Immediate support
Immediate support

Young people

A space for people aged 12-25 to discuss life. If you’re over 25, please be mindful that this is a space for younger people to connect.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

maygirl Struggling to find my place
  • replies: 3

I am 22 and I have been struggling for the last 2 months in particular, but am really feeling now I am close to breaking point. Have moved to Darwin for work, leaving my mum and brothers and close friends behind. This time last year i was the fittest... View more

I am 22 and I have been struggling for the last 2 months in particular, but am really feeling now I am close to breaking point. Have moved to Darwin for work, leaving my mum and brothers and close friends behind. This time last year i was the fittest at my work, I had energy. Now, I struggle to get out of bed and shower everyday, I have no interest in keeping fit anymore. I find excuses to not go to work. My partner of 12 months works away during the week, and I am told to stop comparing myself to couples that have sex. I want to move back home to family but feel like i would regret leaving a stable job and would be judged for going back to live with my mum. My relationship has fallen apart, I hate my job and I don't know what the purpose of anything is anymore. I have seen mental health professionals and they just tell me it's a 'phase'. i've never had any history of health issues, i've lived with my body for the last 22 years... i know something is not right with me.

Liv_ I feel so alone. I cannot deal with the stresses of relationships and school work.
  • replies: 8

I'm 15 and have two younger siblings, one being 13 and one being 10. My relationships with my parents was always healthy until the past two years where things started to get hard and school began to get stressful. My sister has always been very smart... View more

I'm 15 and have two younger siblings, one being 13 and one being 10. My relationships with my parents was always healthy until the past two years where things started to get hard and school began to get stressful. My sister has always been very smart, sporty, popular and perfect and my brother is the nicest person and most popular person you will ever meet. I am not the smartest and I really struggle to make friends. I feel like my parents have been totally rejecting me. They never talk to me anymore and refuse to help me with anything. I feel so alone at home. My parents are so disappointed in me but I don't think I have done anything wrong. My siblings always sticks up for me but my parents always dismiss me. Recently I have been arguing a lot at home, especially with my dad. He always tells me I'm not good enough and I need to get my act together like my siblings. I'm trying so hard but I feel like I can't deal with the stress of relationships at school, extra curricular activities and trying to keep up with all my school work. My parents also don't understand school life, they always shout at me and take my computer away which is making studying almost impossible. School life is getting really difficult. I used to have so many friends but now I just have vague friends who I sit with a lunchtimes but know no one notices if I don't turn up at school. My best friend moved to boarding school and my old boyfriend moved overseas. It's hard because I used to have so many close friends that just drifted away from me. I have never felt more alone but I'm too scared to talk to anyone and I feel like I have no one to talk to and everyone will judge me. I'm so sick of crying myself to sleep every night. But I also feel so guilty for feeling so sad as I am so privileged, I go to a private school and deep down I know my family love me. I just wish things were easier. I don't think I'm depressed because I do manage to find enjoyment on everyday activities but at the same time I find myself crying quite often. Sorry for the rant, I just feel alone.

Nancyyy What happen to me? :'(
  • replies: 1

I don't wanna go home tonight! I had bursted my anger last night with my sister for no reasons. I am not sure why i was so angry and feel so annoyed when she wake me up and tell me something. Then i just cried and no one seem to understand and i mayb... View more

I don't wanna go home tonight! I had bursted my anger last night with my sister for no reasons. I am not sure why i was so angry and feel so annoyed when she wake me up and tell me something. Then i just cried and no one seem to understand and i maybe dont understand as well. So i didnt feel well this whole day and now its time to leave school and go home but i dont wanna to. I called and lie to my aunt that im going out with my friend. But in fact im not going out i stayed inside my car and writing this shit. I plan to go back home later at night. I moved abroad to study and live with my sister. I havent talked to my parents for six months now i love them so much but i dont know why i dont make the call. To me i dont have any friends here. Im just by myself. I want to just disappear but i am not a suicidal. I just want to move somewhere that i dont know anyone at all and no one know me either. I dont know.. i have goal that i want to focus on sometimes i just work so hard to make it happen and totally leave other things behind. These day i feel that i forgot how to be happy, maybe im not sure who am i anymore.

