Young people

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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 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!

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 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.

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conversion disorder

replies: 1

I am 16 with conversion disorder. Anyone else have this?

How to survive and ultimatly thrive with Anxiety

replies: 1

I'm currently struggling with anxiety and depression at the moment. I spend my days constantly worrying, I've always been an over-thinker - even from a young age - however, ever since I've been diagnosed I've noticed all my thoughts are reality to me. I am unable to stop thinking irrationally. I currently don't have the skills or confidence to be able to manage or stop all these negative thoughts. My anxiety and depression have made me very insecure. I have a job, and am constantly fearing getting the sack. My managers are terrible, they never tell the staff members when they have made a mistake, often gossiping to one another about the mistakes we've made; not giving us any chance to rectify the situation. They often bitch about insignificant things, that make no difference to the overall customer experience. Maybe I'm exaggerating; I'm sure I am to a certain extent, however, all of this heightens my anxiety, causing my imagination to fill in the gaps. I also harbor some resentment from my high school days when I was bullied. The rejection and all the memories of being told "you're not good enough, Alex" has left an indelible mark on me, only now have I started to pick myself up and look to the future. I'm doing all that I can to succeed and get through this tough time, however, it's impossible without the support of my family. I've hardly had any support from them so I've sought out alternative means of support - lifeline, beyond blue and a psychologist - to get me through the tough times. However, I know that's not enough hence why I'm asking this question. Suffering from a mental illness at such a young age (im 19) hasn't all been bad, I've noticed that I've gotten stronger and wiser. My ability to relate to people has also improved immensely. Any answers would be greatly appreciated.

Hello! New here

replies: 2

Hello My names Louisa and i have heard of this website from a lot of people and thought i would join because i have suffered anxiety for the past 2 years. i'm hoping to get advice and support and I want to try and support other people as well. I also want to speak to people who understands and possibly can relate to what i'm going through so i don't feel alone. Hope you are all doing well.

The impossible task of finding the motivation within

replies: 1

It can be a hard thing to face - admitting you've got a problem like this. Many people suffer from depression, many people recover from depression and many will fall back into holes they have to climb out of again. I am in that last category. I have suffered depression before. I sought professional help in the form of a psychologist and worked on some CBT. I felt pretty good for a long time. I had the tools to recognise when my behavioural things were playing up and how to handle them. Then one of my only close family members died. I think I was falling down before that happened - but there's nothing like the pain of loss to really throw you. Couple that with the fact I live across the other side of the country from everyone I know and care about - where my entire support network is - and that has made everything that much harder. There are so many things you think about during times like this. One of my default reactions is to blame myself for a lot of things. For not being there. For generally being incompetent. For anything negative, really. I start to shut away from everyone and everything, only coming out while I'm at work. I'm in a long distance relationship so all the negative feelings I have I put onto that, because in a lot of ways that's easier to do instead of face the facts and admit the problems within. I remember this feeling - the general disinterest in life and all that it holds. The feeling that no one understands. That you don't matter. I know I need to change. Many of us here will know that. It's getting up and doing it that seems like the impossible task. I have no close friends here. I have no one to force anything on me. It has to come from me. And that may be the absolute hardest thing.

Regaining control of my life.

