Young people

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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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Chxxz Stressed
  • replies: 1

Hey guys I just really want advice on how to handle everything happening in my life I’m finding it so hard to be working two jobs yet I feel obliged to not let down one or both of them which leads to me forcing myself to go to work even when I’m sick... View more

Hey guys I just really want advice on how to handle everything happening in my life I’m finding it so hard to be working two jobs yet I feel obliged to not let down one or both of them which leads to me forcing myself to go to work even when I’m sick which has really started to take a toll on my body, a week a go I got really sick and had to call in and the boss got angry at me, today I also called in sick and was told “there’s no way you’re sick again” even though I have a doctors certificate. I don’t know what to do and I’m so scared I’m going to end up living like this forever as my parents were like this too any advice would be really appreciated

Bon_14 I feel like everything is falling apart
  • replies: 3

I’m a first year uni student, and when I was in high school I was at a really low point and began seeing a psychologist. I was diagnosed with OCD, social anxiety and severe depression. Most of the sessions were CBT and helped me figure out what was g... View more

I’m a first year uni student, and when I was in high school I was at a really low point and began seeing a psychologist. I was diagnosed with OCD, social anxiety and severe depression. Most of the sessions were CBT and helped me figure out what was going on with my mental health and helped me cope with it in the short term. After awhile I wasn’t feeling as bad as I was but I also didn’t really overcome it. I was seeing a psychologist through Headspace but he left to open up his own practice with not much warning and I couldn’t afford to follow him. The idea of transferring and getting to know a new psychologist also freaked me out so I just stopped. I was better than I was but I wasn’t great, I still had little mostivation, I had trouble interacting with people, and I constantly overthought everything and had bad relapses every few months. But it was mostly manageable. Recently I’ve been trying to better myself by eating better and working out more, and I’ve tried to make more of an effort with people, as I used to cancel plans/avoid going out. I had a breakdown after my “friend” said some hurtful stuff making me feel bad about my social anxiety which screwed with me because I shouldn’t have to feel bad about that and I’ve been trying best. But it did make me realise how bad my mental health has been lately. I was on uni break for a month and now I have no motivation and focus in my study, I have no motivation to get up in the mornings and usually sleep past 12pm, and at nights I can’t sleep, partly from overthinking and partly from having not been awake for very long. Everything just feels so hard and at times everything seems pointless. I’ve noticed my relationship getting affected as I’m often moody for no reason and easily getting upset. I don’t really know if I should talk to my boyfriend or family about what’s going on with me, or if I should see a psychologist again, which didn’t seem to help much last time. I just don’t know what will help me long term. I’m abit concerned to see a psychologist again partly because my last one sort of just left, partly because I can’t afford to see someone long term, and partly because I don’t want to have to go back to my GP to get another referral as last time I was told I should workout/join a gym even though I already played school sports and often worked out. I don’t understand how I’ve been trying so hard but I’m also at one of my lowest points. I really just don’t know where to go from here.

Ibra I Don't know where to start
  • replies: 2

Hi guys. I am a 22 year old male. I don't know where to start so I'll try list everything I can My mum and dad were split when I was young, I don't remember much of my dad then, I don't remember much until i was about 10, and he moved back to Aus (he... View more

Hi guys. I am a 22 year old male. I don't know where to start so I'll try list everything I can My mum and dad were split when I was young, I don't remember much of my dad then, I don't remember much until i was about 10, and he moved back to Aus (he's from another country). Ever since I can remember me and my mum never got on, she was a drinker and would get very abusive, and I would often end up at my grandparents house where they lived about 5 minutes away. When I turned 13 I eventually moved in there permanently as it was just so bad. When she is sober she is very nice, possibly one of the nicest people you would come across, until she gets on the drink. Anyway when I was 15, 2 years after moving in my grandad who I adored passed away, from natural occurrence. I played soccer he took me to all my games and would watch games with me too. School wasn't great before that, and was even worse after, at this point it's me and my grandma living together. two years later at 17 school kicked me out for poor attendance, which I highly regret. I found a causal job to get me by, I was going OK, I always had mates and played sport, went to the gym once if not twice a day. In between all these years I would still get into arguments/get abused by my mum which would bring on massive stress where she would threaten to come around just to shout and scream, even my Nan copped it sometimes. So 17-20 I was still with my nan, had a few jobs, still was going out with friends, playing soccer etc, And unfortunately a year later she passed away. about a year prior to her passing, something must have happened to me, I just stopped going out with my friends, they would invite me out I would just ignore/make up any excuse not to. I ate my self into obesity and just did nothing. I still am like this, I don't go out, Keep in contact with my mates, but only via facebook. It's not healthy at my age. When my nan died a few months passed and mum moved in, it didn't last long. i got kicked out. I still have terrible recordings of the abuse on my phone, videos and videos. I moved to the city where I still live, But it's much the same, I'm always anxious, I don't go out, I just sit in my room and try to diet but I just cannot. The times I've been out with colleagues where I work I seem to get dizzy, I'm sure it's anxiety/stress. My dad tells me I must work on it, I must do this must do that, but he doesn't seem to understand it is tough! I could keep going but i've run out of characters.

