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

paiigeisgone I'm fat, I know it, and I hate it.
  • replies: 11

I'm 13 years old, going on 14 this year, and I'm overweight. and I'm not just saying this because i want people to say that i'm not, because i actually am. my parents try not to point it out and make it obvious but you can tell. my mum will always sa... View more

I'm 13 years old, going on 14 this year, and I'm overweight. and I'm not just saying this because i want people to say that i'm not, because i actually am. my parents try not to point it out and make it obvious but you can tell. my mum will always say "stop eating so much, you'll turn into an oompa-loompa" and i know it's just a joke but it hurts. i try eating as healthy and as little as possible to lose weight but every time i try to do this my mum will question everything and get up all in my business. i try to exercises as much as possible (like walking to and from school each day, doing loads of quiet exercises in my room) but i'm still obese. it makes my self-esteem even lower when i see girls from my school post photos of themselves half-naked, and i spend hours on end comparing and wishing i had their perfect bodies. i'm classified as the funny one in my friend group so i don't talk about any of my home life or my feelings, but every time i do try to give hints on how i'm feeling they dont seem to care anyway. i dont tell my parents either because then they talk to me frequently about it and it makes me feel uncomfortable (they're those parents that snoop and try to know everything about me so i dont really trust them at all either). i am so scared about people making fun of me about my weight that i constantly (i mean ALWAYS) wear a zipped up jacket. i wear it so often that i think its unhealthy because it's very hot where i live and it restricts me from doing a lot of activities because i sweat a lot (also i have something called rosacea and it make your skin really red so you can tell if i've been doing any physical activity by just looking at my face) and whenever i forget my jacket on the way to school, my parents wont let me go back and get it and i end up being really insecure for the whole day or i'll go up to the office and try to borrow one (on a very rare occasion when its very, very cold though because the office lady thinks i dont need one and doesnt let me have it). overall, i just can't stand being this weight. it kills me because i'll never have enough confidence to get a personal trainer or nutritionist and i feel like i'll be this way forever and no one will ever love me because i'm fat and ugly. this was a lot to write because i've never told anyone this and i felt like i should say it all but sorry for bothering you with all this writing.

theStormy1 I dont know...
  • replies: 3

Hey... I've never been on here before but I'm 15 and whenever I'm in class I cant concentrate and I cant sit still. It gets annoying because I miss out on school work and nobody knows what it is. They thought i had autism but I didnt. They thought I ... View more

Hey... I've never been on here before but I'm 15 and whenever I'm in class I cant concentrate and I cant sit still. It gets annoying because I miss out on school work and nobody knows what it is. They thought i had autism but I didnt. They thought I had adhd but they didnt know. It's so confusing... I guess it's just annoying for me.

Aaronsis **I can't talk. I want to but it's like the words get stuck in my throat** HELP!
  • replies: 3

Hello to each and every one of you that this statement applies to: **I can't talk. I want to but it's like the words get stuck in my throat** As I spend time on this forum I am hearing this more and more, and so felt the only thing to do was bring us... View more

Hello to each and every one of you that this statement applies to: **I can't talk. I want to but it's like the words get stuck in my throat** As I spend time on this forum I am hearing this more and more, and so felt the only thing to do was bring us together. So when you feel like you are the only one, know you most certainly are not. So here I wanted to make a place where anyone who is feeling like this can come to share, to express here in written words how they manage when the words won't or can't come out. How do you ask for help when the damn words wont come out? Welcome and I am so looking forward to typing with you all, to learn, to listen and to create a thread that can help another who struggles with verbal communication. Hugs as always Sarah xx

TVN Feeling down
  • replies: 2

Hi I often feel great for a few days then feel down for some periods. Recently I have been feeling more down. I feel less energy to do things and socialise. These are just the things that have been happening recently to cause me to feel like this - S... View more

