Young people

Pinned discussions

Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies

replies: 51

Hi! Just thought I’d make a post with some tips for study. I know this is something we can all struggle with. These are all suggestions so feel free to take them or leave them! Hope they help! If you only remember one thing, let it be this: You are important. Your grades don’t define you. (support) Studying can feel isolating but know you’re not alone! Reach out – and find or make friends that can support you along the way. If you’re having trouble finding some friends, join some local communities or clubs! They have lots at Uni’s and even stuff like open days are great ways to meet new people and find out what’s happening. Study groups can also be a great way to meet people and stay motivated. Also remind yourself why you’re doing this; inspirational wallpapers or quotes can be super inspiring. Remember the saying about the oxygen mask? If you can’t take care of yourself first studying will be harder. You are important. You know the drill - water, food, exercise, sleep. Try to stay calm. Stuff that might be able to help include mindfulness, breathing exercises, colouring in, going for walks, journaling, listening to music… If you’re struggling – reach out. See a therapist. Talk to your student counsellor. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Also lots of Universities and TAFE offer disability services – which includes conditions like Depression and Anxiety. (study) Find the right study space for you. Maybe that’s in your room, or a coffee shop, or the library. Some people find that noise helps; other people not so much. If you like particular kinds of noise, you can find ‘coffee shop’ noise or ‘rain sounds’ to help concentrate. Make a plan. It helps to do it often so it becomes a habit. Anytime you get a due date, write it down. Maybe you could use a diary, planner, bullet journal or an app. I find the 30/30 App helpful - study for a bit and then break for a bit. You can also get add-on’s for your computer to block sites like Facebook if you find them too distracting. Find out what study technique works for you. Do you like cue cards? Mind maps? Colour coding? Does highlighting stuff help you remember? Charts, maps, diagrams? Recorded lectures? Goals! These are so important – not just writing down deadlines but rewarding yourself for meeting them. Even making smaller goals like ‘read two pages from a textbook’ can help. Break it down into bite size pieces, and don’t forget to reward yourself after!

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first

replies: 0

The Young People space is a sub-forum within the wider Beyond Blue forum community. 1. Its purpose is to provide members aged 25 and under a space to discuss anxiety, depression and other related life issues. If you are aged over 25, please be mindful that this forum is a space for younger people to connect and provide peer support for each other. 2. Content from this sub-forum is displayed on both the beyondblue and youthbeyondblue websites. 3. Please bear in mind that some members find content relating to suicide and/or self-harm distressing or triggering. If you would like to post on these topics, please do so in our Suicidal Thoughts and Self Harm section. Please see also our guidelines for making posts on this topic. Posts made here in the Young People sub-forum containing content relating to suicide and/or self-harm will be moved. 4. These forums are moderated, so your posts may not appear straightaway. Information on how our system works can be found here. Being familiar with our community rules can help ensure that your posts appear online as quickly as possible. 5. This is a peer support community, and to get the best out of being here we recommend that you 'give support to receive support'. More on how that works here.

All discussions

Sorted by:

Start a discussion

LOST ABOUT UNI AND SCARED FOR FUTURE

replies: 3

Hey everyone, this is my first post so I guess I'll just get into it. So I'm currently in year 12 and I graduate in a week which is causing me some serious anxiety - I wake up every night at 3am with knots in my stomach, heart beating fast and just wanting to cry. I guess I'm scared about leaving somewhere I feel so comfortable into this unknown of Uni, which is causing me so much stress and anxiety. I'm scared of a few things 1. Not seeing my few friends ever again, 2. I have no idea what course I want to do so I'm scared I'll choose one that isn't right for me and then hate it and thus have to transfer, 3. Not making friends at Uni (because noone from my school is going to the Uni I'm thinking of going to, which is making me want to go somewhere else just so I have friends and wont be alone. I know these things sound silly but I'm not the best at making new friends - like I am a party person but walking into a room where I know noone and everyone else has at least one friend terrifies me. I really am tempted to just go to a Uni where I know I will have people because of the fear of not making friends and all that. On top of all that I have no idea what course I want to do - so I'm just doing something very general, but what if I hate it? I don't want to be there for 6 months then transfer courses and then transfer Uni's and have to be at Uni longer than I planned especially with no friends. I honestly have no idea what to do and I get so much more anxiety when my friends talk about what they are going to do - they seem to all know the exact course and exact job and the group of people they will be studying with and I have none of that which makes me cry often and I'm in a permanent state of anxiety. You would think that choosing the course is the most stressful thing but if I'm completely honest, the thought of going to university and not knowing anyone scares me the most and gives me the most anxiety. I honestly have no clue what to do, so I guess any help would be appreciated.

