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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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SweetAmara Lost. I have no idea how to move forward.
  • replies: 6

Hi all, I have been diagnosed with general anxiety, social anxiety and depression, I am beginning counselling which I find really difficult; but I have a feeling I am actually bipolar. I raised these issues with my doctor and was told categorically t... View more

Hi all, I have been diagnosed with general anxiety, social anxiety and depression, I am beginning counselling which I find really difficult; but I have a feeling I am actually bipolar. I raised these issues with my doctor and was told categorically that "what I meant to say" was that my parents are very critical not emotionally abusive/controlling. That kind of attitude makes attending counselling scary for me. As well as during my first session when she told me to "Calm down!" which truly embarrassed me. I have struggled a lot over the past year or so and have been admitted to hospital. I have had another health issues as well. I spent nearly all of last year sick in fear and anxiety. My parents pushed me to begin uni straight after finishing school, I didn't want to, I wanted to find a job; but they told me I had to so I did. I have made very little progress over the past 4-5 years and now I am trying to finish this year so I can go on to a Masters in Teaching. There are many other things I want to do that I don't feel I can. I finished a TAFE course last year, so now I am looking for work. My boyfriend lives in the US and I desperately want to go see him; but I have already been told "it's not time yet." I have to buy a car, save up, then I can go if they approve. We've been together two years this year and I already know that when we chose to get married will be heavily scrutinised. My mother has already said I can't move in with him when he moves here, because she'll be angry with me. I feel like everything in my life is determined by my parents, I have no control and I constantly feel unbearably anxious. When I approach these issues, I am called a "liar," "lazy" etc. for not achieving my goals and not feeling good about myself, even though I do try. Like I have said before, I feel suffocated, my anxiety is completely unbearable to live and I find it hard to function at all. I don't feel supported outside of a few friends and my boyfriend. But I am generally terrified. Terrified of disappointing everyone. I already have no self confidence and no independence, even ringing about a job is terrifying. But I just don't how to blossom in an environment where I am under so much scrutiny and I can't leave without possibly severing ties.

Genericdep how do i get help / centrelink
  • replies: 1

hi everyone, i am almost homeless right now, i used to live with my parents but left early january for private reasons and im now in another state... right now i am staying in a tent in someones back yard, i have no income, and i have previously been... View more

hi everyone, i am almost homeless right now, i used to live with my parents but left early january for private reasons and im now in another state... right now i am staying in a tent in someones back yard, i have no income, and i have previously been diagnosed with aspergers & schizophrenia (seperately) and suffer from severe anxiety/panic especially in public.. i used to take medication for it, but i need to get a new diagnosis before i can have access to it again, and i was basically a shut in at home, so i didnt pursue it for the past year... i have seen GP's a few times, trying to get referred to get a diagnosis that i can show to centrelink or something, and to get medication again, but so far it has been a run around, and the GP has told me that if they sent me to a psychiatrist, it would take months for an appointment, and i think by the time that happens i will be totally out of money and completely homeless does anyone have some advice for me? can i claim with centrelink while im waiting to see a psychologist? or is there another pathway?

motion_picture_soundtrack trying my best but nothing is working
  • replies: 4

i feel horribly trapped just being alive. i've had depression for nearly four years now and things are still getting worse no matter what i do. my parents split in 2015. i moved out with my dad and not too long later i switched schools - both of whic... View more

i feel horribly trapped just being alive. i've had depression for nearly four years now and things are still getting worse no matter what i do. my parents split in 2015. i moved out with my dad and not too long later i switched schools - both of which were really good things, my mum and i would fight every time we talked and i had bad problems with anxiety around schooling (which has improved a bit now i'm doing distance school) and that solved two of the major problems in my life, which i felt should've made me feel better but it didn't do anything for my depression, only anxiety. i've made new friends, got a job, counselling, cbt, medication, art therapy, doing new things and trying to switch my life up, in general trying my damnedest to keep my head up but it doesn't work. i still feel horrible every day and everything i do gets harder and harder to pretend to be motivated for the more i dig myself into this hole of 'it's never getting better' but i don't feel like it is. if i dwell on it i start getting incredibly anxious and have had panic attacks over thinking about the fact that when i finally manage to get to sleep i'm going to be waking up to the exact same thing and feeling the exact same way as always and there's nothing i can do about it. i can't stand it and it takes away all my energy and just makes me feel like theres no point doing anything but staying in bed all day. every time anything remotely good happens that lightens me up it seems something bad immediately follows, it's like life is just out to get me and keep me from enjoying myself for even a day i feel like maybe i'm not trying hard enough to be happy or it's teen angst or something that i'm making a bigger deal than necessary about but i can't deal with it anymore, i'm not one for crying but thinking about being alive in the state i'm in sends me into hysterics because i don't want to stay the way i am and i don't know what to do. not sure what i'm hoping to gain from this but any advice would be great because everything i try fails

