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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.

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Aliceb3 Feeling horrible.
  • replies: 1

Hi, I’ve never written something like this before and it scares me but I really need to get this off my chest. For the last few years, since I’ve started high school, I’ve begun feeling these weird waves of stress, sadness and especially loneliness. ... View more

Hi, I’ve never written something like this before and it scares me but I really need to get this off my chest. For the last few years, since I’ve started high school, I’ve begun feeling these weird waves of stress, sadness and especially loneliness. I have a lot of friends but I find myself feeling so lonely I sometimes feel sick in my stomach and my chest aches. I have a best friend who is like my sister, but I get stressed a lot that she will eventually leave me for someone better, and I often worry that she doesn’t like me anymore, although she reassures me that I’m being crazy. I often don’t want to tell her anything because I am worried about putting my problems on her, as I have done that in the past and I feel that it has taken a toll on her. I am always feeling stressed and I worry about anything and everything. I can hardly put it into words but sometimes my chest feels tight and I can’t sit still as if I am about to start a test or that something bad is about to happen to me, even when there’s nothing to be stressed about. I get angry very easily, and I am worried that I will say something horrible while angry to my friends. I can be very aggressive, although I have never ever (and never will) be physical, I have yelled at my friends before. Sometimes I just feel so stressed that I snap and I find it hard to control my temper. I have lots of wonderful friends and hobbies and a family I love, but I am feeling sad more and more as I get older. I get waves of sadness a lot and randomly start crying. People sometimes notice but I say that I’m just tired and although that is part of it I know that I am usually lying. I don’t use drugs or alcohol because I know that would make the problem worse for me, so instead I watch a lot of movies and write a lot to try and take my mind off everything at the moment. I am turning sixteen in just a couple weeks, and i am starting to feel like my life is pointless. I have a great home life but I’m desperate to leave my city and even my country. I feel like I need to start anew. I love my friends but I don’t feel like I fit in with most of them. I know I should probably talk to someone about these issues but I’m just too terrified. I’ve never been diagnosed with anything and I’m scared to talk to someone in case I am. Plus they would be a stranger, and that just makes me more nervous. I don’t know what to do anymore.

uggaholic Isn't it normal to not move out these days for under 30s?
  • replies: 2

So yesterday I freaked out over a situation (now no longer an issue), and ranted online elsewhere.. Situation was, my elderly auntie, who sadly lives in a share house, kind of asked my parents if she can move in with us (old house of 3+dog; low-middl... View more

So yesterday I freaked out over a situation (now no longer an issue), and ranted online elsewhere.. Situation was, my elderly auntie, who sadly lives in a share house, kind of asked my parents if she can move in with us (old house of 3+dog; low-middle income retired parents + dependent). I freaked out, was so upset, because I feel I mentally and physically cannot live with her, and i know my mum wouldn't be able to bear it. Ultimately if she were to move in, I would feel like I'm forced to move out. It would be such a let down on my dad's part. I'm in no mental space and financial position to move out, plus I have my dog. Her moving in would practically ruin my mum's quality of life, and if I move out my mum would be so lonely. But also, I'm overall so afraid of my financial situation - i dont have a job, degree, have some savings. But I'm happy and currently want to stay at home with my mum, try to figure myself out, whilst i don't need to worry about finances, I'm comfortable, my dog has a backyard. Heck my mum is the type of parent that doesnt even want her kids to leave! So yes, I am living off my parents, as I have since I was born on my online rant, this person commented that I am an entitled child to be living off my parents and being scared of losing financial security. And automatically, I thought they are wrong. I'm far from entitled (yes this is coming from myself but I'm really not...). How can someone's child move out if they are not ready? Why would I move out just to run out of savings and be forced to run back home? Becoming truly broke would break my mum's heart more than moving out. trying to forget this stranger's words. Do people really think this is entitlement? I know i am so privileged to be able to stay home and rely on my parents whilst I potentially earn enough money to fully support myself and them also. But does this mean I am being selfish? Aren't there so many people like me? Isn't this normal life? I am actually so afraid of becoming homeless - there are literally young people with their dogs in my suburb on the street sitting in front of supermarkets. It's heartbreaking, so yes I'll continue being safe at home because I can.. I even know a 30 year old couple who had to sell their newly built house and move back in with parents, because it was just too expensive.

tzU Having a tough time near HSC with my own thoughts
  • replies: 7

I've never been 'brave' enough I suppose you could say to come onto one of these sites, even though I'm confident this rut of a mindset I'm stuck in is eating me alive. I am approaching the conclusion of my senior highschool education with great pros... View more

