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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

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Guest_84022597 I hate school so much.
  • replies: 2

I hate going to school sometimes. Every time I think or have any enthusiasm for school, it always goes wrong. I also have this one "friend" who isn't a friend keeps on insulting my looks and making me feel awful. I know I'm pretty though, but I just ... View more

I hate going to school sometimes. Every time I think or have any enthusiasm for school, it always goes wrong. I also have this one "friend" who isn't a friend keeps on insulting my looks and making me feel awful. I know I'm pretty though, but I just hate people insult my looks as if they aren't normal, like I have the most normal face, like average face you see at school. I hate school so much. That friend is NOT my friend no more.

abc_220 Want to drop uni but scared
  • replies: 2

I am in my final year of uni. Unfortunately, I haven’t been interested in the possible career outcomes from my degree since second year but didn’t drop because I felt people would be disappointed if I did. Now I am in my final year and it’s all place... View more

I am in my final year of uni. Unfortunately, I haven’t been interested in the possible career outcomes from my degree since second year but didn’t drop because I felt people would be disappointed if I did. Now I am in my final year and it’s all placements. I failed my 11 weeks clinical placement and I’m really struggling with that. I didn’t get any feedback or any indication that I wouldn’t pass so I felt blind sided and my mental health really plummeted. I wanted to drop out then but was told by a uni supervisor that she was confident I would pass doing another two weeks in the clinic. So even though I went through the worst days of my life I studied hard and decided to give it another chance. I just finished that two weeks at the clinic and still have not passed even though I checked in with my supervisor constantly so I wouldn’t feel blindsided again, and I did everything they told me I needed to do to pass but apparently I need to go back for another two weeks to work on my self confidence. But how can I work on my confidence when every ounce of it has been ripped out of me. Also to mention the two more weeks would be in October. I can’t be anxious and feel awful everyday leading up to the two weeks to potentially not pass again. I don’t know how id get through that. I know it’s ’only Two weeks’ and should try again but I have tried again and done the extra two weeks but now need to do longer. I’ve been told all placement that there are no jobs/very hard to get employment and heard from students who’ve graduated before me still have no jobs. I’ve also been told by supervisors that they regret doing this degree and wish they did something else. Why put myself through this if I don’t want to work in this field but even if I did would struggle gaining employment/ be taken advantage of (which is what we’ve also been told- new grads get taken advantage of and do shit work getting shit money) So I’m struggling with the idea of going back because I’m embarrassed that I’m not good enough and anxious over the idea of facing these uni people again (when they told me I still haven’t passed the second time over video I was crying hysterically and couldn’t breath because I went in to the meeting thinking I passed) but also have no passion or desire to use this degree to work in the related field. I don’t want to go back but I’m terrified of making this decision and would do anything to not have to go through this. I know it sounds like nothing, but I can’t face being told I didn’t pass again, I don’t know if I would get through it. I’m also scared of what my family and friends will say if I drop or defer. I’m thinking of finishing this other degree I started instead because I only have a year left and there’s actually jobs that pay good. I just feel stuck and hopeless and don’t want to face making this decision but I have two weeks to decide.

displayname456 Does anyone else feel like there's nothing? What have you found happiness in?
  • replies: 3

I'm 18. Never been invited to a party, never really had any friends, embarrassed myself a lot when I was younger. I don't have any dreams, I don't get good grades, I don't have a life, I don't have any hobbies, I don't have anything that brings me jo... View more

I'm 18. Never been invited to a party, never really had any friends, embarrassed myself a lot when I was younger. I don't have any dreams, I don't get good grades, I don't have a life, I don't have any hobbies, I don't have anything that brings me joy. My parents just want me to study all day so I can't do a whole lot anyway. I kind of just exist. I have a few friends but we aren't close. I feel like a lot of people think I'm weird because I've never drunk or done drugs or dated before as well. I'm not introverted, I'm a bit extroverted in fact, but I'm a little bit autistic probably, and some people find me offputting. I'm also a bit ugly, though I don't think that should be a huge problem, it just doesn't help. Yeah that's it though. I just exist and have no hopes and dreams. My ATAR is gonna be shit. I did terribly in a bunch of tests which ruin all my good results. I just feel like my life has been kind of pointless and I just don't care about anything anymore. There only thing I want to do that I'm good at is write for television but I won't make it because of nepotism and living in this country and my parents would not support me and I am financially dependant on them so I obviously cannot pursue this. Anyone else feel like this? Anyone who felt like this in the past - what made you feel joy again?

