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Sophie_M How are you feeling about the social media restrictions in Australia for under 16s?
  • replies: 14

Hey everyone With the upcoming Australian social media restriction for under 16-year-olds coming up we want to know what this means for you and maybe even the young people in your life. This conversation is a place for all of us to share how we are f... View more

Hey everyone With the upcoming Australian social media restriction for under 16-year-olds coming up we want to know what this means for you and maybe even the young people in your life. This conversation is a place for all of us to share how we are feeling and what we think the challenges and benefits might be for you or the wonderful young people in our community. Have you thought about how to stay connected with friends you’ve met online? Are you focused mostly on the positives, or the negatives? What do your parents think, and what could they do to support you? Importantly the Beyond Blue Forums are not impacted by these restrictions, we're here for anyone under 16. In short, from December 10 Social Media companies will need to ensure that only people over 16 actively engage with their platforms. There is a lot of information out there which can make it tricky to know what to expect on when it comes into effect. To learn more we think these are a helpful place to start eSafety commissioner + Headspace FAQs. We know this change will impact some more than others, QLife provide anonymous and free LGBTIQ+ support and 13YARN are here for all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people. We want to hear your thoughts on how this might impact the mental health of under 16s in both a positive and negative way. The Beyond Blue Forums are a place for constructive and helpful conversation and the regular moderation rules apply which means we look forward to a kind and understanding discussion. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings Sophie M

BeyondBlue New to this Forum? Please read this first!
  • replies: 0

Hey there! Welcome to the Young People section of the Beyond Blue Forums. The purpose of this section is to provide members aged 25 and under a space to discuss life issues, tricky situations and the difficult emotions and feelings that come with tho... View more

Hey there! Welcome to the Young People section of the Beyond Blue Forums. The purpose of this section is to provide members aged 25 and under a space to discuss life issues, tricky situations and the difficult emotions and feelings that come with those. If you are aged over 25, please be mindful that this is a space for younger people to connect and provide support for each other. These forums are moderated, so your posts may not appear straight away. Information on moderation on the Forums can be found here. Being familiar with our Community Guidelines can help ensure that your posts appear online as quickly as possible. If we have concerns about your wellbeing, one of our friendly moderators will check in with you privately to make sure you get the support you need. If you need more immediate support, we recommend reaching out to the following: Beyond Blue Support Service – any time, chat online to a counsellor or call 1300 22 4636 Headspace – between 9am and 1am (AEST), chat online to a mental health clinician or call 1800 650 890 Kids Helpline – any time, chat online to a counsellor or call 1800 55 1800 Thank you for being here. We’re glad you’ve found us here and hope this can be a supportive space for you Beyond Blue

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Erinnnnn Stress
  • replies: 1

Hiii I’m Erin. I’m an international student who is experiencing a feeling which is that I’m trying so hard to approach the person I want to be but failed very often. It affects my confidence and I’m worrying if I could really take good care of my par... View more

Hiii I’m Erin. I’m an international student who is experiencing a feeling which is that I’m trying so hard to approach the person I want to be but failed very often. It affects my confidence and I’m worrying if I could really take good care of my parents in the future…Kind of sad emotion comes along with the more stress when I heard that my grandma was very sick and maybe I need to go back to my hometown earlier as soon as I finish this semester to see her..

Guest_98126199 TAFE and disability
  • replies: 1

New here and needed some people close to my age to ask lol I have been trying out various TAFE courses and pretty much gave up after trying one unit each time. But apart from that, I have been finding their disability support to be abysmal. Zero comm... View more

New here and needed some people close to my age to ask lol I have been trying out various TAFE courses and pretty much gave up after trying one unit each time. But apart from that, I have been finding their disability support to be abysmal. Zero communication, no help outside of hours (I work a 38-hour week so only free during the night or weekends), and all my agents are constantly going on leave or quitting their jobs and no one tells me. So unprofessional! And my complaints to them only give me generic apologies in response. I am doing the Human Resources Management IV course and I really enjoy the subject but the marking criteria is just way too strict. I want the certificate so I can advance in my career but I can't even complete the first assignment without someone telling me the answers they want specifically. Just seems like all the effort I put in during my precious weekends off is wasted lolIt has now come to a point where I want to drop out again and just resign myself to working low-level jobs like every other person with Autism like me has to do.

j_x School problems and stuff.
  • replies: 1

Lowkey I'm chatting here because I don't know where else to go at this point. I started high school (private school) this year, it was fine at first but now I hate it. I have mixed feelings of being left out and being included, there are always probl... View more

