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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

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Artastic55 My Triggered Emotional detachment and disassociation: is it my anxiety or worse?
  • replies: 3

Hello again. I Hate making these but this never has let me down. I wanted to see what you all might know in terms of disassociation and emotional detachment, so I’ll write a bit about my situation. I’ve been talking with my psychologist about a thing... View more

Hello again. I Hate making these but this never has let me down. I wanted to see what you all might know in terms of disassociation and emotional detachment, so I’ll write a bit about my situation. I’ve been talking with my psychologist about a thing I’ve called ‘It’. When I get stressed for example, I do this thing where I cannot feel emotion except rage and anger. I lash out, insult and be obnoxious, I feel superior to everyone and it’s pretty annoying. Sometimes it can get a whole lot worse where I don’t have control over myself and I become physically violent towards others. After the event, I revert back to normal as if nothing happened, with almost complete memory of it, just i don’t have emotional or thinking memory of it (I don’t remember what I thought). Ive noticed that when I’m in a normal state, I often have 2 other voices or ‘thought like voices’ (which seem normal) except they’re not like what I think. They often are negative and rude, and often seem hostile towards everything including myself. When I do a switch in my states to emotionally detached or when I dissasociate, I don’t have those thoughts, they’re replaced with what I normally would say. examples of his voice can be from having a meal with my father where the food is good but inside me I have two voices not enraged so much they they refuse to eat his food just because I hate him. Or I could be talking to someone and I get voices telling me they are disgusting and terrible, and I insult them frequently in my head. i talk with a psychologist who asked why I did this, and he suggested if it might be to ‘hide my pain’. I didn’t know how to respond because I don’t know why I do, I just do it when stressed, angry, having a panic attack, pressured or ‘if I’ve been drinking’ (Not an alarming amount or without supervision) i don’t know if I hide my pain but we’re thinking that maybe it’s a defence mechanism I developed in my childhood because of bullying and mental instability. I read up on a lot of stuff relating to dissociative identity disorder and there was a state that rang a bell called ‘The protector’ which seemed a lot like what happens with me. I’m not saying I have that mental illness, but the stories I’ve read and information I’ve wandered into seem to support my theory i wondered that if maybe my anxiety can trigger these switches but it doesn’t explain my random switches when listening to music or by myself. any ideas what might be happening with me?

Eddie93 Hi
  • replies: 7

Hi, I'm pretty new here and have attempted to answer a few people's posts but not started a thread. I hate to be a downer but I don't actually feel that posting is going to help me but there is nothing to lose so here it is. Basically I've been on an... View more

Hi, I'm pretty new here and have attempted to answer a few people's posts but not started a thread. I hate to be a downer but I don't actually feel that posting is going to help me but there is nothing to lose so here it is. Basically I've been on and off depressed for about 6 years and it doesn't seem like it's going to stop, I get overwhelmed so easily by things I don't want to do, I'm 24 and although I've finished my apprenticeship in steel (which I hate with a passion) I haven't studied anything anything and I'm I can't see myself ever working steel again. Its been a year since I last properly worked and generally work a couple days a week helping with my grandmothers farm which is pretty cool but find I really can't sustain working without wanting to go home lol. In a way I really want to go to Uni to try and make friends, socialise and be normal as I think having limited friends has really hurt me mentally. On the other hand I really don't want to go to uni because there is nothing I can see myself studying passionately or not getting overwhelmed with and I'm pretty sure making friends is way more of a fantasy than reality which really upsets me sometimes as I feel like a freak. TLDR: got no idea what I'm going to do with my life and often feel like I've had enough as I have no purpose and feel like I've thought of everything to do for work. Im really not after sympathy and really don't care for it sorry but if ANYONE has answers or can tell me what's really worked for them I'd be really greatful. Im aware that I'm probably looking for answers that don't exist and that's the conclusion I'm getting closer to every day but I figured if there is an answer, someone here might have it. thanks for your time Ed

dev27 Lonely, depressed anxious and uncertain about the future
  • replies: 6

Hello to those who are reading I am 20 years old and I have been struggling with feelings of extreme sadness and loneliness for about 3.5 years now. I have always found it hard in social settings to talk to people and get extremely nervous making eye... View more

