Young people

Pinned discussions

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.

All discussions

Sorted by:

Start a discussion

How to not compare yourself to others??

replies: 3

Hi there, For the entirety of my schooling years and including university, I have been having significant issues with my self worth and comparing myself to others. I am never happy with my results and always believe that I am a failure because I'm not getting high results like my friends at uni. This makes me feel incredibly useless and frustrated because I put in so much effort, and in return I gain little in return. I have even stopped submitting the last pieces of work as I feel there is no point in doing so as I am going to fail anyway, which is heartbreaking for me. I just don't feel satisfied with my results no matter which way I look at it! Can somebody please help me? thanks, Immy.

Perfectionism help needed

replies: 3

Hi there!My story with anxiety would fit a good novel and I am not sure where to start exactly. I am an architecture student, currently in 4th year, an immigrant (and Aus citizen for 3 years), homosexual and extremely perfectionist person. I am suffering from uncontrollable crying at anywhere, anytime, burning sensation in my neck and in the place where my brain should be, accompanied by the most horrific self-critical, sometimes suicidal thoughts and self-humiliating behaviour. I have tried to reach out for help from professionals but certain limitations are preventing me from getting substantial help. I can clearly define a few failures that I’m unable to overcome mentally and drag me into a cycle of self-torture. After our immigration from eastern Europe with my family, I lived in deep outback until my 20th birthday and rushed into a relationship with a guy as soon as I arrived into the city starting a 1.6 years long relationship which ended up with a breakup –sort of catastrophic- after the following events: Last year, almost lost my sibling to anorexia, lost a relative through suicide (with similar mental mindset) and got two close relatives living overseas diagnosed with aggressive cancer types requiring an emergency travel during the semester. My course in the meantime has proceeded further and became more difficult and demanding (always studied overnight, having very little sleep and received high amount of stress from strict time constraints) These triggers were enough to make me do mistakes at the workplace which resulted in being fired. I became more aggressive in my relationship which resulted in having to live with my ex in a small unit for three quarters of the lease of our student residence (no other arrangement was possible). I felt humiliation, guilt, anger, all sorts of negative emotions towards myself for inability to cope, until we moved apart. Despite I wanted to proceed and move on. I have continued my studies, however I have phobia of applying to workplaces (I am financially dependent – STRUGGLING), opening to new relationships (as well as hating my sexuality), I am battling with insomnia and the type of anxiety attacks that I described earlier. I technically tried to compress 2 years in 2500 characters which might look superficial, but I really need advice in how to go on as my future seems to be taking me towards leaving my course, mental breakdown and some serious self-torture as a result.Thank you!Greg (23) beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Physical Contact Discomfort

replies: 9

Hi all, I have lot a of discomfort with physical contact, anything more than a handshake/high-five and I become very uncomfortable. Obviously I cannot keep going like this, and I was wondering if anyone has experienced something similar, and if they ... View more

How the heck am I supposed to work

replies: 7

Hi, first post here, bit about me:20 year old uni student grinding my way through a bachelors degree. Pretty broke at the moment. Luckily accomodation and food and the like are covered by me living with my parents, but pressure from them and also needing money to socialise and generally function in any capacity beyond vegetating at home has led me to consider casual or part time work. Only problem is I'm physically very slow and weak, and the only jobs available to me are basic retail work such as customer service, stacking shelves, etc.I've previously had two jobs, (one of each of the aforementioned retail positions), neither of which was anything approaching a positive experience. I was constantly reprimanded by my superiors to work faster/be more positive and sociable towards customers (two things i really struggled with) to the point where i was getting less and less shifts in favour of other, more competent coworkers. This was incredibly demoralizing. Both cases i started working alongside several other new recruits, and basically stood at a standstill as they improved at their jobs, even ending up as my supervisors in multiple cases. These past negative experiences (coupled with the fact that no other aspect of my life is going so hot) make the prospect of another job seem like each working morning turning into a coin toss. Not really sure what other money making alternatives are available to me. Parents make too much to be eligible for youth allowance and I hardly have time with uni to also learn some other qualification. Not really looking forward to the near or far future at the moment! Any help or suggestions would be appreciated

