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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louieramseyyy I'm in a relationship and I have developed strong feelings for someone else
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I'm 17 and I have been in a relationship with my loving boyfriend for around 6 months now. I have been living with him for 3 months now due to family violence. My relationship has been really good up until this point. About a month ago, we started to... View more

I'm 17 and I have been in a relationship with my loving boyfriend for around 6 months now. I have been living with him for 3 months now due to family violence. My relationship has been really good up until this point. About a month ago, we started to argue a lot more, get irritated at each other a lot easier so it was harder for us. I have started to grow feelings for a close friend of mine who I met at the start of the year and I have never felt this way about anyone, not even my own boyfriend! I am really unsure of what to do. I am about to move out of his place as I have found somewhere for me to stay on my own, so the option to not be with him anymore is still there, just incase he reacts negatively if I tel, him. I don't know if I love him, please help?

spontaneous sunflower Feeling stuck
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I am not sure how to explain this in this post honestly. I am stuck for words to explain this "feeling stuck" situation, ha ha. I am 16. I was diagnosed with anxiety when i was 13, and I was diagnosed with depression after a really bad depressive epi... View more

I am not sure how to explain this in this post honestly. I am stuck for words to explain this "feeling stuck" situation, ha ha. I am 16. I was diagnosed with anxiety when i was 13, and I was diagnosed with depression after a really bad depressive episode last year. It's been about half a year since I recovered from that depressive episode I guess, and I am doing heaps better but in some ways I am not. I feel stuck. My life has changed many times over the past 3-4 years, as life does, but at the same time, it feels exactly the same. I am constantly facing the same problems- getting overwhelmed about schoolwork then breaking down, feeling anxious about school (no matter what school I am attending! I have moved schools in the past year), struggling to adapt to a healthier lifestyle of eating and exercising, etc. For some of these problems, I know what I have to do in order to overcome it or face it. But I never do those things. Eventually the problem passes, maybe because I get so good at avoiding it. I am stuck! I know exactly what person I want to be and how I want my life to be, and I have some ideas of how to get there, but I can't seem to get it in action. I am sick of falling into holes then digging myself out, but then never covering up those holes (metaphor! Hope it makes sense). I know I will never live a life completely free of anxiety and depression and I am okay with that, I know that overtime I keep getting stronger and more resilient. But that being said, I don't want to live a life where it's only 30% of the time that I am myself and living the life I want. Like everyone else, I wanna be myself 100% of the time and I want to make my life great because it's just one life. I see other people doing cool stuff, I see clothes I wanna buy in shops, I think of things I want to do but I kind of just sigh and think to myself "one day." Why can't I do that stuff now? Why do I have to wait till I graduate high school, till I move out of home, etc? It's just excuses. Maybe I am scared of leaving my comfort zone. Maybe I am scared of failure. But I know that I am only thinking the worst and in reality, if I went and became the person I want to be, there would be more benefits than not. So why can't I stop being someone I'm not entirely happy being and be the person I am suppressing inside? Not sure if this makes sense or if anyone can relate, maybe I'm a bit crazy (aren't we all?) Don't know if anyone can really give me any advice here but thanks anyway

Alizerath just a bit of a vent
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honestly, I don't know what I'm doing on here. I don't think I have depression, I don't think I have anxiety. the thing is, I don't feel okay. I just feel so useless all the time. like, I haven't really got anything going for me. I'm not pretty, I'm ... View more

honestly, I don't know what I'm doing on here. I don't think I have depression, I don't think I have anxiety. the thing is, I don't feel okay. I just feel so useless all the time. like, I haven't really got anything going for me. I'm not pretty, I'm not smart, I'm not funny... so what am I? I am mediocre at everything I do. I try my hardest at everything but all I get out of it is a few insults and a few more shreds ripped apart at my confidence. the thing is, I don't feel sad all the time, nor do I get the typical kind of panic or anxiety someone associates with the disorder. My parents refuse to take me to a doctor because they think I'm fine. and maybe I am? maybe I am just doing this for attention? maybe I am normal? I am just very confused. all I know is that I would rather be anyone else but me. not even my own friends, who I would do anything for like me. I tried to talk about my problems, but I'm too scared that they will judge me. because I know they will. I have many- an - experience of telling someone something personal and them immediately using it against me while gossiping about me. one day, in a rather hurtful game of truth or dare, it was revealed that I am not only the ugliest, but the dumbest, and most annoying of my friends. and I would be upset, except that they are right. what do I have to offer? I'm not a good friend, I'm not a particularly good listener, I just don't fight back and am a bit of a pushover. my friends are only friends with me so they can use me as a punching bag- something I have witnessed many times. anyway, thats all for now, i just wanted to vent.

