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Sorting Stuff Out
Everyone goes through tough times and in this section you will find heaps of information about different issues that may get you down, some suggestions for how you can work through them yourself and links to websites that may have more info. Content is broken into different streams so whether you are dealing with depression, having a fight with a friend or just struggling with life you can check out one of the issue streams below and click on a relevant fact sheet.
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Alcohol and other drugs |
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Drugs refer to substances that change the way your brain works and affect how you think, act and feel. Experimenting with drugs or alcohol is not uncommon, however all can have serious short term and long term effects. Making sure you know what different drugs are and their effects on your body is important to ensure you minimise any risks. In this issue stream there is heaps of information about different types of drugs, their effects and things you can do to use them safely.
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Amphetamine-type stimulants |
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The term 'amphetamine-type stimulants' or ATS refers to 'amphetamines' including amphetamine and methamphetamine, but also ecstasy and ecstasy related compounds. ATSs stimulate the central nervous system, change the way your brain works and affect how you think, act and feel.
Experimenting with drugs is not uncommon, and can have both sought after and adverse effects, so it's important to arm yourself with information before you make any decisions about taking a drug.
In this issue stream there is information about amphetamine-type stimulants, their effects and things you can do to use them safely. There is also information for if you are worried about a friend, managing peer pressure, and if you yourself are looking for help to manage your drug use.
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Depression and other mental health issues |
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Mental health difficulties refer to changes in the way that we normally think, act, and feel. There are many different types of mental health difficulties. Some affect our emotions (such as depression and anxiety), some our thoughts (such as obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia), and some like self-harm, our behaviour. In the fact sheets in this section you can find more info about a range of mental health issues, things you can do to manage them better and some ideas about how you can help a friend through a mental health issue.
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Eating disorders and feeling healthy |
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Being worried about your body shape or weight is very common. Eating disorders is a term that covers a range of illnesses where a person has a distorted view of their body or a fixation on controlling their eating, food and weight. There are several different types of eating disorders. Bulimia and binge eating disorder involve people eating excessive amounts of food whilst feeling out of control, whereas anorexia involves people eating very little food to lose a lot of weight. The fact sheets in this section give you information about eating disorders and how to manage them and links to other websites to find out more. Importantly there is also other information on feeling good about your body without unhealthy eating or exercise.
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Family issues |
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Families are an important part of our lives. Over our lifetime we will probably spend more time with our families than anybody else and their love and acceptance is important our happiness. Families are also complex and sometimes our relationships with them can cause pain. Situations where the family structure changes can be particularly difficult. For some of us this might be that our parents have separated, divorced or are going through the process of splitting up; in other families someone may need extra support and care because they are sick or disabled. In this section there are fact sheets on how you can get through difficult times with your family and some ideas on how you can get on with them better and look after yourself in the process.
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Friends and relationships |
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Like family, friends are an important part of our lives. They are often the first people you turn to when going through a tough time, particularly if they are your boyfriend or girlfriend. For this reason, going through a tough time with a friend or is particularly hard. In this section there are lots of fact sheets on friendships and relationships. They range from handling peer pressure, resolving arguments and conflict, making the decision to have sex or deciding that a relationship should end. You will find a heap of information and some ideas on having better relationships with your friends or boyfriend/girlfriend.
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Illness and staying healthy |
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Staying healthy is important for everybody. Looking after our body by exercising regularly, eating well, getting regular sleep and reducing stress can have dramatic effects on the way we feel and think. Some people, however, are affected by chronic illnesses which may mean they are sick for long periods of time. Living with a chronic illness is difficult and there are likely to be many challenges that you face having a chronic illness that others don't. In this section you can check out various ways in which you can look after yourself and stay healthy, look at some information on chronic illnesses and find out about some of the things you can do to manage stressful events and relax.
