Great topic! I know many people struggle around this time of year for so many reasons. What does the holiday season look like for you? Do you have any holiday traditions? For me the holiday season is often very busy. With the school holidays also being during this time I often have my younger siblings to care for while parents are at work, I get a lot of work through my own clients and still working as a carer as well. For us we tend to go looking for chirstmas lights, Christmas themed arts and crafts along with baking (decorating xmas themed cupcakes or cookie shapes). we also watch Christmassy movies ... View more

hey @xXLexi_Lou122Xx ive been slowly getting on top of the appointments and things that need to be done. still quite a lot to do though but not sure if ill get it all done before Christmas. I hope you passed in your subjects. its hard when a lot of the content is skimmed over or isn't taught too. your new friends sounds like a real blessing, its great to hear hey @Maddy-RO ... View more

I got a brand new camera. so excited to use it ... View more

I practiced self care by wrapping up Chrissy presents. its something I like to do strangley ... View more

soo good reading all these things :) im proud of making a few important phone calls that I had been putting off ... View more

its been both good and bad @xXLexi_Lou122Xx Ive needed to stay busy but at the same time ive been pretty unwell physically after a procedure which almost required hospital for treatment so I was down and out for a few days recovering the best I could. but ive also needed to catch up on quite a few things before Christmas so im fitting in final appointments for myself and caree between now and the school holidays so that I wont have to go to many of them within those few weeks. I do have a lot of work coming up in those holidays so will be pretty busy then too. oh wow that's a lot of assignments and things. schools like to make things right at the last minute sometimes don't they! and all at the same too rather then being spread out abit 😣😣 im glad to hear that you might've found someone you trust, that's really good. is this in a friendship group your in or something else? ... View more

hey @xXLexi_Lou122Xx im ok at the moment, its been really tough but working my way through slowly. been super busy esp at this time of the year. how are you? ... View more

hi @Janine-RO and welcome! its lovely to meet you! ... View more

hi @emmaemilyzoe and welcome! hows things going for you? ... View more

hey @anon241190 and welcome it sounds really tough for you and as someone who has an eating disorder I would really encourage you to speak to your gp. I think I read on another thread you have been to the gp about feeling sick and the physical side of things however its important to also tell them how you've been feeling mentally as well esp if its associated with the condition you have. there are things they can do to help you physically as well as therapy for mental health side of things. I hope the links @Andrea-RO has also linked here is helpful. the butterfly foundation is one ive used before and they were helpful. ... View more

hey @Brendos94 that's ok, I haven't been around as much as normal either. hows things going for you ... View more

I practiced self care by sleeping in, having a hot milo and just having a chilled out sort of day ... View more

hey @MB95 im sorry I haven't been online for a few days but it looks like lots of our lovely members have shared experiences with you. I can also relate to heaps of what you have said too. How are you going today? ... View more

hey @Ummmm_what if you put an @ before the members name itll tag them for you :) I am a girl too, I am mostly attracted to males but I also get attracted to female personalities. its perfectly natural to question your sexuality esp when you start having different sorts of feelings of the same gender. for me it took abit of thinking about and still do. sometimes im purely attracted to girls because of their personality like they are really kind and funny etc but then there are times when the feelings are much stronger and theres a big part of me that wouldn't mind being more then a friend. Qlife also has a chat so its just like talking here. I don get any privacy to contact helplines etc so having the webchat makes it heaps easier as I can contact them while im in bed. they are really good at these things too and how also to approach that person if you were to try and take that next step. As this is really new to you, its worth seeing how your feelings progress and if its more of a friendship that your after or is it something more you crave... ... View more

hi @Ummmm_what and welcome to you. to me labels aren't important and also allows for more change rather then being set in stone. that fear is totally understandable for sure. I too am questioning my sexuality and believe I am Bi too but I haven't come out to anyone and like you im honestly not really sure. Would you like to share abit more about why you think your Bi? has something happened more recently to make you question it? @WheresMySquishy @Hozzles @DruidChild @Bre-RO @N1ghtW1ng @Esperanza67 may be able to share some more advice too ... View more

hi @Ummmm_what and welcome to you. it depends on your age? most forums have age restrictions.... ... View more

hello @NR2045  and welcome I can empathise with you on feeling like life is on repeat. im wondering if youd like to try any other hobbies to add something different to your day? or create a project youd like to do such as a scrapbook? have you considered speaking to your parents or maybe teacher or your school counsellor if you not comfortable talking to your parents? ... View more

