Young people

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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 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!

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first

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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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senior slump?

replies: 2

Hi all, I don't really know what going on. I just started my last year of high school about a month ago and I have never struggled more in my whole life. Everything is just a chore, I can't concentrate on school work without my mind wandering to something unproductive. My friendships are getting dull and distant because I have no desire to keep them. Im just trying to work toward my academic goal, but at this point I'm not going to pass anything because I can't keep my head still for three seconds. My sleep has been atrocious, I got sleep paralysis (I think) for the first time the other night and thought I was going to die, I have no appetite anymore, I have no energy to talk to people or do my schoolwork. I'm aware I sound like I'm complaining and dramatising it (and that's not what I wanted to be communicated) but I really don't know how to cope with it anymore. If anyone has any tips they would be much appreciated, I have had a couple issues with mental health last year, so Im just trying to distinguish whether this is a 'getting back into school' slump or if old illnesses are creeping their way back in. Thanks

Getting older and missing out on life?

replies: 1

Hey guys I just turned 23 on Saturday the 22nd. Since I was 13 I have had severe problems with depersonalisation, anxiety and depression. It was a terrible time for my problems to start as I was on the brink of many new experiences in life, which I feel I wasn't even there to experience due to being locked behind severe brain fog, confusion and emotional pain. Partly it was due to the trauma of being taken out of school and moved around the country basically homeless for 6 months. My mental illness symptoms were triggered after this period early in my life. I've always been sensitive, overly imaginative and a deep thinker. I have seen many therapists over the years, but my problem I think is never sticking with one long enough. I also just didn't verbalize it and pretended it was OK for so long because I kind of thought saying it would make it real and if I pretended to be healthy I'd eventually be healthy. Holding these symptoms behind a mask though is beyond horrible and I felt like I was dying inside. Would be interested to know who can relate to this feeling. I have listened to a lot of motivational talks on Youtube and such trying to drill into myself, this will just pass if I keep trying. That's not how you treat mental and emotional problems though, that makes it worse. I haven't gotten an official diagnosis, I'm hoping its an anxiety disorder... but it could be worse. Basically I think I've tried my best to experience life despite what I'm going through but I feel now that I still haven't tried hard enough and I regret the past. Since leaving school in '14, I've made basically two friends and just buried myself in worked. I'm fit, I've been told I'm attractive a number of times but I've only ever had one girlfriend. I'm still a virgin. This makes me so ashamed and depressed. And the longer I stay a virgin, the harder it'll be to have sex. It feels like people assume I'm not, because I hold up this false confidence, and when they find out they come to the conclusion that I have issues. Which is completely the truth. Something is very wrong with me. I can only get some emotional peace when I'm alone or with my immediate family. I want to have new experiences and make new friends but I feel completely trapped in my head and the darkness of my own thoughts and feelings. Just taking the step of making a connection with other people will give me the motivation and be the first step to properly recovering. But I can't make it and time keeps moving..

struggling. i feel sad every day.

