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.

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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.

All discussions

belated i'm starting to realise i need help but i don't know how to get it
  • replies: 1

i've just been so, so miserable lately, and i brushed it off as being stressed about uni and sad after "breaking up" with my former best friend at the start of the year, but now i'm on uni break and it's been a full year since said friend incident, a... View more

i've just been so, so miserable lately, and i brushed it off as being stressed about uni and sad after "breaking up" with my former best friend at the start of the year, but now i'm on uni break and it's been a full year since said friend incident, and things just aren't getting any better. it's been the worst year of my life. i'm just sad and anxious all of the time, even when i'm doing things i want to do - i have a friend coming over tomorrow for a movie night we've been planning for ages, and i'm sitting up on the internet because i'm too anxious about it to go to bed. i know there's nothing to be worried about, but i just worry all the damn time anyway and i can't take it anymore. i know i shouldn't hate myself like this, be so disgusted with the person that i am, and that i shouldn't be scared to see my best friends? it's stupid and i hate that i can't jsut shake it off like anyone else. i hate that i overanalyse everything and that i'm so awkward and ugly and i always feel like i'm that person that people just invite along for politeness. no one ever seems to really want me around. i'm nobody's first choice i know i should try to get some sort of professional help for all this, but i just don't know how. i mean, i know the steps, i've read every site on depression and anxiety that there is, but it all boils down to me telling people that i'm not as okay as i pretend to be, and i'm so scared of what they'll think of me, like i'm weak or weird or they'll be condescending or something about it. i don't know. i just know that i can't think of anything more intimating than telling my parents that i've got issues like this. i just don't know and it's so frustrating all the time because i know i've got a problem here and i know there might things i can do to improve the situation but i'm too scared to act on anything. so. thank you for reading, i guess, it's nice to be able to say these things to someone, if not out loud. sorry if i'm in the wrong forum or i'm doing this all wrong or something. i just want to talk to someone about this.

Collin_ab Really thinking about it..
  • replies: 4

Okay about two weeks ago on Sunday my girlfriend of almost two years changed her relationship status on Facebook to single and I didn't even get anything from her..I as anyone would got a little upset but I didn't like yell or anything I don't ever y... View more

Okay about two weeks ago on Sunday my girlfriend of almost two years changed her relationship status on Facebook to single and I didn't even get anything from her..I as anyone would got a little upset but I didn't like yell or anything I don't ever yell..She says she just doesn't wanna be in this relationship anymore but then I found that she was on a dating website for about two months before she dumped me...I just felt like crap the second I found that out..then my car stops working out of no where..then my aunt has a heart attack...I've already had one aunt pass away...I don't know if I could handle another one..but back to the girl..She said there might be a chance of us being back together and everyone I talk to says she is just awful but I love her..We had planned on getting married...so if the opportunity comes I would probably get back together with her..but I am still talking to her and tonight she told me she likes this guy and I just...my heart felt like it's gonna just stop...I am having thoughts of suicide...I can't take her liking someone...I know that sounds selfish...I would just like some help...

emmalee Looking for some people to chat to?
  • replies: 5

New to this site so not sure what to say/do. I'm 21 years old and have anxiety/ depression. I don't have any close friends I guess that's why I'm here. I am a friendly person and if I didn't have social anxiety first thing I'd do is go out and chat t... View more

New to this site so not sure what to say/do. I'm 21 years old and have anxiety/ depression. I don't have any close friends I guess that's why I'm here. I am a friendly person and if I didn't have social anxiety first thing I'd do is go out and chat to people. I would love to chat to anyone about absolutely anything. : )

Edith Someone save me
  • replies: 5

Ok so I'm 21 and I have been dealing with depression and anxiety for well over 4 years now but recently it has gotten worse. I spose you might have to no my story to understand me.When I was 10 my step father started sexually abusing me. This went on... View more

Ok so I'm 21 and I have been dealing with depression and anxiety for well over 4 years now but recently it has gotten worse. I spose you might have to no my story to understand me.When I was 10 my step father started sexually abusing me. This went on until I was 16, when my mother walked in on it. My mother talked me out of calling the police. She stayed with this man and kicked me out of home probably 2 months later.I lived in a youth hostel for 7 months before moving into a emergency housing with my girlfriend.My mother stayed with my step dad for 4 years after finding out what he had done to me, until he started texting another women, that she left him over.So after all this has been said and done, I'm now left unable to trust men, I suffer from agoraphobia and rarely leave house, because of which my sisters have decided that I don't care about them enough to visit and one even accused me of faking everything.I have depression and anxiety and occasionally suffer from panic attacks. I have had multiple councilors but haven't found one I'm comfortable with, and I have called several more places and have been told id hear back from them soon but never did.So I guess what I wanted to ask was how do I do this on my own? Is it even possible?Sometimes I dont even think its worth trying, I can't do this anymore. I'm ready to give up.

cupcakeelf I'm depressed and afraid and can't tell anyone. Help Me.
  • replies: 6

