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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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ndg96 Scared and confused
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone! This is my first time ever posting well actually my first time visiting this site. Basically throughout my entire life I've always thought seeking help from others was the easy way out and I think because of that a lot of my life keeps c... View more

Hi everyone! This is my first time ever posting well actually my first time visiting this site. Basically throughout my entire life I've always thought seeking help from others was the easy way out and I think because of that a lot of my life keeps crashing down around me. I'm 20 and at Uni which is one of the main issues here I'd like to address. I've been at Uni for almost 3 years but recently changed my degree, I'm currently loving what I'm doing and I was under the impression I was doing so well but got my grades back and I'm currently failing 2 of my subjects. None of my family has attended Uni so trying to speak to them about it is pointless and to be quite honest trying to speak to my friends about it just makes me feel stupid. I'm usually the person people come to for help not the person people help which is why I'm so stuck, scared and confused with my life right now. The thought of telling people I'm failing is more stressful to me than the thought of actually failing...now that is surely a call for concern right? I keep saying to myself if I fail I'll just pick myself back up again and try again. But then in the back of my head I'm constantly thinking I can't tell people I failed they will think so little off me and I hate the thought of that. I think what also makes me really scared and upset about this entire situation is the fact I'm failing has nothing to do with me not trying I'm trying so hard but I'm clearly not smart enough and it makes me feel so worthless more than 90% of the time but I also try keep that too myself. Which leads me back to my point about asking for help, regardless of the situation I can't and I won't do it and I really want to change that I want to stop being so scared of what people will think of me and just start doing things but I'm so scared like words can't describe. I don't know what to do anymore. I cry and cry all the time but no one knows, not a single person and I don't know what to do about it. Uni is only one impact towards this but currently the most weight berring. I'm honestly so afraid and I don't know where to turn too. Please help me.

Andrew_P Where to go now?
  • replies: 4

I don't know where to start...The last few years have been riddled with mistakes and heart ache for me. But the last month has been absolute chaos.I was living in Sydney with my girlfriend, and things were good, however;I do weird shit behind her bac... View more

I don't know where to start...The last few years have been riddled with mistakes and heart ache for me. But the last month has been absolute chaos.I was living in Sydney with my girlfriend, and things were good, however;I do weird shit behind her back, not to cheat, but just to talk to other girls, I get some kind of satisfaction from it. Its shit. I know.We probably fight too much.I have anger issues and can't control myself or calm down once I'm angry.I have adult separation anxiety and have had trouble cutting ties completely with my previous ex girlfriend.I have alot of debt and was working in a pretty low paying job, so my girlfriend would basically have to pay for all food etc.So things were good for a few months, until I got a call from a previous employer offering me more money, but the job was in Canberra.After taking a few days to think it over I decided it would be good to make the money, pay out my loans, and then move back to Sydney.It kind of worked at first, I guess it put a spark back in our relationship at first only getting to see each other on the weekends, but that quickly changed, I got a call from Carlie saying that she couldnt do it anymore and that she wanted to beak up. This is where everything falls apart.Almost every single day since that call I have been an anxious wreck. I feel like my life started to completely fall apart at that point.Trying to balance work with this weighing over me has been so difficult. I've been driving to a from sydney every couple of days for the last 3 weeks trying to sort things out. Everytime I feel like I make a bit of progress something holds me back.I started putting a plan in motion, I was going to see a psychologist once a week, go to meditation classes, and Carlie and I were going to figure this out and get back together.But last night, after Anzac day 2 up, I made the poor decision to drive home to canberra from wollongong. My reasoning was that I hadn't had a beer in about 5 hours, I felt pretty good, I thought I was okay. But I wasn't. I stuffed up and I looked down at my phone for a second and when I looked back up I was headed straight for the railing. I wrote off the company car I was driving and I got charged with Mid range drunk driving.Work wasn't happy, but they've decided not to sack me, but I don't really want the job anyway. The thought of being back in Canberra makes me feel physically sick. I can't go back there. I can't do it.

Ems1234 Recently diagnosed
  • replies: 6

Iv been recently diagnosed with depression and I have been diagnosed anxiety for about 2 years now. I'm not sure how to deal with it, I feel like some people around me don't understand and I don't know how to get them too. i also haven't told many pe... View more

Iv been recently diagnosed with depression and I have been diagnosed anxiety for about 2 years now. I'm not sure how to deal with it, I feel like some people around me don't understand and I don't know how to get them too. i also haven't told many people because I'm scared too, I also don't want to get attention from people because i myself don't know how to deal with this. How to I get other people to understand if I don't even understand?!!

Redrose94 Trust Issues
  • replies: 4

Hey Everyone, i was doing some thinking today. I discovered that I honestly have the hardest time getting close to people. My friends, family & the idea of a relationship scares me to my inner core. I don't trust anybody. I like & care about people a... View more

Hey Everyone, i was doing some thinking today. I discovered that I honestly have the hardest time getting close to people. My friends, family & the idea of a relationship scares me to my inner core. I don't trust anybody. I like & care about people a lot & tend to become the therapist (trying to stop this) but my main thing is, I have deep trust issues. If someone I knew who was very close to me asked me if I trusted them, my answer would be no. my trust issues stem from my childhood, where I wasn't accepted for who I was, I was guilted a lot and everything I did was never good enough. Along with many other things that stem from childhood. but my question is, how do I practice trusting people & letting them in? Without being afraid of being vulnerable or 'emotionally naked' because at this point, when someone hugs me I literally stand there and don't reciprocate. It's pretty bad, and I no longer want to keep people at arms length.

Jordz5853 Am I Depressed?
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone I don't really know what to say but here goes I've always been the type of person who closes off their emotions and I hardly ever tell anyone how I'm feeling and sometimes I don't even know how to express what I'm feeling at all Im irrita... View more

Hi everyone I don't really know what to say but here goes I've always been the type of person who closes off their emotions and I hardly ever tell anyone how I'm feeling and sometimes I don't even know how to express what I'm feeling at all Im irritable and I always feel tired and I have a terrible immune system. My mum and my boyfriend both think that I'm depressed (on and off for a couple of years) and I've done a bunch of tests and they all say there's a chance and I should see a doctor but the thing is I don't know what I'd say Like if they asked me how I was feeling I wouldn't know what to say because I feel like nothing that bad has ever happened in my life and I have nothing to be sad about If anyone has been in this kind of situation it would be great to hear your experience because I don't know what to do

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.