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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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Trish2 Just a thought I've been having
  • replies: 2

Hi all hope you're doing well. I'm sure a lot of you are being affected by Covid in different ways. For me, I've been getting less anxious about actually getting covid which is really good, but I can't help but think about the future when covid ends,... View more

Hi all hope you're doing well. I'm sure a lot of you are being affected by Covid in different ways. For me, I've been getting less anxious about actually getting covid which is really good, but I can't help but think about the future when covid ends, and it's a pretty mixed bag to be honest. I thought maybe people would go out more because perhaps we feel as though we took advantage of our freedom (mind you, I live in Melbourne), which I would personally love because I'm naturally pretty sociable around others and would love to think we're heading that way! Unfortunately another part of me also thinks the complete opposite and it really makes me question how life will change for the worse. What if we get so busy with our lives that there is no longer time for friends/family? What if the people in my own life don't want to go out as much because they're too tired from a post-covid world? that weirdly terrifies me because I would hate to end up in a world where we socialise less than before covid was a thing. I know this might be a bit far into the future here but I just feel a bit depressed thinking about that. Socialising keeps me feeling fulfilled and to not feel like I have enough of that fulfilment in life, it just makes this whole thing really sad for me Would love to hear your thoughts on this and I hope everyone's enjoying their fathers day!

Zu Sick of feeling so tireddd!!!
  • replies: 5

I’m not really sure where to start so I guess I’ll begin by saying that I feel SO unbelievably dead. For the last 2 and a half years I have felt like absolute trash and it’s just getting worse and worse everyday. I’m constantly exhausted, for no appa... View more

I’m not really sure where to start so I guess I’ll begin by saying that I feel SO unbelievably dead. For the last 2 and a half years I have felt like absolute trash and it’s just getting worse and worse everyday. I’m constantly exhausted, for no apparent reason - regardless of how much I sleep, I still wake up feeling the same, if not worse. I almost always have zero motivation, energy or concentration. And to top it all off, constant headaches that don’t react to painkillers at all... woooo! Things are pretty shit. I spend the majority of my day either asleep or laying down. I’m currently on the brink of failing year 11, I’ve always done really well at school but can barely even bring myself to do work anymore. Occasionally I’ll have energy bursts but that hasn’t happened for a long long time. I don’t even feel alive anymore. My teachers were understanding at first but I feel like they’re just sick of my shit by now. I don’t blame them, there’s only so much someone can put up with, I’m sick of it too. I’ve been to 5 doctors over the last year, none of which have been any help. It’s the same routine everytime, send me for various blood tests/scans and then say they can’t help. One even said that I just feel like this because ‘I’m a teenager.’ I’m obviously not a doctor but I’m pretty sure this can’t be normal. I’ve had pretty much any blood test you can name, an MRI, some X-rays... all have come back normal. I eat reasonably well, sleep well and exercise plenty, so I just don’t know why I feel so terrible!! Maybe my body just hates me 🤷‍ I just don’t know what to do anymore. I’m so sick of trying so hard and getting absolutely nowhere. It’s like I’m just sitting around waiting to magically feel better, no one can do anything to help, there’s nothing left to do but wait. I’m always so torn between wanting to keep trying and wanting to just give up. Idk what the point of this post even is, I’m just sad that I’m wasting my high school years like this. It just feels so unfair and I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m sure others have it worse but I’m so sick of this!

Eyes_louder_than_words I’ve been having reoccurring nightmares
  • replies: 1

I’ve been having atleast one nightmare every night for the past two or so weeks. I was diagnosed with both social and general anxiety 3 years ago so It could play a part in it. Its got to the point I’m scared to sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow... View more

I’ve been having atleast one nightmare every night for the past two or so weeks. I was diagnosed with both social and general anxiety 3 years ago so It could play a part in it. Its got to the point I’m scared to sleep. I have to get up early tomorrow morning and it’s currently 1am :(. Tonight, just after I closed my eyes to sleep I saw this doorway and then all of a sudden this dog looking monster thing jumped out at me and as it hit me my body filled with terror and I jumped and opened my eyes again. This is the first one I’ve managed to actually remember properly all the other nights I just remember jumping and waking up and my body is full of fear and I feel like my hearts going crazy. I’m honestly so scared to sleep and I’m 18 so i thought this wouldn’t happen

