mld92 It's just so hard, I don't know what to do anymore.
  • replies: 3

Where to start...? I'm 21yr old female and I am the type of person who is naturally really emotional but also sensitive so it has been hard for me to realize that I have a problem but I think I can see it now. For the past 6 months I believe I have b... View more

Where to start...? I'm 21yr old female and I am the type of person who is naturally really emotional but also sensitive so it has been hard for me to realize that I have a problem but I think I can see it now. For the past 6 months I believe I have been suffering depression and it's just getting worse and worse. It started off as a mood every now and then where I just felt down toward life, I felt sad and lonely at times for little reason at all and would just find myself crying for the smallest reasons or no reason at all. It has been hard for me to pin point whether I'm depressed also because I work a very stressful job which requires me to be on my feet for 8hrs straight sometimes with no break, unpaid overtime almost daily, shift work which consists of late nights, overnights and working almost every weekend, and to add to that the level of responsibility is taken home with me, so I can never just go home and relax there is always something on my mind when it comes to work. Lets just say I am very unhappy in my job and when you're spending 40-50 hours of your week there it becomes very draining. Working late nights and weekends has stripped me of my social life, and I also get little time with my family or partner. I just miss people and I miss my old life. But I have to work this job and these hours to survive, I have been frantically looking for something new but it's a lot harder then it would seem even though I have over 5yrs of experience in my profession. Anyway I believe my job has been the trigger for how I am feeling. I come home with little energy and I just feel dead all the time, I could stay in my bed forever if I could. The tiredness and stress has made me want to withdraw from others in the only bit of spare time that I do have, just to rest. I come home and just cry, I feel empty, I feel like I'm stuck in a place I just cannot get out of. The worst part is that before I had this job I was the strongest person, I had confidence and I used to smile all the time, I was independent and bright and people looked to me for advice, I used to look forward to things. But now I just don't even know who I am anymore, I don't enjoy the things I used to as much, its just not the same feeling anymore, its like I'm good at feeling down but i cant feel the highs of life at all. I feel alone and like I'm stuck in a rut I cannot get out of, I'm disappointed in myself. I don't eat properly or consistently anymore, mainly because when I get home I just want to sleep and then I don't get many breaks at work, I have no energy or motivation to just get things organized for myself like I truly need. I am very good at faking happiness and faking a smile so no one even knows I am going through this, only my partner whom is worried about me and can see that I've changed. I will be going to the doctors to get help I just am afraid to open up, as I'm not good at talking to strangers and opening up about myself. The worst thing is the feeling of being alone, and the constant pain, tears and feeling of weakness. It's not that I want to die. But I have no idea how long I can put up with life the way it is now...

Miss_Out Crying
  • replies: 11

I cry every day for the life I should have had. I am the single mother of two teenagers. Their abusive father left me 10 years ago for someone better, then on breaking up with her killed himself leaving a letter blaming me, his mother also blames me.... View more

I cry every day for the life I should have had. I am the single mother of two teenagers. Their abusive father left me 10 years ago for someone better, then on breaking up with her killed himself leaving a letter blaming me, his mother also blames me. I am ugly, I have lost 50kg but ugly is to the bone, hey. I have been unable to establish new relationships as I am not what all the men want.. I live in a small community and the stigma of being a single mother is always there plus so much gossip and assumption of things that are not true. I am also a professional, to my clients I seem happy and upbeat, able to solve all problems,but on the inside I am crying,hoping for someone to help me with my problems. I am just so alone in the world. I have some good friends, but they rely on me a lot and dont understand how lonely I am as they all have people who love them, and are not hideously ugly like me. I feel constant envy for people who manage to be happy and loved although they hurt people' lie and cheat. I want bad to come to them and good for me. I am not perfect but surely I do not deserve a life sentence of misery. I tried to get help today, my GP is booked out for 1 week, and my clinical psychologist is booked out for 2 weeks. There is no psychiatry in my area, the closest being over an hour away...I feel so alone and isolated, and only stay alive for my boys...I need help SSRI's are not working I am afraid for my own future