@j95 ow, footy injury. :( hope you feel better after a good sleep! blithe ... View more

@Bay52VU ooooh, ouch. the buildup to a conversation like that can be horrible. will you get to talk to him soon?   blithe ... View more

@redhead My name is Inigo Montoya. <3 ... View more

hey @redhead, I'm glad you've got some sleep and study to look forward to. Is there something kind you can do for yourself as you get ready to sleep? Aromatherapy or some lovely music? Hope you sleep well and feel better tomorrow.   blithe ... View more

Hey @adidas-nike, Good on you for reaching out for support, it is brave! If you don't think your mum's the best person to talk to right now, is there another person in your life you think you could talk to? A family member, or a teacher you like? Of course, we're always here to talk to, but sometimes it's nice to be able to talk to someone face to face. :) Good luck!   blithe ... View more

Hey @Kristy21, Great work! Meeting new people and applying or interviewing for jobs can be so stressful. But it sounds like you handled it really well! Do you have any tips to share with others who might also be prone to anxiety? Was there anything specific that you did before you went, or while you were there, to keep your anxiety at bay?   blithe ... View more

Hi @Maez, Spiders rock! :) Mood swings can be a bit hard to handle. Did you start feeling emotionally numb recently, or has it been like that for a while?  We're here to talk if you want support!   blithe ... View more

Hey there @Bee :) I'm glad to hear that stuff is happening for you - counsellor appt *and* GP appt! And it's great to hear that even though you're not 100% sure about how you feel about your new counsellor, you are still considering if you want to give DBT a go. You mentioned that when he first talked to you about DBT in your joint session, you liked the sound of it. What was it that sounded good to you?   blithe ... View more

Hey @fridaythe13th, Is there something specific that happened to make you feel crap, or have you just been feeling like this for a while?  Here's a fact sheet that might help you figure out what's going on: All about feeling crap I hope some of the tips in there might help you. Do you have anyone in your life that you talk to when you're feeling down? Friend, family member, pet? :)   blithe ... View more

@Bee Aww, I just replied to you in another thread before I saw this post. I'm sorry you're having such a crappy day. You do belong in society. You've very much wanted and needed here. You're part of RO and we want you here!  I'm really glad you contacted Lifeline. Do you have anyone around you to support you tonight?   blithe ... View more

hey @Bee, It is hard when you need to find a new counsellor. but sounds like your old one really helped you (which is great!). Can you maybe think about the new counsellor as helping you build on the work you did with your old counsellor, rather than starting from scratch?   i think it's brave and admirable that you are willing to try, even when it sucks and is hard. That's so far from stupid. Have you heard that quote that says 'the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result'? To me that sums it up. Trying can move you towards feeling better.  Not trying = staying feeling like crap. No-one deserves that!   Hope your leg is feeling better!   blithe ... View more

Hey @N1ghtW1ng sorry to hear you have sibling stress! Hope @j95's tip about the heat pack can help you cool down. (that sounds odd!)   blithe ... View more

Hi @Talitha93, It's good to see you back on ReachOut, it's been a while! I'd agree with @ElleBelle that it would be a good idea to take an action to deal positively with your thoughts of self harm, rather than ignoring them or pushing them aside. Did you have a look at the list she linked to? Reckon any of those might help you? It's understandable that you might want to try to manage your thoughts and feelings on your own, but phone line support people are there because they want to help, and can offer a way for you to talk things through with someone outside your family or friend circle - so you don't need to worry about feeling like a burden to those you care about. Does that make sense? And of course, ReachOut is here for you too! But if you feel like hearing a voice on the end of the line, I'd say give Lifeline a go.   Cheers! blithe ... View more

