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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Littlebluefish I'm scared to work
  • replies: 2

I've had anxiety since I was twelve years old, and after years of trying I finally got a job. I was so happy and excited at first, and although I was terrified at first, I was also so excited. It's only been a month, and suddenly I feel like I can't ... View more

I've had anxiety since I was twelve years old, and after years of trying I finally got a job. I was so happy and excited at first, and although I was terrified at first, I was also so excited. It's only been a month, and suddenly I feel like I can't go into work, I can't even leave the house. I'm stuck between not being able to go in because I'm scared I'm not good enough, but not being able to call in sick because I'm letting everyone down... I don't know what I can do at this point, I'm worried I'll have to quit just to stop this constant feeling. Has anyone else experienced this? What did you do to overcome it? I'm starting to run out of options...

redmanna Whats wrong with me?
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone, first of a bit about me. I'm an 18 year old guy who is about to finish Year 12. I am usually a happy sporty, fit guy who enjoys being with friends, family and playing sports. But for the past 2 weeks I haven't been myself, I don't have a... View more

Hi everyone, first of a bit about me. I'm an 18 year old guy who is about to finish Year 12. I am usually a happy sporty, fit guy who enjoys being with friends, family and playing sports. But for the past 2 weeks I haven't been myself, I don't have any energy or motivation even though i have final exams next week. I don't see the point in anything. I have to force myself to eat which was never a problem. I just want to lie in bed and never leave. I need my alone time to recharge but i feel lonely and disconnected in a way I don't know. I don't think I am depressed as I am emotionless yet sad at the same time which at first I thought would pass but its been like this for 2 weeks. I love music and films but recently I've been watching a lot more maybe so that I could feel what the characters are feeling where its happiness, love or sadness. I don't know whats wrong with me, I feel sad yet emotionless. This isn't normal... All advice would be very appreciated.

Thestral24 Scared about the possibility of failure and what it will mean for my future.
  • replies: 2

I am 24 years old about to be 25, I work as waitress and I am considering in going to University to help get myself a better paying job and future. But out of all the courses they have, there's only one I am interested in.Simply because it was someth... View more

I am 24 years old about to be 25, I work as waitress and I am considering in going to University to help get myself a better paying job and future. But out of all the courses they have, there's only one I am interested in.Simply because it was something I would like to learn more about, and the degree is said to have good job prospects. But I am worried, I have never study before and I am not confident in myself at all, and I don't have much to look back on to give myself hope that I can do this. Which has resulted this bomb going off in my head, this never ending fear and anxiety about what if I can't do this course or can't get decent job afterwards? That I wasted the rest of my twenties doing this degree. Or can't find something else that I can do, that can help get me out of my low paying job. How will I cope being waitress in my 30s, not making enough to move into my own place. I don't know how to deal with this constant stress and anxiety over the future. I haven't been able to sleep for the past two weeks, or relax at all it has relentless. The doctor started giving me medication for depression but I am not sure it's going to help. Can anyone give me advice who has been through something similar?

Chicken1 Parents and Anxiety....
  • replies: 1

My parents and I have a great relationship, no doubt, however we don’t always see eye to eye, especially me and my mum. My mum and I have a very close relationship however she is often short tempered with the smallest of mistakes, which I understand.... View more

My parents and I have a great relationship, no doubt, however we don’t always see eye to eye, especially me and my mum. My mum and I have a very close relationship however she is often short tempered with the smallest of mistakes, which I understand. When she gets angry however she brings up all the mistakes I’ve made in the past and prods at my confidence and ability. I guess this has been her way of motivating me for years, asking me to prove her wrong . Until now. Her shouts causes me to panic. I can’t control this anxiety caused by her voice her words every time she raises her voice at me when she’s angry I just curl into fetal position unable to move. I just block my ears and cry. What makes it worse is she tells me to stop acting or being dramatic and well my anxiety just gets worse and for some reason makes her more angry. I’m writing about it now because it’s happened on several occasions just in the past month and I don’t think it’s a normal reaction to have a panic attack when your mum shouts. I’ve tried telling my dad and he says it’s just part of being a teenager. But I don’t know anymore. What should I do?

