Hey @Clarke,   It sounds rough not enjoying something that used to enable you to 'escape to another world', like you said. I definitely get the positive impact books can have on our lives.    Thinking back, I remember experiencing something like this a couple of years ago. Like you, I just wasn't enjoying what I was reading. I tried two different tactics, one was to stop reading for a while, so I put the books away and started doing other things in the time I would normally read. After a while, I missed reading, so I decided maybe changing what I was reading would help and it did. I realised that my interests had changed and my books were no longer about things that interested me, so it was time to get some new books.   What worked for me may not be applicable for you, but I'm wondering if changing what you're reading would help? Or is there something else you enjoy that you could tap into for a while to see if the book slump passes?   Let us know how you go!       ... View more

Hey @Jollibee,   Welcome :)    Sexuality can be such a confusing thing, it's definitely something I've spent a lot of time questioning and trying to understand about myself.    Would you like to elaborate a bit more about what's been going on for you? ... View more

So sorry to hear about your loss, @Nightruner23. Sending my sincerest of condolences to you and your family in this difficult time.  ... View more

Hey @Zeldasmile,    I'm not sure we've spoken before, so hi :)    Well done on making this post, it can be such a big step to reach out when we're not feeling great. It sounds like there's a whole host of things leading to you feeling pretty overwhelmed at the moment.   It can be so tough when we don't feel like there's a place we can be ourselves, or have to hide who we are, I've definitely been there. Do you like any sports? When I was struggling with making likeminded friends, I joined a soccer team and was lucky to meet such a wide array of people, many of which are LGBTQI+. For me, joining this team enabled me to comfortably be who I am, make a whole bunch of friends and get fitter. Is that something you'd be interested in doing?      As some of the others mentioned, would you be able to access Headspace again or maybe contact KHL? Sometimes it really helps to have some professional support.    Please keep us updated on how you're going, @Zeldasmile! ... View more

I try and get outside. That might mean just sitting in the sun, taking my doggo for a walk, kicking a soccer ball or something like that. Anything that gets me back to nature always puts me in a better frame of mind ... View more

Hey @Miochi30,   It's absolutely ok to be a guy and have a crush on another guy! It certainly can be challenging  when you've got feelings for somebody who does not feel the same way, but it doesn't make what you're feeling any less valid.    ReachOut has some great resources on sexuality  here  that you might find interesting.    From my experience, a lot of same sex attracted people experience a crush on somebody who is straight at some point. While it's completely ok to have a crush on them, it can also be pretty confusing. Is there anybody in your life that you've been able to talk to about this?      ... View more

Hey @Guzman123, Panic attacks can be so overwhelming, as the others said, you're definitely not alone in having them. I'm sorry that you're feeling frightened and it leads to panic attacks all the time as well. Has your psych been able to offer any strategies to help with your panic attacks and suicidal thoughts? Whenever I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed or frightened, I try and do a bit of self care. Writing in a diary like you do is a great one. I like to go for a walk or drink some tea, is there anything you like to do that helps you relax or take your mind off things? ... View more

Hey @SakuraN, Congratulations on the new job, so awesome to hear it's going well! Moving out sounds like an big, but exciting step for you! Do you have any friends that have moved out recently? Is it possible to talk to them about how they've gone affording this and see if they have any tips or tricks? Or maybe if you and your mum are earning a similar amount, as you said, could she have any tips or advice on moving out? Everybody has different things in their budgets/different things to save for etc, so it would be difficult to say what 'enough' is, but it definitely seems like you've taken into account some of those big expenses that come up. Congratulations again on the job, please do keep us up to date on how you're going with the house hunting/budgeting! ... View more

Would it be possible for you and your mum to speak to your doctor together, @Talitha93? Speaking to the Dr personally may help alleviate some of your mums concerns. It must be a very challenging position for you all to be in having experienced something similar with your brother in the past.    It must be so tough not being able to talk to the person that's been there for you during tough times in the past. Have you let your friend know how this lack of contact is making you feel?  ... View more

Hi @Talitha93,   I'm so sorry to hear about what's been happening for you over the last few months.   Like @Esperanza67 said, what has your doctor said about surgery?   In relation to your friend, sometimes with medical conditions like what you're going through, those around us are so unsure about what the 'right' thing is to say, they end up saying nothing at all. Could that be a possibility with your friend?     ... View more

