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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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Yuki- Debilitating Anxiety
  • replies: 4

I'm 17 years old, and have had anxiety and panic attacks since I was about 12. My Mum has anxiety as well so she has been able to help me understand it and how to try cope with the attacks. For me, school is the most stressful thing in the word. I fe... View more

I'm 17 years old, and have had anxiety and panic attacks since I was about 12. My Mum has anxiety as well so she has been able to help me understand it and how to try cope with the attacks. For me, school is the most stressful thing in the word. I feel like I can't even enjoy the weekends because all I can think about is the stress that starts every Monday. It feels as though it's a never-ending cycle. I cancel plans with friends frequently, I really don't care whether I see them or not most of the time. Sometimes I don't go on my phone for weeks at a time because it makes me anxious. My heart drops every time the phone rings. I neglect my homework profusely. You could call it extreme procrastination but I've been thinking I may have an actual fear of doing homework - as ridiculous as that sounds. Last school-holidays, my English teacher set a book for us to read over the break. I was excited because I LOVE reading. For some reason, I kept putting it off. Eventually, school was back and I had to tell my teacher I hadn't read it. I was so mad at myself. English is my favourite subject too. I'm so used to that look of disappointment that my teachers give me, yet it never hurts less.The most frustrating part of all this is that I know I'm not stupid. I love learning. I know that I have the ability to focus and do well in school, but my mind tells me otherwise. As i write this I am at home. I didn't go to school today - this happens a lot. There was a period of time where I didn't step a foot outside the house for over two weeks. My anxiety is really debilitating. It feels like everyone else is floating while I'm drowning - and no one notices. I'm unsure of where I should go from here, does anyone have any advice? Thank's.

Ruby234 How to cure my anxiety
  • replies: 1

Hi my name is Ruby and I'm a 15-year-old high school student and I have social anxiety. My high school life is really good at the moment, I like my teachers, my friends and everything's fine but it just bugs me so much when I have to do a presentatio... View more

Hi my name is Ruby and I'm a 15-year-old high school student and I have social anxiety. My high school life is really good at the moment, I like my teachers, my friends and everything's fine but it just bugs me so much when I have to do a presentation, participate in sport, play drama games or just participate in class because i do not have the confidence whatsoever. I feel so helpless as everyone else seems to be so confident in themselves all the time and i don't. It's really affecting my life and my behaviour and it makes me feel as if my anxiety is slowly eating me alive day by day. I've had anxiety a couple of years now and all this time i've just been running away from my problems and wishing for it to go away because i really don't know how to deal with it. I would really appreciate any advice given on my issue. Thankyou

Blueblubber35 im scared of this new lifestyle
  • replies: 2

Recently, i have started being in a relationship with a boy. We were friends at first, then we started developing feelings for each other. Eventually, we started going out. This is my first boyfriend, and ever since then, we have been hitting it off ... View more

Recently, i have started being in a relationship with a boy. We were friends at first, then we started developing feelings for each other. Eventually, we started going out. This is my first boyfriend, and ever since then, we have been hitting it off well, but lately i have been really worried and scared of this new life. i have always been afraid of a breakup or hating each other in the end. i know this is a bad thing, but i cant help it. i havent told anyone, nor do i want to. im sure its because i have been single for so long that being in a relationship is new to me, so it might just be me being unfamiliar with this, therefore making me afraid. i am inexperienced and would appreciate some advice or anything to help me get some sense.