22 yo girl, can't walk of work due to foot pain.

replies: 2

Hi Everyone,I'm new here so here goes:Recently I seem to have achieved everything I was aiming for.. I finished my Course after passing year 12 and then gained a job in the management industry working full time, which I have been doing now for 2 years. At the time I was living with a friend however felt lonely whilst I was there. After feeling like that for so long I decided to join the gym and start going out more often which led me to meet my boyfriend.. He is very kind.We then decided to moved out together and also with one of my childhood friends, as we believed we could create a positive happy home for all of us.. Which we have and it is amazing. However 3 months ago I felt a sharp pain in my ankle. This has left me unable to weight bare on my right leg.. Which is a result of being born with a club foot. After seeing numerous doctors they suspect it is a pin from a surgery 6 years ago that is irritating something and causing pain. I have been waiting over 2 months to get an appointment with an orthopaedic doctor and am still waiting so I don't know how long this will continue for. However until then I am unable to work, drive or even walk and am stuck in the house all day. I'm scared because I'm not working, and there will be a point where I run out of money to even be able to pay the rent.. I have just applied for centerlink however I am still worried sick.I'm also bored at home, which is giving me time to think about more and more things.. For example my parents divorce to even little arguments I've had with friends, I feel like it's al my fault. All I do is look forward to going to sleep at night so I'm out of pain, and don't feel sick from the medication I'm on, and every morning I wake up I cry because I don't want to be awake. And even if I do have things to do Im just not motivated.Everytime I try to think of something with a clear head I have a million thoughts and worries running through my mind and I can't focus, and all I can do is panic and can't breathe. This happens daily.. and when it happened today, I had suicidal thoughts, and I did want to act on them, which I guess has led me to post here. I was admitted into a children's psych ward when I was 17 as I was very suicidal, however since then I haven't taken medication or spoken to anyone, so I guess I just needed some advice. I'm sorry for such a long post, however if you have taken the time to read it, I am ever so thankful and appreciative. - SadMomo beyondblue's clinically-trained moderators often work offline (invisible to you) on issues relating to suicide or self-harm. At the same time, general supportive comments from the community are encouraged. If you have concerns around suicide or self-harm, please phone our support service on 1300 22 4636. Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}

Mother's emotional abuse has triggered my depression

replies: 2

Heyya, so I'm 19 and still living at home with my mum. I have Generalised anxiety disorder and depression, and am on medication as well as seeing a psychologist. Im struggling so much at the moment! I went throught a good couple of weeks where it seemed like everything was getting better and i was genuinely getting through the day without any bad or anxious thoughts, and was sleeping properly and everything! It was amazing!! However, depression has hit me like a brick again. Im struggling to keep down food because of the anxious stomach ive got going on, and struggling to sleep because my thoughts wont stop. It was all triggered I think because I've recently started piecing parts of my life together and have realised my mother is emotionally abusive. We argue about silly things, and then she turns everything around to ensure i take the blame for whatever has happened. She makes me feel guilty for spending money to buy things for myself, even though I work ridiculously hard for my money and i end up paying for most of OUR groceries and living costs because she has a massive gambling problem and loses all her pay. She does things like tell me im selfish because i refuse to gamble with her and then doesnt talk to me and doesnt come home until a ridiculous hour of the morning. anyway, I spoke to my psych about all of this yesterday and normally that would automatically make me feel so much better but i think i might have opened a huge can of worms. I feel like complete crap and i dont really know what to do. I ended up leaving her office and crying the entire train trip home at everything I saw, like happy families, 'normal' families. Everything I wish I had Ive also got another appointment for next week rather than waiting a fortnight, and as much as i want to go im worried that i wont have enough to talk about and ill just be repeating myself. But even if I do repeat myself it just feels so nice to vent. I dont know Im just stressing about that on top of everything else because I dont want to waste my psych's time. Thanks so much for reading xx sorry its so long

