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.

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romantic_thi3f 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 i... View more

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!

Sophie_M 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 mindfu... View more

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

laly18 Alone and confused
  • replies: 4

So this is my first time on here and I've never done anything like this before. I've had depression for a while but I have managed it until certain events occur in my life. One of those events are happening right now but this time I feel like I have ... View more

So this is my first time on here and I've never done anything like this before. I've had depression for a while but I have managed it until certain events occur in my life. One of those events are happening right now but this time I feel like I have nobody to talk to about anything. I feel completely alone. It seems like every time I start to become happy something has to push me down again. At the moment, I have friends who have turned against me and my boyfriend is overseas and isn't talking with me. I feel so lonely, I cry myself to sleep everynight and question everything. It is a new relationship and he is away for a month. I don't feel like he cares at all, I feel like he's too busy to wonder what I'm doing. As for my friends, they have stabbed me in the back and it always seems to happen when I get into a new relationship. I have so many thoughts running through my head that I just don't know how to get everything out while making sense. Maybe I'm just overreacting, maybe I'm just confused. It's gotten so bad over the last few days that I don't even want to be at work, I just always want to sleep. I sleep through alarms. I always used to exercise - every day without a doubt, now I just can't be bothered. I don't know how to make myself feel better or even where to begin. There's so much more that is going on, mainly minor things that contribute to the big thing but everything is all muddled up in my head. I don't know if anybody will be able to respond to this because if its confusing for me, its confusing for everyone. I get that.

Asi a Teen with words to say to YOU
  • replies: 1

"Anxiety can look very different from person to person. One individual may suffer from intense anxiety attacks that strike without warning, while another gets panicky at the thought of mingling at a party. Someone else may struggle with a disabling f... View more

"Anxiety can look very different from person to person. One individual may suffer from intense anxiety attacks that strike without warning, while another gets panicky at the thought of mingling at a party. Someone else may struggle with a disabling fear of driving, or uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts. Yet another may live in a constant state of tension, worrying about anything and everything. Despite their different forms, all anxiety disorders share one major symptom: fear or worry in situations where most people wouldn’t feel threatened." I'm 16 and I have anxiety, unfortunately it makes me who I am as a person and it explains clearly how I live my life, how I treat situations, how I meet new people and how I learn, literally everything! Few weeks before my first attack, I would always be on the verge of tears about everything, like if someone asked me if I was okay, I would say that I am happy because I was too afraid of telling them I don't know. I would immediately assume that everyone is trying to be against me for no particular reason, I would think of the worst and people would tell me to stop thinking bad. How could I? with this THIS shadow looming over me consuming every fragment of my body and mind. Waves of sadness, depression, negative comments that was said to me years back I would remember would wash over me, tear over tear, all of the bad things BIG or little would keep washing over me reminding me how much of a bad person I was. I would cry and wouldn't know when to stop, I wouldn't know when to take a break from crying, wipe my tears, even eliminate the thoughts of every negative thing that happened to me. Mentally drained and full of taking in the bad monsters under my wing. I had my attack. The worst, most excruciating pain that could happen to you, loneliness, sadness, everything. Gone, eaten savagely by me so no one can suffer the pain that I suffer. But. I'm not the only one? what? Is it true that I don't suffer alone. There's help? The second help found me.... I took a long deep breath of fresh air. Help/verb: Make it easier or possible for (someone) to do something by offering them one's services or resources. In other words. Someone is somebody's everything... Do not give in the pain, you are so much stronger than you think, there is help.. Just let them in and give you that assurance that you will be okay, loved ones, friends who adore you, family. You are loved, No one is against you. You are loved.

