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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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Missberri Struggling with uni and work
  • replies: 3

Hi, i know this isn't the biggest problem ever but lately I've been really struggling with work and my uni studies.. Ive been at uni for a while but because of my mental health issues like depressin, really bad insomnia and social anxiety I haven't d... View more

Hi, i know this isn't the biggest problem ever but lately I've been really struggling with work and my uni studies.. Ive been at uni for a while but because of my mental health issues like depressin, really bad insomnia and social anxiety I haven't done as well as I could have. I didn't work much during this time either because my social anxiety and feelings of incompetence have always gotten the best of me and every time I would get an interview I would freak out and not go im finally now in my last year of Uni (finishing middle of next year) and I've started working as well. I've become so much more confident and motivated to finish and start actually doing well in life, but now I'm finding this are getting too much. One of the girls recently left my workplace (a small retail store) so now since there are only 3 of us working there I've been given a lot more shifts. I've been getting around 23-30 hours per week pretty much and I thought that my manager was going to hire someone new soon, but it seems that is not going to happen until after the semester is over. im really starting to panic because I am really falling behind in uni and I know it's not going to get much easier as the weeks go by because I have non stop shifts. I know some people can handle a lot of uni and work but I'm not used to it at all and I really want to give myself enough time to put effort into my uni work this time. I'm scared to talk to my boss and tell her what's going on because I know there's only 3 of us working there and it's hard to split shifts evenly. But it's getting to the point where I've been called up to work on the few days that I was supposed to have off to study and even on some days where I have my classes. its frustrating because she's gotten so many applications from people to work at the store and she said initially she would hire someone but it seems like that's not happening until really late now i don't know what to do at this point I don't want to fail anymore units at uni especially when I'm trying really hard and I'm starting to feel like this job isn't worth it even if I do really like and need it right now.. I really have no idea what to do so any help would be really appreciated

Chelsea95 What's wrong with me
  • replies: 3

I recently explained to my school why I have t been there for a couple of months because I'm have depression and anxiety and find it hard to leave the house/ be around people, and there response was that I need to deal with it and I'm no longer enrol... View more

I recently explained to my school why I have t been there for a couple of months because I'm have depression and anxiety and find it hard to leave the house/ be around people, and there response was that I need to deal with it and I'm no longer enrolled in the course I was doing. This was so hard for me to do as I hate telling people and They have made me feel like an alien, I hate this feeling of being so helpless and different. I hate myself for feeling the way I do, and it's times like this when people can't be a little understanding that I don't want to be here.

hFg Young and lost .....
  • replies: 2

Hi, So i've been feeling some sort of way for a while now, as i've been realising things about myself that I didn't know before. One thing i realised is that i never make an effort in any relationship I have with anyone and i find myself expecting a ... View more

Hi, So i've been feeling some sort of way for a while now, as i've been realising things about myself that I didn't know before. One thing i realised is that i never make an effort in any relationship I have with anyone and i find myself expecting a lot from them and not contributing anything myself. I realised this as i've lost contact with so many of close friends i've had over the years. Also, there's this boy and I've liked him for a long time and i find myself getting angry at him all the time for not talking to me or making a move, as i feel like we have some special bond and i think he feels it too, but i'm to scared to make the first move.I also feel really lonely at school , like I have my group of friends and everything but i feel like i haven't meet that one person that i can be deep with and share a special bond with, at lunch time i feel dull when my friends are talking about things i don't feel the energy to contribute or even want to. When I ask myself when was i truly happy in my life, i think back to primary school, I was young confident smart and always curious about the world, I loved going to school, I created a club at school for k-2 to come and do activities and i also run the math club helping kids in my class struggling with math. I was also excited for what life had to bring and now that i'm about to go into year 12 i'm feeling lost then ever. I want to get a job this holidays to gain confidence, as I lack confidence. I have been burnt so many times in my life.. being young and confident a lot people didn't like me as i would speak my mind to the "popular kids" in year seven and i had a group of fake backstabbing friends so i didn't start my high school experience well. I feel like my past experience has contributed to the way i'm feeling now. When I was younger, i used to tell my brother that i could have 100 jobs at once and he used to laugh at me, I used to think that I could take over the world and now I can't even take over my exams. I'm not a dumb, I do well in exams but not as well as I need to or what my parents expect from me. My brother who is only 1 year younger then me, goes to a selective school and gets the better grades and that puts me down. I also struggle with my weight, i'm overweight now than I used to be. I used to do soccer (outdoor&indoor), swimming and netball so every day I had an activity to do, i was very active and eating healthy and fit but after i started getting sad i used food to make me happy:( idk

sparkle11 forever alone
  • replies: 5

it doesn't matter what i do, how much effort i put in my appearance or go out clubbing every week. i can never seem to get any guys and i haven't even had my first boyfriend yet and I'm turning 21 next month. its very upsetting tome because it makes ... View more

it doesn't matter what i do, how much effort i put in my appearance or go out clubbing every week. i can never seem to get any guys and i haven't even had my first boyfriend yet and I'm turning 21 next month. its very upsetting tome because it makes me feel unlovable. can anyone relate?

