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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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safetypecans I want to change schools (but it's complicated)...
  • replies: 4

I'm really unhappy at the school I attend and I wish I could change, but the only other school I can go to is too far away. Currently, I am living with my mother on weekdays and with my father on (most) weekends due to my father moving about 2.5 hour... View more

I'm really unhappy at the school I attend and I wish I could change, but the only other school I can go to is too far away. Currently, I am living with my mother on weekdays and with my father on (most) weekends due to my father moving about 2.5 hours away from my mother, school, sister's school, etc. My father has brought up the fact that he would love for me to move in with him, but that would mean either travelling 2.5 hours via train every morning and evening or changing schools. At the school I attend right now, I have no friends, the teachers are terrifying, and it focuses on creativity and art (whereas I would rather focus on academics). My anxiety and depression have both skyrocketed since starting at this school and I hate it. It probably seems easiest to just change schools and move in with my father but there are a few things stopping me. If I were to move, I would never see my sister or mother, I would either have to change therapists (which sounds terrifying) or travel 2.5 hours and probably be late every appointment, and meet an entire school of new peers and teachers (which sounds even more terrifying). No matter what I do, I will be extremely unhappy and filled with anxiety. Help!!

daisyqueen Friendships
  • replies: 5

Hey everyone. Hope you're doing okay. I felt like I needed to vent a little and ask for some advice. Last weekend, some friends and I organised to go out and do something together in the city and none of us really knew where we were going, aside from... View more

Hey everyone. Hope you're doing okay. I felt like I needed to vent a little and ask for some advice. Last weekend, some friends and I organised to go out and do something together in the city and none of us really knew where we were going, aside from one friend that I had been talking to about the entire plan. She dropped out and everything basically fell apart. One of my best friends got all angry and annoyed at me (?) for this and I snapped back at her. Keep in mind I had kept my patience up until that point with her snipey digs but I couldn't take it anymore and my temper got the best of me. I apologised to her, but I go no response and am blatantly being ignored. I don't have many close friends aside from the one I'm fighting with, and a mutual friend who doesn't want to get caught in the crossfire. What do I do? I'm feeling pretty upset, and lonely at the moment

daisyqueen 'Toxic' friendships
  • replies: 5

Sorry, I've already posted last night but I feel like this is the only place I can ... connect. Which is saying something. If I step back and put distance between myself and my friends, I'll lose them and I'm terrified. I'm hopefully moving states co... View more

Sorry, I've already posted last night but I feel like this is the only place I can ... connect. Which is saying something. If I step back and put distance between myself and my friends, I'll lose them and I'm terrified. I'm hopefully moving states come the new year as I've just finished year 12 and it's going to be harder to keep in contact, as even now I'm struggling to cope with keeping in touch ... and struggling with my depression and anxiety. What do you suggest I do? Personal experiences? I'm so lost. Sorry and thank you.

daisyqueen Comittment...
  • replies: 4

Hello all. Hope you're all doing okay. Something has been playing on my mind for a while and being a rather self conscious person, I find it embarrassing to talk about but I thought I'd give it a shot. One of my best friends from high school and I ha... View more

Hello all. Hope you're all doing okay. Something has been playing on my mind for a while and being a rather self conscious person, I find it embarrassing to talk about but I thought I'd give it a shot. One of my best friends from high school and I have been dancing around eachother. We both like eachother. Have done so for 3+ years. From my last relationship, which ended badly, I'm so scared of a repeat. Lies, and a huge mess. I'm scared of committing to a new relationship. I have depression and anxiety and I know that plays a huge part in this. I like my alone time and I'm independent. I don't like to be around people too often and I feel that's why a relationship would fail for me. Now that school has finished and we're in the middle of the next chapter in our lives, these thoughts have returned with vengeance. I feel like I'm a comittment phobe Advice please? Thank you

GuardianWolf Dramatic me?
  • replies: 1

As part of a school project we were tasked to research websites like this, and for personal interest I took the brain quiz. Let's just leave it that the result was unexpected. I have been feeling a bit down as my best friend recently detached herself... View more

As part of a school project we were tasked to research websites like this, and for personal interest I took the brain quiz. Let's just leave it that the result was unexpected. I have been feeling a bit down as my best friend recently detached herself from me, is spreading nasty rumours and has managed to turn most of my class against me. One of my key advisors in these situations - my grandfather - passed away from cancer recently so I can't talk to him anymore. I live in an expensive suburb and my single mom can't afford the rent, to the extent that we may become homeless because of a large credit card debt, which is mainly, although my mom would never say this, because of me. Other than that, the usual stress of school mounts up. I'm a spotty, ugly and chubby teen and I want to stay in Oz but my grandmother in Ireland has dementia which is progressing, and we will probably have to move back, who knows when? Those are kind of trivial, and I would normally talk to my mom about this but she has recently been diagnosed with Hydrocephalus, a build up of liquid on the brain and my problems seem to pale in comparison to hers. So, am I overreacting? Am I just silly? It's all just combined into one big "oh fuuuuuu...." It feels good to write it down though. Keep fighting, GW

daisyqueen Starting school again
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone. Hope you're all coping and doing okay I felt like I needed to express so here goes. I'm stating school again tomorrow. It's a university/tafe course and having just finished year 12 last year, I have no clue what to expect. I'm petrified... View more