replies: 1

Hey everyone, I'm not feeling so good at the moment. I think it'd be easiest to list my reasons. (I'm 18, female, and 2 years out of school) 1. My parents are divorced, mum is struggling and we barely have enough money to buy food some weeks. 2. I did really poorly in year 12 and it has kinda messed up all my options. I then dropped out of uni which has crushed my soul. Thankfully I'm going to tafe in July to study my passion (vet nursing) but I feel devastated that I won't be at uni. 3. I haven't met any new people in years and I only have 2 close friends to talk to, one of which is someone I don't like to dump my problems on, the other I probably dump too many problems on. I feel incredibly isolated and lonely, which is an understatement. Like I am desperate to meet new people at tafe but I have to wait until July. I have moved house 16 times and moved school 5 times so I don't have any long term friendships. 4. I have jealousy and possessiveness issues with these friends for some reason so whenever they do something without me I become incredibly anxious and frustrated (toxic mindset, I know). 5. I am working really hard but barely have any money, it all goes to groceries, petrol, insurance, pet food, rego etc. I can never buy myself clothes. 6. My mum and brother both have major mental health problems. My mum is also very emotionally distant at the moment and I just crave for her to be interested in talking to me or giving me a hug once in a while. She mostly yells at me for not doing enough. I spend all my time at home alone and don't go out of the house for anything but work. 7. I have anxiety about so many things. A big one is being close to someone/intimacy. I attempted to be in a relationship in december but I almost threw up before I went on a simple date to his house and couldn't even hold hands with him. Ended up breaking up with him after 3 weeks over text. Adds to this feeling of "I'm going to be alone forever" 8. I don't want to list things forever but I feel broken and sad every single day. I don't want to go to the GP because my brother is already doing that and I don't want my dad to think we're both disappointments. (he thinks antidepressants are for losers who have given up...) good things; - I have two dogs and I love them - I have nice coworkers and my job isn't too bad - I have somewhere safe to live - I don't want to hurt myself - I just miss how bright I used to be and want to be there again Thank you for reading

Kind of motivated but not really

replies: 1

Hey guys, Thinking about going to the doctors to seek a mental health treatment plan because for the longest time I’ve felt very lost. It’s like I’m motivated to do something then it gets too hard or too much work. I’m generally a positive type of person but I just can’t handle this normal life. What I mean by that is staying in the same place with the same people working the same jobs, I’m extremely confused how anyone does it. Seems like it causes me to be extremely unsatisfied with life and have no energy. I go on holidays sand my energy is at all time highs and I just want to go do anything and everything but back hope the opposite. So I thought saving up and going on a backpacking journey may be fun and allow me to just live how I please but then I’m concerned that I will get over there and just start feeling bad again. I guess I’m just wanting to speak to someone that feels sort of like this because I’ve had this for years and can’t take it anymore I want to live my life not be trapped in this state of mind anymore. Thank you. Aaron, Brisbane

Year 12 formal... help!

replies: 1

So, my year 12 formal is in 2 months. I already have a dress, but I haven’t been invited to a pres group nor a table to sit at... my only real close friend says they aren’t going so idk what to do... should I even go? And, I’m not sure if I should ask some people if I can join their group but then again I’m not reallyyyy close to them so I don’t want to be there if they probably don’t want me there.. I am getting really stressed about the whole situation, to the point I wake up in the middle of the night and just start crying because of how lonely I am. Ahhh someone help please

Struggling to cope with life decisions

replies: 2

Last night and tonight I have struggled to cope with my decision on having a termination 6 months ago. This was my second termination. I was too scared that if I didn’t I would lose both loves (two terminations in two different relationships) of my life. I lost one because he was against it all along and I originally chose the baby over him. But my most recent one my amazing partner stayed by my side and still is. I know some may think I’m dumb for giving up two precious lives for boys. But I was scared to lose them. I still am scared to lose this one but I think he deserves better than to listen to what I have to say about this and listen to me cry. What hurts me most is that I believe that what if the most recent baby that I terminated was my last chance. What if the world believes I shouldn’t have my own child because I gave up the fight on those two precious lives. Just as a punishment if anyone has gone through this and has come out the other side happy and enjoying life please I need some help with coping I just don’t know what to do

need your advice/ opinion

replies: 6

Ive been battling minor depression,anxiety and paranoia for about a year now iv been in to see doctors and psychs and they put me on medication for about 3-4 months but i dont feel any better at all if anything things have gotten worse i feel as though i cant walk through town without being with someone or its late at night ehen theres no one there i cant go into shopping centers at all i just cant do it it makes me so edgey and i get the shakes an my skin goes all red i really dont know what to do i need serious help ive tried reaching out so many times but i just can never explain how i feel and i get to emotional when i talk about my problems. I feel like iv got no one to talk to at all like iv mived away from my family because we fight to much and living out of home when your 17 isant easy an that just ads to my liw mood ive litterally lost so much in my life all because of thoughts in my head like i had an amazing girlfriend who held me up for months prettty much shes the reason im still alive but i lost her and my apprenticeship my family and now i live pay check to pay check i really dont see how my life can get better thankyou for reading i hope you understand what i mean an sorry about all the spelling mistakes if anyone has ANY advicce or information on how i can help myself or what is wrong with me id really appreciate it ❤

