Young people

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.

All discussions

crozzot33 Not feeling understood by the people around me
  • replies: 3

Is there any in-person discussion group for people who had suicidal thoughts? I am feeling a bit better right now and hope I'll have the courage to mention it to a friend later today. But I also feel like talking to someone who, at some point, had th... View more

Is there any in-person discussion group for people who had suicidal thoughts? I am feeling a bit better right now and hope I'll have the courage to mention it to a friend later today. But I also feel like talking to someone who, at some point, had the same thoughts as me. I wanna feel more understood. I am scared mentioning it to people around me but I feel ready to say it out loud. Cheers,

EleanorMae1994 I don't know what else to do anymore
  • replies: 2

I have been feeling so awful lately. I'm so miserable and my sister is getting everything handed to her and I'm trying so hard and and getting nowhere. I'm actually crying writing this. I just feel like what's the point in trying anymore. I always ge... View more

I have been feeling so awful lately. I'm so miserable and my sister is getting everything handed to her and I'm trying so hard and and getting nowhere. I'm actually crying writing this. I just feel like what's the point in trying anymore. I always get so upset because I try so hard but get nowhere and everyone around me gets handed everything for nothing. It makes me soused and angry. I feel I have and I am nothing. I have no one I can talk to because everyone just accuses me of being jealous. A lot of the time I feel like it would be so much easier to disappear. I just want someone who understands but nobody ever does

nat_97 Failed final year of uni, disappointing my parents
  • replies: 4

I'm a 24 years old university student who has been studying graphic design for 3 years. Lockdown was very hard for me mentally last year. I struggled to handle the study load and almost failed all units by not meeting deadlines. I was optimistic for ... View more

I'm a 24 years old university student who has been studying graphic design for 3 years. Lockdown was very hard for me mentally last year. I struggled to handle the study load and almost failed all units by not meeting deadlines. I was optimistic for this year to improve myself, decreased the study load and met deadlines. I felt like I was going well until the second semester rolled into lockdown mode. I was doing an internship along with two units and I let my studies slip, skipped classes for fear of judgement and missed deadlines. Now I am a month away from finishing my units, but I already know I have failed a core unit that is equivalent to 2 semesters. I haven't told my parents yet, but my mother has already expressed her disappointment in me if I don't graduate this year because I will be a burden on the family for not becoming independent at my age. My options are either to exist the course under a lower degree, Bachelor of Design Studies (although it is not recommended if I want to pursue a professional career related to my degree) or repeat another year to complete my course, Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication). I am honestly just sick and tired of University life and just want to use my skills to work, but I fear maybe I'm just running away from my problems and won't be able to find a job by existing with a lower-ranked bachelor degree. I feel like such a failure and embarrassment to my family and feel like I'm never going to improve as a human being with my negative mindset. Someone, please advise how I could move on from here?

anonymo_us Life is so overwhelming
  • replies: 2

I just feel like life is so hard right, I’ve been taken off my adhd medication, it’s been 2 months and I’m finding life extremely difficult. I’m crying all the time, I’m easily overwhelmed, I can’t work with needing to take a minute to stop crying cu... View more

I just feel like life is so hard right, I’ve been taken off my adhd medication, it’s been 2 months and I’m finding life extremely difficult. I’m crying all the time, I’m easily overwhelmed, I can’t work with needing to take a minute to stop crying cuz my head is just going insane. I feel like I’ve just lived for everyone else for my whole life and never discovered myself and now I’m an adult I have no idea who I am, what I want to do with a career, I have no passion to want to do things for me. I’m just so over not being able to do what I want cuz I don’t even know what that is and I feel like I can’t do it cuz everyone around me just judges my every move

ceoofoverthinking Need help to get over someone.
  • replies: 1

hey there! I’m a 19 yo asking for advice on how to get over someone. So over a year ago I met this guy in my first year of uni. I went to an all girls high school so I had zero experience with dating and flirting. This guy asked me out a few weeks af... View more

hey there! I’m a 19 yo asking for advice on how to get over someone. So over a year ago I met this guy in my first year of uni. I went to an all girls high school so I had zero experience with dating and flirting. This guy asked me out a few weeks after we met. I said yes. The date went really well, but I also wasn’t sure what a good date or a good connection was supposed to feel like due to my lack of experience. I ended up pushing him away, saying it was the wrong timing. A month later, he wrote a song about that day, how he was sad that I’d left so abruptly and performed it at a talent show that he organsied. My friend sent me a video of it and the lyrics were so sweet. I had moved back home from uni by this point, living in a different city. Despite this, I reached out to him, not mentioning the song. We reconnected, started talking. A few months later I went to see him in a play. He then invited me to his 19th birthday party, where we shared a few cute moments and almost kissed. A big deal for me. AND he performed the song in front of me. A week after the party he travelled to my city to go on a date with me. But the date was a disaster. Not only did I unknowingly have Covid, I did a lot of things without thinking. Such as telling him he was my first date and that I’d never been in a relationship. I came off as anxious, desperate, codependent, obsessive, clingy and shallow. Not a true reflection of who I am at all. Anyway, after that date he told me we were better of as friends. I was so completely guttered. So not only did I feel mad at myself for saying and doing the things I did, mainly due to my sick delirium, I was mad because I couldn’t justify feeling heartbroken over a relationship that never happened and was entirely a projection of my own first relationship fantasy. A year later and I still haven’t seen him. Though I did send a message to apologise for everything I said and did that day. We don’t talk anymore. I just want to know why I still always catch myself ruminating on that one day, even a year later? He’s hosting another annual talent show at my old uni tomorrow. A uni I am still emotionally attached to. That might be a reason these feelings have resurfaced. It doesn’t help that I’ve had quite a lonely life since moving back to the city. I feel like it still constantly eats away at me. Whenever I’m feeling low, which is often these days, my mind goes straight to that memory. How can I overcome this and move on?

