The power of active listening and empathy, folks! ... View more

Hey @Tiny_leaf, thinking of you right now and sending you support. ... View more

Keep pushing through, @Bee. You're so strong and we're all behind you. Negative: Slept through my alarm this morning Positive: Still got to uni early and was able to find some time to come onto the forums.     ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04 and @mspaceK,   I'm just catching up on this thread. There is information here on exactly what each type of mental health professional can do.    "Psychologists and clinical psychologists   treat mental health disorders. Psychologists have specialist training in diagnosing, treating and preventing mental health problems so that you can get on with your life. They often specialise in different areas, and in different approaches, so sometimes you may have to meet a few practitioners before you find the right person for your situation. Clinical psychologists are psychologists who work in hospitals. Psychiatrists   are medical doctors with specialised training in mental health issues. They treat mental health disorders such as depression, severe anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They can decide whether you need medication as part of your treatment, and are able to prescribe it for you."   Also other medical doctors can diagnose and prescribe medication (aka your GP). If you're not sure who you should book an appointment with, ReachOut Next Step is a good first port of call. ... View more

Hey @mad0331,   I'm so sorry you're having to go through this. Being cheated on can be really difficult and make you feel worthless, which is not the case at all. You are not responsible for your boyfriend cheating on you, drinking is not an excuse for cheating even though it is often used as one. I'm wondering if you have support of good friends who can be impartial on this situation. Sometimes just talking to a friend about how you're feeling can really help. I'd also recommend checking out the helplines that @WheresMySquishy has linked. I know you and your boyfriend haven't broken up, but there is an app called Break Up Boss that can help with getting through tough relationship times in a positive way. There is also a lot of info on ReachOut https://au.reachout.com/relationships/romantic-relationships ... View more

Hi @Captain-K, I think proactively looking after your mental health is hugely important, and it sounds like you're really empowered to make the decision to look after yourself first and foremost. I would say that I am an introverted extravert (if that makes sense?). Something that helped me to celebrate my introversion is this podcast https://www.npr.org/2012/01/30/145930229/quiet-please-unleashing-the-power-of-introverts. It talks about how introversion can be a superpower, and that shy people should be celebrated. Maybe you'll find it useful? You can click play on the podcast in the upper left hand corner of the screen, but you could also listen on a podcast app (it's a great podcast on psychology, but I'm super nerdy about that stuff so don't feel you have to listen haha).  ... View more

Hi @Captain-K,   I'm proud of you for staying sober despite the pressure that other people are putting on you. First of all, there is nothing wrong with being shy.    I'm wondering if you would like to change your shyness in some way, or are you okay with being shy? If you're okay with being shy but it's other people who are trying to tell you it's not okay, then that might be their problem instead of yours. If you'd like to change your shyness, there are lots of ways you can become more confident when speaking with people without needing to use a substance. It might be a good idea to find a professional (like a doctor or psychologist) who might be able to help you with feeling more confident, as well as helping you stay sober. Let me know what you think :) ... View more

@mspaceK, you're doing so well to get through each day. You're very resilient and I hope that you can be proud of yourself for the way you are keeping going.  ... View more

Also, you're absolutely not weak for expressing how you feel. That is normal, and bottling up our emotions or putting on a brave face all the time can be really damaging to our mental health in the long run. ... View more

Hey @Sadcookies, you're not alone. When I lived at home I felt like this a lot. I know it's not helpful to you right now, but one day you will be able to make more of your own choices, including who you surround yourself with. It might help to think of this when you're feeling stressed and remember that one day you won't feel like this. Again, I know this is a really difficult thing to do, but it's something that personally helped me a lot (and it turned out to be true). I'm wondering if you're able to establish a safe space in your house, maybe your bedroom, where you feel calm? That could be your safehaven. ... View more

How does being in nature make you feel? Grounded, connected to the world and others, and living in the present moment (mindful) Do you find being out in nature makes a difference to your wellbeing? (it might not for everyone!) Yes, I often try and spend at least 15 minutes outside every day enjoying the sun or even the rain! ... View more

Hey @Dyl, that sounds like a great goal. A good way to make sure we can acheive our goals is to set them using the SMART method.  If we were to set you a smart goal around your study, what would that look like?    Pick a gif that represents your relationship with study at the moment Tell us a little bit about your studies I'm studying psychology and currently completing my research project What do you enjoy about your studies? I love psychology, I find it fascinating and I'm hoping one day I can help people! What are the signs that you are stressed from studying/experiencing study stress? I start to feel very irritable. Little noises will set me off and everything feels too hard. What are your top study stress busters/coping strategies? Using the Smiling Mind app to do a quick meditation when I feel myself becoming irritated (yes, I do close my eyes and meditate in public, even on public transport). I also like to take a bath where I just chill out if I have time. Set a goal for managing study stress! I'm going to set a SMART goal I am going to spend 10 minutes per day this week organising my uni on my Todoist account in order to have a detailed plan of action for each day. Each night I will spend review my to do list and cross off task I have done and reprioritise for the next day.    ... View more

How are things going for you right now @blueberry32? Sending you good thoughts and vitual hugs.  ... View more

I agree with what everyone else has said, but I just wanted to say that I'm sending you good thoughts and hoping you will feel better soon @Bee.  ... View more

I'll have to check them out, thanks for the recommendation @N1ghtW1ng. I also love the Youtube channels BestDressed and LoneFox for DIYs  ... View more

Today I practised self care by having a sleep in! ... View more

These are all so great! ... View more

What a great graph @mrmusic, hope you're feeling a bit better @Dyl   ... View more

Loving reading through everyone's responses. What's your favourite type of flower? Gardenias You are going on a picnic, what do you take? Loooots of bread What's a baby animal that is surprisingly cute? Baby crocodiles! What's something you are looking forward to doing now that the weather will be warming up? Enjoying the sunshine! What's something underrated about Spring All the good smells! ... View more

Hey @Eden1717, I haven't been through OCD myself but I just want you to know that you're not alone and there are a lot of people on the forums who are here to support you ... View more

That's good @mspaceK, breathing has such control over how we feel. Does listening to calming music or nature sounds help you at all? When I am trying to calm down I listen to rain sounds or podcasts, or sometimes nice instrumental music.  ... View more

That's good @mspaceK, I'm sorry your night is going that well. Would you maybe be able to go for a walk or spend some time with someone you love? Sometimes just being out in the world, or with someone else can really help me to feel better. I'm glad you're doing some things to help distract from home you're feeling. I use the smiling mind app or take a few breaths sometimes if I'm not feeling good to try and make my mood a little bit more calm. ... View more

I love this idea @Tiny_leaf, a new high score is a great way to look at it. Self-compassion I'd really important too. You obviously care a lot about beating this addiction @Extra13277, and in proud of you for seeking help on the forums ... View more

Hey @blueberry32, sounds like you've been through a really tough time. With the medication, it would be a good idea to make sure to keep your doctor informed of how things are going. It's so good you're thinking about getting a plan together to take care of yourself. Panic attacks can feel really frightening, but they don't have to be part of your life forever. Do you have some good people around you to support you through right now?  ... View more

Hi @Bee, I'm so sorry you're going through this right now. It must have felt really uncomfortable to be crying in front of your new manager. She sounds like she is an empathetic person though? Hopefully she will understand. I know it can be really difficult when you feel as if you're being judged. I'm wondering if there is anything you can do at work to help you feel calm and in control of your emotions?  ... View more

Assignments are like that hey? ... View more