21 year old male never had a girlfriend and never been kissed

replies: 7

Hi all, I'm a 21 year old male and I've never been kissed or had a girlfriend. Almost all of my friends have girlfriends. I'm not the best looking guy out there so I haven't had many girls call me attractive, but I'm terrible when it comes to girls, I just don't really know how to talk to them and I don't think I'm able to make them laugh either. I'm born with a condition called Russell silver syndrome and it brings me down. It's not such a common disease. Just look it up, if you wanna see what it means. But I think I look hideous because of it, I have really dark circles under my eyes because I suffer from insomnia, I have a overbite, I hate my voice and I'm a short guy because of my condition I'm 5'3. However I am a nice guy and I am not in it for sex and just want a relationship. I sometimes look at beautiful girls and they look at me like, whys he looking at me??? I have many crushes throughout my life and I ended up knowing they wouldn't love me back, one made me feel depressed for quite a while. I feel so ashamed because I see all these guys around me that have girlfriends and they seem to be charming somehow and good looking. I try to dress my best although I always wear the same sort of shirts like band shirts or pop culture shirts with shorts and a pair of vans, although girls never really comment on my shirts or anything. I shave almost everyday and wash my hair everyday and keep it tidy. I've never even hung out with a girl unless it's been with a friends girlfriend, by myself. It's not fair and I wasted my high school years not doing this instead isolating myself away playing video games, even though then I wish I had a girlfriend. I feel like I'm just going to grow into a lonely old man, being a virgin and never kissing a girl. I'm thinking going out to a bar with a friend of mine sometime soon to try and find girls although I don't know how they will work because I have tried apps and they have worked zero percent for me, no matter how many girls profiles I like, I get nothing back. Yet my friend met his girlfriend on one and I had a friend that was being liked girls on it all the time and they were messaging him. I've tried messaging girls before and they ask what I look like and I show them and then they're out, they don't wanna talk to me.

Car crash

replies: 3

Last week my dad died, he was in a car crash... I'm having a really hard time. I feel like I'm always on the verge of tears and school is the hardest thing because i always cry in classes. Im having a really hard time and can't concentrate on anythin... View more

Why doesn't my boyfriend understand

replies: 2

my boyfriend and I have been together for 2 years, a year ago I started having terrible anxiety attacks to the point of shaking and vomitting but not only that I would spend hour and hours laying in bed and crying. I find it so hard to leave the house and socialise with people at times without having an anxiety attack I'm taking medication and trying to work on it now. This has made it so hard on my relationship as I find my partner is never understanding of how I feel at these times he often thinks I 'put on an act' so I don't have to go anywhere. I find it so hard to trust him because he never takes me seriously and think I always over react. I'm alway so paranoid his cheating on me, he always seems to be so secretive and I don't leave the house or see/talk to people very often. I'm so confused

I can't be honest with my therapist

replies: 3

My therapist is trying to help me and I know that but every time they ask me a question about something thing to do with my mental health and how I feel almost like a reflex I deny any negative feelings I have, I say I'm fine I'm ok nothing's wrong, I can hear my self shouting in my head I'm not ok I need help but when I try to say something my throat dries up my jaw clenches shut and I feel a cold sweat rush over my body and I can't say anything or barely move. I don't know what to do I want help and to be honest but I feel like I'm fighting myself and I can't win.

Anxious About Dating

replies: 2

Hi everyone, So I don't want to sound like a player or anything but I have around five guys that are interested in me. All of them are different in their own way and they all intrigue me in different ways also, if that makes sense. I am just a little bit confused about how to go about picking which one to date more seriously as we are all just in the talking and hanging out and flirty banter stage currently. For example, do I choose the guy that caught my attention from day one but who is a little shy and slow to make a move but who I can tell has a very vulnerable side to him or the guy that is a charming smooth talker but who I always have a fun time with? Do I choose the guy who I can be my most "myself" with but with whom I am least attracted to physically? Do I let things just grow and develop naturally? I don't want to waste anyone's time but I still want to give everyone a chance if that makes sense! If any of you guys have partners can you please tell me what went through your mind to pursue them or choose them over others just so I can get a clearer picture in my head please? Like how much should I follow my head and my heart with these things?

I feel intimidated by meeting new people

replies: 3

Hello everyone! It is 2am and my brain won't switch off. I'm sure we all know that feeling! I am new to the Forums and am unsure what to write here but I'll give it a go. I'm an introvert. Always have been. Like a lot of people when I am comfortable around people I will be my happy, easy going self that likes to have a laugh and have fun. I have a fun side...well I think I can be fun anyway. I have always found it difficult to make new friends and meet new people because of my anxiety ( I was diagnosed with Depression & Anxiety back in 2012), I get intimidated quite easily and feel judged by the people I am meeting- it could be by a facial expression or tone of voice, this is when I go into my shell or seem to say something ridiculous (not be myself) it just never seems natural to meet new people unless they are on the same level as me socially. If they are loud and outgoing, it is easy for me to become intimidated and quiet - sometimes I feel THAT intimidated that I go off to cry because I just do not know what to say or how to react to fit in with them. I feel like I am disliked by a lot of people, just judging by the way I get spoken to sometimes or looked at. I am very sensitive so I am aware it could just be my mind being silly, however it feels like people don't really want to push past that 1st impression to get to know the real me. I was bullied/put down in school for what seemed like absolutely NO reason whatsoever, I hadn't even spoken to these people before. I was ignored, tormented and called names however, these people would speak to my friends right in front of me. To this day I still ask the question: "why?" and I will never know the answer...not unless I ask these people directly, but even then they probably wouldn't speak to me. All I know is, my mind can't turn this off, I relive these experiences over and over. I don't think I can turn it off until I get an answer as to WHY these people wanted to put me down and make me feel worthless. It's not just the school experiences, it's from all kinds of things. Past and present. I am almost 25 years old, don't have too many friends or much in common with people these days. I just want to be happy and not give a crap about what people think, I envy people who can do that. Does anyone else go through similar stuff? Is there a way you can switch off to not think of the things that make you upset or anxious? Would love to hear about others' experiences and help each other out Thanks guys.

