Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

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Welcome to the Suicide and Self-Harm Section

replies: 0

Hi there, Welcome to the Suicide and Self-Harm section of the Beyond Blue Forums. Life gets pretty hard sometimes, and many people here on the Forums have had times where they have thought about harming themselves or ending their life. This can be a deeply distressing experience, and this section is here to support members who have had these experiences. This section is not a crisis support service. If you are in crisis or need immediate help, assistance is not available via these Forums. Please call: Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 (24/7) Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) If it is an emergency, contact emergency services on 000. This is a place to share where you are at, seek ideas for support 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. 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 the 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. If after a period of time you no longer wish others to engage in the discussion you have started, please use the 'Report Post' button and request the discussion be locked to prevent any further replies. Thank you for being here, we're glad you're here. Treat yourself gently as you read through this section. Beyond Blue

by BeyondBlue •

Community Manager•

Posted in Suicidal thoughts and self-harm

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26-06-2026

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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

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Suicidal thoughts and Self harm.

replies: 2

Hi, I don’t know where to start from. I still remember i first tried SH when I was maybe 7th grade? Everyone expected too much and i was not able to cope. Self-harming. Mom thought it was accident. I stayed quite. Self isolated from everyone after the incident. No one questioned. We moved to a different city then life was back to normal for everyone. I cried quietly everyday, no friends unless its a closest family friend. I can still count my friends in my hand. I pretended to be happy and fast forward 10 years later. My life wasn’t bed of roses but i was surviving with minimal nightmares. Then, i got legally married to a stranger whom i met 3 days before the date of marriage. He treated me well I wasn’t thinking straight my family loves him. I got pregnant, he asked me to abort , I agreed without asking further questions. I cried every night, i have nightmares but he is too busy to notice. Last year I tried again after staying clean for 10 years. Attempted suicide three times but i woke after 8-10 years like i was sleeping. No one noticed. I’m clean for nearly 10 months now. But suddenly i get strong urges, i still feel the pain, nightmares?, chills. my confidence has gone down hill since then. I get flashbacks every now and then. I shared with friend who asked me to seek help but then i lashed out at her. Idk why. I don’t know what I want to do i just want this pain go away.

Dont know what to do

replies: 2

A bit about me I have suffered pain every day since 1997.after 7 spine surgeries it has come to this .I have to live with nerve pain and a left leg that no longer works properly. I have 2 daughters and 2 step daughters which all love me but I have reached a point that I'm just done with this life. Is it so bad to just want to be pain free and have a positive way forward. But I've exhausted all avenues and feel that I just want it to end. The last surgery's 3 over a month ended up with a complete lumbar fusion that has not only made things worse but now I cant work. Any advice would be good on how others deal with these feelings I just want to be pain free and I dont know of any other way out of it

Gday Everyone Trigger warning: history of a suicide attempt

replies: 12

Try #2 at posting... Gday all My name is Scotty, and I've been diagnosed bipolar for about 15 years. I had another 15 years of experience with the mental health profession before that, but was mis-diagnosed with unipolar depression, mis-medicated and mis-treated for that period. I've had 6 psych ward stays over the last 30 years, two suicide attempts, and an unbelievable run of dickhead pdocs and other mental health professionals trying to understand and assist me None of them have been useful, apart from prescribing me the standard med regimes. I'm here because I'm struggling again with wanting to stay alive, and because the best help I've ever received throughout the course of my illness has been from other people who have the same disorder. Where mental health professionals don't understand shit, other patients do, can empathize and understand, and give good advice. I've come here for help. I hope that you guys can steer me through this difficult time that I'm not managing well on my own. If you've got this far, thank you for reading. Scotty

Seeking connection

replies: 10

Hi there, so I'm very nervous about posting. I guess my story is that I have been experiencing multiple mental health conditions for over 20 years (I'm 38 and have depression, GAD, social anxiety, eating disorder, C PTSD). During the day I work and wear a mask and pretend that everything is great, and after work I go back to depression land. I'm lonely, bored, tired, hate my life, and have suicidal thoughts but know I won't act on them. I'm on meds, have a psychiatrist and psychologist, have had a few psychiatric hospital admissions, but nothing changes. Going to sleep is the best part of my day. I feel like I'm grateful for my privaledge and the things I have in life, and I do little things like journaling sometimes. I guess I'm just putting this out there to be heard and to connect with other people who are experiencing something similar. Thanks for reading.

