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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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Jess_P2001 Friend Trouble
  • replies: 6

I need help as i’m struggling with my best friend. Ever since i have got a bf, she had been rude to me, mean, bossy, controlling etc. Now she has gone to the extent of not speaking to me as i stood up for myself. I do live with her which makes it har... View more

I need help as i’m struggling with my best friend. Ever since i have got a bf, she had been rude to me, mean, bossy, controlling etc. Now she has gone to the extent of not speaking to me as i stood up for myself. I do live with her which makes it harder and it’s taking a toll on my anxiety. I’m not sure if it’s jealousy or not. When i try talk to her about it she gets defensive and tries to turn it back on me like I’m the bad guy. Any tips would be helpful.

Lizeyloo New school and no friends
  • replies: 11

Hi everyone, I am a 16 years old girl in year 11. I am finding it very hard to cope at the moment. I started at a new school this year thinking everything was going to change and get better but it is quite the opposite. I was partnered with someone t... View more

Hi everyone, I am a 16 years old girl in year 11. I am finding it very hard to cope at the moment. I started at a new school this year thinking everything was going to change and get better but it is quite the opposite. I was partnered with someone to look after me at my new school but they ditched so now I am finding it very hard to find friends or any group to sit with. Every now and then I’ll ask to sit with a particular group but I feel unwanted and a nuisance to them as their table is full and I’m struggling to socialise as I am consistently worrying all the time. Often I will spend lunch times in the bathroom or go to the library but this continues to affect my mental health negatively. I am often referred to as very shy and quiet but when hearing this it tends to pull down my self esteem even more. I have recently gone through a friendship breakup at my old school and now I have virtually no friends left. The friendship breakup has particularly affected me as it has taken a toll on how I perceive myself. I don’t like who I am and which I was someone confident who made friends easily.I find myself lying in bed crying having no passion for life or to get out because I don’t feel worthy to anyone. I have my mum but she doesn’t completely understand what I’m going through, she’ll say I’m overreacting and doesn’t take mental health as seriously as I wish. I tell myself I sound selfish to be complaining when I know how lucky I am but I can’t help but cry knowing things aren’t changing and no one understands just how much I am struggling. If anyone could share tips it would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Gothamfan Bad friends
  • replies: 7

I haven’t been on these forums in a really long time but since I have it’s gotten slightly better and then just completely worse. I have had friendship problems for a long time with a particular group and a specific person, recently I was ‘kicked out... View more

I haven’t been on these forums in a really long time but since I have it’s gotten slightly better and then just completely worse. I have had friendship problems for a long time with a particular group and a specific person, recently I was ‘kicked out’ by this group with another friend and the build up to it was awful. it really worsened my already awful mental state and put me in a dark place, they were never good friends but they were fun to hang around and I miss having a big friend group, I really want to make friends out side of school but I have no idea how, I just want to find a few accepting people and friends I can be myself around I, my school is very small so it’s not like I can just join another friend group, I do have 2 friends I still hangout with, I love them but they are surface level friends and I really want to find people I can connect and communicate with, I hope this is not to much to ask for and I am not good at making new friends. any tips on making new friendships would be appreciated.I hope this made sense as I am not very good at explaining things or expressing my emotions.

Jdizzle7 I struggle with love
  • replies: 1

Yesterday I was asked out to my first ball by the girl Ive had a crush on for a while, but I feel a sense of emptiness and anxiety. Ive been struggling to talk to girls since I started highschool and its really taken a toll on my mental health and no... View more

Yesterday I was asked out to my first ball by the girl Ive had a crush on for a while, but I feel a sense of emptiness and anxiety. Ive been struggling to talk to girls since I started highschool and its really taken a toll on my mental health and now being asked out to a ball has created a whole new series of overwhelmness and anxiety for me. I'm thinking of just saying that I don't want to go because im not used to this stuff (Im the type of guy that just stands in the corner and doesn't talk at any event), but this is the girl that Ive had a crush on, so why do I want to pass up this opportunity of going to a ball with her. I feel like I wont be fun enough because she's very extroverted and wants to be dancing and all that but im extremely introverted and probably will just stand against the wall the entire night with my other introverted friend. Im gonna try my best and work on my mental health leading up to this event since 10+ weeks away and hopefully get rid of these thoughts and anxiety.

not_dead_yet I’m tired
  • replies: 2

Hey I’m back again. A few months ago made a new friend! And I got really attached (that also seems to be a problem) and I broke down on the phone with them recently and yesterday I got told not to talk about my problems with them or they will cut con... View more

