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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How to move forward struggling with depression and anxiety?

    Related Topics
    Anxiety Depression Mental Health
    I have suffered from depression ever since I was a young age (maybe 9 years old) and now I am 22 years old. Over the last 2 years I have gone into severe depression and can not seem to move forward or have a normal life. I am on anti depressants but I still cant seem to get the energy or motivation to do things. I want to have a life back… a life I can manage and not have break downs more than once a week. I just have lost all of my confidence and just rely on others. I need help!!
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    Joe Gubbay

    Clinical Psychologist, Counsellor, Psychologist, Psychotherapist

    I have worked in public hospitals as well as private practice over the past 25 years. As a clinical psychologist I treat depression, social anxiety, … View Profile

    Hi, without knowing a whole lot more about you it's impossible to give you specific advice.  The main thing I would recommend is to try cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), which is the main style of psychological treatment.  It's effective in treating depression and anxiety, and is usually short term.  

    The main idea behind CBT is that depression is a pattern of thinking and behaving that we have learned - we form a view of ourselves and of the world, and that view can leave us vulnerable to see things in a negative way.  The good news is that we can learn how to interpret the world in a more realistic way, which then gets rid of the depressed and anxious feelings.  

    If you speak to your doctor, you can get a referral to a psychologist, and most or all of the cost should be covered by Medicare.  

    I wish you all the best.

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    Dr Louise Shepherd

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    I am a clinical psychologist with 15 years experience working with all sorts of goals and issues. I love working with people, helping them to … View Profile

    Firstly let me say that it is very positive that you want to have more of a life and that you see that what you are doing isn't working well for you! This is such an important step in making difficult changes in our lives. 

    As well as CBT you might like to check out some of the research on Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy which teach mindfulness and other skills to help you deal with difficult thoughts and feelings more effectively .

    If you have a GP you trust ask them to help you find a suitable psychologist, ideally a clinical psychologist who has specific expertise and experience in dealing with chronic depression.

    Wishing you well to move closer to living the kind of life you deserve - and not just surviving life. You are young and have your whole life ahead of you. Take care :-)

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    Charlotte Stansfield

    Counsellor

    Often enough, we do not know our own mind. In the process of dialogue with another person, we are able to clarify what we think … View Profile

    Hi,

    I concur with all of the above in terms of content -  I would like to add that regular cardio- exercise is a must for any wellness campaign you might be starting on….
    ACT therapy can be very helpful as an approach and CBT has been well researched as working for many people…… however, I don't agree that you need to see a clinical psychologist - there are plenty of other professions that can help you deal with this and some of the other professions are also available on Medicare too - such as Medicare accredited mental health social workers or mental health nurses.

    It is far more important that you find a suitably qualified someone you can connect with, that will be able to help you access your own inate capacity for healing than it is to focus on seeking someone from a particular profession, although it is essential that the person you seek has experience with complicated depression.

    So - i would talk to your GP and see who is available in your area - and contact the social workers/counsellors/psychotherapists/psychologists in your area and feel free to talk to them over the phone. You will probably be able to get a sense of who you could work with and who not if you spend a bit of time doing this.

    Best of luck.

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