Morning @Eden1717 gosh I can only imagine how daunting the prospect of a new medication would be. Did you feel comfortable to tell your supports what it was like last time you tried the new meds? If not maybe letting people know about the your previous reactions could help them understand why this is scary for you. Here to chat about how you could bring it up to them, if that is something that would be helpful. Thinking of you!  ... View more

I am so excited to chat with Ginny too @WheresMySquishy and I will give you a reminder @xXLexi_Lou122Xx hope you can make it :) ... View more

Absolutely @Tiny_leaf looking forward to having your company on the night  ... View more

Hey everyone just wanted to swing by to let you know that we are going to be doing some activities for our neurodivergent community! This month we are chatting with an awesome organisation called Reframing Autism. The AMAA thread is live here and it will be taking place on the 20th. Hope to see you all there :)  ... View more

Hey there @htiaftisi   This is a realllly common feeling and it's a good thing that you've chosen to share it. I know I've been through these feelings before and it can be really confusing when you know that you trust your partner, but still feel funny about it.    I think it is totally fair for you to ask your boyfriend to be mindful not to compare you and his friend - it sounds like he really doesn't mean for it to upset you but it's not controlling to set some boundaries for how you want to be treated. Sharing feelings can be hard in these situations but if you can have a respectful and loving conversation it can be an opportunity to grow stronger as a couple.    Maybe you can get some tips for how to have this conversation with him, I can imagine it might be nerve racking to talk about. We have a good article here about how to tackle a difficult conversation.  ... View more

Hi @Emanuela I've edited your recent comment as it included an email address. I thought I'd link you with our community guidelines, they are in place to keep everyone safe and anonymous. Let me know if you have any questions.  ... View more

What's Happening in April?      Ask Me Almost Anything:   This month we are taking about neurodiversity! We are doing an   Ask Me Almost Anything   where the guest will be Ginny from Reframing Autism. This will be a great opportunity to open up about the challenges autistic people face with their mental health -- and how to support your autistic loved ones.    Getting Reals   For anyone who's new to the forums, Getting Reals are discussions where we dive a bit deeper into different issues and they are driven by our amazing volunteer mod team. If you'd like to check out all of our past GR sessions, you can find them   here.   Our Getting Real Live  is to be announced!    Guides and Chats   On  the 15th   of this month expect to see a Let's Chat: Study Breaks    And on the 9th we'll be sharing Our Guide To: Sleep    Weekly Wellbeing   We'll be doing our weekly wellbeing activities as usual - so keep an eye out for those.     If you're ever looking for some self-care ideas, you can check out our WW master list   here.    And finally, we have our   Friday Fives   where we celebrate all things awesome on the forums.    ... View more

Hey there @clarii3105 and everyone who has joined in the discussion. I just wanted to jump on here and say that it's really nice to see you all  chatting about this. I feel like  this is something that comes up a lot and it's something I'm personally really passionate about. I am a huge advocate for allowing studying to take as long as it need to. There is absolutely no failure or waste of time in extending your degree to take care of yourself. Uni will always be there -- putting yourself first is a wonderful act of self-care. Mental/physical health should always come first!!  ... View more

Hey @Tiny_leaf as mentioned start where you feel comfortable, even if you just need to rant and get things off your chest we are here to listen to you. Hope you're feeling okay today!  ... View more

Happy Ace Day for yesterday everyone!!    ... View more

Hi @Emanuela thats great that you enjoy meditation! Just a friendly reminder that we don't post links on the community. You are more than welcome to share your experiences and tips though :)  ... View more

Hey there @pstlcims its good that you've chosen to open up about that experience with your dad and how it might be impacting you. It's very common to feel that you love and care about your parents but some of the choices/actions they made when you were little has influenced you.    Most people can recount some kind of memory from their younger years that plays on their mind today. Identifying it and seeing the connection to the present shows a lot of emotional maturity on your part - you should be proud of that.    These sorts of memories are good to chat about with a counsellor or therapist of some kind. They can help explain why that experience may have influenced your emotions and give you tools to move past those fears of failure and rejection.    Do you think talking to someone about it would help?  ... View more

