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

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 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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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

replies: 5

Hi guys, im new here, I don’t have anyone I feel like I can talk to atm, but my PMDD really effects me, I get really irritable and sad and suicidal sometimes, I’m on medication for dysthymia and also on the pill, but when it’s my time of the month I still get the PMDD symptoms, has anyone ever had this before? I am seeing my dr soon but wondering if anyone has the same issue as me?

Graduating with no friends

replies: 7

Hi all, I just wanted to get this out somewhere and I am grateful it is here. I’m in a dark and uncertain place. I’m graduating next week and although I should feel happy, I am not. Not because I want to stay but because I am fearful of my future. I started at this school in year 11 and it has been really difficult for me. I graduate with no friend group and virtually no friends. I talk to a couple girls and I am grateful for the connection but I have no one to turn to or that I truly feel comfortable around. I am a very shy person so I find it extremely difficult to put myself out there and find friends. Having no friends in my senior year, I feel like there is something wrong with me and that I don’t know how my life is going to go in the future. Im constantly overthinking everything and I feel like im going to be alone forever. I am close with my mum and have a good relationship with my dad but I barely ever talk to my brothers. At the dinner table, everyone talks except me. I feel like I don’t fit in with them and that I have nothing interesting to add to their conversations. I find it hard to relate to them, in fact, I find it hard to relate to anyone. I almost feel like I have no personality and why would anyone want to be friends with me. I feel like im behind in life experiences like everyone around me is ahead. I see my classmates laughing with all of their friends and I can’t help but just jealous and miserable. I have a miserable mindset but I can’t help but feel sick of being around all of these friend groups and feeling lonely and isolated. Im not going to formal next Friday because I feel so out of place not to mention I don’t have a table because I did not make friends. People say that high school is often the easiest and highlight of peoples life and this just makes me feel terrible because I found it so difficult and I have never felt more unhappy. At my old school I had one friend who I was very close with who I would have the best laughs with. We both left that school and she repeated but things just aren’t the same. We have had many fights and although we’re still friends, I feel like that friendship just isn’t as fulfilling as it once was. I know you should always have hope but it is so hard with these current circumstances. Thanks for listening.

Feeling like a failure before HSC

replies: 4

It’s almost 1 month away from HSC and I haven’t tried anything. I haven’t done well in trials or at school assessment as my depression and anxiety has got worse. I feel like a failure because there’s nothing I can do right now and I’ve been heavily burnt out student in academics due to being in a strict private school with bad educational strict environment. I used to be so smart but now I can’t do anything more, and it’s making me feel like a failure like I’m not good enough for the big world out there. I don’t know what to do and I’m forcing myself to study last minute but I feel like that’s not worth it because I had so many months to do so. I’m struggling to do anything and I feel like there’s nothing left for me to do as I force myself to study last minute which feels hopeless.

Overwhelmed By Uni, Work, Future

replies: 6

I'm 19 in my second semester of uni, doing courses that I love. And yet my anxiety has got to the point where I haven't been able to go to class, I haven't been able to do my online studies, I haven't even been able to start assignments due a week ago. I can't quit uni because I'll lose the government financial support and I won't even be able to make it up by working more because I just do not have the mental capacity to work more. I quit my second job, although I need the money, in the hopes that I could focus more on uni, but it hasn't helped.I have goals and a future I aspire to and yet I can't start any of the steps that I know will get me there, like saving money, studying and managing my mental issues. I've dug into my meagre savings relentlessly over the last few weeks; I don't have the energy to make food so I get it from cafes or those food delivery services that I can't afford, I buy unnecessary things despite telling myself about what I want to save for. Its like I'm fighting with myself constantly over what I want versus feeling like I'll never get to it so why bother saving. Everything just feels overwhelmingly difficult, despite the fact that logically, my goals are attainable and if I was my usual self, not difficult at all.I've isolated myself from my friends, I've isolated myself from my uni classmates, and I'm constantly thinking of ways to isolate myself from my family. I don't want to do any of this.I'm working with a pscychologist but I can't get past this mental block that stops me from telling them everything that I want to. It feels like a physical block and it takes all of my energy just to get out a little bit. I don't have the energy or the will to do what they suggest no matter how much I want to.I feel useless, empty and broken. I feel like I don't even exist anymore. I feel like I'm stuck floating around this space with everything I want just out of reach.I'm sorry this was more of a rant than anything but I guess my questions at the end of it all is what do you do when it all feels like its falling to pieces around you? Are there avenues in uni that can force me to keep on top of it all? Because apparently I have no willpower of my own to keep me in check even when its about the things I want the most. How do I get everything I want to say out of my head?