Hi I often feel great for a few days then feel down for some periods. Recently I have been feeling more down. I feel less energy to do things and socialise. These are just the things that have been happening recently to cause me to feel like this - Started university this year and online university has made it really hard to meet people - My manager hasn’t replied to my message about my availability but she has seen the message. I think I’m fired at this point as many managers just ghost casuals when they don’t want them anymore. It’s not the money that gets me worried but fact she didn’t say why, so I’m just thinking about all my insecurities - Every time I get angry at someone or complain, I go back and think about how I do the same things and I am probably getting angry because I see my weaknesses in them - I know I’m not trying hard enough to study, but I just procrastinate - Bad sleep schedule, I fall asleep anytime around 11pm-5am and wake up around 10am-1pm I know these things can be easily solved by just moving on and not thinking too much. But it just makes me feel so insecure about myself. As in, what did I do to get fired. But then I get more angry at myself for knowing that this is easy to get over with and not just moving on. I feel pathetic. It’s also a sense of guilt. Another example is when I get easily worked up with my younger brother. I yell at him, shut the door and then think about how childish I am. I scared it will effect him on the long run since he is still pretty young. I feel like it already has. He is the youngest of three kids and has really low self esteem. I have been trying improve my mental health by - Using a timetable to plan my days - Checklist so I am not overwhelmed with tasks - Forcing myself to go out and play sports once a week - Spending time on my hobbies but these methods (excluding sports) only last a few week at the most then I lose track which makes me feel even worse. I’ve also tried talking to people around me but with my friends I always feel like I am going to be judged for making a big deal out of nothing and some of them aren’t in a good place either. And my family, I don’t want them to worry too much. Can someone give some advice on what to do? I have thought about consulting a professional, but I’m not sure if I need to and I don’t have GP that I can ask.

DJwoof937 Feeling like a spectator in your own life
  • replies: 2

Hi guys! I am rather worried about a few things I have noticed over the past few years of my life. I will be talking to someone sort of on autopilot, and then i’ll have this oddly lucid moment where I realise I am interacting with someone in real lif... View more

Hi guys! I am rather worried about a few things I have noticed over the past few years of my life. I will be talking to someone sort of on autopilot, and then i’ll have this oddly lucid moment where I realise I am interacting with someone in real life. It is somewhat hard to explain, but sometimes I feel like I am in a game, hearing pre-written dialogue, then responding to it. When I come out of this state, I fully realise that whatever I am saying/doing has a real-world impact, and that I can’t just go back to the last save and try again if something goes wrong. Please, if you either have had a similar experience or know what might be causing it, let me know.

JKB0306 Family Dissapointed In Me
  • replies: 5

So basically I really need help from anyone who can give really good advice So I've been going to my friend's house an awful lot (basically every weekend) because every single weekend my mother and father just play heaps of loud music and it some how... View more

So basically I really need help from anyone who can give really good advice So I've been going to my friend's house an awful lot (basically every weekend) because every single weekend my mother and father just play heaps of loud music and it some how nearly almost everytime turns into a huge argument over something petty. And it gives me mad anxiety every weekend so I go to my friend's house because it's chill there. But now my mother always gets angry and dissapointed/jealous that I spend more time with my friend then I do with my own family......somebody please help me...

cinnamonbunny I can't tell if I'm faking all my problems subconsciously or not
  • replies: 2

Id say I haven’t gone through any serious trauma at all, but I do have quite a bad case of gifted kid burnout syndrome. Nothing is even explicitly wrong with my life. My main issue is that whenever I feel any negative emotions (mostly sadness) I feel... View more

Id say I haven’t gone through any serious trauma at all, but I do have quite a bad case of gifted kid burnout syndrome. Nothing is even explicitly wrong with my life. My main issue is that whenever I feel any negative emotions (mostly sadness) I feel like I haven’t gone through enough to actually “deserve the right” to feel these bad emotions, which leads to me hating myself which leads to me wondering if I actually hate myself or if I’m just subconsciously doing it for attention. This then leads to me sort of wishing I HAD gone through serious trauma or something just to justify me feeling sad, because otherwise I feel selfish and feel like I’m taking up space, and I understand that wanting to go through something traumatic is bad but I feel like that’d be the only way I could actually understand why I feel bad, because right now whenever I cry or feel down I feel like I haven’t earned the right to feel this way. At times i feel like i'm faking whatever i'm feeling subconsciously because I want attention, and while i'm pretty sure it's not true that awful feeling is still there and it's driving me nuts. I don't know if every internal problem I have is fake and thinking about it makes me feel even worse. I'm not sure what I particularly want out of this, but maybe reassurance would be nice. Thank you,

