Support
Support

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.

Start a conversation

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Categories
Start a conversation

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a conversation

tazza how do i help a loved one with depression
  • replies: 2

Hi, my sister is 14 years old and she has depression, she is becoming distant from the family and including myself like we used to be really close when we were younger and now she has become so distant from me, what do i do ? Also, when ever i try to... View more

Hi, my sister is 14 years old and she has depression, she is becoming distant from the family and including myself like we used to be really close when we were younger and now she has become so distant from me, what do i do ? Also, when ever i try to help her with something like i'll ask her if she needs help with her homework and she'll yell at me saying that she doesn't need my help and it makes me upset because i just want to be there for her. And she hates if i post a photo of us together on social media and she got so angry at me the other day and it was crazy how mad and upset she was, how do i fix this?? why does she get so mad, like she has rages where she just takes her anger out on someone even if they didn't do anything wrong?? I have talked to my parents about this and they talked to her and we took her to a session to beyond blue and then we haven't been back because my parents get so busy with work that sometimes they forget. Can you help me out please

Harley1 Am I depressed or do I have a personality disorder?
  • replies: 3

For quite some time now I have been feeling sad and I tend to cry a lot and I don't really sleep that much. I also get angry and annoyed completely randomly like someone will ask me a question and I will get so annoyed and angry or just the way someo... View more

For quite some time now I have been feeling sad and I tend to cry a lot and I don't really sleep that much. I also get angry and annoyed completely randomly like someone will ask me a question and I will get so annoyed and angry or just the way someone speaks and the way they act and move bothers me so much that it completely ruins my mood. I am a very hateful person, I am sad to admit this but I am. I'm constantly saying "I hate this I hate that". Recently, my parents were talking about how I'm not good at school and were saying how I need to decide what I want to do with my life and I honestly don't know what I want to do, I want to become a journalist one minute then an astrobiologist the next. I also feel like I'm constantly changing and can't decide who I am. It's very difficult to try and explain it but I honestly don't know who I am, I don't know and that worries me so much it makes me so worried. I don't know what I want to do, who I am and I get upset and angry at the most random things that most people wouldn't find annoying. I'm lazy too, I don't want to do anything. I had been dancing since I was 4 years old so around 12 years and I quit this year. I don't want to do anything. I'm self conscious with my body and my face and it makes me cry sometimes, but then next minute I'm happy with myself. I don't really have a good relationship with my dad and I sorta try to make it work but I get so upset about it. My mum works night and day shift just to pay for my school and I feel so guilty about it and I feel so upset about. I have had thought about suicide before but not frequently. I also think about life and how insignificant I am and if the world blew up tomorrow nothing matters, we don't matter so why try so hard and bother at all? But I'm also so afraid of death and I usually have images in my head of my loved ones dying and become depressed because of it and how hopeless Id be without them and I cry so hard, but then I want to be left alone a lot of the time and I find it a burden to hang out with friends most of the time but then I want to go out and have fun. I don't understand what's going on and I'm so upset about it.

julz2016 i need support
  • replies: 3

I just wondering if people could help me to find support as my local headspace has rejected me and I really need help for Depression, I don't know what to do anymore I feel I am left alone and really weak and I feel I have no one to turn to when I re... View more

I just wondering if people could help me to find support as my local headspace has rejected me and I really need help for Depression, I don't know what to do anymore I feel I am left alone and really weak and I feel I have no one to turn to when I really need it. I feel no one cares about me and I feel so so helpless and useless.

BlueGuitar So alone, Silent tear
  • replies: 3

I now only feel normal when I'm alone in my room, I've isolated myself to the point where I feel nervous all the time around every single person, it's crazy, the heavy feeling of dread, dullness, confusion and hopelessness , I've almost literally bee... View more

I now only feel normal when I'm alone in my room, I've isolated myself to the point where I feel nervous all the time around every single person, it's crazy, the heavy feeling of dread, dullness, confusion and hopelessness , I've almost literally been doing nothing at all except staying home for the past 6 months,having really nothing much to say is the sad thing due to the fact I've been doing nothing, I feel so empty and clueless I can't even fake a smile anymore , after experiencing a manic episode for the third time I can't see myself coming back from it, the embarrassment, the stigma, not wanting to be alone but not wanting to be around people. The reality of it all feels like a nightmare, feels like I don't know who I am, it's so hard to except, i feel so alone in my own thoughts. I'm constantly full of anxiety Ive never felt anxiety this bad before, I always feel spaced out and full of dread, in a miserable feeling all the time, the saddest part is the guilt I feel towards my family especially my mum when we talk I'm always so abrupt I hate the way I am,

skw I need advice!!!
  • replies: 4

I'm currently am in year 11 and find that I am struggling.I seem to not like all my subjects and even though I understand what is going on, I can't seem to demonstrate that in a test and I find it very hard to concentrate in class as I am always anxi... View more

