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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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Ever Feel Trapped?

replies: 5

These past few years have seen a lot of changes in my life - I graduated from high school, I started my Bachelor Degree, moved away from home (in with the boyfriend), broke up with said boyfriend after 5 years together, found out my eldest brother has brain cancer (doctors estimate he has 10 years), my parents separated after 30 years together, my best friend is suicidal, and now I'm in my last trimester of university - finishing a course I no longer have an interest in... yay?After years of intermittent depression, I thought I was doing alright, handling everything pretty well - turns out I'm not. You know those horrible moments of realization? Those epiphanies that find you when you believed you were okay? I hate those, because they always catch you off guard. I had one the other day. I'd grown tired of playing on my iPad, so I went and sat in one of the living rooms, in the dark, and did what I often do - daydream. Now this in itself was fine, I had nothing else to do and it was a way to relieve the boredom. The part that made me cringe was the realization that I’d slowly made my daydreams a way of ‘living’. My reality had narrowed to a life within four walls – I rarely go out, I don’t attend my classes, I don’t even play video games anymore and that used to be my major pastime. Slowly I’ve boxed myself into this life, and to deal with that I’d started daydreaming much more frequently. It broke my heart to realize I’d been living in my daydreams because the real world had grown to be unbearable. I don’t want to waste my life away in a dream world that doesn’t exist, and whilst I know logically that I have the power to change that, I also know that it will take time – and the thought of spending a single second more like this is painful.I’m trying so hard to keep positive, to remember that happiness can be found by changing your point of view, but there are real world constraints that I can’t escape. My dream has always been to see the world, but I made the decision not to work while studying so that I could focus on my studies – a decision I truly regret. Because now, I’ll have the time to do it but not the means. I have another few years of toiling away in some job, saving every penny, until I have enough to finally escape. Life’s too short to spend every day worrying about money, but if I want to see the world, then that’s what I have to do. But! Again! Happiness is a point of view, and I'll hold to this mantra like a life vest beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.

It's only getting worse

replies: 3

I was diagnosed with depression at 14 and anxiety when I was 17. For the longest time I thought I was handling it all ok, my GP even complimented me on how I handle myself despite being unmedicated. I'm 20 now and for the last couple of months it's felt like my mind is starting to fracture. At night I have to get up and check the house every time I hear a noise because I'm so paranoid. When I'm out with my closest friends sometimes I lock up and suddenly can't even speak and I've even found myself canceling plans at the slightest hint of consequence. The only place I feel safe is online and in my writings but even that has been effected my depression is crushing my motivation to write stories I was so passionate about. In between these episode I still experience some instances of comfort and general happiness but they're becoming fewer and further between, gradually being replaced by constant depression. I feel like the family joke and despite socialising with a lot of new people I can't shake the feeling that none of them like me, I'm unemployed, I have no money and despite having a certificate three in pathology and a number of skills I feel completely useless. I want so badly to be able to talk to someone and learn more about what's going on inside my head but all my previous attempts to see a councilor or psychologist have resulted in me either running out of the building before I can make an appointment or being too afraid to really make a connection. I don't know what makes it so terrifying for me but I do know it's making so much harder for me to figure out how to deal with this. I feel like I'm being dragged down and pulled apart. I've read that anxiety symptoms can get worse as a person gets older but I never expected this. I'm really not even sure if there's a questions in any of this. I just wish I knew what to do or how to handle all of this. I can't deal with this much longer and it's gone on too long to be dismissed as a phase or a singular occurrence but just knowing that someone else might read this and even just understand gives me a little relief.

