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.

FAQ

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

Forums guidelines

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

Pinned discussions

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

Rachey189 Traumatic Event at School
  • replies: 1

So about a month ago I had a traumatic event at school. I was talking to my teacher with three other students, we were alone in the hallway so there was no one else around. And then all of a sudden my teacher drops her coffee mug and her face falls a... View more

So about a month ago I had a traumatic event at school. I was talking to my teacher with three other students, we were alone in the hallway so there was no one else around. And then all of a sudden my teacher drops her coffee mug and her face falls and then she falls and hits her head on a chair and she starts convulsing on the ground, like she was having a fit. All my friends and I run off to get help, I can remember how scared I was, so I ran and got my teacher and he came out and helped, while my friend was on the phone to the ambulance. I can remember it so vividly still and think it's going to happen again, I get really stressed in big crowds now. And I was at a lecture for a subject about two weeks after and all I could about when the person gave the lecture that whenever he froze, he was going to do the same thing as my teacher. I always think about it still, and recently I've noticed I can't watch people convulse and have fits or imitate the shakiness, my heart drops and I immediately think of what happened. Also my fear of heights has gotten much worse, I hate standing near stairs that are a couple of flights high, and I don't know why. I recently had a dream about waiting for an elevator and then having a panic attack because the stairs were so close and I was about 100 flights up. I can feel it getting worse. What should I do? I keep getting told it's going to pass, and I don't know if I should wait longer to see if it will? Please help

Call_me_tony overwhelmed with anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hey everyone, I’m 21 and suffering from anxiety, I’ve never been a worrier but for the couple 2-3 months I’ve been drowning in my thoughts, Thoughts of me falling ill to some sort of illness and dying, honestly I think I’m a hyperchonriac, im physica... View more

Hey everyone, I’m 21 and suffering from anxiety, I’ve never been a worrier but for the couple 2-3 months I’ve been drowning in my thoughts, Thoughts of me falling ill to some sort of illness and dying, honestly I think I’m a hyperchonriac, im physically and mentally exhausted, most night I’d stay up chasing/worrying/googling about these phyical symptoms, it seem like it’s taking control of my life, I haven’t had a decent sleep in months, I’ve been to my local gp multiple times and they said I’m healthy and that everything seems to be normal but honestly I don’t feel normal, the problem is that I can’t seem to sit back and watch my thoughts go by if you get where I’m coming from, ive tried to mediate but whenever I do my body would twitch or itch or feel tensed and my mind would just go wondering off worrying about what it might or might not be, I don’t know how to help myself and that’s why I’m here maybe someone has been through this and gotten over it because it seem like I can’t.

madeline1 that guy
  • replies: 3

so i like this guy, but he doesn’t like me, he probably thinks im annoying that didn’t really bother me until he called my cousin hot, we are close me and my cousin so this annoyed me even more. but ever since then i can’t help feeling like im ugly l... View more

so i like this guy, but he doesn’t like me, he probably thinks im annoying that didn’t really bother me until he called my cousin hot, we are close me and my cousin so this annoyed me even more. but ever since then i can’t help feeling like im ugly like there’s something wrong with me. i never normally feel like this, please help.

IsolatedStudent Friendly help on friends please!
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing as best as you can. As you can see from the title, I would really appreciate some advice on friends in general. I am a first year university student who moved interstate to study, and feel as though I am really stru... View more

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing as best as you can. As you can see from the title, I would really appreciate some advice on friends in general. I am a first year university student who moved interstate to study, and feel as though I am really struggling in the friend department. What made me write this post is basically my experience of university. In orientation week, I got to know the one friend I made this entire year. As I am an interstate student, I stay on campus in the college dorms. At first I thought I'd have a great time, and was really excited to meet new people. However, as time went on I felt very anxious about my ability to speak to people. You see, the friend that I made had a very outgoing personality and was always able to make whoever he talked to laugh. But when I tried to talk to people, the conversation would feel extremely bland and go nowhere. Because this occurred more than a couple of times, I started to talk less to people in the dorms. This feeling also carried over to university when classes began. I had trouble finding friends because everyone seemed to know each other from high school. I was added into a facebook group chat that contained around 50 of the students in my course. However, I missed out on the 'Welcome Party' for the course, and as such didn't get to meet all my course mates. This also lead on to me missing the course ball in August because I felt so scared that I didn't know anyone from my course. I feel like now it's too late to mingle with my course mates, and I'll be in the same year as them studying the same thing for the next 4 years! I just don't want to be 'that guy' who no one actually knows (which now I see is very ironic) I just don't know how to approach a group of 50 people who now seem very close and comfortable with each other. Also, as it is currently mid-term break, I flew back to my home state. I tried to meet up with a friend of mine who I deemed quite close. But no matter how I tried, he didn't seem to want to meet up with me for some reason. He said he was busy and didn't even bother trying to find another day. I just felt so crushed and uncertain about friendships. Does anyone else experience the same thing with friends? I hope to get a response! Thanks

cleonykx Keeping up with life and university
  • replies: 2

I struggle keeping up to date with university studies. When my anxiety acts up or my home life gets bad I fall behind. I always finish assignments on time and complete necessary exams/tests. But mentally and physically I feel behind. I’m a perfection... View more