I'm 18, I've been depressed and just...sad since I can remember...maybe...5th or 6th grade. My body and mind have been abused and I can't tell anyone at all, not parents, not my doctors. I can't find the closure I want and need and I'm always afraid.... View more

I'm 18, I've been depressed and just...sad since I can remember...maybe...5th or 6th grade. My body and mind have been abused and I can't tell anyone at all, not parents, not my doctors. I can't find the closure I want and need and I'm always afraid. I can't go anywhere and I can't talk to anyone, I don't want to cause pain to my parents if they found out because it would break their hearts and they would blame themselves and I feel more isolated and sad because that leaves me with no one except strangers to talk to. And I still have to worry about it some how coming back and getting to them. I need help, but I don't know how to get it without making my parents come face to face with so many things that might just be...too much for them. My dad also battles with depression and I can't imagine what it would do to him.

steph93 Too scared to be away from family
  • replies: 3

Hi, I'm brand new to the beyondblue forums and I was a bit reluctant to join because I've never been officially diagnosed, but I'm almost certain that I have anxiety. Often I can deal with it alright, but as soon as I step even slightly out of my com... View more

Hi, I'm brand new to the beyondblue forums and I was a bit reluctant to join because I've never been officially diagnosed, but I'm almost certain that I have anxiety. Often I can deal with it alright, but as soon as I step even slightly out of my comfort zone I can't cope with anything. I thought I'd been okay recently, but all of a sudden, over the past few days, it's like I've crashed and I can't handle anything. I'm 20 and going on my first overseas trip to Europe next week and I'm flying over by myself and will be travelling alone at some points over the seven weeks. Up until the past few days I've mostly been really excited because it's something I've always wanted to do. But over the past few days I've been getting progressively more anxious about it and last night I decided that I don't want to go at all. I've been crying constantly, can't sleep, feeling nauseous and I've been having really bad chest pains and can't relax. I'm so so scared of going and I wish I could be excited but I'm not at all. I'm too scared to leave my home, I'm too scared to be in a place I'm not familiar with and I'm really really really terrified of not being with my family. I want to cancel the trip so badly and I can't even care about how much I'd regret doing that or how much money I'd lose. The only reason I haven't cancelled yet is because that would mean leaving my friend alone on Christmas. I'm not so much scared of something happening to me while I'm gone, but I'm scared of something happening to someone at home while I'm gone and can't do anything about it. I'm scared of not being able to contact anyone while I'm on the plane and not being able to know my family have gotten home safely. Does anyone have any advice on how to overcome the anxiety? I want to be able to relax and enjoy myself but I know that I won't be able to if I'm like this. As soon as one tiny thing goes wrong or not according to plan I freak out and start having what I think are panic attacks. Please help, I really don't know if I can go through with this trip.

Kristiii Genuine friends?
  • replies: 2

I am 22 years old and have no friends! This means that I have no social life and feel forced to stay in bed. I am currently working part time (20 hours a week) but feel like its "all work and no fun". I was wondering if people could suggest any ways ... View more

I am 22 years old and have no friends! This means that I have no social life and feel forced to stay in bed. I am currently working part time (20 hours a week) but feel like its "all work and no fun". I was wondering if people could suggest any ways to meet people, or events to attend to make new friends?

tashi finally built up the courage to seek help
  • replies: 2

Im a 19 year old female ive been hospitalized once feom and anxiety attack and only had the second one ever last night (two years later ) but in between that i have been feeling extremely miserable and overwhelmed with everything day to day things bl... View more

Im a 19 year old female ive been hospitalized once feom and anxiety attack and only had the second one ever last night (two years later ) but in between that i have been feeling extremely miserable and overwhelmed with everything day to day things blike speaking to family and communicating with my partner qhom ive been living with for 3 years. I ised to be a dancer but now thw thought bof taking bit up again makes me naiseaous . I feel quilty thatbi feel this way because ive got everything I nwed in life a car a job friends and life partner and family bit being happy jas just become a chore and day to day activities are becoming stressful I dont want to lose my partner but im very afraid to speak to someone professionaly because I dont want to b told I have to take medication. Can someone please help me ?

Vanessa33 eating disorder
  • replies: 2

I am constantly thinking about what I eat and counting calories. I am so worried about gaining weight it seems to be all I can think of. It feels like I don't have any control over my life and this is one aspect I can control. I am so irritable and s... View more

I am constantly thinking about what I eat and counting calories. I am so worried about gaining weight it seems to be all I can think of. It feels like I don't have any control over my life and this is one aspect I can control. I am so irritable and sad all the time. What steps can I take to become happier and less stressed and anxious all the time?

Ryan_F Need someone to talk to
  • replies: 3

Hello well first time doing this My name is Ryan i have just graduated after a long secondary career and a tough one despite my interest keeping me busy i would like to find some new friends I am 18 at the moment so the in between of 16-19 male but i... View more

Hello well first time doing this My name is Ryan i have just graduated after a long secondary career and a tough one despite my interest keeping me busy i would like to find some new friends I am 18 at the moment so the in between of 16-19 male but it doesnt really matter i suppose just to talk to i have gone from constant stimulation to well next to nothing could someone help please