Grapejuice Life of chaos and mess
  • replies: 1

Hi, As this is my first time posting on a forum, I just wanted to address how I have been feeling in the past few months, more so in the recent weeks. I am currently in year 12, who is about to graduate in less than a month, and frankly speaking I am... View more

Hi, As this is my first time posting on a forum, I just wanted to address how I have been feeling in the past few months, more so in the recent weeks. I am currently in year 12, who is about to graduate in less than a month, and frankly speaking I am utterly terrified as many young people who have no idea what their future would behold. Due to this, I have been feeling far more depressed and gloomy, hindering my motivation to move forward and complete the HSC. I should probably mention that I have been suffering from depression, social anxiety and generalized anxiety for most of my life. However my mental health has intensified from last January, as these immediate thoughts of not being good enough and being a failure in life became repetitive and all time consuming. I have spoken to the school counsellor, but she continuously judged me in a very subtle way, saying I was not intelligent enough to understand that I cannot achieve anything without guidance. Besides none of the teachers believe I will go anywhere in life, for the reasons of having a brother with ADHD and autism, and for wallowing in my own self pity. Perhaps they have been somewhat correct in my case of failing. My primary concerns are with my wellbeing, identity, intelligence and studies. As mentioned earlier, my mental health has been hindering my motivation to move forward and complete the HSC, as well as my performance towards success. This is far too overwhelming and overbearing because many people, especially myself, don't believe I will go far in life due to my lack of intelligence and insufficient amount of serotonin and dopamine in my brain. I have always wanted to go to University to further enhance my potential but people say I am not enough to accomplish this particular goal. It is profoundly exhausting to always feel so desolate and futile with everything. Please, if there is anyone that could assist in sharing something that is beneficial, then I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you :).

ToSomeFortune Feeling a bit lonely
  • replies: 4

Hi everybody I guess I just wanted to share how I'm feeling at the moment. (Also just a brief intro I'm a girl and in year 12!) Recently some big things happened in my best friend's life and she told everyone in our friend group/social circle except ... View more

Hi everybody I guess I just wanted to share how I'm feeling at the moment. (Also just a brief intro I'm a girl and in year 12!) Recently some big things happened in my best friend's life and she told everyone in our friend group/social circle except me. And it kind of got me thinking. Like my friends tend to make a lot of plans without me or have these like long conversations about all this stuff going on like boys and relationships and things- and I just kind of sit in the background I guess? I'll find out all this big news like "hey the first time I had sex..." And this is not news to anyone else and they're all nodding along and I sit there like "what when did that happen? When did you start dating someone?" Like I'm so far out the loop it's tragic. And I'm still their friend and we'll sit in class together and chat but nothing important. Like my friends have kind of jokingly said "hahaha oh yeah all we talk about is like what song you discovered yesterday or the book your reading, etc" and I just wonder how and when I became such a insignificant part of their lives. Like I tell them big things, things that embarrass me or make me nervous and it's a one way conversation. I always initiate conversation, I always make the plans. And sometimes I wonder if they'd notice if I was gone? Like I can sit next to them in silence and they wouldn't bring me into the conversation. And I think that's the loneliest I've ever felt. Being surrounded by people who are the closest to you in the world and feeling like you're not that important for them? I've noticed this a couple of times across the years but I'm loud and I chat and I never think it over too much because I can put myself in the conversation or make plans, etc. But it became really obvious to me over the last couple of days, and I think I'm just tired of trying so hard to be included. I think it really shouldn't be such an effort to be noticed by people who have been your best friend's for years? Like surely at this stage it should be easier? But yeah basically that's it and I just needed to share and I didn't have anyone to share with because, unfortunately, the people I usually share stuff with are the ones I'm complaining about

IronMan48 Why do i feel like nothing is going to work?
  • replies: 2

Hey, so this is my first time on the site and really my first time sharing my feelings, I sound like a cliched movie character, but it's true and basically I came here because I think it might help to be able to talk without having to keep up the fac... View more

Hey, so this is my first time on the site and really my first time sharing my feelings, I sound like a cliched movie character, but it's true and basically I came here because I think it might help to be able to talk without having to keep up the facade that is literally my entire personality and life, my question is a two parter 1: why do I feel like I'm drowning, on fire and stuck all at once? and 2: Why do I keep intentionally failing to replicate emotions I have been unable to experience for the better part of ten years? and 3: am I the only one who does/ feels like this? sorry, that ended up being a three parter, but anyway If anyone can share there own thoughts and experiences THAT WOULD BE A HUGE HELP!!!! also sorry if i did this wrong, I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing yet:).