hello9899 i dont know what to do
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Title sounds stupid but thats how im feeling right now. i used to joke that bald principle's head is brighter than my future and now thats true Im in my 20s and life had never feel great. its not like i have a bad start, my friends are great my famil... View more

Title sounds stupid but thats how im feeling right now. i used to joke that bald principle's head is brighter than my future and now thats true Im in my 20s and life had never feel great. its not like i have a bad start, my friends are great my family is quite supportive&well organised but despite that im still a loser. i dont think i can return my family all the support they gave me. im lying about my uni life im failing. but i cant bring myself to tell them that im a failure after all these times and effort they put on me. i was never helpful to begin with and now they have to face with more disappointment. I hit adulthood for some years now and all ive done with that is drinking. i dont feel adult enough and im scared that i will never grow up. will i ever be able to fix myself to function normally

the_Tin_Man I don't feel anything anymore
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I used to be really emotional. My highs were high, and my lows could be pretty low. But see, the thing is, I could get really happy over small things, like a bad joke, that could set me off and I'd be laughing for ages. And my lows, they were over li... View more

I used to be really emotional. My highs were high, and my lows could be pretty low. But see, the thing is, I could get really happy over small things, like a bad joke, that could set me off and I'd be laughing for ages. And my lows, they were over little things, like not being able to find a pair of shoes and that making me late, or something silly that I could get over quickly. But now, I don't feel anything. I don't laugh until it hurts. I don't cry and break down. And believe me, I have a lot of stuff I could cry about. Sometimes I think about everything that has happened to me, and it doesn't register. I want to laugh, heck, I'd break down crying if I could. But nothing sets me off. Except running. I'm a pretty handy runner, and at the moment running is my release. I run until I drop, until my legs stop working, and that gives me my highs and lows. But I can't run all the time, and I can't run forever. Running is my life, and I would do it 24/7 if I could. But when I don't run, I have no emotions, no happy, no sad, no embarrassment, no apologetic. I just don't care for those things. Sure, its easy to fake, chuck on a smile here or there, tell everyone its fine, but I feel like I'm being eaten up from the inside by something that's too big for me to control. I want to feel emotions again, but at the moment nothing will set me off, except running. And when my running isn't going well, like at the moment, everything is hard. I don't want to over exaggerate and say I have depression, but when I'm not running well it feels like it. When running is going well, that's when I'm not turning to online sites trying to get someone to listen to me. I don't know why I'm writing this, maybe just to get it of my chest, I've heard this sort of thing works.

kebabeater I don’t know who I am anymore
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I need some help or possibly support at the moment. I’m 17, turning 18 next week and while I know I should be excited as I have been looking forward to my 18th for so long I can’t help but feel down. I’m in year 12 which is a struggle of its own, my ... View more

I need some help or possibly support at the moment. I’m 17, turning 18 next week and while I know I should be excited as I have been looking forward to my 18th for so long I can’t help but feel down. I’m in year 12 which is a struggle of its own, my motivation has already dried up and I’m only half way through the year and the sad thoughts I have mean my attention span when it comes to school and homework is very little. I try to talk to the few friends I have but I can’t help but feel as though in my friendships I’m the older one and I try to take care of them as much as I can so I can’t stand to have them see me as a weak person. I used to do so well in school but ever since my breakup mid last year my grades have just dropped as well as my attitude and outlook on life and as much as I wish it wasn’t true I don’t feel like I’ll be around much longer I am really struggling.

milkshake Applying for post census remission of debt due to depression and anxiety
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Hi, I'm new to these forums and not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'm really in need of some help or insight from anyone who has been through a similar experience to me. I'm currently going through severe depression and anxiety and need... View more