Kkgirl Times ticking and I don't know what's going on with my friendships
  • replies: 42

I've been dealing with anxiety and depression and I've been getting professional help since earlier this year, and a few of my friends who are a part of my close friends group knew what was going on. I felt so great having this tight knit groups of f... View more

I've been dealing with anxiety and depression and I've been getting professional help since earlier this year, and a few of my friends who are a part of my close friends group knew what was going on. I felt so great having this tight knit groups of friends who were like me safety net, we always had a good time and I could distract myself from all my negative thoughts. Things got a bit rough with one of the close friends who knew about my situation, and me always being angry and volatile ended up starting arguments every once in while, until one day, a few weeks ago she told me she had had enough of me being like this. We still all sit together and I'm still included when we hang out and stuff, but for the past few weeks things have been super tense. Even other friends in the group who never had problems with me were suddenly distant towards me and even quite snappy and irritated when I tried to have normal conversations we would have. This really got to me and I had no idea why all of them had been acting different so I decided to ask them, as a group message, and also explained to those in the group who didn't know, what I was going through. But that just seemed to push them further away. No one responded to that message. I don't know but they seem to think the solution to what I'm going through is to just make me feel more lonely, excluded and forgotten?. Yes I still sit with them and I am a part of the conversations and plans they make, but (I don't know if it's just me) it just really feels like things are different and they're as not as close and don't like me as much as they used to, but noones confronted me about it so I don't know why things are this way. Part of me wants to ask them what the deal is, but I just don't know how to ask without them being more irritated and distant with me. And it's just the worst timing, being the final week of year 12, and I've not only lost my bestfriend/relationship but I also feel like I'm losing my group of best friends. I really don't want to, and I want those friends to be a part of my future but I feel like it's too late, and they're only including me for the sake of school. theres just so many things going on and I keep wasting so many days feeling lonely, bored, unmotivated to do anything I enjoy and just depressed. I literally just sit here feeling like "bleh" and I just can't explain, and it's also taking ages between psych appointments and I just don't know

Gumiho First Time Posting - Greetings to you all.
  • replies: 5

Hell there everyone. I am 25 years old and I suffer from depression and anxiety. I am currently seeing a psychologist about them, and I am on medication, but they never really help. I have graduated from university a few years ago, but have never bee... View more

Hell there everyone. I am 25 years old and I suffer from depression and anxiety. I am currently seeing a psychologist about them, and I am on medication, but they never really help. I have graduated from university a few years ago, but have never been able to find a job in my field, plus I lost my job two years ago and haven't been able to get a new one. The anxiety I have suffered for years. I've been to a number of psychologists over the last five years, and it helps for a bit, but the I degenerate back into an anxious wreck when my triggers are hit. The depression on the other hand is relatively new, I've only had it for the last year and a half. Then earlier this year I lost someone very important to me. I feel empty inside. I've lost enjoyment in all the old things I liked, I don't do anything new, I don't see my friends anymore. I don't look forward to the future. I just don't know what to do.

anon234 Exercise and anxiety?
  • replies: 4

Hello - haven't posted in a long time, but hope to return. I have been diagnosed with OCD and find that many people, including psychologists, have recommended that I exercise more to help me improve mentally, but I'm finding it strangely difficult. I... View more

Hello - haven't posted in a long time, but hope to return. I have been diagnosed with OCD and find that many people, including psychologists, have recommended that I exercise more to help me improve mentally, but I'm finding it strangely difficult. I used to go to the gym with friends a few times a week, but I started feeling extremely anxious about going (OCD-related thoughts) and would go to great lengths to get out of it - I would often lie about a reason I couldn't come, which made me feel horrible. At some point I just said I didn't want to go anymore and quit without explanation... I think sometimes it can be too hard to 1) explain anxiety to people, especially when it is completely irrational and 2) have to really be honest with myself when it is so much easier to just avoid the trigger all together. Even when I did manage to do exercise (usually being literally forced to) I would start to panic and it became extremely distressing. I have wondered if maybe this was due to my body associating the physical feeling of exercise (hot, elevated heart rate, heavy breathing, etc) with anxiety symptoms, or if it is just my mind playing tricks. Regardless, I am being pressured to engage in more physical activity, and I feel like I can't do it (and I know that the longer I avoid it, the harder it will be to get back to as well). To get to the point, I was wondering if anyone else experiences this or something similar? Any tips to overcome it? Because a part of me wants to get better and live normally, but, to be honest, the part of me that feels safe in my anxiety is controlling me. Any comments are appreciated xx

anon312 Difficulty coping with school
  • replies: 5

I have been having difficulty coping with school and the environment. It is not that I'm not capable of the work because most of the time I do understand, it's the feeling I have just being there (or even while doing the work at home). I feel sick an... View more

