Hey @mspaceK    Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you are confused about your feelings, and why you're feeling this way, and wondering what it all means, and that's okay.   Some of what you said in this post is in the grey area in terms of the guidelines around suicide - can you confirm that you are safe at the moment? There's a guide here about how to talk safely about suicide on the forums. Please have a read when you get a chance  It's interesting how the weather seems to be effecting your mood. It sounds like an odd link hey - but I remember learning at university that it's actually pretty common, that there is a link there! This article tells how the weather can impact a person's emotions and behaviours.  It's an interesting read, and also may help you better understand why you are feeling this way.  I hope tomorrow is a better day!  ... View more

Hey @DC    It's good that you've noticed that your distress is stemming from your own thought patterns. That's often true. The way we frame things in our mind can have a great impact on the way we feel and cope with things. I must also say that it's really great that you are reaching out.    Watching your parents go through a divorce would've been tough, and it makes sense that you have been negatively impacted by it. I believe that is quite common. It must've been hard to live with someone (I assume) you don't really know that well, especially if you don't get along (or do you?). Was it your dad or his partner, or both, who accused you of stealing and lying? Either way, being accused of something you didn't do is not fun, and the symptoms you are experiencing sound unpleasant.  I personally think it might be really good for you to get in contact with free counselling services such as Kids Helpline who operate 24/7, e-headpsace, or Lifeline. I also recommend you browse through our list of self-help apps. Some of them may be of use to you.  ... View more

Hey @Saltwaterdreamtime   I'm glad to hear that your brother has improved over the last couple of years. A fun fact to you - most people's mental health conditions improve over time, especially if they get the right support   I also think it is great that you are taking such an interest in your brother's well-being. Kudos to you. Receiving familial support can make a world of difference for a person who is struggling.    In your first post you mentioned you went to seek support. Can you tell me what kind of support it was that you tried to seek? Just because it seems you are still interested in receiving such/similar support. If you provide me with more of an idea about what support you need, I may be able to help you or to refer you to places.  ... View more

Hey @mspaceK I thought I'd just butt in and tell you that that plan sounds excellent!    Keep us updated with how you go :) ... View more

Hey @DruidChild    I'm glad you've found everyone's responses on this forum helpful so far, and that knowing of their efforts has brought you some joy. It's good to see that you, too, are considering the environment.    I am slightly confused when you say you'll never be able to have children, though. Can you please elaborate? It seems this is causing you much distress so I'd like to understand what you mean a little better.  I hope you've had a good weekend so far ... View more

Hey @Hozzles    I'm glad to hear that you found the responses on this thread useful.    It's really good that you are reaching out for help! I also really admire how you are being open to your friends and family about your difficulties. It can be really hard to admit and discuss one's own challenges, so it's super brave of you to do so.    What sort of courses are you considering at the moment? ... View more

Hey @scared01 It sucks that you're having trouble with your assignment. Just letting you know that I've emailed you so please check your email. ... View more

Hey @Saltwaterdreamtime  I'm sorry to hear you had a bad night. Just take a moment to recognize that it was very brave of you to put yourself in a vulnerable position, even if it didn't work out as planned. I hope tomorrow is a better day. ... View more

Hey @xXLexi_Lou122Xx I'm really sorry to hear that you're having a bad night. You said that you "just want it to end" - can you clarify what you mean? Are you safe right now? ... View more

@xXLexi_Lou122Xx I think it is great that you have decided to try KHL. Well done for reaching out! Bullying is something a lot of teenagers go through, and I know the KHL counselors are fairly experienced that area. So I help you find it helpful. On another note. Bullying is totally unnecessary and may be a better reflection of the person who is bullying as opposed to the person being bullied. Even though you are going through this right now and it hurts, at least you can reflect on yourself and know that you would never put anyone down in the way that you are being put down in this moment. Therefore, feel good about yourself for that! ... View more

