Young people

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Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies

replies: 51

Hi! Just thought I’d make a post with some tips for study. I know this is something we can all struggle with. These are all suggestions so feel free to take them or leave them! Hope they help! If you only remember one thing, let it be this: You are important. Your grades don’t define you. (support) Studying can feel isolating but know you’re not alone! Reach out – and find or make friends that can support you along the way. If you’re having trouble finding some friends, join some local communities or clubs! They have lots at Uni’s and even stuff like open days are great ways to meet new people and find out what’s happening. Study groups can also be a great way to meet people and stay motivated. Also remind yourself why you’re doing this; inspirational wallpapers or quotes can be super inspiring. Remember the saying about the oxygen mask? If you can’t take care of yourself first studying will be harder. You are important. You know the drill - water, food, exercise, sleep. Try to stay calm. Stuff that might be able to help include mindfulness, breathing exercises, colouring in, going for walks, journaling, listening to music… If you’re struggling – reach out. See a therapist. Talk to your student counsellor. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Also lots of Universities and TAFE offer disability services – which includes conditions like Depression and Anxiety. (study) Find the right study space for you. Maybe that’s in your room, or a coffee shop, or the library. Some people find that noise helps; other people not so much. If you like particular kinds of noise, you can find ‘coffee shop’ noise or ‘rain sounds’ to help concentrate. Make a plan. It helps to do it often so it becomes a habit. Anytime you get a due date, write it down. Maybe you could use a diary, planner, bullet journal or an app. I find the 30/30 App helpful - study for a bit and then break for a bit. You can also get add-on’s for your computer to block sites like Facebook if you find them too distracting. Find out what study technique works for you. Do you like cue cards? Mind maps? Colour coding? Does highlighting stuff help you remember? Charts, maps, diagrams? Recorded lectures? Goals! These are so important – not just writing down deadlines but rewarding yourself for meeting them. Even making smaller goals like ‘read two pages from a textbook’ can help. Break it down into bite size pieces, and don’t forget to reward yourself after!

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first

replies: 0

The Young People space is a sub-forum within the wider Beyond Blue forum community. 1. Its purpose is to provide members aged 25 and under a space to discuss anxiety, depression and other related life issues. If you are aged over 25, please be mindful that this forum is a space for younger people to connect and provide peer support for each other. 2. Content from this sub-forum is displayed on both the beyondblue and youthbeyondblue websites. 3. Please bear in mind that some members find content relating to suicide and/or self-harm distressing or triggering. If you would like to post on these topics, please do so in our Suicidal Thoughts and Self Harm section. Please see also our guidelines for making posts on this topic. Posts made here in the Young People sub-forum containing content relating to suicide and/or self-harm will be moved. 4. These forums are moderated, so your posts may not appear straightaway. Information on how our system works can be found here. Being familiar with our community rules can help ensure that your posts appear online as quickly as possible. 5. This is a peer support community, and to get the best out of being here we recommend that you 'give support to receive support'. More on how that works here.

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First sexual experience anxiety

replies: 5

I don't really know what to write. But I'm a 25yr old virgin, i have severe anxiety and I just set up meeting with a guy to have sex tomorrow. I am freaking out, but i am kind of isolated and don't have any friends i can talk to. I have severe anxiety and up until recently I couldn't even initiate a conversation through messenger. I don't know what help I'm looking for but I have all these things that keep running through my head that I'm anxious about. Even whether or not I greet him at his car is stressing me out. I do want to have sex with him, but my mind is racing with all these details that I don't know what to do with. I've kind of pushed myself beyond any of my comforts over the weekend. And I think ive probably went beyond where my psych would have suggested with exposure therapy lol. But now im here and it is what i want im just freaking out about tomorrow. Is there any way I can get my mind to chill and not overthink everything about tomorrow? Especially tomorrow when his here. since the weekend when i signed up to tinder my anxiety has been in overdrive. Which i did expect because ive been avoiding even downloading tinder since i was 18 because of my anxiety. It won't look good if I have a panic attack when he gets here lol. I don't know if that makes any sense but basically I'm really anxious about tomorrow and if you have any words of advice I'd appreciate it .

am i really attention seeking and dramatic or is something wrong with me

replies: 3

i find myself wanting people to think i'm upset, i have been but i feel like my issues are nothing compared to theirs and i would be selfish for venting, if im with my best friend i smile so much it hurts, the second i get home im so moody and grumpy and rude and i always feel so guilty, in classes without my best friend im not as happy im more fidgety and sleepy i dont know if thats because im bored or what, i find myself wanting to have depression or anxiety so i have a reason to be upset or vent even though that is something no one wants which makes me feel really bad about myself, i struggle from body image and im really insecure, im not as smart as people i know and im struggling to pass my classes , i dont know if its got something to do with my period but yeah, i find myself always searching symptoms of mental issues a lot, ive been feeling lonely recently even though i have so many loved ones around pls help me i want to go to therapy to vent because my parents are strict and would just say im on my period or being dramatic

