Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

This space discusses suicide and self-harm. Consider limiting the time you spend here. To use the section safely, read the pinned discussion.

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Sophie_M Do you have a safety plan?
  • replies: 97

Safety planning involves creating a structured plan – ideally with support from your health professional or someone you trust – that you work through when you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, feelings, distress or crisis. Your safety plan starts wi... View more

Safety planning involves creating a structured plan – ideally with support from your health professional or someone you trust – that you work through when you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, feelings, distress or crisis. Your safety plan starts with things you can do by yourself, such as thinking about your reasons to live and distracting yourself with enjoyable activities. It then moves on to coping strategies and people you can contact for support – your friends, family and health professionals. The safety planning model was developed in the US by suicide prevention experts Barbara Stanley and Gregory Brown. It has been used extensively by US veterans’ health organisations, hospital emergency departments and high schools, and there is strong evidence that it works. Many health professionals in Australia also use some form of safety planning to support clients experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings, or after a suicide attempt. beyondblue has an app you can use to create a safety plan, called BeyondNow. The BeyondNow app takes the principles of safety planning and makes it even easier to use – so rather than carrying around a piece of paper, you’ve got it on your phone at all times. It’s free to download from the Apple Store or Google Play. If you don’t have a smartphone or would prefer to use your desktop or laptop, BeyondNow is also available to use on our website. Do you have a safety plan? Do you have questions around how you might create one, or fill out some of the sections? This thread is for discussing ideas around creating a safety plan, and sharing tips about what has been most useful about this process for you. Below are two videos featuring Peter and Nic, who have both used safety plans successfully. Peter Nic

Sophie_M PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: posting in this section
  • replies: 0

Life gets pretty hard sometimes and many people in this online community have had times where they have thought about hurting themselves or ending their life. This can be a stressful and at times overwhelming experience, and this section is here to h... View more

Life gets pretty hard sometimes and many people in this online community have had times where they have thought about hurting themselves or ending their life. This can be a stressful and at times overwhelming experience, and this section is here to help members who have had these experiences. This is a place to share where you are at, seek ideas for help and know that you are not alone. We are here to create a safe environment for everyone. Please do not provide any details about any plans/ideas that you may have had to hurt yourself, and importantly, help us to understand if you are safe by letting us know in the post. Making comments that let us know that you are having thoughts, but are safe, helps us to know that your conversation can continue without interruption, and that we do not need to put any further follow up for you in place. This section will not be for everyone.It shows posts from people who are distressed, offers public replies to these posts, and encourages people to come back and share how they got past that difficult point in time - what worked, what didn’t and how they now approach these difficult thoughts. It is important to think about what you want from the forums, what information you need and what threads will be helpful to your situation, rather than reading everything that is posted. For some people this section might be difficult to read – if it is not helping how you feel, then please consider moving to another section. This section, like the rest of our forums, is closely monitored and all posts are reviewed by moderators before publication. Moderators will also ensure that anyone needing follow up will be provided with information about how to access further support. ​This section remains a discussion forum focused on helping each other through the dark times, it is not a crisis support service. Any posts that do not abide by the community rules will not be published. Unlike other areas of the forum, threads in this section will be closed after a period of one month of inactivity. If you are in crisis or need immediate help, assistance is not available via these forums. Please call Suicide Call Back 1300 659 467, Lifeline 13 11 14 or contact emergency services on 000.

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Guest_59543016 Mental health poem
  • replies: 4

*Your skin is not paper so don’t cut it,*Because paper can be torn away,But your skin has carried every silent battleYou never spoke about. It remembers the daysYou smiled when everything felt heavy,The mornings getting out of bedFelt impossible,The ... View more

