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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.

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Buffy101 PTSD and Anorexia Nerosia
  • replies: 7

Hello this is my first post here I have recently just over come a pretty bad eating disorder which began almost a year and a half ago. Although I still find it difficult to think of other things than food, Im trying to take steps to move on. I would ... View more

Hello this is my first post here I have recently just over come a pretty bad eating disorder which began almost a year and a half ago. Although I still find it difficult to think of other things than food, Im trying to take steps to move on. I would like to start at the beginning if that's okay?It began with a simple diet, wanting to loose weight and overall just wanting to eat healthy. One thing I have released is that I have a very compulsive nature, pretty sure Im a strong type A personality, stressed, ocd about things. So eventually this food thing it consumed my life. And as i slowly cut down the calories and the fat, I became weak and frail, but I did not know? See this is very hard to explain but with eating disorders it releases a chemical which is almost like a high ( I found this out later btw) and this high is created when a person doesn't eat. I found it was the constant reduction of meals that left me tired. Of course my parents were concerned and I think people around me were, yet I never picked up on what was happening? I just assumed I was being "healthy". I do Gymnastics also and I remember this one moment looking into the mirror and seeing this frail, girl and I realized that was me? It really was astounding, that It could happen to me, because a year ago I would have had no concept or even any idea how someone can neglect food? I would like to add the level of loneliness one has with this illness and strive for perfection. It almost killed me. So as the year went on, I kept less and less, my personality almost disappeared and my relationships surely disintegrated. I have learnt now that my friends weren't equipped with the knowledge to deal with my illness, some at gym would rave about how they loved to eat all the time. While I felt trapped and desperate for some kind of help. I have always been insecure and felt as thought people were looking at me, but I realized people were looking at me this time and that made it all feel so so much worse. I'd like to give some other information about the illness, I read that the brain produces serotonin and when this illness strikes serotonin is produced less this causes depression in some people following the illness. It also causes the brain to deplete as their is not enough nourishment and nutrition for it. Basically it just effects you mentally and physically. last year i tried to get help from my parents and they basically said it wasn't an illness and that I was just growing up?

pleasebehappy I can see my relationship ending because of depression
  • replies: 13

I recently started a new relationship (literally two weeks ago) after three years of preparing myself to be a better person, as well as a better girlfriend. It was going great initially when my boyfriend admitted having a crush on me since 7 months a... View more

I recently started a new relationship (literally two weeks ago) after three years of preparing myself to be a better person, as well as a better girlfriend. It was going great initially when my boyfriend admitted having a crush on me since 7 months ago. But as soon as I realised I loved him, things changed. I was paranoid and anxious. I kept thinking he would dump me like other boys did. I questioned his love. I tried so hard to persuade him that I wasn't the right one for him, so that he would leave me before I loved him further. He got sick of how difficult I was. I didn't feel like telling him I had depression, since I thought it would mean that I was giving myself an excuse for being difficult. Besides, he didn't understand what depression was when I mentioned the damage mental disorders could have on young people. And I didn't explain to him, because honestly, saying 'I have depression' is the hardest thing on earth. I want to continue this relationship. But how?

brandon1497 I Don't Care About Anything.
  • replies: 4

Hello.First Off I'm just going to list some things about myself. I am and always have been lazy. I'm 17 and I have depression (was diagnosed 6 months ago, but have had it for 2 years). Due to depression, I dropped out of school with no future plans o... View more

Hello.First Off I'm just going to list some things about myself. I am and always have been lazy. I'm 17 and I have depression (was diagnosed 6 months ago, but have had it for 2 years). Due to depression, I dropped out of school with no future plans of education or employment. I have never really had a dream job, instead I pretended to be interested in some random things I was told as a child payed good money (E.G. Architecture, Aeronautical Engineering). This helped keep my family off my back and distracted me from the fact that there was no job I wanted to do.Basically to but through the crap, I've given up on life. There is nothing in it for me anymore. As selfish as it may sound, I don't see a point to living if I can't have it the way I want. From simple things like sleeping times, having a shower and brushing my teeth, to getting a job, getting a education or living on the streets. It doesn't matter, I couldnt give less of a hoot. I love my family (mum +dad + brother) but I never do anything they need of me. The situation is, my parents recently bought a business (part of the reason they bought it was so they could employee me and get me working). I committed to a 3 day work week, but can't handle forcing myself to get up to work. Over the past 2 weeks I have stopped coming in on certain work days and as you would imagine, they have been getting really annoyed with me. My dad is bipolar and that is even more of a reason I don't want to go in. Basically as it stands, I refused to go into work today as I wasunable to sleep at all last night and my dad is likely going to fire me. My mum yelled at me for an hour begging me to go into work and that I don't understand what will happen once I get fired but I honestly don't care. All this talk about dole and the end of my life as I know it but I honestly don't care. I just want to live without anyone expecting things of me and needing me to do anything. I'm just so done with pretending to care about living a normal life and getting a job, starting a family etc. Sometimes I feel sorry for my parents because I can see how much of a struggle life is for them with balancing two businesses and trying to pay off the mortgage, but none of it means anything to me. Other times I feel like if I cared about anything in life I could do some great stuff and actually make something of myself, but I know it won't happen. Can someone please tell me how to cope with being lazy and not caring about anything.

