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

WheresTheMarmite How to deal with long lasting home sickness?
  • replies: 1

I’m new to this site and this is my first post so I really hope I’m posting this in the right place. I moved over seas about nine years ago after a huge natural disaster. I felt fine about moving at first since I’d be free from what happened, but now... View more

I’m new to this site and this is my first post so I really hope I’m posting this in the right place. I moved over seas about nine years ago after a huge natural disaster. I felt fine about moving at first since I’d be free from what happened, but now after a few years I’ve started feeling really upset about it and I don’t know if it’s normal to feel sad about it nearly every day or two. I probably cant ever go back to that country due to passport issues and financial reasons and I just feel hopeless so I’m giving up on the idea because I’ve been told it’s childish and that I need to get over it. I just don’t know how to stop feeling so upset about it when I’ve been feeling like this for years. could someone please offer some advice?

insufferabledog3 is it overthinking or is it anxiety??
  • replies: 1

okay so i know this isn’t a doctors appointment and no one can diagnose me, but i tend to think a lot, too much for my liking. a lot about what people think of me, if i’m a burden on people because i’ll often ask for help in silly situations, if i ta... View more

okay so i know this isn’t a doctors appointment and no one can diagnose me, but i tend to think a lot, too much for my liking. a lot about what people think of me, if i’m a burden on people because i’ll often ask for help in silly situations, if i talk to much or if i’m being nice enough. i’m not sure if this will just pass with time, or if it’s something more? i do dwell a lot on things, and i’d like to think it’s about problem solving, but it’s not all that. like the other day, i spent at least 40 minutes trying to find which binder to buy for school and called both my sisters for advice, so which one didn’t pick up and the other replied, but sorta thought i was being stupid. either way, i’m just wondering if anyone else feels like they think too much about small things, and if that’s some form of anxiety, or if it’s just teenage overthinking that’ll pass? thanks!

bethhy_y new and a little nervous
  • replies: 3

HI I've had one of the most anxious weeks of my life and I just wanted to share my week to remind myself that I'm not alone in this and to find ways to cope on the daily. On Sunday the 5th Jan I hung out with my boyfriend and enjoyed my time, however... View more

HI I've had one of the most anxious weeks of my life and I just wanted to share my week to remind myself that I'm not alone in this and to find ways to cope on the daily. On Sunday the 5th Jan I hung out with my boyfriend and enjoyed my time, however when I got home as the rest of the day went on I got more and more anxious, I deiced to message my boyfriend and open up to him and let him know that during our time together that day I kept telling myself that I was probably annoying him being to close and cuddly to him. He replied and told me that he didn't see anything i did as annoying and that i was okay. from Monday to Tuesday i had work, so my mind was occupied and i felt okay, however on the Tuesday afternoon i really wanted to hang out with my boyfriend again and do something nice for him cause I felt bad for overreacting on Sunday. However, he found out one of his friends were coming up to visit for a couple days so he would be able to hang out. I was okay with this but it made me anxious cause in my head there was a tension between us from me opening up on the Sunday about being anxious, and I felt that the longer we were apart the more awkward it would be when we saw each other again. on the Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I didn't sleep very well and would wake up early and think of my boyfriend and overthink everything and convinced myself that he probably hated me and was going to break up with me. I was so nervous about it that I stayed in bed watching movies and crying or when I did go out with my mum or a friend I was very dizzy and had a headache the whole time. Over these 2 days, my boyfriend had made plans with our friend group to have a bbq soon and I was excited as that meant I got to see him, but as I thought about it more I continuously got more anxious thinking about showing up to his house and having him hate me or reject me to my face. I knew that it wouldn't happen but my anxiety in the back of my head told me "what if". My mum told me to tell my boyfriend cause he probably had no idea and that I would make me feel better but thinking about that made me throw up, I was to nervous to explain things over text incase of my miscommunication so I just left it and knew that I would tell him about it when we were face to face. Over Friday to Saturday was good as I had my brother birthday party and was occupied and had good sleep but my Sunday my anxiety would try to come back. Thank you for any help!

helpmeplease01 fearing love/ past heartbreak
  • replies: 3

One of my biggest fears is falling in love because I worry that guys won't be able to commit to a relationship with me. I dated a guy one year ago which caused these insecurities to arise. Even though I'm not interested in the guy or seeing him anymo... View more