Constant state of panic

replies: 4

Hi all, I’m 22 and I still can’t function like a normal adult. I’m on my fourth year of University and I’m in a constant state of panic, I wake up every morning with a suffocating feeling. Complete dread is what I feel, and this results in the feeling of unease for the rest of the day. People and University stress me out to the point, where I can’t move. I feel so trapped, my degree which was suppose to take me two years to complete, is taking me longer. I just feel like I can’t do anything right. I’ve always been a quiet kid in my childhood and teenage years, but now I’m afraid of human interaction. I just feel so disconnected, I feel like I’m running my life.

stressed, stuck and unmotivated

replies: 5

Hi, I'm currently in year 12 and the end of the year is fast approaching. On one hand, that's great, I can't wait to leave school, but on the other hand it's too much to handle. This week specifically I have felt exhausted and hopeless, I can barely find the energy to do my homework as everything is just too much. Now I have wrecked my chances of getting a good mark on a literature SAC that is this week as I haven't even been able to finish one practice piece. I haven't talked to my parents or teacher about this because I'm ashamed and embarrassed. I don't want to let my parents down and I don't want to confront my Lit teacher at all. I've just been waiting. I've been waiting for the fun outside of school events I have coming up, waiting for it all to be over, and now I'm stuck. I feel like giving up but I've come so far. It just all feels so un worth it when I don't even think I want to go to uni next year. I would rather get my first job as due to covid I haven't had the time to get one. I think I have undiagnosed things but I feel too embarrassed to suggest something and get it wrong even though I know it would make things just the slightest bit easier. I just don't know where to start.

I don't want a job or jobseeker

replies: 18

I've been trying to force myself to want a job, but I just don't want one. Jobseeker is basically a job, so I don't want that either. Its just not worth going through all that that for such a tiny amount of money. Its not even worth it. I know money is important, but honestly being homeless, broke, starving, destitute, sick, dead etc as a consequence isn't scary enough. There's things that will happen to me that are 100x scarier then that. Like climate change. I genuinely from the bottom of my heart dont see a point in working for money. It just doesn't make any logical sense. Money isn't even rewarding, it just means you get to live a bit longer. To work longer. Why would I just waste my time pretending like I will live until retirement age? That's just not realistic. I just want to spend time with my family and walk in the park while I can, before bad things happen. I don't want to waste any moment because this time of my life will probably be the happiest. I have severe ADHD and I can tell that if I went the jobseeker route that I would get so many demerits and stress and appointments for years... its just not worth it. I don't want a job, its not even important. I know people do things even though they don't like it. But I struggle to do things that I like too. I struggle a lot to do very basic activities of daily living. Absolute necessities. I think to do something and my body doesn't respond. It doesn't matter what it is or how severe it is. I had an allergic reaction to food earlier today and my airway was closing up fast. I should have been rushing to the doctor, but my body just wanted to sit, I struggled to care about it even though it was getting harder to breathe. It all happened passively. I'm fine now, but yeah idk that experince just left thoughts in my head. I don't understand how people just do things whenever they want to. I literally have never been able to do what I want or what I need. I can move but I'm not doing what I want/need. Its like being paralysed in a moving body. You could say typing here is 'moving' but if I could choose I would not post this info here as its too personal. Also, I want and need to be doing other more important things.. But its not like I have much control over what my body chooses to do, so. Anyway if you have thoughts, please share. I'm just lost here. Things don't really feel real and I've been acting super out of character (like really mean) recently. Don't really understand why I'm like this.

just need to rant

replies: 3

just feeling really bored lately. like the kind of bored where all your mind csn think of is offing urself kinda thing. i have no close friends and absolutely no one to talk too. im not working atm but my mum says i need to get a job to pay rent, whihc is fine but i remember how drained i was witha job and dont wanna feel like that again... anyways lately my hobbies include scrolling through tiktok ans sleeping when im not at school.. anyone else relate i also have this big ugly scar so am DREADING summer (if i even make it to then) jks, lol. anyways my emotions are weird and unpredictable so i hate being alone and i hate myself and have no friends yuckkkkbyeeeeeee