Gosh I'm sorry to hear you haven't had anyone follow up with you yet @Eden1717    Do you think that it might be good to jot down or take a mental note of a way you could bring this up with your psych at the end of the week when you see them? As I said before, tough conversation to have but it could be one that helps to avoid the prospect of injections.    This whole thing must be really draining for you and I'm sorry you're feeling so scared. I really hope you can find some comfort this evening and get some rest.  ... View more

Gosh @Eden1717 those are scary thoughts for you to have and a really unsettling dream as well. You must be feeling exhausted physically and mentally. With the treatment order I can imagine why you'd have that dream as that would be in your mind as something that could happen. Do you think this is a fear you could share with someone? The treatment team or psychologist?    I can imagine that might not a conversation that you are wanting to have, however it sounds like you equally don't want to be put on injections. It would be so hard for you having to manage all of this and you deserve support if you are feeling fearful.    We are here for you today, just let us know what you need to feel supported.  ... View more

Aw @Rattata that must be so hard to notice your girlfriend is being dismissive after you spoke to her about being ignored when you were younger. Is this something you'd feel comfortable to bring up with her?  ... View more

Hey @Eden1717 its good to hear that you are taking breaks when you need them and don't feel up to being in class. It sounds like it would have been really hard to be present when you are feeling confused and uncomfortable. Did you manage to get some sleep last night? I hope so!  ... View more

Hi @kayleesophie I think it's a really positive step that you have come here and asked for help. I'm hearing how much pain you are in and how much you are hurting right now. Struggling with body image, comparing and restricting food is such a hard thing to go through and I'm sorry to hear you are having that struggle.    You mentioned that you don't want to end up in hospital but it is hard for you to eat without it causing you distress. It sounds like your parents are trying to help but I'm wondering if you have any other supports available to you right now? Like a counsellor?    Sometimes even when we know what we need to do to be healthy and well, our thoughts and emotions can make it so hard to do what we need to. Having someone to talk to and support you on this journey might make it easier for you to take steps forward.    We're here for you and happy to chat with you today   ... View more

Hey @Eden1717 it's really nice to see your username pop up. It sounds like while you've got things to think about, work to do etc.. you are trusting that somehow you'll get through it and taking it bit by bit. That's all we can do sometimes :) hope you ended up having a relaxing night  ... View more

Hey @MB95 just wanted to check in on you, really feeling for you. I can imagine how hard it would be for you to send that email, considering you feel like your psych doesn't want to help you. I know what you mean when you say people only care because they have to for their job - something I wanted to say though, is that usually people only do those kinds of jobs because they genuinely want to make a difference to people ( i know it doesn't always feel that way) and even though professionals are limited in what they can do or say, I believe that when they go home they really care for the people they work with. I know that's how I feel as someone who has worked with people for many years now.    I think taking a break is fair enough if you feel like that's what you need right now but remember that everyone needs someone to lean on and whenever you feel like you might need/want to get some support again that there is nothing wrong with that at all.    How are you doing this morning anyway?  ... View more

Thank you all again I will be passing on to all the staff members how valuable their insights were. Enjoy the rest of your night everyone :)  ... View more

  Whooops! I almost forgot this one last question I was saving for the end and it should not be left out because it's a really important one.    How can someone be a good ally? How would you like to be supported?   Being a good ally to the LGBTQIA+ people in your life, and to gender and sexual minorities more broadly, might feel overwhelming at first. But if you are starting from a place of kindness and openness, you will find that it is hard to go (too) wrong.    Every individual has different ways of living their queer identity and wants different things from the allies in their life. Listen when queer people tell you about their experiences and the supports that they need. Draw on what you hear to educate yourself, especially if you have a question that you don’t know the answer to - google is your friend here! The key is to be open to feeling a little discomfort, challenging a few of your ideas, and knowing that it's ok to get it wrong sometimes, so long as you keep trying.    The thing is, I don’t want good allies.    I want amazing allies. I want incredible allies.    Moreover, I want to be an incredible ally. Being queer doesn’t mean I know everything there is to know about being a member of a minority community! As a cis, White, slim, able bodied, middle class queer woman, I want to be an ally to people within my community and beyond who are fighting against racism, classism and transphobia (to name a few).   To me an incredible ally is someone who goes beyond standing with me as a queer person, who will act with me to recognise and dismantle the many ways that our society is built for straight, cis people. For queers like me, who move through the world with a great deal of privilege, it is vital to not only ask for others to be allies, but to become allies ourselves. Experiences of sex, sexuality, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, immigration, body size, disability, class and more all intersect in unique ways. These sites of privilege/oppression are not the same, but they can be the basis for empathy, and for understanding that the struggle for a queerer world  is empty if we leave other structures of inequity intact along the way.    - Katherine, Research Team    ... View more