Occurring Suicidal thoughts

replies: 10

Hi everybody, I have been experiencing suicidal thoughts for quite a while now. I have started to self harm and I cant stop. I am lacking sleep and I am feeling upset or down often, about different things. I don't know how to stop the pain I'm feeling. I often find myself thinking about what my friends and peers life would be like without me, and feeling like nobody likes me. I also find myself thinking about death. My life honestly isn't the greatest right now and it hasn't been for a while. I don't feel like there's anybody I can talk to about my suicidal feelings, as I tried talking to a friend and they ignored me, and when I tried talking to a family member they refused to believe it. I feel like nobody likes me, and there's no need for me in this world. I don't know what to do anymore.

Words of encouragement - I need some right now

replies: 8

This is what it is. I’m reaching out on a forum for some kind words, as I don’t have anywhere else to reach out.

Today is not a good day.

replies: 12

I'm not sure where things will fit, and I apologise in advance for any confusion I bring. In spite of my efforts to be clear, I confuse. Everything feels like an overreach, that I have fumbled into better position than I deserve or earn. Sidestepped hardships by accident and fallen onto my feet at a run ahead of the starters gun. Lauded for crossing the finish line first when I didn't even know I was in the race. Somehow even with all my luck, I am never enough for the things I strive for. Position, promotion, purpose, pointless. My arms shorten as raise them, fingers fail to fold around and grip, eluding. Everything I am is a dice roll in someone else's game. The days are easier when I can accept I am less. Watching things unfold and filling minor supporting roles that create no risk of drama seems where I am most apt. My ego rises and I have to remember to punch it down. Jam my fist in my mouth and keep my head bowed. Rally against myself as the common enemy til I am numbed by the bruises and left in the corner. Time to make another appointment. Helarctus.

No other way out

replies: 7

i've been essentially feeling suicidal for the past 6 weeks, triggered by falling terribly behind on uni work and still not having caught up even though assignments are due which i haven't started and i don't see myself finishing on time. i'm currently seeing a counsellor at my uni although we've only had a few sessions and i've always been terrible talking about my emotions with anyone, let alone a literal stranger. they know about my suicidal thoughts but not in terrible detail. i'm considering presenting myself to the emergency department but i don't know what will happen after that. i'm worried about not being taken seriously considering i've never attempted nor do i actively self harm(i have mad impostor syndrome in other areas of my life + i kinda chickened out 2 weeks ago? i walked past the entrance and didn't end up walking in) i also don't exactly want my parents to find out (i still live with them and they are often overbearing and aren't exactly the worlds biggest mental health advocates)

Worthless

replies: 2

Feeling worthless and empty, feel like everyone is better of without me in there lives, just want to give up on everything, don't know how to become happy again cos everything is just falling apart

Centerlink dsp depression and headed towards Suicided

replies: 6

I asked for help from Centrelink, begged them for help, any help and then had a total break down on the phone to Centrelink, while trying to get a claim rejection for disability support, sorted out and told them to contact my doctor and specialists which i also had put in paper work for, they refused to even talk to the doctors or specialists, instead saying we only go on the info provided and the items you provided, only = 10 point, what total rubbish, I have been fighting since 2008 for Centrelink to see sense, since then my problems have slowly got worse, the amount of paper work i have handed in is insane over the years and have copies of it all the paper work, my problems are = chronic lower back pain, also i have Dsm-v criteria for adjustment disorder, traumatic stress disorder, a comorbid history of cluster b/c personality disorder, traits mainly impulsive and avoidant, neurocognitive deficits, I not able to truly relax, MY ptsd effects my nervous system, causing me to be constant fight or flight mode, I suffer from anxiety depression. which effects every part of my day to day life. I forget things and have trouble remembering even short time term things, and suffer from manic depression which also is effected by my anxiety, stress levels. The Government has asked me to look for jobs, and they look at what I have done in the past to which i am no long suitable for and expect me to do those jobs, to which I would be a danger to my self and others. basically i have given up what's the point if i can not even get access to the programs and support I need to help with all my problems.

Welcome to the Suicide and Self-Harm Section replies: 0

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

Suicidal thoughts and Self harm. replies: 2

Dont know what to do replies: 2

Gday Everyone *Trigger warning: history of a suicide attempt* replies: 12

Seeking connection replies: 10

Occurring Suicidal thoughts replies: 10

Words of encouragement - I need some right now replies: 8

Today is not a good day. replies: 12

No other way out replies: 7

Worthless replies: 2

Centerlink dsp depression and headed towards Suicided replies: 6