I cry every day

replies: 2

I guess I could say I have 1 true friend today I found out I have to get braces and I already have had glasses sice I was 6 months old. I have one sister that ruins my life. I cry every day. No one knows except me sharing this here. It's like having ... View more

new anxiety symptoms? need advice

replies: 4

To cut a long story short, i was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome about 2 years ago. this would cause me to get a large variety of symptoms like skipped heartbeats, palpatations and abnormally fast heart rate. This caused me to develop anxieties regarding health, which has now progressed to a generalized anxiety disorder. over the last two years i have handled my anxietys reasonably well, having only a handful of panic attacks however anxiety is always at the back of my head.majority of my anxiety is me being anxious about having anxiety and panic attacks or health anxieties. in the last two weeks i have been experiencing new symptoms. yesterday when zipping my bag up i thought my zip was a cockroach then when i looked again it was a zip. a few days ago i saw an enzelope on the floor and then looked back to see nothing but a lighter colouring on that part of the cement. i have been seeing shadows out the corner of my eye and so on. last night i woke up to a sound that was as if it was in my room, it said the name 'harry'. while im certain it was in my dream i heard the sound when becoming conscious apon waking. has any experienced this before?? any help or advice would be great.

Anxiety first timer...

replies: 13

Hi,I've decided to get onto beyondblue as a means of direction, reassurance, even distraction.I'm a 24 year old uni student, only just completed my first semester.My mind is CONSTANTLY racing though. I constantly had my phone in my hand, trying to seem keep up with everyone else, comparing myself. If I saw a young pretty thing out partying on fb, I'd go crazy on my phone trying to organise a drinking sesh with "friends", just in order to feel like a carefree 18 year old again. I've had my share of crap relationships, I'm scared to death that I won't be accepted for me?The constant worry of finances, my house, my mums health, my job, my education etc... All these responsibilities that you really don't even understand until they all hit you like a train as an adult.Which is what has happened to me!So many things go on in my head. Constantly. My mind never stops. For the past 6 months I've always felt anxious, but wasn't sure what the hell it was..I just thought I was sick? Until this past Thursday happened.I went to trivia at my local (something I do EVERY thurs with family and friends).And then it hit me. The worst panic attack. I simply couldn't be there. I fell into a heap in the carpark, could barely compose myself. Never been so scared in my life.Friday I got worse. Lost it in my drs office, he prescribed an anti depressant that would calm my mind down over time (serotonin). I kept crying "This isnt me! I'm a strong confident person! what is happening to me!"...But I just couldn't cope. I didn't work all weekend (the bar I've worked at for 3 years). I just COULDNT shake this EXTREME anxiety. In an effort to give me a few hours of relief, my mum gave me some of her medication. A quick fix at most. The most simple exercises like going to the shops, work, getting the mail have me crippled with fear.A 7 hr shift last night ended 2.5hrs in when get this, I felt FINE. then my brain said "But how will you feel when you get home?". BOOM. Panic attack from hell.Today I saw a psychologist, which has left me feeling a TINY bit better.My biggest fear? Is the fear itself. Will I ever overcome this? Will I EVER be normal? I have a cruise in 3 weeks, will I manage it? The idea of a few cocktails has me panic stricken because I know alcohol and anxiety don't mix.Is my life as I know it over? I would do ANYTHING to make it go away for good. I hate how I feel. I hate the fear of fear. I cant eat or sleep.I need to wake up from this nightmare

Three years, seven medications

replies: 11

In the past 3.5 years, I have been on seven different anti-depressants, seen many counsellors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and dietitians. Nothing has ever made me feel happier or better in any way. No sign of improvement either. I just want to know what it's like to feel happy again. The hope I have for getting better is diminishing and I just don't know what to do anymore. Any advice would be appreciated!

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

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

How to not compare yourself to others?? replies: 3

Perfectionism help needed replies: 3

Physical Contact Discomfort replies: 9

How the heck am I supposed to work replies: 7

22 yo girl, can't walk of work due to foot pain. replies: 2

Mother's emotional abuse has triggered my depression replies: 2

I cry every day replies: 2

new anxiety symptoms? need advice replies: 4

Anxiety first timer... replies: 13

Three years, seven medications replies: 11