Stressful job / what to do / trying to conceive / lost and depressed.

replies: 4

Hi all. I'm a 21 year old female trying to find my place in the world. I'm wanting to hear from anyone with suggestions. Basically i hate my job, to the point where it's severely impacting my whole life. i'm always miserable.. I'm always thinking about my job when im at home and i cant stop. i'm always looking for a new job but because i've had 7 jobs in 4 years im being a bit cautious because i dont want to keep swapping jobs all the time. My current role is in finance/insurance in a car dealership, and to date it's the worst move i've made. Only reason i took the job is because my other role at coles was low hours and i was struggling financially. now i work 46 hours a week, have a high expectation to sell everyone finance/insurance which i cant do because i dont like pushing or objection handling. my results are poor and i'm at breaking point. I would love to just quit but financially it's not a great move for my partner and me. We have no debts and for 4 months we have been trying to concieve a baby. which makes it hard for me. Not only do i hate my job, i feel like i'm failing at trying to become a mother. I know i really need to try to be in a good financial position for a child but at the moment i couldnt care if i lose my job tomorrow. i cry all the time and i cant stand being at work. Bare in mind, i currently live in a small town country mining town that is currently going through a huge downturn and jobs are getting made redundant every day. I want to really be able to show my partner i can be stable and finanially not have to rely on him. I've been applying at jobs i think may suit me and that i'll be able to stay long term but i haven't heard anything back and im at breaking point with my job! What would you do? HELP!

Problems with a girl. Feeling lonely and down

replies: 4

Hey guys, apologies in advanced if I bore all of you. It's just lately I've been feeling extremely down and depressed. I know it sounds really stupid, but there's this girl I've liked for nearly a year now, and when i fall for someone, i fall hard. I'm 17 btw. For a couple of months now we've talked non-stop, both texting and snapchatting. Im known around my school as 'one of the nicest guys', as apparently 'i don't have a mean bone in my body', but i think it's more to do with the fact that I have a very strong sense of morals and hate seeing people hurt or upset, so rather resort to being genuinely nice and attempt to make friends with everyone regardless. Anyway, after months of talking non-stop, we've only seen eachother twice out of school, one time of which was to go to her free house one evening. I'm quite inexperienced with women (haven't even had my first kiss), and have always had trouble talking to girls in person, sometimes even blushing. It's only recently that this has gone away and my confidence has built up, yet not to the stage where I can muster the courage to make a move. Anyway, nothing happened that night, we really just sat & talked & laughed through a whole movie. Given we still talked heaps, I have always wanted to see her more on the weekends, yet have always been hesitant because she always seems busy and I don't wanna come off as annoying. I eventually asked her to coffee but she said she couldn't at the time due to prior commitments. Even though it was disappointing, in a way it was also a kind of win as it showed i was interested in her. Yet, on Wednesday everything changed. She stopped talking on fb, and has stopped replying on snapchat. It's gotten to the stage where I'm starting to give up. I've just invested so much time into her that i would expect something to come of it. Now i just wanna give up. As cliche as it is, she's the first thing i think of when i wake up, and last thing when I fall asleep; I think of her non-stop. It's at the stage that for the past few nights i've been crying myself to sleep cause i'm just so cut up about it. And during the day, even the smallest things can reduce me to tears. I honestly don't understand what i've done to deserve this. Anyway, she drives me crazy, and I just feel so empty now. And i wish i could stop, but i can't. Part of me hopes this is just temporary, but I'm not entirely convinced. I just wish she would give me a chance and understand how much i care for her.

Struggling to cope with expectations, constant pressure and anxiety

replies: 1

Hi everyone, I'm James, I'm 17, and I have something that I feel I need to talk about. Lately I have been struggling with constant anxiety. I've always been a fairly anxious person by nature but I'm feeling worse than I ever have before. I've taken on a very heavy workload with the subjects I've chosen this year, and I reached a point at which it became too much. I began to stress, I stopped handing in assignments. I've always been a very high achiever, as well as being quite independent with my studies, so when I don't know the answer to something I feel embarrassed. I've found a lot of work challenging this year. I felt more comfortable not handing in any work than handing in work that, in my opinion, was embarrassing. The anxiety coming from this has affected me greatly. I often have sudden depressive mood swings, I find it hard to be around people, even those close to me. I feel a constant pressure to act as though I'm okay. When I'm with my friends I don't feel as though I can leave to spend some time alone to calm myself down. I have a very small friendship group and I feel like I constantly have to be around them. They are great people, but sometimes I need space to myself and I don't feel like I can have that. I worry a lot about what they think of me. With my parents recently receiving my latest report, they now know that I have been missing assignments and not handing up work. Naturally, I'm now under a lot of pressure to catch up. I feel like they're constantly watching me. I know that my parents care about me, but I can't help feeling like a complete disappointment to them, especially when compared to my 3 older brothers. I'm constantly under pressure now and I still feel like it's all too much. I've told a couple of close friends about how I'm feeling, but I can't bring myself to tell my parents. I've never really talked to them about anything emotional, and even though I feel like an absolute mess, I really don't want them to feel as though there is something wrong with me. I'm really scared about what could happen soon if I don't do something. I feel like I'm constantly on the verge of breaking down into uncontrollable crying. I'm afraid of what people will think of me if they know what I'm dealing with. I'm scared of the responsibilities that the next stage in my life will bring. I just want to disappear for a while, so no one can see me and I don't have any pressure to act as though I'm fine. I need help. Thanks for reading.

