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

Awatea MHCP
  • replies: 3

Hello My brother suggers from depression, alcolhol misuse and he has just been diagnosed with MS which is drastically affecting work and health, He asked his Dr for a mental helath Care PLan but his Dr refused and said he could not get a MHCP as he w... View more

Hello My brother suggers from depression, alcolhol misuse and he has just been diagnosed with MS which is drastically affecting work and health, He asked his Dr for a mental helath Care PLan but his Dr refused and said he could not get a MHCP as he worked but he would refer him. This does not seem right.Donna

goldilocks Mum
  • replies: 16

I am 24, and I really, really, really wish I had a mother figure in my life. This sounds rough, but I really don't care about my biological mother anymore, because she treats me so poorly now. Her niceness when I was growing up was all a facade. She'... View more

I am 24, and I really, really, really wish I had a mother figure in my life. This sounds rough, but I really don't care about my biological mother anymore, because she treats me so poorly now. Her niceness when I was growing up was all a facade. She's been diagnosed with PTSD and refuses to seek help for it. She often gambles on the pokies and drinks cartons of beer, usually starting on a Thursday night and well into the weekend. Her excuse? 'I was like this before I had you,' and 'I've worked for 8/9 hours today.' Mum started treating me differently when I came out to her as being attracted to an older, single man with a child of his own (who is considerably younger than me.) I recall exactly how I felt when telling her for the first time. I was incredibly anxious, sitting on the my bedroom floor at 19 years of age, with a bucket because I thought I was going to be sick I was that anxious. I expected the worst and that was exactly what I got - mum completely dismissing my feelings for this man. She still to this day dismisses them, five years down the track, and still to this day refuses to talk about him. Nobody in my family wants me to discuss him ever again. I want an emotional available mother, one that will sit with me and listen to me talk about my feelings and give me big hugs. I know it sounds cheesy but this is how I feel. I am a very loving person with a lot to give to people. I am not sure what else to write?

Shelley3000 Depression
  • replies: 7

I have depression and anxiety for the most part I am ok, but lately I am going through depression and I also have housing issues which I don't have any support for. I am still dealing with trauma and the lockdowns we have had for the past 3 yrs. Furt... View more

I have depression and anxiety for the most part I am ok, but lately I am going through depression and I also have housing issues which I don't have any support for. I am still dealing with trauma and the lockdowns we have had for the past 3 yrs. Furthermore, I see a psychologist, but It's once a month if that. I am so isolated that I am not sure if I can go on.

Bibbetyboo Nowhere woman
  • replies: 6

I am heading towards my 40th birthday. I have a 2 year old and can't get him into daycare within 40 minutes of home for at least another year unless a place pops up. He was in but the centre suddenly shut leaving us stranded with little hope for a pl... View more

I am heading towards my 40th birthday. I have a 2 year old and can't get him into daycare within 40 minutes of home for at least another year unless a place pops up. He was in but the centre suddenly shut leaving us stranded with little hope for a placement until he's 4.My ex partner and I have irreconcilable differences. I have been trying to work with him as a co-parent for the last 10 months but he's extremely disorganised and often manipulative and unreliable. He attempts advances on me constantly and other woman but when i push back he stonewalls us both and becomes very difficult. Without daycare I am unable to work or study and there are jobs everywhere looking for anyone i feel so strangulated and voiceless.Family is 45 minutes away I have no car and I am currently choking myself financially to save $400 a fn to get a car, also with no license and even a car is going to be difficult to manage.Employment services said that I am buggered and the chance of me finding work are little.I have no hope while the television blurts constantly about how many jobs there are and I have no steps possible in which to get one. Even if his father took him and I worked full time it would be at a loss to the family financially and i would never see him.I try every single day to just focus and be with my son, but the feeling of no future never goes away.Ive never in my life had anyone say I would be a good anything, not even my own mother who told me I couldn't even be a waitress. I have talents, I like to cook and grow things but I cant be a chef because of the hours and cant be a waitress anymore because of the low pay and hours. Work from home is my best option, but how with a 2 yr old and no help?I'm going to be on the pension forever because there is no way out and I have no idea how I will support my son as his father is older and wont live to see his 20th birthday. I have no inheritance and my family are cold. Obviously I have made some dud decisions in life but I never felt I knew why I was here and never had a dream to be this or that or have this husband or whatever, I have never wanted anything not a ring or the latest iphone or car or a house.. none of that was inspiring, and I am just not wired to compete.Everyone else clicked somewhere and I never did or wil