Hello @ bee and @Milkninja222 (I thought id update over here since ive been chatting to others here too. hope that's ok.) its been really difficult, the pain hasn't really lessened and neither has the rest of the complications like the intense nerve symptoms, pain, misaligned bite with sore teeth and jaw bone, inability to chew properly (still on mashed foods mostly) frequent headaches and slurred speech as well. I see the surgeon tomorrow and im hoping that theres something she and the specialist will do to help out, I think 6 weeks is long enough to be trying to put up with these. @WheresMySquishy it is pretty awful but ive started the process with my aged care by putting in a referral to get the ball rolling again. he really isn't open to respite, he takes it very personally and then goes on about being a burden and doesn't want to end up in a nursing home and then the blame game starts so its not really worth it. hopefully myagedcare will allow me to access RAS so I can get him supports. (ras is different to acat and is actually quite abit better unless caree needs almost 24/7 high maintence care ie incontinence and inability to shower etc. ) its hard to not get frustrated isn't it. we are only human and while we know ts not really their fault our emotions esp snce we have MI ourselves makes it so so hard. ... View more

hey @Cheeseburger nice to see you. im sorry you've had a rough time with your boyfriend. nows a good time to focus on your needs rather then pleasing others. so difficult to do I know. it also sounds like some good positives in there too which is fantastic. hope all your appointments go well and you can start to move forward too ... View more

Do you think your parents had similar experiences with the generation before them? Is this something they overcame or do misunderstandings still remain? @Bee I agree with you in that parents had different expectations and beliefs too ... View more

What differences can you identify between yourself and your parents, do these differences impact your relationship? ive noticed a few things between the way my parents live and the way I live such as the clothing we wear, the tv shows that appear, the music, the cars we drive... I also notice that ive got a higher education then my mum (I don't know my dad) but in their days a lot of people left at the age they could so just before they turned 15. ... View more

hi everyone so sorry that im late to this and well its finished now but it looked like an awesome chat. @Hozzles I agree with you. technology has played a huge part in the generational differences! another point may be that as the times change so do the parenting methods, peer pressures, and also the way schools teach/content of what they teach. it influences the way current society learns and implements those skills etc of what they've learnt. ... View more

I practiced self care by allowing myself to sleep in, doing some gentle exercise and then watching a movie ... View more

that's a really clever and different way to self care @statuscaring its really good! ... View more

hey @MB95 maybe instead of talking to your psychologist about it, speak with the new one that's been arranged while your regular one is away and just see how you go. you may find that the new psychologist suits your situation better or you feel you can be more open with them, if that's the case then perhaps consider switching. you might like to take the opportunity to talk with the new psych about your concerns that you've shared here, they wont judge you but they can take the step back and see if from both sides as well. ... View more

@drpenguin @Taylor-RO @WheresMySquishy @Jess1-RO @mrmusic may be able to share some experiences too ... View more

that is really tricky @MB95 I can hear your concerns around this for sure! maybe would you consider doing a session with another psychologist and see how you feel after it? sometimes a fresh perspective from someone else can be helpful in these cases. sometimes when we get too close to our health professionals they become more like friends rather then trying to confide in them ie only wanting to share the good things, not wanting to disappoint etc. maybe this would be helpful or something to consider. you may even talk to your current psychologist about it and just ask for a different perspective about the situation? ... View more

thank you @Bre-RO ive been called into my other job this weekend for a few hours but I was hoping that was the case. I really needed that extra bit to afford something I committed to on Tuesday so its abit of relief to know ill have the full amount and one expense out of the way for a while. ... View more

hey @MB95 and welcome its really great to hear your have such a good relationship with your psychologist. I do understand your concerns about getting too attached though. do you think you could talk to her about what you've said here- the wanting to tell her everything, worrying about getting to close to her, but also struggling to talk about the things that are bothering you out of fear youd disappoint her? ... View more

Thank you @Maddy-RO though im sorry you've had similar experiences to me. it is super hard. I had quite an extensive meeting though with others and have a better direction in which to go to get other supports for caree. its such an effort atm though with many phone calls and other meetings before I can access them for him. I know he needs it and so do I but im not up for talking about it all the time or having to deal with it. sometimes I wish I could bury my head in the sand and ignore it all for a while. I know that wouldn't be very helpful though but ill put it aside for today and start on it on another day. ... View more