Immediate support
Immediate support

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.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

Mike_7597 I have no close friends
  • replies: 7

I am 21yrs old and i recently seperated from my girlfriend of 4.5 years 2 months ago. During that time I put all my effort into making the relationship work and didn't prioritise my friendships (I know this was wrong). Since my break-up I have been t... View more

I am 21yrs old and i recently seperated from my girlfriend of 4.5 years 2 months ago. During that time I put all my effort into making the relationship work and didn't prioritise my friendships (I know this was wrong). Since my break-up I have been trying to reconnect with my small group of friends but they are not too interested in catching up and never talk to me unless I message them first. I feel very lonely a lot of the time and I feel like there is no one I can turn too for support. I have been struggling to come to terms with my break-up and it has been made that much harder when my friends don't EVER message me to talk or hang out. I am currently studying at university but despite my best efforts to be friendly I have not made any friends there either. It's frustrating because I'd love to go out and have a good time but I have no one to do anything with. I also suffer with social anxiety to a degree which is why it's been hard for me to reach out. I'm starting to lose hope and I just really need some new friends and people to talk to.

Peanut22 Letter to ex bf
  • replies: 2

Me and my ex has been broken up for 2 months now. My ex dumped me because he couldn't handel a relationship due to being to stressed and was facing a mental mealt down. He has high functioning autism plus I was his 1st ever gf so i think his emotions... View more

Me and my ex has been broken up for 2 months now. My ex dumped me because he couldn't handel a relationship due to being to stressed and was facing a mental mealt down. He has high functioning autism plus I was his 1st ever gf so i think his emotions got to much for him. I haven't reach out or spoken to him since he made the decision to end things as i know he need space. since the pain and the raw emotions are going away i want to reach out to him as only as a friend (not to change his mind) One of my good friends gave me a idea to write him a letter to say thank you for the good times and to wish him well ect. I really like that idea as he hates confrontation. But i am scared that a letter might come off to needy ect. Some of my friends have a opinion that you should never contact a ex if they have dumped you as that will come across like you are crazy and you are not respecting their wishes ect. So i am in two minds about it. (Side note he hasn't reached out to me either but he went into complete hiding after the brakeup eg deleting his social media accounts ect) Sorry about the bad gramer also as English is not my 1st language

Rosie19 Feel like I am caught in limbo...
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, I have posted on this forum before and received some amazing responses that helped me through a difficult time in my life a few years ago when I was living at home and struggling with the overwhelming workload of caring for a family (mot... View more

Hi everyone, I have posted on this forum before and received some amazing responses that helped me through a difficult time in my life a few years ago when I was living at home and struggling with the overwhelming workload of caring for a family (mother, brother, partner) and taking on too much responsibility than necessary. As of this year, I finally moved out with my fiancé (now, husband) and we are really happy together. I began studying my PhD which had been my goal since my first year of University, and late last year I quit a very stressful freelance job that caused me extreme anxiety to the point where I had to see a psychologist to try and manage everything. But last year, I achieved a lot, and I realised I achieved a lot because I was extremely busy. I look back at my diary and see actually how busy I really was, and I am shocked. Because this year is the complete opposite. And I'm not sure how I feel about it. I suppose I feel like I am getting absolutely nothing done even though I am being told by my supervisor that I am...but I think because I was so incredibly busy last year, this year feels like I have become lazy. My husband leaves for work in the morning and many days I am left sitting on the couch at 8:00am thinking 'I have the whole day stretched ahead of me and it absolutely sucks'. So then I don't get any work done! I've always been a procrastinator but I feel like I just can't achieve that balance. I've gone from having people rely on me completely--from running a household of adults, having 2 jobs (one incredibly stressful, sporadic and demanding), exercising whenever I could fit it in (which apparently was a lot because I was fitter even in this most stressful time of my life), and daydreaming about having more free time (ANY free time!)--and now that I have exactly what I asked for (more free time to follow a dream I've had for a long time) I don't do anything at all! It's like I have taken an extended break from life almost to recover from the past however-many-years I have spent being that person--like I have to rediscover who I am, as cliche as that sounds. But some days (like today) I just feel really low and I don't know why. There really is no reason (of course there are always things going on that stress/annoy/upset us) and I feel like every day is rolling into the next uneventfully. Can anyone see what I might be missing in all of this to help pinpoint my feelings? Rosie. X

C74 Is it selfish to wish your parents would divorce?
  • replies: 15

My mum is the bravest, most amazing person I know and I admire her to no end. That's why it absolutely kills me to see her so terrified... I'm a sixteen year old girl, and for as long as I can remember, my dad has always been an abusive man, from the... View more