I have been having difficulty coping with school and the environment. It is not that I'm not capable of the work because most of the time I do understand, it's the feeling I have just being there (or even while doing the work at home). I feel sick and anxious every single day. We are constantly stuck in the same rooms for hours and I feel like can't do it anymore. I don't really know how to explain, I just know that every day I go to school and it is becoming so difficult for me to function properly and act in a proper way because I lose it I feel so drained and out of it. I just want to be able to do all the normal school things without an issue. I have no idea what I want to do in life so I am losing so much motivation to attend school as well. I love my friends but even so, I feel like they don't understand how I am feeling because I know it is beyond stress of assessment or anything like that. I'm in year 11 this year and have 5 weeks left. I have no choice but to stay in school so I would just like to do whatever I can to make it as pleasurable as possible without feeling nauseous and crying everyday. Any advice is greatly appreciated

skyler_writes My mum doesn't believe I have a mental illness?
  • replies: 3

Hi, so, I'm just gonna get straight to the point. I have social and generalised anxiety along with mild depression that comes and goes throughout the year. It gets especially bad around the two month summer Christmas holidays. I think it's because I ... View more

Hi, so, I'm just gonna get straight to the point. I have social and generalised anxiety along with mild depression that comes and goes throughout the year. It gets especially bad around the two month summer Christmas holidays. I think it's because I have no structure in my day to day life (That's why I like school, it provides structure and yes, a distraction from depression, which may sound weird). Anyway, this year I really want to avoid the seasonal depression. I want to get out more, go to the beach, climb the mountains nearby, spend time with friends, make new friends, I even want to start seeing a therapist about my anxiety (I haven't seen one in awhile). I've even been working out for the past six/five months and it has helped with my depression, though not so much my anxiety. Anyway, my mum doesn't really acknowledge that I have these illnesses. When I went to her about my plans to be more out-and-about this summer (I even had a workout schedule) she said "So you're just gearing yourself up for depression?" She says a lot of comments like this, tells me to get out of the house more, if I wasn't so lazy I wouldn't feel this way, she says that my anxiety is something that I should just 'get over' and she forces me to do things that trigger my anxiety (though she doesn't know it does until I say "Mum, I can't. I'm scared." but she'll still tell me to do it and says I should get over it). She's a great mum any other day but she's really dismissive and degrading when it comes to my anxiety and depression. I'm trying really hard to get better but I feel like it would be so much easier if she understood and supported me. It's not all bad, my sister is all for supporting and understanding me and I honestly don't know how bad I would be if it wasn't for her, but without my mum it just feels so much harder. Any advice?

luckycharms About to be excluded from uni...
  • replies: 4

Hi there... So I'm in my fifth year at uni now and I'm about to turn 23 next year. My uni has me on academic conduct and if I failed any more units on the semester I would be excluded from my course for a year then I would need to re-apply to be gran... View more

Hi there... So I'm in my fifth year at uni now and I'm about to turn 23 next year. My uni has me on academic conduct and if I failed any more units on the semester I would be excluded from my course for a year then I would need to re-apply to be granted to let back in. I just checked my results and I only passed one unit out of 2 so I'm definitely getting excluded for next year and I've had many warnings before but I feel really upset now that I just keep going on the same cycle wherein I want to do better but always end up stuffing up and handing in assignments late and struggling but not reaching out to anyone. And now that the results are out I feel even more sad that I've gotten to this point. For the longest time I realised that something was wrong and I don't feel 100% with my mental health and only now have I decided to see my GP (I have an appointment next week and I'm really nervous and unsure what to even say). My parents are quite strict but when I tell them that I might have underlying depression and anxiety they say "Go see a GP then so you can finally pass uni." This ends up making me feel sad cause I'm trying my best and too hard that I feel like when they say to seek help its merely so I can finish my degree when in turn the more I go to uni at this state the more crap I feel. I already feel bad that I'm failing so much uni and now I need to take a year long exclusion because of it. I know the Uni excluding me is may be a good thing because I need the year to seek out proper mental care for myself but at the same time... I feel bad that I'm so close to finishing uni at 22 about to be 23 and yet I made so much mistakes and all my friends are graduating at this age while i'm still stuck going nowhere...