No future

replies: 21

Im in my 2nd year of uni and can not see the point to anything anymore My family have extremely high expectations of me to do really well and walk out of uni with a really well paying job but theres no gantuee of work with the degree im doing and im jelous of those who have a gantueed job after uni. And i cant get part time work anywhere cause of my age and uni time table, my family are refusing to help me financially as im going broke while at uni What do i do

What do I do next?

replies: 1

Hi I need help! I graduated high school with straight As and went to university with the goal of being a vet because i wanted a goal not because i actually wanted to be a vet. That lead to a huge break down and the problems I've had with anxiety and depression became unbearable. My mum and boyfriend convinced me to change degree to a double degree in art and science so i could explore my interests and try and find something that i liked. It was good advise but i've just failed a summer semester course in French by 1% and that was something i thought i wanted to lean but i hated it just as much as my original vet subjects. I feel whatever i try and study i hate and i never do well enough or work hard enough at. I have no goals and nothing i want to study and nothing i want to become after uni. I made no friends at uni but i am still very close to my best friend from high school. I feel like i just don't belong there. But i don't think i have any other options. I'm humiliated that i'm doing so poorly and that i'm so unhappy especially because i was always told that i would find my tribe and fit in when i got to uni but i feel more lost than ever. I also moved from the country to the city which is really hard for me because i'm defiantly not a city person. My work is good i'm a horse riding teacher and i love that but i don't think i could make it a career and my parents expects me to graduate with good grades and make something of myself. The only aspect of uni enjoy are creative writing but i dont know how to tune that into a career and i don't think i'm good enough. I feel like i'm wasting an amazing opportunity but also like i just dont belong in this academic world or even in this city. I see psychologist but she doesn't really help and i always feel worse leaving her office than i did before i entered it. My boyfriend has been amazing through all of last year (my first year of uni) but i dont want to put him through that again this year and i feel like things are getting worse rather than better. Any advise would be greatly appreciated Ellen

Work problem or depression?

replies: 2

I'm a creative type who has finished the main creative projects and who has no motivation for ordinary work. When I was young, I had hope of creative success to keep me motivated during ordinary work, but now that hope is gone. I’ve had about 35 jobs, so I know the score. One option now is self-employment. I'm good at playing the stock market, but you need serious capital to avoid panic and to live off when the market is going slow. The solution for that is normally to work and save the capital, but I have no motivation for that. So I'm feeling stuck. Actually, I'd be okay with an extremely minimalist lifestyle. But you've still got to pay for rent and food, which means being on the dole or working. So it feels like a relentless pressure coming from the world. I wish there was an option like receiving half of the dole but with no pressure to look for work. I could probably do 4 hours per day just sorting boxes or something, but even then the boss needs to be happy. And my employment history doesn’t look great to employers. I don't think the problem is laziness. The problem with ordinary work is that I struggle with new tasks and get stressed dealing with unhappy bosses in the workplace. Also, I start worrying about being stuck in a boring job for the rest of my life. That's when I go into a really dark place. I'm afraid of getting into that situation again. Any thoughts?

Eeep! When study is overwhelming! - Tips, ideas and coping strategies replies: 51

NEW TO THIS FORUM? Please read this first replies: 0

senior slump? replies: 2

Getting older and missing out on life? replies: 1

struggling. i feel sad every day. replies: 1

Kind of motivated but not really replies: 1

Year 12 formal... help! replies: 1

Struggling to cope with life decisions replies: 2

need your advice/ opinion replies: 6

No future replies: 21

What do I do next? replies: 1

Work problem or depression? replies: 2