LuveniA Considering the thought of taking anti-depressants to manage Depression and Anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi there! I'm 17 and I was recently diagnosed with having Depression and Anxiety. I'm currently seeing a psychologist and we're trying something called the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). So it's basically a way to change the way we think during ... View more

Hi there! I'm 17 and I was recently diagnosed with having Depression and Anxiety. I'm currently seeing a psychologist and we're trying something called the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). So it's basically a way to change the way we think during a low mood and trying to find positive things to focus on within our low and creating alternate situations with a positive outcome than ones with a negative outcome which is what I usually think of first. I've been trying to use CBT when I am in a low mood but I find that it seems to get pushed out my mind very quickly and I end up delving deeper into darker thoughts. I've been thinking about using anti-depressants to reduce my moods going drastically low and stabilising my emotions and the way I feel. I think that if I use the anti-depressants in conjunction with CBT, I'll be able to use CBT more effectively. I plan on using the anti-depressants for approximately a year (my final year of high school). Do you guys think that is a bad idea? Are there other alternatives that I can do instead of going on anti-depressants? I just get so fatigued from coming back from my low moods, I often feel numb and tired afterwards. And then I go back into a low mood. I rarely feel 'normal' or have a day where I don't just burst out crying because I feel so sad and tired. What are your thoughts? Thanks, Ro

Izzi I'm struggling with depression, anxiety and finishing high school, I'm scared about the road ahead
  • replies: 2

Hello, my name is Isabelle. I am at the start of the last year of high school and it is becoming quite stressful. I have been struggling with depression and anxiety ever since primary school but it's never been this bad and I'm scared about when scho... View more

Hello, my name is Isabelle. I am at the start of the last year of high school and it is becoming quite stressful. I have been struggling with depression and anxiety ever since primary school but it's never been this bad and I'm scared about when school finishes. I'm struggling with the fact that I might not be able to live by myself or that I'll have enough money to survive. Also, I've been feeling really lonely as most of my friends either have a girlfriend or a boyfriend and even at school they'll walk away to go into the library while I'm still having my lunch. I never had any friends in primary school, I'm still not sure why but the feeling of being alone leaves me broken inside. At home, my parents work hard at they're jobs but never show any affection towards me, I'm usually being told what to do or being lectured about daily life and how growing up is a struggle to accomplish. If there is anyone out there that can help and give some advice, believe me I'll take all of it. Much love, Isabelle.

loouuiiee Keeping busy over the holiday period
  • replies: 2

Soooooo I'm on 'school holidays' technically & I will be SO GLAD when it's over!!! im unwillingly becoming like a hermit and meeting and talking to new people feels weird. I live on my own, my family live far away, most of the people in my course I t... View more

Soooooo I'm on 'school holidays' technically & I will be SO GLAD when it's over!!! im unwillingly becoming like a hermit and meeting and talking to new people feels weird. I live on my own, my family live far away, most of the people in my course I talk to have dropped out, and I'm struggling financially to the extreme. Like living on rations of rice, frozen veg and 2minute noodles extreme Ive just moved to a new house (which was draining af) I rarely go out besides going for a nature walk coz I don't have money for a bus ticket most of the time, and when I do, surely the people I talk to/meet don't sit alone in their house worrying about money & talking to no one face to face because there is no one. I've got people to talk to on social media & my fault via phone call or text, but verbally speaking to people after days sometimes WEEKS of being home alone feels WEIRD! and meeting new people feels foreign like I'm some kind of socially zombie-fied ALIEN It's so not normal I swear!! Next holidays I will have made closer connections with whoever is left in my course! And I will hopefully have a part time job to keep me busy over the holiday period coz seriously I am going INSANE! im curious does anyone else actually even have these issues??? I have generalized anxiety disorder (however with medication it's pretty under control) and Ive been suffering bouts of depression for 10 years now (like i feel better and then I feel worse again depending on my circumstances) ... I'm also not really a fan of my psychologist I see her once a month & have been seeing her for over a year & literally think she just likes to chat and waste my time. ive seen other psychologists before who were much more helpful and seem to know what they are talking about (a lot more than this one does) .. but they are in my hometown (where my family is from) and my school is here so I can't move again 🤦🏻‍

Mr__kipper literally no point
  • replies: 1

hi. I don't really know what to say... I guess I just have one question. what point is there in trying to do everything right?

hi. I don't really know what to say... I guess I just have one question. what point is there in trying to do everything right?