samwisegamgee I feel like school is killing me
  • replies: 1

I'm a 17 year old girl and i'm just coming to the end of my year 11 exams. its a relief, to say the least. I suffered with terrible anxiety last year and thought that i had finally grasped a hold of it this year but it is proving quite the opposite. ... View more

I'm a 17 year old girl and i'm just coming to the end of my year 11 exams. its a relief, to say the least. I suffered with terrible anxiety last year and thought that i had finally grasped a hold of it this year but it is proving quite the opposite. anxious thoughts are taking over me and are making me feel incredibly sad and emotional. i feel like school is a massive culprit in this. My friends are all really nice people, but I can't help but be annoyed when they speak. I've recently become an extremely irritable person, and will avoid my friends, or avoid talking to them, just so i won't get irritated by them. This has left me feeling quite lonely, i suppose. All my friends are supportive still, its not like they have stopped talking to me. Its just i can't help being annoyed by them, even if they are saying something worthwhile. I am constantly comparing myself to other people - especially results wise. I am a straight A student but i can never think of it as a good thing because one girl is always ahead of me. For me, it wouldn't matter if I got a 98% result if this other girl got 99%. Id still feel like a failure. I can't stop this comparison, and with comparison comes self depreciation and being upset and stressed. I compare myself to other people in lifestyle aspects, for when my friend tells me she's done some yoga or gone for a walk, just because i haven't done that i immediately see myself as lesser. Its horrible and this comparison contributes massively to my anti-socialness of late. When people talk about themselves, all i can think about is how terrible I am in comparison. comparing their best qualities to my worst. Along with all this comes the stress of exams and assignments, and I've just been left with wanting it all to go away. Please help me or give me some advice... i don't know how i can change my thoughts. they are overtaking me and are making me feel sad and anxious all the time.

Rachael I have nothing to hide, so here we go...
  • replies: 25

I'm only three days into taking my antidepressants. I'm taking an SNRI each day, and I feel horrible. No energy, no motivation. I'm throwing up, I have headaches, my entire body is sore. I'm only 16, so I've had to take the past 3 days off of school ... View more

I'm only three days into taking my antidepressants. I'm taking an SNRI each day, and I feel horrible. No energy, no motivation. I'm throwing up, I have headaches, my entire body is sore. I'm only 16, so I've had to take the past 3 days off of school because I just can't concentrate, and also my school counsellour recommended it. I know the effects of anti-depressants take weeks to kick in, but I don't know what to do until then. I don't live with either of my parents. My mother never really wanted anything to do with me, so I was raised by my father. However when I was around 7 or 8, I was 'molested' by him. And it took me until about a month ago to tell someone, and that was my guidance counsellour. I don't know what took me so long to tell someone, but I felt better for doing it. I moved out, and about a week ago it all kind of started hitting me at once I guess. I cry every day now, and I'm no longer the person I used to be. I live with my aunt and her boyfriend, and they are constantly trying to suggest activities for me to do to try and lift my mood. Sports, clubs, going out. But I reject them all, because none of them interest me anymore. I have zero motivation to do anything really. These pills are making me feel even less motivated as well. Ehh My school work is being affected too. I haven't been able to concentrate or understand much of my work for a while now, but I assume that my aunt and teachers think it's because I'm the 'typical teenager' who doesn't want to work. But it's not that. As soon as I read my work, I forget it instantly. I'm in my second last year of school, so I can't afford to fail now. A couple months ago I was self harming, and smoking. I've stopped both because I realise neither are going to help me. I've been having suicidal thoughts for quite a while now too. I've told my 2 counsellours and my doctors. I've gone into much detail with my thoughts, such as when and where, how... but the thing that stops me every time is my aunty, I would never be able to do that to her.,, I guess what I'm asking for is help. I'm on medication yes, but I just need help. My mind is all cloudy and confused,

Hugh34 How do you deal with the problems life throws at you?
  • replies: 3

I have had a lucky upbringing. Both parents where doctors right, they would take me on holidays, to amazing culturally rich places. I was sent to a private school. Given opportunities that very few kids could even dream of. And yet I am hear. 18, alo... View more

