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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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loza depression or am i just a silly teenager?
  • replies: 7

I've done so much research on depression and if thats what I'm going through and everything is saying that i do and i think i am experiencing depression. I so badly want to work out whats happening with me but i can't bring it up to parents or anyone... View more

I've done so much research on depression and if thats what I'm going through and everything is saying that i do and i think i am experiencing depression. I so badly want to work out whats happening with me but i can't bring it up to parents or anyone because I'm scared they'll think low of me and think that I'm just an over dramatic teenager, normally I'm an 'energetic and happy person in front of people and it was just when i was alone but for the past few months its been really strong and I'm almost always feeling depressed. Can anyone help me? i don't know what to do.

LaurenLauren98 Feeling alone and not coping
  • replies: 6

I'm 16 and I have been diagnosed with clinical depression. I've had it for about 5 months but recently it's got even worse. My mother also suffers from the same thing plus other problems, my friends don't include me in the group or talk to me anymore... View more

I'm 16 and I have been diagnosed with clinical depression. I've had it for about 5 months but recently it's got even worse. My mother also suffers from the same thing plus other problems, my friends don't include me in the group or talk to me anymore. The only person it feels like I can rely on is my ex boyfriends (who is still very supportive) but I often feel like I bring him down and he doesn't need me as much as I need him. I recently attempted suicide and see a therapist now. I find that it doesn't seem to work and often feel really alone and like I have no body to talk to. I don't see any hope of getting better and I don't know what else to do. Are there any coping strategies I could try? Or somebody else I could talk to? 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 areencouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636.

ScaredGirl Feeling lost and emotional after a traumatic event
  • replies: 1

Hi, Im new here and I wasn't sure where else to go and talk to someone about this. I was involved in a car accident a few weeks ago where the brakes on my car malfunctioned causing me to lose control and go over the median strip into oncoming traffic... View more

Hi, Im new here and I wasn't sure where else to go and talk to someone about this. I was involved in a car accident a few weeks ago where the brakes on my car malfunctioned causing me to lose control and go over the median strip into oncoming traffic. I hit a 4WD head on as they were going 70km/hr, I rebounded off them and ended back on the median strip facing the way I had came. Police, ambulance and fire departments attended. Everyone involved, including myself were taken to hospital, here the woman that I had hit was two beds down from me and came up to me to talk. She let me know that herself and friend were all fine, slight whiplash and some soreness but okay. She talked to me for around half hour and told me that it wasn't my fault and everyone was okay. I stayed in the trauma department for 2 days with severe whiplash, cuts and bruises and an injured pelvis. Following the accident was was severely depressed, I didn't eat, sleep, talk or anything for at least a week. I couldn't, every time I tried I had nightmares, flashbacks and a constant feeling of guilt and anxiety. I ended up going to see a psychologist where I was diagnosed with PTSD and began exposure therapy. I am a uni student and my end of semester exams were a few days after the accident, I didn't end up doing these until next week. I have been trying to study but I have no concentration and I end up getting frustrated and angry at myself because if it wasn't for me none of this would have happened. I now have constant anxiety and can nearly get into a car without having a panic attack, I feel guilty and depressed most of the day, I get at least 3 nightmares a night and constant flashbacks so I barely sleep and I have noticed now that I have an anger problem, little things set me off to the point where I yell and get frustrated for no reason. I have emotional breakdowns constantly where I will cry for hours not knowing what to do. I feel like I'm letting my family and people around me down and that I'm not good enough for them. Im at that point where I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know if there is any other ways to deal with his, medications for what? Sorry for the long story but I really needed to get that off my chest. Thank you

bandaid Lonely, Anxious, Bitter and Tired
  • replies: 3

If I could just knock one of those words off the title, I would be over the moon, but I'm just too mentally exhausted to make much of an effort on any of them. I'm 24, smart, attractive I guess, wobbly but not overweight. Funny. Loving. Have a good, ... View more