badlandsjazz work anxiety
  • replies: 1

just over a month ago i got my first part time job at a small but popular pizza delivery and pickup place, and i currently only have 1-2 shifts a week, but before every shift i work myself up and get really nervous to the point where i feel sick. I h... View more

just over a month ago i got my first part time job at a small but popular pizza delivery and pickup place, and i currently only have 1-2 shifts a week, but before every shift i work myself up and get really nervous to the point where i feel sick. I have never had actual anxiety in the past but i have always been a shy person who worries a lot, and its starting to effect me because i get really stressed about working days before my shift. never got one on one training with the job and it is usually really busy so there also isn't much time to even ask many questions. My main job is taking orders over the phone, as well as other small things but I feel as though I am always making mistakes. I hate asking my boss for help as i do it so often and he is always busy. I also didn't get an interview for the job he just gave it to me and my friend (who is doing a lot better than me) so i feel as though I'm not right for it. I really want to quit but I feel bad because I just finished getting trained and am starting to get actual shifts so I would feel as though I'm letting people down. I also need the money (even though the pay is horrible). I just don't know what to do and its really getting to me.​

Murphybovo Parents not letting me get help...
  • replies: 3

Hi, This is my first post here so here we go. I am in year 12 and I am experiencing some pretty severe anxiety so I went to speak to the school counselor about it because I figured it would be a good place to start. I have since told my mum about wha... View more

Hi, This is my first post here so here we go. I am in year 12 and I am experiencing some pretty severe anxiety so I went to speak to the school counselor about it because I figured it would be a good place to start. I have since told my mum about what i am experiencing and she seems to think that for me to continue to see the counselor will be enough to help me which is just not true. I am aware that the next step for me is either to see a GP or a psychologist and I have expressed this to my mum on multiple occasions but she simply dismisses me. I was wondering if anyone has a way that I could approach this that would lead to me getting some proper treatment and a diagnosis so that I can get through year 12 because I am seriously struggling at the moment Murphybovo

meowcat headspace?
  • replies: 1

i need someone to talk to, the only option i had was head space but im too embarrassed to go back. in the past 3 months ive had probably like 10 appoints but been to 3 i think. its really hard for me to go in or to talk on the phone so they let me em... View more

i need someone to talk to, the only option i had was head space but im too embarrassed to go back. in the past 3 months ive had probably like 10 appoints but been to 3 i think. its really hard for me to go in or to talk on the phone so they let me email them instead & ive cancelled & rescheduled or just not shown up, actually i always went i was just too afriad to go in the building, anyway they kept emailing me to go in but now theyve stopped emailing and i told them id stop bothering them so i cant ask to talk to them again, but i dont know where else to go. as well as counseling i had a doctors appointment once but then i didnt go back. i want to now but its too late i dont know what to do. like, rationally i know i could just email them but i cant because i know theyll be thinking "not this person again".i dont know what else to say and i was gonna make this all eloquent & actually have a point but im so tired, but i dont have anyone else to talk to so i just wrote it here.

Calm_Angry Pit of Anger
  • replies: 2

A while back, I started to suppress my emotions and stopped caring what other people thought about me. But because of that, I have years of bottled up regrets and anger that I don't know how to release in a healthy way. Depending on the people I talk... View more

A while back, I started to suppress my emotions and stopped caring what other people thought about me. But because of that, I have years of bottled up regrets and anger that I don't know how to release in a healthy way. Depending on the people I talk to, I can be calm all the time or be aggressive at even the slightest jab towards my actions. I'm a very insular person and don't show my feelings on my sleeve. I don't want to be angry all the time. I just want to function normally and communicate with people properly (especially for job interviews and all that). Are there ways to release years of anger? Should I think before falling back on my sensitivities?

ThatRandomGuy I Think I Need Help
  • replies: 1

Hi peoples, I think i need help. I've always been a shy, quiet guy who has pretty much just kept to myself and up to now i have been able to deal with this. But recently it just become to much and i have no idea what to do. I have lost all motivation... View more