Kiki207 Are my friends jealous or just want to pick on me?
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, My friends seem to like calling me a twig. I am naturally skinny and don't gain much when I eat heaps. My friends call themselves fat and thick all the time (in text they say phat and thicc which really annoys me sometimes). I don't know... View more

Hi everyone, My friends seem to like calling me a twig. I am naturally skinny and don't gain much when I eat heaps. My friends call themselves fat and thick all the time (in text they say phat and thicc which really annoys me sometimes). I don't know if my friends are just jealous and calling me a twig is their way of expressing it or if they just want to pick on me. The time this affected me most was when I was in music class. My friends and I were in a smaller practice room, and they weren't doing anything. I was just playing the cheap piano in the room, and I think my friends thought I was too busy concentrating on the music to listen to them. I wasn't concentrating on the music at all, but on their conversation. They were watching a video about anorexia and one of my friends, who made up twig and mainly says it, said "now that person's a twig!" And then she was quiet for a moment and said "no, kiki's twiggier" That was 3 weeks ago and it still bothers me. I don't know why it gets to ne so much as I don't have anorexia and haven't been self conscious about my body before. I want to confront my friends but I don't know how. Any advice will be much appreciated. xox Kiki

etl I am so anxious about booking an appointment with my GP to discuss my mental health
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I literally have the booking tab open right now to book an appointment for tomorrow, but I just get so anxious when going to book and thinking about the appointment. My hands start shaking and everything. I was at my doctor last week for unrelated ph... View more

I literally have the booking tab open right now to book an appointment for tomorrow, but I just get so anxious when going to book and thinking about the appointment. My hands start shaking and everything. I was at my doctor last week for unrelated physical issues, and have been back quite a few times the last couple of months (at doctor request) to address physical issues - but I have never mentioned my mental health issues. Now I'm worried when I go back tomorrow the doctor won't believe me, or think I'm being dramatic, or won't really help, or think I just want attention..or that I will be too anxious and not be able to say what I want or explain properly. Or I'll be too embarrassed to tell the full truth, and worry the doctor will judge me or think me really unstable. My doctor has been very nice and capable so far, but I still can't help having these thoughts. I've been struggling with my mental health for years without telling anyone, but it's getting so much worst lately, I really need help. The only appointments available are for tomorrow or Monday. Maybe I should book for Monday and hope I don't chicken out. I turned 25 a few days ago, so I'm really on the older side for this forum - but just needed somewhere to vent. Anyone else had these anxieties about talking to a professional about their mental health for the first time? How did you get over it?

bootleg_rascal am i a sociopath?
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so.... i'm a seventeen year old girl in year 12, and i can't help but feel there is something wrong with me mentally. i am prone to really random outbursts of anger and helplessness, and i take my anger out on anyone i can. i often crave the attentio... View more

so.... i'm a seventeen year old girl in year 12, and i can't help but feel there is something wrong with me mentally. i am prone to really random outbursts of anger and helplessness, and i take my anger out on anyone i can. i often crave the attention of specific people, and if i don't have their full attention, i get inwardly angry and passive-aggressive. people at school have called me a sociopath because they think that i'm unable to show any signs of empathy but i don't think that is true, i just choose not to display the empathy that i feel. i can easily 'switch off' my emotions when i feel vulnerable and do that regularly so i just feel nothing. i hate feeling vulnerable, i hate feeling out of control and sometimes try to control the people around me. i hate commitment and i don't trust anyone at all, not even my parents or closest friends. if people compliment me, i am suspicious. as soon as i trust anyone, i push them as far away as possible- be it ghosting them online, avoiding them physically, etc. i DO NOT enjoy being touched when i'm not expecting it or from people i'm overly suspicious of, and i brace up when i get hugged. i especially hate my legs, neck and face being touched, and often hit or punch people out of reflex.

