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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.

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SaiyanSteph There’s nothing good or pretty about me.
  • replies: 6

I’m having really low self esteem and I’m having really high anxiety about what I wear and I keep asking myself ‘is this going to fit?’, ‘you’re not going to look good in this no matter how hard you try.’, ‘there is nothing pretty about you no matter... View more

I’m having really low self esteem and I’m having really high anxiety about what I wear and I keep asking myself ‘is this going to fit?’, ‘you’re not going to look good in this no matter how hard you try.’, ‘there is nothing pretty about you no matter what you wear or how you look’. My sisters wedding is soon and even though my mum found me a dress and saying that I look great in it, I still see so many flaws when I look in the mirror like: - you’re belly is showing! - you’re arms are flappy! - you’re face is so ugly! - you’re going to be the most ugliest bridesmaid ever! - no ones going to think you’re pretty! - no one will care! - they’re lying when they say you’re beautiful! and all those thoughts are just floating around in my head and I don’t know how to get rid of them!!! someone please help me to feel good about myself take all this pain away

Recycle_Bin I may have coronavirus fatigue
  • replies: 5

You heard me. You read the title. You may have an idea about what this is. I've been agonised by the COVID-19 pandemic 24/7 ever since it killed off 2 million people all across the globe. I kept thinking to myself "What if it never ends? What if life... View more

You heard me. You read the title. You may have an idea about what this is. I've been agonised by the COVID-19 pandemic 24/7 ever since it killed off 2 million people all across the globe. I kept thinking to myself "What if it never ends? What if life never turns back to normal? Is this the end of the world?" It just ruined my life. Even though I was told that it's not severe in Queensland and 90% of stuff on the internet are a joke, I still feel like there's no escape. Not even at home, at school, at the store *OR* the internet can I get a break from all of this constant information evolution about this pandemic. It's starting to get on my nerves after it crossed the line by killing 1 million people, and now 2 MILLION AND IT STILL RUNS RAMPANT AROUND THE WORLD! I'm probably thinking I have COVID fatigue.

spontaneous sunflower struggling with change and self identity
  • replies: 6

At some point in everyone's life, you experience being lost and not knowing who you really are or are meant to be. Especially as a young adult where you are still growing and learning. But I am really frustrated with how little I seem to know myself ... View more

At some point in everyone's life, you experience being lost and not knowing who you really are or are meant to be. Especially as a young adult where you are still growing and learning. But I am really frustrated with how little I seem to know myself these days. My life for years has changed over and over again. Bear with me for a minute while I give some backstory. Back in 2018, I moved schools. My great aunt whom I was close to and lived with us moved into a nursing home. Then start of 2020, I left school. A month or two later, not only did lockdown begin but 2 people (my brother's girlfriend and my other brother's 16yo friend who was running away from an abusive household) moved in with my family. In May 2020, my great aunt passed away which was heartbreaking because I hadn't seen her for months due to covid. Since 2018, it feels my life has changed a million little times. People have left, things have been lost, etc. In the past couple months alone, I've started tafe, I'm drifting from friends and our house is going through renovation. Change is good sometimes. Change is a necessary part of life. But it's easier to go through those changing seasons when you have something to hold onto. Anything. It could be your family, your friends, something comforting like a hobby or an activity. Usually, it is yourself that you can count on to stay strong during hard times. But my life has changed so many times, I don't think I know who I am anymore. I feel so at war with myself constantly. I feel like I've been through so much and it weighs 1000 pounds on my shoulders. I feel like I've sabotaged most of the friendships I've been in, because I become distant when I’m struggling. I don’t really know how to talk to people anymore, how to even talk to my friends and express to them how lost I feel and how sorry I am that I’m not there enough for them. It is so hard to be there for other people when I’m not even there for myself. I feel so out of place in where I live and the people surrounding me. I’m 18. Everyone’s clubbing, partying, and partaking in stuff I want no part of. Home is barely a comfortable place for me anymore, everything’s always changing, and I feel like every time something changes in my life, I lose another little piece of myself. I know there’s a way to stop it. I know there’s a way to find myself, a version of me who’s strong, happy, and really living her life, but I feel so stuck and trapped in the series of unfortunate events that is my life rn.