Hello to those who are reading I am 20 years old and I have been struggling with feelings of extreme sadness and loneliness for about 3.5 years now. I have always found it hard in social settings to talk to people and get extremely nervous making eye contact. Basically I have very limited social skills. This year I dropped out of uni (without telling my parents) and started to work in fast food. Getting this job was a big deal to me as it is my first ever job and I had been dreading the interview. I took the job to earn a bit of cash and to take some time off from school to figure out what I wanted to do with my life... the problem is I still have no idea! I feel so left behind in life. My mum's friends have children around my age who are well into their degrees, have great part time jobs, good school/work/life balance and will graduate next year. I feel so useless compared to them. I get extremely embarrassed as I am older than majority of my co workers who are all high schoolers and they would often ask why I started my first job so late at the age of 20 and I'd be too scared to tell them about my anxiety and that I dropped out. I also still dont have a P's (drivers license) because the thought of driving absolutely terrifies me. I have made it a goal to start driving it 2018 but I'm scared I won't follow through. To make matters worse, I have overheard my mum on many occasions bad mouthing me to her friends and their children. She tells them how i stay in my room all day, how I never talk to anyone, says its 'weird' how I dont like girly things such as makeup and dressing up because I prefer tshirts, sneakers and jeans, how its pathetic I still dont have my license, how unaccomplished I am for a 20 year old... it just really annoys and hurts me to hear her tell all these things to people I barely know and really makes me lose trust in her. When I see some of mum's friends in public I could sense that they were looking down on me. I have very low self esteem and sometimes this feeling of extreme irritability and sadness will waver over me and I will just burst out crying thinking about my future and how much of a failure I am. Will I be working at this fast food restaurant for the rest of my life? What will I tell my family when next year comes around and Im 'supposed' to be graduating with my degree? Being lonely and depressed has given me no urge to be productive, no goals, no aspirations and no motivation.

monkeymia Insecurities
  • replies: 2

Hey everyone, I have always been very insecure of my appearance, to the point where I often think that I am too ugly to ever be in a relationship or loved by someone. I have quite pale skin and lots of moles/freckles, which make me feel really ugly. ... View more

Hey everyone, I have always been very insecure of my appearance, to the point where I often think that I am too ugly to ever be in a relationship or loved by someone. I have quite pale skin and lots of moles/freckles, which make me feel really ugly. I try to be positive and remind myself that everyone is beautiful in their own way, but it's so difficult when all my friends are so stunning and get lots of attention from boys. I've never really been in a relationship, which I think makes it worse because it makes me think that I really am too unattractive for anyone to fancy. I know it sounds silly, but I just don't know how to cope with this, and it makes me really upset. I know not everyone looks the same, but when I look around everyone else I see is beautiful in their own way, and when I look at myself I just feel so ugly. Often wearing makeup/ tanning etc can make me feel pretty for a while, but I always have this crippling self hatred because I know that beneath it all I am so unattractive. It makes me feel worthless and alone, especially when I compare myself to the people around me. Has anyone else felt like this?

Jflower20 Never heard
  • replies: 4

I am early pregnant with two kids already, been with the same guy for 6yrs but it seems everytime he starts to meet new people he puts me to the back and won't listen to anything I'm going through or anything I try to get support from him with even i... View more

I am early pregnant with two kids already, been with the same guy for 6yrs but it seems everytime he starts to meet new people he puts me to the back and won't listen to anything I'm going through or anything I try to get support from him with even if I try to sit and talk and not get angry, I repeat myself for at least 3wks and then finally burst and then I'm the one to blame I'm just being crazy, today we ended up in an argument because he kept guilt tripping me because we were invited to a party but even though I tried we couldn't find a baby sitter and then automatically he expects I stay with the kids and he goes he also already uninvited me to go for a drive because of one of his so called friends then uninvited me to the party as well, I came to him calmly and said well we ain't really suppose to spend any money this weekend because we have a concert to go to next weekend (tht he knew about 2mths ago), so why don't we just stay home watch whatever movie you want and I'll make whatever you want for dinner and just chill out, he then says I'm going to ditch my friend for you...i instantly got upset but also angry because I'm sick of coming last whenever someone new comes along I have been by his side for 6yrs nothing should change because of someone he has only known literally for 3wks, I also tried to express to him for the past view days I don't want to be alone as he hasn't really been here for about 3days he has been with one of his friends, I told him I'm done I'm sick of feeling this one and actually said it was over but I don't know how I feel about it I thought I would be really upset if I ever said that but I am just sorta angry and confused. If anyone can help please do. Thank you