Jessksch Someone bought a bunny at our pet shop, now giving it away on facebook...I am so damn upset!
  • replies: 4

I love my job so much, I love helping people with their pets and their issues. However, I am so upset at the moment. We had bunnies in our pet shop, we treated them with royalty. I even used my own money to spoil them with snacks, toys...when it was ... View more

I love my job so much, I love helping people with their pets and their issues. However, I am so upset at the moment. We had bunnies in our pet shop, we treated them with royalty. I even used my own money to spoil them with snacks, toys...when it was quiet I would give them so much love and cry a little when they were adpoted because I was so happy if they went to a good home. Now, we had one last bunny and this woman bought him and now a coworker found out on facebook they were talking bad about our store, that he was in a small cage and suffered... and wants to give him away to someone else! How is this good for the poor thing?! When I saw it my heart sank, how people can be so selfish... I can't stop thinking about it, obsessing...I quit my full time job for this job because I had a nervous break down before and needed to find a more relaxing environment. Now this happens and I am falling appart. I wanted to save money to continue to do a course I dreamed of, and the more I see these people talking bad about us and misstreating our bunny like this. He will have anxieties not having a stable home, moving around will stress him out... I have work tomorrow and have been having trouble with my mental health lately moreso, now this happened and I feel like I'm loosing it. I'm scared I will snap, get angry at the next stupid customer and be filmed and never get a job again... anxiety and depression are through the roof.

frog93 29 y/o virgin who failed at everything in life, I feel like giving up
  • replies: 21

Hi, it's my first post, sorry if it's in the wrong place. I really need help, please. I've been depressed for so long, every day I feel so much regret and sadness that it hurts physically in my chest. I can't keep living like this. Even though I'm al... View more

Hi, it's my first post, sorry if it's in the wrong place. I really need help, please. I've been depressed for so long, every day I feel so much regret and sadness that it hurts physically in my chest. I can't keep living like this. Even though I'm almost 30 I haven't achieved anything at all with my life. I'm worthless and a loser and I don't deserve to be alive. I still live with my mother, no job, no experience, no education beyond high school, no relationship. It's a long story... I was abused as a child / teenager and was traumatised, for over 10 years I've been crippled by anxiety and depression. This year I finally tried to get help, I was on medication and have talked to two psychologists, I've made progress in some ways but I know it's never going to "fix" me. I know I need to get a job and move out, I know that should be the priority. But please, I just want to know how to deal with the regret, especially around relationships and being a virgin... I've missed out on so much. I'm never going to get to experience so many things that other young people do. It feels like my life is utterly pointless from here and I shouldn't even bother trying. I've missed out on the best part of life already, even if I somehow fixed everything from here, I can never get that time back and it will never be the same. It's so painful and it makes me not want to be here anymore. Not only that but the older you get the harder it is to meet people, it's most likely I'll die a virgin and never experience love. Maybe worst of all is how I always compare myself to others now, which I know is bad but I can't help it. I'm the oldest of the grandchildren in my family, and yet I'm the only one who doesn't have a relationship. My sisters and cousins all have partners, all before me, some of them are over 10 years younger than me, it's so depressing. Also seeing couples together everywhere I go makes me cry, it hurts, I just want to be like them. Being alone your whole life and being a virgin at my age is just so shameful. Please, how can I stop feeling this way?

