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
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

romantic_thi3f 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 i... View more

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!

Sophie_M 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 mindfu... View more

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.

All discussions

Start a discussion

Liam007 I feel like I drive people away from me
  • replies: 3

This last week has been awful. I feel like the reason I have no friends is because of me and the person I am. When I'm around people all I want to do is just "friendly chat" but I feel like I screw it up. I constantly apologize "If I said something t... View more

This last week has been awful. I feel like the reason I have no friends is because of me and the person I am. When I'm around people all I want to do is just "friendly chat" but I feel like I screw it up. I constantly apologize "If I said something that I upset you, I'm sorry" or "I didn't mean any offense". It doesn't matter if they have stated they are offended or not I still apologize. I feel like people view me as a social weirdo. After a uncomfortable experience like that I go on social avoidance, a teacher was trying to compliment me in Visual Arts, I just responded with "Yep, yep, thanks, oh cool" I wasn't being a jerk, I'm just scared to even speak up now. I had one friend just completely ignore me out of no where. I have no clue what I did. I tried to apologize for whatever I did but he ignored me and probably will never speak to me again. I feel like I have no friends and the people who do talk to me probably hate me so much. I feel like no one wants me around. Despite all this, I've bee invited to a party with them at the end of the year. I feel like I'll just embarrass myself and drive people even further away

Jqxmine Feeling so lonely
  • replies: 3

Recently, within the past few months, at school every things okay, i have friends and we joke around but when I'm alone at night time I break down, and I'm at my worst because I'm alone with my own thoughts. I don't tell people this because they can'... View more

Recently, within the past few months, at school every things okay, i have friends and we joke around but when I'm alone at night time I break down, and I'm at my worst because I'm alone with my own thoughts. I don't tell people this because they can't help, and my parents just say its a phase. Its awful because online Facebook chatting is just over a screen and i feel the need to tell someone and I'm really close with this guy but I'm scared if i confined in him i will just be a burden and annoy him. Its hard because my parents always yell and my sibling is younger than me but thinks she is superior an has authority and my parents yell at her and when they get angry, their angry and I feel whatever i do will tip them over the edge. I just feel so sad when I'm alone an i crave physical contact, not sexual but hugs from friends but i can't get to them because its so busy and at school is another world but i feel like i need someone to talk to and just express whats happening. People ask if Im ok and i can't say I'm good because I'm lying but i can't say not good because I'm just sad for no reason and i can't explain it, i just feel so alone

searching91 I'm looking for someone like me, who thinks like me
  • replies: 14

Without bursting into a song from The Jungle Book, I want to meet someone like me. I haven't yet and it makes me feel even worse about myself. I have chemical depression, anxiety and paranoia. It hasn't been brought on by trauma and/or life events, i... View more

Without bursting into a song from The Jungle Book, I want to meet someone like me. I haven't yet and it makes me feel even worse about myself. I have chemical depression, anxiety and paranoia. It hasn't been brought on by trauma and/or life events, it just is. Hence, the chemical part of it. I feel crappy and lost and helpless all the time. I don't trust anyone and I'm convinced that people don't like me through overanalysing their texts. I would like someone around my age, 22, if not a bit older. I just need to speak to someone about the things that go on in my head without being looked at like what I'm saying is totally insane.. If there is anyone else like me who also needs to talk, please do. I'm here and I would love to talk to you.