elle_woods1 Work Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi I'm new to this - and I'm looking for some guidance. I recently started a new job (about 4 months ago), its my third job with low-pressure, a great staff, understanding bosses and a great work environment. However, since starting I have been plagu... View more

Hi I'm new to this - and I'm looking for some guidance. I recently started a new job (about 4 months ago), its my third job with low-pressure, a great staff, understanding bosses and a great work environment. However, since starting I have been plagued with stress and worry about everything I do. Have I damaged something? Did I do it right? So much so that I begin to fill-in-the-blanks in my mind and convince myself that I have done something wrong. Every time I have a shift i feel panicked, nauseous and frazzled. Then when I'm there I'm constantly double checking everything I do and worrying about what I will do next. Then finally when the shift is over, my real panic sets in as I sit at home and start to replay every thing I did that day and what I did wrong or begin to imagine that I have damaged something. I have an upset stomach, I pace around and find it hard to sleep. I know it's not normal to worry so much, to the point of physical sickness about a casual job, but I don't know how to stop myself. I have been considering leaving the position, however I know in my heart that it is a great job, it is in my dream field and its a great stepping stone that could lead me to bigger and better things. I know it would make sense just to leave it - but i don't want to feel like I'm letting my irrational thoughts and worries beat me. But then I worry, if I can't even cope with this - how can I cope in the real world? This isn't the first time I have experienced such worry and overthinking. I have done it since I was young. In the past couple of years since receiving my licence I began to be so anxious about driving and worrying I'll make a mistake and hurt someone, that I have just stopped driving. In a lot of ways I feel my worrying has stopped be just being a normal care-free 21 year old who is just enjoying their life. Instead I'm a bundle of nerves, who just stays at home. I have tried to confide in my Mum, but when you know yourself your thoughts are irrational and overdramatic it's hard to tell anyone. I don't have any friends and I'm just feeling lost, lonely and sometimes I just don't even feel like myself anymore. I know I need help but I'm scared. I'm scared that it won't work. I'm scared that this is something I will always be stuck with. and I'm scared that if I admit it then I've lost. But at the same time, I just feel that this feeling of stress and anxiety and panic is just taking over my life and I don't want it to. What should I do?

zcj I'm new! Hello!
  • replies: 11

Hey everyone It's so nice to meet you all! My name is zcj, but you can call me Z. I'm a 21 year old nerd girl who loves birds, Lord of the Rings and death metal. I've FINALLY decided to become a member on this site after 10 whole years of struggling ... View more

Hey everyone It's so nice to meet you all! My name is zcj, but you can call me Z. I'm a 21 year old nerd girl who loves birds, Lord of the Rings and death metal. I've FINALLY decided to become a member on this site after 10 whole years of struggling with my mental health. I have PTSD, severe depression and anxiety disorder. I'm looking forward to getting know people who know what this internal struggle is like, which is actually very difficult to come by in this day and age. I'm going through a bit of a rough patch, can't really pin it on a single detail. Could be because I'm off my meds, or because I'm watching my family fall to pieces due to drugs, alcohol and violence, or maybe it's just purely a rough patch. Either way, I can't wait to speak to all of you and I hope you are all well! Love Z

ruby2343 Mum
  • replies: 2

i found out today my mum is depressed and on antidepressants i feel like I'm selfish for crying and being really sad i knew she had gotten postnatal depression but i didn't know it was still happening it makes me feel bad about any fight we have and ... View more

i found out today my mum is depressed and on antidepressants i feel like I'm selfish for crying and being really sad i knew she had gotten postnatal depression but i didn't know it was still happening it makes me feel bad about any fight we have and the tough time she would have had as a single mum who hadn't worked in ages because of my controlling dad and I'm scared for the future, if she suddenly gets worse and commits suicide, I'm so so so close with her she's like my best friend and i dont think ill ever be ready to lose her i love her so much. I'm really worried and anxious because we will be spared as she is going to kenya and I'm going to the sunshine coast and I'm not sure why but I'm really stressed about it. i know this isn't bout me but i want to know thoughts