Lowkey I'm chatting here because I don't know where else to go at this point. I started high school (private school) this year, it was fine at first but now I hate it. I have mixed feelings of being left out and being included, there are always problems or someone judging you for no reason. you might say this is normal for high school, but is it seriously to the point I dread even walking to the bus stop? My best friend turned on me, teachers can be really rude and it's so overwhelming and tiring. I've also had several social media issues to the point that I had to regain the trust of some close people and block off all platforms from my life (which is kind of a good/bad thing ngl) I've even broken down in tears during classes and this beyond blue k10 test thingy says I should reach out for support Music and painting are my escape from all of this, which I try to do more often but sometimes I can't do it at school, I can't even finish a book (and I love books). I want to do homeschooling but I'm afraid of what would happen to my social life, leadership skills and future appliance for unis. I'm thinking of starting counselling which my school offers but I need further advice, I've already tried finding new people to hang out with but it didn't do any benefit. I don't know what I should do and I'm probs going to stay at this school next year. Thanks, J.

Guest_10081968 I dont feel i have a reason to feel kinda depressed.
  • replies: 1

I feel like i have a good life but im being negative, but for some reason, I'm not sure what, I feel unmotivated I don't really know what I want to do in life, and I'm a bit overweight. I'm only 14 but I'm not sure why I don't even feel like hanging ... View more

I feel like i have a good life but im being negative, but for some reason, I'm not sure what, I feel unmotivated I don't really know what I want to do in life, and I'm a bit overweight. I'm only 14 but I'm not sure why I don't even feel like hanging out with my friends sometimes and just want to be alone. I am too scared to talk to my parents as my dad is a psychologist so I feel like a failure if I talk to him about it. I don't even feel motivated to do my work it feels like I'm just forcing myself to do everything. Lately I've been feeling kind of tired, I feel like if I talk to anyone about it it would just be awkward and I would be Like a burden. Idk if this makes sense its not like I have a shit life, I do have friends and family and pretty good relationship with all.

ceres Struggling to find my people
  • replies: 1

I'm just about to finish my first year of university, and I have met a lot of new people this year. A lot of them are nice, and I do enjoy hanging out with them, but we are just quite different and I want to meet people who are more similar to me, an... View more

I'm just about to finish my first year of university, and I have met a lot of new people this year. A lot of them are nice, and I do enjoy hanging out with them, but we are just quite different and I want to meet people who are more similar to me, and to be frank - who I like more. Is there anyone who has had success forming or joining long-lasting friend groups after the first year of uni? I'm worried that it'll be harder to make different friends going into second year when people already know each other. I also have friends from high school, but my group fell apart in year 12, so while I have my best friend and a couple of other people who I regularly catch up with, I don't have a big group of friends who I can regularly see. I am quite a sociable person (although I do struggle with anxiety which can make talking to new people hard), so this is something I really want. TLDR; I have friends but I want a friendship group. How can I make or join a group of friends in second year uni? I would really appreciate hearing someones experience with this!

Rozie-24 I dont really Know
  • replies: 1

So, I don't really know what to say, people tell me I am selfish and ungrateful, but I work so hard for what i have I work to keep my home life away from me.I need some opinions-(Dot points of my Life)My mum drinks a lot- but i still love her My dad ... View more

So, I don't really know what to say, people tell me I am selfish and ungrateful, but I work so hard for what i have I work to keep my home life away from me.I need some opinions-(Dot points of my Life)My mum drinks a lot- but i still love her My dad always says he is going to leave for the night and never dose and everyone has to pretend nothing has happened after their fights. My 2 brothers and sister are all younger than me and think nothing is happening. Oh and my mum did lose her license for being over the legal amount of acholic but not over mid rangeMy nan who is meant to be nice and loveing speaks down about my mum and that makes me sadI also go to school and hate it because its a waste of my time - I also do a school based apprenticship and I think I am pretty good at what I do. So sorry if this is too long.I just get so sad sometime I then feel its too much to get up and move and i dont know what to do

Guest_08510833 Struggling connecting with people in general
  • replies: 3

Hi My names Jim, I’ve just come to Australia on a WHV. On paper I should be over the moon with they way everything is going but I just can’t seem to connect with people on any level, I feel quite lost to be honest, and feel I can’t talk anyone with r... View more

Hi My names Jim, I’ve just come to Australia on a WHV. On paper I should be over the moon with they way everything is going but I just can’t seem to connect with people on any level, I feel quite lost to be honest, and feel I can’t talk anyone with real any substance.I don’t feel I’ve got anything to say either. I’ve become a bit mute and quiet at time's, only speaking when I’m spoken to, not really having much in the way of a response a lot of the time. It’s getting worse and I’m struggling to stop it spiralling in to a bit of dispare, I know it’s down to my confidence and lack in there of, god knows i’m trying to get a hand on it too, not even sure that this is the correct place to be putting this out. I’m really not sure about anything anymore, constant indecision. There’s probably lots of things I should do but I can’t even get out of the gate with one. I suppose I wouldn’t mine knowing if anyone else feels this way, I’m sure people do. Maybe any tips of how to deal with it a bit better than I amcurrently. Thanks to anyone who does take the time to read this anyway and comment if they’ve got the time.