Baeyuh Feeling miserable at school and I can't move
  • replies: 4

School this year has been really bad. I don't have anymore friends, I'm always alone, and it's also 30 minutes away from me, meaning I have to walk for 25 minutes to my bus stop, take the bus for 30 minutes, then walk up a steep and long hill to get ... View more

School this year has been really bad. I don't have anymore friends, I'm always alone, and it's also 30 minutes away from me, meaning I have to walk for 25 minutes to my bus stop, take the bus for 30 minutes, then walk up a steep and long hill to get to school each morning. I get tired during class, and it gets hard to concentrate. I've had no motivation to do well at all, and being alone at school does not help. Most students in my year level are racist and act a certain way towards me because I'm asian. I've tried making friends, but people don't seem to want to talk to me. I hate my school. I decided it was best for me to move schools asap for a fresh start, but the problem is that most good schools are too far away. I eventually found a school that was about 8 minutes away from where I live and my parents had contacted the school about moving, but they had replied to us saying it wasn't likely that I'd be able to move there this year. I don't want to stay at my current school for another year. It is so draining, mentally and physically. I don't know what to do, I don't have any other choice but to stay at the school for the rest of this year and I don't want to keep getting more and more miserable each day.

Zoneey How to relax
  • replies: 2

It's ok to be anxious. But sometimes we need to calm down. Here's tips on how to relax. 1. Identify the cause. If it's a worry about a medical situation such as you're afraid that you have a condition or anything, see your doctor. If it is not contin... View more

It's ok to be anxious. But sometimes we need to calm down. Here's tips on how to relax. 1. Identify the cause. If it's a worry about a medical situation such as you're afraid that you have a condition or anything, see your doctor. If it is not continue to read. But feel free to read even if it's medical 2. Do something you like. This will help take your mind off what ever you are worrying about. Make sure that it doesn't add on to the stress. This depends on the person and what they like. 3. Sports or exercise. It is proven the exercise and sports helps with mental and physical health. This could even be a walk around your neighbour hood or just a light jog. 4. Social interaction. Talking to a friend or having your siblings annoy you can help take your mind off it too. It can be online or in person. The main point is to take your mind off the source of your worry. You can even talk to a trusted adult. Just whoever you want. 5. Meditation. This is another option 6. Listen to music. You can start off relaxing music and slowly get intense. It can just be your favourite song. Hope this helps you!

edo233 Hello
  • replies: 4

Hey everyone ^-^ I've been having a rough time trying to deal with my anxiety lately and even though its quite selfish of me I thought I should share and relieve some of the mental tension that's been eating away at my brain. At one point I'll feel p... View more

Hey everyone ^-^ I've been having a rough time trying to deal with my anxiety lately and even though its quite selfish of me I thought I should share and relieve some of the mental tension that's been eating away at my brain. At one point I'll feel perfectly fine and happy and then my mood rapidly drops and I treat the people I love horribly. I hate that I act like this, even more so because I'm so scared of the way people think of me and the guilt of making them unhappy, and yet it feels like an unstoppable force. Am I just a horrible person? Why can't I stop? Whenever I feel like this I try to stop talking to people but in the end they get offended because of it. I can't let go of things, I regret the things I've done and I'm scared of making mistakes. That my friends will leave me if I don't agree with them, that they'll abandon me for the stupid things I think and say, and once I do say something that they'll know me as the horrible person that I am...THAT ruins me. I'm starting uni this month and the feeling of finally starting a new stage of my life is like a double-edged sword. While I'm excited that I'll be trying out new clubs and hanging out with new people, I'm scared that once I make a wrong move they'll leave me behind. I'm scared that I won't be able to make a truly gratifying, soul-connecting relationship with anyone in my life. I'm scared of everything that is my future and everything that is my past. I made a mistake today to so many of my friends and family, and while I know I should love myself, part of me hates myself with a burning passion. Part of me wishes I never existed(it's selfish I know I'm sorry), I want to live without caring about these things like others too, and yet here I am. I'm getting therapy at the moment, but even with the coping skills I've used I don't think I could ever stop overthinking, or simply stop obsessing over what others think of me.

MysteryManGuy Having moments of dread for no reason
  • replies: 2

Yesterday I started to feel awful I had no idea why as it was during a point that wouldn't normally be bad. I also had a subscription of video games, and when I found it it expired and I couldn't play them anymore, I felt lot more worse. And then I h... View more

Yesterday I started to feel awful I had no idea why as it was during a point that wouldn't normally be bad. I also had a subscription of video games, and when I found it it expired and I couldn't play them anymore, I felt lot more worse. And then I happened again today, out of nowhere. Feeling sad was a normal thing for me and happened regularly but this happens even when I'm not too sad. I don't get it?

