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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What's wrong with me?

replies: 1

Hi everyone, I really don't know what to put here but I'm here because I don't want to bother people with my problems and I'm embarrassed, they probably won't even care. Lately I've noticed that I don't care about many things and I don't know how to comfort people either. I just feel so useless and empty you know? I have no motivation to do anything and I'm just emotionless like I can hardly cry. I smile, laugh and joke a lot but I can't tell if it's fake or genuine now. I can't remember being happy. But anyway, I'm not sure if this is just a part of being a teen or if I need some help.

How to make the right decisions

replies: 7

Figuring out what is best for you can be challenging. I do have a helpful tactic. It can be simplified by pulling the information from your head and writing it down. It sounds simple, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. Writing things down will clear space in your mind, allowing you to think in a more logical way. Logic comes from a sound mind. When you’re looking at all your options on paper, you can become better at making that choice. Spend time by yourself to do this, write down all your worries/concerns What are all the solutions? Which is the best solution? When will I start following the choice I’ve made? Hope this helps. -Chris

Therapy Through Music

replies: 2

Hello everyone. Music has been a huge part of my life now and has been part of my life for over a decade. Learning musical instruments is awesome for brain development and can be a way to express yourself through the sound of your chosen instrument. It can be a great way to heal yourself and let all your other thoughts fade away. It's also rewarding and exciting! It might become your new passion which you've always needed. Or if it doesn't, that's fine. Better to have tried than never at all. If anyone wants tips for where they can start or how to learn, let me know. -Chris

Dealing with emptiness and loneliness

replies: 4

All my life I have never really felt like someone out their genuinely cares about my existence, it just like I am here and I have to deal with it and I am just an inconvience to people. Relationship wise I am totally scarred, every single time I get close to a woman, I am left hurt and in so much pain and in the past I was able to focus on other things and sorta of brush past it but now, I feel like my life is just crushing ontop of me and I am being squeezed to death. I left school and had a plan which didn't go to plan at all, I spent over a year sitting around at home in my own version of hell. Covid sorta of nearly put the nail in the coffin with the chance of employment being snatched away. I am currently unemployed and got no drivers licence. It is hard because I want to fix these things but I just don't know how long I can hold on for, people all around my life are pressuring me to get all this stuff done and it hurts me to lie to them just so they can be somewhat satisfied. I have dreams, I want to be a father, walk a future daughter hopefully down the aisle at her wedding, this dream keeps fading darker and darker. I am terrified of anyone of my family to find out what I am going through because I don't want to be looked at differently, I just wanted to be treated normally. The last girl I got close to I told her about my problem with depression and ultimately rejected me, I don't know if it changed anything by telling her but it is the story of my life, rejection after rejection. People say that you will find someone that will care about you, but I have been waiting five years and nothing. People also say you shouldn't need to have someone to make you happy, you should be happy with yourself, but the thing is with me I have never had anyone like that. I have never had a girlfriend that says good morning and good night, a shoulder to lean on when I am upset, someone who I can enjoy life with. It is so frustrating, I look in the mirror and see a not bad looking dude, but whenever I see myself in a picture my first thought is wow what an ulgy person. My self confidence is nearly at a rock bottom, even tho I am nearly at the best shape in my life, it just confuses me. I am studying a course atm which is good atleast but it is online so I find myself stuck in the house most days. I spend most of my free time either watching sports or gaming because those are the only things that help me cope with all these emotions.

I DON'T have ANY assignment stress

replies: 1

I'm at a loss here. I have ADHD and am taking medication for it, so technically everything should be fine. But I just can't get myself to DO this one essay. It's so frustrating. This essay is not causing any panic or stress at all so it's not motivating me to do it at all. I started writing for a few hours yesterday, then I couldn't keep going. I tried doing it for 5 mins today to get started, but it's not working. My teacher is new and has no idea how to put in the assignment extension. I don't want to send in ANOTHER unfinished assignment because it's worth 40 percent and I would fail the entire class, it's annoying because if I fail this one class I will 100% get kicked out of uni. Because I've already failed a bunch of classes. And I can't withdraw, it's too late in the semester. Hell, I'm not even anxious now. Despite all of this, it's still not motivating to me at all. I know how to do the assignment, which is so frustrating. I just can't move my body. It's like I'm trapped inside. I can't get my body to do what I want it to do. My eyes just glaze over at the words on the screen. It just makes me so angry. I can't "just do it". I physically don't have the ability to do that. I physically don't have that part in my prefrontal cortex. And the medication should fix that but it's not working. I just need to vent because this is so annoying I literally planned out and organized the whole essay and even went to uni during this break to do it, and still it's not working. And it's already overdue and I'll get 10% off already but I still don't care about it to do it. I wish I could just do it and get it done. But already I have half the mind to just go to sleep and by then I'll have 20% off... Because I'm literally getting bored and sleepy rn instead of stressed like they assume everyone is going to be. Anyway I just wanted to vent. I'm just super frustrated at myself right now. I know I'm just self sabotaging so enough stress will kick in so I can finally ride on the adrenaline high to get it done... but it's not working... I'm not scared enough to do it

