People like me

When it comes to mental health experiences, identity is important. Take the opportunity to connect with people dealing with similar issues.

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Young people

A space for people aged 12-25 to discuss life. If you’re over 25, please be mindful that this is a space for younger people to connect.

Guest_47909597 Extreme Guilt?
  • replies: 0

Alright so I am literally overwhelmed as hell, I'm thinking of the worst to come to me, I'm justifying I'm going to hell, I'm trying to think of reasons why It's not what I think, I'm freaking out, please somebody help me, I screwed around a lot when... View more

Alright so I am literally overwhelmed as hell, I'm thinking of the worst to come to me, I'm justifying I'm going to hell, I'm trying to think of reasons why It's not what I think, I'm freaking out, please somebody help me, I screwed around a lot when I was younger (Im 19 now) and its coming back to me what that means. Im not 100% sure, but I'm certain. I'm feeling the worst in my stomach, I cant do anything to distract myself and I cant even find myself deserving to find happiness or like my old self again. I'm seriously panicking, and I know this is risky to talk about with the circumstances of the topic but If I just can't talk about it to somebody I'm gonna be risking worse of myself. I'm currently crying, shaking, panicking, I feel isolated to talk about it because idk if It'll get me in trouble. I feel nauseous, I'm confused, I'm scared, I'm so so shameful, I need help forgiving myself or recovering from this, please.

Guest_10102 I dont know
  • replies: 1

Hi this is my first time posting so I don't really know what to write or how to put things into words but I'm trying. Just like with everything else in my life, I'm trying to stay afloat with everything that i have going on and I don't usually do thi... View more

Hi this is my first time posting so I don't really know what to write or how to put things into words but I'm trying. Just like with everything else in my life, I'm trying to stay afloat with everything that i have going on and I don't usually do this and reach out but lately it feels like I have no one. My grandma is terminally ill and my mum is also terminally ill and has a terminal injury that effects everything in her life. I just feel lost and numb. It feels as if the world is against me. My family is falling apart and it's breaking my heart, I want to fix it but I can't. My mind won't stop between depression, anxiety and the constant feeling of needing to be okay for everyone else. I'm only 23 and I know there are millions more people out there that have it worse than I do but I just dont know what to do anymore. As of lately I've been thinking what the world and my family would be like if I wasn't here anymore and anytime i try to speak to my family about it, they stop me then tell me their problems and it makes me feel as if my problems aren't bad enough to be validated. I just want to be heard and feel okay. Everything lately has been going wrong and it's like nothing will ever be right and I'm always told I dont do this or that right or I should do it this way or I shouldn't talk to family about my issues I need to talk to a professional when all I want is to talk to my family and have their support which I know some people dont even get that option of speaking to their family. I'm scared to call a mental health line because I don't want to bother anyone and my problems aren't nearly as bad as some. I can't be alone as of lately otherwise I get in my own head and I have a history of self harm and an ED but when I'm with people to not be alone I can't talk about my feelings or I can't be in physical or emotional pain because *your pain isnt that bad compared to others*. It's something that I always get told and I just dont know what to do anymore. Anytime I talk about something that's wrong my family tell me I need to go to a mental hospital instead of just listening to what I have to say. I feel like I have no one on my side and I'm in a dark room with no one in sight. I'm just really struggling and hoping that getting this out will help me and hopefully others that feel the same way to know that your not alone. I'm sorry that it's such a long story, it's the only time I've been able to express myself and I haven't even gone over half of what's going on in reality and in my head..