Thetipsychocolatier Intimate triggers
  • replies: 4

Hi, 4 months ago I was clinically diagnosed with depression as a result of a break-up. It was my first relationship and I'm only 19 now, so in perspective it was very significant to my life. We broke up 5 days before our 1year. Despite the fact I ult... View more

Hi, 4 months ago I was clinically diagnosed with depression as a result of a break-up. It was my first relationship and I'm only 19 now, so in perspective it was very significant to my life. We broke up 5 days before our 1year. Despite the fact I ultimately ended it, I didn't feel as if I had any real control over it. Depression means different things to different people, it assumes different forms relevant to our lifestyles and situations. For me, my disorder has entailed: difficulty eating, regular (and at times incessant) panic attacks and abuse of recreation drugs for relief. That translated into something more personal: I've lost 33kg (since august 2016), I quit my job and have struggled in many social circumstances because of stress and I developed an intensive habit of smoking (perhaps one of the less stigmatic recreational drugs). I've been eating healthier, living with less stress and just recently I quit smoking. I'm doing better. There are, without doubt, still things that keep me from feeling 100% myself again. That prevent me from being 'normal'. One of these things is my triggers. Small and often random visual catalysts for panic and elevated stress. I had a very intense panic attack once just because of her socks. We were all playing card games at a friend's house and she took her shoes off, to get more comfortable and casual. That's all it was. And seeing her in those socks, it just reminded me of all the times she was comfortable and causual in my home. Where everything was just fun, relaxed. That signified to me an ability for her to feel comfortable in this social circumstance, while from across the room I was just falling apart behind my smile. Triggers have proven to be random, seemingly innocent for face value and over all prevalent. Some other examples include her mum's model of car, kitkats & maltesers (she was obsessed), red ribbon, ballet. I even stumbled across her new interest that she met on tinder in person. That was just unlucky. My question is: Do you have triggers in day to day life? And if so, what do you think is the most appropriate way to handle them. Thank you for reading~

Hushlings My Life is a Paradox of Contradictions
  • replies: 1

Hey Everyone, This is my first time posting in a forum as such, so please bare with me as I attempt to articulate what's running through my mind. In 2015, I was told I was exhibiting characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder, or BPD. It was ... View more

Hey Everyone, This is my first time posting in a forum as such, so please bare with me as I attempt to articulate what's running through my mind. In 2015, I was told I was exhibiting characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder, or BPD. It was during a week-long involuntary admission to the psych ward that mental health professionals, for perhaps the first time in my life, were giving me the attention and concern that I hadn't previously experienced with the diagnoses of depression and anxiety; almost as though I needed to be protected from the possibility of developing this disorder. Nine months later I was officially diagnosed with BPD after a suicide attempt. And it was after this official labelling that the treatment I received, not only from field professionals but from those closest to me, became a "tough love" fiasco, if existent at all. The stigma associated with BPD is abysmal. I am manipulative. I am an attention seeker. I am a burden on society. I am the definition of evil itself. It's now the beginning of a new year, and I'm sure as many of you have experienced, with this revelation comes both hope and fear. I want nothing more than to move forward with my life and be happy, however the events of the past still haunt me, and I know from previous experience that when I begin to make that climb into the light, I'm struck down by the darkness. It's almost cyclical. The year starts off fine, I begin to invest in hope, I take the chance and begin to believe in myself, and then crisis tears those beliefs to shreds and I fall back into the shadows. I'm all alone in my recovery, and yet I don't have to be, and here's where it gets tricky.. Initially after the diagnosis, I was put on medication, assigned a case worker, invited to participate in dialectal behavioural therapy, and given a chance to eliminate this darkness that I always succumb to. And yet I resisted. I didn't want to go on medication, so I never picked up my prescriptions. I worked with my case worker for three months and then one day called to close my file. I signed up for DBT but never turned up. I fell back into the darkness and embraced its hold on me. It's as though I am incapable of change, no matter how many times I'm given the chance. I want my happiness, but I don't want the help. I am alone because I CHOOSE to be. My life is just a paradox of contradictions. I'm not sure what I was hoping to get out of this. Perhaps just a moment of clarity. Thanks for listening.

MaiaLilli One small step
  • replies: 4

Hi, I've always struggled to be open about my feelings, but I think I may have Anxiety or Depression. I've heard my mother say that she doesn't believe in Depression so I always feels like someone is going to laugh at me and tell me I'm being silly. ... View more

Hi, I've always struggled to be open about my feelings, but I think I may have Anxiety or Depression. I've heard my mother say that she doesn't believe in Depression so I always feels like someone is going to laugh at me and tell me I'm being silly. It's so bad that I fear seeking help, I'm afraid that the doctor will also tell me it's nothing and brush me off. I'm 22 years old and I just can't find a way to work up the courage to see a GP.

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