One of my biggest fears is falling in love because I worry that guys won't be able to commit to a relationship with me. I dated a guy one year ago which caused these insecurities to arise. Even though I'm not interested in the guy or seeing him anymore, he's still impacted the way I see dating. I opened up to this guy about the past. I now worry that guys wont like how I used to be in high school (years ago) and I worry they wont want to commit to something long-term because they'll find someone prettier and smarter or just better than me. I opened up to him and ended up getting hurt. So should I keep avoiding dating and try and "work on myself" ( which I wouldn't specifically know how to do so") or should I just get back out there and hope for the best?

Razzle3456 Struggling to be happy
  • replies: 6

Hey everyone, I’m pretty new to the forum thing so here it goes: I’m about to go into my last year of university, and I just feel sad. Last year was one of my hardest years of study, I moved out of home fully (was at college for 3 years), and I was n... View more

Hey everyone, I’m pretty new to the forum thing so here it goes: I’m about to go into my last year of university, and I just feel sad. Last year was one of my hardest years of study, I moved out of home fully (was at college for 3 years), and I was navigating 2 new jobs and a new relationship. Relationship side of things is great, but everything else is a nightmare. I constantly feel stressed and it’s gotten to the point where I’m so anxious about hanging out social outings, work, or anything that I really enjoyed going to in the past. My partner has been a great support, but I really don’t want to be reliant on the one person. Currently I’m snapping at really small things, I feel really insignificant, and I just don’t like me at the moment. I’m crying at least once a week getting in my own head, but now I just feel sad. Have been reading some stuff online here, but I’m just struggling to be happy again. would love to hear any advice, because I hate feeling like this.

madds97 Hi, I'm reaching out for help
  • replies: 5

Hi I'm Maddie and I'm 22 from Melbourne. I just logged on to this forum, and saw that my last post was from November 2016, it was a post about feeling very lost in my life and having no friends or hope for the future. Today is January 9th, 2020. That... View more

Hi I'm Maddie and I'm 22 from Melbourne. I just logged on to this forum, and saw that my last post was from November 2016, it was a post about feeling very lost in my life and having no friends or hope for the future. Today is January 9th, 2020. That post was 4 years ago. I originally came on here to share my story and reach out for help, yet seeing that old post has made me feel mixed emotions. Its been a shit 6 years honestly. But thats not to say that I haven't had ups and great things happen to me in that time. I'm a full time worker for the past year and 1/2 and I'm also engaged to an amazing guy. I never thought that would happen. I'm truly blessed. Basically, I've been depressed for the past 6 years and longer. I left school after year 11 (2014) because I was in hospital for most of that year, with psychosis and depression. I had survived a suicide attempt and was hospitalized three times for weeks/months. I was 17. Leaving school really screwed up my education. I currently work in admin, and while its not amazing, it keeps the bills paid and its not terrible I guess. I know I'm lucky to be employed and relatively stable financially. I just wish I had achieved more, and thats hard to sit with. Today I'm 22. I have no motivation to better myself, I just feel so stuck and hopeless. I hate what my mental health has ruined for my life. So you could say I'm angry too. I self - sabotage. What I mean is that I don't eat right, I don't exercise, I do the opposite of all good things for myself. I wish I knew how to stop and fix myself and my life. Its currently falling apart at my own doing. I've tried therapy. I've tried medication. All they did was make me feel embarrassed (therapy) and awful physical side effects (medication.) I've tried, I've given life my all. I've been knocked back and down so many times I can't count, and every time I've gotten back up and kept trying. There's only so much you can take. I don't know what to do anymore. It's been a long six years. I don't believe I'm fixable.

eukaryote Already given up?
  • replies: 4

Hey all, Anyone else experience major difficulty getting out of bed every morning? It’s been happening to me for the past 2 years on and off, but now it’s a daily occurrence. I had many failures last year (mostly academic) due to my own lack of motiv... View more

Hey all, Anyone else experience major difficulty getting out of bed every morning? It’s been happening to me for the past 2 years on and off, but now it’s a daily occurrence. I had many failures last year (mostly academic) due to my own lack of motivation. Even though i have come up with a plan on how to get my life back on track in 2020, have listed all my New Years resolutions, fitness plans and hobbies, I still don’t feel any better. I’m even staring an exciting casual job this year but I just have zero energy. I feel like atm I am just at home doing nothing all day. It’s kinda scary because it’s really like I have given up on life and I’m only in my early 20’s!

