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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Checking out

replies: 4

This is my first post on any kind of forum, so please excuse my naivety. I want to check out constantly. I live every day with the visions of my demise, scenes playing out of the plans I have made, of the wishes of my mind, and I cannot shake them. I spend so many hours in my home, alone. I have two teenage boys, and whilst I love them completely, as they do me, I am constantly at loggerheads with them. (Yes, I know this is normal). I do not have any family in Australia, and my circle of friends is very small, with contact being limited. My only regular conversations are with therapists every week and my GP. My children have little to no contact with their father and have not done for the past almost 5 years, although this has been out of his control for the past two months, as he had a massive heart attack and has suffered a brain injury as a result. (He is currently in a rehab unit- learning how to do everything again). I have lived with manic depression and anorexia all my adult life, and I just can't keep going. As I mentioned I see two therapists regularly and have peer support from a third, and when I tell them how I am feeling, I know they are worried, as am I, but what can they or anyone do? Today, all I hear is "Just do it. Just go and end it all. The world doesn't need you, it would be better off without you. You are not needed here anymore", with a few expletives in there too. How can I silence this? Now it's the weekend, and I know if I reach out for help, my children will be taken away, and that cannot happen, but if I stay silent, I am going to go mad! PLEASE!

Self Harm and Disassociation

replies: 2

I am in a no win situation. I dont want to live like this anymore but i am too much of a coward to die. Something has to change. I cant do this much longer. How can i talk to my family about this when they all have their own stuff to deal with? I cant put this on them. Too stupid to use technology, too old and fat and broken to love again, too tired to live, too cowardly to die.

Feeling alone n lost mentally

replies: 2

Just want someone that understands me n knows what it’s like to feel alone n wanted to be heard I feel like it’s constantly a battle to deal with this n suicidal thoughts as well day n night . Someone please just help me please.

I don’t really know what’s going on

replies: 2

I really hate talking about stuff like this and I have really only told one person how I feel and I regret it and I’m not really sure why. For a while now I have been finding things kinda rough and I don’t know what to do about it. My grades were decent in high school and I did enough study to stay afloat and sit on low Bs and High Cs but now in college I’m finding it difficult to get out of bed let alone go to school, I feel like I’m constantly letting people down especially my parents. I also keep having these thoughts I really hate having and it went from me thinking about how if I died I wouldn’t care to picturing how I would kill my self if I did, I also find my self getting extremely angry or even getting to the point of tears over really petty small things. I feel like I’m being really selfish and self centred. I’m really tired all the time and I find myself eating for no reason besides the fact I’m feeling anxious or just sad. My anger outbursta have caused my friends to be frustrated and I hate that. Sometimes I feel like these emotions are fake and I’m subconsciously putting these on for attention seeing as though I laugh and have fun with my friends sometimes i feel time fly by so extremely quickly to elaborate the other day in the shower I sat down for what felt like 5 minutes but when I got up 1 hour had passed. Also recently I’ve been getting extremely lazy and it really angers my parents they regularly yell at me about how my room isn’t clean or how I’m going to fail in life if I keep going how I’m going. Is this my fault? Did I do this to my self? I’m Confused. I’m really sorry for how jumbled up this was I didn’t really plan this and I just wrote down everything on how I have been feeling as it came to mind

Depression never ends

replies: 2

I'm sitting here again for the I don't even know how many times feeling insanely depressed, my life is going nowhere I never want to leave the house. I tell my family how I feel and they either just ignore me or laugh and tell me to suck it up. I honestly don't know what to do anymore and feel as if suicide is my only option. I'm struggling so hard with life and I feel as if I'm never going to be happy. I'm so messed up its unbelievable.

Partner Struggling | Tw/ s*cide

replies: 2

For the past year my partner has been struggling a lot with his mental health. I have been supporting him, trying to get him through & researching, it's at this point that nothing I've been doing his been responding to. His suicidal more regularly, it's been 3 times in one week (that his mentioned), I am extremely worried and at the point that I will be calling an assessment team to come & check him out. He doesn't want to do better & I know it's not my decision to get him to get help. He needs to be at that point, this whole year it's been getting worse. He has resulted in starving himself to fix his "sins", he really needs a medical professional to help him. I've given him a week to at least try to do something, then its happening. I don't know if it would spook him so I'm really looking for advice. If you have been taken into the hospital by an assessment team, can you tell me of your experience? Or if you have any tips on this subject matter please suggest! I am at the last straw, I am unable to get through & his just getting worse. I'm the only one trying & I really dont want to lose him... no matter how selfish it is. This has been such an isolating experience, I've tried every way possible which is gentle with absolutely no success. I hope this makes sense...