Mate_23 Travelling and anxiety (advice needed)
  • replies: 9

Hi all! Before I get to the main idea of this post let me tell you a bit about myself: I am 23 and have been suffering with anxiety probably my whole life. I remember as a child I was really shy and had silly inhibitions. Anyhow at around age 12 I ha... View more

Hi all! Before I get to the main idea of this post let me tell you a bit about myself: I am 23 and have been suffering with anxiety probably my whole life. I remember as a child I was really shy and had silly inhibitions. Anyhow at around age 12 I had a traumic experience and since then I have been suffering with intrusive thoughts, worrying, fear and general anxiety. I have never sought professional help or told many people because of the stigma but I think I would have General Anxiety/a panic disorder. I've also experienced the side effects of anxiety just as depersonalisation/de-realisation and some panic attacks. Over the years it has had an enormous impact on my life. It has made me quite introverted - I've not created strong bonds with people, generally stay home and as a result I don't have many friends (or any 'real' friends for that matter). I get scared when I am 'far' from home. Its like I start to panic for no real reason and I feel on edge. I feel like I something 'bad' will happen and then this triggers intrusive thoughts (or vice versa). This has lead to the 'fear of the fear' and is why I avoid going out to places far from home usually. Anyhow, this year I decided enough was enough and tried to learn more about anxiety and some of the symptoms I was having. I found that things like depersonalisation/de-realisation and intrusive thoughts are quite normal and it has helped me a lot. I've also began telling people about my feelings but I am yet to seek professional help. I've also been taking the exposure approach to my anxiety. I try to go out more, talk to more people and get out of my comfort zone. It has helped heaps. Anyhow after much effort, I've finally finished my degree and would like to go on holiday. I am thinking of going on Contiki to Europe alone. However I'm still quite scared of this. I am scared that my anxiety will inevitably kick in and I'll get panic attacks. I feel that a trip would be a really good way to battle my anxiety in terms of exposure. I've never travelled alone or done anything like this. For example I've never been to a nightclub because of the fear of feeling anxious and having some sought of embarrassing attack. Anyhow, I guess my question is, am I setting myself up for failure? Is this too big an effort? Should I try go into therapy and leave travel until I'm certain my anxiety has gone? I don't want this to control my life anymore and want to be able to do things without worrying!!

Dani45 Really need advice
  • replies: 3

I'll start off by saying I'm a 17 year old female currently in Year 12 and just joined beyond blue because I feel like I really need some advice For a while now, I haven't felt like myself, and it's gotten to the point where my school friends continu... View more

I'll start off by saying I'm a 17 year old female currently in Year 12 and just joined beyond blue because I feel like I really need some advice For a while now, I haven't felt like myself, and it's gotten to the point where my school friends continually ask me 'what's wrong?' which really makes me angry and upset all the time, because apparently I always have this look on my face where I shut everyone out, and I'm in my own world, thinking. It really started during the middle of this year, when I started to shut one of my closest friends out, who I used to tell everything to, and I'm not the type of person to open up to people, but she was one of my closest friends, and lately I have been shutting her out and getting angry at her all the time for no reason. I always apologise because when I'm in that mindset, I can't help what I think, and afterwards I always wonder why I was angry at her. It's been happening lately in social situations with my group of friends, whom I love, but everything is always usually fine in the beginning, and I'm really happy and sometimes it gets a bit too much for me to handle, and I always just completely shut off and am in a really bad mood. It happened a few weeks ago where we went for a BBQ and I arrived and everyone was already there, and I was just so angry for no reason at everyone and kept ignoring people's questions, that I just left and told everyone I had to go running that I could calm myself. And lately I've been shutting myself out, avoiding going out with everyone because I feel so bad, and I feel like I always ruin everything with my moods, and it makes everyone else feel weird. I've had anxiety before, but I don't feel like this has anything to do with it. I honestly don't know why I'm always so angry at my friends and in social situations , and I really don't want to feel this way, but I just can't help it. I automatically shut off after a period of happiness with my friends, and I always want to be alone afterwards to think... I don't know if I'm overreacting, but maybe it's a small problem. I don't know, but some advice would be really great

Crpe I need help telling my younger siblings!
  • replies: 2

Hello, I'm Crépe and I'm suffering depression. My parents know, and im thankful of all the support i have. My mum and I think it would be best if my younger siblings knew that i have depression. One is only two years younger than i am and will probab... View more