Hey @xXLexi_Lou122Xx    I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a bad day. Getting bullied sucks and is something you should not have to put up with. Have you spoken to a parent or guardian about your situation?    It doesn't help that you missed out on your counselling session. If you really need to talk to someone, I recommend getting in touch with KHL. Even though you prefer in-person counselling, a chat over the phone should help with tonight. Otherwise, what are some things you can do to make yourself feel better?      ... View more

hey @Cheeseburger - aw damn! Having trouble sleeping would suck. A friend of mine suffers from something similar and she saw a sleep psychologist who helped her. If you find it's an ongoing issue for you it might be good to chat to your GP about it. In the mean time, there are heaps of online resources and sleep apps that may be of use to you. For example, read our article for tips on how to get ta good night sleep here. Also, this app named dormio has music designed to help you relax and have a deeper sleep. Lastly, headspace also some good information on sleep here and also some guided meditation videos for sleep here.  I'm glad your best friend is there for you. It's okay, I know it hurts, but maybe try not to think about the other friend who upset you too much. In my opinion, quality is much more important than quantity when it comes to friendships. I remember when going through high school, my group of friends would change often, and then eventually you just end up finding a few people who get you, and you keep them in your life. It will all fall into place.  ... View more

Great work @xXLexi_Lou122Xx    Yes definitely. Creating art can be really therapeutic, so draw whatever makes you feel good and helps you express yourself!  ... View more

Hey @Saltwaterdreamtime   I spoke to you briefly on Thursday night. I may have spoken to you once or twice before then too. I'm fairly new in this role, hence the TOM-RO account :) ... View more

Hey @Cheeseburger  I'm glad to hear you're safe. You are right - you are strong. I love to hear you say that. Positive self talk can work wonders in terms of one's wellbeing you know  You are strong and you will get through tonight!! You've got this.  Oh congratulations. McDonalds will look great on your resume. Fun fact about me - McDonalds was my first ever job! You know what this job means for you yeah? Lots of yummy, discounted, cheeseburgers are coming your way.  I'm sorry to hear you heard that about your friend. All I can say is that, in my personal experience, things tend to become easier as you get older.  ... View more

Hey @DruidChild    Thanks for sharing! Unfortunately I can't relate to our situation exactly, but I thought I may be able to offer some suggestions that may be helpful.   You mentioned you don't like sweating? It might be a good idea to speed walk as you won't sweat as much as you would if sprinting or skipping, but it'll still raise your heart rate. I personally dislike sweating as well (and wearing sticky sunscreen since we're on topic of things we dislike) and so I always have a shower straight after I exercise.  You mentioned you do Yoga but that it doesn't raise your heart rate. I personally love Pilates, which a lot of people confuse as similar to Yoga,  but it's fairly different. There's a lot of strength training involved. Although it won't raise your heart rate to the extent that sprinting etc. will, it still will raise a fair bit, especially if you are doing exercises that are challenging.  Pilates is really good at making you toned/strong in a healthy and safe fashion. It's great for building core strength which can help with your posture and decrease the likelihood of future injury. I still think it's great that you do Yoga though. I particularly love Yin Yoga because it's a great stretch!  I've probably gone on a bit of a tangent here, but my point is to maybe to do exercise that will still raise your heart rate slightly (aka speed walking, Pilates) that will not make you sweat and feel too uncomfortable. Also potentially wear clothes that will "breathe" and therefore reduce your chance of sweating.    It's okay that you can't afford classes/ gym - there are heaps of good classes on YouTube. I personally do Blogilates classes. Doing classes at home may also ease your anxiety because you won't be being watched. Anyway, these are just my personal opinions. I hope some of them at least help! It may be good to book in to see your GP and find out some ways to lower blood pressure (via diet if possible?), or see a physio for any exercise tips, or speak to a counselor about how to manage triggering thoughts and be less self conscious when exercising. All in all, I think it's great that you want to have a healthy relationship with your body.       ... View more

Hey @xXLexi_Lou122Xx    I'm glad to hear you're feeling safe. Andrea's not in at the moment, but I thought I'd reply to your comment about art, I hope you don't mind.    It's just that I love art and did it in highschool. You mentioned you recreated your art assignment for school? What do you mean exactly? Like painted the same thing again? Would love to hear about it!      ... View more

@saltwaterdreamtime that is so sweet!!!!!   Yes I have one brother. He is almost 2 years older than me and in a pretty different stage of life to me. He is married with a son. I understand what you mean when you say you love your siblings so much - that is how I feel towards my nephew who is only 2 years old. He brings me so much joy ... View more

Hey @Saltwaterdreamtime    The way you talk about your siblings is so lovely! I really enjoyed reading your comments. It seems like you've really taken the time to understand each and everyone of them. Your strength and your desire to be there for them is inspiring. It sounds like you'd do anything for them. I'm sure they are very grateful to have you as a sibling. ... View more