Pelicans Constant anxiety about my relationship
  • replies: 9

Hello, I've been tossing up posting on here - partly because I haven't been sure if I was legitimately suffering from anxiety or if things were actually falling apart (as my mind very much likes to remind me). However, I've posted to another anxiety ... View more

Hello, I've been tossing up posting on here - partly because I haven't been sure if I was legitimately suffering from anxiety or if things were actually falling apart (as my mind very much likes to remind me). However, I've posted to another anxiety forum and have had strong suggestions that I am suffering from some kind of anxiety disorder, so here I am. I've been in a relationship for nine months now with a very understanding, thoughtful - and to me, pretty much perfect - person. The trouble in my relationship happened just over three months ago (during a rather stressful time of exams), when I realised I wasn't feeling constantly excited and giddy as I had before. I get the impression this is normal, however it resulted in me having daily (often twice daily) panic attacks. I'd spend hours hiding under my covers or staring up at the ceiling, convinced that my relationship was falling apart because I wasn't feeling enough. At the start of January I went to a GP and was given a care plan for panic disorder/depression, and a referral to a psychologist. However, both due to my panic attacks becoming less frequent at this time, and the psychologist being booked for months, I didn't use this referral. I no longer have panic attacks now, though I still worry constantly about what I'm supposed to feel for my boyfriend, how often I should be feeling it, and whether I'm feeling enough. My mind repeats to me over and over that I don't feel enough, that I don't love him, that I don't think about him enough (ie. not constantly), that the relationship's all a lie, and sends me back into feeling incredibly anxious again. I know I still care very much about him, and do feel things when I'm with him - however by the next day my mind will forget all about that and return to the same thoughts again. The worrying in turn makes me feel exhausted and less romantic, which then makes the worrying even worse. I know I need to change my mindset for everything to work out, but I have no idea how to do that. And I'm not sure how long I can take the constant worrying and tears, or burdening my boyfriend with episodes of panicking and bursting into tears when we're together, believing that things are falling apart. But I have no idea what to do. If anyone has any advice, it'll be much appreciated. In the meantime, I'll try to keep going, one day at a time (thinking any amount of time into the future just makes me anxious right now). Thank you for reading this, Pelicans

CMarie23 Completely lost
  • replies: 4

20 years old and suddenly feeling lost. Didn't know what else to do or who to talk too so I thought I'd come on here I'm constantly tired and nothing fixes it..I have a couple of friends that make the effort sometimes but my mind always finds ways to... View more

20 years old and suddenly feeling lost. Didn't know what else to do or who to talk too so I thought I'd come on here I'm constantly tired and nothing fixes it..I have a couple of friends that make the effort sometimes but my mind always finds ways to doubt if they actually care especially if they never try to see me. Kind of feel like no one cares anymore and that everyone has more important people around... School or work, I always had a reason to feel like I was the odd one out and I never managed to find a group of friends i would fit in with. Sometimes I even try force myself to go out by myself during the day but I always end up feeling anxious and wanting to cry.. I put so much effort into trying to look okay and work on confidence just for my mood to bring me down again. Also constantly reassuring other people why I'm doing things so they don't think I'm stupid or judge me I hate my job but I have no motivation to apply for jobs.. I feel like I have no hobbies or anything I'm really passionate about right now either. I keep seeing everyone doing so much with their lives and wondering how because I'm constantly feeling stuck Lately I'll feel average but then suddenly I can feel my mood change, my body gets heavy and I feel sad as if I'm going to cry... for absolutely no reason. My family are always arguing or draining me and I don't think living here is helping me. I even constantly zone out at work (which I've always done) but people never ask if I'm okay, they just say I look lost/depressed and walk away laughing. I'm unsure if I need help, I always try to fix myself but I just feel so down and negative all the time now... I'm faking smiles, just replying with 'I'm okay' and I'm more quiet than usual. Things will get better, right...?