I've never been 'brave' enough I suppose you could say to come onto one of these sites, even though I'm confident this rut of a mindset I'm stuck in is eating me alive. I am approaching the conclusion of my senior highschool education with great prospects! I am studying harder than most in my year, I have already lined up a uni course for 2022 and have a place in that course secured. These things are great but I often come to great clashes within myself about the worth of what I am doing now. I guess that is a bit vague but I mean to put it into perspective, I have never once went to a peer party or anything of the sort, I don't often hang out with friends due to geographical isolation and a lot of the time nowadays I don't even feel like caring for that kind of social interaction anymore. Then I come to internal conflict with that same socially neglectful mindset because I over think everything and I end up waking up 3-4 times every night. I guess it's just that the concept of 'right' and 'wrong' are really a common topic for my brain to pick, Am I right in putting the effort in academically for my future satisfaction if only to suffer the short term but regret filled depression of feeling not included in social events among my peers? It's tough when the environment I am in isn't filled with a plethora of academically minded people, but rather those who don't seem to have a great deal of thought towards their futures and instead would rather procrastinate or indulge in activites that may inhibit those people from leading fulfilling lives (I am trying to be very nonspecific since many of those people are friends of mine regardless of their decisions). To be honest after rereading what I had just typed previously it just seems like a meaningless trail of thought. I guess there is no harm in opening up a bit here without being specific, and I would never solely blame anyone of these experiences for the ways I might feel or act, but to be honest I have opened up to my older siblings about problems from my past that haunted me like witnessing domestic abuse several times and being in a family environment where drunken disputes where very common. Anyway, I've just always thought that these things have caused some sort of perpetual anxiety for myself. And more often then not, lately this stress from all this thinking is just killing me. But, if you have any advice or testimonials regarding your qualms with similar issues I would highly appreciate your input

tonymax Happy to have some attention shown and appreciated
  • replies: 1

The feeling of knowing that your time spent with one you hold at heart is not something to be taken lightly. meeting new people and sharing ideas counts i too can be appreciated all is well

The feeling of knowing that your time spent with one you hold at heart is not something to be taken lightly. meeting new people and sharing ideas counts i too can be appreciated all is well

Dejena School related stress
  • replies: 77

Hi, i would like start of by saying, i dont know what im doing. i dont even know where to start because of how overwheamed i feel. how to i express my feelings without complaning? i dont want to compalian. so, its currently 4:33 AM and am trying to d... View more

Hi, i would like start of by saying, i dont know what im doing. i dont even know where to start because of how overwheamed i feel. how to i express my feelings without complaning? i dont want to compalian. so, its currently 4:33 AM and am trying to do homeowork. You may be wondering why? why at this time? well, i will tell you. its becuase the day is not for me. do u know why? its because during the day the house is loud. if i wear my headphones my ears will hurt and i will get fustrated at the noise. i also need to do chores. i dont know what im even saying. i dont even know why im writing and posting this. this just sounds silly. you know, i went to the doctor becuase my chest was hurting, and they said it was becuase of panic attacks, and that i was shaking, high blood pressure, and heart beating fast. but now im wondering if the doctor was wrong, what if it wasnt because of stress? what if it was becaue of the mask i wore for hours at school, not compaing for wearing a mask by the way. During the day my family will come into my room and intrupt me, while i try and do homework. sometimes i fell bad for taking long oding homework, and i wonder if im actullay learning something. i feel like im not good enough. if i go to the libray my parens will be annoyed at the face they have to pick me up and drop me off. i am doing 3 science subjects. i dont really like phyics or doing particularlly well it in it, so i want to change it do HHD, but then there is something in me, saying what if i will able to do phyics and not fail, and if i drop phyicis that not good enough, im not good enough, i am worthless. at the same time i dont like phyics. IDK. tell me, am i overreacting. You know, after that doctors apointment, i cried in the car, while my dad was in it, because i felt like i was crazy and out of control. alsot the doc said i was skinny, hoever i have allways been ksinny, no matter how much i eat i dont gain weight and i also look younger than i really am. when i have a break from doing homeowrk, i struggleto go back to my desk and get going with it after my break, i stat to procarte and how longer breaks. after i do chores, i dont feel lie doing homework sometiemes. idk if its sbecause maybe i found doing the chores as a btter option than doing homeowkrk. i feel out of control. its currently 4:50 AM. what has my life become? idk?

Val_da_man Why can't I pinpoint traits I like about others?
  • replies: 3

First post in a long time. Forgot this was here. I've been struggling with a scary concept. I can't say what I like in people, as in, I cannot tell what makes me enjoy people's company. Even my best friend of many years. I cannot physically think of ... View more

First post in a long time. Forgot this was here. I've been struggling with a scary concept. I can't say what I like in people, as in, I cannot tell what makes me enjoy people's company. Even my best friend of many years. I cannot physically think of the words to describe my feelings. When they talk badly about themselves, I feel the need to remind them I love them, but I know you'd usually want to hear something beyond just. I love you? But if I try to get to the bottom of my emotions it's empty. I don't know what I like. I can go for generic "you're funny!" comments but it feels fake. I've been watching a lot of videos about yt drama between people, just as junk food basically, but this phrase stuck to me and is making me paranoid that I'm not a good friend. Paraphrased, this person spoke about how the lack of certainty and details in the compliments someone made meant they were insincere and never liked the people they spoke about. Sorry if this is a ridiculous thing to ask. I just don't understand why I'm so dumb here. Fyi, I am seeing a psychiatrist and am on a waiting list for a psychologist. Tl;dr - Can't pinpoint positive traits to make friends feel loved, feel like I am fake/broken.

