Why do I feel like I am wasting my youth? My entire family has struggled with massive drug and alcohol addiction so I try to stay away from it, but it feels like I’m wasting my youth. I’m so afraid that I’m going to look back at this time in my life and be full of regret.
-Elle
Hi Elle,
Worrying about future regrets can have a big impact on the choices we make in the moment. The fear of regret can make us question even our strongest values.
I want to know why i can’t bring myself to want to go to school. i am a very social person at times and i don’t have any problems besides the few subjects but everyone has that problem. i feel very unmotivated, uncomfortable, anxious and extremely nervous at school. i was just brought home from school due to the fact i got sick because of the nervousness and anxiety. I want to be able to enjoy school but i don’t know how
-emily k
Hi emily k,
You are not on your own with this. We have heard from many young people who have started to experience anxiety as they start back to things like school and socialising. It’s great that you want to get back to enjoying school, and are looking for ways to do that.
I keep wanting to go on holidays but when COVID struck it ruins everything and I really miss traveling and really just want to have sleep overs with my friends but because of that darn COVID I can’t I’m oisin and I’m 12 years old and I have adhd
-Oisin
Hi Oisin,
Thank you for being honest about how you are feeling. Without a doubt, the current situation is really tough. It has put limits on many things that we used to take for granted.
It can seem like everyone else has found their group and is fitting in at school. We can end up feeling very lonely and isolated when we don’t feel we fit in.
If you feel like you don’t fit in, you’re not on your own. According to My World Survey 2, over one in five young people considered friends to be a source of stress. 39% of adolescents reported that they had experienced bullying at some point in their lives.
As we get older, we tend to spend much less time with family and more time with friends. For many young people, fitting in is really important. It seems that everybody wants to be popular. This can lead to social rivalry, competition and bullying, particularly in school.
When you feel like you don’t fit in, it can be an extremely tough experience. There are no easy answers, but some of the following may help.
I have been unemployed due to COVID since March and have no idea where to start over again as I have no college degree but beforehand had a really amazing job in the business industry. I don’t think I will ever get one like it again. Im stuck in bed all day not knowing where to go or what to do.
-neswilla
Hi neswilla,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve lost your job due to Covid. There are lots of young people in a similar position at the moment, so your question will help others too.
Ever since my niece died my life hasn’t been the same, I’ve always been quiet lonely and now it’s even worse I feel useless all the time and my life is a chore. i realised one of the only reason I’m living was for her I don’t know what to do anymore
-Turtle
Hi Turtle,
I am so sorry for the loss of your niece. Grief is a really tough emotion and can take more time than we might realise to work through. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. You can read more about grief and loss here.
Hi Jigsaw,
I have just found out that all of my college lectures will be online. As a result, I will not be moving out. I’m very stressed and upset about this. I feel living with my family has resulted in the deterioration of my mental health. I can’t talk to my parents about it, as they are the source of this stress. Also I will very rarely see my friends. Any recommendations on managing this?
-Disa22
Hi Disa22,
College life will be very different this year. We’ve heard from many young people who are feeling disappointment, stress, and anger because they are missing out on experiences that everyone else took for granted.
Online gaming is a really popular activity that can be a healthy and enjoyable pastime.
There are many benefits to online gaming. It can be a way of connecting with others, making friends online and reducing isolation.
Gaming can be fun and a good distraction from current negative news and social media reports. It doesn’t have to be competitive, with many games encouraging teamwork. It can help develop problem solving skills and give us a sense of achievement.
However, for a small number of us, gaming can have a negative impact on mental health if we are not paying attention to how it affects us.
In this article you will find:
Hi, I am a college student, and think that I may suffer from anxiety, and have thought this for a few years. In recent months I think it has worsened. Is there any way to contact jigsaw without talking on the phone/over video call (E.g email/messaging) as I do not have enough privacy in the house to do so.
-dd1938
Hi there,
We are hearing from many young people who have found that anxiety has increased over the past few months, so you are not on your own. With so many people now going to college from their home we are aware that privacy can be an issue.
Ross, 18, a Jigsaw volunteer from Offaly, talks about starting college this year.
Like any young person, or any person at all in Ireland in 2020, it’s safe to say life has been anything but normal since March. Going from “schools are closed for two weeks”, to finding out that the culmination of 12 years of schoolwork, the Leaving Cert, was now cancelled, was an emotional rollercoaster.
The relief from finally getting a concrete answer gave room to thinking more about college and my concerns about third-level education in the world’s current state.