I'm currently am in year 11 and find that I am struggling.I seem to not like all my subjects and even though I understand what is going on, I can't seem to demonstrate that in a test and I find it very hard to concentrate in class as I am always anxious. I really want to go to uni and I am currently doing 3 level 3 subjects and 1 level two subject but I am struggling and feel as though I am going to fail all my classes. I have already failed my maths test and finding I'm not performing as well compared to my previous schooling years even though I study really hard. I have emailed my teacher about changing subjects and I am going to talk to her about it. But I am just really unhappy and hate the whole experience of year 11. I have never been so anxious to go to school in my life and I don't know why I am getting so worked up about things, as other people seem to be coping reasonably well. My mum tells me that I put too much pressure on myself and should focus on getting my year 11 and 12 certificate rather than getting into uni, as I can go to uni at anytime. I would really appreciate it if people could comment about there experience or if they have any advice because I feel lost and feel like I want to quit year 11 all together as I can't seem to cope with anything, I just seem so distracted and not myself. I want to do so many things like exercise and other hobbies but I never seem to have time. Anyway thanks for reading and looking forward to any suggestions or advice people may have (:

JWolf17 Anxiety and depression affecting all aspects of my life
  • replies: 3

Hey everyone. I'm 18, male, and in my first year of university. I've recently been dealing with levels of anxiety and depression that I've never dealt with before. I've always tended to have good days and bad days, and I've never felt as though I've ... View more

Hey everyone. I'm 18, male, and in my first year of university. I've recently been dealing with levels of anxiety and depression that I've never dealt with before. I've always tended to have good days and bad days, and I've never felt as though I've been completely stable emotionally, but now the bad days are turning into bad weeks and my moods and anxious feelings are getting worse than ever before. At my worst, I've considered self-harm, but I haven't gone through with it yet. I only have a couple of friends that I feel comfortable talking to about this, and even with them I'm beginning to feel like I'm becoming an annoyance. I feel like I treat them more like therapists than friends, and that's not how I want things to be. I haven't said anything to any of my family members. I don't feel comfortable talking to them about this. They're a great family (I live at home with my 2 parents and 3 of my brothers. 2 of my brothers have moved out), but mental issues have never been brought up by anyone. The idea of my family finding out scares me, so I hide it from them as much as I can. I recently had my first ever counselling session with the counsellor at uni, but it didn't really help. I ended up feeling uncomfortable, so I didn't really tell him the full extent of the issues I've been having. The adjustment to uni has been difficult. I don't have many friends, and the friends I do have seem to be becoming more distant. I want to make new friends, whilst keeping my old friends close, but I have never been good at socialising and I have no idea how to talk to people I don't know. I've never had a girlfriend either, and I can't help but feel completely unattractive. My self-esteem is at an all time low. If I can't like myself, then what reason does anyone else have to like me? Along with that, I've been falling behind with assignments because I can't motivate myself. I've also experienced heavy anxiety during lectures, at some stages finding it hard to breathe properly, feeling really uncomfortable and just wanting to leave as soon as possible. I'm wondering whether my anxiety and depression are on a clinical level. I'm feeling hesitant to get help. What should I do?

_eeeemilia My anxiety is stopping me from completing my university assignments.
  • replies: 2

I've struggled with anxiety and depression from about the time I was 16. I'm now almost 22. It started as a result of friendship issues at school, including bullying. As a result of this, I began to associate my school work with these bad feelings, a... View more

I've struggled with anxiety and depression from about the time I was 16. I'm now almost 22. It started as a result of friendship issues at school, including bullying. As a result of this, I began to associate my school work with these bad feelings, and I became more and more anxious with every assignment and piece of homework I had to complete. I saw several psychologists and a psychiatrist, and I've been on medication for almost 6 years, although my dose has gradually reduced from 2 tablets a day to only half a tablet. This is a significant improvement for me, but I still get that anxiety when it comes to completing assignments for my university degree. I've found myself avoiding doing the work and then avoiding my tutors in order to avoid getting 'in trouble'. Part of my issue is that I also have mild OCD and perfectionist tendencies. This perfectionism combined with my anxiety makes me feel like I would rather not submit anything at all than submit poor or sub-standard work. This stems from having been a high achiever throughout my schooling, until about the time when my depression and anxiety developed and appeared. I think I was always anxious, but it was when the depression showed itself that the anxiety stopped me from being productive and ended up hindering my schooling. I've also found that the anxiety continues into my relationship. I've been with my boyfriend for almost 5 years, but I still get anxious and jealous when he has extended contact with other females, even though I know there's nothing going on. I trust him, but I also don't at the same time and this worries me. I do get social anxiety and I have trouble making new friends. In fact I don't really have any close friends apart from my boyfriend. I think this is also what makes me feel jealous and anxious about his relationships, because I'm jealous of the fact that he can make friends so easily and I can't. I don't know how to do it, I feel like I don't open up enough or I say something too open too early on. I'm always afraid that people will think I'm weird and dislike me. I've been able to manage my depression to a degree, particularly in the last 6 months as I've started doing aerial arts as a hobby and form of exercise, and I think that finding a form of exercise that I enjoy and doesn't feel like exercise really helps. I really need some advice to control my anxiety, I don't want it to affect my life more than it already has.