hello_panda dont have any friends
  • replies: 3

I don’t really have any friends right now, and to be honest, I didn’t really have them in high school either. A lot of it felt forced or fake. I always hoped uni would be different, that I’d find “my people”, but it’s been the opposite.University has... View more

I don’t really have any friends right now, and to be honest, I didn’t really have them in high school either. A lot of it felt forced or fake. I always hoped uni would be different, that I’d find “my people”, but it’s been the opposite.University has felt really isolating. Everyone seems busy, caught up in their own world, and it’s rare that anyone really talks or makes an effort to hang out. I’ve tried putting myself out there, joining things, starting conversations, but it never seems to lead anywhere lasting. It’s starting to feel really disheartening. Because of it, I’ve noticed I can’t study like I used to. I used to push through things on my own, but now it just feels... exhausting. There’s something really heavy about doing everything alone all the time from lectures to lunch breaks. I never thought the loneliness would affect me this much, but it’s honestly been creeping in.

Sammy25 How do you restart your life.
  • replies: 2

Recently moved to a new area. Not necessarily by choice but probably for the best, I’d been homeless the past few years living in my car and couch surfing friends houses. My partner of 6 years at the time cheated on me with one of my best mates. Not ... View more

Recently moved to a new area. Not necessarily by choice but probably for the best, I’d been homeless the past few years living in my car and couch surfing friends houses. My partner of 6 years at the time cheated on me with one of my best mates. Not long after I got with a new girl and all of my friends turned on me out of jealousy I presume so I had no more friends houses to stay at and my car broke down for good so I had nowhere to go at all so me and the new girlfriend packed up and restarted life in a different town. 8 months in and we hit a bit of turbulence in the relationship and she’s decided to move back out. So I’m now trying to pick up the pieces and restart my life again in a new town. I just don’t understand how to make new friends as a young adult. All my previous friends were from school days which seemed so easy to make friends then. But in a new area where I don’t know anyone and have nobody to rely on I’m not sure how or where to meet new people.

yes is there still hope for my atar
  • replies: 4

Hiback in yr 11 i was doing pretty well like my grades were good and i played sports but i dont know why everything went wrong in year 12 and it's not even because of some external reason. I just know it all started with one subject that i used to be... View more

Hiback in yr 11 i was doing pretty well like my grades were good and i played sports but i dont know why everything went wrong in year 12 and it's not even because of some external reason. I just know it all started with one subject that i used to be doing really good at which, on my first yr 12 exam, i basically failed and then it just spread to my other subjects one by one. If I do good at one, I do bad in another. I even quit sports to focus solely on studying but it was no use. This term it was especially bad because i was under average in all my subjects and by a lot as well. I don't know i feel like all the goals i had from before have just evaporated because theyre unreachable now. I dont get why i suddenly did bad in the only year when my marks are meant to count and now im just depressed and unmotivated to continue studying because this is the result every time.

iamveric Limerence. Loneliness.
  • replies: 3

Hey y'all, I'm Veric and I feel like shit. I've had limerence for the past year now for this guy I met when I was gaming. We've known each other for two years now, and the limerent feelings started as I got to know him a lot better and found out we a... View more

Hey y'all, I'm Veric and I feel like shit. I've had limerence for the past year now for this guy I met when I was gaming. We've known each other for two years now, and the limerent feelings started as I got to know him a lot better and found out we actually live in the same city. Fast forward to now, we still haven't met IRL. I know he doesn't have any feelings back and I'm fully aware that it's all unrequited. He's definitely become a friend and has even met my own closest friends. There are times we don't talk for weeks and I know I shouldn't expect us to be constantly talking, but there's no reciprocation at times. I feel lonely especially my mates all got their own partners and I'm naturally on my own most of the time. I've been trying to distract myself with my hobbies and other things, but he was the one that I talked or just virtually hung out with when I was alone. I've been doing well trying to do no contacts and lessen the amount of times we talk. I have no idea with I should let this thing go. I'm just making myself miserable and I wanna protect my peace and energy. It's definitely made me lonelier, but it lessened the times I became attached to him. I've been working on myself for the past six months trying to understand all these feelings and ways I gotta handle myself. If anyone has gone through limerence before or even just unrequited love, I would appreciate any advice and guidance as to how you've managed through it all. It would really help me out just knowing I'm not alone on this.