Hey I’m back again. A few months ago made a new friend! And I got really attached (that also seems to be a problem) and I broke down on the phone with them recently and yesterday I got told not to talk about my problems with them or they will cut contact with me. It seems I have been burdening them with too much. It feels like I am going in circles with my life. I can barely distinguish between dreams and reality unless they are completely absurd like magic or something. It’s hard for me to understand other people’s emotions unless they are making obvious signs such as laughing or crying and I don’t know my boundaries with people or how to express my boundaries or emotions. I am too conscious of how people will react to me and trying not to hurt their feelings that I rarely say no. I have agreed to unwanted intimacy which I have been stalling and don’t know how to get out of (he is my friend and is in my year group) sorry I think that is tmi. I’m tired of analyzing how people react to different topics to try and keep the conversations going and I just feel like an npc repeating dialogue every single day trying to keep them as friends. I’m sure problems at home will get better when school starts again but also school will give me more problems. I’m tired to running around trying to fix them. I could use some advice thank you

Guest_92765654 I don’t know what to do
  • replies: 3

I saw my dad for the first time in 4 years 1 week and ever since I’ve felt lost and scared when I’m alone. (Bit of a backstory he abused for most of my life.) I’ve been suffering ever since I was younger because it it but since seeing him I just feel... View more

I saw my dad for the first time in 4 years 1 week and ever since I’ve felt lost and scared when I’m alone. (Bit of a backstory he abused for most of my life.) I’ve been suffering ever since I was younger because it it but since seeing him I just feel this sufofocating presence when I’m by myself and my brain Jsut stops. I don’t know what to do

beca100 Lost & wanting to be somewhere else
  • replies: 5

Hello, I have this problem where I really, really want to be somewhere else, living a different life and with different, more interesting, creative and supportive friends. I'm really lost where I am, studying law in a city I don't really like, and I ... View more

Hello, I have this problem where I really, really want to be somewhere else, living a different life and with different, more interesting, creative and supportive friends. I'm really lost where I am, studying law in a city I don't really like, and I have this dream of moving to Melbourne and being surrounded by lovely creative people and pursuing something I love, or just enjoying life before settling down. I feel like I made choices too young (at 18) and now I can't start over and have no idea what to do. Just wish I was living that other life, where I had moved to Melbourne and been surrounding by inspiring people in a cool place, not where I am today. I wonder if anyone has similar experiences of being unable to live in their own life because you feel like you should be living your potential somewhere else. Thanks

Jane University is so lonely
  • replies: 3

Because of my health I am isolated to protect myself from COVID. I started uni online to stay connected to other people. Unfortunately I have found university online to be more isolating as most of the university activities are not available to exter... View more

Because of my health I am isolated to protect myself from COVID. I started uni online to stay connected to other people. Unfortunately I have found university online to be more isolating as most of the university activities are not available to external students. I like my course but now I feel like I don’t belong here either. Has anyone managed to complete university online without feeling like a burden and unwanted.

kodadoo a ramble
  • replies: 2

I don't know if I'll end up regretting this as I got to sleep tonight but I need to get stuff off my chest I guess? And I've always felt like a burden turning to my friends and complaining so I turned to this as it's probably better than something li... View more

I don't know if I'll end up regretting this as I got to sleep tonight but I need to get stuff off my chest I guess? And I've always felt like a burden turning to my friends and complaining so I turned to this as it's probably better than something like reddit. Currently I'm 17F going into year 12 and although undiagnosed by a mental health person and just my gp mentally ill?? sorta? backstory nearing the end of year 9 I started to get bad anxiety, which only ended up getting worse, from what I remember when I went to see the gp, and after getting tests done even though I already thought it was anxiety, was told I most likely have some sort of phobia anxiety related to emetophobia, this was all year 10, and I have for a while been too scared to see a psychiatrist. I don't think 'scared' is the right word, but more so avoidant, it would be nice to be diagnosed with something that tells me why I struggled to even leave the house let alone be home without feeling nauseous (specifically after eating food, thats where the emetophobia comes in) and has led to lasting affects in my life both in general but socially. This avoidance mainly comes from the fact my younger brother struggles mentally, he has autism, adhd and anxiety as well and my parents have had their hands full, although high functioning hes struggled going to school for a while and I didn't want to add more burden onto my parents. I know theres going to be the "oh you're not a burden" and I get that, but there's still that nagging part of me that kind of doesnt believe that. Only recently have I realised that maybe I should see someone, although I'm getting better I still struggle, and have a feeling its not the only thing I struggle with. I use to be incredibly insecure, especially in year 5 where god I was lowkey suicidal but at the same time it's all jumbled up so I'm not entirely sure (my memory is shocking). This ties into the other potentials, not to self diagnose, but I'm a chronic day dreamer, I think 80% of my day is me daydreaming, not as bad at school but still there, it's a habit I've done since I was little, plus some other mental health concerns, my lack of motivation and constant feeling of fogginess, that everything is dream like. And because of this being my final year of high school, I've felt the need to maybe get stuff checked out, unfortunately it wasn't as warmly received which I think in the back of my mind i expected.wrapping up im running out of characters but ty if listening

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