Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

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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 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

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 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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Tired of fighting this battle.

replies: 171

I hope im ok to post as ive posted so often on other forums but im feeling very desperate lately. Im just so tired of fighting. I left a job i was in for many years last year. I have since had some part time work that didnt work out. Im lonely and going broke. I was desperate and called triple o last week only to be left to my own devices again. I may be going into a facility called parc a non acute inpatient service but that thought scares me. I dont know how much more i can endure. I hope every one is well and thank you for reading Brett

Narc partner

replies: 2

I have been diagnosed with anxiety, my partner no dobt is an Narc but we are going through with buying a house.After feeling excited about buying a house , having an argument about about him changing and needing him to work more because I pay for eve... View more

What do u do when u can't get help

replies: 5

Due to PTSD caused by sexual abuse i live constantly with dark thoughts. No a day goes by that i dont think of ending it all. I keep fighting but it gets harder n harder everyday. I have been to my gp and have a mental heath plan but due to living im a regional area and being on a careers pension i cant afford to pay to get help. My dr has sent out alot of referals and cant get me in to see anyone. Presented to hospital a few times which is a 100km drive one way and they just send me home saying u seem ok now. No sure how to get help anymore. Im getting scared that on my own i wont be able to keep fighting. Only thing i think lefyt is to harm myself to get the help. I know this is not something i should be thinking but quickly running out of options. Im sorry to dump this on here i know in the end is my problem to deal with as it has always been. I do appreciate u all.

It here again

replies: 34

My depression is severe todayAdded to this is the loss of my girlfriendShe was my sole purpose in my lifeNow im back to suicide researchas I really dont want to live anymoreI have nothing to look forward to in this life and I feel too old to start over again.Death would be a welcome giftI know there is no purpose in suffering all the time and its madness to do soLast time I tried to end it I got so close to doing itI always felt it was upsetting I didnt succeed and today I regret trying to get better because there is no getting better.If people could understand what its like living like this then maybe they would understand me better.I try to be grateful for the last 8 years I had with girlfriend and the purpose it gave me but it doesnt stop the added grief ontop of my depression.The cavalry are not coming to save me and thats whats changed for me.I cant keep living for the sake of others wanting me to live.

mounting pressure is pushing me to bad actions

replies: 1

studying has become overwhelming, moving house is overwhelming, trying to keep up with my relationship is overwhelming, and it's led me to act on self-harmful thoughts. i can't fix anything truly, because i can't afford to, i can't focus on my study, i'm worried that i'll fall apart. it's happened before, i've hurt myself, struggled with my study at the same time, dropped out, and then it's gotten worse. i can't hurt my partners again, but i'm hurting myself as well. i can't drop out, because i've never succeeded at anything either. honestly it's making me want to disappear forever, but i can't do that. and i hate that. why can't i just go away?

I'm planning and I'm scared

replies: 2

So I'm in a new relationship only been together 4-5 months, we are living together and I'm pregnant already, I'm just done lately and have been thinking about harming or offing myself a lot lately. I'm currently trying to figure out a therapist and e... View more

Gabby

replies: 12

Hi… I’m struggling to understand how to connect on here. So I’m going to need some help? Anyway, I’m an elder. I marvel that I haven’t killed myself but I’m not happy to be alive at all. I have no friends, two daughters who live far far away but who are in close contact over the phone. But they don’t know of my struggles anymore coz I keep them to myself—they have enough to deal with in their own hectic demanding lives. I look forward to the day I will die and hope it comes soon. I live completed isolated and alone and it’s not life. So sorry for being so negative.

life's to thick...

replies: 3

so, I've had suicidal thoughts for most of my adult life. I grew up seeing horrible things and had horrible experiences. I keep going on cause I'm a carer and a uncle. I had a small group of really close friends who I treated as family. two close friends who I thought would always be there for and also be there for them. (which I was) the reasons are to ridiculous to even type out or think about but, they jumped ship. now here I am. alone most of my waking hours. watching movies, watching anime, playing games, mowing lawns, etc. at this very moment I'm wondering why I'm still here and constantly telling myself there's good reasons to be here. but I'm just so tired of it all. no one to call, text or joke around with and it's eating away at me. I love my family and the singular mate I have left but it's painful to exist just to exist. I've asked myself so many times over the years- what's the point? why do these things keep happening? what did I do to deserve this so called life? dealing with depression/PTSD/anxiety is so exhausting to constantly deal with and that's all I feel these days. just unrelenting, perpetual exhaustion. sorry if this vent was a little to negative for my second discussion post but, negativity is my bread and butter -_-

Stressed out and Confused

replies: 2

Hey everyone, I am really struggling with my mental health at the moment. I am in my second year of University, i am currently doing really well in my course but i am not enjoying it. I am so anxious and depressed, my mind feels like it is going a million miles an hour and then not even functioning at all. I feel sick just thinking about University but the thought of quitting it is just as hard. I have had really bad episodes of both anxiety and then depression in the past and while it is not at the same level i can feel myself spiralling. I have been on medication for both previously for prolonged periods of time but i don't like myself on medication. While i have been off of medication for over a year, i have recently had to place myself back on it out of fear for my anxiety and depression worsening. I have have been having suicidal thoughts daily and they in themselves are a big red flag for me. I don't know what to do next, right know I am so exhausted and so stressed.

I feel broken

replies: 2

I'm really sorry for such a long text but I don't know who to talk to about this at all. I don't have some sort of serious medical issue or diagnosed problems. I'm quite young and on the outside, it would seem like I have a great life. But I have suicidal and self-harm thoughts. I know I'm too much of a coward to actually do it, but sometimes,. I sometimes just break down and cry, but only quietly and when I'm alone. I'm not under a lot of school pressure, but I always feel a weight on my shoulders. I do dance, and I feel pressured by my mother (whom I asked for help) to be better and try harder. I know I asked her for help first, but I can't take it. My knees are bruised and painful, my shoulder is red, and my heart just can't take it. It sounds shallow. Simple. Petty. But I can't. My work isn't be appreciated. My effort isn't being acknowledged. I'm constantly being told 'you're not even trying that hard' whenever I try to be vulnerable or explain myself. It's right. I'm not trying as hard as I know I could be. But I'm still trying. Spending hours. Until I'm dizzy. Until I hear something crack. And I wake up in pain every day, but keep going. I'm burnt out. It's not just that. Sometimes, I sit in a dark room alone for hours, feeling utterly empty and broken and wanting to end everything for no reason. Every bad thing that happened to me feels like a dream. A nightmare. I don't even have that big of a problem in life. People are out suffering worse. People are dying. And I'm here crying because I'm tired. I need to pull myself together. But I can't. I just want to let myself go and let my mind shatter into a million pieces. I'm so tired. I'm so broken. I want to die but know I won't.

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

Tired of fighting this battle. replies: 171

Narc partner replies: 2

What do u do when u can't get help replies: 5

It here again replies: 34

mounting pressure is pushing me to bad actions replies: 1

I'm planning and I'm scared replies: 2

Gabby replies: 12

life's to thick... replies: 3

Stressed out and Confused replies: 2

I feel broken replies: 2