Hey @Cheeseburger (PS. each time I read or type your username I actually crave a McDonald's cheeseburger *drools*) I'm just checking to see if you're safe tonight? It's okay even if you are feeling a little down at the moment. We are here to listen and support you. You felt fairly happy the other day, so at least you know there are times where you CAN be happy. Even though you feel down tonight, you will find yourself again. Congratulations on the new job. Without giving too much away (aka without breaking the confidentiality guideline)...what type of role is it? ... View more

Thats okay @Saltwaterdreamtime . If your brain does decide to go "back to stupid" as you said, as least you have your new goals written down here. You can check this thread and it will act as a reminder about whats important and helpful for you  ... View more

I'm glad that you finally got to speak to a counselor @Bananatime04 and that you are feeling a little bit better. Are you going to head to bed now? I hope tomorrow is a better day.        ... View more

Hey @Saltwaterdreamtime  I'm really happy to hear that you've set some really positive goals for yourself. It sounds like you're really reflecting on things and have decided to let go of thoughts, feelings, actions, and people that are unhelpful for you. ReachOut are here to support you along the way, as best we can! ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    I can hear that your quite upset tonight. It must be frustrating that you are not able to get in contact with your KHL counselor. I might add that it can be fairly normal to feel alone, and it is a feeling that all of us humans experience at some stage or another. The important thing is that in this moment of feeling alone, you are reaching out, so you should feel proud of yourself for that.  @scared01 seems really interested in hearing about your day and chatting to you. You are not wasting ANYONE'S time. That is what the ReachOut forums are meant for, peer support, so don't feel bad about asking for help. In fact, most of us WANT to help. And as @scared01 tagline says, everyone is deserving of help! If we ever take a while to reply it's not because we think you are being silly, it's likely due to other reasons... such as bad internet or being busy...or feeding our pets or something.  I know that you can't get through to your KHL counselor which is upsetting, But maybe try and look on the bright side - there are so many other fantastic online counselling services that could be of use to you tonight, As mentioned previously, Beyondblue and Headspace are two of many.  I trust that you can be strong tonight. Try and channel that inner strength you used earlier today which helped you as you walked home alone. We believe in you here on ReachOut and are here for you, even if you don't think it.  Sending you our love.  ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04 I'm sorry to hear that. What are some things you can do to make yourself feel better right now? Is there someone else you trust that you can speak to? Or maybe try speaking to a different KHL counselor or calling another service like beyondblue? ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04 I'm here to listen. What's going on for you? ... View more

Hey @Bananatime04    It's awesome that you pushed yourself out of your comfort zone!    ... View more

Hey @mspaceK   Yeah I understand. It can be pretty daunting meeting a counselor for the first time and opening up to somebody you don't necessarily know very well. But that's okay, you can start of slow and only do/talk about things that you are comfortable with. It will only get easier with time. And yes, it's sometimes hard to imagine how we can get better or be helped, but that's that the counselor is trained to do. They may notice/ point out things about you that you aren't even aware of. So it's great that you are going!   Ah, I'm sorry to hear about your relationship with your family. That must be hard to cope with. It's really great that you WANT to have a good relationship with them though. That says a lot about you. It's unfortunate that that is not the case - but some things are out of your control and it might be good to let those things be for now. Plus, who knows what will happen in the future? Perhaps things will get better? I'm really glad you have a lovely boyfriend with a lovely mum supports who you .   You mentioned you think that your sister is depressed? What makes you say that? Is she getting the help she needs? ... View more

Hey @Cheeseburger    I hope you're feeling a little better today.  It's so great that your nephew made you smile. Children have that ability don't they? To just bring joy and light up the room? I have a nephew as well, and last year was a hard year for my family and I, but seriously having my nephew around helped so much! Do you only have the one nephew or?  It's okay that you are feeling a bit down and worried. The important thing is that you have taken the steps to help yourself. So be proud of yourself for that!      ... View more

Hey @mspaceK, I'm so glad you managed to get away from some of the negative stuff and are feeling a bit better. It's also great that you're seeing your GP. You should be really proud of yourself for taking these steps. Writing down referees is probably the easiest part so your resume will be done in NO time!!  Hooray! ... View more