Could this year get any worse.....?

replies: 2

Hey all, I'm Charlotte and this year has been the toughest year of my life. I through growing up would be the best all I could ever want I'm 16 for heavens sakes. Every since I started high school I've been studying Italian and I really enjoyed it so much that in year 8 I went to Italy with my school. And I enjoyed it so much that my parents gave me a once in a life time opportunity to go on exchange, and that I did for 5 months last year. I had a very hard time leaving to go the trip of a life time but it did it I made it on the plane and left my whole life behind to start a new chapter as they say. I had the best but worst time over there because I found out what my breaking point is and I went past it. I still try and convince myself that my parents didn't just waste a lot of money on me having the worst time ever. But I do have to say it had it ups too but they didn't last long unless I just put on a smile to try and hide how nervous I was. I hit rock bottom and I guess I'm just having trouble getting back to the top. I mean I have most things that other don't so why complain that's how I see it but I know deep down I'm drowning. On the way home I was excited but overwhelmed with what had happened and what I have just done which was amazing because it was a great experience. But when I came home with a new start it wasn't all that. It was the start of a new year a fresh year for me at school and everything I thought I could get go back to school with all my friends and everything would be amazing like I never left. But it wasn't at all, friends who were they, could I even trust anyone anymore, they didn't really care and they still don't. I know that I wasn't popular to begin with and that still didn't matter to me but the fact was I felt alone, at school I can stand all by myself in the middle of nowhere and not one of my 'friends' would look at me or walk over to me I was just forgotten. I still don't know where I fit in anymore. It was all fine and I just keeping going and I found some other people who I now call friends but like i'm still the odd one out. Don't even get me started on guys, I can't trust any of the good looking ones just the ones who are my friends but that's all I need I guess. This year has been hard there is a lot more I could tell you from the depression and anxiety and how it all leads to 'italy'. If you could be bothered to read this please help me I could use someone to talk to. Thanks, Scar.

In constant pain and fear

replies: 3

I am going through a really difficult time at the moment because of financial pressures and the pressure and negative remarks from family members has done quiet a number on my health am I am really concerned that I am loosing weight rapidly was 110kgs now somewhere between 80-90kgs I haven't been able to eat properly for sometime and to make the weight loss worse is the waking up every morning sometimes as early as 4:30-5 am just to be sick and I feel cold all the time I have to wear so many layers I feel rediculous . Everytime I talk on the phone to my mum and start discussing with her what she suggest would help but I wand up a ready mess before my mum can give advice I hang up as I am ashamed that I have helped soo many people in the past but I cannot help myself. I have many emotional and traumatic experiences that I am still struggling to come to grasps with. As a 23 year old male I have seen things and witnessed events that keep playing out through my mind everyday and finding it is getting harder by the day I was just wondering if anyone can help me understand what's happening why I'm so cold all the time. Why does everything have to stuff up for me all the time help beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.