Coping?

replies: 3

Hey, this post is kinda just a rant I guess (anyone can feel free to comment/join in). Do you ever just feel like nobody cares until you're not coping? Until you are so lost inside your own thoughts that the effort it would take to help yourself is enormous? It just feels like no matter how many times I tell/want to tell someone that I'm not quite okay. There is always either an internal or external voice telling me that there's nothing anyone can do until your struggling to stay afloat. It's a bad system and I think it's something that really needs to change. Anyway there's my rant, thanks for reading Goldfish

Can’t believe how long it took to realise

replies: 3

Just logged back in & spent some time reading through my old posts. Super interesting & also shocking to find posts from before I even realised how mentally ill I was. Posts from like 15yrs old up till about 18, trying desperately to find an answer for how awful I felt. Looking back it’s so obvious but i was so young & oblivious! My mental health kinda plummeted around 14. I was exhausted constantly, couldn’t concentrate, had no willpower to do anything & had this relentless perpetual headache. I went from excelling in school to spending most of it passed out on my desk. I think I had been to about 12 different doctors trying to find an answer but to no avail. Most of them were nice enough, others blamed me for my situation. Claiming that ‘this is just what being a teenager is like’ or that I’ve ‘just got to try a bit harder.’ My family didn’t (and still don’t) understand, because as far as we could see, I was ‘physically well.’ I spent almost 4 years wondering why being alive was so hard & whether this really was just ‘normal.’ But over time it got clearer and I eventually realised that I was actually just super depressed haha I think there’s probably some sort of physical component to why I feel so dead all the time too, but I am yet to find it. Rereading my old posts & its so insanely obvious!! I just can’t believe it took me so long to figure it out. Not even a single one of all those doctors picked up on it! How!?!? I’d like to say that things are mostly better now. But I don’t think things will ever be 100% okay. It’s a rollercoaster, some days I’m great & other days I just want to die. A little sad I’ve spent 1/4 of my life like this but it’s okay! I’ve finished school now, got an insanely cool job & have the best little work family. I’m studying a couple of courses, which is a struggle at times but I’m getting there! Have had so many amazing opportunities to work creatively & exhibit my art. Will hopefully move away from my family soon too when I get enough money! I never ended up actually getting help but it’s nice to know what’s wrong at least. Eventually I will but for now I don’t have the energy, time or money & will continue to procrastinate. No real point of this post, just thought it was a bit funny looking back at how long it took me to realise how depressed I really was!

young and hopeless

replies: 3

I'm a fifteen year old boy who feels like he's worth nothing. I don't know what caused me to start feeling like this I guess I might be the overwhelming feeling of tests and exams, but that was a while ago now and I'm only feeling worse. I've grown up all my life being told that kids and teenagers shouldn't feel 'depressed' or any feelings like that because we still have time to enjoy things, "enjoy your youth while you have it". I constantly have break downs when I have the house to myself because I get overwhelmed by all the things that are going on and the feelings in my head, and it sucks because I feel as being a teen there are less places to seek for help without being judged, I don't want to talk to my parents about it because I am scared they are either going to lecture me or get me a phycologist blowing all their money away just for me to talk about my stupid feelings; so I've started doing a diary entry because I heard that helped, a bit like what I'm writing now but a bit more personal, I guess its my why of speaking out about my mental health issues, I could rant onto this website for thousands of words about how I feel disconnected from society and how worthless I feel to everyone, but that would just be dumb. I don't know why I started writing this I had no plan or end goal, Im not looking for any anyones sympathy I guess this just was a message, maybe a message to parents; everyone struggles with mental health, no matter how old, I'm not telling you to check up on your kids but I'm saying to maybe let them have a bit of personal time, let them do what they want for a change, that will not only make them love you but themselves also.