Liam007 Feeling like a social outcast at school
  • replies: 85

Hi All, This is my first post here and I'm fairly new to this forum. I apologise if this story is long, I need to list everything My name is Liam and I'm a 17 year old high school student, I'm in Year 12 at the time of writing this post. I have the p... View more

Hi All, This is my first post here and I'm fairly new to this forum. I apologise if this story is long, I need to list everything My name is Liam and I'm a 17 year old high school student, I'm in Year 12 at the time of writing this post. I have the problem of not seeing the good in my self, I basically feel like a failure. I was always the quiet kid at school (this was back in 2010) I tried to fix this in 2011 but it didn't go well so in 2012 and 2013 I was in TOTAL FEAR of speaking up or introducing myself to anyone. I used to love creative arts but didn't want to share them out of fear I would be laughed at. In 2014, I felt I finally started gaining confidence. I was getting good marks from my teachers and felt I was making legit friends but then.... I was walking out to lunch one day and one of the groups was sitting in one of the classrooms (they were doing rehearsals for something, can't recall) but anyway I actually overheard them and they were basically saying "I was a weirdo" They were lying to me and only pretending to like me. Since then my confidence and self esteem JUST CRASHED. I ended up saying really cruel things about myself: "I hate myself", "I could not show up and no one would give a crap!" "I'm a worthless failure" and just never believing ANYTHING nice, good and kind anyone had to say about me. I basically started to feel my reports were all just lies and the teachers were just exaggerating their good comments. Which now brings me to this forum, I now feel lost and have no idea where to go from here. Is there anything I can do to ease up on myself? Should I ease up? Thank you, Liam

ViperMist I Feel like everyone is against me
  • replies: 3

Lately my family has been very verbally against me and it makes me want to give up... I' m to afraid to go up to my mum and tell her I'm not okay and need help. She keeps telling me how she doesn't understand why I hurt myself and that I should stop ... View more

Lately my family has been very verbally against me and it makes me want to give up... I' m to afraid to go up to my mum and tell her I'm not okay and need help. She keeps telling me how she doesn't understand why I hurt myself and that I should stop taking my medication.... I' m scared and I don' t know what to do anymore and all I want to do is die and the thoughts have followed me everywhere, from my waking life to even my dream life what do I do I'm scared and feel alonebeyondblue’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.

TheWriterPerson I feel so alone
  • replies: 4

Depression is really hitting me harder than ever. I recently just told my parents that I have depression, my mother is trying to understand but my father doesn't seem to care. He said I wasn't depressed and that I'm just going through a phase. He doe... View more

Depression is really hitting me harder than ever. I recently just told my parents that I have depression, my mother is trying to understand but my father doesn't seem to care. He said I wasn't depressed and that I'm just going through a phase. He doesn't understand that he is making it worst by telling me things like that, he even said that I was making my mother depressed. I think he hates me because he won't even talk to me anymore. I don't know what to do, I feel so alone. I am terrified of who I've become. I am so tired of being alone. I am tired of feeling like I'm drowning. I am just tired of being tired.

yunasdream I feel lost, please help
  • replies: 2

I feel lost, I don't know what to do, it seems as if everything goes wrong, I can't seem to finish my studies, because I can't afford a car, so I found a job and was fired, now I started another job, and I'm hopeless, I've dealt with thyroid issues, ... View more

I feel lost, I don't know what to do, it seems as if everything goes wrong, I can't seem to finish my studies, because I can't afford a car, so I found a job and was fired, now I started another job, and I'm hopeless, I've dealt with thyroid issues, anxiety, depression and other things, I grew up in a dysfunctional family, they all have psychological issues,they've always put me down, always treated me like crap, and I've had the lowest self-esteem that anyone could have, like solitude, I don't like dating, I don't like having friends, I avoid them as much as I can, I reject every guy that asks me out. I did find one guy that I could talk to, and we ended up together, but my hatred towards others led me to hurting him emotionally. I hate being poor, I hate having this hatred inside me

kate98 First steps to recovery
  • replies: 1

My name is Kate and a little while ago I was diagnosed with severe depression and anger problems. Telling my story was suggested as a way to let it out because I have trouble telling people including my psychologists about my mental state. When I was... View more