replies: 35

Hi, I’m not even sure where to begin here. I’ve been feeling, well... empty lately. I get periods of emotion where I feel unreasonably hopeless, irrationally angry or just downright weird. I was diagnosed with clinical depression and post traumatic stress disorder about eight years ago now, and I guess I’ve been existing with it ever since. I’ve never sought help for my problems, although multiple doctors have recommended I take anti-depressants and see a psychologist. I was very much against being medicated, but now… I’m not so sure any more. I coped through escapism, writing, playing games, doing anything and everything but focusing on my problems. I still do it, and frankly, it’s ruining my life. Not to mention, it’s no longer working as a coping mechanism. I just can’t focus, I’m always tired, and I’m eating too much for the amount, or lack of, exercise I do. I feel stressed whenever I leave the house, going anywhere outside of the few safe places; that is places I’ve been to before, leaves my stomach churning and aching. Long drives are physically painful to the point of near tears sometimes, I find it hard to relax when there isn’t a bathroom nearby. I’m not ready to explain why, so bear with me on that please. I get downright agitated when I’m disturbed on my bad days. I fight and argue with my mother, yell at her… call her names. I’ve broken things, said things a rational me would want to punch the irrational me for. I hate it when I can’t control my anger, hate it how it hurts my mother because she’s the only one I lash out at. It’s put a strain on our relationship, and since she is the only parent I have contact with, it makes me miserable to consider where I’d be without her. I feel very little connection to my siblings… like if one of them were to get hurt, I’m not sure if I’d be upset, angry sure, but upset? I’m not even sure if I know how to feel empathy for others anymore. My step grandfather passed away after battling cancer last year. I didn’t cry, wasn’t sure what to feel really. He was a better grandfather to me than my paternal, blood related one. People cope differently, I get that… it’s just… I used to be a pretty caring person. I just feel like everything’s falling apart around me and the only thing I can do is cower where I am, waiting for someone to kick me while I’m down. I had more written down but the character limit isn't friendly to my long winded way of writing. I'll get around to posting it sooner or later, no doubt.

Uni exams

replies: 6

It's that time again... I'm a first year uni student and this year has been pretty difficult for me, but it's been worse recently as I've been struggling to get out of bed and go to classes and now I'm paying for it. I'm extremely behind in everything and although I have exams in two weeks, I don't have the motivation to try and catch up. My head is a bit of a mess and I'm so worried about failing that I can't study. I know they're only exams but at the same time they feel like the most important thing in the world right now. Does anyone have any advice on how to get through these next few weeks?

antidepressants

replies: 2

hi I'm new on here,I'm 15 years old I've been depressed and have had anxiety for 2 years now. I've been struggling with school i had a break down this morning in front of my mum so she took me to the doctors and today is my first day on medication. View more

Hey I'm new

replies: 2

Hey so I'm new, umm I don't really know what to post here for this but I'm trying ahaha

am I depressed or overreacting?

replies: 1

I'm 15 and in year 10 this year. I don't know if I am depressed or if I am just being silly about this all thinking I'm depressed. First of all let me just say I hate school, but not just like every other teenager does, I hate the students, the teachers, and just being there. I've skipped so many days of school not because I don't want to do work, but because I just hate to leave the house. If I could stay at home all day everyday, I honestly would. I also get into trouble at school and I hate it, the other day I skipped a class because I didn't have the energy and I wanted to be by myself and today I had to go see the principal but instead I skipped school, petrified of what would happen and because I love to be by myself in my house. I usually only get about 7 hours of sleep per night, and I can never wake up on time. I always feel anxious, my heart is always pounding. I just want to scream and cry some of the time. Im also a dancer, I use to love it, I use to be happy that I had to go to dancing, now Im just over it. I HATE it now, I want to stay home in my room and not do anything. I feel useless, I feel like I don't deserve a chance at life and I feel like I've let a lot of people down and that what I'm doing is wrong. am I just being paranoid? And I just overreacting? Please help.

What's it like speaking to a professional for the first time?

replies: 2

I really want to talk to someone, and I've been trying to for months, but every time i call or email to make an appointment i get too scared and cancel, or i ring and then say nothing and hang up. I think i have anxiety, but i kind of feel like i'm going crazy so i want to talk to someone sooner rather than later but i'm just too nervous. I guess i'm lucky i have all these avenues available like headspace, or uni counsellors or a gp, but which one is best to go to? which one will be the least awkward? I couldn't think of anything worse than sooking to a stranger for an hour and i don't know how beneficial it'll be, if it's actually worth it. Is it uncomfortable? I'm worried i'll be too scared to speak, or start crying, or not say everything or screw it up somehow. What is it like for others? Did it work for you (excluding those who were given prescriptions from whoever they saw) did it actually help you at all?

Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies replies: 51

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first replies: 0

conversion disorder replies: 1

How to survive and ultimatly thrive with Anxiety replies: 1

Hello! New here replies: 2

The impossible task of finding the motivation within replies: 1

Regaining control of my life. replies: 35

Uni exams replies: 6

antidepressants replies: 2

Hey I'm new replies: 2

am I depressed or overreacting? replies: 1

What's it like speaking to a professional for the first time? replies: 2