Guest_88424214 School troubles
  • replies: 3

I can remember last year where I thought that my life was great. I was getting good grades, my socializing skills were great, I lacked stress and I felt safe. However, this year, I lost all of those.It all started with my large friendgroup consisting... View more

I can remember last year where I thought that my life was great. I was getting good grades, my socializing skills were great, I lacked stress and I felt safe. However, this year, I lost all of those.It all started with my large friendgroup consisting of 8 people, I used to be included in all of their conversations. But one of the girls suddenly decided to take authority and excluded me from every conversation simply because I stopped listening to 'k-pop'. Even when I come to lunch late with other people from the friendgroup, I'm always the one being scolded and criticized. Not only do I not feel accepted with my friends but also my classmates. I used to have a close relationship with every single one of my classmates due to my constant socialising skills (I'm an ESTP) and in class I'm in this trio of girls. Nowadays, my classmates have been ignoring my existence and paying all of it on my friends from the trio. They would only talk to me for test answers or for favours and I'm tired of it. No matter how hard I try to socialise, I either be left forgotten or as the last option. I know it might sound stupid but I'm jealous, I feel alone. I even just found out that the girls in my trio hung out without me and them and my friendgroup have groupchats that didn't have me in it.Plus, on my birthday, every single friend forgot my birthday, and when I told them they just brushed it off and told me it was no big deal. Yet, when it's someone else's birthday, although I'm closer with my friends, my friends bombard them with gifts and happy birthday songs. I just can't help but feel excluded and forgotten by everybody. The group I used to feel safe with no longer makes me feel belonged.Furthermore, my grades have been going down and my stress have been skyrocketing high. My school gives students a bunch of learning tasks and I used to be able to keep up with them. But recently, I've been so focused on all of my friendship issues and cramped test schedules that I can't sleep, study or even find ways to seek happiness. My whole life is a mess. I used to get grades that was 95% at minimum, and now I'm stuck at 66% in only 6 months.I'm so tired of this feeling but I can't tell what feeling it is. I just want to live my life. Is that too hard to ask?(sorry if the grammar and fluency of this post is horrible, I'm just writing directly from what I'm feeling)

Lovster Recently got diagnosed with ADHD in year 12 and I keep spiralling
  • replies: 1

Sorry if this keeps getting posted, my phone keeps freezing I recently got diagnosed with "severe combined ADHD" (as the psychiatrist put it) and generalised anxiety disorder After struggling for all of high school, my mum took me back to get tested ... View more

Sorry if this keeps getting posted, my phone keeps freezing I recently got diagnosed with "severe combined ADHD" (as the psychiatrist put it) and generalised anxiety disorder After struggling for all of high school, my mum took me back to get tested (I went in year 7 but was told if there was actually something wrong I would’ve been tested earlier, and I was likely faking it as it was a “fad after lockdown”) and I got diagnosed with ADHD and GAD The psychiatrist I see for the medication kept giving me different types with the same effect. Essentially all would work at first and pretty well, I felt like for the first time I could do my schoolwork with ease, but then I would get crippling side effects when it wore off, and they would wear off faster. For my earliest ones, I would spend class with such debilitating headaches and brain fog that I couldn't function properly. I spent my exam block trying too hard to concentrate but then the medication would start wearing off and it made work near impossible. It also made it near impossible for me to do my job too. But at least cause they were short acting I could just quit them and stop taking them cold turkey I'm now on a different medication, and this has been by far the lowest l've felt so far. The previous dose gave me severe side effects in the morning where I was an actual zombie, but in the afternoon I could function perfectly. Then weeks later the severe crashes began to happen, and they were horrific. The crashes are tearing me apart. I can't control my emotions at all. It's like I'm a host in my own body every single night when I wear off. I have huge breakdowns, just sobbing and begging for this all to end, or I have fits of extreme anger where I scream all night and toss everything, and I've put holes in my wall. My mum is scared. Every little thing sets me off once I hit the crash. Off the medication, I get severely depressed, I can't do anything, and knowing that something could help me function but it isn't working makes me even more depressed The psychiatrist gave me medication to help when the crash happens, and otherwise told me to take it as needed, but it doesn't help. I crash before I realise to take it, and taking it during the crash doesn't help. I don't know if this is just from the stress of exams/life or the medication, but the exams are only going to get worse and I can't function like this I’m so behind on my schoolwork from being off or being too sick to pay attention, so trials and the hsc will be so much more stressful Last Friday he told me there's essentially there's nothing more he can do, either grin and bare it, go cold turkey, or go to hospital for a while Now I feel utterly helpless

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