If I could just knock one of those words off the title, I would be over the moon, but I'm just too mentally exhausted to make much of an effort on any of them. I'm 24, smart, attractive I guess, wobbly but not overweight. Funny. Loving. Have a good, stable job. Independent. Great family who help me whenever I need it. Yet, despite all these things going for me, I just can't form relationships. Friends or romantically. Yay anxiety. I've always been someone who keeps fewer friends. I used to have this awesome foursome group happening for years, until one moved overseas, one got his first girlfriend ever, and the other got married. There are no group hangs any more, I don't have any one to go camping with, I spend the week leading up to long weekends having panic attacks because I know I'm going to spend the weekend seeing everyone with their friends and I'll be sitting at home. My birthday terrifies me and I spent the last two overseas partying with strangers because I was terrified no one would turn up to mine. I don't have the money to go overseas this year and it's my birthday in 7 weeks, uh oh. I have met so many people in this time, but I automatically think they hate me. I get invited to things, but I get too anxious and bail. I actually do have a group of friends, but I think they hate me, so I don't know how that works. As for relationships.. I was great... Up until my relationship when I was 19 with a douchecanoe. It left me anxiety-ridden, and unable to get close to anyone for a solid 3 years after. There were a few people I dated which was okay, but I didn't really let my feelings kick in. Last year though.. met a guy. Went well for 6 weeks, then bam. Horrible anxiety. To his credit, he dealt with it for several months after but we called it quits because he already had a kid and a divorce and I didn't want him to deal with my crap as well. Happened again with the next dude. Now I'm too bitter about both relationships that I can't get over them. And one of them is in the same friendship group. So now my relationship and friendship anxieties are in the one place. I have no idea why I'm doing this to myself. It's completely irrational. I'm anxious about pushing people away so I push people away so I don't get anxious. How does one even get themselves into that stupid cycle? I feel worthless, underrated, bitter and lots of angry, and tonight I just want a damn hug and it looks like it'll be my dog because I have no one to call up and cry to.

Francesco Feeling a bit down.
  • replies: 7

Hi Guys, Lately I feel really down. When I am alone I feel so lonely, not in a way where I crave people but more in a way that I feel so disconnected from the world and myself. Its so hard to find meaning. I was wondering if anyone else has experienc... View more

Hi Guys, Lately I feel really down. When I am alone I feel so lonely, not in a way where I crave people but more in a way that I feel so disconnected from the world and myself. Its so hard to find meaning. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced the same and has some advice? Thank you.

Slinkums Sudden anxiety around long term friends
  • replies: 5

So my therapist said i should consider going out and meeting up with friends at least once a week over the holidays. I thought yeah, sure, sounds pretty straightforward. I usually do go and meet up with them once every couple of weeks anyways. Been g... View more

So my therapist said i should consider going out and meeting up with friends at least once a week over the holidays. I thought yeah, sure, sounds pretty straightforward. I usually do go and meet up with them once every couple of weeks anyways. Been good friends with them for several years so I didn't anticipate many problems. But now suddenly I find myself getting real stressed out and anxious over any interaction I have with them. It feels like the same kind of social phobia I get around strangers, which is insane because normally i would be perfectly comfortable around them. Was wondering if anyone else had any similar experiences; I am really weirded out here. I feel like someone has spiked my tap water with crazy juice or something. I actually ended up giving up on planning a trip out of town to visit another, also long term group of friends because of this.

Immy95 How to not compare yourself to others??
  • replies: 3

Hi there, For the entirety of my schooling years and including university, I have been having significant issues with my self worth and comparing myself to others. I am never happy with my results and always believe that I am a failure because I'm no... View more

Hi there, For the entirety of my schooling years and including university, I have been having significant issues with my self worth and comparing myself to others. I am never happy with my results and always believe that I am a failure because I'm not getting high results like my friends at uni. This makes me feel incredibly useless and frustrated because I put in so much effort, and in return I gain little in return. I have even stopped submitting the last pieces of work as I feel there is no point in doing so as I am going to fail anyway, which is heartbreaking for me. I just don't feel satisfied with my results no matter which way I look at it! Can somebody please help me? thanks, Immy.

architecture_student Perfectionism help needed
  • replies: 3

Hi there!My story with anxiety would fit a good novel and I am not sure where to start exactly. I am an architecture student, currently in 4th year, an immigrant (and Aus citizen for 3 years), homosexual and extremely perfectionist person. I am suffe... View more