Hi, I'm new to these forums and not sure if this is the right place to ask, but I'm really in need of some help or insight from anyone who has been through a similar experience to me. I'm currently going through severe depression and anxiety and need to defer from my course at uni. I've been told to apply for post census remission of debt that I should gather as much supporting evidence as possible. For me this so far includes getting a letter from my Dr and psychologist, however I've heard that a lot of the time post census remission of debt is not always approved. I'm worried about not having enough evidence, or my situation not looking bad enough, to get approved. Is there is anyone else has done this before and what did you include? I would really appreciate any help as its really hard to think straight when I'm depressed. Thanks

two-dee University Woes
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Hello all, Since I last posted here, a lot has happened in my life. I have now gone off to university to study law; a degree that was my #1 choice and dream degree in high school. I've managed to slip into the whole uni life; attending my lectures/tu... View more

Hello all, Since I last posted here, a lot has happened in my life. I have now gone off to university to study law; a degree that was my #1 choice and dream degree in high school. I've managed to slip into the whole uni life; attending my lectures/tutes, doing a small number of outside activities to break up the monotony and making new friends (for the most part). Recently however, I have been feeling uninspired with the actual law part of my degree; I actually get more excited and inspired to learn by my non-law subjects, mainly due to the content being more interesting and straightforward. I feel that my gripes with my degree are slowly starting to affect my lifestyle; as I am constantly procrastinating and coming up with every excuse in the book to not get my work done; knowing fully well that exams are less than a month away. Additionally, it is also affecting the little friendships that I have, since I feel increasingly inclined to sit by myself rather than associate with my friends. All of this is bringing back painful memories of my awkward junior years of high school; a time where I was completely lost as a person. I know it sounds like I'm rambling on a little bit and I apologise but does anyone have any suggestions on how to cope? I am open to anything at this point.

jopb Please help, I'm really struggling with anxiety (nausea).
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone. I'm Joely, 15 year old girl (in year 10) struggling with anxiety, depression, worry, panic, etc. I'm really scared and confused because this has never been an issue for me until now... I don't know what started it and I don't know how to... View more

Hi everyone. I'm Joely, 15 year old girl (in year 10) struggling with anxiety, depression, worry, panic, etc. I'm really scared and confused because this has never been an issue for me until now... I don't know what started it and I don't know how to make it go away or deal with it. I get very anxious about everything (going out with friends, going to school), now to the point that I don't want to leave the house (but obviously I have to because I have to go to school). My main symptom is nausea which is honestly the worst thing in the world because I constantly feel sick to the stomach like I'm going to throw up. I also get this sensation where I find it really hard to swallow (my throat goes tight). When I was a little girl, I used to get nauseous (I would actually throw up) when I didn't want to go to school or if I was anxious about something so it's in my nature but I guess it kind of all went away until now because I never acknowledged it as an issue until now. A few months ago, there was an incident where I threw up in public in front of my friends and the whole food court at my local shopping centre (I know, it was absolutely mortifying), so I think that that may have had something to do with this whole thing but when that happened, I actually did have a stomach bug so it wasn't prompted by anxiety. I feel sick whenever I'm anxious now and it's getting worse and worse... I'm getting increasingly anxious about literally everything and getting that horrible nauseous feeling all the time when I really don't have much to be anxious about. I have always been a big pessimist, worrier and overthinker but it has never been this bad. People tell me that it's because I am at a stressful time of my life (teenage years) but I just feel like none of my friends have it. I actually had to take two days off school this week because I felt so bad. I'm going to see a psychologist next week but as negative as it sounds I don't think what they're gonna do is gonna work/help because I've seen psychologists before and they always recommend like writing your worries down and stuff which never works in getting rid of or helping with the sick feeling. I don't know what to do anymore and I feel like it is taking over my life so I would really appreciate some help Joely

tk202 constant headaches, tired of the pain.
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I've had tension headaches almost every day for about 6 months now, caused by anxiety. it's not always terrible pain but having a headache constantly is pretty tiring and it makes studying really hard. I'm really just wondering if anyone else has thi... View more

I've had tension headaches almost every day for about 6 months now, caused by anxiety. it's not always terrible pain but having a headache constantly is pretty tiring and it makes studying really hard. I'm really just wondering if anyone else has this problem and how you're going if you do.