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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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halcyondays_ Fear of Travelling Alone (Seeking Advice)
  • replies: 1

Hi all, About a year ago, I took it upon myself to book a solo trip to Europe which is coming up very, very soon. I've been diagnosed with anxiety not so long ago (at 19 years of age), however after seeking professional help I tend feel a lot better ... View more

Hi all, About a year ago, I took it upon myself to book a solo trip to Europe which is coming up very, very soon. I've been diagnosed with anxiety not so long ago (at 19 years of age), however after seeking professional help I tend feel a lot better when I'm not having off-days. With this trip being so close, I can't help but find myself getting really, really anxious. As much as I love talking about it and how exciting it is, and how much it'll help me grow as a person and take my mind of the stresses of university, work and other commitments.I can't help but notice I have so much fear creeping to my mind. It's gotten to the point where I've had a panic attack which included crying and shaking, which I haven't experienced in a while. I also can't bring myself to think about the positives on this trip. All I can think about is how scary it is, leaving my family and potentially freaking out whilst on the trip... I don't want this fear to ruin my experience of this trip, would anyone be able to provide any tips or advice for me to help me get through?

tommeh New and really just wanting to vent/look for some advice
  • replies: 3

I'm a 24 years old and feel like I'm starting to get depressed. I spent a lot of my teenage years/early adulthood alone and playing video games. I'm lucky that I had a very loving and supportive family, but always wished I had more of an active socia... View more

I'm a 24 years old and feel like I'm starting to get depressed. I spent a lot of my teenage years/early adulthood alone and playing video games. I'm lucky that I had a very loving and supportive family, but always wished I had more of an active social life. I started to put myself out there more a few years ago and made some friends through playing sport and exercise whom I regularly hang out with. I've recently come to the realisation that I have very low self esteem and worry A LOT about what people think about me. I'm constantly worrying about if my friends are doing things without me, I worry about "saying the right things", constantly replaying conversations I have with people in my head while thinking of things I should have said and beating myself up for not saying them. My friends always ask me how I'm always so happy, how i'm always smiling and laughing and so on. They think I'm the happiest person in our social circle. What they don't realise is when I'm not hanging out with them I'm by myself at home miserable and lonely. I have always loved exercise and started going to the gym a few years ago because I was teased a lot in high school for being too skinny. I managed to bulk up to the point where I get a lot of compliments on my physique and it makes me feel good about myself. Recently though I dislocated my shoulder and require surgery which will mean I can't go to the gym for 6 months and this really worries me. Not only is the gym "therapeutic" for me in that when I'm there my mind goes blank and any problem I'm currently having seems to fade away. I'm also really concerned about how I will react when I start losing all the muscle I've worked so hard due to the inactivity following surgery. I'm known amongst my friends and people I meet as the "fit athletic guy" and it feels like after I have this surgery I'll lose my "identity" and people won't be interested in me anymore. I just don't know what to do. Every negative emotion I'm faced with, the gym has always been my release and I won't have that for 6 months. I'm worried about how my mental health with fare during this time. What should I do?

Ambivalent SO MUCH MORE THAN DEPRESSION! BUT IDK WHATS WRONG WITH ME!
  • replies: 2

I'm currently diagnosed with dep and anx,but for the longest time I can't help but search for more than that because of how insane I feel sometimes it's scares me so much! But I don't tell any medical help this because I'm going to sound completely i... View more

I'm currently diagnosed with dep and anx,but for the longest time I can't help but search for more than that because of how insane I feel sometimes it's scares me so much! But I don't tell any medical help this because I'm going to sound completely insane!

TourmalineSpectacles First Hello from a high schooler
  • replies: 17

Hello there, hope you are well I am TourmalineSpectacles (or just Specs for short). Gender is male/ queer and pronouns are he/him. Had not seen professional help as of yet. Atrocious sleep patterns. To be honest, I have been considering joining these... View more

