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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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Lauren57r 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 ... View more

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

Phryne 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 ... View more

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

Sea_King 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... View more

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?

MacaroniNoodles Scared to be judged
  • replies: 1

Hi there, I think I should start by saying that I have a few mental health problems which already make certain aspects of my life hard. Lately I have been really stressed out at school and extremely down about other parts of my life and it is making ... View more

Hi there, I think I should start by saying that I have a few mental health problems which already make certain aspects of my life hard. Lately I have been really stressed out at school and extremely down about other parts of my life and it is making my axiety worse than ever, im In a mental rut that Im scrambling to try and get out of. I have started having thoughts that are really bad for me to have and I have started considering things that I never thought I would slip down far enough to consider. It doesnt help that I am losing all my friends due to them not understanding my mental struggles and giving up on me. I Only really have 2 or 3 friends left that truely care enough to check up on me from time to time. I feel like I really need to speak to my school's wellbeing coordinator but I have heard the stories about these people in general and it makes me really reluctant to see her... (silly, i know). The people who are still my friends also have something against her so I'm scared that I will be judged for stepping up and getting the help abd support I need. Any advice?

madeofmilo Moved school, now really want to move back
  • replies: 1

So i'm facing a dilemma right now and I was looking to get some advice or opinions on how to approach this. Long story short last year I was doing year 11 however missed the first term of year 12 due to an injury and so I have had to repeat year 11. ... View more

So i'm facing a dilemma right now and I was looking to get some advice or opinions on how to approach this. Long story short last year I was doing year 11 however missed the first term of year 12 due to an injury and so I have had to repeat year 11. The school I was originally at I enjoyed and had friends however I didn't want to repeat at the same school and the academics isn't the best there so I moved to a catholic all girls school. Since starting around 3/4 weeks ago I have been having an extremely hard time coping with it. Everyday I dread going to school and am unable to concentrate fully during class as I feel so bad. Im missing the old subjects I did at my old school that aren't offered here and the girls at this school are quite unfriendly and rude. Going to school is unbearable to the point I come home and cry for hours. I've asked my mum if I can go back but she wants me to wait because she thinks it will get better, everyday that goes by just gets worse and I feel like I can't do it anymore, I can't wait for it to maybe get better. I just want to be back at my old school even if it means being in the year below because I can't stand this all girls strict catholic school it makes me feel so awful. Sorry if this was long but yea if anyone has any thoughts or advice.

gg__ Losing my sight at 12. Am very scared
  • replies: 4

Hello, Im new to this website. Recently, I have actually been losing my sight. I already have lost the sight in the centre of my right eye and the same thing is happening in my left eye. I have been getting lots of tests done and actually am getting ... View more

Hello, Im new to this website. Recently, I have actually been losing my sight. I already have lost the sight in the centre of my right eye and the same thing is happening in my left eye. I have been getting lots of tests done and actually am getting some more done tomorrow and Im terrified. It's really interfering with school as well. I couldn't do my start of the year tests because I couldn't see the words. The school now knows about it but Im still scared. My sight is getting worse. How should I feel better about the situation?

EJT Confused
  • replies: 2

Hello, I am seeking some tips on how to approach my mother to tell her how I feel and how I think I may possibly have depression? I am afraid that she will dismiss my feelings, and ultimately feel uncomfortable at the thought of telling her. I want t... View more

Hello, I am seeking some tips on how to approach my mother to tell her how I feel and how I think I may possibly have depression? I am afraid that she will dismiss my feelings, and ultimately feel uncomfortable at the thought of telling her. I want to seek professional help to enable me to understand and cope with my feelings and to know whether what I am feeling is 'normal' (lack of a better word) or is due an underlying issue. My father has depression, which has worsened severely since my parents broke up (I am in grade 11, they split in grade 5). He does not know that I know that, and only told me he had depression several months ago. I have a fractured relationship with him (his words, not mine) and we have never really openly discussed feelings so I definitely don't feel comfortable discussing it with him. It is only recently that I have felt these symptoms worsen (app. past 3 months). I have been moving houses, and am still in the process of finding a new house to live in. The process is unbelievably frustrating and has made my overall mental health worsen severely. My productivity levels have stunted immensely over the past few months, and I feel so unmotivated. The best way I can describe how I feel is empty. I feel void of emotions a lot of the time, and will go through these periods a few times a week (lasting 1-3 hours) where I feel extremely tired (even though I may have received adequate sleep that night) and like i'm just existing, like the world is operating around me but i'm frozen in time or in slow motion. In addition to this, I experience lots of anger and frustration, and the smallest things may set me off. I've lost enjoyment in lots of activities, and struggle to focus. I discussed them with my closest friends, one of which said she experienced the same feelings as well as point out that they are symptoms of depression. I have considered it momentarily before, but never seriously until now. I don't want to label it and self-diagnose or even suggest that I may have it as I feel like people will respond by thinking I am an attention seeker. This is also why I also struggle to voice my concerns to my parents, the last time I did so to my mother (about trouble concentrating in school and exhibiting ADHD symptoms) she dismissed my worries, and told me that it was because I spend "too much time on my computer" or other similar reasons. Sorry for the rambling, if there is anything you would like to know do not hesitate to ask. Thanks