Blackarrow I just wanna get this off my chest
  • replies: 3

I'm 21 turning 22 in January and I'm still living with my parents and I hate it I have no job still on my learner permit (got it when I was nearly 18) I have no job and I have never had one and I can't get any from centrelink due to a part my parents... View more

I'm 21 turning 22 in January and I'm still living with my parents and I hate it I have no job still on my learner permit (got it when I was nearly 18) I have no job and I have never had one and I can't get any from centrelink due to a part my parents have to do and they refuse to do it even though I want it since I want to help my parents with bills. I live in the middle of nowhere an hour away from any big towns on a farm where I had no choice but to move to. I have bipolar depression and severe anxiety and I'm not getting any better and with my parents fighting all the time I don't know how I will get any better I am tired all the time and hungry my sleep patterns shift constantly and I have no ambition or goals for my life so everyday is a blur to me and I hate it but I can't fix it but I tell myself I want to fix it but have no reason/motivation to fix it I feel like I am wasting my life away everyday. Sorry for my ramblings but i needed to tell someone since I don't know how to cope with it on my own

Skyline97 Tired of being lonely and miserable
  • replies: 7

Hi everyone, I'm a 20 year old male, I don't have any friends and haven't had any real friends even through school/high school I was bullied and avoided through those years. I'm at a point where I am sick of being lonely, I have a job that I work fro... View more

Hi everyone, I'm a 20 year old male, I don't have any friends and haven't had any real friends even through school/high school I was bullied and avoided through those years. I'm at a point where I am sick of being lonely, I have a job that I work from 7-4pm full time. I don't have any opportunities to make friends at work because I work with family. I am socially awkward and can't draw on past friends to be able to go out. I would really like to go clubbing and stuff like most guys my age. It gets me down seeing the good relationships and the amount of fun people have that I see on Facebook and such. How can I make friends and stop being so lonely? My social awkwardness comes from lack of experience, throughout my schooling years I chose video games over social activities mostly because I had no friends. The lonely feeling is killing me.

freshkoriander Unsure if I'm the 'right fit' for Uni
  • replies: 8

Hi all, Newbie here Long story short- I coasted through high school with great academic performance and have spent the last few years in and out of degrees, trying to find something that 'suits' me. I've settled on psychology and I can see myself in ... View more

Hi all, Newbie here Long story short- I coasted through high school with great academic performance and have spent the last few years in and out of degrees, trying to find something that 'suits' me. I've settled on psychology and I can see myself in the mental health arena but I've gone from doing four subjects a semester and doing okay, to 2 subjects and barely scraping through. I have depression and anxiety, and I know for sure that has a huge imapact on my academic performance. Right now though, I really just feel like quitting. I don't like the education I'm receiving- I don't even feel like it's education. I'm not learning, just memorising. And the content does not feel relevant at all. There's no hands-on application for what we're studying and it frustrates me because I know all too well once I graduate, I'll have almost nothing useful to take with me into my career. I've been considering TAFE. I'm just worried I'll start that and it'll be the same as my experience with uni. Any guidance/advice is appreciated. Thank you!

Nightingale_ Everytime i see my reflection or look in the mirror i feel ugly...
  • replies: 2

Hello, I am new to Bluebird and not sure how to start this. I just feel so ugly and can't help but critise myself, i'm not even sure why it matters to me as much as it does because, unlike many others, I know what I want to be and want to do. When th... View more

Hello, I am new to Bluebird and not sure how to start this. I just feel so ugly and can't help but critise myself, i'm not even sure why it matters to me as much as it does because, unlike many others, I know what I want to be and want to do. When the issue of self- depriciation first started for me, I was sated by the arguement of ' people on social media have spent hours trying to perfect their pictures' or 'that's not how they actually look', but now i'm just comparing myself to everyday people and as much as I've tried to stop, I just can't help it... Everytime I try to better my looks (skincare for example) and it works, I would feel happy and content for a miniscule amount of time before the back of my head reminds me, yet again, that I am unattractive. I have mentioned this to my parents, but you can probably guess their response. I'm too scared to talk to this with my friends as I believe that they'd judge me or brush the statement off by saying' you're not ugly' when it's quite clearly a lie. I don't think I've ever gotten a genuine compliment that wasn't from my parents and thinking about that just makes it all the worse. I don't even want to be undeniably beautiful, I just want to be average.