My mum is the bravest, most amazing person I know and I admire her to no end. That's why it absolutely kills me to see her so terrified... I'm a sixteen year old girl, and for as long as I can remember, my dad has always been an abusive man, from the age of 4. Yelling at my mother with the same old misogynist attitude... I can't blame my mother for being terrified of him. She doesn't dare go against his word, or have her own opinion with him around, but I'm the one person who truly knows her. She's a humble woman who's worked hard her whole life for an accounting job in China, but left it and moved to Australia to work an underpaid exhausting job just to give me a better life. She's so brave and selfless, I love her to no end. She doesn't deserve the way my dad treats her and I feel like deep down, she's not in a happy relationship. She sometimes tells me about her earlier life, and she once told me of a time at the beginning of her marriage, where she would actually have a voice of her own. My family on my dad's side told her off so badly for it that she never dared voice her opinion again. I got prompted to write this post because just recently, my tutor called my parents, telling them my math grades have dropped. (I'm not actually bad at math; my rank has just dropped slightly at my tutor, which is a high-end tutor where you have to pass a test in order to get in. My maths is okay, they have impossibly high standards.) I got yelled at by dad as usual, with threats to hit me which is not surprising, but then he started yelling at my mum for 'not watching over my studies'. I then overheard her excuse; she said she didn't believe in me anymore; ouch. He then forced her to tell me off. Nevertheless, I know my mother loves me. I was once sick with a temperature of 38.9 degrees and my dad was trying to force me to go to school. Despite being terrified of him, my mother still stuck up for me, telling him to let me stay home. Of course, he yelled at her. That day, I couldn't stop crying in bed out of pure guilt over being, god forbid, sick, since it had led to that whole scenario. I'm so sorry to say this because I know it's probably selfish to want this, but sometimes I wish they'd split up. I don't exactly know what I'm asking for on this forum, maybe some advice, maybe just for someone to listen, but please help me... I can barely put into words how desperately I need someone, but I sincerely hope I get at least one reply.

Kailey I don't know what to do....
  • replies: 2

I was with a guy for some time but he ended things when I told him I wasn't quite ready for a relationship and my friend told him it would take me years to be ready but that isn't the case I told him I wasn't ready because I was struggling with thing... View more

I was with a guy for some time but he ended things when I told him I wasn't quite ready for a relationship and my friend told him it would take me years to be ready but that isn't the case I told him I wasn't ready because I was struggling with things in my life at that moment in time. Anyway I still really like this guy and some people say that he still likes me but can't have me... But like I said I really like him like a lot and I really want to get back with him and talk to him again but I look on all these websites and they say don't communicate with your ex for at least 4 weeks but I don't think I can wait that long... I always have the urge to talk to him or text him and either explain to him that it's not going to take me years to be ready and that I want him back or to see how he's going, but I don't know if I should???? I can't really talk about it to my friends because they all think he's a dick but I know that he's not and the struggle is we go to the same school so I see him everyday day... But yeah I don't know what to do because I really miss him and I just feel like there's this big part of me missing.

The_Deej Travelled to Australia for a girl and ended up losing a part of me in her, finding it hard to decided what to do next, my story.
  • replies: 11

I'll give you the rundown on what has happened thus far and I'm basically looking for advice. I think I already know the answer in my own head it's just I'm having a real hard time following through with it. Ok So last year in the Summer I was workin... View more

I'll give you the rundown on what has happened thus far and I'm basically looking for advice. I think I already know the answer in my own head it's just I'm having a real hard time following through with it. Ok So last year in the Summer I was working in Portugal where I met a girl called Lucy. We hit it off and ended up staying together for a month before she went back to Australia and I went off to work in Germany for a bit then back to England. We kept in touch ever since we left eachother and spoke everyday. My initial plan was that I was going to go over to Australia and meet her but I was very undecided as the majority of my friends were going to do a ski season in France. I decided on France but when I mentioned this to Lucy she was very upset which made me change my mind. I've never been in a relationship properly before and I thought, here is a girl that truly likes me and I'm not willing to go over and give it a chance? So I changed my mind and booked my flights to Australia. I arrived in January and things were good for a good couple of months. I initially was going to stay with her for a couple of weeks then find my own place but she ended up asking me to stay. I felt very attached to her and she was pretty much my only friend in Australia. I eventually got a job and got settled but things began taking a turn for the worst after a couple of months when we stopped having sex and things just seemed weird. I spoke to her about it and it turned out she felt like she couldn't live her life and do the things she wanted because i was always there. So I moved out and we stayed together and things got a bit better. However at this stage I had been having anxiety attacks quite regularly ( convinced i wasn't good enough for her, that she needed to find someone else) I moved out and after a couple of weeks but then had a breakdown in her car. This is when I began seeing a psychologist. I had always had the feeling of travelling but had been staying in Melbourne to be with her and not doing the things I wanted to do. Now at the moment i'm currently working but have been going through quite depressive stages and not wanting to work. I have thoughts about going home to england but think this would kill me and now it's getting to the stage where I don't know what to do. Do I leave for a while, try and find my old self again but risk losing her in the progress and possibly regretting it? Or do I stay and try and fight it but risk making myself unhappier?