I struggle keeping up to date with university studies. When my anxiety acts up or my home life gets bad I fall behind. I always finish assignments on time and complete necessary exams/tests. But mentally and physically I feel behind. I’m a perfectionist and knowing I could’ve done an assignment better keeps me awake at night. I start wishing for a pause button just to breathe. All I want to do is sleep and avoid human contact. I don’t catch up with friends or go to uni if I don’t have to. Family issues are unpredictable and in my case extremely severe. This semester something happened during the mid-semester exam period!! Both my parents suffer from mental illness, my dad OD’s twice a year and has since I was 8... I’m now 21. Any issue that occurs with my family truly knocks me down. Seeing a professional is scary! My whole life I jump from person to person trying to find help but in the end it does more damage than good. It’s hard re-living a traumatic experience over and over with strangers who stare at you like an experiment. Therapist can’t help me but I’m near the end game. I honestly don’t know what to do to help me mentally. Talking out loud about it makes me cry hysterically. Medication doesn’t work, they gave me shakes and took me to hospital. Right now I just need advice on how everyone survives the uni stress and personal stress. How do you keep on top of university during a mental breakdown? I apologise for this post being all over the place. I have a lot on my mind!

Nicole_shine SOMEONE HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND
  • replies: 4

Hi, I couldn't find a thread relating to this so I thought id make my own. I'm really lost at the moment and I'm so confused with who I am. I know the person I want to be but somehow I keep coming back to this same issue that I can't seem to figure o... View more

Hi, I couldn't find a thread relating to this so I thought id make my own. I'm really lost at the moment and I'm so confused with who I am. I know the person I want to be but somehow I keep coming back to this same issue that I can't seem to figure out. I've always felt that I've been different to other people but I just didn't know why and I want to know. I struggle daily with anxiety of the silliest of things, I get so nervous talking to people and feel like I'm worthless. I'm so boring and even when I try to find things that will hopefully up me from that, I just crash and burn. I feel like I have no purpose in life no matter how hard I've tried. I don't have any close friends really. I find it really hard to open and be vulnerable. I've never had a boyfriend, I've always wanted one but I'm so fearful of even just going on a date. this isn't making any sense but I'm just writing as it comes to my head as I have so many thoughts. I'm an INFJ which I've read is also the least popular personality type which I think is 1% of the population, crazy right. People never stick to me which makes me wonder whether I'm boring, not a good friend/person. I don't know it really gets to me and bad thoughts go through my head. sometimes I lie in bed for days on end with the same thoughts going through my head. thats the other thing, I find it super hard to open up and tell my feelings as I am scared that I will let people down. I am really struggling with day to day life and Im really over it. is anyone else out there?

madeline1 sick of this place
  • replies: 2

ever since i went overseas last year, i can’t help but feel like there if so much more out there for me. im so sick of school it’s actually the worst. i literally want to run away. staying here is making it so much worse. I would miss so many people ... View more

ever since i went overseas last year, i can’t help but feel like there if so much more out there for me. im so sick of school it’s actually the worst. i literally want to run away. staying here is making it so much worse. I would miss so many people and im so lucky to live in a safe place. but it’s boring and horrible. i really can’t deal with this place anymore. i have got to get out of here i seriously want to buy a ticket to anywhere in the world and go, see where life takes me. this doesn’t sound like a serious issue, I know but it’s messing with me so much, I cry I just can’t deal with living here anymore there’s to much to see and do. I really hate it here, what should I do? I’m just so done, THX 4 LISTENING TO MY ISSUE

LavenderTea Mindfulness from a skeptics point of view: a how-to and knowing the facts.
  • replies: 5

Mindfulness. Is it a load of fluff? I thought so at first. I started a course & at first I thought it was pointless - 6 weekly sessions plus mindfulness meditation 2 x daily... No thanks. ALAS I'm here to tell you that it can actually be useful & tha... View more

