Hey @Blurryphaced    Aw, I can understand that it is really stressful for you! I really think @sunnygirl606 gave some really good suggestions. Have you tried to talk to your mum about your feelings and anxiety surrounding this situation?    I think that you could talk to her and let her know the things you have told us, if you haven't already. Let me know how things go! We're here to support you  ... View more

Hey @_navyi !   I also agree with the others! If both of you feel comfortable and have talked about things together, you can take things at your own pace! Everyone goes through these stages at different times  ... View more

Hey @Saltwaterdreamtime  I'm in Sydney right now so I definitely can't truly understand just how hard it must be for you! But, I want to say your words are so encouraging. I get what you mean though. It gets harder to try and find something to cling to when it seems that this whole situation is lasting forever. I am so proud of you for finding what that little something (or in your case, someone) was, that keeps you going and happy even in really hard times.    It can get hard, but I believe in everyone! I love your message @Saltwaterdreamtime. We will all get through this! Little things might only be little things, but they add up and can really make all the difference!  ... View more

Hey @Someone1    I'm sorry you've been feeling down  I'm here to listen!  It can be disheartening when your friends are hanging out without you... do you think maybe you could communicate that with them? If you can bring yourself to, it could be a good idea to just let them know that you feel left out and excluded. If you are uncomfortable meeting them out because of COVID, perhaps you could arrange a group video call or something and watch a movie together or play some online games together?   Is there anything else troubling you to make you feel empty?    Also, thank you for your lovely words! You are also so special. You are worth love and care. Hope you feel better much soon  ... View more

Hey @jasmine_8    Thanks for reaching out here! It sounds like you're quite distressed at this, and I can understand why. I can't diagnose you of course, since I'm not a professional, but I definitely recommend that you go and see a psychologist.    Also, in regard to being worried about others' reactions, I get what you mean there too. There's still a stigma around mental health and some people might not understand just how hard it can be. I'm sure they will support you though! Please don't be afraid to ask others for help and comfort. I think you could just tell them that you need to have a serious chat and you were thinking a lot about how you would tell them. Ask them to be respectful and that you're unsure about it yet, but it's something that's causing you a great deal of stress. I'm sure they'll comfort you and help you get some more professional assistance.   I'm sending you all my love and support! Let me know how it goes  ... View more

Hey @C888r    Thanks for reaching out! Like the others said, I'm not in a position to diagnose, but I also think there are maybe some things you could try to help yourself.  I use this app called Cold Turkey on my laptop. I'm not too sure there's one for phones, but I'm sure there are other apps. Basically, you choose some things to block so that you can't access the sites at all for a chosen amount of time. Maybe it'll help when you're doing assignments on a laptop or desktop?    I also like the others' idea of asking someone in the family to keep your phones with them to hold you accountable.    What else do you think might work?  ... View more

Great thread! Especially needed right now! The three things I'm grateful for 1) Extra time to do things because of less travel time 2) My boyfriend and how caring he is of me when stress gets the better of me- he reminds me to stop and appreciate the little things like how blue the sky looks 3) Great weather ... View more

 Hey @Bento  Thank you so much for sharing that with us all.  I can definitely understand what you mean. 2020 has definitely been a challenging one. Something I like to do is search for good news stories. It kinda restores my faith in humanity, keeps my mind of the usual news which always focuses on a whole heap of negative stuff with headlines made to scare people. It can be refreshing to see some good things happening all around the world- there definitely are some! It's just not covered on media as much unfortunately. Maybe you could try doing this?   What else do you think might help you?  ... View more

Hey @A_Friend    I'm so SO glad you reached out. I can definitely relate to you and I can truly empathise with how hard things can be when you're often the family support. I also have a sister, but a younger one. She's struggled with anxiety and depression for about 5 years now- getting much better now (yay!), but I do have to say, the journey has been tough.    My parents didn't really understand mental health and often got upset and angry with her when they thought she was just being lazy or annoying or attention-seeking, when really it was because of her mental health. As someone who wanted to be educated about mental health, I tried my best to educate myself and then educate my parents. I ended up being the support for both my sister whilst she went through very tough depressive episodes and my parents who often just could not fathom or understand exactly why she was acting differently. I ended up taking everyone's emotions and loading them onto myself, without giving myself some downtime. Everything on top of my own perfectionist self eventually led to me being diagnosed with anxiety and for a while, I refused to get help because I thought it made me weaker than I had to be for everyone else. I guess I thought- if they rely on me, how can I be this weak?    A few years ago, it hit me that I really had to focus on myself if I wanted to best support them too. I started seeing a psychologist, made sure I stuck to some hobbies that made me feel good, used the headspace app for meditation and focused my energy on studying. I'm currently doing a psychology degree! I'm super passionate about mental health now, and my family and I are doing so much better than a few years ago. So there's definitely hope! I know it can be hard, but you just need to make sure overall, that you make sure you are ok. Self-care is seriously so, so important. Maybe talk to a psychologist yourself and spend more time doing what makes you happy.   Sorry for the lengthy post, but I hope sharing my experience gives you some relief and hope. Keep me posted! I'm so happy to help  ... View more