Homesick whilst Backpacking

replies: 1

Hi all! I'm 19 and have been backpacking Asia for just over 2 months. I've always had a good home life and I love my family and where I live, so I was prepared to feel a little bit homesick during my travels. What I wasn't prepared for was feeling homesick for 2 months straight. Other travellers I've met told me that it would pass, but it hasn't and I think now I've resigned to the fact that it will probably stick with me throughout the rest of my travels (I have two months left). Usually I feel less homesick when I keep busy, and it helps not to have contact with home (but I can only keep this up for a few days, I love talking to my family and keeping them updated!). It's very frustrating - I'm enjoying myself but always sad at the same time, constantly feel on the verge of tears and it's not only affecting my happiness but that of my travel buddy as well, who doesn't feel homesick at all. The annoying thing is I don't WANT to be at home, I like travelling and it's not that long till I'll be home anyway. It's just a frustrating feeling that won't go away. I'm interested to know of other people's experiences with homesickness and any coping methods you may have. Thanks!

i feel like i've lost my only friends due to anxiety/depression. any advice is appreciated.

replies: 3

my first post here o . O i'll just get to the point. late 2014 is when my mental illnesses became prominent, 2015 was living hell for me, i was still in school (year 9) and i barely passed the year. in 2016 i flat out refused to go back to school (i've always been scared of school, and hate it with a burning passion) and eventually i got enrolled in distance education. about more than halfway into the year. my anxiety is absolute garbage, especially since i basically spent most of the year in my house. i also have severe depression, i was taking medication for that, but stopped around halfway thru the year. and i also have brain fog so i feel like crap all the time. but oh i'm getting off of track i''ve been in the house for a long time as i said, my only two friends who rly clicked w me (i'm not trusting of friends anymore...i used to have a bunch of friends in primary school, i loved them but they never contacted me. ever. after getting out of school. so these two friends, i in a nutshell feel they don't care baout me anymore, like they've moved on. i don't blame them..i'll say about when i met them irl this year first time my best friend (not anymore..) sammy visited my house for a sleepover. around 11pm my anxiety swept me, i needed to be alone. i asked if she could go home, she was alright with that. (also she suffers from severe depression and anxiety as well. she's gotten way better now.) other time tht was fairly recent, i saw my friend sammy and th eother one bynesha. it was alright. a few days ago i went to sammys bday party, a sleepover. i felt so alone. i knew everyone there from school but...idk. sammy was barely payign attention to me. i was on the outside of the group. a person at the party was trying to make conversation bc she was alone too but it was just so uncomfortable. anytime i spoke i felt so f-----g embarrased. just like in school, whenever i used to talk in front of classes...i felt so stupid...my emotions were killing me, i needed to get out of there so i called my mmum askign if she could pick me up. bynesha didnt come bc she was seeing her relatives or smth. after this experience i just want to push whateevr i have left of these two friendships away...and then i'll have no friends. no one else to judge me, or for me to freak out about, but i'm already too lonely it;s so painful,, i'm tearing up thinking about it now. i dont know what to do. i'm too anxious to find new friends, to anxious to function infornt of people, im 16.

I thought I was better..

replies: 5

I was on this blog a couple of months back, one day I abruptly stopped posting, because I had gotten to a point of no return and I didn't feel the need anymore. I was taking my medication and regularly seeing a psychologist, and I WAS getting better, I was finally able to enjoy the little things. Even though I woke up everyday upset and hating myself, I still managed to name one positive thing that happened in my day. I no longer went to the bathroom in complete darkness, I no longer avoided mirrors, I brushed my teeth, I showered, I was finally me again. I decided I no longer needed the help I was being provided with and someone else needed it more than I did. So I just stopped everything, and for a while I was okay and happy and I was young. Until I started going to the bathroom in complete darkness, Started locking myself in my room, I stopped showering and mornings became and endless struggle to get out of bed and go to school. I lost all the friends I made, My family were them old selves. I've selfishly ruined everything, again. I will never get better.

Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies replies: 51

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first replies: 0

LOST ABOUT UNI AND SCARED FOR FUTURE replies: 3

21 year old male never had a girlfriend and never been kissed replies: 7

Car crash replies: 3

Why doesn't my boyfriend understand replies: 2

I can't be honest with my therapist replies: 3

Anxious About Dating replies: 2

I feel intimidated by meeting new people replies: 3

Homesick whilst Backpacking replies: 1

i feel like i've lost my only friends due to anxiety/depression. any advice is appreciated. replies: 3

I thought I was better.. replies: 5