Guest_45750091 Losing friends right before graduation
  • replies: 1

I’m currently in grade 12, and I’m graduating from high school next week. My friend group has had some issues for a while and I’ve considered moving to a different group multiple times but I’ve always been worried about causing drama and making schoo... View more

I’m currently in grade 12, and I’m graduating from high school next week. My friend group has had some issues for a while and I’ve considered moving to a different group multiple times but I’ve always been worried about causing drama and making school worse for myself. There’s previously been a lot of arguments, and no one is really supportive. They all gossip about each other but continue to pretend to be best friends. As I got closer to graduating, I was happy to wait it out and then begin to distance myself from them after we all graduate. However, a few weeks ago, one of the girls told another girl that I hated her (which I discussed with the girl and assured her this was not the case). But the girl ended up telling everyone that I hated her and I’d been so awful to her. Ultimately I messaged the group chat explaining that I was uncomfortable going to schoolies because of the drama, so I wouldn’t be going. This was completely ignored and in school none of the group would talk to me, even when I tried talking to them. Now I’m on better terms with some of them but I ultimately do not feel comfortable with them at all. I have formal and graduation next week and I really don’t want to go. I’m so embarrassed that this is how I’m finishing school. I also know that for multiple people to have an issue with me I must’ve done something wrong but I really feel like I haven’t. I also have my 18th birthday coming up and I’m so ashamed that I’ll most likely spend it alone. I want to try and become closer with some other people that I’ve spoken to in school, but I honestly don’t know who to trust because I know they’ll probably tell the group that I’m desperate. I know this won’t matter in a year, but right now I’m just so ashamed.

Cam.ryn Healing my relationship with my body
  • replies: 8

tw: weight/eatingI've struggled a long time with my body image. I come from a family of overweight people, and so I was always surrounded by discussions of diets and "we need to lose weight" and comments about looking big and gross and ugly. I've pre... View more

tw: weight/eatingI've struggled a long time with my body image. I come from a family of overweight people, and so I was always surrounded by discussions of diets and "we need to lose weight" and comments about looking big and gross and ugly. I've pretty much always been a healthy weight my whole life, so there weren't ever directed at me, but I sure think as a child I definitely internalised them. And then of course social media and the internet love promoting small bodies and yeah its hard being a human being and looking like a normal human being. I've definitely had disordered eating habits and gone through phases of restriction and bingeing. I won't go to crazy into the details but ive been a lot smaller than I am now, and a lot bigger too. No matter what size I am im just never comfortable or happy. I definitely think my eating is linked to emotions in other aspects of my life as well. I eat when I'm bored, when I'm sad, when I'm stressed. I also basically always think about food. When I wake up I'm like "omg what am I going to eat today". I feel guilty about what I eat, I feel out of control sometimes when it comes to eating, and I know I do not have balanced/healthy habits. It just generally not fun, and I think put so much brain power and energy into hating my body and thinking about food, that I could use instead towards my uni or friends, etc. I guess I don't really know what I'm looking for here to be honest... I guess I'm just hoping someone out there has cracked the code on self-acceptance because I want so badly to be happy with my body just the way it is. Those sneaky thoughts just always creep in and tell me I'm too fat.

Taiji Looking for a support/accountability partner
  • replies: 3

Hey so I'm a 22 year old guy living in Sydney whose been working through mental health stuff (depression, anxiety, potential ADHD) for the past year. I've recently wanted to start working on rebuilding my life by working on academic, fitness and gene... View more

Hey so I'm a 22 year old guy living in Sydney whose been working through mental health stuff (depression, anxiety, potential ADHD) for the past year. I've recently wanted to start working on rebuilding my life by working on academic, fitness and general health goals. While I think there's a lot of merit in getting support through online spaces I think in person support will always be the gold standard. So I've been looking for a support/accountability partner who also lives in Sydney where we can support each other with mental health, chatting about life stuff, holding each other accountable, gyming together etc. If anyone is also interested in finding a support partner and lives in Sydney feel free to reach out!