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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Survivor...

replies: 21

Firstly, I am not having any of these thoughts and am safe. Sat in my small office, smiling at those passing me by and deep down I feel absolutely awful. Not sure how I made it to work, I'm here and guess a small win I suppose. I am trying to be very careful here as I know this is such a delicate topic. I will do my best. I have titled this post 'Survivor' and have mixed feelings and a little imposter syndrome. I have written not one but two goodbye letters. If any of you reading this have been there and survived, its a place and moment in time that you cant erase. For years now I have thought about a special group of people or a club for those who have survived. I don't know why but I just have. Unless you have been there you wouldn't understand. Now again, I am safe and for those of you who may be struggling, hang in there. You will learn that these thoughts come and go. I might end it there. Stay safe and you will get through this.

just wondering to help myself

replies: 4

does anyone have any ways to like reduce the urge to hurt myself like rubber bands dont work for me can my arm just ends up swelling up where it hits my arm and yeah i just need sidjestions how ever you spell that word { im very bad at spelling so so... View more

It here again

replies: 33

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.

venting

replies: 5

i was diagnosed with depression when i was 15. it was a tough time. i was bullied at the new school I moved to, and my friends from my old school suddenly all turned on me and spread false rumours. i always kind of knew they were fake friends, but I stayed because I had nowhere else to go. the new school was hell on earth. the suicidal thoughts became all I thought about and I couldn't stomach down food, and I couldn't stop crying. i skipped class and ignored my grades. a semester later, I transferred to another school, because I wanted a fresh start. I'm currently there right now. i have friends, and no one actively, openly hates me like at my other two schools. but Ive lost all motivation. i cry at night wondering when it will get better. i don't know what the purpose of this all is. this one girl from my first school posts photos of me online and laughs at me with her friends at the train station when I just want to go home. my parents don't believe in mental health and I've reached out before, but they made it clear I wasn't going to get professional help. My mum is leaving to another continent to have brain tumour surgery and she wont be back for at least a year. why am I fighting for a life I don't even want? am I selfish for thinking that? if you relate please reply to me, I don't want to feel alone anymore

Lost, my life so far is aimless

replies: 3

I've been struggling with depression ever since highschool and I've only recently been seeing my psychologist for help. The idea of life and living has always sounded stressful to me, so i never really knew what i wanted to be or do with my life other than kill myself at a young age. I confessed to my parents one day about how im not sure where my life is heading and not exactly sure what to do, I've only just recently turned 18 and was expecting guidance or reassurance, instead i get told off about how they would send me back to my country if i did nothing or didn't know what to do with my life, since then the thought of killing myself and harming myself only really increased. The next time i see my psychologist is next week and im willing to ask for help, other than that im not really sure what to do, as of right now.

Heavy Heart...

replies: 2

Last week I had a very scary experience with my son who started screaming at myself and my daughter. He thought we were arguing and was triggered. He had a driving lesson this week that didn't go well and again had a screaming fit. Poor kid was an innocent bystander to watching his big sister go through severe bullying through senior school. His own needs as a child growing up were second to myself and his mum having to devote most of our attention to his sister to survive. It was awful and I knowing what I know now would have pulled her out of the education system that is clearly broken. Their lack of support and action supports perpetrators and not victims. No accountability for parents and consequences for the kids. Anyhow, they have damaged both of my kids as a result. Time doesn't heal wounds. My own innocent kids had to deal with changing schools 3 times, restraining orders on 12, 13 year old girls for what? Because their own negligent parents didn't have the decency to rain in their own kids behaviour when they were being awful to a young girl for no reason. Very sad! As a father who is struggling to navigate his own life it is not easy. My son is lost. I can see it in his eyes. He has so much rage and anger I am genuinely concerned about what may happen. He is a ticking time bomb. Selfishly as an adult I now regret having children knowing I don't have the mental fortitude to help them navigate all the unnecessary BS that life these days is delivering. I am exhausted from constantly feeling grief and sadness in all areas of life. Thanks for listening. x