I have had a lucky upbringing. Both parents where doctors right, they would take me on holidays, to amazing culturally rich places. I was sent to a private school. Given opportunities that very few kids could even dream of. And yet I am hear. 18, alone most of the day, diagnosed with ADHD, afraid, self conscious, watching everyone move around me, progressing. Which bring's me to my story, which anyone is welcome to listen too, and if possible give me some instruction. I was a kid, went to school (A Christian college) and rugby union outside of, I was pretty normal, struggled doing my homework when the T.v was on, but never showed signs of hyperactivity. My parents were both doctors and i had two older high achieving brothers. Then sometime within junior school, my two friends and I would play around in the nude, and suddenly one of them told his Dad, a teacher at the school, and I fell out with them, as they put out rumours about what stuff we did. And i freaked out. Luckily, or unluckily i started middle school the next year, at a place over an hour away, a pretty elite private school. And I hoped that word would never reach there of these rumours, as I was in constant fear. For the first two years at my new school, i thoroughly enjoyed it. I made many friends. Then word got out, I came into being a teenager, and suddenly I was the first kid to get chest hair, pimples and become sweat laden. People started avoiding me, and in my distress, I found myself pretty alone. There where still some kids who i would talk to, some extraordinarily nice people mind you. But there where also those who seemed to abandon me. With this my school marks started to crumble, and while little pressure was being put on me by my parents, I felt i had to do well, often reinforcing my mind every morning "i can do it". Start of highschool, and i went to see my first OT, much to my distress, however continued to fail exams, and become more and more socially inept. In my final year of school, I met a girl, who is an extraordinarily good friend, and we are currently living with each other. But alas, my marks did not pick up with confidence. Leading me to here. Not a high enough mark for any course at uni, and now diagnosed ADHD (6months ago), and constantly afraid of failure. Started a tafe course, dropped out 5 months ago, stayed mainly in my room feeling moody and irritable, and can not pick up the courage to get my life back on course. Help?

ThousandMiles Is this an ego problem??
  • replies: 2

Hello, Firstly, sorry I haven't been on here in ages ahh I hope everybody is doing well and staying strong! Secondly. I have heard people say "the world doesn't revolve around you" and "it's not always about you" quite a few times in recent years (wh... View more

Hello, Firstly, sorry I haven't been on here in ages ahh I hope everybody is doing well and staying strong! Secondly. I have heard people say "the world doesn't revolve around you" and "it's not always about you" quite a few times in recent years (when my anxiety and depression really came forward and were diagnosed and stuff). This is because I constantly worry that people are annoyed with me, or dislike me, or are judging me, or will be/are disappointed in me. There isn't really any rational reason for worrying about this, it just happens a lot. But especially if a friend/family member is tired, or grumpy, or whatever, for some reason. It just sets me off worrying. And part of that worry is that I don't like seeing people upset because I want everything to be nice and cute and happy, and I'm downright scared of anger (or anything that leads up to it). But "are you annoyed with me?" is becoming a bit of a thing that I just say a lot when I'm feeling really anxious. I don't know why, it's really hard to stop. But because of this, people get the impression that I have a big ego or something... and from what I can tell, I don't think I do? Like, I'm pretty shy, I love to talk but I also love to listen, I pretty much always put others before myself, I don't like myself much, I'm open-minded and try to be diplomatic... I'm sensitive, but I don't get angry at criticism. Just upset because I already feel like I'm not good enough... but suffering from anxiety and depression, as I'm sure you all know, makes you more self-conscious, self-aware and even self-absorbed at times. I'm just wondering whether this makes me a narcissist or someone with a big ego? Thanks for taking the time to read this xx

flower_girl1 Scared to do presentation
  • replies: 4

Hi all, tomorrow I have to do my last presentation of the year. It's the last big hurdle for me and I want it over. But the last presentation is what set of my anxiety which has lasted for months and been hell. Now I am really scared to do this prese... View more

Hi all, tomorrow I have to do my last presentation of the year. It's the last big hurdle for me and I want it over. But the last presentation is what set of my anxiety which has lasted for months and been hell. Now I am really scared to do this presentation because I know my work isn't amazing and I will be lucky to pass. But what if it goes badly and this just starts all over again? I have never been this nervous about a presentation before. flower_girl

Larissa_Renton what should i do?
  • replies: 2

I know I need help but I'm not sure how to get it, I've tried talking to my mum about it but she doesn't care, I get too nervous trying to talk about it with people at school because I live in a small town and all they do is talk.

I know I need help but I'm not sure how to get it, I've tried talking to my mum about it but she doesn't care, I get too nervous trying to talk about it with people at school because I live in a small town and all they do is talk.

GloomyGirl I feel guilty...
  • replies: 2

First of all, I still feel like I'm sad for no reason. If you have read my other posts, I explain that I have a chemical imbalance. I am starting to think that maybe it is lot's of little things that happened to me, making it one big problem, which m... View more

First of all, I still feel like I'm sad for no reason. If you have read my other posts, I explain that I have a chemical imbalance. I am starting to think that maybe it is lot's of little things that happened to me, making it one big problem, which made me depressed. I don't know if this could be true. Sometimes I feel like i don't deserve help, even though I know I deserve, even if I have depression for no reason. As my physiologists says "thoughts are just thoughts, they are not facts" and in this case, it is true. I have started anti- depressants last week but i have seriously thought of not going to my physiologist or school counsellor anymore because I thought i was wasting their time. My problem is only small and im wasting their time. I know it sounds silly but thats seriously what i thought. I make problems that dont exist and im getting pretty angry and frustraed with myself. I feel like I need to punish myself because I am sad for no reason. I don't know what to do anymore because I just can't be happy. I also feel guilty because, If i am completely honest, I havent really been trying to get better. My physiologist has said about 3 tactics to stop my automatic thoughts. Ive tried them once or twice but when it doesnt work, i basically give up.I dont know what to do anymore. Please 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.