Feeling overwhelemed, stress and phone addiction

replies: 7

Hi everyone, Hope we're all well. I've recently been really struggling with university work even though I'm in 3rd year. I have been trying really hard but it seems to be getting nowhere, I feel like I'm wasting time, and to make it worse as a coping mechanism I go on my phone and endlessly scroll through social media which is making me feel even more worse. I guess there's not much I wanted to do, but just to have an outlet to get it all out. Hopefully, this forum ends up being a better coping mechanism than endless social media and I appreciate you all for hearing me out

feeling lost and overwhelmed

replies: 18

Hi, I'm unsre whether posting will help, if you've the time to read/listen that would mean so much! Sorry for the overkill of information. I am 22 and an artist who has lost all meanful employment due to covid (for context). I've always been a fairly anxious and erratic personality, never really had any close freinds growing up and tended to use escapism to cope with the lonliness as a kid. Was taught from my father that mental instability was weakness and vulnerability was to be shunned. He would often yell and berate me for crying. 2018 I found my best friend, whom I owe so much too. We moved in together about a year ago, and it was great, but recently we've been having so many issues I'm scared im going to lose him. He's started raising his voice, and cutting me out. Calling me out for being mentally unwell but not wanting to help because he has his own problems to deal with. And all I want is to care for him and give him what he needs, which right now is space, the opposite of what I need. He's only just told me he's seeing a psycologist but doesnt trust me with sensitive informtion anymore as 'its none of my business' when I used to be the one he would turn to for everything. On top of this, another close friend has called me a burden for 'weighing them down' with my requests for help and companionship. I have been having more panic attacks, more periods of hyper energised mania type episodes, crying more than I ever have and am struggling to sleep or feel rested when I do. This has been going on for roughly a year now but greatly intensified over covid as everyone lost their incomes and their futures. I am stuck working in hospitality as my artistic career simply doesnt exist anymore. I have no future that I am passionate about. How can I fix my apathy towards life right now? How can I fix my relationships with the people who mean the absolute world to me? How can I stop the fear the induces the panic attacks of having everyone walk out on me? How do I stop being so 'needy'? I'm scared to admit I might need help to cope with it all, but have never learnt how to ask for it. I dont know if anything/anyone can actually help. Apologies once again, thank you for reading xx

i don't know what to do anymore

replies: 2

i dont want a job, i dont want to exercise, i push people away, if i try something and i'm shit at it then i never want to do it again. i hate myself and i have no idea what to do

Struggling with being unhappy + breakup help.

replies: 3

My girlfriend left me a week ago. Bit of backstory on when things headed downhill. December we were fantastic, exploring new things together and we both have agreed even during the breakup that we were happy. suddenly she stopped putting in effort to see me, she had things going on that made it difficult. Months went on like this, I got increasingly frustrated. I blamed her for it all, I was trying so hard to see her and it was like a fort wall. This went on for 8 months, barely seeing eachother until last week she told me she didn't think it was healthy and that she had every intention of trying to work things out. I instantly was crushed by it. I channelled that sadness to exercise, and haven't contacted her since. Now I'm beginning to realise my flaws and that my problems were a lot more subtle but possibly more influential. Nothing was enough for me. Even in December when I was "happy", I was pushing her for more, Despite it taking a great deal of effort from her. I realise now that no matter how far we went it wasn't ever enough for me. I realise I placed all my happiness on her, and constantly argued with her when she wouldn't make effort. I think about how that looked from her perspective; She was worried one mistake from her would send me into a dark place.(History of mental health) I realise that it wasn't her that made me unhappy. I was unhappy with my life and I was making it her job to fix it. She said she cherishes every moment we had together, but thinks the relationship is unhealthy and blames herself for not making effort (saying it was all her fault and she was sorry). You can imagine my guilt now. Nothing I did was attractive behavior, it's no wonder the consequence. I have watched seminars, Ted talks, the lot. They say a person needs to be happy on their own before a relationship can be healthy. I believe I truly love her, and I accept the consequence of my failure. So my question is, how do you become happy when you are alone? Where do I start? I don't think I am depressed in the general sense, I just don't know how to be happy. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you for reading. Ps. I would appreciate advice on getting another chance with her. My plan is to wait a couple weeks to a month of no talking and reach out to get some of this off my chest, for my sake and hers. I don't expect a fairytale, and I think if I got another chance now I would doom it again. I want to be happy for my sake first, not just for her.

I had a panic attack in front of my parents and know they know about my anxiety

replies: 2

I have had anxiety for a few years and recently it has gotten so bad to the point of panic attacks. After a panic attack in front of my parents they wanted me to go see a GP. This increased my anxiety and I started to pick at my nails as well as getting heart palpitations and a sickening feeling constantly. Finally when I got to the appointment I started to cry and could not stop I think I may of had another panic attack. The doctor was really nice and handled it very well so I was not overly embarrassed. I did get worried when she started talking about my thyroid and getting me to get a blood test. What does the blood test show? Could my anxiety be caused by a medical condition? And what is the doctor going to do when we meet next?

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

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

What's wrong with me? replies: 1

How to make the right decisions replies: 7

Therapy Through Music replies: 2

Dealing with emptiness and loneliness replies: 4

I DON'T have ANY assignment stress replies: 1

Feeling overwhelemed, stress and phone addiction replies: 7

feeling lost and overwhelmed replies: 18

i don't know what to do anymore replies: 2

Struggling with being unhappy + breakup help. replies: 3

I had a panic attack in front of my parents and know they know about my anxiety replies: 2