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Loss and grief |
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Losing someone you care about is really hard, particularly if you have lost them unexpectedly or through suicide. Different people react in different ways. Some reactions include shock, disbelief, numbness, sadness, guilt, anger, or loneliness. They can also hit at different times. Some people experience strong emotions quickly, while for others it takes a while to sink in. Grieving can take time, and the amount of time it takes will vary from person to person. In this issue stream there are fact sheets on how to cope when you lose someone whether it be dealing with an anniversary, helping a friend or moving back into a routine.
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Managing independence |
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Getting older means managing increased independence, whether it be to do with work, leaving home or managing finances. Looking for work can be challenging particularly if it is your first time out in the job market. Employers look for people who meet the job criteria and who have relevant experience. A good resume is an important way to get into the career you want. You usually have to go through an interview process and this can be stressful. Preparing beforehand and knowing about the company you are applying to can help impress the interviewer and to score the job you are after. Once you get a job, being able to manage your time and set goals will be important. Sometimes a job requires you to leave home, other times it is a choice you make. Thinking through what leaving home requires will help to make it a successful move.
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Positive stuff and communication skills |
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This is a space you might want to visit if you're not necessarily going through a tough time. It's a space to get info about keeping the 'good stuff' in your life 'good', about building upon those things that are already going well in your life to make them better, and about taking action to make sure you are equipped to handle situations you come across which may be challenging.
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Safety and violence |
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Violence refers to any behaviour that hurts someone and makes them feel afraid. Violence can happen anywhere, at anytime, to anyone. It can happen in relationships, it can be a random act, or it can be deliberately planned. Violence is not just physical but can also be emotional and verbal. One specific type of violence is bullying. Bullying refers to one or more people teasing, being violent towards, or harassing somebody on an ongoing basis. Although it often feels as though there is nothing you can do about it, there are a number of things you can do to stop or prevent violence and abusive behaviour and to improve your safety. It is important to talk to someone you trust about what is happening to you and to find ways to improve your safety. Check out the fact sheets in this issue stream for more information.
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School and uni |
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Despite the old saying that school is the best time of your life, for most people school is stressful at times. Whether it is feeling stressed about exams or feeling unhappy school it helps to develop ways to cope and balance between having fun and getting work done. After high school finishes, most people generally chill out and party before starting uni, tafe, work. This period usually contains a lot of change and at times can feel fairly daunting. The fact sheets in this section contain content to help you deal with school, uni and study, including dealing with exam stress and managing your time, work through difficulties after finishing school, and make sure you stay safe during schoolies.
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Sex and pregnancy |
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Safe sex refers to using some form of protection or contraception when having sex. There are a number of different types of contraception. The most effective is a condom as it reduces the risk of falling pregnant and of getting a sexually transmitted infection. No matter what form of contraception you use, if you are having heterosexual sex, there is always a risk that you may become pregnant. If you find yourself pregnant then there are a number of options that you may consider. In this issue stream you can check out information on the different types of contraception available and issues related to becoming pregnant. There are also some more links about places to go to look for support and more information.
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Sexuality and coming out |
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Feeling confused about sexuality is normal. Some people feel confident about their attractions, while for others it is confusing and it can take a long time before they are confident about being attracted to guys, girls or both. One of the major issues with sexuality that stresses people is "coming out". Telling someone that you may not be heterosexual can be scary. It is important that you are prepared for a range of reactions and allow people to work through their own feelings. In this issue stream there is content to help you with your feelings and some of the issues around coming out. There are also numbers for services that you can contact if you want to chat to someone confidentially about your feelings and attractions.
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- lifeline 131 114
- kids help line 1800 55 1800
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Commune with the RO! community!!
To access the forums, sign up as a member, log in, and then click on the speech bubble that appears in the toolbar. The forums are open on Mondays and Thursdays between 6pm and 10pm (AEST).
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Get ready to ROC!
Reach Out! Central (ROC) is the new interactive space at Reach Out! Choose your own adventure and maybe even get a new perspective on things. So come in and check it out - and don't be surprised if you meet some people who remind you of the ones you know in your world.
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scream it dream it
Let it all out! Get it off your chest. Scream it from the rooftops.
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