Deltius Dealing with lonliness.
  • replies: 3

Hello there, I have posted a few times on the forum and anyone who has followed my couple posts this is the result. My close friend who I have mentioned a few times has officially downgraded me to the "lowest priority friend" due to me talking to the... View more

Hello there, I have posted a few times on the forum and anyone who has followed my couple posts this is the result. My close friend who I have mentioned a few times has officially downgraded me to the "lowest priority friend" due to me talking to them as an emotional anchor (they were the only ones that would listen so I got into a terrible habit of doing it) the TLDR so to speak is this paired with assumptions and general negativity has caused them to almost completely cut me off. Now the purpose of this post is about loneliness, I have always felt lonely but now it's been 3 weeks and I have not talked to anyone other than my housemates and my parents when I visited them last weekend. The feeling is much bigger now and honestly concerning, I have been doing mediation, diary writing and other general wellbeing things such as forming morning routines and structure over the last 3 weeks and so my mood has been, sort of good but also bad. Like Good relative to my other moods but still kinda sucks. Loneliness is a key part of this feeling, I do admittedly feel it is what I deserve for not putting in more effort sooner and is the fruit of my actions especially considering this all happened to someone I care about more than most. I don't like making excuses, the reality is the only reason I am changing now is that my MH improved to the point where I could actually fight it off. Anyway, how do people deal with loneliness and find things to do. If I even think about it or hear about people having fun I feel bad and often breakdown.

CeilingJockey I don’t know what’s wrong
  • replies: 4

I don’t even know where to really start, my parents are getting divorced after being seperated for a few years and it still hurts so bad, that’s only the base line of my problems. I get caught up on such dumb stuff and it gets to me, every day is a s... View more

I don’t even know where to really start, my parents are getting divorced after being seperated for a few years and it still hurts so bad, that’s only the base line of my problems. I get caught up on such dumb stuff and it gets to me, every day is a struggle. I don’t want to get up out of bed, I just want to lay down and not wake up. I have issues with my relationship with my parents and school problems. They seem so minor but just keep piling up on me. I don’t know what’s wrong with me and why I’m so sad all the time, I hate it. It doesn’t make sense.

kindacool how do I improve my self image?
  • replies: 1

hi, I'm kinda struggling with self esteem and confidence at the moment. i do consider myself as being overweight and it is a big part of my insecurities. I do want to lose weight in a healthy way but I do kinda fall into depressive states where I can... View more

hi, I'm kinda struggling with self esteem and confidence at the moment. i do consider myself as being overweight and it is a big part of my insecurities. I do want to lose weight in a healthy way but I do kinda fall into depressive states where I can't do anything and I just binge eat. I am a sporty person, I play basketball and am considering doing some boxing. I don't know how to stay motivated and make progress. In general if anyone has any tips on how to be happier with myself and everything else that would be great.

icecreamspider I’m having trouble with friends.
  • replies: 2

I hope this is the right place to put this. Sorry if it’s not. I’ve been having issues with friends recently and i need help. This will be in two parts based on whether i consider something to be more of me or them. Some extra info: i’m a teenage gir... View more

I hope this is the right place to put this. Sorry if it’s not. I’ve been having issues with friends recently and i need help. This will be in two parts based on whether i consider something to be more of me or them. Some extra info: i’m a teenage girl. I know there’s a lot of stereotypes about people my age, but stereotypes exist for a reason and maybe i’m just being silly. So recently i’ve been feeling uncomfortable around a group of friends i’ve had for the past few years. As of writing this the two week holidays are in two days and i’m hoping they’ll fix some things, but here’s some reasons i thought of that may relate to why i’m uncomfortable around them: Me: I’m noticing little things about them that are getting more and more on my nerves. I know this sounds selfish but whenever i find something new to enjoy like a tv show, one friend likes to start watching it too and finishes it before me. Again i know it sounds stupid but i feel like i can’t have anything for myself. This is specific to only a few people but i’ve had some bad experiences with some of them. The first time i met one of them he threatened me. He has also told me in the past that i can’t be sad because i haven’t experienced his life. And when i came out as aromantic to another of them, he told me i just hadn’t found the right person yet. Them: it’s obvious who they value most as a friend in the group. When he’s not where he usually is they’ll call him and ask where he went, but when i’m missing nobody cares. I’m sure anyone would say it’s a bad feeling. I think i need some time away from them, but the one who causes the most discomfort is in five of my eight classes, and sits next to me in most of them. They’re also right next to where i sit for lunch and recess, and i feel like i can’t get away. I know this stuff all sounds really insignificant but it’s been piling up and i don’t know what to do. Even if nobody has any idea as to what i should do, it felt good to just be able to tell someone.