*Your skin is not paper so don’t cut it,*Because paper can be torn away,But your skin has carried every silent battleYou never spoke about. It remembers the daysYou smiled when everything felt heavy,The mornings getting out of bedFelt impossible,The nights tears soaked into pillowsWhile the world slept. Sometimes sadness feels loud,Like thunder trapped inside your chest,And sometimes it feels worse—quiet.The kind that makes you thinkNobody would notice if you disappeared. But pain lies. People notice small things about you—Your laugh,The songs you play too much,The little things you think don’t matter. *Your neck isn’t a coat so don’t hang it,*Because coats are left behind,But you were made to stay. You were made for better days,For laughter returning unexpectedly,For moments you cannot imagine yet. Sometimes life feels unbearable,Like carrying storms nobody else can see. People say, *“You’ll be okay,”*As if healing is simple.But healing is messy—Crying without knowing why,Feeling tired all the time,Trying your hardest just to survive the day. *Your body is not a book so don’t judge it,*Because your body has carried youThrough sadness, fear, and exhaustion,And still whispered,*“Keep going.”* You are not numbers, mirrors,Or cruel thoughts. You are a person—A universe of memories, fears, dreams, mistakes,And reasons to stay. *And your heart is not a door so don’t lock it,*Even though hurt makes people try. You say *“I’m fine”*When really you mean,*“I don’t know how to explainHow heavy everything feels.”* Maybe the saddest partIs how many people hurt quietly,Smiling in classrooms,Saying *“good thanks”*While carrying oceans inside them. But hearts were never madeTo carry oceans alone. Needing supportDoes not make you weak. Sometimes the strongest thing someone can say is,*“I’m not okay.”* So if someone feels like they are breaking quietly,Please know this: You matter more than your hardest day.The world would notice your absence.People would miss the little things. So please—stay long enoughTo see what tomorrow brings. Because storms do not last forever,And somewhere ahead,A future version of youWill be glad you stayed.

Guest_56153583 Audhd losing the will to continue
  • replies: 1

I am really struggling. Late diagnosed female, got the diagnosis of autism and adhd at 34. I’m 37 this year and I feel so hopeless. I do know how to be a person. I’ve just attended a birthday party with my daughter and I could not interact with anyon... View more

I am really struggling. Late diagnosed female, got the diagnosis of autism and adhd at 34. I’m 37 this year and I feel so hopeless. I do know how to be a person. I’ve just attended a birthday party with my daughter and I could not interact with anyone. I’m so awkward and strange and my brain is spinning a million miles an hour and so nothing actually comes out of my mouth. I don’t think I can be this person anymore but I don’t get that option. I don’t know why I’m here. im lost and lonely and I have no one I can talk to or help make sense of my spinning thoughts.

unknownangel life is so icky right now
  • replies: 2

Hi, um idk how to start this. Life just sucks, like it really sucks. I have been struggling with my mental health for like 6 years, and im at a point where it's just rock bottom again. I've tried literally everything to cope and I get therapy but non... View more

Hi, um idk how to start this. Life just sucks, like it really sucks. I have been struggling with my mental health for like 6 years, and im at a point where it's just rock bottom again. I've tried literally everything to cope and I get therapy but none of it helps me, the only things that i've found to help me are really bad, I've been self harming on and off for a while, and it's been the only thing that when i'm in a state like this helps, and whenever i tell people i get the "ohhh but it's bad!!! You need to stop omg ur hurting urself noo!!" and the thing is I KNOW that it's bad, im fully fricken aware that all the things I've done and do are bad. But im at a point where i will do anything(within my limits lol) if it helps me feel better. A couple weeks ago I found an outlet for my feels (omg yay) and it wasnt hurting me, so that's a plus, the downside was it was me just getting groomed by a 28yr old on twitter, and I was aware that it was grooming but this dude wasn't asking me for pictures or anything (and I wasn't gonna send him any if he asked either cos yuck) but like my parents found out so that got taken away and it's probably for the best cos y'know we can't be out here getting groomed. Oh I forgot to mention I'm a 15yr old girl aswell. Umm yeah i dunno anymore, I don't want to get better either, I mean I do want to get better but also i want to get worse? Does anyone else get this or is it just me? Um yeah I think that's all im gonna say. If anyone has wise words of advice or relates let me know ૮ ․ ․ ྀིა

zea im at a loss
  • replies: 4

i dont know how to cope with my emotions on any scale, its been what snaps me into reality and makes me feel betterI've gotten therapy and it didn't really help, my friend is looking out for me but theyve been vaguely expressing irritation at my self... View more