Anxious about Relationship

replies: 3

I started having panic attacks a week ago, I wasn't sure what was happening as I have never dealt with anxiety like that before. I thought I was going insane, like I was in a bad trip. This happened 3 weeks after moving in with my partner into our own place. We have been together over four years now, living before in a caravan on the property he co-owns with family. Since the night of the initial panic attack I've been in a terrified and very dark state. I've actually returned home for the time being with my own family. I'm scared everyday. I get horrible intrusive thoughts one of which is about my partner. My question now is why am I feeling anxiety when I think about him? When I am of clear mind I have no doubt I love him and want a good future together. Hell we've been through a lot over the years and I could not picture life without him. So why do I get the thoughts in my mind that I'm living a lie? That I don't love him anymore? These thoughts send me into a panic. I don't know what they mean, I feel guilty having them. He doesn't deserve to be thought about like that. He has done nothing wrong. I get myself into a state when these thoughts pop into my head and I have told him about the thoughts. He knows we'll be okay but I'm sure it's hurtful to hear that I'm doubting.How do you control these thoughts? Intrusive thoughts in general? We are both under financial stress paying off a home loan and rent on low incomes so I understand why I'm stressed but why do I keep feeling anxious when I think about him?I'm new to all this. I'm frightened. The doctor has prescribed an antidepressant (which I have another question about, I'll start a new post) and am starting sessions with a psychologist next week. I'm hoping this will get better.

Not coping with anxiety at all...

replies: 2

I have been struggling with depression for a few years, but recently came to accept the fact that I suffer from anxiety also. I am a fourth year hairdressing apprentice in a small salon, currently there is a lot of pressure on me to build my own client base, but recently my confidence has plummeted and my boss is losing faith in me. I constantly am in fear of stuffing up a clients hair and my boss going mental at me. I am too afraid to seek a new job as I don't feel I have the confidence to to go to interviews and sell myself... I love hairdressing, but at the moment I just feel like packing it all in and starting anew because of the way I feel. I only have 3 months left of my apprenticeship, but I'm worried I won't be qualifiable when the time comes... It is affecting my self esteem, my relationship with my friends and I'm worried it will start to effect my relationship with my fiancé...

Hello, I am Steve

replies: 10

Hey everyone, My name's Steve, I'm new to the Beyond Blue forum haha. Allow me to introduce myself.. Like many, I too suffer from depression and anxiety. My time in primary and secondary schooling, was well.. The polar opposite of positive. Most of my time in school was shrouded in misery, depression, unrelenting bullying and the list goes on. Despite my best efforts, I've been really struggling to deal with depression (due to unemployment) recently. In order to try and deter depression, I regularly hit the gym (3 times a week) for lengthy sessions at a time. While regularly attending gym is a good thing, it still does not fix the underlining problem of unemployment. After working out rigorously, I often find myself with too much time on my hands. I do enjoy maintaining a very clean car, but you can't be washing it daily lol. I do enjoy hitting the beach, but given that it is winter here in Melbourne, the cold ocean breeze does detract from the overall enjoyment of the beach haha. So why don't I go get a job?.. Ahh yes, easier said than done. When your someone like me, who gets discriminated from applying for jobs due to your heritage (despite having the essential licence), it makes applying for and being accepted for a job.. Impossible. I myself am not one to judge people, I am very accepting of all people, all shapes/sizes, heritage, religion etc. I never judge people on those particular things, but it seems that others judge me purely on my heritage. Maybe employers are scared that a young man with dark brown hair & eyes and olive/tanned skin wants to become a truck driver?, the possibilities are endless. If you must know, I am of Italian heritage. I can't understand why being of that heritage is disliked by employers, it's just ridiculous. I've found that by paying attention, listening and offering advice and tips to many other people in our community, it helps me too. I understand that there are many people who are suffering from depression for different reasons compared to me, It's something that i want to help people with. Having suffered from depression for many years, I'm definitely no stranger to it. I can well and truly relate to it and understand what many are going through. That's why I want to help people, to let them know their experiences are understandable. That's my brief introduction (not really brief, but you know what I mean), I look forward to speaking to and offering advice to many on this forum. Thank you for reading my thread

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

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

Ever Feel Trapped? replies: 5

It's only getting worse replies: 3

Stressful job / what to do / trying to conceive / lost and depressed. replies: 4

Problems with a girl. Feeling lonely and down replies: 4

Struggling to cope with expectations, constant pressure and anxiety replies: 1

Could this year get any worse.....? replies: 2

In constant pain and fear replies: 3

Anxious about Relationship replies: 3

Not coping with anxiety at all... replies: 2

Hello, I am Steve replies: 10