My name is Kate and a little while ago I was diagnosed with severe depression and anger problems. Telling my story was suggested as a way to let it out because I have trouble telling people including my psychologists about my mental state. When I was ten my father was diagnosed with depression. He was abusive and he and my mother would constantly shut me out for hours and hours every day, to be on my own while I could hear my father screaming at my mother from their room. I was too young to realize it was my mother's attempt to keep me away from my dangerous father. By the time of their break up a year later I was detached from my parents, I no longer loved them, and I wanted nothing to do with my father. Two years ago I began having extreme fits of anger. At first they were passed off as me being a difficult teenager. Last year I was diagnosed with anxiety, after having embarrassing panic attacks in public and at my now ex boyfriends house. It got to the point where I was unable to catch the school bus anymore or go to school much at all. I didn't want people to find out because I was embarrassed and afraid of the judgement. Then it became a trend for teenagers to go around posting on social media that they have mental illnesses, and then were labelled as attention seeking, This made me even more afraid to get help when things began to go downhill at the start of this year. I have since overcome my anxiety with minimum help from medication which I am proud of, and can now control my panic attacks. However at the start of this year I began becoming obsessed over having total control over things. My anger problems made a huge comeback and the mix of my rages and need for control pushed my boyfriend and my friends away until I was alone again. I was angry, sad and empty all at the same time and I didn't even know how that was possible. I stopped caring about myself and began taking big unnecessary risks. I ran away constantly and threw myself at any boy who showed interest in me, who of course used me and left me even more broken and alone. I felt worthless. I couldn't get motivated to do anything. I was too afraid to speak up about how I was feeling for fear of being labelled as an attention seeking teenager. I began to self harm to feel in control of myself. I almost left it too late to talk to someone. Two weeks ago I was hospitalized for being suicidal, I now see a psychologist and I am trying to make a better, happier life for myself.

Luka-chan Too Depressed To Do Exams?
  • replies: 1

So recently my depression has taken a turn for the worst. I haven't had a good night sleep in a month, I've been getting terrifying nightmares and I have had a hard time getting out of bed to face the day. I had already pre-organised with my coordina... View more

So recently my depression has taken a turn for the worst. I haven't had a good night sleep in a month, I've been getting terrifying nightmares and I have had a hard time getting out of bed to face the day. I had already pre-organised with my coordinator that I don't have to do my exams if my depression doesn't get any better, and she would rather me doing transition week then the exams. That's only because this years exams don't count for anything since I'm only in year 11. My friends are thinking that I'm doing it because I don't want to and that I'm just spending my time procrastinating and buying McDonalds while they work, but honestly I'm spending all my time in the sick bay trying to get some sleep and talking to counsellors. Am I in the wrong by not doing my exams? Are my friends just strung up because they're stressed? Am I just being pathetic?

Toni92 In over my head.
  • replies: 3

Years of bullying at school lead me into a dark depression which I managed to overcome, so I can't say I'm a stranger to it. For the last few months I've been fighting terribly with my parents over circumstances that I can't control and it has brough... View more

Years of bullying at school lead me into a dark depression which I managed to overcome, so I can't say I'm a stranger to it. For the last few months I've been fighting terribly with my parents over circumstances that I can't control and it has brought me back into the darkness more than I have ever been before. It is worse than last time as I feel there is no way out. When I sleep I'm plagued with anxious dreams that leave my nerves on end. When I'm awake I'm dull and lifeless. From someone that was always smiling to someone that is shared with so much negativity and sadness. The worse thing is I can't seem to break free of my own self. I want to be there for people but often it's a struggle to get through the day. My boyfriend is so understanding and supportive, but this past week I've found that all I want to do is push him away. When we are together I'm looking for any negative thing about him just so I can out my negative thoughts at ease in saying he can't be trusted, he's disloyal and he doesn't love me as much as he says he does. Even things as little as 'checking girls out' in front of me...when he probably only glances in their direction. It's like my depression is forcing me to be this insecure, stale and uptight person that isn't a good person to be around. I don't smile anymore, I rarely laugh and I have forgotten what is has been like to be happy just numb or sad. Is there any advice out there for not pushing the people closest to you away? Why do negative thoughts punish them most?