Hey @Love_elmo77    I'm glad you reached out for some advice. I loved the way @Andrea-RO  explained everything. I can actually relate to you in many aspects. My parents also said similar things, but I feel that they also don't quite understand the generational differences. It's often just misunderstanding or lack of education about mental health, but I'm sure they didn't mean to make you feel hurt or ashamed.    I definitely think you shouldn't feel bad about wanting to talk to a counsellor. In fact, I'm so proud of you that you've recognised you could have some help, and took that first step! WOOHOO!!  No matter what others say, look after yourself. It seems that you're self-aware and understand when you need a little advice. Go you! We all have your back on these forums  ... View more

Hey @A_Friend    Great thread! I'm sure this eventual list will help lots of people through this weird time. Cooking is definitely something I want to get more into lately.    As of now, music is everything to me. I love listening to it and playing it! I play the cello as a hobby now, although I used to play it quite seriously for many years throughout primary and highschool. Music has really gotten me through a lot and it's so true when some people say that it's healing.    Everyone can try playing music! Piano or guitar are maybe good starters, but of course, any instrument can be learnt at any age, which is something I love about music too.   Looking forward to hearing about everyone else's hobbies!! ... View more

Hey @lavendertea  I'm sorry you feel that way. Please know that you don't have to go through this alone! I liked the link @Hannah-RO  provided, and I also think it's often very calming and reassuring to realise you're not the only one going through something. Hopefully something resonates with you!   I just wanted to pop on and say I'm really proud of you for posting your experience on these forums. It's such an important first step. Getting the conversation going can do a lot for you. So great job! I hope you are ok and have had a good week!  ... View more

Hey @NoEffortIncluded    I'm sorry you feel that way! Thank you for being brave and asking for some advice on the forums. Your post really resonates with me actually. I had very similar experiences with my parents and sometimes still do. It's hard I think when your parents can't really understand you. I've reached this place of understanding that parents often do things out of a place of love, but aren't able to show that in the right way and can't support you the way you would like. My parents luckily have improved a lot over the years, and what I ended up doing, was having a long sit-down talk with them. I expressed my emotions as calmly as I could and asked them respectfully to just listen and not say anything until I was done. I think it just eventually hit them and they recognised where they went wrong and apologised sincerely. That was a really big moment for me. And yes, we still have our moments but it's getting better and better.    I just wanted to share that with you so you know you're not alone. Things can go much better than they are now. But then again, please also ask for help and guidance from a counselor or another trusted adult. And make sure you look after yourself! You are worth love, you are worth attention, you are worth listening to. And here, you are heard.  There's a lot of great posts on this thread, and hopefully they help you! Please know you are not a sook. You are brave and just someone who needs a little bit of help, as we all do in life.  Let us know what you think  ... View more

Hey @MB95  I hope you're doing ok and are managing this situation ok! Navigating dating/relationships is always confusing but I totally understand you. I just want to tell you though, you are not pathetic at all! Personally, I get anxious about relationships too. In fact I'm in one right now, but I still struggle with a lot of things. Sometimes when there are disagreements, I always resort to thinking about the worst situation that could happen and need a lot of reassurance. Luckily, my boyfriend is super understanding and sweet, and makes sure to tell me how much he loves me and is very patient with me. He does his best to help me when I'm anxious and things like that.    So as you can see, you're super not pathetic at all! It's all learning with experience. I'm finally in a relationship now and I still have many things to learn and improve on. I'm sure the guy will understand if you just let him know you're not really looking for anything right now. Maybe you'll just end up with a good friend!   Let me know how things go!  ... View more

@mspaceK Glad you got to take some time off! It's always really important to self-care.    ... View more

Hey @Vuyo  That seems like quite a tricky situation and I can imagine a lot of emotions come with it. I agree with @Taylor-RO and I would probably suggest seeing a counselor too. It can be overwhelming but just remember that it will pass, and there are people out there who are very willing to listen, give advice and make sure you are ok and look out for yourself too- including us on the forums!   I hope you are doing ok.  ... View more

Hey @Hannah-RO! Such good advice! I've also been trying my best to keep a routine. I find that without one, I get really lazy and easily demotivated. Especially with uni, I try hard to take my classes when they're scheduled.    I also go on walks around the neighbourhood, use headspace to do some body scanning and try my best to not look at the news too much.  ... View more