Hello there, hope you are well I am TourmalineSpectacles (or just Specs for short). Gender is male/ queer and pronouns are he/him. Had not seen professional help as of yet. Atrocious sleep patterns. To be honest, I have been considering joining these forums and/or seeking help for quite a while... maybe since 7th grade. I suppose I am here to find some support as I cannot rely on family due to having a bad relationship with them and i am not completely comfortable with sharing some of my problems with friends, knowing that they too are going through the high school and have their own hardships to face. This seems like a very safe, supportive and lovely community so it is important for me to try. So... problems-I have many. My home, school and social life all prove to be stressful. Being a person that wishes to have a masculine or androgynous representation, I struggle to fit in with my environment. I go to a 'girl school' and have a very feminine first name in the official records. There I am forced into an image of femininity due to the uniform and peers that do not know of my preferred name and pronouns. I feel extremely stressed whenever I am referred to by unfamiliar peers, not knowing when and how to explain who I am or if I should at all (which I know is irrational as the school is supportive of the LGBT+ community). Also, at the domestic scene, I feel rejected as I have very close-minded guardians that only believe in the cis gender binary identity. Among friends, the gender identity is much more accepted (which I am very thankful for), however, I still often get plagued by thoughts like 'no one truly believes I'm a guy'. It is one of the many reasons why I often experience hopelessness and the thinking I am worthless. Another main concern are friends. I am unable to say what I think a lot of the time because I am always thinking of consequences and the negative usually overrule the positives. Furthermore, my closest friends may be suffering from mental health issues and have suicidal thoughts and I worry for them. I know for sure that one of my best friends has depression and have seen professional help, and is prone to feeling really bad about themselves. A significant reason for coming here is to find out how to help them. Despite my shy nature, I would love for anyone to talk to me, share experiences or offer advice, so please do : ) Thanks for anyone who reads this

StressedReader Study Pressure
  • replies: 8

Hello, I am currently in my last term of year 11 and I plan to continue onto year 12. I am an academic student and my subjects can be quite challenging. I focus so much on my school work that it seems that is the only thing I do. But within the last ... View more

Hello, I am currently in my last term of year 11 and I plan to continue onto year 12. I am an academic student and my subjects can be quite challenging. I focus so much on my school work that it seems that is the only thing I do. But within the last six months, I have found that I have become completely weighed down by school work. I pressure myself so much to do well and get the top of every class that I become suffocated. I feel that I have an underlying need to be like my older brother (extremely academic, scored 98 ATAR) and I push myself so hard even though I know I will not be like him. The stress of school has become so bad for me lately that I have trouble focusing. I cry all the time for no reason and I cannot control my emotions on rare occasions. I have pushed many people away because "I need to study." I have several assessments due soon and I haven't even completed them because I become so stressed and distracted when I try to do them. I feel trapped by the school for the pressure and amount of work they expect us to complete. Perhaps I am over exaggerating but I really need the motivation and support to get me through. I fear that my stress and nerves will pull me down.

bsdfgakrn fear of "ghosts" and the dark
  • replies: 14

hey so im quite paranoid about "ghosts" existing ever since I was young I thought ghosts were real. My cousin scared me about it (hes a dick btw). I read books about ghosts, I did research about ghosts, Ive seen ghost video clips, Ive seen a movie ca... View more

hey so im quite paranoid about "ghosts" existing ever since I was young I thought ghosts were real. My cousin scared me about it (hes a dick btw). I read books about ghosts, I did research about ghosts, Ive seen ghost video clips, Ive seen a movie called "ghost" But yeah the major event that actually affected me the most was when I was younger, I watched a movie called "ghost" about someone who was shot then he becomes a ghost and manages to get his revenge on those who killed him. Ever since I saw that I thought ghosts existed for real and they'd be all around me If I were exercising in the morning, Id think there is a ghost nearby me it affects me most when at night because thats when I believe ghosts exist everywhere people talking about ghosts gives me the shivers looking at haunted places (for curiosity) seems curious yet I get scared at the same time this is affecting me please help

Zacmond New and not sure what to do
  • replies: 8

Hey, so I'm in high school, 17, and not feeling at all myself lately. I'm having a hard time with friends and family lately. I used to love all my friends and family, but even my best friends and family aren't making feel loved. My dad suffers from d... View more

Hey, so I'm in high school, 17, and not feeling at all myself lately. I'm having a hard time with friends and family lately. I used to love all my friends and family, but even my best friends and family aren't making feel loved. My dad suffers from depression, my sister recently was diagnosed with depression. life at home isn't the best, I feel like I'm always being yelled at and or getting into trouble for something I've done. I feel dad uses me as a scapegoat for everything. My parents are always fighting, constantly yelling at my sister and i. i feel so lonely, I feel like no one cares anymore. Most of my close friends are in relationships and are always seeing their partners. I don't feel like my usual happy self anymore and I don't know what I did to make myself feel like this or how I can fix it. My family has been pointing out to me that I'm not acting normal and it's making me even more mad for some reason. what can I do to become myself again and not feel so lonely in life?