mangoose Hanging out with friends
  • replies: 3

Hi, how are you all today?Right now I wanted to talk about an experience, which has been bothering me recently. My best friend (lets call her A), gets really jealous when I hang out with other friends, and constantly confronts me and asks why she was... View more

Hi, how are you all today?Right now I wanted to talk about an experience, which has been bothering me recently. My best friend (lets call her A), gets really jealous when I hang out with other friends, and constantly confronts me and asks why she wasn't invited. I always feel so bad for her, but her questioning has recently made me feel very uncomfortable. It has gotten to the point now, that whenever I go out with other friends, I am scared that she might find out and start questioning me again. At first, I didn't think too much of her questioning, however as time has passed, the questions really get on my nerves. She usually asks questions like "Oh, but why didn't you invite me?", or "You and (name) hung out without me?!". Questions like these in general, and I really no longer know what to do. I have mentioned to her before, to please stop asking but it fell on deaf ears. I am not really sure what to do, is this a universal experience? I would really appreciate some advice on how to approach this situation. Hope you all have a nice day!

Jess_P2001 People’s Opinions
  • replies: 2

I’ve been noticing a lot that people are basing their opinion of me off someone who i am not friends with anymore opinion. It’s really getting to me because i was somewhat friends with these people before i had a falling out with this person and now ... View more

I’ve been noticing a lot that people are basing their opinion of me off someone who i am not friends with anymore opinion. It’s really getting to me because i was somewhat friends with these people before i had a falling out with this person and now it seems like they instantly choose her side. I’m not nasty and am always friendly to people so it gets me down a bit that they can’t make up their own opinion on me based on their own experience. The falling out was purely due to just not getting along as friends anymore. Is this common in early 20s or is it the people Im around, or just my experience. It causes a lot of anxiety when i’m in social settings now as i feel so judged and unwanted and instantly shut myself out because of this. I’m not nasty and i never cause drama or anything like that so i just feel lost.

Jia15 Loneliness and worried
  • replies: 1

Hi im feeling worried and sad because i feel very lonely and i dont know how to make friends online irl i try but it dosent work i wish there was an app to make friends

Hi im feeling worried and sad because i feel very lonely and i dont know how to make friends online irl i try but it dosent work i wish there was an app to make friends

emmie123 Friendship problems
  • replies: 2

I have 2 friendship groups, one specifically I’ve gotten really close to in lockdown. Over time I’ve drifted apart but I still hang out with them. Lately when I hang out with them they never really talk to me. When we hang out they always look at me ... View more

I have 2 friendship groups, one specifically I’ve gotten really close to in lockdown. Over time I’ve drifted apart but I still hang out with them. Lately when I hang out with them they never really talk to me. When we hang out they always look at me weirdly, when I wave in the hallway they don’t even spare me a glance. When I ask how their day(s) are going they reply ‘ok’ and move on. I feel like the friendship might be one sided but I can’t tell if I’m being dramatic and too sensitive? Because maybe it’s my fault but none of them have ever told me I was doing anything wrong so I’m not sure.

piper-21 Panic and parents
  • replies: 3

Hi. So I've been feeling pretty crap recently and was just wondering if anyone can relate?I've thought about talking to my parents about it, but they are always dismissive, and make frequent jokes about how 'mental health' is stupid and everyone need... View more

Hi. So I've been feeling pretty crap recently and was just wondering if anyone can relate?I've thought about talking to my parents about it, but they are always dismissive, and make frequent jokes about how 'mental health' is stupid and everyone needs to grow up and get some real problems. I don't know what to do about it, because I know I'm not okay, but whenever I talk to them my mum says 'it's probably hormones'. They are a nurse and a doctor so they don't have much empathy when it comes to mental health as opposed to physical health, and often don't realise that the things they say are harmful. I've had panic attacks before and am often highly stressed, usually about trivial things, but I've never talked to a GP or counsellor before about anything. I don't have a very good relationship with my mum, she's not very physically affectionate, and it's really hurtful. I feel immensely guilty because I know my problems are so minor compared so some people, but I just wanted to know if anyone felt the same, or had any advice.