Hi @Captain1arm, Welcome to ReachOut. :) It's great that you've been reaching out for some support to help yourself stop getting angry over little things. Who did you reach out to? Friends/family? Did they tell you anything helpful?  Here's some handy info on anger and also some tips on how you can handle anger. There's also a bunch of tips on anger management, which you might find helpful. Writing down what's making you angry, counting to 100 to give yourself time to cool off before you snap and say something in anger, or just walking aaway from the situation that's making me angry - do you reckon any of those might help? It can also be helpful to think about the root cause of your anger - has something happened, or upset you lately? Are you stressed out over something? If so, maybe that's why you have a shorter fuse than usual.   blithe ... View more

Glad to hear that you are ok, @redhead. You're a valued member of this community who has helped so many people. We love having you here. <3   blithe ... View more

@Lahna Snap! I hurt my legs over the weekend too! You have my sympathy!   Neg: Got bumped into at the skating rink and did a massive stack. Landed in the splits and my legs are not happy. Groin strain!    Pos: Despite falling over, skating was really fun. And my 'sporting injury' meant I got to totally laze around yesterday and have brekky in bed. Woohoo! ... View more

Hang in there, @Creativegirl12! Thinking of you.  blithe ... View more

Hey @Amber-Marie, Like a few people have said, it is pretty normal for your thoughts and feelings about sexuality to jump around a bit when you're a teenager. It's a time in your life when your body is maturing and you start spending more time out in the world meeting new and different people. Some people just "know" their sexual orientation, some aren't sure, some try things to see how they feel.  So yeah, I hope that can reassure you a little. It's normal to not be normal. ;) And, often things we think about or even fantasise about aren't things we actually want to have happen in real life. Do you think that might be what's going on for you? It sounds like the anxiety or obessive thoughts you're feeling about all this is really making your life tough right now. Is that right? Anxiety is a pretty common problem! We have a fact sheet on anxiety disorders which talks a little about what symptoms of anxiety or obsessive thoughts can be like - do any of these sound familiar? Hopefully talking it over with your therapist might help you start to get a handle on how you're feeling.   Good luck! blithe ... View more

Hey @Creativegirl12, I'm proud of you for continuing to try different things to get yourself to a better place. You *do* deserve to receive care, and to feel better. ReachOut is a better place when you are here. :) We're here tonight if you want to chat, but I think it's a great idea to call a helpline. Reckon you can do that?   blithe ... View more

@FootyFan26 @j95 Thank you both for being open to talking about missing your dads. I reckon it's something that most people who've lost a parent (or suffered abuse) can relate to - that they missed out on a good relationship with that parent. I reckon that anyone in that situation who reads you both talking about it will hopefully feel less alone or less wierd for feeling that way.    blithe ... View more

@j95 Yup, I hear you. *nodnod*   blithe ... View more

I second the suggestion to gargle warm salty water! Amazingly good for you, if gross to taste. :)   blithe ... View more

@j95 There's no rule that says you can only miss good people, you know. It's not right or wrong to have feelings. It's not right or wrong to miss someone. Missing your dad is just how you feel. It's how you act that's important, and how you respond to those feelings. I sometimes miss (and even dream about) an ex of mine who was really bad for me. That's ok. It would only be a problem if I decided to act on that by calling him. And I'm not going to do that, because my life has moved on and I'm happy now.  I'm not trying to suggest that the situations are in any way the same, I guess I'm just asking - could it be ok to miss your dad sometimes? Without judging yourself about it?    blithe ... View more

@j95 Nothing can replace a parent, but I do hope that as you keep doing things you love in life like music and volunteering, that it brings good, caring men into your life. You deserve that.    blithe ... View more

@j95 our parents have such a huge impact on our lives, it does make sense that you miss your dad, or you miss the opportunities you'll never have with him.  One thing I admire about you is that you are determined to have a good relationship with your little bro. Because of you, he has a solid male role model who is there for him. I would totally understand it if you are missing having that kind of male role model in your life. Are there men in your life (relatives, or friends) who can maybe fill that role for you? Do you think that's something you'd like?   blithe ... View more

Hey @Creativegirl12, I'm glad you're planning on seeing your GP when he gets back. When you're switching over meds it's good to keep in touch with your GP to talk about how it's going, any changes in symptoms etc. Will he be back soon?    blithe ... View more