Guest_25903719 Over it
  • replies: 2

i’m a 17-year-old, obviously this is a hard time for people my age as well for many reasons; I’m fresh in year 12, i have to worry about my future, and work. Its to much to ask of me, i constantly try my best yet i still fail. I am so grateful for th... View more

i’m a 17-year-old, obviously this is a hard time for people my age as well for many reasons; I’m fresh in year 12, i have to worry about my future, and work. Its to much to ask of me, i constantly try my best yet i still fail. I am so grateful for the home i was raised in and how i was raised, but sometimes parents need to get out of their ways and think about how their children, a teenager, ME, would feel. I constantly get yelled at for little things and things i didn't even do, but of course my little sister is a star, i get blamed for everything, i always get snarky comments from everyone that aren't needed. It feels like I have no where to go, i’m constantly crowded with expectations that i cant live up to, yet if i don't i'm a failure. I just cant do this anymore, i have no space in which i can just stop. I feel so alone but full of everything and everyone at the same time. I just seriously cant do this anymore, i have trued everything, i went to therapy but its to expensive, the school doesn't help, so this is my last resort. I try talking to my parents but they don't even acknowledge that i’m there, they are busy with everything else. I feel so ungrateful because i know people’s situations are worse then mine, but i have been struggling for so long in silence. I Cant Do It Anymore…I try and try and try again but i just keep failing, this is now affecting my performance, which of course makes everything worse. I was recently ill, and all it was, was that im not good enough, i did it to myself.. I love my parent's so much, its just there actions speak louder then their words. Emotional, physically, mentally, spiritually, all of them, i just cant keep doing this. Im so drained and exhausted. I don't know what else i'm meant to do. I don't have that much to write because i cant explain the whole pool of emotions that I'm feeling, it’s to much. I Cant Do This Anymore.

Sexuality and gender identity

Peer support and conversations about anxiety, depression and other issues in the mental health space affecting LGBTQI+ people.

Iris Feeling lost
  • replies: 2

Hello im very new here.Ok so here is the story. I have struggled with and never shared that im gay and attracted to guys to basically anyone minus a few online friends. I cant tell my parents minus my dad who may take it well. That has been the case ... View more

Hello im very new here.Ok so here is the story. I have struggled with and never shared that im gay and attracted to guys to basically anyone minus a few online friends. I cant tell my parents minus my dad who may take it well. That has been the case but in recently i feel its more then that now that im most likely trans. I have bottled that away for over 6 months or so now the problem is i recently travelled to see a friend for a week.While i was away as she described it i could be openly queer and didnt stop smiling, that was amazing but good things cant last i came back now I have an endless pain crying myself to sleep a few times now.I could maybe tell my sister she is accepting having a few gay friends herself.Im stuck between letting them know im gay (a smaller issue) or trans (1 million percent wouldnt accept)I just dont know what i should do any advise would be amazing.

Guest_12278985 Connecting Farmers Who Are Gay
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, I wanted to start a conversation for farmers who are gay and looking to connect with others who share similar experiences. While I’m heterosexual, I have gay friends, and I know that rural and farming communities can sometimes feel isola... View more

Hi everyone, I wanted to start a conversation for farmers who are gay and looking to connect with others who share similar experiences. While I’m heterosexual, I have gay friends, and I know that rural and farming communities can sometimes feel isolating, especially when it comes to finding like-minded people or supportive spaces. Farming life comes with its own unique challenges - long hours, family traditions, and strong community ties - which can sometimes make it hard to be open about who you are. I’d love to hear from those who have navigated this journey:How have you found support within your community?Are there groups, events, or online spaces that have helped you connect with others?What advice would you give to someone struggling with acceptance in a rural setting?If you’re a farmer who identifies as LGBTQ+ or an ally, feel free to share your thoughts, experiences, or resources that might help others in the same situation. Let’s start an open and supportive discussion.Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Orangejuice09 What is this?
  • replies: 1

I (24 F) always identified myself as straight, even though most of the male crushes I had were fictional. I have never had any interest in women. I was trying to read a BL called ten count, but I was worried about being misogynistic. So I decided to ... View more