Hello, I'm Crépe and I'm suffering depression. My parents know, and im thankful of all the support i have. My mum and I think it would be best if my younger siblings knew that i have depression. One is only two years younger than i am and will probably understand, however the other is 8 years old. I need help, so does anyone have advice for telling younger siblings? (I really hope im posting this correctly,this is my first time on this forum. >.< )

Lennie Channelling Anxiety into something Creative
  • replies: 7

Hi, I'm fourteen and have anxiety. And I've found that poetry has really helped me. I see a physiologist and that's really great too but in the times when I'm feeling way too anxious to even think about doing mindfulness or any of that I channel ever... View more

Hi, I'm fourteen and have anxiety. And I've found that poetry has really helped me. I see a physiologist and that's really great too but in the times when I'm feeling way too anxious to even think about doing mindfulness or any of that I channel everything that's inside of me into poetry. I guess it is a form mindfulness. I love writing and reading, so I guess this is why I like writing poetry. I just thought if you are feeling bad channel it into something you love. If you love being creative, channel into something like poetry or maybe painting etc. I feel like poetry has also made me sort out all my tangle of feelings and not made it so confusing anymore. I guess my opinion is, when you are feeling anxious, take a few deep breaths, sit down somewhere and do something you love. So yeah. That's it. I guess. Well, if you read this, thanks. And I hope it's helped.

Isha Help me if you can?
  • replies: 2

Hi, my name is Isha and I'm 12. I'm really messed up... so is my life. My parents are druggies, I have no real friends, and my whole life is just a metaphor for being trapped in a cage. What depresses me most is the fact that my idol is dead... Kurt ... View more

Hi, my name is Isha and I'm 12. I'm really messed up... so is my life. My parents are druggies, I have no real friends, and my whole life is just a metaphor for being trapped in a cage. What depresses me most is the fact that my idol is dead... Kurt Cobain. Ugh it's so petty, but I cry about him being gone everyday. There's something seriously wrong with me I just need somebody to talk to about my problems. Any 'friends' I have, would never even think of speaking about this stuff, when sometimes, its all I want to talk about. Ughh idk how this site works anyway, I guess I'll try again later -.-

yeahokay How should I help someone with severe anorexia?
  • replies: 4

Hi, this girl I used to be good friends with has anorexia. I saw her recently and she is so skinny I cannot look at her, as it makes me incredibly upset to see her so unwell. I'm pretty sure her parents either haven't noticed or pretend not to and I'... View more

Hi, this girl I used to be good friends with has anorexia. I saw her recently and she is so skinny I cannot look at her, as it makes me incredibly upset to see her so unwell. I'm pretty sure her parents either haven't noticed or pretend not to and I'm not sure how to help because she goes to a different uni to me and the rest of her friends, lives far away and I'm not close enough friends with her to have a nice chat about it. Any advice on who to contact would be greatly appreciated because she needs to be hospitalised - she has previously complained about physical symptoms and joint pains.

bdavi310 I JUST DON'T KNOW
  • replies: 19

My names Blake and im 19 years old. Why do I feel so distant... its like the whole world is rushing around me and im just not going anywhere, time just slips by... Everyday i wake up feeling the same, just down and not happy to be doing anything... I... View more

My names Blake and im 19 years old. Why do I feel so distant... its like the whole world is rushing around me and im just not going anywhere, time just slips by... Everyday i wake up feeling the same, just down and not happy to be doing anything... I used to love my job and look forward to going to work and seeing the people i work with but now i couldnt care less if i saw them or not, i hate my job now i used to be okay at it now im just failing and i feel so hopeless.. all the things i once enjoyed have become something i dont even think about anymore. sleep just isnt something i can get either, why have i changed so much i hate feeling like this i feel as if i bring the people around me down, because of this my life just isnt what it used to be. This is the first time i've ever spoken out about this and its been going on for quite a while.. i guess i have wanted to talk about it but its so hard to just let it out and i dont know where to begin or who to talk to, i dont know i guess im way to scared of what people might say or think so i just keep it to myself. im sorry for the crap punctuation and wording...

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