Rut91 Self sabotage
  • replies: 3

Hi, I posted here once before but I have a different issue that has been on my mind lately. I feel like I'm sabotaging my own success at work and at uni. No matter what I do I am always late to work. It got to a point where I was arriving almost an h... View more

Hi, I posted here once before but I have a different issue that has been on my mind lately. I feel like I'm sabotaging my own success at work and at uni. No matter what I do I am always late to work. It got to a point where I was arriving almost an hour late every day with no real excuse except 'feeling sick and nauseous' every morning (which is true and relates to my fear of unexpected things happening on the way to work). I ended up having a meeting with my manager and receiving a formal warning about my lateness. The issue is I know it's a bad thing to do and I know all I have to do is get up a bit earlier and leave but there just seems to be too much preventing me from doing it. At uni I fail every class at least two times, sometimes three times, before I pass and I've been spoken to by my senior lecturer. Every time I get in trouble I cry and carry on making everything worse and now I'm seen as unstable and I feel like uni and work are rejecting me. I just hate that I can't get myself organised. I keep multiple diaries and note books, I schedule my days by the hour and I plan days in advance for public transport. I even make contingency plans if something goes wrong. I think what's the point any more of doing anything because I'm just going to mess it up. I don't know if anyone will have any solutions for me but any advice would be helpful. Hopefully someone can empathise with me, even though I think I'm the worst human being to ever exist. Thanks, Tracey

daisyb Studying film with social anxiety and depression
  • replies: 8

Hello all ! I was hoping I could some advice here, please. I've always wanted to study film but I let my social anxiety run my life and prevent me from studying what I want to do because of fear of rejection, criticism and embarrassment. My anxiety h... View more

Hello all ! I was hoping I could some advice here, please. I've always wanted to study film but I let my social anxiety run my life and prevent me from studying what I want to do because of fear of rejection, criticism and embarrassment. My anxiety has slowly improved over the last year now that I am on meds for it as well as depression. I still REALLY want to study film but I just can't push myself to do it, I don't know how to push past my fears and I hate myself for it and I know one day I will regret it if I don't follow my dreams. I haven't really been out in the real world much since I finished year 12 in 2014. I have been studying online (not film, because I HAD to do something) and I have been looking for work for a while now. I am afraid to go back to school because year 11 and 12 were horrible for me. I moved towns at the beginning of year 11 and I knew no body. This is when I developed social anxiety and I was too afraid to raise my hand in class, make friends or share my ideas. I even missed my graduation. I remember working in groups in drama and I never spoke and it annoyed my teachers and other group members. I'm afraid this will happen again. In year 12 my younger sister attempted suicide many times and my few friends left me because they didn't like my sister. My dad was harassing my mother, sister and I for money all the time and my sister and him were doing ICE. This affected me while I was trying to finish school and doing exams and my anxiety got worse to the point where I stopped going to school and when I did go to school I would spend all my breaks reading in the toilets because I had no friends any more. My work was also not the best quality because I constantly procrastinated and didn't feel motivated. It was one of the worst periods in my life. I know that my current situation isn't as bad now that I FINALLY just got into a more stable environment but I'm afraid that if I go back to school it will be too stressful for me and I will let everyone down again. I also live 30 mins out of the nearest city and I don't have my license so this is also a barrier. Does anyone have any stories they can share or any ideas/advice on how to deal with studying while you have social anxiety? Especially in a collaborative environment... Most people tell me it's stupid to even consider studying something as interactive as film when I have anxiety. Thank you for reading and thank you for any responses and advice !!!