I (24 F) always identified myself as straight, even though most of the male crushes I had were fictional. I have never had any interest in women. I was trying to read a BL called ten count, but I was worried about being misogynistic. So I decided to look at a few forums and I stumbled on Quora and other sources about experiences about being a lesbian. I decided to read a GL called Asumi chan is interested in lesbian brothels: I read the first chapter and I began to have nightmares and intrusive thoughts, to the point where I couldn’t sleep alone. I also started to look up book covers of the manga, YouTube videos of women being intimate, women (celebrities) in sexy clothes, Yuri sexual explicit on r34 , looking at lesbian dating apps, and started having intrusive thoughts of being intimate with women to confirm my orientation. I looked up other forums on reddit and quora to see if my orientation has changed. My sister said that sexuality is fluid but I saw other forums say that the statement was homophobic. I am muslim so there might be societal pressure as well but I have been depressed, sometimes to the brink of tears. I have lost interest in drawing, learning Japanese and a lot of my previous hobbies and I have lost interest in men and forming relationships with both men and women, to the point where my whole routine and goals are being ignored. What should I do? I am not having intrusive thoughts at night and I am smiling at certain dreams (being intimate with women). I am having intrusive thoughts at other times and sometimes I get anxious. One time, I had an intrusive thought of kissing my friend and I cried in the surgery. Some of my thoughts feel real (like marrying women, and being intimate with them ). I sometimes feel calm and sometimes I am indifferent, which scares me I still look up images (sexy or not) of women and the results vary from anxious to feeling nothing. I don't know if I am a lesbian or if I got desensitised to the whole thing. I have these intrusive thoughts at work (I never felt this way before) where I would get nervous around women and I don't know why it started. I did a quiz on wikihow on am I lesbian and when I did it, it said I was attracted to women and when I saw the comments, one of them said that one sign is having mainly women friends and male fictional characters and I kept using chatgpt and reddit to reassure myself. When I watch certain shows like Mr Bean, I stop thinking about this and I feel better, which worries me because I wonder if these thoughts are genuine if a TV show is able to distract me I had my therapy session and I mentioned sometimes I go onto reddit to explore the possibility of OCD and they said I might have it or not and I am worried because I wonder what if I don't and I am in denial of everything. I just want my old life back (before the intrusive thoughts). If I stop the compulsions, will the intrusive thoughts go away? I feel "excited", an urge to smile and anxiety like I am enjoying my thoughts but I still look depressed. When someone mentions I look depressed I lose it and start crying I went out with my sister on the train to a cafe and I couldn't stop staring at all of the women to see if I was attracted to them. When I arrived to the cafe, I had fun but when I went back on the train, I had an intrusive thought about my best friend and resting my head on her shoulder , wondering if I had a stronger relationship than I thought. I texted her and I regretted it (to the point of tears) I heard sexuality is fluid but that makes me nervous. I posted this query on reddit, quora and discord for answer but I got called gay (I didn't handle it maturely). My sister asked why I am afraid to be gay and I don't know. My sister and my family would be supportive if I was gay or bi. What should I do?

Multicultural experiences

Designed for members who were born overseas, have parents who were, speak a primary language that isn’t English or have mixed cultural heritage.

Miraculously101 Belief systems
  • replies: 1

I'm a middle child of an immigrant family. Born in Australia, however conditioned, nurtured and natured by my parents values and belief systems. Recently, I discovered - Realised the most important life changing moment. Fear and control no flexibilit... View more

I'm a middle child of an immigrant family. Born in Australia, however conditioned, nurtured and natured by my parents values and belief systems. Recently, I discovered - Realised the most important life changing moment. Fear and control no flexibility in this way of thinking.how the family dynamics Made me feel inferior - like -something is wrong with me - I can't receive blessings - help care love support because there is a belief that there something wrong with me. The manipulation- self sacrifice, made to feel like the victim and this of course begins n the patterns - repeating cycles generation cycles a state of being in service no escape no spark no room for creating and I feel small Im not allowed to follow my desires, my energy or a to give to others. how dare I think about myself. i know some things are far too painful and I'm trying to make myself feel this to free myself from this patterns and rigid mind set of fear and control that's means removing myself from these people and replacing them with a redirect of consciousness. so wounded