Hi peoples, I think i need help. I've always been a shy, quiet guy who has pretty much just kept to myself and up to now i have been able to deal with this. But recently it just become to much and i have no idea what to do. I have lost all motivation to do anything where even getting out of bed takes all of my effort. From waking up, i will lay in bed for an extra 2-3 hours before i know i have to move, and even then i'm very hesitant about doing so. On bad days i can barely leave my room, i just don't want to. I have no reason to not go outside but whenever i think about it i just think that everything will be okay if i just stay inside. I hate this feeling, i really do. I know i shouldn't be thinking like this but i just can stop. I even have mountains of university work to complete but even trying to do that is hopeless. Its gotten to the point where i will just fill in half finished assignments because at this stage i don't even care if i pass or not. Now, i'm the kind of guy who will try handle everything by myself, so when it comes to these type of things i just think that if i keep moving forward i will be okay and that what I've been doing. The other day i was almost hit by a car, basically i was walking across the road at a crossing and the driver wasn't paying attention, turned, and almost hit me. I managed to jump out of the way, but afterwards i realized that i felt nothing. I didn't care. I didn't get angry, shout, i had no reaction at all. I literally did not say a word and just kept on walking. I didn't even care that i almost died and that's when i knew that i have to change. I've kinda always just felt like this so i didn't realize how bad i have gotten, but i took some time to think about and its true - i really don't care what happens to me. I am not actively seeking out harm but what worries me is that i will get to that stage. The thing is though that I've been living like this for so long that i don't know what else to do. I can't just keep on telling myself to 'keep moving forward' because this is where its gotten me. To a point where i have 0 motivation to do anything at all, even to care about myself. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. -ThatRandomGuy

AyGok Verge of a break down
  • replies: 1

I'm literally on the verge of a mental breakdown, its at a point where one more thing that triggers my anxiety is going to tip me over the edge I can't escape my head my anxiety is just getting worse and neither professional help or medication is hel... View more

I'm literally on the verge of a mental breakdown, its at a point where one more thing that triggers my anxiety is going to tip me over the edge I can't escape my head my anxiety is just getting worse and neither professional help or medication is helping ..nothing is helping ! exteremly frustrated with everything now and my moodswings are worse than ever .. Just at a point where I'm going to lash out at someone or just going emotionally disconnect myself from everyone .

Elea One step forward, two steps back
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone. I'm 24 and have been struggling with anxiety and depression since I was in my mid teens, but the last 6 years or so have been pretty hard and I'm scared that things will be this way forever.I feel like anxiety and depression have ruined ... View more

Hi everyone. I'm 24 and have been struggling with anxiety and depression since I was in my mid teens, but the last 6 years or so have been pretty hard and I'm scared that things will be this way forever.I feel like anxiety and depression have ruined some of the most important years of my life. I'm 24 and still struggling through university- I've dropped out of 3 different degrees over the past few years because it's been so hard to drag myself to uni and maintain the motivation to study. As you can imagine my HECS debt is pretty big at this point, and I worry about it a lot. I've lost contact with most of my friends because they understandably got sick of me making excuses for not going out with them. I've managed to hold down a job this entire time, which is something I'm proud of. But I'm just incredibly tired and lonely and sometimes I just want to give up. I can't stop comparing myself to other women my age and feeling like I'm so far behind. I've been taking antidepressants for a few months and it has helped a lot. I don't have suicidal thoughts anywhere near as much as I did, and my anxiety is a lot better. Lately I've been feeling increasingly bad again, and I feel like I can't tell my family about it because they've had to deal with me breaking down so many times before and they're probably sick of it. I've found a lot of comfort reading the posts people have made here, so just thought I'd join in. Thanks for reading. beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:107%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Rubyy I'm moving schools, but I'm scared its a bad choice
  • replies: 2

I've been having a lot of friendship issues at my school right now and it has gotten to the point where I am miserable to come to school. So I spoke to my parents and I am in the process of moving schools. I am going to be moving to a school where I ... View more

I've been having a lot of friendship issues at my school right now and it has gotten to the point where I am miserable to come to school. So I spoke to my parents and I am in the process of moving schools. I am going to be moving to a school where I do know some people and I will be happier, but I'm scared that I'm making a bad choice. I'm scared that moving schools will be a bad thing and that I will regret it once it happens. I have no idea what to do.