Pysis Feeling like a failur
  • replies: 4

I'm 18 and I'm really struggling at the moment, I'm really really lonley and I just feel empty most of the time. I didn't really get to have a normal childhood frowning up and as a result I've never really had many friends. About grade 6 I lost the f... View more

I'm 18 and I'm really struggling at the moment, I'm really really lonley and I just feel empty most of the time. I didn't really get to have a normal childhood frowning up and as a result I've never really had many friends. About grade 6 I lost the feeling in my fingers and toes and as a result it became really hard for me to wright when I went to high school I found it particularly hard becuase we had to copy writing off the board. Half way through year 8 I ended up levying school and started distance education where my mum scribed for me. But in year 11 I was acussed of cheating and was told I wasn't allowed to finish high school as a result and I couldn't prove that I wasn't cheating so I just had to go with it. So half way through year 11 I left distance education and started a advanced certificate in zoo keeping. But the problem I, having now is I never got to have freinds my own age and I feel like a failur becuase I never finished high school. My father never finished school and I really don't want to end up like him he is very abusive and has cuased a lot of problems through out my life. As I said in a recent post there are a lot of other factors contributing to my depression but I don't know how to deal with any of them. i just feel like a falular all the time and I feel like a burden on everybody I care about especially one particular friend. I really just want to get back to being me and doing things but no one seems to understand or even care.

hateyourparty I feel like I'm going crazy!
  • replies: 1

My partner and I have been together on and off since high school, we are now 25 yo and married. I've always been an over thinking and hard to be with due to depression and anxiety, and my partner has always done his best to get through it in one piec... View more

My partner and I have been together on and off since high school, we are now 25 yo and married. I've always been an over thinking and hard to be with due to depression and anxiety, and my partner has always done his best to get through it in one piece, which still maintaining the person he is. You know how sometimes it's like you're anxiety expects the other person to change for you so you can just be at ease with every action they make? Well of course, in reality, we can't actually have that. Anyway, I find since moving to the city a few months ago my struggles are getting worse. I'm constantly freaking out about what he is doing, where he is doing, always comparing myself to the incredible girls that live here and feeling like he may want to leave me. Its getting to a point I'm finding myself breaking down over stupid things. For example, his brother bought us all tickets to a comedy act, and I got angry and cried about it, because my thought is instantly, great, his going to get drunk, be out all night, run a muck... But i was invited too... I'm going to be there... Shouldn't I be happy and excited? Or little things, like his friend is coming around this weekend for a visit, and I instantly have bad thoughts of what they're going to do, spend all night out the back getting wasted, while I sit in bed alone waiting for him to come to bed... I'm sure you've got the idea by now he is a drinker, and I have a problem with that, but I'm constantly being told I need to let him be who he wants. I feel like I'm becoming over baring and I know half of what I'm saying right now sounds completely metal. I literally feel like I'm losing it. I feel like I'm losing myself, and like all my trust and faith and everything good within myself is just getting sucked out of me. I feel so unstable and sometimes I feel like I may be better off alone just so I have 1000% control of what's happening around me and what's going on, and so I never have to worry about anyone else and those sort of conserns... I have the opposite reaction to anything that's supposed to be a happy time and instantly feel rage and sadness... Has anyone else ever felt anything like this before?

5to3 anxiety consumes my life - my story
  • replies: 4

hi, i'm new here i just wanted to share my story. i am 15 years old and i have suffered wit anxiety and on and off depression for almost 5 years. Earlier this year i was hospitalised because of my anxiety. when i get too anxious i vomit...i was vomit... View more

hi, i'm new here i just wanted to share my story. i am 15 years old and i have suffered wit anxiety and on and off depression for almost 5 years. Earlier this year i was hospitalised because of my anxiety. when i get too anxious i vomit...i was vomiting ever morning before school for about a week and the it got worse. i was vomiting uncontrollably for a few days and i could not leave my bed. i was sent to the doctor and he said if i didn't improve by tomorrow he would have to send me to the hospital. i stayed in emergency until 12pm and then i got discharged. but the next day i was still sick and we went back and were discharged again. on the third day we went back. they weighed me and i had lost 2 kilos is 2 days and i then only weighed 41 kilos. the admitted me again and i stayed for a week and was put on medication. i was not eating or drinking and i was seeing things. i eventually got better. i am now on medication and it seems to be keeping my anxiety in check or though i still get panic attacks and feeling anxious every day. it is a constant struggle to leave my house. i think i will be posting a lot on this website because it seems to be the only one where people actually respond and try to help. thanks for listening to my rant. any questions or comments are welcome