Mindfulness. Is it a load of fluff? I thought so at first. I started a course & at first I thought it was pointless - 6 weekly sessions plus mindfulness meditation 2 x daily... No thanks. ALAS I'm here to tell you that it can actually be useful & that it's easy to start doing it. Firstly, I guess it would be good for me to tell you what it is. To put it simply, mindfulness is about being aware, being present. "Well, duh!" you might say, but there's a little more to it. Let me ask you this – have you ever lay in bed, thinking of something, realizing that you can’t sleep, knowing that you should be sleeping, & then gotten angry at yourself for not sleeping? It happens to everyone. My point is, this is not being mindful. Mindfulness is about being aware of what’s happening for you, physically, emotionally, & mentally, but taking away the judgement, & just accepting. It’s thinking “hey, I’m having a bit of trouble sleeping, my back is slightly sore & uncomfortable… huh” & that’s about it – letting the evaluations go. Easier said than done LT… I get it. There are two main types of mindfulness; i) formal practice, ii) informal practice. Formal practice is mindful meditation. Generally you want to start by sitting upright, in a comfortable position with your eyes closed (or open/half open if you’re prone to sneaky nana naps). There are a few ways you can practice mindful meditation: Grounding: sitting with your physical state & noticing the sensations within your body – this didn’t work for me because it’s not obvious enough … but it’s okay! Focus on breath: feel the breath going in & out of the body, notice where you’re breathing into, but don’t try to control the breath - this one worked better for me, it’s a lot less subtle & gave my mind more to think about. Focus on sound: this ones about listening to what’s going on in the environment, big/small noises, your own breathing- pretty much anything. I liked this one too, it took my concentration outside of my body. Typically what happens is that your mind will start thinking & that’s only natural. Just practice bringing your attention back, without judgement. Informal practice is more daily living. This includes being more aware of your physical or emotional state (i.e. noticing if you’re hungry or nervous), noticing things in your environment, & just being there, without judging, evaluating, or labeling. Wanting this to be a space for learning, got lots more info if you guys are interested! LT.

FusionForce0 I'm not depressed but I am very lonely..
  • replies: 2

Hey, I've never done one of these so I'm just gonna say right off, I'm not depressed or have anxiety I just m a very lonely person, I live with my partner and spend all my free time with her, though the rest of of time is working. I usually work unti... View more

Hey, I've never done one of these so I'm just gonna say right off, I'm not depressed or have anxiety I just m a very lonely person, I live with my partner and spend all my free time with her, though the rest of of time is working. I usually work until 9 at night so I never go out on the weekends, I don't spend any time with anybody, and I don't really talk to anyone except my partner. I don't have any friends that want to hang out so I spend all my free time at home, now it's not because Im bad at making friends, I'm a very confident person when meeting new people, I'm great at getting to know people but friendships struggle to form. If I go to make a new friend our conversations stagnate after a week or two and they eventually stop talking to me. And now that I look at everything I try to do all I see is the fact that whenever I do want to go and spend time with someone or make friends, my partner always has something planned because we work so much it's come to the point where I never bother leaving the house because when I get home she is sick or upset or soemthing has happened. My last real friend that I had over three years ago had been my greatest friend for almost my whole life and we only stopped talking when I ended up spending every waking hour with my partner, she tries to get me out to go and meet people but everytime I do go out she complains about having to be alone. And even all through this I can safely say I am not depressed though it may seem, I'm very motivated and I will reach my goals even if I have to live a boring life without friends, I need to prove to my family that I won't end up like them, and that's what keeps me going. I just find most of my days are spent in boredom until I go to work, which is now one of the only things I look forward to each day.

MdxT Fear of the Future
  • replies: 1

I’m not depressed or anything i don’t think, i’m just conflicted as i have accepted failure in regards to the pursuit of my aspirations but i’m to stubborn to give up. I know i’m going to fail, i don’t work as hard as i pretend to, i havn’t made prog... View more

I’m not depressed or anything i don’t think, i’m just conflicted as i have accepted failure in regards to the pursuit of my aspirations but i’m to stubborn to give up. I know i’m going to fail, i don’t work as hard as i pretend to, i havn’t made progress to the extent that i intended to, and i’m getting older and seeing a whole world of people better than me at the only thing that gives my life meaning. Despite this, i’ll still wake up every morning (not in the miserable mood that i’m in now) follow the same schedule, have the same “you’re not working hard enough” discussion with myself multiple times, and then a couple weeks down the line get all sad and grumpy again about all that i have achieved. I’m just venting i suppose. Sometimes i get comforted by the thought that even if i’m not working hard enough, the amount i’m doing will get me somewhere, and this is true i think, I find it hard to believe that if i did something everyday for ten years I wouldn’t be above adequate at it, but in saying that, above adequate is not what i want, and i’m convinced that during every chapter of my life i’m going to look back at all this ‘hard work’ i’ve put in, and be burdened by my failures. I’m off to bed, a happier mood awaits me : p