1fr4 this is difficult
  • replies: 7

Hi guys, I'm a uni student who moved from India last year, I'm going to turn 20... it's 2025, a new year and for some time now, I've come to reflect on my experiences living alone here. This was my first time living independently and although I recei... View more

Hi guys, I'm a uni student who moved from India last year, I'm going to turn 20... it's 2025, a new year and for some time now, I've come to reflect on my experiences living alone here. This was my first time living independently and although I receive support, I come from a dysfunctional family. I have never done anything other than study until year 12. Coming here has shown me how I live life (and I don't think it's healthy at all, others can see it too). I suspect I have ADHD, Anxiety & Depression. It's been pretty hard for me but even taking care of myself like cooking meals and keeping myself clean has been a huge challenge. Most of all, I feel like I've barely even studied in my first year. I'll start the next year soon and recounting everything, I feel like everything is too much. I feel like crying but I've only done it from the inside. Seeking professional help is expensive and my relationships with family and friends and most of all, myself are very bad and inconsistent. What do I do? Where do I even begin?

1fr4 Stressed
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that life can be so exhausting, even when I haven't done much. I've struggled a lot with caring for myself, feeling safe and having fun. I worry too much about what others will think and always assume that o... View more

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that life can be so exhausting, even when I haven't done much. I've struggled a lot with caring for myself, feeling safe and having fun. I worry too much about what others will think and always assume that others hate me. It's gotten to the point where when I first started living independently to now, I barely go out and just maladaptively daydream. It's stopped me so much. I've also thought of seeking professional help. If anyone wants to, please use this post to share your experiences, I want to know how others are or have been working things and if you have any advice (of course I've heard of the 'don't give two hoots of what others think and do it!' but it's so hard). Anyways, thank you for this

Grief and loss

Support and advice following the loss of a family member, partner, spouse or someone close to you.

string_cheese Grief about dreams never realised
  • replies: 4

Hi, My work, relationships, living situation, hobbies, beliefs, family and values have all changed over the last few years. Some of the change is objectively really awesome, and some was sort of out of my control. Either way, I'm feelings my feelings... View more

Hi, My work, relationships, living situation, hobbies, beliefs, family and values have all changed over the last few years. Some of the change is objectively really awesome, and some was sort of out of my control. Either way, I'm feelings my feelings and problem solving my way through the change. Growing etc. I'm so much happier. But I've got all this grief. I think about all the possibilities, the things I never did in the hobbies I gave up, and the things I didn't say to the people I'm not speaking to anymore.My psychologist recently labelled this as grief and I had to agree, sometimes I feel like I've got this heavy loss and heavy thoughts that builds up inside. I have only ever associated grief with death. Has anyone had experience with grief that doesn't really relate to death?

Jasper I almost lost my dad
  • replies: 2

My dad had heart surgery a few days ago, and while I’ve been aware of the fact that it could’ve easily been so much worse to the point where he might’ve died, it only just hit me tonight. And I’m not okay. It’s especially heard because my dad and I d... View more

My dad had heart surgery a few days ago, and while I’ve been aware of the fact that it could’ve easily been so much worse to the point where he might’ve died, it only just hit me tonight. And I’m not okay. It’s especially heard because my dad and I don’t have the greatest relationship, and we were going through a particularly difficult time leading up to all of this. I just feel so guilty. If he put off getting his chest pain checked out even just a couple days longer, he would’ve died, and the last thing we would’ve done was have a fight. I hate this. I might not have a great relationship with him but the thought of him dying is so scary and it was so close to happening

Guest_40494911 My father passed away just before christmas
  • replies: 1

My father passed away a few weeks before Christmas and the funeral was after Christmas. I spoke with my dad every single day and now I feel so lost and alone. My husband was there with me but now he doesn't seem to understand that I need time to grie... View more

My father passed away a few weeks before Christmas and the funeral was after Christmas. I spoke with my dad every single day and now I feel so lost and alone. My husband was there with me but now he doesn't seem to understand that I need time to grief and heal. I am finding it very difficult to connect with my husband right now and I also don't know how to heal and move forward.