  Thank you all so much for joining me tonight. It has been such a wholesome way to spend the evening chatting with you all. It was so fun getting ReachOut staff members involved in this AMAA and I really hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.    If anything we have spoken about tonight has been hard to think about or read, here are some resources for you. You can also make a new thread and get some support     Qlife is a queer run helpline and they can be contacted on 1800 184 527   Lifeline are there for you if you are feeling distressed and they can be contacted on 13 11 14   Once again, thank you all so much. I loved spending my evening with you all ... View more

It is awesome! @Hozzles  hahahah that made me lol - and so so true about finding it easy to chat in the car. Such a great place to have hard conversations   @Lost_Space_Explorer5 exactly! It never hurts to have a back up plan in life, best case scenario you don't have to use it. If you do, at least there's one less thing to worry about.  ... View more

Thank you @WheresMySquishy it's something that I found really hard to come to terms with...I felt so overwhelmed that I would have to keep coming out. People would often say they didn't pick that I am queer...which was annoying and hurtful sometimes. It made me feel like I had to wear a shirt saying "I am queer" or something haha but it got easier and now I say it with full confidence and pride, no matter who I am telling.    And you are soooo on the money @Hozzles I was actually going to say that. You don't have to say "hey everyone I am gay". Saying I like this girl or I would like to date this person is how I went about it to begin with. It took a solid year of being in my first gay relationship to start even using the word gay. It all takes time and practice. Also haha love love that you share your pronouns to drop the hint. Another good way of working out if the other person is LGBTIQA+ is talking about previous dating experiences with girls...that helps to put it out there in a subtle way.  ... View more

  How will I ever come out to my parents? How do I know they won't reject me?   Coming out is hard and no one person's experience is the same. However, there are many common threads that run through the experience of coming out, so there’s a few tips I will share:    Something you come to learn when you are part of the LGBTIQA+ umbrella is that you will come out many times in your life. It gets easier as time goes on but at the start it can feel really overwhelming. Practice coming out to people you know for sure will have your back. This will help you find the words that feel best for you and help you ease into the process.  Build your support network if you think the news could be a difficult road ahead for you and your parents. Friends, other families members, psychologists, youth workers and queer specific youth services.  Many of us have spoken at some point about having a "chosen family" and this question can explain why. We can't control how our loved ones will view us and while that can be sad to come to terms with, what balances all that out is finding people who love you no matter who you are.  Try writing a letter if sitting face to face is too daunting, doing things in a way that will make you feel comfortable and safe is the most important thing.  When you do come out, no matter the response, try to feel proud of yourself - it's a big step and it might take time to feel comfortable with the experience. That is okay and normal.  I was so nervous to come out to my parents...and they are both queer! No matter who you are or where you come from, it can be an awkward, unsettling or down right scary experience. Trust that you'll find your feet and you will absolutely find people who accept you for you. If you feel rejected, absolutely open up to people who you feel can be gentle and loving towards you. No matter how hard it gets, remind yourself that there is no shame in being exactly who you are     - @Bre-RO (aka meee) Community Team ... View more

life is so awkward hahaha @Lost_Space_Explorer5 and you are so right. It is an art form..sometimes I spend waaaay too much time trying to find one that feels right.  ... View more

Hahahah ahh the awkwardness of figuring these things out indeed @Hozzles lucky it's funny to look back on when you get enough distance from the experience.    Why thank you @WheresMySquishy it's always so fun picking the gifs for these chats  ... View more

Super brave of you to ask @Hozzles my hat goes off to you    ... View more

@Hozzles @WheresMySquishy @hunginc @Lost_Space_Explorer5 I thought Sophia nailed this response :)  ... View more