Zing 22 Years old and have been unemployed for 3 years..
  • replies: 5

Kind of a weird title to start this my first post but really kind of struggling here without any direction. I have been unemployed for 3 years and have no idea what to do with myself. I have tried studying to expand my skills and knowledge also I hav... View more

Kind of a weird title to start this my first post but really kind of struggling here without any direction. I have been unemployed for 3 years and have no idea what to do with myself. I have tried studying to expand my skills and knowledge also I have re done my resume countless times and applied for well and truely over 1000 jobs since being unemployed. Recently it has been tough, while unemployed I tried to start my own little online business and it was going well for a few months, now it just has fallen down the drain and I don't know how to fix it.. Obviously I could sink more money into it but I have a small budget obviously. I started a new job recently as well it was going great but after a few weeks of working there they sent me an email saying I didn't have enough experience and let me go.. it was just a punch to the gut. It's really hard to get experience when no one here is willing to give it in the first place. My main focus has been in the IT / Admin field just to clarify that. I have been struggling with Anxiety for a long time and I just kinda try to ignore it most of the time.. but usually it get's the best of me and I have a breakdown. Anyone have any advice ?

wish2424224 moving schools
  • replies: 2

I moved schools this year (im currently in yr 11), and I hate it with my being. I'm stereotyped as the kid from the hood, and constantly never taken seriously by the people I hang out with. I have no friends, and although I guess I do have people to ... View more

I moved schools this year (im currently in yr 11), and I hate it with my being. I'm stereotyped as the kid from the hood, and constantly never taken seriously by the people I hang out with. I have no friends, and although I guess I do have people to hang out with, it's not special. No one is going to wait for me, initiate conversation, and it's more lonely than being alone. Everyone there is crazy racist and homophobic, and those who aren't crazy bigoted just feel so different. I feel like a literal alien, and it's worse considering I live so far away from the school. I travel like a century to get to the school, and it's so draining. I'm always on the verge of literal collapse, and I can feel my body giving up on me, and my mind too. I keep on getting sick probably from all the travel (i take train), and worse is myself. I always felt long bouts of numbness, and always have to constantly put up with stuff at home, but I never realised how much my friends stopped me from literally breaking. Now school feels like a land where I know no one, I can't connect, and it's so damn stressful. Not to mention I feel so damn dumb all the time. The school offers heaps of opportunities, but they cost heaps and I am not going to ask, it's honestly such a waste, and I can't utilise anything the school provides, which defeats the purpose of going there. I never feel like waking up, moving doing anything. I sometimes take days off to lay in bed and do nothing and lost all motivation I've had. I don't do the same hobbies I used to do (due to time constraints because of school), anything I liked I don't anymore, and it sucks a lot. I just want to do nothing all day. My mum and dad told me it's totally cool if I move back, but I moved to this current school for my education and atar. My old school was trashy, but I never minded it. the new school is undoubtedly way better in terms of education, but what's the point when I can't think straight and don't want to do anything. I also, and I know I shouldn't feel really embarrassed if I moved back, like was I too dumb? I couldn't handle it. Cause I really couldn't handle it, and it seems stupid. Also, there's a big money problem, because if I move back I just blew a ton of money because I couldn't handle it. For a school that prides itself on a home-like welcoming environment, I don't feel welcomed. Anyways should I move back?

lbugperson234 RAPID MOOD CHANGES AM CONFUSED
  • replies: 1

this has been going on and off before but lately my mental health has been really bad my mood changes severely and it happens multiple times a day for example in one day ill go from feeling numb and depressed to being super hyper, energetic, doing ri... View more

this has been going on and off before but lately my mental health has been really bad my mood changes severely and it happens multiple times a day for example in one day ill go from feeling numb and depressed to being super hyper, energetic, doing risky stuff I normally wouldn't, too angry, irritable and having intrusive thoughts and then ill be fine but it always starts up again. IM SICK AND TIRED bcuz everytime I've seen a doctor to talk about my mental health they've never properly looked into it and have just brushed it aside saying that I need to do more sport or do something like fix my diet. I already do these things and I do whatever the doctor tells me to do but no matter what my mental health never rlly gets better. Also my parents r no help bcuz my mum always just tells the doctor what she thinks and makes up stuff and she constantly invalidates me. Anyways I'm at the point where I really think I need to get my problem sorted cos I don't think I can constantly live like this.