Im struggling to hold on anymore

replies: 2

I just don't know what to do anymore, i haven't been happy for a long time, i have also been putting my issues onto someone who shouldn't have to deal with that, i just hate who i currently am, i am just struggling to find a reason to keep on going and i don't know what to do. I just want these feelings to end, but they just wont go away. So how do i get this to stop without going to the extreme

Trigger Warning - Childhood Sexual Assault Kip

replies: 2

I'm feeling so sad when I was young I was melested and tortured by my brother father not much better when I was 40 I went to a councilor who proceeded to tell me to tell my family which I did but wasn't believed so I never kept in contact with them again very messy when I had my children I made sure I gave them the life I never had I was firm but no smacking them I thought I did a real good job I was proud of my self they got married and all have children 8in tittle spent and did lots with them all now there older and the problem stated about two years ago with my youngest Daughter she became very critical made me feel uncomfortable so slowly I with drew the her eldest Daughter got engaged I thought wow how exiting but it wasn't my daughter would never discuss it if I aske what was happens she would say not sure I was devastated not to be invited to the GD hens night I said ti my Daughter I was very disappointed she goes don't see why in between time my husband had a knee and hip replacement and I felt she put the wedding before his health made me feel very uncomfortable at the wedding only had two photos taken I stayed away from her and her hubby but mingled with family and friends but this is devastating she has been texting my husband telling him how I have abused him he should have left me but won't allow the grandchildren to see me any more there past 21 but she love him and hopes it doesn't change there relation ship now my husband has never stood up for me in 55years my other daughter hasn't taken sides as I wouldn't won't that and I haven't told my son while I'm writing this I feel sick one would think I'm really a bad person but I have given her every thing she has ever wonted and TrueType I'm gob smacked this has happened I'm Broken

Recently diagnosed bipolar and life crashed all around me

replies: 3

This is a new step for me. Trying something different.. My story is difficult for me to accept but a work In progress. I had found I was on a collision course at the end of last year, I seekes help from my gp and was perscribed antidepressants to help (first time ever one any sort of medication) That plus a lot of life factors and I completely broke. I had a massive manic depressive episode and almost took my own life and thankfully sent to a hospital and was diagnosed bipolar 1 with adhd. Once I got out my wife couldn’t handle the pressure and lost trust in me as I was so unstable and kicked me out. I have 3 daughters.. this was he hardest thing ever.. and then covid.. this left me without work for 5months from a job I had held a senior role for 11+years and a chef. (No family, no work) I ended up having to get my own place, still can’t find it comfortable without my girls around and I struggle so much dealing with my situation. i”ve since done a time of therapy, balance meds and trying my best yet trying to stay stable is a constant struggle. recently has a lapse and said and felt things that I tried to hard to control and damage has been done. thngs are slowly getting better though, my wife and I are working on the relationship but I can’t stop myself from thinking that it’s still all to much for her and for myself and that I’m a burden (another child she has to attend to) further more I left my job, started a new one and trying to take it as a fresh start but anxiety gets the best of me and my doubts of my ability to sustain any healthy lifestyle is pressure that’s too much. it’s the hardest thing to mange, I get Manic and it feels good like so good but it was so quickly turn ugly if triggered and the speed of which my head can spiral scares the hell outta me. feeling like I should be alone, and not burden those around me with all this. It’s too much and too unpredictable and down right terrifying at times. guess I just want to see if anyone can understand.. relate.. I got nothing to hid anymore and everything to loose if I don’t keep fighting this. almost feels like when things start feeling good my mind can sabotage everything and bring me back to nothing in a heart beat. I want to help my wife trust me but how can I when I hardly trust myself..

Not sure how to get help

replies: 3

A couple months ago I was given a list of psychologists with a referral letter. I left it until recently. Currently I'm in a bad place and tried calling 6 of them but they are completely booked and not taking new clients. I'm unsure of what to do. For the past 3 weeks I've been considering suicide, to the point where I'm basically numb to anything and have no emotions at all. I've been here before but never sought help, I self-harmed badly about 10 years ago. I've thought about suicide a lot and don't care, I know it will hurt people but that isn't going to stop me atm. My girlfriend is 24 weeks pregnant and, well, this is the cause of my depression. She did some things to fall pregnant while knowing I was 100% against it. I love her a lot but this just killed me. I need more help than a simple chat, hesitant to call life line as I'm pretty sure I know how the conversation will go. Are they able to get me in somewhere to talk in person to a professional in my area? How do I get help if everyone is booked out?

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

Checking out replies: 4

Self Harm and Disassociation replies: 2

Feeling alone n lost mentally replies: 2

I don’t really know what’s going on replies: 2

Depression never ends replies: 2

Partner Struggling | Tw/ s*cide replies: 2

Im struggling to hold on anymore replies: 2

**Trigger Warning - Childhood Sexual Assault** Kip replies: 2

Recently diagnosed bipolar and life crashed all around me replies: 3

Not sure how to get help replies: 3