Hi everyone. Hope you're all coping and doing okay I felt like I needed to express so here goes. I'm stating school again tomorrow. It's a university/tafe course and having just finished year 12 last year, I have no clue what to expect. I'm petrified of having to go somewhere where I don't know anyone or what to expect. It's 11:52pm and I can't sleep because I feel so out of place, so unsettled and I just feel so...helpless Any help would be much appreciated. Love you all

j3ssiie Unsure me
  • replies: 1

Hello, my name is Jessie. I have for about a year now gone to a psychologist and 3 different Councillors and none of them have really helped as they have still not diagnosed me. i have taken many D.A.S.S test things and according to those i have seve... View more

Hello, my name is Jessie. I have for about a year now gone to a psychologist and 3 different Councillors and none of them have really helped as they have still not diagnosed me. i have taken many D.A.S.S test things and according to those i have severe depression and extremely severe anxiety . It is unknown of what causes it and why it is so extreme but i just want someone to help me find out. My anxiety attacks mostly result in me throwing up quite a few times a day. I struggle to even leave the house because i am scared. I don't know what i am scared of but i am very afraid. All the time i feel completely worthless and as is nothing means anything anymore, nothing is enjoyable anymore. I have smashed all the mirrors in my room as i cant stand to look at myself because all i see is ugly, fat, failure, worthless, never good enough. I don't know what to do anymore, someone please help me.

Noname1995 Feeling isolated
  • replies: 4

I've been struggling to feel connected to friends or family and it's beginning to eat away at me. I failed out of uni this last semester, feel so detached from friends, and even more depressed from weight gain caused by medication to treat my depress... View more

I've been struggling to feel connected to friends or family and it's beginning to eat away at me. I failed out of uni this last semester, feel so detached from friends, and even more depressed from weight gain caused by medication to treat my depression. Any suggestions, please.

Artastic55 Difficulty with empathy and sympathy
  • replies: 3

Hello again. I came to make another post here in wonders of what others suffer the same as I do in which refers to the title. I should point out that I'm diagnosed with ADD and OCD in case this has something to do with those. I find it extremely diff... View more

Hello again. I came to make another post here in wonders of what others suffer the same as I do in which refers to the title. I should point out that I'm diagnosed with ADD and OCD in case this has something to do with those. I find it extremely difficult to feel bad or upset for someone. I could watch my friend cry and all I could really feel is "oh okay" and I'll still try to help them, even though I just don't feel bad for them or anything. It's the same on most things with empathy; it's just too hard to feel anything for others. A good example of this is that my friend with depression and PTSD went on about some things that we were talking about in her life; I just couldn't feel anything towards it other than "oh okay" I want to feel empathy and sympathy for others but I really just can't. I should also point out that I can't I'm not alike sociopath or psychopath. I also might bring this up but I can't make eye contact with people. I just can't look and I have to look away, it just gets weird and awkward if I do and I really think I should be looking at people. What do you think might be the reason and do you suffer through the same fate as I? Have a nice day!

Ella1111 Living with a facial difference & struggling with getting help
  • replies: 5

I have a port wine stain birthmark on my face & ever since I was 3 or 4 I can remember hating it. I remember having thoughts about mutilating my face but it's deep i couldn't "just cut it out". Older I got I realised it's given me anxiety as I hate s... View more

I have a port wine stain birthmark on my face & ever since I was 3 or 4 I can remember hating it. I remember having thoughts about mutilating my face but it's deep i couldn't "just cut it out". Older I got I realised it's given me anxiety as I hate seeing & meeting people. I've been depressed for too many years to remember exactly when it really started. Five years ago when I was 15 my boyfriend at the time died in a car crash not very far from my house, I grieved pretty well but that still plays in my mind a lot. I really want to seek professional help but I'm so scared! I don't have a licence or money to catch a bus, so I'd have to get someone to drive me too appointments. My mother & fiancé both work full time, so it would have to be someone I'm not close too & im so scared to talk to Even my mum about it ! I know I have to do this sooner rather than later I'm just confused on how I can make this work as I don't want to have to tell ppl my business either !!