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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Feeling sad

replies: 3

Recently when i’ve felt sad i try to match how i feel with the music i listen to, and it’s rlly helped me identify the feelings that i don’t realise i’m having. that sounds positive but i’m not even sure if it is at this point. A few lyrics from phoebe bridgers’ song “Funeral” really resonate with me. “Jesus Christ, I'm so blue all the time And that's just how I feel Always have and I always will I always have and always will” They’re super simple lyrics, but they just encapsulate how i feel so much. Being depressed makes me view my whole life up to the depression as sad. And not surprisingly the future too. I might be autistic so i’ve always felt weird and misplaced everywhere so that only adds to the feeling. it’s nearly been a year since I was diagnosed with depression and I definitely don’t feel as low as i did then, but i wouldn’t say im much better either. So yeah. why am i so sad? All the time? will it ever go away? *shrug*

Young Adult Autistic Forum

replies: 1

Not sure if anyone knows but is there a young adults autistic forum or chat room that would suit my 18 year old son? I have looked online and lots of websites for parents of autistic children but I was hoping to find something that is regulated so my son can chat online and meet new people with the same condition? The ideal outcome would be for him to meet face to face with others but not sure how easy that will be living in Tasmania?

how to find yourself again after finishing school?

replies: 7

hi again, looking for some advice. tldr: after many years of focusing on school, i have time AND mental stability, but can't seem to find any enjoyment or satisfaction in my hobbies anymore; help? I used to love drawing, watercolour painting, photography, creative writing, singing, i was even learning piano for a while... but that was years ago. and a lot of those creative outlets were used to get me through dark times. but then i got busy with school. every time i wanted to get back into my hobbies i'd get worried i'm wasting my time, so i kept telling myself "after this set of exams, after this last assignment, during these school holidays..." but then it would never happen. but now i have the mental stability (i'm doing a lot better these days, most days) and the time (i just finished my trial exams, so i have 2 entire months to be more balanced in my lifestyle) to focus on my goals, one of which is to have some more unplugged me-time. but all the hobbies i used to love just make me frustrated. i think it has to do with confidence, not liking what i create, comparing my art to my friends' art because they're so much more skilled than me... so i end up losing motivation 10 minutes in and crying because i feel so useless. has anyone else struggled with this? how did you get back into your hobbies after a long hiatus? how do you find enjoyment rather than frustration when creating? are there any new hobbies or other art forms you think i should pick up? and most importantly, how do i find myself after neglecting my inner self for so long? Tea

Not sure if this counts as trauma?

replies: 3

Hi everyone! I recently have been thinking a lot about a brief relationship which I went through three years ago for about four months. In this relationship, I was dating a guy (we were both 14/15) and it was great for the first month and a half, but then him and one of my friends began getting really close. They said they were best friends, but they talked and texted and called a lot, and they used to joke in front of me about how everyone else thought that they were dating. He also facetimed her on one of our dates, had her as his lock screen wallpaper, and they kept saying "i love you" to each other as a joke. I never said anything about it to them because I was worried that I would be seen as crazy, and I was so insecure that I thought that he would get mad at me. One time when I did have a bit of an emotional outburst and got super freaked out and terrified and upset because he didnt text me back (thats how insecure I was), he gave me the silent treatment for nearly a week and then broke up with me. I also recall at one point in our relationship he made a joke about my acne, which went on to become a very major insecurity of mine and caused me severe emotional distress. Afterwards my friend and him stayed super close, everyone always told me that he probably left me for her (even though they never did end up together). It turns out that she was talking shit about me the whole time we were friends, she would constantly bring him up around me after we broke up, told me she was busy but would be with him, and was making up lies about me. After I cut her off, for the next few months those two would keep talking about me. I feel like I shouldn't still be thinking about all of this three years later, but it keeps reappearing in my memory to bother me. And someone very close to me recently said that it sounds like emotional abuse on his behalf towards me. I feel like I'm being crazy and overreacting, but the other part of me thinks that maybe this all affected me more than I thought and I could be suffering some kind of emotional trauma. Others have told me that it sounds like it was traumatic and I haven't been able to process it, and I also feel like I may have forgotten a lot of the experience. What do you guys think? Does this sound like some kind of trauma, or am I just overreacting (which could also be due to being made to feel like I was overreacting by both of them?) Thanks everyone- hope ur all doing well

So tired, all the time

replies: 11

It's just a little past midnight at the time of writing this. My depression is reaching an all time high and I feel so hopeless that I just.. don't know what I can do anymore. I've been looking for a job for 2 years, ever since the end of 2019, and I've gotten maybe 10 interviews since - no matter who I go to for help, professionals or otherwise, their advice never works. I've taken courses that were supposed to help, but EVERYONE these days has the same skills, and I hate this waiting game where sometimes I don't even get a response unless it's an email 2 months later saying the position was filled. I apply for what feels like 1000s of jobs a week (probably more in the 50s), and the rare responses I do get that are even remotely positive always fall through. I get such horrible anxiety talking on the phone or being on zoom, and I can't tell anybody about it because it's always met with "EVERYONE HAS ANXIETY", or "Everyone suffers like you! suck it up!" I'm so tired. So tired of looking for work and begging for scraps that I don't even get. My anxiety ties me down, my depression drags me under, and I don't know what to do anymore. The only times I feel calm are when I'm out on a walk, or alone in my room. I'm exhausted by people being around me, exhausted from the anxiety I constantly have when they're around. How do I stop feeling like this? And be more... more. Successful, less anxious? I don't know what I'm looking for, but if y'all have advice, please. Please let me hear it. (Or read it, I spose) Thank you.