Hey @Jaredlange1, The others have definitely given some great advice here and I agree, it's awesome you care so much about your friend. From my experience, I would just say to be consistent. Similar to what @safari93 said, checking in on your friend, letting her know you're there for her, but don't push her to talk if she doesn't want to. It can be a massive step for somebody to open up and sometimes it will take some time for them to be comfortable enough to do so. Let us know how you go! ... View more

Hey @ErinsAntics, This is such a cool idea! How did it go after you shared these with your classmates? ... View more

Hey @Bee,   Like @scared01, just wanted to check and see how you're going? ... View more

Hey @Mila28 So great that you've decided you want to study! Being able to work with and help animals every day through veterinary nursing sounds really rewarding. Do you know if the Uni you're interested in has a future students enquiry centre or something similar? I know my uni has an entire department dedicated to future students, where they help answer any question you may have about entry requirements, study, workload and what extra supports may be available to you as a student. ... View more

Hey @whatthehellamidoing,   I'm sorry to hear about what you've gone through over the last year, that's a lot to deal with. The thing seems to be with cancer is that it well and truly turns your world upside down and what we knew to be normal before it entered our lives has changed.    Have you ever heard of Canteen before? It's a really great organisation that supports people just like you who have/had cancer themselves, as well as young people who have/had a sibling or parent with cancer. Sometimes it's a real relief to chat to somebody in a similar boat to you.            ... View more

Hey @Bee,   Just wanted to chime in and acknowledge how tough it is dealing with things after an operation! I had an operation on my arm 2 months ago and similar to you, am not allowed to use it for 12 weeks. I can relate to how heavy and annoying back slab platers are! Definitely found keeping it elevated on pillows to be a saving grace, helped me forget how heavy it was for a while.   After a little while, the pain started to subside for me (although when I was 2 weeks in like you are, that moment felt like an eternity away!) I found it possible to develop new routines and habits that enabled me to do some things without the use of my arm, that really helped with the burden feeling that you mentioned (which is so tough, especially when you're in physical pain as well). While I can only imagine how hard it is not being able to use your leg, hopefully this may be the case for you too.   Sorry to hear the struggles you're facing with your family at the moment. I think sometimes people forget how much pain we're in or the extra help we need if they're not living it themselves. I found the need sometimes to remind my family that I was in pain/struggling to do something, or as you mentioned, remind them that you're only a couple of weeks post a major operation, so of course you'll need some extra help doing things. Is that a conversation you could have?   Look after yourself @bee, surgery can be so hard to deal with both physically and emotionally   ... View more

Hey @Chaz2,   What you're going through sounds super tough, I'm sorry that you're in such a dark place right now. It's such a hard position to be in when you want to be yourself, but something is holding you back. It's so great that you've got a group of supportive friends and have met somebody that makes you happy, would you consider speaking to them about where you're at?     Not that long ago I came out to my mum. Although I hadn't planned on telling her in that moment, after years of thinking about it, I felt ready. Before I'd considered coming out to anybody, it was important for me to make sure I was in a solid position in other aspects of my life, so I could support myself if the conversation didn't end positively.    Is there a family member you could talk to first? I personally felt my mum was a safe family member to have this conversation with, maybe you have somebody who could be that person for you?           ... View more

Thank you for taking the time to reply and welcoming me @Lan-RO, @Jakob, @scared01, @letitgo, I really appreciate it.   In response to your question @Lan-RO, my mum literally said 'ok'. I think I'd made such a big deal out of hiding it for so long that I expected a bigger reaction, but that wasn't the case.    As you said @Jakob, as time progresses, I should become more comfortable within myself. Thank you also for sharing your experiences, it's awesome to hear what a relief you felt by coming out! Thanks for the link, @scared01. It definitely is a help! I also don't think there should be any pressure for you to come out. It's your journey, so take it at whatever pace suits you best :)    @letitgo, I've looked into the LGBTI group at my uni, but not sure at this point. A few of my friends are involved in various capacities, so I may chat to them first. Thanks for the suggestion!       ... View more