Donnac The longer my mental health goes the more people disappear
  • replies: 3

Hi there this is my first posting however I contacted beyond blue recently. I've used every resource possible to help with my depression and without beyond blue (albeit my last resource, feels like my only resource left). My amazing husband of 27 yea... View more

Hi there this is my first posting however I contacted beyond blue recently. I've used every resource possible to help with my depression and without beyond blue (albeit my last resource, feels like my only resource left). My amazing husband of 27 years (childhood sweethearts), has run out of steam. He has always tried to 'fix' me. I've lost many so called 'friends' and fair weather friends have let me down recently at work! My parents are quick to get off phone incase I mention my mental health and I'm very alone! I'm not sure I feel the way I do since switching medication only two weeks ago. I had a colleague (thought we were friends as suffer mh too) email me and shout that I'm permanently off work and that everyone takes the slack for me!! Well I didn't need this just after changing medication. I've made a mental note to not talk about my illnesses (keeping the stigma alive) and only discuss with my community mental health nurse and beyond blue. I even feel my doctor sighs when he sees me. Can I just be me around the ones I love and leave my mood disorders for the professionals?? Btw I do yin yoga, meditation, exercise regularly and eat healthily. Never put weight on and take antidepressants too. Anyone have similar issues with approx 14 years of ptsd, anxiety and major depression? Warm regards Donna

confusedteen Help Please
  • replies: 7

Hi, i'm very new to the forums and it took me forever to even work out how to use this. i was wondering if anyone could help me out with some advice?For a while now, i've been left out. i didn't hang out with anyone for a while but when i was allowed... View more

Hi, i'm very new to the forums and it took me forever to even work out how to use this. i was wondering if anyone could help me out with some advice?For a while now, i've been left out. i didn't hang out with anyone for a while but when i was allowed to again, my "friends" begged me to come and sit with them. i did and have been ignored all the time. They never speak to me unless i speak, they just hate me. i don't really have any other people to go to either because everyone hates me. I also recently lost my best friend...she walked out on our friendship. That broke me. I've been really lost without her ad even more so now with no friends. 2 days ago, some guys in my class we calling me ugly and fat and made me cry. I do get very upset over all of this so some help would really be appreciated x

W_ Friend Has Problem With Anxiety
  • replies: 2

I met a girl online about 8 or 9 months ago and we ended up really good friends almost immediately.She didn't want to Skype with me at first and I was wondering if she had just been a stalker the whole time,but eventually we did end up talking.Recent... View more

I met a girl online about 8 or 9 months ago and we ended up really good friends almost immediately.She didn't want to Skype with me at first and I was wondering if she had just been a stalker the whole time,but eventually we did end up talking.Recently,she opened up to me about something which explains a lot.She told me that she has a Social Anxiety Disorder. So over a year ago when she realized what it was and what was causing her depression she went to her mother for help (she was 14). Her mother told her she was "just a little shy".She kept asking for help but stopped when her mother (along with the rest of the family) made fun of her for it.Long story short that was her last year in that school, so she left everyone she knew and went to her new school.She only ever ate lunch with her sister and if that wasn't an option she would throw out her food so it looked like she ate and spend lunch in a bathroom stall. Anyways, that's about the time she finally said she would Skype with me.After a couple months she started getting better and tried really hard to be happy again. And now she says she is happier than she used to be, but although she didn't directly state it I gathered that I'm the only one she can really talk to.I told her to text me and just completely vent whenever she feels alone, anxious, or depressed and she has been. And that's when I started to get just how bad her anxiety is. For example, she had to work in a group and what she texted me was mildly alarming, but also really scared sounding, she said her stomach started cramping up and she couldn't breathe and she couldn't reason with her brain and it just sounded like absolute hell. I asked her if she tried self-help and she said she did, but she's only fifteen and couldn't find anything of real use for free online. Although I didn't ask her I'm pretty sure she didn't look into a blog like this because she is so scared of her family finding out and making fun of her again. I've tried giving her tips like chewing gum, listening to music anything I can find but most of it she's already tried and it doesn't help enough. I feel really guilty about this, because I feel like I am not doing a much better job of helping her then her family did, but my hands are tied and I need to know if there is someway I can help her get over her depression, but especially her anxiety because that seems like the root of her problems. So, if anyone knows anything, please tell me. Thanks

Stevey1 Depression? Faking it? Confused?
  • replies: 3

I'm very unsure about my mental situation. On one hand my therapist thinks that I am exhibit symptoms of Depression but on the other, I ponder whether or not the majority of my negative emotions are being subconsciously perpetuated for some unknown r... View more