Cupcake2500 My "ex" has moved on...
  • replies: 1

I am an 18-year-old female. I met this guy who is also my age on a dating app a year ago. He was great. He said how he thought we would "last" and he told me he wanted to say hi to my parents when he picked me up from my place which he did. Everythin... View more

I am an 18-year-old female. I met this guy who is also my age on a dating app a year ago. He was great. He said how he thought we would "last" and he told me he wanted to say hi to my parents when he picked me up from my place which he did. Everything about him was amazing. He ghosted me two weeks later and said "he wasn't ready" for a relationship. He would still talk to me afterward and led me on (never initiating to meet up, ignoring me e.t.c.). I ended up ghosting him but then when I failed my driver's test at the time, I started to speak to him. We ended up arguing as he thought I would post indirect things on Facebook about him. In all honesty, some posts were and some weren't. At this point, I was ready to move on. I ended up passing the test a month later, I ended up apologising to him for "closure" (so stupid) and just felt content to move on. However, on my friend's birthday, we went to this club and I bumped into him. This resulted in a hot and heavy makeout. He was drunk but said he "wanted to see me again". He almost had a fight with my friend's cousin because I ran off with him to another area of the club that night. My friend told him to never contact me again if he was only going to waste my time. He ghosted me after saying "when will I see you again?" All my efforts went down the drain. I find out a month later, the day after we saw each other. That he matched with my best friend on the dating app (she matched back out of curiosity) and he started talking to her. She didn't want to tell me when it happened because she didn't want me to be hurt. She told him we were friends and mentioned that he was not nice to me while dating and he replied, saying that I was "twisting" things. He followed me on Instagram a few months later yet we did not talk. I found out yesterday through his mate's facebook page that he just got into a relationship. I have broken down, because he was not ready for me. He also blocked me on Instagram, so I can't even see what his girlfriend looks like as it has not been revealed who he is with. I feel worthless, he consumed my happiness pretty much all year. He has made me questioned my sanity, my existence. He was different (and cooler) to what I used to know, all I did was crave him. I feel like nothing because of the way things have turned out. I need help.

abs3 my story
  • replies: 1

hi, i’m abbey. it’s been a couple of years since i’ve started to feel like i’m not myself anymore. i’m extremely insecure and put myself down to the point where i blame every problem on myself. i have a boyfriend, he is supportive and loving but does... View more

hi, i’m abbey. it’s been a couple of years since i’ve started to feel like i’m not myself anymore. i’m extremely insecure and put myself down to the point where i blame every problem on myself. i have a boyfriend, he is supportive and loving but doesn’t know how to handle his emotions and sometimes pushes me away making me feel lonely and vulnerable towards harsh thoughts. i put a lot on the line for him and i love him with all my heart. i struggle with making new friends because i over think things and assume people dislike me. i just want to know i’m not alone and i hope others know how it feels to be mis treated and feel unloved although i am

cripjay15 overwhelmed
  • replies: 1

I am really struggling with anxiety at the moment. mostly because of going back to school after having trouble with my friends. my problem is sleep. at the night time is mainly where my anxiety comes out. because it’s just me and my thoughts in my he... View more

I am really struggling with anxiety at the moment. mostly because of going back to school after having trouble with my friends. my problem is sleep. at the night time is mainly where my anxiety comes out. because it’s just me and my thoughts in my head. I can’t sleep because my head just goes crazy. the way of calming myself down is listening to music or just watching movies and stuff to just distract myself from my thoughts. other wise my head goes wild and i get into a bad state and have kind of a panic attack. but i do a lot of sport and sleep is even more important especially with my past with injuries. so i’m practically staying up past midnight most nights on my phone trying to get out of my own head. but then i get more anxious about not getting enough sleep and being tired and whatnot. anyway i’m just stuck in a vicious cycle that i’m not too sure how to get out of.