ksj124 struggling with death
  • replies: 2

so tonight while I was at a training for my netball team someone who my mum and I were very close to had an asthma attack and died in front of me. I had never experienced this is in my life and am in still so much shock. This has been extremely diffi... View more

so tonight while I was at a training for my netball team someone who my mum and I were very close to had an asthma attack and died in front of me. I had never experienced this is in my life and am in still so much shock. This has been extremely difficult as i have had no one to talk to about it and no one has asked me if I am okay and all I want is some one to talk to and reassure me everything is going to be okay. this experience has left me very traumatized and my anxiety is very bad at the moment. I also just feeling very alone and sad also very lonely. I dont think I will ever forget this, some advice to get me through this would be greatly appreciated

JJ_ Was this abuse?
  • replies: 2

From as young as I can remember my mum would abuse me. This was from the ages 5-16. (I’m 18 now) I never really thought it was abuse until recently.. is this not normal ? she has stopped doing this in the last year because I retaliate and can push ba... View more

From as young as I can remember my mum would abuse me. This was from the ages 5-16. (I’m 18 now) I never really thought it was abuse until recently.. is this not normal ? she has stopped doing this in the last year because I retaliate and can push back. She also makes sly remarks at me sometimes over the stupidest things that don’t make me feel too good. Is this a problem that needs to be spoken about ? thanks

hellowhat Help please - Anxiety before going to bed 
  • replies: 3

Hi! I'm not sure what this classifies as, due to the fact of me being unsure but here we go. Whenever i start thinking of going to bed (like sleeping and laying there) i get this sort of dredding feeling and my heart "drops" so to say, and when im la... View more

Hi! I'm not sure what this classifies as, due to the fact of me being unsure but here we go. Whenever i start thinking of going to bed (like sleeping and laying there) i get this sort of dredding feeling and my heart "drops" so to say, and when im laying there if i haven't got a podcast of ny favourite youtubers or a video playing (which i dont have internet for long story) i tend to have nothing to keep my mind off if stuff and i go into this weird thing of worry and being anxious for my future ect and end up crying and sad and my friend doesnt know either (she goes through the same thing) and i dont know why this happens or how to stop it and its scary i guess cus this happened not long ago (when i had a period of feeling empty) and then it went away but its back and its been a month or so and im so confused? Im not sure if this made sense but yeah if anyone knows please help

wavereon No order In my life and extreme disappointment with myself.
  • replies: 2

Hello I'm 20 years old male Uni student and admin and I have no order or plan in my life. My eating habit is extremely random and I don't bother m to eat unless I'm starving really badly and my body forces me to and then maybe I get a bread. Or if so... View more

Hello I'm 20 years old male Uni student and admin and I have no order or plan in my life. My eating habit is extremely random and I don't bother m to eat unless I'm starving really badly and my body forces me to and then maybe I get a bread. Or if someone brings me food. My sleep pattern is a mess and It can be anytime in one week (Last night I slept around 3pm woke up at 11:pm) . I don't go to sleep when I need to and just mindlessly entertain myself with the computer until I nearly faint. Then I sleep 10 hours and miss Uni and I'm exhausted all day. I always have been a massive procrastinator but it has been escalating with the recent years and It's been gradually having really negative effects on my learning. I miss Weeks or entire semesters then try to catch up with assignments or exams in the last 8-10 hours straight to get a credit instead of learning the content. I don't think I ever in my life in the last 4 years have started working on an assignment or an exam more than 16 hours before the and ever finished less than 1hr - 5 minute till the due date. However I don't think my body or my Mind can take this anymore. I don't know how it happened and how to fix it. I had depression before and I think I have dealt with but they way my life is going I don't possibility of a future or any satisfaction with myself. I'm terrible at staying focused on a single task unless there is an extreme sense of fear and urgency. I can't do anything that does not please me in the very short term. I don't understand how other people can? I believe there are some underlying mental factors that have led me into this hell but I always didn't bother addressing them and now It's affecting everything. I have been extremely lucky through myself and sorta privileged and spoiled. I always used to judge myself compared to others and my position would be considered quite lucky by many others. However that has been my biggest mistake. Every time I finish an assignment in the last minute, I know I can do A LOT better without actually putting that much more effort and mostly without tearing myself apart with stress If I had planned and had some order in myself. I tried to fix it by myself and failed miserably every time and instead chose to drug and forgot about myself with games and the internet. Not sure if I need professional help and if they can help me or is it that really low consciousness people like me are doomed to fail. Really sorry for the long and messy post.