I feel anxiety, insecure and hopeless; all sorts of bad things daily.

replies: 1

From my self-esteem and how my current daily routine is really stressful. I binge eat, get fat-shamed, shamed for my anti-social n gloomy personality, I don’t feel that my family and friends can stand me anymore. I’ve become less enthusiastic n less motivated to do anything, I relieve my stress with food, I started to hate myself, especially my weight gain, I get no nice comments from people around me, the first thing they say isn’t how are you but you’re so fat now, what happened to you. Also, I chose to do art for uni because that’s the only thing I’m good at and enjoy but I feel the disappointments around me. My parents say it's fine but also say “I wish I had at least one child who did a good career like a doctor.” I’ve never gotten compliments or praised for anything I do. I don’t feel like a proper adult and I’m already in uni, not ready for grown-up things to handle, I stopped driving lessons cos I was ashamed at how slow I am compared to all my friends who all have licenses now and some say ‘just get it, if I can, u can too, why haven’t u still’ but every mistake I make, I feel so guilty and embarrassed to continue on. My friends don’t call me out to hang anymore too, they must think I’m a drag to gatherings or I’m too ugly and sad for them. I cry myself to sleep very often now. Also, my parents are basically splitting up and everything around me has made me have no hope for my future. It doesn’t sound like anything big or major but all these things accumulating has made me very depressed or fatigue (or at least that’s what I think it is cos some say ‘it’s just all in my head’ when I finally let out what I feel). I feel very lonely and useless. I’ve rarely opened up cos I’m scared more people will ignore me or get uncomfortable with what I say. Could I have any piece of advice and comfort pls??

I just want to talk to someone

replies: 15

hi all Hope everyone is doing well.... I have a lot of negative feeling recently. I just would like to talk about it and throw everything out when no one judges me.... So let me start I am upset about what I did in the past. I am a perfectionist. Now I am thinking if I did this and that, or not to do this and that in the past, then I might be a better person now. I might be more attractive, I might have more friends. I might be more successful. There might be less people who dislike me....etc Secondly, I am a weird person. For example, I am only interested in thing/person I cannot get, and please. When a person tells me he/she dislike me, I will be very careful and try to please them. I will be upset and hopefully they can like me eventually. I understand that I should not waste time on those people but I should spend more time and effort in maintaining a health relationship with close friends , I cannot as I am not interested in the relationship once the relationship is well established. To me, I feel like it is a challenge to get everyone likes me. When they like me, I think mission is completed and let me move on. Thirdly, I like to compare with others. I wonder why others have what I do not have. They are prettier, they are more attractive, they have more friends. They have a wealth family. Their grade is better. They have a better job. etc.... It upsets me when I start comparing but I cannot stop! well... I hate myself being a person like this. Thank you everyone for listening to me. I do not have big issue. But it is really much appreciated to talk about all of these horrible thinking without being judged by anyone. Regards J

I dont know who i am anymore

replies: 150

Lately i just feel like i am getting dragged along not doing anything useful. The thing is i am pretty much useless, my anxiety is bad i cant even do what most other people can do my age and now i just have no motivation to learn because i know i will stuff it up or not go anywhere with it. I dont have a job, i dont study anymore and now that i am living with my nan its like i feel trapped even though i was in a worse position at home with my dad smoking weed with most of my inheritance money. I don't know what i am good at, liking something is not enough anymore because i know that i will be alone forever.

21 years old, never worked, finished highschool, dropped out of online course

replies: 3

Well I’m pathetic. 21 years old, haven’t done anything since highschool besides get my drivers license. Due to what I could only imagine is trauma from my past as a kid (im trans and was bullied a lot because of it) and a mixture of anxiety and depression (I’ve never been diagnosed) I’ve basically hidden away from the world, both terrified to join it yet desperate to be part of it. I don’t know what I want to do with my life, and sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth it. I think so often about maybe I should just find an easy way out, to take the burden off my parents, to finally do something right. I don’t know what kind of help, but I definitely need it.

Young person (13 years old) with anger issues

replies: 4

Hi, does anyone have experience with how to deal with a child (13) that has massive anger issues? Currently on antianxiety medication. Child lashes out at parents (hitting and kicking). If you are in a similar situation, how do you manage it? Extra m... View more

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

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

Feeling sad replies: 3

Young Adult Autistic Forum replies: 1

how to find yourself again after finishing school? replies: 7

Not sure if this counts as trauma? replies: 3

So tired, all the time replies: 11

I feel anxiety, insecure and hopeless; all sorts of bad things daily. replies: 1

I just want to talk to someone replies: 15

I dont know who i am anymore replies: 150

21 years old, never worked, finished highschool, dropped out of online course replies: 3

Young person (13 years old) with anger issues replies: 4