Motoko353 Free Depression support services?
  • replies: 2

Is there any free depression support services kinda like Alcoholics Anonymous or something similar? Been going through tough times for a while and the medicine the gp gives just ruins my sex drive making me even more depressed and lonely, so i though... View more

Is there any free depression support services kinda like Alcoholics Anonymous or something similar? Been going through tough times for a while and the medicine the gp gives just ruins my sex drive making me even more depressed and lonely, so i thought the next best thing would be something like this. I'd rather not open up to the people around me because in the past they have screwed me in the back and used what i told them against me. So I'd rather meet with a group of like minded people who can maybe help me and themselves by supporting one another. Thank you

Rubi2 Doesn’t change
  • replies: 2

Hi, I’ve never really done this but it’s currently nearly 1:30am and I can’t sleep. I’ve had trouble sleeping quiet a lot recently. I’m done. Today was so hard I haven’t been the same since some things that happened in school and that was nearly 2 ye... View more

Hi, I’ve never really done this but it’s currently nearly 1:30am and I can’t sleep. I’ve had trouble sleeping quiet a lot recently. I’m done. Today was so hard I haven’t been the same since some things that happened in school and that was nearly 2 years ago. I never got closure on anything that happened and to be completely honest I never really recovered. Everyday it just gets harder. I can’t stop thinking about all the things I’ve done wrong in my life. I hate work, my boss just finds every reason to bring my day down and honestly wish I could quit but I can’t due to uni and other expenses. Everyone is so happy these days all my friends are getting into relationships while I’m sitting here wondering what the heck is wrong with me. They all can’t hang out a lot anymore due to there relationships and are constantly cancelling plans last minute. I don’t know what to do. I never really got over the thing in high school because In a way every where I turn someone that was involved is there or something else to remind me. Honestly I know it probably sounds pathetic but if I’m being completely honest what happened sent me to the darkest places I had never been before. I lost a lot of things because of what happened I lost friends, I lost myself and I lost control. I was a student who didn’t mind going to school but in the end I hated going to school and was too scared to even look at the people that where involved. What happened followed me from high school to graduation to work and even university. I’m currently 18 and really probably shouldn’t be feeling so down. I don’t find anything enjoyable any more, I’m to scared to talk to friends in case they judge and last time I spoke to family about it my dad lost it. My family really hasn’t been the same since my nan died in 2017. We where all really close with her and although we where expecting it, it is still hard to deal with. How and when will things get better because it never really changes. I’m done living like this.

LiamWL98 Being excluded
  • replies: 2

I am friends with a person and recently he made friends with another person and he started to try and get me to piss off, my friend started noticing and was a bit suspect, a bit later he started including me and I was nice and I thought i eventually ... View more

I am friends with a person and recently he made friends with another person and he started to try and get me to piss off, my friend started noticing and was a bit suspect, a bit later he started including me and I was nice and I thought i eventually was making progress and he was starting to see me as more of a friend. A bit later he started to go back to excluding and getting my friend to hang out 24/7 but yet never asked me to go with them, now my original friend decided to start excluding me, I seemed to be the last choice in the group and yet I was acting perfectly normal and was being nice and trying my best to make them seem appreciated and included... but they decided to choose everyone else over me and not care. I’ve been trying to make friends with him like asking him to play some video games or socialise in someway possible but he wouldn’t and it’s like he just doesn’t like me at all and I don’t know why, the problem is that my best friend made friends with others and a person decided to try his absolute best to get rid of me for no reason. Now my best friend has decided to include him and exclude me and now I don’t know what to do anymore.