Yelmel Recent bipolar diagnosis and the struggle with social stigma.
  • replies: 1

I'm 23 and have been coping with a bipolar II diagnosis for 9 months. At first, I thought bipolar was only my past extremes of blurry party binges, cheating strings, snap lifechanging decisions and periods of depression, complete social withdrawing a... View more

I'm 23 and have been coping with a bipolar II diagnosis for 9 months. At first, I thought bipolar was only my past extremes of blurry party binges, cheating strings, snap lifechanging decisions and periods of depression, complete social withdrawing and suicide attempts. Recently, I have noticed how much I hide behind a fascade throughout my more subtle, regular cycles, trying to channel it into work and unreasonable lifestyle goals. When I'm hypomanic, I work multiple jobs on top of uni. I set unreasonable career goals and hide behind a fascade of being hardworking, high achieving all the while dealing with racing thoughts, uncontrollable spending, erratic behavior and an increasingly busy schedule. Trying to hide my internal struggle eventually leads me to a place of anger, anxiety, frustration, uncontrollable crying, overconfidence and egocentrism. It's logical that denying my internal struggle, hiding my symptoms from the world makes me explode and spiral into depression. When I'm depressed, all my hard work is suddenly left unfinished, I disappear from social media, avoid family and friends, cancel on work, stop cooking and eating, lose all motivation and interest in doing anything. Soon enough, the depression disappears and a new lifechanging goal or snap decision comes along and sweeps me up. Nobody knows I was depressed for weeks because I have pushed everyone away, broken friendships and hidden away before making my grand, confident entrance into my work and a new social life. I am going to therapy which has been helpful in tracking my moods, recognising the signs and understanding strategies to counteract the cycles, but in reality it's hard when I don't want to explain to people why I'm taking a step back when I look like I'm doing well, or am heading home early from a party when I don't look tired or sick. Im afraid of the social stigma associated with the disorder so continue to make excuses that don't add up when people ask why. Despite my therapist reassuring me this is a common disorder, I can't help but feel isolated. How has everyone learnt to deal with their illness head on, breaking the established habits which hide the illness, but perpetuate their cycles? How have you learnt to apply your therapists advice, and not care about the social stigma associated with taking care of yourself? Does anyone else feel isolated by their illness itself and by practising self care strategies?

marshmallow_24 something is wrong with my brain
  • replies: 1

I don't know what is wrong with me, but there has to be something. Life isn't great, I'm having a lot of friendship issues and struggling financially as I'm unemployed but usually I can feel okayish. recently something tiny and insignificant happens ... View more

I don't know what is wrong with me, but there has to be something. Life isn't great, I'm having a lot of friendship issues and struggling financially as I'm unemployed but usually I can feel okayish. recently something tiny and insignificant happens and I just go into this depressive moods. I know what my brain is telling me like I'm not good enough and everything is my fault, he doesn't like you and is just messing around is not completely true but I just cant feel good and have a constant need for assurance which when isn't fulfilled I get emotional. I feel like I'm always crying and an unmotivated to do what I need to do. I have always had these moods but they haven't been as intense until recently and I don't know what to do or how to minimise it

anotherteen feeling down i guess
  • replies: 1

i'm not sure if anyone will end up reading this, but lately, i've been feeling incredibly worthless. i feel like i could break down at any time. i feel down for one to two weeks, then im fine for a few, then im down again. its been going on for about... View more

i'm not sure if anyone will end up reading this, but lately, i've been feeling incredibly worthless. i feel like i could break down at any time. i feel down for one to two weeks, then im fine for a few, then im down again. its been going on for about two years. i think i started feeling down 2 years ago. i was in a group labeled as the popular group, but i was bullied out of it by two girls. school wasnt easy for me for almost a year, as i felt excluded in my new grp and shunned from my old. things got better. i became close with my new grp and friends again with my old grp, but there was always a lingering depressing feeling in me. im easily angered by my parents, but i stay happy for them most of the time. my grade is also highly toxic and divided; i know some people diagnosed with depression, as even one person attempted suicide (alive now). ive had a large group of 12 for 3 years, but lately, 4 of the people i consider are close to me have begun to wander off as their own 'clique'. its been persisting for months, and i understand that, in a large group, its inevitable to have close pairs or trios. the difference is, when these 4 talk to each other, they become incredibly obnoxious and completely oblivious to other people's feelings. i know because it isnt just me who feels like it. a few others from my group have behaved and told me about how they feel sad and excluded from their conversations when the 4 are together. the thing is, i feel like i value them more than they value me. it hurts to feel this way, even though it might not seem like much in words. ive handled small situations where they unintentionally exclude me, but its gotten to breaking point. i feel like, whatever i do, im constantly not good enough for them. furthermore, they dont care enough to ask me how i am or text me if im ok, even if i make it clear to them that im upset, which i rarely show as i know they wouldnt care. when i confronted one of them (which i did as nicely as possible), she ignored what i said about my personal perspective, as another refused to understand and got mad instead. from making me feel excluded. i dont know where i stand with them. i feel more alone than ever. when im sad, i focus my energy on them to laugh even just for a bit. school is hard. im always trying to laugh or talk as cover. i have many grade friends, but not alot to trust. the ones i trust are in different schools, and i barely see them. i feel like i cant keep friendships, despite how hard i try.