j_s11 Struggling with the future
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone this is only feelings that are recent but really affecting my everyday life including work, family and friends. I have accepted that I’m bi (even though I still don’t want to accept it.) But my issue is that I feel like in the future I’ll... View more

Hi everyone this is only feelings that are recent but really affecting my everyday life including work, family and friends. I have accepted that I’m bi (even though I still don’t want to accept it.) But my issue is that I feel like in the future I’ll be by myself because I can’t see myself with a girl and will NEVER come out of the closet. It’s bothering me to see friends starting to get married and feel like I won’t ever get to that position. It’s making me unmotivated and just overall disappointed in myself. I’m not really sure how I’m suppose to fix what I’m feeling

Trans22 My history with depression (positive ending)
  • replies: 4

I'm currently 53yo and have spent far too much time in a state of severe depression (self diagnosed). I call it severe depression because there are relatively few days in my life after puberty, that I didn't contemplate suicide or wish for death to p... View more

I'm currently 53yo and have spent far too much time in a state of severe depression (self diagnosed). I call it severe depression because there are relatively few days in my life after puberty, that I didn't contemplate suicide or wish for death to pay me a visit. The deeper a person goes into depression, the harder it becomes to think about a reason to continue existing. I never went through with a suicide attempt, mostly because of fear of failure (for me) but my psychologist tells me that my family life and my religion may have been more important factors. I now realize that I did engage in self harm occasionally, and I admit to frequently invited death to join me with actions I took. I only sought medical help once - was prescribed anti-depressants that didn't help because they were only treating the symptom. My story changed to a happy one when I discovered the reason for my almost 40 years of confusion and suffering - I was born with a female mind and a male body. I embraced this and said goodbye to my long term companion, depression.One of the most therapeutic things I've started doing since my discovery is writing a diary/journal. I try to focus mostly on the positive and affirming moments and have done pretty well in this regard. I have reread my diary/journal twice, when I've felt a little down, and it reminds my of how beautiful my life is now and I'm quickly back into loving myself and my life mode. I wish I had thought to start a happy journal like this when I was 12 - I'm sure it would have helped.I will provide one final recommendation, avoid spending too much time trying to understand your problem and seek professional help. I fell into the trap of merging other people's stories into my own and this is why I have had short periods of feeling down after accept that I was transgender. My gender psychologist brought this to my attention and suggested that I should spend my time living my life and focus on how wonderful my transition has been.

Lulu00 My problems are so small but I’m still so sad
  • replies: 4

Ok… this is my first time talking about this soooo Lately I’m just so down. I’m unmotivated. Sad. Tired. Bored in class. Grumpy. Moody. Everything. Im usually a bubbly person but I’m just faking it now so people don’t notice. There’s nothing seriousl... View more

Ok… this is my first time talking about this soooo Lately I’m just so down. I’m unmotivated. Sad. Tired. Bored in class. Grumpy. Moody. Everything. Im usually a bubbly person but I’m just faking it now so people don’t notice. There’s nothing seriously wrong with my life though, and I feel horrible that I’m depressed with this beautiful life I have! Like there are people starving, and I’m here complaining about me being depressed about my boring life! Like I feel so petty saying this. In school I’m usually happy and smiling but now I just try to be calm and to not cry. I get good sleep but I wake up tired. I have a shower in the morning and just cry because I’m awake. I fought with my brother today, over nothing. Nothing. I mean he did hit me in my ear but I shouldn’t have to cry before he sees that he is being mean. This morning I fought with my dad over nothing. Again. The only thing in my life that makes me happy is food and music now. sad

bb2005 Dysthymia
  • replies: 3

Hey everyone, I was diagnosed with dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) by a doctor on discharge from the psychiatric ward on Monday. I thought I would drop in to say hi as I guess I belong here now. Cheers.

Hey everyone, I was diagnosed with dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) by a doctor on discharge from the psychiatric ward on Monday. I thought I would drop in to say hi as I guess I belong here now. Cheers.