Getting into trouble at school and ways to cope

replies: 1

Hi, my name is Yutong and I am currently in my first year of high school. There are many fun things about attending school, but there are also upsetting situation like getting into trouble for almost no reason at all. Just this morning my Year Level Leader called me out of class for a meeting. She said that I was going to give a one-day-suspension. The reason traces back to last week. On the balcony, some moron pushed me and I dropped my books. They fell down the balcony and hit a yard-duty-teacher in the head. That was classified as disrespect towards staff. My parents and my Homegroup teacher were contacted so basically everyone knows about it now. Because of that, I cried all afternoon. Luckily, I have ways to cope with situations like this. You can try some of them too! 1. Be honest. In most cases teachers can tell if you are lying or not. If somebody has evidence of you committing something, that is not a good time to lie. Being honest actually decreases your chance of getting into trouble.2. Learn to apologise. In most situations teachers will appreciate your apology as long as the incident isn't that serious. Display your apology towards teachers, even if you are not sorry.3. Communicate. If you come across to a scenario where you get wrongly accused, make sure you talk to someone about the reality of the situation. However, make sure you talk camly because talking in a panicking way makes you seem more suspicious.4. Stay calm. It is humiliating to cry in front of a teacher, but sometimes it can't be helped. I understand that crying is natural, and so is panicking, but they are not the best solutions because they can only make you feel worse that you already are. 5. Behave in school. After you get into trouble at school try and focus in class because that reduces your risk of being into trouble again. Your teacher will continue to see you as a good student. I hope these following solutions listed up here works for you. Remember, nobody is perfect, and they have all got into some sort of trouble before at some point. Even if you keep getting into trouble and/or is at rist of expulsion, start behaving in class. Don't worry if teachers hate you - every cloud has a silver lining, and if you try hard enough, there is a chance you could attract your teacher. And thank you for reading, have a nice day!

Why do I hate my friends?

replies: 4

Hello, in the past year or so I have been struggling with some hatred issues I have. Whenever someone slightly annoys me I get really mad to the point where I ignore them for an entire day. It's been happening with everyone, my parents, my friends. I don't want to feel like this. I really can't remember what it's like to be able to actually have fun making fun of myself with my friends without feeling that overwhelming hatred. I have fights with my mum almost everyday. I don't want to fight but I can't seem to keep my mouth shut because I just can't let someone like her get the last word. I hate my mum, I feel so bad for it too because she has never done anything wrong. I just started hating her and I don't know why. No one has done anything wrong to me. The worst part is that I know if I keep this up then they'll all leave me. I'm terrified of them leaving me, I really can't live without my friends or parents and them leaving me is my biggest fear. But I treat them so badly and I don't know what to do.

Feeling disconnected with my elder kid

replies: 3

I had surgery recently and the recovery period was 6 weeks, which I just completed. I have two kids, aged 8 and 3. Due to recovery period after surgery I wasn't able to do a lot of stuff with my kids, which was very normal on daily basis. They asked for me and took care of me for first week. Since then they are going away and I feel like they dont need me at all now. I want them to want me but not with force. Everytime I share this concern with my husband, he tries to support but he end up saying I'm worrying for no reason. I also feel my husband is too much into kids and I'm not getting much opportunity with them. He is everywhere where kids are. And to be with kids, he end up not doing housework. And I end up doing all house work. When I raise this with him, he tells me that I'm workholic and makes up unnecessary work in house. And its my choice to do house work. He laughs at me if I use wrong english and then says sorry I wasn't able to control. This is not the first time, I'm feeling like that. When my second kid was born I felt distant with my elder one. When I raised this with my husband that I'm not here to just do the work. He tried to support and then we had huge fight because he said that because of my insecurities, I have ruined his relationship with elder kid. We tried to fix things and it was fine for a while. But it all started again after my current surgery. And I feel I'm loosing connection with both my kids. Am I wrong in feeling all this?

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

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

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder replies: 5

Graduating with no friends replies: 7

Feeling like a failure before HSC replies: 4

Overwhelmed By Uni, Work, Future replies: 6

Coping? replies: 3

Can’t believe how long it took to realise replies: 3

young and hopeless replies: 3

Getting into trouble at school and ways to cope replies: 1

Why do I hate my friends? replies: 4

Feeling disconnected with my elder kid replies: 3