I am so tired

replies: 2

Hi! I’m 18 years old, fresh out of high school last year. I must say, I do not live a quiet life, and I have a lot of plans for the future. I’m a first year university student (luckily in an ‘easy’ humanities subject), I’m a beginner member of my university’s kendo club (where I’ve met some lovely supporting friends this year), and I work 5 days a week at the airport, where I assist elderly or disabled passengers in making their way from check in the the gate. I also try to keep a social life.After my bachelors degree, I would love to travel the world as a flight attendant while I do my masters and hopefully doctorate, and then settle into either airline management, or full time research at the university. I love all of these things with my whole heart, but I am so so so so tired. I don’t feel like there is any room for any ‘me time’ and no matter how much sleep I get, I am extremely tired at all times.my record so far for ‘busiest day’ went like this: 3am: wake up5-12: work1-5pm: university and study6-8pm: kendo 8-11: social life12:30am: homeof course not every day is like this, and some days I might only have one thing to do. Most people would just say to ‘work less’ or ‘quit kendo’ (my mum has told me this many times). But I don’t think either of these things are plausible. my job is part time, and I have no flexibility about how much I work and when. (Pretty much all companies at the airport are like this. As they say ‘we can’t change when planes take off.’) and I love my job, it’s honestly great and I meet some amazing people, and gain experience that will help me fulfil my dream. kendo is where all my friends are. It’s also a sport that is extremely expensive at the start. Stopping now would mean giving away both thousands of dollars, and some really great friends. I don’t feel like I could give away my social life either. That would just be sad. might also be good to mention that I do have ADHD, and at the end of a day where I only do one thing, I am under stimulated to the point where I will annoy everyone around me. Maybe its better I tire myself out, lol does anyone have any advice on getting over how absolutely destroyed tired I am?

Hi all, I have a question.

replies: 7

My name is Ruby,I've never really done anything like this before so I thought I'd give it a go. I have been suffering with BPD, Depression and Anxiety since I was around 12 years old, I'm now 18. I've been in and out of the public and private system, I've been to different hospitals, countless psychologists and doctors. So at this point I'm very lost at what to do. So I thought I'd come here and see if it helps. I was doing ok for a while but over the last month things have increasingly become worse. Anyway so my question is: Do you know of any face-to-face support groups for mental health in either the Melbourne CBD or Inner Western Suburbs? I would really just like to attend a meeting with other people going through similar things to me and hear their stories and hopefully share mine, and see if anything good comes out of it. Thanks

Hustled a bit too much

replies: 5

So, after pushing myself over my limit to balance uni and work, it impacted my mental health badly (Increased anxiety, negative thoughts, constantly stressed and tired, everything took more effort than usual, felt lonely). Now, I‘ve returned back to work and finished my degree, but speaking up in front of everyone is still a challenge (confidence took a really big hit) and I feel like it’s hard to keep up with everything at work (public relations agency life is fast-paced). I’m also on a development plan at work now (they broke of the news on my first week back after taking two weeks off but I got sick for those two weeks) and am feeling the pressure of it as well since I have six weeks to improve my performance otherwise I lose my job (I’ve agreed to this plan because it should help me but the stress is still there). Recently, I’ve been feeling constantly stressed and overwhelmed. The happy and positive side of me feels like it’s lessened and getting it back is taking a lot of effort.

Am I mentally ill or am I just being dramatic?

replies: 5

So... I don't know what's wrong with me. Nothing is explicitly wrong with my life. I have friends, I have a family and uni is fine. Yet I feel "sad"? Like my life is full of conflicting feelings. I sometimes feel like I'm really pretty and the next day I can hate everything I see in the mirror. I can love my friends when hanging out with them but the next day I feel like nobody understands me and that I am a fraud. The thing is, I don't know if I actually feel "emotions." Like I laugh and I cry but most of the time I feel kind of empty. Like I don't feel like I'm feeling any emotions or having any thoughts if that makes sense? I feel kind of like a fake. I feel like every emotion and every action is forced to please others and fit in. I don't feel like myself. And then I start to feel like I'm just being dramatic and wanting attention. I have friends but at the same time I feel like none of them understand me. That none of them know the real me. I feel like they just know the version of me that I am trying to portray. I feel like I fake it with everyone. I don't even feel like I know who the real me is. I don't know. Am I just an attention seeker? Am I just making up issues for myself? Like last year. I "gave" myself bulimia. But was I doing that because I actually have a mental problem or did I do it to just give myself a problem? Was I just trying to signal a cry for help or was I just trying to be dramatic? Back in year 9 I tried to harm myself and sent my friends a message saying goodbye. I remember not actually wanting to die and I felt so comforted when they messaged back being all freaked out. Am I just a super dramatic girl who is trying to cause problems for herself or am I actually mentally ill? I've been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and I'm currently on medication but what if this diagnosis is wrong. What if I am just a big fat liar who wanted to have depression and anxiety. What if I am just "faking" my problems. I don't know. What is wrong with me? Do I have munchausen's? Am I just a pathological liar? Am I just trying to get attention?

Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies replies: 51

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first replies: 0

First sexual experience anxiety replies: 5

am i really attention seeking and dramatic or is something wrong with me replies: 3

Constant state of panic replies: 4

stressed, stuck and unmotivated replies: 5

I don't want a job or jobseeker replies: 18

just need to rant replies: 3

I am so tired replies: 2

Hi all, I have a question. replies: 7

Hustled a bit too much replies: 5

Am I mentally ill or am I just being dramatic? replies: 5