Recycle_Bin My intermittent explosive disorder and anxiety has probably turned me into a time bomb
  • replies: 2

On the 22nd of Monday at school, I was petrified of going to my Sport & Recreation class because I have a bad reputation with those kids that keep whistling. I decided to conquer my fears, but the second I heard them whistling, I told them to stop, a... View more

On the 22nd of Monday at school, I was petrified of going to my Sport & Recreation class because I have a bad reputation with those kids that keep whistling. I decided to conquer my fears, but the second I heard them whistling, I told them to stop, and then they bit back and told me to shut up. I was enraged, and instead of removing myself from the situation, I instead exploded. Then after my explosion, I had a massive meltdown and asked to go home. Luckily I did, but now my anxiety just completely blew me up. Because of this, I am NEVER going to Sport & Recreation EVER AGAIN. I just feel like the next time I get angry, my mind will just completely explode. Any suggestions?

em35353 I hope it gets better from here.
  • replies: 2

Hi, I don't have any friends at school, school counsellors will tell my parents everything and my parents have already spent so much money on therapy for me, I can't put them through any more. The only thing keeping me going is that if I left my pare... View more

Hi, I don't have any friends at school, school counsellors will tell my parents everything and my parents have already spent so much money on therapy for me, I can't put them through any more. The only thing keeping me going is that if I left my parents and family would go through so much pain. I have no friends at school, people only talk to me when there is no one else around or when they need to take the piss out of someone. Sometimes I even sit in the bathroom by myself for the day because its the only option for me at my school. I feel like I am just a burden to all the people I know and just ruin things by sitting with them because I'm so shy and quiet with people I don't know that well. I just want to be normal and live my life happily. I would give anything to not feel like this anymore and just enjoy my life, because I really want to but haven't for a long time. I have tried so hard to change my mindset, be more confident in myself and make more friends but it just doesn't get better for me even though I try.

EmmaDarling I'm scared I'm hitting a new all time low
  • replies: 2

Hello, I'm not exactly sure how to start this so I'm just going to get into it. (when I was 13 I was diagnosed with social anxiety and depression) I was 13 when I first really asked for help though my issues started when I was 12, my grades were drop... View more

Hello, I'm not exactly sure how to start this so I'm just going to get into it. (when I was 13 I was diagnosed with social anxiety and depression) I was 13 when I first really asked for help though my issues started when I was 12, my grades were dropping (I always had near-perfect grades and school was easy for me), I started getting anxious around people including my friends and started to dread even the thought of seeing people if I didn't have too. I started seeing the middle school counselor and she was a pretty good person to talk to but I just kept getting worse to the point she had to call my parents out of worry for my safety which upset me at the time but now looking back on it I'm forever thankful that she did. I then had an appointment with my GP about a referral to a psychologist and a possible diagnosis which went well. I had a blood test to see if I had a hyperactive Thyroid problem that could be solved with medication but the results came back and everything showed up normal I was seeing my Psychologist once a fortnight but no progress was made and I got worse to the point I was having 1-2 hour panic attacks in the car every morning which always ended up with my mum bring me home because I just physically couldn't get out of the car no matter how much I wanted to be able to go. around this time I also started to have visual and audible Hallucinations due to anxiety and I was at my lowest low. Life-threatening thoughts were just a daily thing for me and I could never bring myself to get out of bed, let alone do anything. I stopped seeing the psychologist and was referred to a psychiatrist where I got the diagnosis. I saw her once a week for about a year and she was amazing, I improved a lot whilst having appointments with her. I was enrolled in an online school so I can still get my education whilst staying at home. As the year went by and I kept seeing her, my grades improved, My anxiety became more manageable and I felt happy again! But, she retired and I haven't been able to see any other doctor since. I have only handed up 1 school assignment these past 2 months and I feel so horrid. I've lied to my mum about it because I don't want to disappoint her and honestly, myself as well. I know mental health is full of ups and downs but I'm so terrified of going back to my lowest point that I'm lying to myself and others just to pretend that's not where I'm headed. I'm scared to tell my mum the truth and I don't know what to do anymore.