SaeDi93 New To The Forums- My story
  • replies: 3

Hi I am SaeDi. For the past 10 years I have had severe depression but only a few years ago sought help and was diagnosed. It is a struggle at the moment because my boyfriend has never experienced depression or the like and he can't understand why I f... View more

Hi I am SaeDi. For the past 10 years I have had severe depression but only a few years ago sought help and was diagnosed. It is a struggle at the moment because my boyfriend has never experienced depression or the like and he can't understand why I feel the way I do. Recently it has become harder to manage since I was diagnosed with D.I.D (Dissociative Identity Disorder). There aren't many people I know with it... and it is hard to find people who are sincere.

StressHead93 Just been diagnosed, need some reassurance.
  • replies: 10

I've just been diagnosed with anxiety and have been referred to a psychologist. I know there are others out there like me but I feel like the only person in the world who feels like this. I have acute anxiety when it comes to just about everything. L... View more

I've just been diagnosed with anxiety and have been referred to a psychologist. I know there are others out there like me but I feel like the only person in the world who feels like this. I have acute anxiety when it comes to just about everything. Leaving the house is a struggle and the only time I leave is to go to work. Recently I have been having persistant headaches, dizziness, extreme fatigue and seizures and have had every test under the sun to find out why. All the tests have come back clear, and my doctor believes I am having these symptoms as it is easier for me to feel physical pain than emotional. I have no one to talk to about it. My parents don't believe in mental illness and have a "get over it, get on with it" attitude, but that is a lot easier said than done. My best friend who I talked to about everything died 18 months ago. I feel completely alone without her and I know I'm not coping. My parents have tried to get me out of the house to meet new people, but the anxiety that comes with doing something out of my routine is enough to send me over the edge. I need help, and I think the hardest part of all is admitting that. I'm 22 and have done nothing with my life. I have never travelled, never gone to a nightclub, never studied, never get into relationships and never thought about what I would like to do with my future because the stress and fear that comes with it is just too much. I only work part time because I constantly worry that something will go wrong at home. Is life supposed to be this hard?

Zeraxero Loss of ambition and only want to exercise.
  • replies: 8

Hi i know i posted here about a week back but im having a common problem that alot of people have with depression and thats just feeling empty and finding 0 enjoyment out of everything. The only 2 things i can even bring myself to do anymore if exerc... View more

Hi i know i posted here about a week back but im having a common problem that alot of people have with depression and thats just feeling empty and finding 0 enjoyment out of everything. The only 2 things i can even bring myself to do anymore if exercise and lay down as i have trouble sleeping. I just want to keep riding on my exercise bike but at 2 hours a day my councilor told me to take it easy as he saw through part of the reason i am doing so much exercise and having 0 regard for my body. I have already lost 3 kgs this week and i just want to keep doing more and more but i am in pain and so my councilor told me to take it easy as its a form of self harm. So what should i do i dont feel excitement doing anything and ive already spent 2 days this week in bed doing nothing bar getting up for exercise. Ive lost all drive for everything else and even things i used to do no longer hold my interest and just feel like a chore , including self maintenance and relieving my sexual tention. I already do mindfulness but just want to do my exercise and sleep or even better just exercise and completely space out and keep going for hours on end without noticing. Again sorry for posting i feel like i hog space that others deserve to use and just wish i had insight to comment on others posts to help out.

As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.

First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.

Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.

Helpful information

Stay in touch

Sign up below for regular emails from Beyond Blue, filled with information, advice and support for you or your loved ones.

Stay in touch

Talk it through with us, we'll point you in the right direction.

Call 1300 224 636

24 hours / 7 days a week

Chat Online

24 hours / 7 days a week

Email us

Get a reply in 24 hours

Copyright � 2026 Beyond Blue Ltd

All rights reserved

Contact us Terms of use Privacy policy Site map