Hey @Abderian    Thanks for starting a great thread! I use headspace when I need to ground myself, breathe and calm a racing heart. I also go on walks outside to this large oval near my house- it's especially beautiful during sunsets! ... View more

My three positives of today 1) Productive day today! 2) Really yum food 3) Watched Gilmore Girls with my boyfriend ... View more

Hey @StormySeas17,  Omg YAY!! I am so, so proud of you! I'm glad that you've been able to look after yourself during challenging and busy times.    Literally though... I am so grateful for these PAL tutors I have though. They clear so much of the lecture content up for me. Bless their souls    Ooo my boyfriend loves Studio Ghibli films and he's been introducing them to me too recently. Which one's your favourite?  ... View more

Hey @beachlover567 ! So sorry for the late reply! I've literally been so swamped with uni assignments and tests. Super stressed lately, but I'm working on giving myself more breaks. Almost done though!    I'm really glad you understand that too. I don't think it's a bad thing to stay hopeful either. Most people would love to be reassured and have somebody by their side, so it's understandable that you're hoping for the best. I'm glad you two had a talk though and hopefully you're able to figure things out more.    I know uncertainty can be really unsettling....it's something I struggle with too so I can totally relate. But at the same time, again, we can't let that take over us. You sound like a lovely and amazing person, and I am hoping you can work things out. Let me know with an update!  ... View more

Hey @OnionBoy  Firstly, thank you for opening up here and asking for advice! It's always a great first step when you're feeling unsure or anxious. I can understand that sometimes you might feel unsure about things. Just like everyone else has been saying, I guess you just have to talk things out and communicate better. Take some time to really listen to each other and respectfully let each other know your real emotions. It sounds like you really care about him! It's always worth it to talk more complicated things through if you care about someone so much.    Maybe you could keep a journal or write out your feelings somewhere. It might help you keep track of how you feel day to day. Keep us updated  ... View more

Hey @beachlover567    Hope you're doing well! I totally understand what your concerns are. I really like the advice the others gave you. I guess things that are out of control are scary because well...they're out of our control. But for the same reason, I guess that's why you have to try and just look after yourself and do things you can control.    My boyfriend and I have also been through our own struggles. No relationship is perfect. A good relationship is one where you respectfully hear the other out and work on communication and on yourselves to be better for the other person too. If anything, I guess this break is a learning curve too if anything. Hopefully, things work out well for you! But just remember your worth and we're here for you when you need it!  ... View more

Today I'm grateful for family and good food ... View more

I'm looking forward to the midsem break! I'm excited to give myself some time off and maybe go to the beach and relax. ... View more

Hey @Tori7890    Sorry to hear you're feeling that way! I'm proud of you for trying so hard to push yourself and stay positive about things. Maybe it's time to move onto a new technique that might work out better for you as you adjust to your new situation. What other things have you tried that might make you feel better?    It's ok to feel like that sometimes. I'm sure many of us do at some point. But yes like @squiggly said, rest assured, friends and family are those who care for you and will be happy to be there if you need it. You are not a burden      ... View more

Hey @StormySeas17! So sorry for the late reply! I've been so busy for the past 2 weeks. Uni has really gotten quite stressful and one of my lecturers accidentally posted the wrong information like 5 different times about this big assignment that's due in a fortnight. No chance of an extension though so that was a tad annoying since I had to re-write a lot of the things I had finished before she changed things on us.   Oh well though... I've gotten back on track and managed to stick to my own promises of keeping my nights free and for myself most of the time.  I've been watching Gilmore Girls lately on Netflix and am lowkey addicted to it not even gonna lie. My sister got me hooked    How have you been?   ... View more

Hey @Brian6787  Hope you are doing well  It's always hard adjusting when a very close friend finds a partner.  I think your friend should also ensure they spend some time with you and set that aside too. At the same time, like the others suggested, you could probably try to look after yourself more and find something else to enjoy.  I'm sure your friend really cares about you and wouldn't want you to feel alone. I'm glad you brought it up with her and although she seemed offended, I feel like it could be because she felt bad about it.    Let us know what happens  ... View more

Hey @StormySeas17  Damn- I can imagine that'd be annoying!  Yes, hopefully it's easier to manage when it's more needed before exams. You really gotta put your foot down sometimes, unfortunately. It's sometimes the only way people will understand your boundaries and respect them.   Hope it's all going well! ... View more

Hey @WheresMySquishy  Man... I can't believe what happened with your sister and the neurologist!  He doesn't seem very willing to really listen to his patients and hear and acknowledge their experiences and symptoms properly    Hopefully you have a better experience with someone else next time and get some better answers!   Thank you for the update!  Sending you all my best wishes ... View more