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Survival- guarantee it!

white knight
Community Champion
Community Champion

Hi everyone,

One of Beyond blue's main focus is preventing suicide along with coping strategies for depression, anxiety and a whole raft of other mental illnesses.

A good percentage of members threads is commenced due to desperation from suicidal thoughts. We members and Community Champions chat and offer strategies to help quell the problem. If that problem persists then it can lead to some terrible outcomes so the topic is an important one. If you've tried strategies of a relative minor nature of change and the affect isnt enough to turn the tide, then more radical methods will be needed. How far will you go to reach the point that you are convinced it is guaranteed suicide will not be tempting?

Let's list the major factors that make up major changes (radical) to our lives-

  • Family structure. Major distancing from toxic family or friends. We have a good many people here that have depression that is indirectly or directly caused by their spouse/step children/in-laws/friends. One problem here is that it seems a modern day phenomenon that young adults wont move away or discontinue their toxic friendships because "they're my friends". A contradiction sure but its one to be aware of for good mental health. Similar to long term marriage where 20 or more years and regardless of the toxicity, they refuse to separate. The problem gets worse as time goes by.
  • Change of employment. We all have our comfort zones but there is a lot of bad workplaces out there. You can choose to make the workplace better less toxic by a positive attitude and ignore the trouble makers. Not easy though. It doesnt hurt to keep looking for a better employer
  • Change of profession. Not easy for many but in the security profession we had a lot of choices like retail, static, roaming and investigations. All were different in working conditions. Some like security were filled with bored employees that fed a toxic workplace.
  • Change of environment. How many of you would be willing to move interstate? Bare in mind that if you moved one or two suburbs away from say a bad neighbour or too close to family, then you are likely to bump into them only once a year, say pleasantries and move on. Moving interstate could be a extreme act causing you more harm than good.
  • Spiritual change. Regardless of your beliefs you could search around for other methods to reduce your anxiety. Yoga, group therapy, a monthly visit to the beach and so on.
  • How much change have you introduced to survive life?
  • TonyWK
2 Replies 2

S_D
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Thanks for posting TonyWK!

I found reading your post very interesting as I haven't seen many posts about radical life changes like this and I think you mention some very good points about how various changes could make one's life better. Something I once heard about why some people find it very difficult to make these kinds of changes is that sometimes we can only imagine what we stand to lose and not what we stand to gain. It's easy for our minds to focus on what we might 'lose' and not as easy to imagine what benefits making these changes could bring us because we have yet to experience them. I hope anyone reading your post takes the time to reflect on any areas of their life where they could potentially benefit from making some changes, whether thats by letting go of a toxic relationship or finding a new workplace where they are valued, appreciated and treated well. I certainly am grateful that I had a courage to make some big changes in my life that were certainly scary at the time although have led to me being in a much better place with my mental health now. Thanks again for sharing!

white knight
Community Champion
Community Champion

You're welcome S D

I must point out that having joined the defence forces at 17yo, moved around a lot then upon discharge went from job to job, profession to profession rapidly- gave me a nomadic lifestyle. Not many people flow with changes so easily.

So I identify with the internal struggles some have with vhange let aline radical change...but we are talking survival, complacency is like a ball and chain.

TonyWK