Why not?

replies: 2

Hi everyone, I'm in my 50s, depressed and have been all of my life, unemployed, no money, hate my life, hate where I live, chronic illnesses.Have wife and 3 small kids.Why shouldn't I just unalive myself? Yes it's selfish but why can't I be selfish j... View more

Disability and inequity

replies: 2

I had an accident a few weeks ago and ended with significant injuries. I have not being back at work since. I have a conference coming up on Friday and was attending with a work colleague. The conference is in regard to a position we both work in. I am ok to go to conference and can use disability provisions to ensure attendance at conference. My colleague is now telling me I can't attend due to my injuries. I feel that my colleague is using my situation to advance themselves. My mind is sound and I see no reason to miss the convention. Of course now, I'm feeling very low, useless, invisible, and perhaps that I am a threat to the colleague. Thoughts, as I'm not feeling great at this point.

Disclosing/limited disclosure to Psychiatrist suicidal intent

replies: 1

I am seeing my psychiatrist. can I tell them that I am suicidal and that I am unable to disclose with them details about it? What is their legal obligations if I refuse to provide more information about it? Will they have to act on it ie send me to hospital? I don’t want hospital of any kind. Or is it better to shut up and not mention it at all or just say “it’s fine” when it’s damn well not “fine”

No one actually cares

replies: 2

I’m on medicationi see a psychiatrist i just called lifeline and if many things I explained how one of the things that messes with me is that after an hour with the psychiatrist your “time is up” Thought it was going well but then after half an hour she said it’s “time to end the call” guess I’m not suicidal enough i don’t want to die i wNt to live for my kids i was cheated on 6 years ago and left for another man no abuse, nothing sinister. I am a good man. But since then I have struggled with both anxiety and depression on pills prescribed by the doc and I’m seeing a psychiatrist as already said but it doesn’t change anything i feel pain everyday my day is wake upfeel painworkfeel painwork more because child support doesn’t care and I’m paying a huge amount more than I shouldhave kids - because I have them 50%and then I feel like a beerand one always turns into manynow I’m an alcoholic that is seeking support for that A more money I have my kids literally 50% but I still pay $340 a week child support On top of that - i pay all of their sports, my eldest (I have 3) doeshigh end sport so that alone is >$5k a year, plus her other one and then the second girl does 3 things and the you youngest boy does a couple things (trying not to be too specific just in case) no one cares as long as mum is ok, everyone is ok. and then my eldest says “mum can’t afford our lunch orders this week” on a Friday it is about $10 each for a Lunch order. Meanwhile she just got new sunglasses worth $300. Tattoos, you name or.the system doesn’t care i always try to do the right thing “mum must just be going through a hard time” but she does cash on the side plus Centrelink payments, plus she is still with the aforementioned man who has his own income. She was supposed to keep them on private health but then when the first big op came up no, we had to spend double (which I pay half) because she had taken them off without my knowledge because she “couldn’t afford it” In the meantime she had a tummy tuck and god knows what else because she wanted to look better. the system doesn’t care about the kids and definitely not the person who makes money, they just feed the person who makes the least. Great job Australia. im just about done with it all the only thing holding me here is my 3 amazing children who are innocent and I would never let know this drama. guess the only reason I’m here is god I hope someone has had the same experience and made it through and can me some guidance. there isn’t any more ‘medical’ prescribed things I can be doing.

Do you have a safety plan? replies: 97

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

Survivor... replies: 21

just wondering to help myself replies: 4

It here again replies: 33

venting replies: 5

Lost, my life so far is aimless replies: 3

Heavy Heart... replies: 2

Why not? replies: 2

Disability and inequity replies: 2

Disclosing/limited disclosure to Psychiatrist suicidal intent replies: 1

No one actually cares replies: 2