I started watching porn a few years ago. Last year it started to take over my life. I was watching it every day, sometimes for hours - I was addicted to it. I couldn't focus at school and my grades started to go down hill. I stopped doing sports at around the same time and didn't see my friends as much. But that wasn’t the worst part. It started to wreck my relationship. My girlfriend and I started fighting with each other because I wanted to take things further and she didn't. I guess you could say I was disappointed with our sex life.

I noticed my girlfriend had some marks on her arm. I knew that she used to self-harm before we were together and was worried that she had started again. I wanted to be there for her and make sure she was ok, but I didn’t know what to do or how to bring it up with her.

When I was 16 I was always fighting with my parents. We used to go days without talking. They were angry with me and they never listened to me. I was always told I was wrong and needed to change. It got so bad that they kicked me out of home - I came home one day to find all my stuff at the front door, with the door locked and no one home.

After finishing Uni I remember going through a really tough time. I applied for so many jobs but didn’t even get an interview. It was depressing. All my friends were moving out into sharehouses. I was still living with my parents because I couldn't afford to move out. I kept taking whatever jobs I could get, even though they weren't in the field I had studied. I saw a careers counsellor. I did some volunteering in my field to build up my resume. I felt like a failure. 

I was obsessed with gaining muscle and keeping fat off. I went to extremes but it wasn't healthy. I ate only one type of food group. I got obsessed to the point where my family were worried. I bought into the magazines that say guys need to be lean and muscley but it's really unrealistic.

Not only do I have normal stresses such as school work and relationships, I also have the substantial worry of not being the same as everyone else and the persisting worry of how I look. I put a lot of pressure on myself.

When I am feeling anxious overwhelmed and confused I contact Kids Helpline web counselling for some great advice.

I have never had the courage to call, butI know there is always someone there to listen. No problem is ever too small or too big. Thank you Kids Helpline.