How to cheer up myself?

[Ianna]

I have been suffering in so much academic worries recently due to the start of semester and adapting to new life in Australia living away from my family. I often feel lonely whenever I'm in my room, I feel loss of interest in most of the things, I miss home sometimes, my friends, and my hometown. Although I have good friends here around the campus but I still feel a bit hard to stay happy. I can feel deep in my body I'm having so much to worry about, I just can't stop thinking about all the uncertainties that may happen on me. There's certain time of a day I will feel really tired and panic, such sudden anxious emotion just popped out, I can't even control myself not to overthink or stop worrying. There's like nothing that can calm me down, I always feel depressed and my heart rate increases every time anxiety attacking me. I can feel that anxiety is affecting my physical health sometimes. I really wish to be cheerful as before, but seems like I can't. How do you guys cope with anxiety attack?

[Petal22]

Hi Ianna,

Wellcome to our forums !

Im sorry you are feeling this way.

I understand that missing your family would be hard.

Anxiety can be hard to deal with.

I recommend that you see your gp and discuss how you are feeling and how anxiety is affecting your life.

You could do a mental health plan together this will enable you to see a psychologist who can give you many strategies for anxiety.

You really can learn to manage your anxiety.

You could practice some deep breathing or meditation it really helps.

Hang in there

[Sophie_M]

Hi Ianna,

Thank you so much for your post and contributing to our community! 

Academic distress and anxiety can be extremely difficult and exhausting, on top of the exhaustion of having to study in the first place - but no doubt it must be so hard when also feeling so far from home, and missing family. 

We want to encourage you to reach out to your Counsellors available in your university / college. Also remember to speak to a GP / Doctor to ask for help.  Let me also encourage you to look at some support apps / sites that you can use in free time, especially if study and exams are busy.  Try some of these: https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
https://www.moodgym.com.au/
  You might also find sources of help by contacting Head to Help: https://www.headtohelp.org.au/

and of course, we are heare 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or use the webchat link!

Thank you for being so brave in joining us, I know your peers will reach out to you very soon!

Regards,

Sophie M.

[geoff]

Hello Lanna, feeling lonely and unable to do things when you are missing friends and family back home, doesn't necessarily go away when you actually do have friends at uni because it's in a completely different situation, your friends back home have other parents and rules that don't abide by here in Australia, and let's say you went back home, then you may probably miss all your friends at uni.

What you do here may also be different to what you could do o/s.

A couple of suggestions, ask a friend/s if they want to watch a movie on a cheap subscription on TV, buy some chips as well as drinks, this may strengthen your friendship with them and also consult with a doctor and ask them about the 'mental health plan', which entitles you to 10 Medicare paid sessions with a psychologist.

Ring or text your friends o/s and tell them how different it is in Australia, they might say to you 'if only I could join you'.

If you are 25 years or under you could contact Kids Helpline (5 to 25) on 1800 55 1800 by web chat, phone or online.

Hope to hear back from you.

Geoff.

[tranzcrybe]

After only two weeks, you are probably still adjusting to the time zone! Feelings of lethargy, confusion, just being out of sorts...

You know, you would normally be asleep in bed back home instead of attending lectures and interacting with friends, so this could be contributing to your emotional upheaval.

I realised this for myself while on tour - couldn't get my brain into gear for a month, found myself going through the motions without much awareness of why or wherefore.
All the new sights and faces didn't help me to settle either as my brain kept searching for familiarity, something to reassure and comfort me - homesickness by any other name.

Add the pressure of study and making a good impression, I'm not surprised you feel apprehensive.
But remember to avoid getting too far ahead of yourself - there is a period of adaptation to the rigours of the course regardless, and you aren't expected to know everything.

Stick to the set tasks and allow your body and mind to acclimatise to all the changes.
I'm sure you will excel once you get into the swing of things and get to know your lecturers better (don't be afraid to approach them either - most are happy to talk shop to set you on the right path).