i dont know how to cope with my emotions on any scale, its been what snaps me into reality and makes me feel betterI've gotten therapy and it didn't really help, my friend is looking out for me but theyve been vaguely expressing irritation at my self harm habits (i dont tell them but they are aware how much i do it that kind of thing) and something they said made everything feel so much worsei know its bad, makes others feel worse, and i gneueinyl am trying to stop but due to my mental state its an extremely hard habit and addiction to stopthey talked about wanting people to change for others, whci was renferencing me . its not like im not trying, i am trying for my mom, my family and friends, and myself so hearing that hurt - i just get into this meltdown headspace where i cant think of the consequences of my actions and just want to feel better and then said "if they keep going with what theyre doing - i cannot respect and love them like i used to with the overwhelming knowledge that they are willingly destroying themself for the sake of their ego"it hurt a lot, i know they meant well and just are worried but they vaguely talk about it a lot in this manner and it hurts, it hurt s so mcuh because im trying and nobody believes me when i say that, im just weak against myself, it makes me feel miserable , like im a waste of everyone's energyever since heraing this i force myself to be more cheerful and pretend that i am well and that nothings wrong, but its the worst, its the worst, i wish i was a fish or something

Guest_66110219 need advice with mental health
  • replies: 2

i stopped taking medication recently as all it did was numb my emotions (ie, i still felt suicidal but not much else) and because of it i am back to being irritable all the time. Personally i dont mind, but every time i try to reach out to someone fo... View more

i stopped taking medication recently as all it did was numb my emotions (ie, i still felt suicidal but not much else) and because of it i am back to being irritable all the time. Personally i dont mind, but every time i try to reach out to someone for help, they get mad and tell me its my fault for choosing to stop the meds (in order to try something new btw). i feel like i have no one irl, they either think im making all this up for attention, ignore me completely, or start arguing. my mother cancelled my psychology session this week so i can’t talk to her either. i want to die every single day, but i can never be bothered to go through with it so it seems silly to contact a crisis hotline- there are people who need it more than me. i have exams this week and i genuinely could not care less about them, but everyone around me is pressuring me to study and care, i just can’t find myself caring about something so trivial, especially since no matter how hard i try i can’t see myself making it past 20. ive had to quit 2 jobs now because of mental health, and im honestly sick of everything. people only care about me when it suits them, and i dunno i just dont have anyone left to contact aside from this. i’ve felt suicidal for 6 years straight now, and i’m frankly sick of it. no one takes me seriously because if i dont mask they all complain about how miserable i am. i just dont know what to do, im really out of options i have no idea if this is even what the forums are for i just genuinely dont know what else to do sorry for the bother

arka A bunch of stuff
  • replies: 1

It’s been like this for a while now but a lot more recently I’ve been feeling super down and had some intrusive thoughts and stuff, plus more frequent auditory and visual hallucinations too ‍ I don’t really know what’s wrong with me, but I feel like ... View more

It’s been like this for a while now but a lot more recently I’ve been feeling super down and had some intrusive thoughts and stuff, plus more frequent auditory and visual hallucinations too ‍ I don’t really know what’s wrong with me, but I feel like I can’t focus on my studies, nor work or anything else. It feels like I can’t do anything anymore, like I’m at some sort of dead end here haha

se3re1 feeling really bad about myself
  • replies: 2

hey all! i hope ur all doing welli'm just feeling really low today, have had my mum say i should talk to my therapist about my 'unhealthy relationship with any movement at all' i think she thinks i'm obese or something and i know i'm kind of overweig... View more

hey all! i hope ur all doing welli'm just feeling really low today, have had my mum say i should talk to my therapist about my 'unhealthy relationship with any movement at all' i think she thinks i'm obese or something and i know i'm kind of overweight but i do my best. having some bad relapse thoughts from when i used to $h last year, but i don't want to do it again but feel like i have to hurt myself somehow because i'm so worthless. idk, just feeling horrible tbh, any advice on how to get past the urges and feel better would be appreciated whoevers reading this go get a drink of water and stretch - take care of yourself!!-

Adam11 Gassed.
  • replies: 1

I’m at the point where my limits have been reached and about to be breached. I wake up every day wishing that I hadn’t. My past seems pointless and I have no interest in making effort towards the future. I don’t know what made things change or what I... View more

I’m at the point where my limits have been reached and about to be breached. I wake up every day wishing that I hadn’t. My past seems pointless and I have no interest in making effort towards the future. I don’t know what made things change or what I may have done but I’m worried about myself.