Hi there!My story with anxiety would fit a good novel and I am not sure where to start exactly. I am an architecture student, currently in 4th year, an immigrant (and Aus citizen for 3 years), homosexual and extremely perfectionist person. I am suffering from uncontrollable crying at anywhere, anytime, burning sensation in my neck and in the place where my brain should be, accompanied by the most horrific self-critical, sometimes suicidal thoughts and self-humiliating behaviour. I have tried to reach out for help from professionals but certain limitations are preventing me from getting substantial help. I can clearly define a few failures that I’m unable to overcome mentally and drag me into a cycle of self-torture. After our immigration from eastern Europe with my family, I lived in deep outback until my 20th birthday and rushed into a relationship with a guy as soon as I arrived into the city starting a 1.6 years long relationship which ended up with a breakup –sort of catastrophic- after the following events: Last year, almost lost my sibling to anorexia, lost a relative through suicide (with similar mental mindset) and got two close relatives living overseas diagnosed with aggressive cancer types requiring an emergency travel during the semester. My course in the meantime has proceeded further and became more difficult and demanding (always studied overnight, having very little sleep and received high amount of stress from strict time constraints) These triggers were enough to make me do mistakes at the workplace which resulted in being fired. I became more aggressive in my relationship which resulted in having to live with my ex in a small unit for three quarters of the lease of our student residence (no other arrangement was possible). I felt humiliation, guilt, anger, all sorts of negative emotions towards myself for inability to cope, until we moved apart. Despite I wanted to proceed and move on. I have continued my studies, however I have phobia of applying to workplaces (I am financially dependent – STRUGGLING), opening to new relationships (as well as hating my sexuality), I am battling with insomnia and the type of anxiety attacks that I described earlier. I technically tried to compress 2 years in 2500 characters which might look superficial, but I really need advice in how to go on as my future seems to be taking me towards leaving my course, mental breakdown and some serious self-torture as a result.Thank you!Greg (23) 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. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Robin17 Physical Contact Discomfort
  • replies: 9

Hi all, I have lot a of discomfort with physical contact, anything more than a handshake/high-five and I become very uncomfortable. Obviously I cannot keep going like this, and I was wondering if anyone has experienced something similar, and if they ... View more

Hi all, I have lot a of discomfort with physical contact, anything more than a handshake/high-five and I become very uncomfortable. Obviously I cannot keep going like this, and I was wondering if anyone has experienced something similar, and if they could point me in the right direction of becoming more comfortable with physical contact from others. Thanks

Slinkums How the heck am I supposed to work
  • replies: 7

Hi, first post here, bit about me:20 year old uni student grinding my way through a bachelors degree. Pretty broke at the moment. Luckily accomodation and food and the like are covered by me living with my parents, but pressure from them and also nee... View more

Hi, first post here, bit about me:20 year old uni student grinding my way through a bachelors degree. Pretty broke at the moment. Luckily accomodation and food and the like are covered by me living with my parents, but pressure from them and also needing money to socialise and generally function in any capacity beyond vegetating at home has led me to consider casual or part time work. Only problem is I'm physically very slow and weak, and the only jobs available to me are basic retail work such as customer service, stacking shelves, etc.I've previously had two jobs, (one of each of the aforementioned retail positions), neither of which was anything approaching a positive experience. I was constantly reprimanded by my superiors to work faster/be more positive and sociable towards customers (two things i really struggled with) to the point where i was getting less and less shifts in favour of other, more competent coworkers. This was incredibly demoralizing. Both cases i started working alongside several other new recruits, and basically stood at a standstill as they improved at their jobs, even ending up as my supervisors in multiple cases. These past negative experiences (coupled with the fact that no other aspect of my life is going so hot) make the prospect of another job seem like each working morning turning into a coin toss. Not really sure what other money making alternatives are available to me. Parents make too much to be eligible for youth allowance and I hardly have time with uni to also learn some other qualification. Not really looking forward to the near or far future at the moment! Any help or suggestions would be appreciated