I'm very unsure about my mental situation. On one hand my therapist thinks that I am exhibit symptoms of Depression but on the other, I ponder whether or not the majority of my negative emotions are being subconsciously perpetuated for some unknown reason. As someone who never feels like they fit in with the people around them, I'm very worried that I am subconsciously forcing myself to be sad because I will then be able to relate with the depressed community, as messed up as that is. However, I recently started talking to an old friend on the other side of the country about my problems and intern, theirs. But surely I would be taking advantage of these conversations to "Feel Connected" with my friend whom I may also add, is clinically depressed. However, I very much dislike our conversations, even as someone who doesn't mind opening up. So what's wrong with me? Is this whole thing just a way to rationalize the way I have been feeling? Or perhaps I don't like talking to my friend because It would disprove my theory. I understand that this seems rather abstract and over thought but I am just utterly confused. If anyone could offer any clarity into my very confused 14 year old brain I would be incredibly grateful. Thank you

nish 13 but no time to celarbrate
  • replies: 3

it was my 13th birthday and mum had just got off the phone. I thought mum would be happy hearing from nan but tears were streaming down her face, I soon found out pop had died in his sleep and everyone was upset. I went to school and when I came home... View more

it was my 13th birthday and mum had just got off the phone. I thought mum would be happy hearing from nan but tears were streaming down her face, I soon found out pop had died in his sleep and everyone was upset. I went to school and when I came home there was my dog that I had since birth howling and crying, I didn't think my birthday could get any worse. mum and me went to the vets and found out she had got cancer and in her leg and it had spreading more than last time and that they would have to put her down. a week before my mum and dad split up to instead of being happy for my birthday I was faced with family splitting up, my only pop dying and my best friend Jessi having to be put down. the following day's after went as a blur all I remember was everyone sad and depressed. my dad never came around for my birthday or the birthdays following. I'm now 18 and every birthday I'm reminded of my pop and my dog but also the sadness that come from it. I've learnt to deal with it and to always know that there up there watching me. as for my dad I believe that one day I'll see him I just hope he doesn't leave it to late. I struggle with depression but have learnt to live with it and that it's ok to cry. I wish I could go back to having a birthday without sadness but that's life, so instead on my birthday I don't go all sad I visit my pop's grave with a letter every year I changed the old one to the new one telling him about my life and my goals and tell him how much I love and miss him. it helps knowing that some how me doing that he is apart of my birthday.

Guest_44 Sick and tired of being sick and tired [triggerwarning: sexual abuse]
  • replies: 3

Hi, I'm 19 years old. I've been battling with an autoammune disease for 5 years now. I lost my virginity to rape at 15, I've been physically abused by multiple men and now to top it off my most recent partner has just slept with another girl. I left ... View more

Hi, I'm 19 years old. I've been battling with an autoammune disease for 5 years now. I lost my virginity to rape at 15, I've been physically abused by multiple men and now to top it off my most recent partner has just slept with another girl. I left him. And it was so hard. I keep asking myself: "is this all my life is ever going to be?", "is my life just going to be a constant mental and physical battle?". I guess my question really is: how do you look at the positive side of life when everything seems to be going against you and you're bed ridden all the time?! thanks ❤

PJ_Otto Depression affecting my sporting performance - how to tell my coach what is really going on?
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone, This is my first post so I'm not too sure what to expect but hopefully someone will be able to help me out. My younger brother passed away earlier this year from cancer and my mum died 3 years ago from cancer also. Prior to their diagnos... View more

Hi everyone, This is my first post so I'm not too sure what to expect but hopefully someone will be able to help me out. My younger brother passed away earlier this year from cancer and my mum died 3 years ago from cancer also. Prior to their diagnosis I was suffering depression and anxiety however now because of the grief and trauma of losing 2 family members it has become so severe it is affecting my everyday life and I can not hide it from others like I used to. I play a semi-elite team sport (which has saved me as it has always been my release and safe space) but now I find I can't train or play as hard and I am experiencing much higher levels of anxiety than I can cope with. I have never talked about my mental health with my team or coach in past (as it has never really affected this aspect of my life) however I know they know about my family and are a bit more lenient with with me missing training etc. but I have recently missed a few games and now have to have a meeting with the coach next session. I am unsure how to explain to them what I am going through with telling them my life story and the ins and outs of my health? I am a very private person and have only ever really spoken to my psychologist about my family and I don't want them to think I am incapable of playing at that level. I don't really like attention on me and I don't want it to be spread around the club so I would like a positive way of phrasing it all? To be honest I'm not really sure what I should say so any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance