Immediate support
Immediate 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 discussion

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 discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

flower_girl1 Suddenly obsessed with a project then over it again
  • replies: 7

Hi sorry i know I started a lot of threads on here, I just have a lot of questions and it was easier this way. Does anyone else become so obsessed with a project that it like hijacks their whole brain for a while? I don't know if this is actually a t... View more

Hi sorry i know I started a lot of threads on here, I just have a lot of questions and it was easier this way. Does anyone else become so obsessed with a project that it like hijacks their whole brain for a while? I don't know if this is actually a thing or if I'm just odd (I mean special really). for example we have an aviary filled with budgies and sometime in spring I suddenly become obsessed with it. I buy all new breeding boxes, some new birds, clean it all out and then just sit there and watch and I am so impatient I swear I am mad at the birds for not breeding and having 20 chicks in a day. I really hate the impatience that conea with it I swear it's almost painful. I do this with all sorts of things like art projects or cooking or collection things. All of a sudden I will desperate to have the whole of a set of something. Right now it's my bookcase and I am fighting ridiculous urges to go and buy copies of boons just so I have the whole set of everything, even if I don't like the book. It's stupid, I hate it, it's uncomfortable and I can't stop. I waste money on stuff I don't need or want and I get over it in a week or less and hate myslelf for it. Do other ppl do this? Is it normal? Is it actually a thing? Can I stop doing it? again sorry for the fifty million threads flower_girl

unigirl1994 Anxiety is ruining my studies
  • replies: 11

Hi everyone, I'm currently in my second year of uni studying creative arts and I wanted to try and get some advice regarding my anxiety because it's becoming a huge issue in regards to my studies. I have social anxiety (not officially diagnosed) and ... View more

Hi everyone, I'm currently in my second year of uni studying creative arts and I wanted to try and get some advice regarding my anxiety because it's becoming a huge issue in regards to my studies. I have social anxiety (not officially diagnosed) and I hate going to uni because I'm afraid of having to interact with my teachers and have them criticize my artworks. I find that the amount of work I have to do by the end of semester completely overwhelms me every time, and I end up putting it all off until the last few days (or the night before). I end up giving in barely satisfactory work and scraping by with my marks. As I type this I have assessments due in a few days, both which are still incomplete and have components missing from them he to me not getting them done. I hate going back to uni out of class times and avoid it at all costs because I don't want my teaches to be angry at how far behind I am. I have been told by some, during reviews of my ongoing artworks that they feel worried about my final result, and should do more or else I will fail. Still, despite this I do not and hand in incomplete works. I have tried to make myself do things quicker when I get them but I just cannot seem to keep it up. I do not know how to stop my procrastination and it's making me feel depressed , worthless and like I don't deserve to be studying. I want to do better but I don't know how. Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.

unigirl1994 Anxiety and University.
  • replies: 2

I've had anxiety as far back as I could remember. Sitting outside my neighbours house as a child reciting to myself how to ask them for some flour or something because my mum asked me to, wanting to run away and pretend they weren't home. Now I'm in ... View more

I've had anxiety as far back as I could remember. Sitting outside my neighbours house as a child reciting to myself how to ask them for some flour or something because my mum asked me to, wanting to run away and pretend they weren't home. Now I'm in uni, it's gotten worse especially this year as it's my last year and I'm feeling an insane amount of pressure. Never get great grades as I procrastinate and my anxiety gets the best of me. So in my course for all classes we are allowed to have 2 days off without explanation and I've already taken one off for each due to a sinus infection that lasted a week. So today I'm lying in bed, with insane chills to the point where I can barely move (had already had hot shower) and I decided to take my second day off. However the next hour was filled with me second guessing myself and nearly having a panic attack at the thought of missing a class for some reason and making my boyfriend disappointed in me. So half an hour before class starts I rush to get ready but just as I leave, realize I'm being ridiculous and won't make it in time considering travel and parking as well as preparing for my tutorial. So I'm sitting here, riddled with anxiety about missing my second class for fear of wasting my day off when I should be relaxing in bed. I'm worried when my boyfriend wakes up he'll be mad that I stayed home for no reason so I'm determined to go to my afternoon class so no one thinks I'm being lazy but I still feel ridiculously panicked about it all.... anxiety sucks I've also been really worried as everyone expects me to use my degree as soon as I leave uni but I have no idea what I want to do with it to be honest or even when I'll use it (creative arts degree, yes I know, most people think it's a bludge degree).

sarah272 Social Anxiety
  • replies: 4

I'm new to this site and have been struggling with social anxiety, probably since high school. I am now in my second year at university and have only recently just started to see a psychologist. I have days were its not so bad, but most of the time i... View more

I'm new to this site and have been struggling with social anxiety, probably since high school. I am now in my second year at university and have only recently just started to see a psychologist. I have days were its not so bad, but most of the time i sit in my tutorials and just feel really anxious. I always think people are watching me and like today i get this thing where somedays I just pretend I'm on my phone when walking in public to avoid eye contact. A few times I've even felt to anxious that I had to vomit, since i did in front of my boyfriend I'm scared that it will happen again and now its grown into this huge thing where i don't eat in public places. I haven't written on a forum, so not really sure what else to put. Why won't it just go away, i know that i shouldn't be anxious and all that but i just cant. I've been with my boyfriend for almost 9 months, recently I've been feeling really worried that he will get to the point where he just won't be bothered anymore and will leave me. I know its irrational thinking but it just won't go and i get really upset with myself. Thanks for reading x

TWLOHA_4_LIFE when you can't speak out, write it down
  • replies: 5

There's been fights with so many words left unspoken So many promises that were made to be broken So many tears that ran down the side of your cheek And so many putdowns that left you so weak But yet I stood by your side, I was always there I'm just ... View more

There's been fights with so many words left unspoken So many promises that were made to be broken So many tears that ran down the side of your cheek And so many putdowns that left you so weak But yet I stood by your side, I was always there I'm just someone's daughter who never fails to care At times you said I was more mature than I should of been Because of all the things that i'd done, things that I'd seen But I continue to surprise you each and every day With the things that I do and the things that I say Always helping people out when they were in need Always writing words I knew people wanted to read But guess what? All I am is just a 20 year old girl And sometimes I feel forgotten by the world Because when someone's always there for you I guess you don't see that they also hurt too Because I've always got a smile and a hug to give But did you know there's times that I struggle to live? Self acceptance, anxiety, the things you don't see That when I'm helping you, my devils are hurting me

Katie101 Social anxiety
  • replies: 5

Ever since a few years ago i have had problems with facial blushing and never realised it was most likely a bigger problem, being social anxiety. It usually tends to happen in big social situations when people will call out my name or draw attention ... View more

Ever since a few years ago i have had problems with facial blushing and never realised it was most likely a bigger problem, being social anxiety. It usually tends to happen in big social situations when people will call out my name or draw attention to me. In some situations im completely confident and in others i feel so nervous that i dont really want to be there. It is definately something that i need to fix because it does affect my social life/general life a lot and i really really do not want to live like this anymore. I am quite confident sometimes but i just wish i could stay like this in all parts of my life. The anxiety also tends to come and go, if im particularly social one week then i will become quite confident, but if i spend extra time alone or not going out as much then it will come back worse than ever when i am next in a big social situation. I always have the feeling that people are staring at me or judging me even if they are not, and every time i blush my whole face and neck will redden and my heartbeat will rise so much, and i will start to sweat. Sometimes this will happen even when im not actually embarrassed at all. Just hoping that someone feels a similair way or has had a similair experience and that im not completely alone on this!

sumynona423 unsteadily gaining and loosing weight
  • replies: 2

Am I the only one who over certain time periods either looses or gains weight rapidly? I have a set meal plan but there are just somedays I can just not eat or not stop eating! Some days I can run forever and others I can't even get out of bed! I can... View more

Am I the only one who over certain time periods either looses or gains weight rapidly? I have a set meal plan but there are just somedays I can just not eat or not stop eating! Some days I can run forever and others I can't even get out of bed! I can't find any triggers and its draining to go through! Any help/advice please?

pyrotechnic4892 Don't know what to do anymore.
  • replies: 5

Let me just say that I'm 22 years old, and I've pretty well had depression for the past 15 years of my life. I never fit in in primary school, was constantly bullied and it only got worse in high school. Around 17 years old it seemed like I'd finally... View more

Let me just say that I'm 22 years old, and I've pretty well had depression for the past 15 years of my life. I never fit in in primary school, was constantly bullied and it only got worse in high school. Around 17 years old it seemed like I'd finally overcome my manic anxiety depression after years of feeling suicidal. Although it was always in the back of my mind, it wasn't active. It came back last year. I'm not sure when it started again or why, but it's back again and it's worse than ever. But I had an amazing boyfriend who was there for me and held me when I cried and did his best to make me happy. I always told him not to feel trapped in our relationship because of my depression. I told him that if it ever got too much I didn't want him to stay with me for fear of how I'd handle it.It got to be too much,he told me in the gentlest way he could that he just didn't love me as he used to. And now I don't know how to move past him.My depression has always centred around my hatred for myself. I hate everything about me. People tell me it's stupid because I'm kind and beautiful, and part of me wants to believe them, but usually when I look in a mirror I see a selfish, ugly bitch that only destroys the lives of people around her. Including her family and friends.And now I'm alone. Again. There's no warm cuddles, nobody to sleep beside me at night and tell me they love me. I destroyed the best thing I had because I could never believe I deserved him, and all I can think of is how I should've done more. Been more. Tried harder.Now I'm just tired of trying. I'm tired of pretending to smile everyday. I'm tired of struggling to keep up at uni. I'm tired of the pain and the loneliness and the emptiness. I'm tired of feeling. I'm tired of being. And yet I can't end it because I know, somewhere in me, that there are people who love me. I know I would only hurt my family more. But I just don't know how to feel human again.I've started eating healthy, I'm seeing a counsellor at my uni once a month (though I haven't seen him since my split with my partner as it was just under 2 weeks ago) and I've finally told my family that I've had depression since I was 7 or 8 years old.I've always had a normal, stable family life with loving parents. But this only makes me feel even more guilty and hate myself more. How dare I feel this way when I'm so fortunate.I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm so tired of crying. I'm so tired of being alone. I just want peace. 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:8.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:107%; 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-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Songbird88 Feeing guilty, stupid, lazy and like a burden
  • replies: 3

I've always had anxiety and depression my whole life and usually I've been able to keep it under control however recently I've just started uni and a lot of things happened in my life all at once which I think has made my anxiety and depression much ... View more

I've always had anxiety and depression my whole life and usually I've been able to keep it under control however recently I've just started uni and a lot of things happened in my life all at once which I think has made my anxiety and depression much worse. At uni I've just started doing law which I got into pretty easily with my marks from high school so I am supposed to be able to do the work however about 1 month ago my anxiety and depression became unbearable. Ive started having extremely bad panic attacks where I will pace around the house, crying uncontrollably and not being able to breath which gets to the point where I'm dry reaching. After these first started I also began to not be able to actually read anything properly and Id find myself trying to reread pages over and over without taking anything in. It got to the point where I couldn't really read anything at all because I couldn't focus. I also can't remeber things I've read the day before which isn't like me I usually have a good memory. I then became so bad that I didn't get out of bed for a few days and only got out because my mum forced me to (in a nice way). I've also found it hard to leave the house and make any kinds of decisions, this has resulted in me not going to classes for a month. I lose all motivation and can't bring myself to do anything... Because of all this I've fallen behind and it feels like everything is on top of me and I cant breathe. The thing that really bothers me is that I know usually I can do the work but lately I can't because I frequently lose days where I should be doing work just either having a panic attack or not being able to focus enough to read which makes me have a panic attack aswell. I feel so guilty about not doing my work on time and that maybe I'm just lazy and that I should just get over it and get on with it but whenever I try when I'm feeling bad I cant. My mum and sister try to be supportive all the time which makes me also feel guilty for wasting their time and making their lives difficult. Sometimes they say things to me like you're just going to have to do it or just do it and it makes me upset because I can't. I also find myself lashing out at them when they are only trying to help which just makes me feel even worse and like they would be better off without me. I look at my life and I can't see that I'll ever be happy and I really don't know what to do... Sorry about such a long post, hope someone can help.

JamesK1 Anxiety - Feeling Sick
  • replies: 2

I have seen only a few of these posts about anxiety relating to the feeling of sickness, Basically im 17 and currently in year 12, I have been dealing with many other types of anxiety since the age of 10 but was able to deal with them. For the past f... View more

I have seen only a few of these posts about anxiety relating to the feeling of sickness, Basically im 17 and currently in year 12, I have been dealing with many other types of anxiety since the age of 10 but was able to deal with them. For the past few months now I have been struggling with constantly feeling sick when outside the house and being scared of throwing up, I used to be a pretty active kid, (tennis, soccer, running etc) but this has left me unable to compete in any sports as I just feel sick and it gets to the point where I can't move or ill throw up. I have visited the doctors and been prescribed Noten to see if it will calm me down for the time beeing but it has not helped yet. Im posting to discover if anyone else experiences this and can offer some tips/remedies to help cure the sickness. and yes I have read about trying to keep my mind off it when it comes and but the urge to throw up is so strong there is nothing I can do besides ride the wave out until it passes. Cheers