Jeb_CC My Own Experience of Cruelty
  • replies: 5

Hello, forum. Nice to meet you. I'm just an average person who got struck with Depression a few months ago. I know that's not a lot at all but it's really breaking me so I thought a good way to feel better is to meet people who have similar problems!... View more

Hello, forum. Nice to meet you. I'm just an average person who got struck with Depression a few months ago. I know that's not a lot at all but it's really breaking me so I thought a good way to feel better is to meet people who have similar problems! I've had a really complicated year, that and my mother and classmate have depression, so it's sort of... Spread...? My mother was forced to put our dog down at the start of the year because he was too aggressive, and my beautiful parrot died suddenly overnight for unknown reasons a few months ago. I was in a three year long distance relationship, my first visit with him was in December last year. That's when I realized the person I loved for so long was actually physically abusive, and I broke up with him after the trip, but not before losing all of my friends after they cussed me out and accused me of being a terrible girlfriend and "How dare you break up with him! He's so sweet!" That trip was supposed to be my Holiday, and I tried to go on a trip to the UK in July for an actual holiday. I was told by border control to; "Be a normal young female, go home, and go partying and drinking. Not travelling, this isn't for you." And all my money went down the drain after they sent me back. And now I find myself trapped again because my mother is going to get back together with her abusive ex husband and I don't like him. I want to live alone... I also quit my job recently to focus on my studies, but the depression is making it extremely hard. I feel like one of the few that don't have anxiety with their depression. So I rarely worry about the things I should worry about which doesn't help. My depression has also made me, I find, extremely judgmental and paranoid and thus on the whim of a moment, parted from the majority of my friends because it feels like none of them care about me. I often feel like I'm always overreacting. Like, I know my problems are no where near as bad as those of a war vet or someone who has PTSD. And I feel for those who suffer that way. But I just don't know what to do or where I fit. I suffer but there's no empathy for me because; "They're only small problems. You'll get over them". Whenever I feel hopeless, I draw vent Art to make me feel better, it seems to be the only thing I've been motivated to do. But I'm really touched by how many caring people there seems to be here, and I look forward to talking to you all! Sorry for the long read. - Jeb

Jeb_CC Oxymoron of a mind
  • replies: 1

Hello forum. So I've been thinking a lot lately to myself, brooding and contemplating like usual... and I've had a few things stirring in my head. I'm worried there's something more to my problems than just Depression. But I don't know what that coul... View more

Hello forum. So I've been thinking a lot lately to myself, brooding and contemplating like usual... and I've had a few things stirring in my head. I'm worried there's something more to my problems than just Depression. But I don't know what that could be. I'm actually considering I'm just a really stupid person. XD Like, my IQ is 60 or something. It'd explain a lot. But basically, whenever I have a conversation with someone, I need everything to be said as it is. No beating around the bush, no dilly-dallying. If they start over-complicating it I will just not be able to understand it and it goes riiight over my head. Even when it's written down for me to read, I still struggle to understand. I think this is the main reason why I do so badly in Essay writing - because the topic it gives you is incredibly hard for me to understand. Example: "Authors create characters who reflect or challenge the ideas about gender that are representative of a particular cultural and historical context." is taken from an essay question on an exam from last year. What does it mean?? I was doing this for my exam last year, I couldn't understand it then, and I still can't understand it now! I almost failed that class! XD Because I can't write essays. I can't say such complicated fluid things let alone read them. Also, a few days ago my English teacher was reading out story examples for English Writing. Everyone was saying for this one story; "Oh this is terrible" But I was mentally thinking; "This is bad? This is good! I would love to read more of this!" Turns out that piece of writing was of a C grade, which is not that great. So what is wrong with me? Because of all this, I can't understand politics, literature (I don't fancy reading because of this), sometimes deep discussions, and I don't know why. Maybe I am just dumb... I don't know. I know there's probably something to me... I mean a few days ago a new friend asked if I had Aspergers. >.> I'm thinking I should talk to my psychologist about this. But I don't see her for another two weeks. Any input is appreciated. - Jeb

soccerblahhh Am I the only one? Pica/anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hey im new here and i thought this would be a good place to open up. This is really hard for me to admit but I eat talcum/baby powder and raw rice and I always crave them. This may seem like a joke that people make fun of on my strange addictions but... View more

Hey im new here and i thought this would be a good place to open up. This is really hard for me to admit but I eat talcum/baby powder and raw rice and I always crave them. This may seem like a joke that people make fun of on my strange addictions but this is a serious condition called pica. I have been to the gp and they have put it down to an iron deficiency but I was also recomended to see a psychologist. They then diagnosed me with generalized anxiety disoreder and they told me that me eating the powder and rice had something to do with it. I guess im just wondering if there is anyone else like me because I feel like im the only one doing this.

Kyra_jade cyber bullied to the point of being told to kill myself...best friend left me
  • replies: 2

my best friend whom I offered everything to, a shoulder, a laugh, even a home when she was getting kicked out of hers, is now believing somebody who she has never liked about a horrible rumour about me which isn't even true! help? im trying to be com... View more

my best friend whom I offered everything to, a shoulder, a laugh, even a home when she was getting kicked out of hers, is now believing somebody who she has never liked about a horrible rumour about me which isn't even true! help? im trying to be compassionate and understand that if I were told that my boy friend was cheating on me with my best friend I would probably feel the same way. she has blocked me on all media and will refuse to speak to me at school. the girl who started this rumour has cyber bullied me to the point of her telling me to kill myself. im just extremely lost as ive lost my best friend and my self esteem even more than I already had.